Having repelled the Fatui sabotage, the Guizhong Ballista unleashed an unstoppable assault.
Arrow after arrow, infused with the adepti's combined divine energy, crashed into Osial's massive form, sending waves of impact through his colossal watery body. With a final strike, one of his enormous heads slammed heavily into the sea.
A glimmer of hope appeared.
Jiang Bai clenched his fists tightly—if they kept pushing, maybe they really could defeat this god!
But gods were gods precisely because they were so difficult to slay.
Even though Osial had lost one head, he still had two, three, even more.
The remaining heads lifted skyward, roaring in fury. Torrents of divine energy surged upward, swirling together high above.
BOOM!
Three terrifying spheres of godly energy collided violently, sending a brilliant column of light piercing through the heavens themselves.
An invisible shockwave erupted, knocking standing Millelith soldiers to the ground. Clouds that had darkened the sky like midnight were momentarily replaced by dazzling, blinding daylight.
Fear! Raw, primal fear surged from the depths of their hearts, gripping everyone present.
Ningguang's pupils shook, and even Keqing's stoic gaze wavered slightly.
Can we really contend against such a terrifying god?
Eyes wide open, Jiang Bai staggered upright, gripping a nearby wall for support.
This energy was far too terrifying. Compared to this god, both Childe and Signora seemed utterly insignificant.
He had been so proud earlier—defeating Childe, even stealing Signora's weapon—but faced with this god's immense might, all his strength seemed trivial, laughably insignificant.
"The Geo Archon, who sealed this god away with stone spears... Just how strong is he?" he muttered unconsciously to himself.
From every angle, it was obvious: no mortal could possibly assassinate such a deity.
"Watch out! His strongest attack is coming!" Xiao shouted another sharp warning.
The surging energy transformed high above into countless arrows of deadly light, raining down upon the Jade Chamber with terrifying might.
The Jade Chamber's shield stopped the first wave, then the second—but the storm of arrows kept coming relentlessly, finally shattering the protective barrier like glass.
Boom!
The hail of arrows struck directly against the Jade Chamber. Structures instantly shattered and toppled, and the platform supporting the Ballistas and formations cracked and splintered apart.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Under the onslaught, three newly-forged Guizhong Ballistas emitted thick black smoke, clearly destroyed.
Finally, the platform suspended in midair could hold no longer. Like glass, it broke apart completely.
Aether and several Millelith soldiers, caught off guard, fell screaming downward. Adepti swiftly took flight, catching them mid-fall and returning them safely to what remained of the Jade Chamber.
Xiao released Aether from his grasp, quietly cautioning the still-dazed Traveler, "Be more careful."
"Right."
"The Ballistas are destroyed," Cloud Retainer stated grimly. "Without them, it will be difficult to continue our counterattack."
"The Jade Chamber's back is to Liyue Harbor," Ganyu declared firmly. "We absolutely cannot retreat, not even half a step!"
Rex Lapis was gone, but their responsibility remained unchanged. They would never allow this god to harm Liyue Harbor!
"Old man, it seems like they might not hold out," Venti murmured worriedly, observing the distant chaos.
Zhongli shook his head calmly. "It is not yet the end. Let us watch a little longer."
Ningguang, gazing toward the monstrous deity not far away, closed her eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and made her decision.
Descending back onto the Jade Chamber's platform, she spoke resolutely: "I have another solution."
"Lady Ningguang, you don't mean—" Ganyu's eyes widened in shock, clearly realizing Ningguang's intention.
Could Ningguang truly bear giving up half a lifetime's work?
Ningguang exhaled slowly, feeling a sharp pang in her chest.
"I will abandon the Jade Chamber."
Saying these words felt as if her heart had been torn apart.
The Jade Chamber represented half a lifetime's dedication, one of the two things she valued most dearly in this world.
But behind them stood Liyue Harbor itself.
They could not retreat—absolutely must not retreat!
"What do you mean?" Several adepti hadn't understood Ningguang's intentions yet.
Without another word, Ningguang took direct control, maneuvering the Jade Chamber until it hovered directly above Osial.
Clearly, she intended to use the Jade Chamber itself as a projectile, plunging downward to force the god back into the ocean depths.
"We understand now."
A surge of divine power erupted from every adeptus, gathering around Aether.
With a mighty roar, Aether thrust his sword deeply into the Jade Chamber's floor. All the gathered energy poured through his blade, funneling downward in a torrent.
"Farewell, old friend," Ningguang whispered softly, tears shimmering briefly at the corner of her eyes, swiftly vanishing again.
BOOM—!
The Jade Chamber plunged downward like a missile, slamming straight into Osial below.
A terrifying explosion swept outward, towering waves surging thousands of meters upward. A huge mushroom cloud soared into the sky.
Even from distant Liyue Harbor, everyone could feel the ground trembling violently from the cataclysmic impact.
"It's over."
Jiang Bai and numerous Millelith soldiers, perched atop the adepti's backs, simultaneously exhaled a long-held breath.
The dark clouds dispersed, and the sea gradually calmed. Warm sunlight pierced through the shattered gloom, illuminating everyone once again.
The adepti gently descended with everyone onto the docks of Liyue Harbor. The god had vanished completely, leaving only thick smoke billowing from Guyun Stone Forest.
"So…it's really over this time?" Paimon asked, voice still tinged with disbelief.
"That intensely ominous aura has indeed faded," Moon Carver affirmed. "The Sigils of Permission's effect was never permanent. Now that Osial has been sealed beneath the ocean again by the Jade Chamber's impact, even the Overlord of the Vortex will find it difficult to stir further trouble."
Ningguang stepped forward respectfully. "My sincere gratitude to all esteemed adepti. Without your timely aid, Liyue Harbor's fate would have been unimaginable."
Cloud Retainer brushed aside her thanks bluntly. "Enough empty flattery. We didn't just 'happen to be here.' Or are you already attempting to forget the purpose of our arrival?"
The question of how Rex Lapis had died no longer mattered.
After witnessing this battle, it was clear to everyone: Rex Lapis, who had easily sealed away Osial in the past, could never have been assassinated by mere mortals.
And Jiang Bai was now forced once again to face the question he'd tried so desperately to avoid.
He groaned miserably, clutching his head in pain.
"What's wrong with you?" Xiao glanced sideways at him.
"Earlier, I swore up and down that Rex Lapis was assassinated by Zhongli-xiansheng. I'm a sinner…"
The corner of Xiao's lips twitched slightly upward, before he quickly vanished again.
Hearing Jiang Bai's lament, Madame Ping glanced at him quietly, without teasing him further.
In a certain sense, this child's guess wasn't exactly incorrect either.
"Cloud Retainer, there's no need for such harsh words," Madame Ping gently intervened. "I recall when Ningguang first began her business ventures, she used her very limited earnings to initiate construction of the Jade Chamber."
"In the beginning, it was merely the size of a small room. Through countless expansions, it grew into the palace-like structure you see today."
"It represents her guiding spirit as one of the Qixing, as a merchant—and the very story of her life."
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T/N: hmm im glad they didnt really drag it out, since at this point in the story jiang bai wont really be able to do anything sepcially after fighting 2 harbinghers lmao
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