"Another month and a half… and it'll be summer."
Qiu Nian stood at the entrance of Liyue Harbor, feeling the gentle breeze brush against his face, a faint smile forming on his lips.
Soon, the Version 1.5 PV arrived—titled Beneath the Light of Jadeite.
Xuehua, cosplaying Amber, sat in front of her computer. While eating grapes, she clicked open the PV.
At the beginning of the video, a little girl stood with her back to the screen.
In a pitch-black space, she seemed to be standing atop water, surrounded by dark energy.
In front of her floated a massive, glowing Geo symbol.
A grand, resonant soundtrack filled the scene.
"If fate allows, we shall meet again someday."
A gentle, soothing male voice echoed out, causing Xuehua to pause.
"About four or five days ago, a few people passed by here. They were carrying baskets and pickaxes… just like you described."
As a female voice spoke in the background, Lumine walked forward through the rain.
In the distance stood a massive ancient tree, its twisted branches tipped with faintly glowing crystals.
"There was also a child ahead… staggering as they walked."
The scene shifted to a massive cavern entrance. Over a dozen people lay collapsed on the ground.
On the enormous door was a glowing seal, resembling a talisman, with strange runes flowing upward.
The screen suddenly flashed red.
The little girl turned around in a storm of black and crimson, her eyes glowing bright red.
As the camera faced her directly, her smile twisted into something sinister.
The dark aura around her surged violently toward the seal.
"I am Azhdaha, born of elemental crystallization."
The scene cut—
A monstrous figure appeared.
Its eyes glowed with a crimson light as it floated ominously.
Within a vast cavern filled with golden crystal formations, a massive four-legged dragon stood within a barrier of stone ridges. Crystal horns crowned its head.
Each step it took shattered the stone beneath it.
"The wrath of the earth… shall not be quelled!"
"RAAAAGH!!!"
Lightning crackled from the dragon's tail as it raised its head and roared.
"This shall be your grave!"
Its massive foot slammed down—
And explosions of fire erupted across the ground, the pressure overwhelming.
"Right now… you are merely a fragment of him…"
Qiu Nian's voice suddenly rang out.
"Shatter the heavens and earth!"
As his voice faded, Zhongli appeared, spreading his arms as a massive shield formed around him.
"Good and evil are separated by but a line."
Holding the Vortex Vanquisher, Zhongli faced the colossal dragon.
"This is the way of heaven."
A meteor descended from the sky.
"It was humanity that attacked the ley lines I depend upon—is this the judgment of a god?!"
"Turn to dust!"
On screen, Azhdaha unleashed both Geo and Cryo powers.
Then followed the showcase of the Cryo Hypostasis, Yanfei, and Eula.
As Madam Ping's voice echoed, the Serenitea Pot appeared.
At the very end—
Zhongli stood atop a mountain, arms crossed, gazing over the sunlit land.
Lumine and Paimon stood beside him.
Finally—
A still image appeared: Zhongli and the Earth Dragon together.
And the PV came to an end.
The chat exploded with players wishing for Zhongli and Eula.
And even more messages begging for Qiu Nian to be added to the banner.
"Damn, this is going to be huge!"
"That was Qiu Nian's voice just now—does that mean he's going to fight alongside Rex Lapis?!"
Xuehua was visibly excited.
[What the hell was that monster?! (facepalm)]
Since this parallel Blue Planet had no leaks, players still didn't know Azhdaha's identity.
[Could it be another god?]
[He mentioned 'judgment of a god,' so maybe not?]
[Let's go! After the God of Obscuration, we're getting another massive fight!]
[Isn't that place sealed with dragon-binding stones? Could it be like Dvalin?]
[That actually makes sense—so cool!]
[Why is it so chunky though LMAO]
[Qiu Nian and Rex Lapis teaming up?!]
[I can't wait, just release it already! (crying)]
[I'm done with Version 1.4 already, give us 1.5!]
[I thought Qiu Nian would be in the banner this time… stop hiding him, Hoyoverse! (crying)]
[Sigh… guess I'm saving for another patch (facepalm)]
A few days later—
Version 1.5 officially launched.
Players rushed straight toward that sealed door.
Xuehua was no exception.
The moment she logged in, to avoid spoilers, she ignored the Serenitea Pot quest—
And immediately started Zhongli's Story Quest.
Historia Antiqua Chapter II: No Mere Stone.
Morning.
Lumine and Paimon walked through the streets of Liyue Harbor.
Since they still hadn't found a way to reach Inazuma, they could only wander around Liyue for now.
And to travel comfortably—
They needed Mora.
For adventurers like Lumine, commissions were the fastest way to earn it.
So they headed to the Adventurers' Guild.
"Katheryne, we're here! Got any new commissions?"
A spring breeze carrying the scent of flowers drifted by as Paimon clasped her hands behind her back and asked with a smile.
Meanwhile—
At Third-Round Knockout in Liyue Harbor—
Qiu Nian and Zhongli sat together, sipping tea while listening to a storyteller.
"Legend has it that in ancient Liyue, there was a god who could rival Rex Lapis himself—!"
"And that battle? Heaven and earth shattered! The world turned upside down!"
Tian Tiezui gestured dramatically, slapping his fan into his palm as he spoke with booming enthusiasm.
"To think I would hear tales of my old friend here."
Zhongli lifted his teacup, teasing Qiu Nian.
"…That, I did not expect either."
Qiu Nian nodded slightly.
But the rest of Tian Tiezui's story—
Was nothing more than exaggerated tales of how fierce the battle was, how mighty Rex Lapis was, and how united the people of Liyue had been in defeating that ancient god.
Still—
The storytelling itself was excellent.
The audience erupted into applause when it ended.
"As for that battle back then…"
"The people of Liyue can no longer verify its truth."
Zhongli said calmly, looking at the storyteller.
"Tian Tiezui tells only legends."
"But regardless of how the battle truly unfolded…"
"The meaning behind his story is still a good one."
Qiu Nian smiled faintly, glancing at his teacup.
"Haha…"
Zhongli chuckled.
"How about we go listen to Yun Jin's opera next?"
Qiu Nian suggested.
"That would be agreeable."
Zhongli nodded.
But just as the two were about to stand up and leave—
A well-built Millelith soldier approached their table.
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