Yun Jin shook her spear, her figure surging forward like a dragon as she immediately joined the battlefield.
Of course, given Yun Jin's current strength, dealing with several ancient Geovishaps at once was no easy task.
In games, these creatures might be reduced to training dummies anyone could beat around—but in the real Teyvat, they were among the top-tier elemental lifeforms.
Seeing this, Shenhe frowned slightly. She hadn't expected a human to appear here.
She didn't want anyone slowing her down. If something went wrong, she might even have to rescue them herself.
"Leave at once. This is not a place you should be in."
Commanding the spectral divine maiden, Shenhe knocked one Geovishap back with her spear. Using a swift side kick, she flipped the shaft and drove the sharp butt end straight into the eye of another Geovishap trying to ambush her from behind.
A shrill, agonized roar echoed through the ruins.
Yun Jin remained unfazed. Bright yellow Geo energy enveloped her body as she shouted sharply and swung her spear into the blinded Geovishap's abdomen.
Judging by appearances, the Geovishap's back was covered in rock-hard stone—earlier attacks had already proven that striking there was little more than scratching an itch.
But for creatures like this, vital weaknesses were always hidden beneath.
As expected, the defense around the abdomen was far weaker.
Yun Jin's spear tore through the hide, exposing the internal structure beneath.
Streams of elemental essence began leaking out.
Though Shenhe's words sounded dismissive, her movements had clearly relaxed.
With the two working together, they quickly gained the upper hand.
Yet Luo Li, watching from behind, remained unmoved.
This was only the beginning.
His gaze fixed on the demon god remnant clinging to the Dark Seelie—he sensed a familiar aura.
This thing… he might have encountered it before.
On the battlefield, ignoring the Geovishaps shaking the ground, Shenhe and Yun Jin advanced from left and right toward the Dark Seelie.
Their priority was rescuing the hostage—not killing the distracting Geovishaps.
The grotesque entity cloaked in darkness retreated slyly, its gaze fixed on a point along the women's path.
The moment they stepped forward, the frozen ground beneath them softened as the ice melted, threatening to collapse.
At the same time, four Geovishaps lunged in to tear at them.
Yun Jin reacted instantly. Spinning her spear in a cloud-dispelling motion, Geo energy surged as a banner formation unfolded.
The four Geovishaps slammed into an invisible barrier, unable to advance even an inch.
At the same moment, Shenhe began chanting an incantation, unleashing another adeptal art.
"Hidden Void, All-Seeing Insight!
Immortal Art — Spirit-Invoking Command Summoning Rite!"
Silver frost condensed instantly, determined to drive back all evil.
Icy feathers spread outward, forming a domain.
As the banner formation restrained the Geovishaps, Shenhe and the talisman-spirit divine maiden coated their spears in frost, launching a terrifying offensive.
Despite meeting for the first time, the two fought with flawless coordination.
At this point, Shenhe no longer spoke of retreating.
Together, they slew two Geovishaps outright.
The collapsing ground was instantly sealed in solid ice.
The two women sprinted across the frozen surface, smashing through the remaining Geovishaps as they charged straight toward the Dark Seelie.
Seeing its remaining Geovishaps nearing death, the creature finally grew restless.
A flash of resentment and cruelty passed through its blood-red eyes.
Its form condensed, transforming into a half-bodied black dragon over ten meters tall, black smoke curling behind it as massive claws extended forward.
"I'll rescue him," Yun Jin said in a low voice.
She planned to split up—so long as the hostage remained in the enemy's grasp, it was hard to fight freely.
Shenhe showed little reaction.
Her reason for coming had never truly been about saving someone—it was simply that, by instinct, if someone was in danger, she should slay the demon.
Even if Mingjun, the uncle who had once treated her kindly, were to die in the process, it likely wouldn't stir much emotion in her heart.
Born under the fate of Lone Star and Calamity, raised among the adepti, far from human settlements, living on the wild mountains—
Shenhe's emotional attachment was exceedingly faint.
Without replying, she accelerated and charged ahead.
The talisman-spirit divine maiden swept forward with icy mist, countless talismans floating in the air, sealing the movements of the last two Geovishaps.
Shenhe herself thrust her spear straight at the Dark Seelie.
The black dragon lashed out with its claws, smashing Shenhe away and shattering the ice beneath her feet.
Frowning, Shenhe dropped to one knee.
She hesitated—whether to remove the red ropes binding her fate—but fearing she might harm others, she couldn't decide.
Elsewhere, Yun Jin was also halted.
Her banner formation was shattered by the Dark Seelie's blow.
She let out a muffled grunt as she was hurled into the rock wall.
Fortunately, just before hitting the ground, she grabbed onto a vine and swung to dissipate the force, landing lightly.
Even so, the trembling of her spear showed how heavy the impact had been.
Outside the fray, Luo Li—still only observing—remained calm.
He knew Shenhe had yet to reveal her full strength.
In terms of sheer power alone, she rivaled the adepti.
The fate of Lone Star and Calamity brought not only misfortune—but overwhelming strength.
If not for the red ropes restraining her, she herself would be a terrifying force of demonic cultivation.
"I'll step in," Rosalyne said, clearly underestimating Shenhe's true capabilities, preparing to intervene.
But suddenly
The battlefield changed once more.
The Dark Seelie locked its gaze onto Shenhe, recognizing the girl who had slain it long ago.
The manifested black dragon roared, shaking fallen leaves violently.
Its body grew increasingly solid, cold, jagged scales gleaming with a sinister sheen.
Compared to its massive form, Shenhe and Yun Jin looked no larger than ants.
At the same time, pitch-black darkness flooded the underground chamber, forming a dense miasma.
Within the shadows, a vast, mindless, malevolent will lurked—like wolves in the night, watching their prey.
"We can't get out?!"
Yun Jin sensed it instantly—the passage they came through was gone.
A barrier had sealed the area completely.
Unless the Dark Seelie was destroyed, there would be no escape.
Worse still, the terrifying aura within the darkness was dozens of times stronger than before, sending chills down her spine.
"This is a trap?"
Realization dawned on Yun Jin.
A trap aimed solely at the white-haired divine maiden.
Because nearly all of the malice
Was directed at her alone.