The Rite of Descension Begins!

"The three from the Heaven Dou Empire camp definitely have no attainments in spiritual power, and as for the Spirit Hall Empire...

"Tianfeng Douluo seems to be an expert in wind elements. The other two are even less likely."

"Then there's Xiong Jun and Bi Ji. One is a pure Power Attack System fighter, the other a healer... so they're even less likely."

"Likewise, A-Tai, Xiao Bai, and that Xiao Bing..."

At that thought, Chen Fan paused.

As far as he remembered, the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion had no attainments in spiritual power either, did she?

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm might have that sort of ability, but that ice worm hadn't come to Teyvat at all.

So...

"Then it has to be the Star Luo Empire!"

During the era of Douluo I, the Star Luo Empire couldn't put together any kind of impressive lineup. Nobody paid them much attention.

So...

"There might be a participant from the Star Luo Empire in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. They joined up and even got an official identity!"

At that thought, Chen Fan looked down at Qiqi in his arms and sighed. "What a mess..."

With that thought in mind, Chen Fan paused briefly, then finally released his spiritual power and began repairing Qiqi's mindscape.

Strictly speaking, Chen Fan didn't have the ability to repair a spiritual mindscape.

His Martial Soul had initially awakened as an ordinary chain. Later, through his own understanding and development, it had become something like the soul-hooking iron chains of Black and White Impermanence, so he had named it the Impermanence Chain.

He'd given it that name because he'd discovered that his Impermanence Chain could damage Spirit Masters' mindscapes. He'd researched the matter further and learned a few crude repair techniques.

Of course, repairing Qiqi's mindscape completely was nothing short of a fool's dream.

But...

It wasn't a problem to help Qiqi recover a little.

"What's he doing?"

"Wait, that white light looks like a fluctuation in spiritual power?"

"It looks like he's using up his spiritual power to save that child?"

"No way. The Rite of Descension is tomorrow. He's using up so much spiritual power now—will he be able to recover in time?"

In the Star Dou Great Forest, Beast God Di Tian watched the scene, his expression turning solemn. He silently asked, "My lord, this human is using so much spiritual power to repair a mindscape. Can he recover in just one night?"

"No."

The Silver Dragon King answered at once, evidently watching the scene on the screen in the sky as well. "His spiritual power is rather unusual. It's almost twice as strong as that of a Peerless Douluo at the same level."

"But..."

"He has no spirit-type Martial Soul or Spirit Ring. Though he has a few clever tricks for repairing other people's mindscapes, the cost of doing so is enormous."

Di Tian froze. "Doesn't that mean that tomorrow, at the Rite of Descension... this human will have to fight with his back to the wall?"

"Mm."

The Silver Dragon King's unequivocal answer sent Beast God Di Tian's heart sinking to the bottom.

Oh no!

Was this plan about to go sideways?

Liyue Harbor, Yujing Terrace!

The sky was only just beginning to lighten, yet many people had already gathered there. The Millelith began maintaining order, incense burners were set out and lit, and people came up from time to time to offer incense.

"Wow, so this is the Rite of Descension? There are so many people..."

Emergency Food floated in the air, staring in amazement at the crowds passing by. "Is this ceremony always so lively?"

"After all, it's said to be the only chance to meet the Geo Archon."

Emergency Food excitedly rubbed her hands together. "Wow, then can't you ask about your sibling's whereabouts right here at the Rite of Descension?"

Lumine was looking forward to it too. But at that moment, she was thinking more about the person she'd seen earlier at Wangshu Inn...

Did this person know where her brother was?

After offering incense at the burner, Lumine clasped her hands in prayer and silently made a wish.

A gentle voice sounded. "Is this your first time in Liyue?"

Huh?

The unexpected voice made Lumine start. She turned around and saw a jade-green figure.

The woman had peerless, elfin features and skin as fair as snow. Her eyes and brows held the cool elegance of a woodland elf, like a nature goddess emerging from an ancient, hidden realm. Her ethereal presence carried an innate dignity, softened by a just-right touch of gentle beauty.

As she approached, Lumine even felt the air grow fresher.

"Is this your first time attending the Rite of Descension, too?"

As the woman drew closer, Lumine saw that she wore a green, elf-like breastplate, with翡翠-green as its main color. A pair of huge jade-green wings unfurled from her back, making her look almost like the king of the forest elves.

"Yeah. Are you..."

"I'm here for the first time, too..."

She paused, then nodded toward one direction. "Look over there. That's Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing!"

At those words, Lumine came back to her senses, her gaze turning a little suspicious. "How do you know that?"

Maybe it was just her imagination.

The green figure's clothes seemed a little like those worn by the otherworldly people she'd seen earlier...

Lumine hadn't met many people from other nations, but she'd been in Liyue Harbor for a while now. She could say for certain that the woman's clothing wasn't in the Liyue style.

Of course...

Maybe it came from some nation she didn't know about, like Sumeru?

"Didn't you hear?"

The green figure was Bi Ji. She looked at Lumine in surprise. "Someone introduced her just now."

Someone had introduced her?

Lumine was a little dazed. She exchanged bewildered looks with Emergency Food floating beside her, both of them staring at each other in confusion.

Was that for real?

The two exchanged glances, until Emergency Food finally changed the subject. "Hey, looks like the Rite of Descension is about to start!"

Lumine turned around too and immediately spotted several figures wearing rather distinctive outfits.

Could the person she'd seen earlier at Wangshu Inn be coming too?

At the thought, Lumine grew excited.

For now...

Although she knew that the one who had blocked her and her brother Aether's path was an unfamiliar god,

Teyvat had seven gods, one for each nation.

According to her original plan, she could only seek them out one by one.

But now...

The person she'd seen earlier at Wangshu Inn seemed to know a lot. He might even know where her brother was.

How could that not excite Lumine?

Unfortunately...

She searched everywhere, but couldn't find Chen Fan.

"Could he not have come?"

"Or does he not know?"

Lumine wondered silently. Emergency Food noticed her mood and asked at once, "Traveler, what's wrong?"

"I..."

Lumine had barely gotten the first word out when a deep tolling of a bell rang throughout Liyue Harbor.

"The auspicious hour has arrived!"

"The Rite of Descension begins!"