[The cover's been changed to Skirk, and there's also one of Iffy, as shown in the picture. Please vote on which one you like.]
The curtain of light above the sky shifted and split into five different scenes.
Each scene corresponded to the location of one of the five factions.
However, the awkward thing was that the three members of each faction had all been scattered apart rather than gathered together.
Thus,
each of the five scenes was divided into three parts arranged in a triangular formation, much like the view from a surveillance camera.
The first figures to appear
were Liu Erlong, halfway up the mountain above the Regisvine,
and
Yu Xiaogang, behind the archway in Liyue Harbor.
Of course,
Chen Fan was the farthest away of them all.
He had actually appeared on the top-floor wooden platform of the Wangshu Inn!
"Seriously? The participants have all been split up?"
"Good heavens, does that mean we're starting on hell mode? My goodness!"
"Isn't this a bit much? They said we'd be doing the stages together, so how can they separate everyone?"
As the images on the curtain of light shifted, countless people were left dumbfounded!
"They promised group co-op, so why is everyone on their own?"
"Right? Even the members of each faction have been split up. Then this—"
Star Dou Great Forest, forbidden zone.
Di Tian's expression suddenly changed. "Oh no, Bi Ji—"
"Di Tian, stay calm!"
The Silver Dragon King's voice rang in Di Tian's mind. "There's no use panicking. Trust Bi Ji."
Di Tian looked grim, but he managed to calm down.
Indeed.
There was absolutely no use panicking right now.
The wails of the beings on the Douluo Continent had no effect on the other world.
Once all the participants had entered and every scene had appeared,
the majestic voice of the Teleportation Gate rang out in the minds of all the contestants once more!
[Participants, do your best to survive!]
"The Wangshu Inn, huh—"
Chen Fan's sudden appearance out of thin air startled quite a few people.
Fortunately,
it was early morning, and he was on the top floor, so there weren't many people at the Wangshu Inn.
He paid them no mind and turned to head downstairs.
"Oh my gosh! I was just standing here enjoying the morning breeze. I turned around, and suddenly there was a person here. Nearly scared me to death!"
"Th-this... Could he be one of the Liyue Adepti?"
"No, wait. Doesn't his outfit look different from ours?"
"Could he be a traveler from somewhere else?"
"Doesn't seem like it. His clothes don't match any of the Seven Nations. I'm an adventurer who's been to every one of them, after all!"
Their words sounded like casual chatter, but a short figure took notice.
It was the Vigilant Yaksha, the Three-Eyed Five-Manifestation Immortal—Xiao!
"Strange clothes?"
As everyone knew, Xiao was a regular at the Wangshu Inn. The inn was located in the middle of Dihua Marsh and built on high ground, with an exceptionally broad view that made it ideal for keeping watch over the surrounding area.
From here, one could look southeast and see Guyun Stone Forest, where a sealed god was imprisoned beneath the islands, making it a place where evil spirits could easily breed.
What's more, this road from the Wangshu Inn was one of the main routes to Liyue.
Thus,
guarding this place was of the utmost importance!
Even now, Xiao was still carrying out his duty!
"A stranger in strange clothes—"
Xiao furrowed his brows and watched Chen Fan's retreating back as he went downstairs. After weighing it over three times, he finally decided to get up and follow him.
However,
before he could stop Chen Fan, he saw him get blocked at the bottom of the stairs!
"It's you!"
The newcomer was Lumine, who had hurried all the way from Mondstadt, along with her Emergency Food!
The moment she saw Chen Fan coming downstairs, her eyes widened. She hurried over, Anemo energy swirling around her as she drew her Dull Blade. "Hand over the Gnosis!"
Earlier,
outside Favonius Cathedral,
La Signora had stolen the Anemo Gnosis and was holding it up to the fading light of dusk when Chen Fan used the Impermanence Chain to snatch it away. Lumine had witnessed the whole thing.
That was also the last thing she saw before she passed out.
Thus,
she recognized Chen Fan at first glance.
"Heh!"
Seeing Lumine blocking his way, Chen Fan chuckled. "So it's you two!"
"I didn't expect to see you again after meeting you in the city of bards."
"However—"
He paused, then smiled at the Traveler. "Even with the Vigilant Yaksha on your side, you may not be able to take the Gnosis back from me."
"But if you insist on fighting, I can humor you."
As he spoke, Chen Fan gave Lumine a meaningful look. "After all, you're an outsider who has trespassed where you don't belong. I'm rather curious about your strength."
An outsider... who had trespassed where she didn't belong!?
Like a triggered keyword, those three words made Lumine's mind freeze for an instant!
Her buried memories surged back in a flash, and shock instantly covered her face!
If she remembered correctly, those were the words spoken by the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!
"You—"
"Do you want to know where your twin is?"
Lumine's expression changed drastically. "What did you say!?"
"Heh!"
Chen Fan smiled and shook his head, then changed the subject. "Let's put that aside for now."
"I'm heading to Liyue to attend the Rite of Descension. I don't have time to answer your questions just yet."
"So, goodbye, traveler from another world."
Lumine's expression jolted. "Stop!"
She gripped her Dull Blade and rushed toward Chen Fan.
However,
Chen Fan casually raised his right arm. There was a clang of metal, and Lumine instantly lost all feeling in her arm. Her Dull Blade clattered to the ground.
"Don't go!"
Her Dull Blade had fallen, and her right arm had gone numb, but Lumine refused to give up. She shouted, "I said, stop!"
In an instant, howling winds gathered and formed a tornado, sweeping toward Chen Fan.
It was Lumine's Anemo Elemental Burst, Gust Surge!
"I told you, your strength is useless against me—"
Facing the oncoming tornado, Chen Fan raised his right arm. Light flared across it, and a streak of pitch-black light emerged, transforming into a dark barrier.
The tornado slammed into the barrier, but it had no effect. Worse, Lumine was horrified to feel the Anemo energy she had gathered begin to disperse—
"How can this be?"
With a whoosh, the tornado scattered. At the same moment, the dark barrier transformed into a giant black hand and came crashing down on Lumine!
"We're done for! We're done for!"
Seeing this, Emergency Food screamed in terror, her face turning deathly pale!
Just then!
A low shout rang out!
"Bane of All Evil!"
A black-and-teal whirlwind shot forward like a cannonball. The phantom of a trident formed from wind descended from the sky, striking at the giant black hand above Chen Fan with a thunderous rush!
"Boom!"
In an instant, elemental power poured forth, whipping up fierce winds like the prelude to a torrential downpour.
Emergency Food was sent flying and slammed into a nearby stone, then promptly passed out—
Before you continue