Chapter 41: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [41]
Suddenly, amidst the shattered ice and swirling seawater, a solitary figure appeared atop the fractured icebergs.
The Adepti and Shenhe turned to look, recognizing the mysterious man who had destroyed the Guizhong Ballista.
Believing that he was there to cause more trouble, Shenhe leapt from the broken ice, racing toward him.
Just as she was about to reach him, she caught a glimpse of those golden eyes beneath the hood once more.
But in the next instant, the golden eyes darkened, turning a deep, blood-red, with a strange black pattern spreading across the pupils.
Her spear hesitated, and Shenhe paused mid-attack.
"It's you…"
"Fancy meeting you again, Miss Shenhe," the man said calmly.
"Aren't you supposed to be one of the Qixing? Why are you doing this?" Shenhe demanded, her voice cold.
Seeing how Shenhe still believed he was the Qixing member "Li Feiyu," Luo Qing felt a twinge of guilt. If he had known things would turn out this way, he wouldn't have deceived her back then.
"That's a secret," he replied with a smile, then turned to face Osial. "You've fought hard enough. Leave the rest to me."
Without waiting for a response, Luo Qing leapt high into the air. A single thought echoed in his mind:
[Using Susanoo Skill Card (Single-use)]
Shenhe's confusion only deepened. What did he mean by "leave the rest to me"?
Suddenly, a vast and dense purple energy burst from Luo Qing's body, enveloping him and rapidly expanding. A skeletal frame formed first, followed by flesh, a head, limbs, armor, wings, and twin blades…
In mere moments, a colossal armored figure, resembling an Inazuman warrior with wings and dual swords, stood towering above the sea.
The enormous entity was nearly equal in size to Osial, and with those massive, razor-sharp blades, it even seemed to overshadow the ancient sea god.
"What… is that?"
The Adepti above were stunned.
They had barely managed to hold off the combined assault of Osial and Beisht, and now the mysterious figure who had destroyed the Guizhong Ballista had transformed into something they had never encountered before.
Exhausted and on edge, they couldn't help but wonder—if only Rex Lapis were still here...
Yet instead of the expected chaos, they saw the massive purple figure spread its wings and charge directly at Osial.
On another part of the battlefield, Ganyu—who had not taken on her true form in ages—was beginning to falter. Battling both Osial and Beisht alone, she had sustained multiple injuries, and her movements had slowed.
In a moment of distraction, Ganyu failed to evade Osial's powerful water vortex and was struck, plummeting toward the ocean below.
She couldn't maintain her true form, and as she fell, she reverted to her human self.
Watching Osial's three-headed form loom above her, Ganyu was certain that this would be the end.
But then, a gentle pressure enveloped her back.
Looking over her shoulder, she saw a giant purple hand catching her mid-fall, and through the translucent energy, she glimpsed a familiar figure at the giant's core.
Relief washed over her, and exhaustion pulled her consciousness into darkness.
Meanwhile, Luo Qing was grateful he had arrived in time—otherwise, Ganyu's fall into the ocean would have complicated things greatly.
With a thought, he directed the Susanoo to absorb Ganyu into its protective field, bringing her safely to his side.
After confirming that she had only fainted from fatigue, Luo Qing finally exhaled in relief.
In the Susanoo state, his colossal body felt as natural to him as his own. It was as if the giant and he were one, and there was no discomfort at all.
Unfortunately, he couldn't use the power of Susanoo and his speech-based abilities at the same time; otherwise, his Temporal Zero skill could have been even more potent.
He cast his gaze toward Osial and Beisht, drawing his twin blades before letting out a thunderous roar:
"The Qixing's Li Feiyu of Liyue is here! You shall not trample this land any longer!"
His proclamation stunned Ningguang, the Adepti, and everyone present. Was this "Li Feiyu," the name they'd heard from the rumors?
Was this the same man who had defaced Osial's body with those ridiculous drawings and destroyed the Guizhong Ballista?
Hadn't he been the one causing trouble?
Why was he now standing against the ancient sea gods?
In the distance, atop the mountains, many of the evacuating civilians had never even heard of Liyue's Qixing member named "Li Feiyu." Yet, seeing the giant spirit clad in brilliant purple armor, they were convinced and began to cheer:
"Go, Lord Li Feiyu!"
"Li Feiyu… you've been hiding for so long, and now you dare show your face? Be crushed beneath the waves!" Osial roared with rage, raising his massive arms to summon another tidal wave aimed directly at Luo Qing.
The display convinced Ningguang and the Adepti even more that "Li Feiyu" truly existed—there had to be some truth to it if Osial's fury was directed at him.
The Susanoo, with its powerful wings, effortlessly dodged Osial's attacks, and Luo Qing soared into the sky, slashing his twin blades in a swift motion.
Already wounded from the earlier strike of the Jade Chamber, Osial's enormous frame lacked the agility of Luo Qing's nimble giant form.
In just one move, Osial's right head was severed, crashing into the sea below.
The remaining two heads howled in agony, gathering a swirling blue energy in their maws, while Beisht did the same, preparing a combined assault.
In response, Luo Qing's right blade vanished, replaced by a glowing, ethereal shield—the legendary Yata Mirror.
The mirror, capable of changing its attributes to nullify any attack, absorbed the two monstrous beams of energy, rendering them harmless without forcing Luo Qing back even a single step.
Once the attack subsided, Luo Qing spread his wings again, darting toward Osial.
Another flash of blades—and Osial's left head was gone, falling to the ocean below.
Against Luo Qing, Osial's movements seemed slow and clumsy, his massive body like an easy target.
With two heads down, only the central one remained—the most crucial. If that head fell, Osial's fate would be sealed.
But just as Osial braced himself for a final, devastating blow, Luo Qing did the unexpected. He lowered his blades and said in a cold voice:
"Return to Guyun Stone Forest, and I'll spare your life."
Though things had deviated from the original course—especially with Beisht's unexpected involvement—Luo Qing still wanted to steer events back on track, to avoid any major disruptions in the timeline.
"Li Feiyu, do you mock me with your mercy?!" Osial's remaining head roared furiously.
"Answer me—yes or no."
"…"
Glaring at Luo Qing, Osial gave a furious roar before sinking back beneath the waves.
As Osial retreated, the effects of the Sigils of Permission began to wear off, and the seals of Guyun Stone Forest slowly reactivated. The turbulent waves calmed, and the storm began to subside.
And as for Beisht—Luo Qing only gave her a single, piercing glare. With one frightened glance, she fled, not daring to linger a moment longer.
She had heard that Rex Lapis was dead, which was why she had dared to join Osial in his rampage.
But after witnessing Liyue's defenders fight with such ferocity, capable of defeating a God, she decided this was one grudge that didn't need to be avenged.
---
T/N: Redemption arc for Li Feiyun...
Chapter 42: This Trainee Fatui Harbinger is Too Unreliable [42]
At the harbor, Lumine, Ningguang, and the others gazed in disbelief at the scene unfolding before them. None of them had expected the disaster to end in such a dramatic way.
That man who called himself Li Feiyu had enraged Osial, destroyed the Guizhong Ballista—wasn't that all to ensure Osial would break through their defenses and wreak havoc upon Liyue?
If that was the case, then why had he stepped in to drive Osial back at the last moment?
Ningguang, who had always prided herself on her ability to maintain control over everything, now found herself confused and lost. No matter how complex or dire a situation, she had always been able to face it with poise. Yet now, for the first time, she felt like she was missing something vital.
Even when Osial and Beisht had appeared together, she hadn't been as perplexed as she was now.
As the group still struggled to process the unexpected turn of events, they watched the purple-armored giant, wielding dual blades, dissipate like smoke on the wind, vanishing as if it had never been there.
"Ningguang, that man called Li Feiyu... is he really from Liyue?" Keqing asked quietly, walking up to Ningguang as she stared out at the now-still sea.
Many within the Qixing, particularly those not publicly known, took orders directly from Ningguang. Although that man had destroyed the Guizhong Ballista, thus depriving them of one of their key defenses, he had also just helped to repel Osial and Beisht. Keqing was conflicted—was he an ally or an enemy?
"I have no information on him," Ningguang replied, her gaze distant. "Perhaps we should ask Miss Shenhe…"
Her eyes shifted toward the silver-haired woman standing among the shattered icebergs, holding her spear.
"Shenhe, what are you doing here? You've used too much strength, and this place is dangerous. Go back to shore and rest," Cloud Retainer called out, flying to Shenhe's side with concern in her voice.
"Master, about my senior sister…" Shenhe began.
"Do not worry, I will find her. You need to rest. We can discuss the rest later," Cloud Retainer reassured her.
But as she prepared to spread her wings and fly toward the battlefield, Shenhe shook her head, her voice low.
"Master, what I meant was... my senior sister... I think that man took her away."
"What?!" Cloud Retainer gasped in shock.
Meanwhile...
After forcing Osial to retreat, Luo Qing quickly dismissed the Susanoo form, not wanting to linger and risk being pursued by the Adepti. With Ganyu in his arms, he left the battlefield behind, moving through the storm toward the southern mountains.
It wasn't as if he had intentionally decided to carry Ganyu away. The problem was that she was utterly exhausted, unconscious, and her once-pristine black stockings were full of holes. Her celestial blue robes were tattered and stained red, mixing rainwater and blood as it dripped from her pale skin.
Luo Qing wasn't sure what kind of constitution Adepti had, but leaving Ganyu here in this state felt wrong. He couldn't, in good conscience, abandon her like this.
Glancing back at where he had been watching the fight with Zhongli earlier, he realized the old man had already left, leaving Luo Qing with no one to hand Ganyu off to. With no other option, he activated Time Zero at full power and ran south, cradling Ganyu in his arms.
Given the current state of Liyue, returning to the city wasn't an option. Fortunately, Luo Qing knew the locations of several Fatui outposts. One of them would have to suffice as a temporary resting place where he could tend to Ganyu's wounds.
With the combination of Time Zero boosting his speed by 25 times and his enhanced physical condition, it wasn't long before Luo Qing reached an outpost near Lisha. Most of the Fatui stationed there had been called to Liyue Harbor to wreak havoc, leaving the place deserted, save for some supplies and basic rations.
Luo Qing carefully laid Ganyu down on a simple grass bed. After ensuring there were no monsters nearby, he reached into his system inventory and pulled out a medicinal item.
[Tenfold Vitality Pill: Capable of healing all physical injuries, leaving the target completely restored.]
This blue-tier item was incredibly cost-effective, practically the king of healing items. But... its size and color...
Luo Qing glanced at the fist-sized, light brown pill in his hand and muttered to himself, "This isn't a pill... it's a lump of medicine."
Looking down at Ganyu's soft, pale pink lips, he hesitated. How was she supposed to swallow something this big?
Just shoving it in… seemed a bit too much...
He winced at the thought.
While Luo Qing pondered how best to administer the medicine, Ganyu stirred in his arms, murmuring softly in discomfort, her face twisted with pain.
"Maybe if I crush it... that should work, right?"
Luo Qing reasoned that the system didn't specify the pill had to be swallowed whole. Finding a porcelain bowl, he crushed the massive pill into small pieces, then ground it into a fine powder.
Sitting beside Ganyu, he gently lifted her head and rested it in his lap. With one hand supporting her neck, the other brought the bowl of powdered medicine close to her lips.
However, Ganyu's lips remained tightly shut. No way to get it in...
"Ganyu, be a good girl and take your medicine," Luo Qing coaxed softly.
Miraculously, the unconscious Ganyu seemed to respond to his words. Her delicate pink lips parted just slightly, enough for Luo Qing to begin administering the medicine.
Not wanting to risk diluting its effects, Luo Qing had chosen not to mix the powder with water. As the dry medicine hit her tongue, Ganyu's face scrunched up at the bitter taste, and she began to cough lightly.
"Almost done, Ganyu, just a bit more," Luo Qing whispered, using his finger to gently wipe the remaining powder from her lips and push it into her mouth.
Slowly, the effects of the medicine became apparent. Ganyu's wounds began to close, and the internal damage healed rapidly.
As Luo Qing focused on feeding her the last bit of medicine, Ganyu's eyes fluttered open.
Her vision was still blurry, but she could just make out the figure of a man in a hood and mask, carefully feeding her something.
For some reason, something about this man felt familiar.
Meanwhile, Luo Qing was busy, softly murmuring to the unconscious Ganyu as he finished the medicine.
"Good girl... almost there..."
Finally, the bowl was nearly empty. It had gone much more smoothly than he'd expected. But just as he was wondering why Ganyu had become so cooperative, he glanced up—only to lock eyes with her.
The two stared at each other, momentarily speechless.
"..."
"Who are you?" Ganyu asked, her voice weak.
"Uh… someone you don't know. Don't overthink it."
"…Luo Qing... it's you, isn't it?"
"..."
Damn it, Luo Qing cursed inwardly. I should have kept my mouth shut.
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