Chapter Summaries

Morax negotiated a contract requiring Snezhnaya to surrender those responsible for Inazuma’s disaster, support its recovery, and meet further reasonable demands, with war as the consequence of any failure. Raiden Ei accepted Morax’s guarantee, and Kaguya prepared to move into the next stage of the plan.

• Morax proposed a witnessed contract requiring Snezhnaya to compensate Inazuma and warning that the archons would arrange a war if it failed to comply.
• The Cryo Archon accepted the terms and promised that Snezhnaya would make amends.
• Raiden Ei faced the Cryo Archon with killing intent, then asked what would happen if Snezhnaya failed to fulfill the contract.
• Morax promised that the archons would ensure the Cryo Archon was present for a war of gods if Snezhnaya broke the agreement.
• Raiden Ei agreed to trust Morax, then struck down the Cryo Archon’s avatar and throne with lightning.
• Kaguya recognized that the negotiations had secured benefits for Inazuma and prepared for the next stage of the Anqi Faction’s plan.

After the banquet, Zhongli and Venti discussed the secrets surrounding Sumeru, Inazuma, and the World Tree, while Kaguya and Raiden Ei reflected on how cautiously the other gods had behaved. The chapter ended with Maria reminding them that gods pursued major plans over centuries, not years.

• Nahida, Zhongli, and Venti said farewell to Raiden Ei and Kaguya after the banquet, and Venti left with several bottles of wine.
• Venti caught up with Zhongli and asked whether he knew something about the Grass Archon, Kaguya, and the World Tree.
• Zhongli kept his doubts to himself, warned Venti to think less for the sake of Mondstadt and the Seven Nations, and flew toward Liyue Harbor.
• Venti suspected the secret might involve Celestia, then set aside his worries and drifted toward Mondstadt with the food and wine he had taken.
• Kaguya praised Raiden Ei for her performance and privately noted that Nahida had only been testing her attitude while Zhongli had revealed nothing.
• Maria explained that gods moved cautiously and measured important plans in centuries.

Zhongli struggled to believe the claim, but concluded that Inazuma was unlikely to have produced an extraordinary being like the Salt King. The chapter left the claim unresolved.

• Zhongli found the possibility difficult to believe.
• Zhongli considered the extraordinary beings in Liyue, including the adepti of Jueyunjian and the yakshas.
• Zhongli recalled that the Salt King was the only one to reach the level of a demon god without being one herself.
• Zhongli concluded that Inazuma had no reason to produce such an anomaly.

Maria brought Heulia to a thriving salt shop in Liyue, where Heulia learned that the Salt People had prospered and returned Heulia’s divine artifacts to the old City of Salt. Reassured by her people’s accomplishments, Heulia confessed her guilt over burdening Maria and decided to study mechanisms and adeptal arts with Guizhong.

• Maria showed Heulia a busy storefront selling pure salt, and Heulia tasted it and praised its quality.
• Maria explained that the Salt People had mastered salt production in Liyue and returned the Salt Lamp and Salt Ruler to the old City of Salt.
• Heulia thanked Maria for protecting her people, then apologized for holding Maria back from going to Guili with Guizhong.
• Heulia admitted she felt guilty that Maria had sacrificed so much for the City of Salt and resolved to learn mechanisms and adeptal arts from Guizhong.
• Maria encouraged Heulia and said she looked forward to seeing her pursue her studies.

Hu Tao and Maria discussed heroic funeral arrangements over tea, and Hu Tao said their conversation had inspired her. Maria then asked Hu Tao to repay her guidance by handling their order for free and covering their expenses in Liyue.

• Hu Tao and Maria discussed heroes over tea while the other two followed along.
• Hu Tao said she was inspired and that Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor would know how to handle similar requests.
• Maria asked Hu Tao to take their order for free and pay their Liyue expenses in return for her advice.
• Hu Tao's smile vanished.

Guizhong tried to bury Cloud Retainer and Gechen Langshi to keep her secret safe, but the two escaped and fought back against her Guizhong Machines. After the battle devastated Lu Hua Garden, Cloud Retainer pointed out that other abodes might have been damaged and visitors could arrive, so the three reluctantly pretended to reunite over tea.

• Cloud Retainer used her beak to promise Guizhong she would keep the secret, prompting Gechen Langshi to accuse her of betrayal.
• Cloud Retainer and Gechen Langshi broke free and fled in opposite directions, but Guizhong unleashed her Guizhong Machines to hunt them both.
• Cloud Retainer held off the machines while Gechen Langshi charged at Guizhong, and the three clashed until the surrounding peaks and ground were devastated.
• Cloud Retainer asked whether they had collapsed Fanan and Yingda's abodes and how they would explain the destruction to investigators.
• Guizhong put away her machines and offered tea, and Cloud Retainer and Gechen Langshi accepted the pretense of friendship under the circumstances.

Guizhong had Cloud Retainer and Ping'er recover her secret chamber and turn it into a Portable Grotto, exposing her collection of Maria-related curiosities in the process. Embarrassed and worried they would tell anyone, she tried to secure their silence with two suggestive figurines and an ancient mechanism.

• Guizhong asked Ping'er and Cloud Retainer to dig out her secret chamber and convert its Abode into a Portable Grotto.
• The three recovered Guizhong's Maria figurines, personal belongings, lewd portraits, and other collectibles.
• Ping'er made the Abode portable, while Cloud Retainer repaired its interior.
• Guizhong demanded that Cloud Retainer and Ping'er forget what they had seen and threatened to blow up Liyue if they told anyone.
• Guizhong brought out two suggestive Maria figurines and an ancient mechanism.

Shenhe questioned Anqi, the self-proclaimed Fifth Outlander, and discovered that Anqi could calm her baleful aura and let her experience it without losing control. After two days of visits and pastries, Shenhe's master Cloud Retainer returned in human form, looking devastated and refusing to explain what had happened.

• Shenhe asked Anqi about being an Outlander, and Anqi revealed that she had taken Shenhe's red ropes.
• When Shenhe's baleful aura surged, Anqi calmed her with a touch and shared her clear state of mind.
• Shenhe continued visiting Anqi, cautiously probing her motives while enjoying tea and pastries.
• After two days, Cloud Retainer returned to Mount Aozang looking dazed and exhausted.
• Shenhe supported Cloud Retainer, who began to explain an amusing anecdote but stopped, privately blaming Guizhong's calculations.

After Amber discovered the Temple of the Four Winds had collapsed, Lumine and Paimon remained unaware as they pursued the treasure map. The Knights confirmed that all three temples had suffered devastating damage and detained the pair at Mondstadt's gates.

• Amber heard a crash, found the Temple of the Four Winds in ruins, and fired a signal flare for help.
• The Wolf Cavalry split up to notify Jean and investigate the other two temples.
• Lumine and Paimon washed up, assembled the three map pieces, and decided to keep following the route toward the supposed dragon's treasure.
• Lumine and Paimon returned toward Mondstadt, planning to ask Dora A. Qi about the map once they got back.
• At the city gates, Knights questioned Lumine and Paimon, then chained Lumine's wrists and Paimon's neck after confirming their descriptions.

Jean and the Knights of Favonius treated the destruction of the Temple of the Four Winds as a possible Abyss Order attack and launched a full investigation. Venti returned to Mondstadt unaware that he had become the most heavily wanted suspect.

• Jean discussed Anqi's apology with Lisa and worried about Venti's role in the temple's destruction.
• Jean learned that Venti had no recorded entry or exit from Mondstadt and had vanished shortly after the Electro Archon's letter arrived.
• Jean ordered wanted posters for Lumine, Paimon, and Venti, and assigned Kaeya and Rosaliya to investigate.
• The Knights of Favonius classified the temple breach as a possible terrorist attack involving the Abyss Order.
• Venti returned from overseas, heard news carried on the wind, and stared in bewilderment at his wanted status.

Lumine and Paimon left the injured red Knight in the woods, where her wolf partner would likely find her. The second God of Wind sent two wanted posters for a bard flying toward Wolvendom and the Ruins of the East Wind Dragon.

• Paimon insisted on accompanying Lumine and said she still had bombs from Anqi to help.
• Lumine and Paimon walked away, leaving the writhing red Knight in the woods.
• The lazy God of Wind watched the Knight while eating an apple.
• The second God of Wind sent two wanted posters for a bard toward Wolvendom and the Ruins of the East Wind Dragon.

Jean and Barbara reacted with dread after learning that the Temple of the Four Winds had been completely destroyed. They feared how the God of Wind would feel about the loss of a temple commemorating his former comrades.

• Jean and Barbara's hearts clenched at the news that the Temple of the Four Winds was destroyed.
• They recalled that the temple commemorated the Four Winds Guardians, the God of Wind's former comrades-in-arms.
• They feared the God of Wind's reaction to the temple's destruction.

Lumine and Paimon tried to pin the temple destruction on Venti, and Anqi arrived and joined them in pursuing him. Their chase opened the passage to the dragon’s lair, where the group plunged into an abyss and Anqi’s overloaded Wind Glider failed to hold them.

• Lumine and Paimon decided to hand Venti over to the Knights to clear their wanted status, despite expecting to pay compensation.
• Anqi arrived and questioned Lumine and Paimon about the destroyed temple, then accepted their claim that Venti was responsible and aimed her gun at him.
• Venti fled toward the tower, pursued by Anqi, Lumine, Paimon, and the Knights.
• The passage to the dragon’s lair opened, and the pursuing people and wolves fell into the abyss.
• Anqi used her modified Wind Glider to catch Lumine and Amber while the others formed a human chain, but the overloaded machine lost power.

Wendy and Dvalin learned that the Abyss Order had used toxic blood crystals to target Dvalin and Andrius, while Lumine’s purification ability offered a chance to help Dvalin. After Lumine agreed to the task in exchange for answers, she and Jean pursued Dvalin with Barbatos’s blessing.

• Wendy removed three toxic blood crystals from Lumine and explained how the Abyss Order had hidden its research in a temple.
• Wendy revealed that Lumine could purify Dvalin’s toxic blood and asked her to help him.
• Dvalin rejected the offer and flew away, unwilling to risk trusting a mortal with his wounds.
• Lumine agreed to help on the condition that Wendy answer her questions afterward.
• Wendy blessed Lumine and Jean with divine power, and they chased after Dvalin.
• Wendy stared at Barbatos, who awkwardly took control of the final script.

Lumine finished questioning Wendy, then fell asleep from exhaustion while the Knights investigated his identity and concluded he was Mondstadt’s newborn Demon God. After Andrius confirmed their guess, Jean made Wendy pay 35 percent of his performance earnings toward temple repairs, and the chapter ended with Lumine considering whether to treat the broke bard to drinks.

• Lumine thanked Wendy for helping Dvalin, promised to visit him at Windrise, and fell asleep against him after their conversation.
• Jean briefed the Knights on the events at the temples and the God of Wind’s instructions, and Kaeya proposed that Wendy was Mondstadt’s newborn Demon God.
• Three days later, Anqi visited Wolvendom, where Andrius confirmed that Wendy was the newborn Demon God.
• Jean ordered Wendy to contribute toward rebuilding the Four Winds temples, and he bargained her down to taking 35 percent of his performance earnings.
• After Lumine returned to Mondstadt, she found Wendy watching the Knights take Mora from his hat and considered treating him to drinks.

After Lumine and Paimon fell into Anqi and Amber’s trap, Anqi told Lumine that Master Jean wanted to see her and proposed using a bounty to find her brother. Lumine decided she wanted to issue one, but her three hundred thousand Mora was nowhere near enough, so she begged Anqi to teach her how to make money.

• Lumine returned home with Paimon and triggered traps that tied them up and left them hanging upside down.
• Amber and Anqi confronted the pair, and Amber tickled them until they apologized before leaving.
• Anqi told Lumine that Master Jean was looking for her, likely to thank her for helping Dvalin.
• Lumine said she wanted Master Jean to put up missing person posters for her brother, and Anqi suggested offering a bounty instead.
• Anqi explained that higher bounties would draw more people and organizations across Teyvat into the search, but Lumine only had three hundred thousand Mora.
• Lumine grabbed Anqi and begged her to teach her how to make money.

Jean struggled to manage Mondstadt’s many affairs alone until Wendy visited and eased her exhaustion. Wendy told Jean and Barbara that the Divine War had been averted and Inazuma had lifted its National Seclusion Decree.

• Anqi proposed a promising project, and Jean marked its document before returning to her work.
• Jean worked through the day’s many responsibilities and lamented that she lacked people who could share her burden.
• Wendy arrived, massaged Jean’s shoulders, and helped her relax until she fell asleep.
• Jean woke at night to find Barbara serving dinner while Wendy stole food, and they shared the meal together.
• Wendy reported that Morax had helped avert the Divine War, Snezhnaya had promised compensation, and Inazuma had lifted its National Seclusion Decree.
• Jean affirmed her faith that the God of Wind’s gift of freedom was the foundation of Mondstadt.

Shenhe reported to Zhongli that a Descender had appeared on Mount Aozang, prompting him to realize Cloud Retainer planned to test the newcomer at great personal risk. Zhongli summoned the Salt King and hurried with Shenhe to Mount Aozang to stop her.

• Cloud Retainer ordered Shenhe to visit Zhongli and report the Descender, warning her to show respect to the Archon.
• Shenhe reached Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor and called Zhongli the Archon, startling him before he asked her to call him Zhongli.
• Shenhe described the Descender’s strange building, concealed face, incomprehensible power, and habit of feeding her delicious food.
• Shenhe explained that Cloud Retainer intended to test the Descender, and Zhongli realized his old friend might risk her life to gather information.
• Zhongli notified the Salt King and set off with Shenhe for Mount Aozang to reach Cloud Retainer quickly.

Maria charmed Hu Tao by praising her and placing a plum blossom hair ornament in her hair, prompting Hu Tao to compare Maria with Zhongli. Maria asked whether Zhongli had been happy working at Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor.

• Hu Tao complained that she was paying the bill and demanded thanks.
• Maria praised the hair ornament and Hu Tao’s beauty as she placed the ornament in her hair.
• Hu Tao said Maria reminded her of Zhongli but was different from him.
• Hu Tao wondered whether Zhongli might be an immortal who had come down from the mountains to cultivate.
• Maria asked whether Zhongli had been happy working at Wang Sheng Funeral Parlor.

Anqi killed Azhdaha with the Sword God technique, collected his body, and placed a wisp of his consciousness inside a pebble. Zhongli arrived at Hulao Mountain to investigate the damaged Abode, unaware that Azhdaha was already dead.

• Anqi failed to reason with Azhdaha and summoned the Sword God technique, whose pressure shook Liyue’s Ley Lines.
• Azhdaha briefly regained his clarity and roared Morax’s name in a final attempt to warn him before Anqi’s sword killed him and destroyed the Abode’s seals.
• Anqi collected Azhdaha’s corpse and transferred a wisp of his consciousness into a small pebble before leaving.
• Zhongli met Xueyue Zhuyang and Lishui Dieshan Zhenjun near Hulao Mountain to investigate the missing Fulong Tree and Azhdaha’s tail.
• Xueyue Zhuyang and Lishui Dieshan Zhenjun told Zhongli that Azhdaha had likely broken through the seal but remained inside the damaged Abode, which they could not yet enter.