The crowd's hearts sank, and even their breathing faltered.
The moment the ice wall shattered, Yunqin remained on the moon, her eyelids still lowered, her long lashes casting delicate shadows across her pale face.
The dark energy of the Abyss grew even denser around her, enveloping her tightly like an airtight net.
With no obstacles to stop them, the waves surged forth like unleashed beasts, crushing toward Liyue Harbor.
The salty sea breeze, carrying rubble and wooden shards, slammed violently against the Millelith's shields, making dull thuds that left small dents even on the sturdy shields.
They could clearly see the wreckage of fishing boats tossing in the crests of the waves and hear the eerie roars from the deep sea, yet they still kept their backs straight, protecting the people behind them.
Just at this critical moment, a wave of piercing ice energy suddenly swept in from the harbor!
The chill was so intense that the raindrops in the air condensed into tiny ice crystals, landing on the bluestone slabs with soft rustles.
That ice element acted like an invisible barrier, instantly freezing the surging waves into a giant ice sculpture, the churning patterns of the waves still clearly visible on its surface.
Then, the ice sculpture shattered with a thunderous crash.
Countless ice crystals merged into the waves, temporarily halting the tsunami's momentum, and even the air itself seemed to be frozen solid.
Shenhe's figure emerged from the harbor's thin mist, her white hair fluttering in the wind, her robes dusted with faint ice crystals, the ice element around her yet to fully dissipate.
She looked up at the Jade Chamber high in the sky, her brow slightly furrowed.
With Senior Sister Ganyu's strength, she could calmly handle the waves even if their size were doubled. She could surely withstand this much impact.
A few Millelith who were just about to use their Elemental Power noticed Shenhe and hurriedly stepped forward with spears raised to stop her: "Miss! It's too dangerous here! Hurry and follow the people to the safe area in the rear!"
They didn't know who had just dealt with the waves. Seeing Shenhe's slender figure, she didn't look like someone who could fight.
They simply thought she was an ordinary civilian who had strayed into the battlefield in the chaos, their eyes filled with worry.
Shenhe merely glanced at them, her gaze as cold as ice, without a hint of panic. Her voice was as calm as a frozen lake: "I am Shenhe, a disciple of Cloud Retainer."
"A disciple of an Adeptus?!"
The Millelith froze, their spears lowering instinctively. Then, they quickly recovered and snapped into a standard military salute, their armor clashing with a crisp, uniform sound.
"We did not know an Adeptal Master had arrived. Please forgive our offense!"
In Liyue, the adepti had always been the protectors in the people's hearts.
Moreover, in this moment of crisis, Shenhe's arrival undoubtedly injected a shot of confidence into the panicked Millelith.
Shenhe waved her hand, her gaze returning to the eerie blue moon. "Now is no time for such formalities. A greater trouble lies ahead."
"Yes!" the Millelith responded in unison, their voices booming over the sound of the rain.
Their morale, which had been low, soared again at Shenhe's arrival.
With the adepti and Ningguang present, Liyue's full combat strength was now on the field!
They would definitely win this battle!
Suddenly, a clear, resonant crane's cry echoed from the sky.
Cloud Retainer soared in on flapping wings, her silhouette leaving afterimages in the rain. The Anemo currents she conjured swept away the surrounding mist, making Shenhe's figure even clearer.
"Shenhe? What are you doing here?" Cloud Retainer landed just over ten feet in front of Shenhe, her tone tinged with surprise.
Her gaze swept over the ice elements that had not yet dissipated from Shenhe's body, then turned to the eerie blue moon over the sea, her frown deepening.
Shenhe dipped her head slightly in a respectful greeting to Cloud Retainer: "Master, I sensed a strong elemental disturbance in Liyue Harbor during my training, so I followed the aura here."
"Just now, I saw Senior Sister Ganyu losing her composure because of Junior Sister Yunqin, so I took action to steady the waves."
"You were quite resourceful," Cloud Retainer sighed.
Cloud Retainer watched the icy mist swirling around Shenhe, her gaze drifting toward the gradually calming waves in the distance.
The once-roiling waters were now much more docile, with only fine spray lapping against the rocks. Where was even a hint of their earlier world-destroying aura?
She sighed softly, her wings trembling slightly as the Anemo energy also dissipated a bit.
"This child..." Cloud Retainer thought helplessly, a flicker of complicated emotion crossing her eyes.
In truth, she had sensed Shenhe's ice element condensing, but it was precisely this "timeliness" that disrupted the plan the Adepti had long since devised.
How could she not understand Shenhe's intentions?
The child was always straightforward, and seeing Ganyu flustered and the waves threatening to crash ashore, she would naturally act immediately.
But they had hoped to use this "controllable" crisis to see how much the mortals of Liyue had truly grown.
After all, with Rex Lapis having abdicated, this land would ultimately have to rely on them to protect it.
And now, the test had barely begun before it was interrupted by their own disciple's "good intentions."
Beside them, Moon Carver saw the confusion on Shenhe's face, and the lightning on his antlers softened, no longer as fierce as before.
These Adepti had guarded Liyue for a thousand years, long accustomed to their roles as "protectors." But the times had changed, and they could no longer always stand in front of the mortals to block every disaster.
Though the waves appeared perilous, they had in fact already secretly laid down protections.
As long as the Millelith and the people could withstand the initial panic and find a way to cope, it would be the best outcome.
But Shenhe knew none of this; she simply believed they were truly in imminent danger, so it was only natural for her to intervene.
Yet, in truth, this was for the best. After all, from the way the Millelith had just straightened their backs, they had already seen the answer.
Seeing the confusion in Shenhe's eyes deepen, Cloud Retainer finally softened her heart.
Very well, very well. Though the test remained unfinished, the child's intentions were genuine, as was the Millelith's steadfastness.
Compared to a deliberately designed test, protecting these vibrant lives before them was, after all, more important.
Cloud Retainer waved her hand, her tone softening. Her gaze fell upon the Millelith below, who still kept their backs straight, and a trace of relief flashed in her eyes. "Enough. You acted out of good intentions."
Those Millelith, even when facing waves that threatened to destroy the heavens and earth, had not taken a single step back, always shielding the people behind them.
This sense of responsibility truly lived up to Rex Lapis's entrustment.
Shenhe followed her gaze and saw that although the Millelith still gripped their long spears, their armor still coated in ice shards and seawater, not a single one showed a trace of cowardice.
The young soldiers in the front row stared fixedly at the sea, as if they were about to fight the waves to the death the next second.
Moon Carver shook his head gently, his gaze turning toward the eerie blue moon, his tone turning grave once more: "At present, Yunqin is the top priority. We can discuss the test later."
Mountain Shaper nodded in agreement: "That's right. Yunqin is too deeply entangled with the Abyss, and there are still hidden dangers in the sea. We must formulate a plan as quickly as possible and absolutely cannot afford any more distractions."
"Your disciple understands." The ice element around Shenhe condensed again, her eyes filled with determination.