Lumine gripped the Festering Desire tightly, her fingertips feeling the faint vibrations emanating from the blade.
The vibrations traveled from her palm to her heart, acting as a silent guide.
The confusion in her heart was gradually replaced by anticipation. She looked down at the pulsing runes on the sword, her gaze turning resolute.
"Then let's go to the Original Site of the Statue first. That was the first place where the anomaly appeared. He might return there to search for clues."
"Exactly my thoughts." Venti waved his hand, and three gentle currents of Anemo once again lifted the trio into the air. He looked down at Lumine, his eyes carrying a hint of caution. "But we must be careful. That person managed to evade my wind's detection, so he must have some tricks up his sleeve. Don't be too hasty, or we might alert him."
The wind swept the three past Mondstadt.
Soon, they landed at the Original Site of the Statue that had vanished.
Only a bare stone platform remained. A few fragments of stone were still wedged in the cracks of the platform, and a faint stench of the Abyss lingered on its surface.
The smell was cold and pungent, faintly carried by the wind, yet it still made one's scalp tingle.
Lumine gently placed her hand on the Festering Desire, closed her eyes and focused her senses. The cold blade pressed against her palm, and the vibrations indeed grew clearer. The runes' glow also became more dazzling, as if desperately trying to warn her of something.
"The sword is heating up," Lumine snapped her eyes open, looking at the dense forest behind the stone platform, her tone certain. "The Abyssal aura is coming from that direction."
Venti followed her gaze, a flash of wariness crossing his eyes. He raised a hand in a gesture for silence. "It seems he really did come here, and he's gone into the forest."
"Let's hide first. He might come back."
The three immediately crouched low and hid in the bushes beside the stone platform, the dense foliage concealing their figures completely.
Time passed slowly, and the sky gradually darkened. The lights of Mondstadt flickered on in the distance, like stars fallen to earth.
In the dense forest, there was only the chirping of insects and the rustle of wind through the leaves, a silence so profound it made one's heart race with anxiety.
Lumine's legs were growing numb from crouching. Just as she was about to shift her position slightly, the Festering Desire suddenly began to vibrate violently.
Lumine's heart tightened, and she quickly looked up toward the depths of the dense forest.
A figure in black was walking out slowly, his dark robes fluttering gently in the night wind. A mask covered half of his face; it was indeed that mysterious Traveler.
He stopped beside the stone platform, raising his hand to gently stroke the cold stone surface, his fingertips gliding over the spot in the center where the statue had once stood.
The gaze behind the mask fell upon the empty center of the stone platform. It was unclear what he was thinking, but the aura around him was as cold as ice.
After a moment, he seemed to sense something and abruptly turned his head toward the direction where Lumine and her companions were hiding. His gaze was as sharp as a knife, as if it could pierce through the dense foliage and strike straight into their hearts.
"Were we discovered?" Paimon shrunk her neck in fear, her small mouth pressed into a thin line as she muttered under her breath, instinctively hiding behind Lumine.
Venti gently shook his head, signaling the two with his eyes to stay still.
But the Traveler did not approach. He simply stood there, silently staring in their direction for a few seconds.
His gaze held scrutiny and wariness. Then, he turned and walked back into the dense forest, his figure quickly vanishing into the darkness, leaving only a cold wind blowing across the stone platform.
Lumine was about to give chase when Venti grabbed her wrist, his voice kept extremely low. "Don't follow. He's deliberately baiting us."
Lumine froze and turned her head toward the dense forest.
The figure flickered at the edge of the woods before quickly vanishing again, as if deliberately tempting them to follow.
Only then did she realize, and she couldn't help but frown, her tone tinged with a hint of frustration. "He discovered us all along? Then weren't we lying in wait for nothing?"
"It must have been the aura of the Festering Desire that exposed us." Venti pointed to the sword in Lumine's hand, a hint of helplessness in his eyes. "This sword has too deep a connection to the Abyss, and its aura is too distinct. He must be exceptionally sensitive to this kind of aura."
As Venti's voice trailed off, the wind at the entrance of the alley suddenly became stagnant, and even the air seemed to solidify a bit.
Lumine stared in the direction where the figure had vanished into the depths of the dense forest, her grip tightening on the hilt of the Festering Desire. The sword's vibrations traveled from her palm to her heart, as if urgently urging her to do something.
"But even if we're exposed, we can't just let him go." Lumine bit her lower lip, the indentation leaving a faint mark from her teeth, and an unquestionable stubbornness flashed in her eyes. "He must know the secrets of the Abyss and the Statues of the Seven, and maybe it's even related to my brother. Even if it's a trap, I still have to go see."
Paimon nodded along, her voice even louder than usual. "Yeah, yeah! The three of us together, plus you, Venti, the Anemo Archon, we won't be afraid even if there's an ambush!"
Venti shook his head helplessly, seeing the determination in their eyes. Anemo swirled in his palm, as if sighing.
"I really can't stop you two."
"But listen to me after we go in, don't act recklessly."
Before his words even faded, he controlled three gentle currents of Anemo to gently lift himself, Lumine, and Paimon.
The wind carried the three of them silently into the dense forest, without even disturbing a single fallen leaf beneath their feet.
The light in the dense forest was very dim, with tall trees blotting out the sky and the sun, only allowing sparse moonlight to filter through the layers of leaves, casting mottled shadows on the ground.
The Festering Desire Sword vibrated more and more violently, its runes glowing fitfully, as if guiding them forward.
The three followed the sword's guidance deep into the forest. They occasionally stepped on dried branches, creating a faint crackling sound that echoed clearly in the silent woods.
The surrounding Abyssal aura also grew denser. The cold, pungent scent crept into their noses and down their throats, making them shudder involuntarily.
After walking for who knew how long, an open clearing suddenly appeared ahead. Pale moonlight bathed the clearing, blanketing it in a thin layer of silver frost, two figures stood out clearly under the light.
One was Dainsleif, his back turned to the trio. The lines of his broad shoulders and narrow waist looked exceptionally cold and hard in the moonlight.
The other figure was a... young woman.
She stood beside Dainsleif, a faint halo of white light swirling around her. The light was as soft as condensed moonlight, enveloping her whole body.
Her snowy-white hair, tied in a high ponytail, was striking against the night sky. Her snow-white skirt fluttered gently in the breeze, revealing her slender ankles.
The young woman's face was innocent and pure. She turned her head, seemingly speaking to Dainsleif, a faint smile playing on her lips.
The moment Venti saw her, his pupils constricted sharply.
The Anemo energy swirling around him instantly dissipated for the most part, leaving only a few faint wisps of green light circling his fingertips.
His breathing suddenly quickened, his chest heaving violently, and his lips trembled slightly. Even his voice changed tone, carrying an imperceptible choke: "Ly... Lydia?"