"Bai… Baiheng—"
Though Jingliu's eyes were still covered by a black veil, the contents of the light screen appeared clearly within her mind.
The moment she saw that familiar face—
Her heartbeat surged.
Memories flooded back all at once.
That long-lost smile resurfaced in her mind again.
But before she could steady her emotions—
She suddenly snapped awake.
Bella's plan…
Was to use Hoolay to stall Aerin's Valkyries—
So she could secretly send Jingliu into Teyvat.
Turn her into a pawn.
A tool to disgust Aerin.
Bella had prepared everything perfectly.
She had granted Hoolay and the biomechanical army terrifying regenerative power—
Even a fragment could regenerate using the Stellaron-infused Ambrosial Arbor.
This was clearly a war of attrition strategy.
All to create an opening—
To sneak Jingliu into Teyvat unnoticed.
And Jingliu herself—
Was weak enough compared to those Valkyries…
That she might slip under their radar.
Then—
Once her Mara struck…
Once she lost control…
And began slaughtering innocent people—
Even if she was immediately stopped—
Even a tiny loss…
Would still disgust someone like Aerin.
But—
Bella didn't know.
Aerin had already surpassed that level.
Her plan—
Was doomed from the start.
And worse—
Jingliu realized something terrifying.
The barrier around Teyvat…
Had been lifted.
And then—
Baiheng appeared in Teyvat.
Alive.
A chill ran down Jingliu's spine.
She instinctively felt—
This was intentional.
Aerin had done this on purpose.
So that she—
In a Mara-stricken state—
Would kill Baiheng again.
"…No… this… this can't happen…"
Jingliu clutched her face in agony.
This was the one outcome—
She could never accept.
Chat Reactions
Jingliu:
"I was thrown into Teyvat by Bella. My Mara is not under my control. Why must it be so cruel?"
Blade:
"Reviving Baiheng… just to punish you? Why go this far?"
Blade's breathing became heavy.
He understood cruelty from higher beings.
Even salvation often came with indiscriminate destruction.
To them—
Individual lives meant little.
"Making Jingliu kill Baiheng again…"
"…That's too cruel."
He remembered—
The past.
Trying to revive Baiheng with Dan Feng.
The cost.
The destruction.
The fall of the High-Cloud Quintet.
They failed—
Despite everything.
Yet Aerin…
Did it with a single thought.
But—
Was it kindness?
Or something else?
Firefly Interjects
"I think you're overthinking this."
Firefly spoke calmly.
"Why assume Aerin revived Baiheng just to make you suffer?"
"That would be meaningless."
"Look at Belobog—everyone thought it was doomed, but it turned out fine."
"So don't jump to conclusions yet."
Teyvat — Baiheng Awakens
Baiheng wandered around, confused.
Suddenly—
A voice echoed behind her.
"Of five, three must pay the price…"
"The chief culprit: Dan Feng…"
"The accomplice: Yingxing…"
"The sinner: Jingliu…"
Baiheng froze.
"What… are you talking about?"
"What happened to Dan Feng? To Blade?"
"And Jingliu… killing her comrades?"
"What do you mean?!"
Standing before her—
Were two women.
A fox-eared shrine maiden.
And a calm, elegant woman.
They explained everything.
Dan Feng and Blade tried to revive her—
Using her remains.
Combining High-Cloud Dragon Arts with Abundance.
But—
They created a mindless abomination instead.
A calamity.
Jingliu—
Fell to Mara.
And killed her own comrades.
"The High-Cloud Quintet… collapsed."
Baiheng fell silent.
The elegant woman added:
"Your story…"
"Is similar to the Five Yakshas of Liyue."
"Heroes."
"Close companions."
"Destroyed by fate."
But then—
She smiled.
"They were revived."
Baiheng froze.
"…What?"
"They were revived," said Guizhong softly.
"What others cannot do…"
"Our master can do effortlessly."
Then they explained everything.
Bella.
The invasion.
The plan.
Baiheng's face turned pale.
"That's insane!"
"She wants Jingliu to kill innocent people?!"
"And she brought the Borisin here?!"
She panicked.
"I've fought them before!"
"They destroy everything!"
"Do you have ships? I can help!"
The two women—
Laughed.
"You're adorable."
"Don't worry."
"Our world is… special."
Irminsul had been empowered.
Everyone's strength scaled with willpower.
"Battle strength?"
"More than enough."
"As for you…"
"You've already been recorded."
"You are now part of this world."
"Jingliu will be too."
"…Though she might get beaten a bit first."
World Tree Discussion (Chat)
Silver Wolf:
"So… Irminsul gives people 'registration'? What does that even mean?"
Nahida (Buer):
"It means they are recorded."
"And once recorded—"
"They can be affected… regardless of distance."
Even across the universe.
"You can't just take the power and leave."
That line—
Made everyone go silent.
Astral Express
March 7th:
"Can we go to Teyvat?!"
Pom-Pom:
"…We don't even have coordinates!"
March:
"I just want to 'get upgraded'!"
Stelle:
"I want to learn how to become a Valkyrie."
Pom-Pom:
"…What kind of ambitions are these?!"
Teyvat — The War Begins
The sky trembled.
Explosions echoed.
Through the atmosphere—
You could see the fleet.
"They've started attacking."
Baiheng was panicking.
"You're really not worried?!"
Guizhong smiled.
"Think of it as fireworks."
"…Fireworks?!"
Baiheng could only sigh.
Then—
Fox Shrine Maiden spoke:
"Jingliu is about to arrive."
Baiheng's heart skipped.
"…How do you know?"
They smiled.
"Our master…"
"…Left behind a fragment of his consciousness."
"And used a divine ability."
"Everything in this universe…"
"Past, present, future…"
"He knows it all."
"…What kind of ability is that?"
They answered simply:
"His consciousness…"
"…has expanded to cover the entire universe."
Baiheng froze.
"…That's… the universe itself…"
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