To the Cryo Archon, sacrificing the Doctor and the Jester in exchange for other Harbingers gaining entry into Mount Shu was a worthwhile trade.
After all…
Those two were unlike the others. They outwardly obeyed her, but each harbored their own schemes. Their relationship with her was one of mutual use, not trust.
She had never truly believed in them.
Before, she had little choice. Now things were different. With the prospect of cultivation, her old plans could be set aside in favor of this greater opportunity.
For the time being, though, she would not move against them. The outcome was still uncertain—if cultivation was possible, those two would make perfect sacrificial offerings, tokens of loyalty. If not, she still needed their power.
Besides, the Doctor and the Jester were not ones she could simply dispose of, even if she wished. It would require careful planning.
For now, she sent Rosalyne and Arlecchino to gather more intelligence on Mount Shu while she studied the Debt Collector's reports, paying close attention to the sect's internal factions.
Those, after all, were the true matters of concern.
What was happening at the Northland Bank was only a small reflection of a much greater shift.
At this moment, aside from the isolationist Inazuma, all information-savvy powers were already passing the news along.
Within the Abyss Order—
Kong (Aether) had just finished listening to a report from an Abyss Lector.
The information was similar to what the Debt Collector had shared, though lacking details about the seven peaks, since the Lector hadn't dared approach Baiwen and the others too closely.
Still, for the Abyss, it was precious intelligence.
Sitting on his throne, Kong rubbed his temples, weary.
A formation that condensed a lifetime, a terrifying sect master, a world of cultivation beyond imagination…
All of this lay completely outside the script of fated destiny.
Kong felt numb.
The sudden appearance of Mount Shu was like a colossal hand strangling every action of the Abyss Order.
The main reason he dared not act rashly was simple—
The Abyss had always carried a foul reputation, worse even than the Fatui. And truthfully, few in Teyvat knew their true identity as remnants of Khaenri'ah.
If even Teyvatians themselves barely understood the Abyss, how could one expect outsiders from a cultivation world to know?
In fact, the Abyss Mages resembled demonic cultivators in every way. And the Abyss Order itself? Practically a demonic sect.
Wonderful. They had walked right into the executioner's blade.
Mount Shu's creed was to vanquish demons and uphold the Dao—this was a perfect match.
Would Mount Shu move against the Abyss? It was yet unknown.
But if they did, Kong did not believe he could withstand the suppression of a Return-to-Void cultivator.
Only a traveler of the stars, one who had read countless xianxia tales, could truly grasp what "peak Return-to-Void" meant.
In terms of power within the Imaginary Tree and the Sea of Quanta, such a being stood close to the level of cosmic anchors themselves.
If Mount Shu truly acted against them, resistance was meaningless. Surrender and death would be all that remained.
Kong sighed inwardly.
Cultivation was supposed to be a myth, a tale within dusty tomes.
Why had it suddenly become reality? And why had such overwhelmingly powerful beings arrived at once?
It was beyond Teyvat—beyond the Sea of Quanta itself.
The only good news was that Lumine (Lumine) had entered Mount Shu and begun cultivating—and was seemingly valued.
That eased him, even as it sparked envy. At the very least, Lumine's safety was no longer his burden.
The shackles of fate that bound her—she could now sever them through her own cultivation.
With that thought, Kong looked down at the Lector below, sighing regretfully.
He had been cautious this time, sending only a handful to observe the initiation.
Besides, their disguises had been useless. In Liyue Harbor, with its so-called Xuanyuan Mirror, their Abyss identity was instantly exposed.
This Lector had been compromised from the start.
If not for Mount Shu's policy of not probing origins upon entry, the Millelith would never have let him walk free.
One Abyss Lector—or even dozens—would never make it into Liyue Harbor alive.
The martial artists of Liyue might not match cultivators, but crushing Abyss spawn was well within their reach.
Unfortunately, this Lector had been useless, failing the trials and—by bad luck—failing even to stay in Mount Shu.
Kong shook his head in regret.
He had been too cautious.
That Lector had been a mere expendable pawn. In truth, he could have sent Abyss Mages with cleaner backgrounds.
Not all Abyss Mages were villains. Though the Order as a whole was hardly benevolent, its people had once been Khaenri'ahn. Humanity remained, with its mix of good and evil.
Looking at the trembling Lector, Kong waved dismissively.
"Go. Compile everything you've said into record and store it in the archives."
"Yes, Prince!"
The Lector, relieved beyond words, hurried away.
Kong rested his chin in one hand, fingers tapping lightly on the throne's armrest.
The underground palace was cold, silent.
Time passed.
Then, from outside, a surge of Abyssal teleportation energy rippled through the hall.
A heavy crash resounded, as though some colossal thing had landed.
A foul, violent aura followed, making Kong frown.
Soon after, a Bloodstained Knight of the Depths entered, body drenched in blood, eyes weary.
"Prince… mission accomplished…"
Kong's lips curved slightly. He rose, striding outside.
"Well done. Were we seen? Especially by…"
"Rest easy, Prince," the knight replied, shaking his head.
"We prepared thoroughly for the ambush, using sheer numbers to overwhelm it swiftly. We made certain to check before withdrawing—nothing was alerted that should not have been."
Kong gave no reply. Exiting the hall, he was struck by a surge of savage, oppressive aura.
Even one as battle-hardened as he could not help but mutter in awe:
"Unbelievable…"
Before him lay a gargantuan beast, collapsed across the square.
Even in death, its eyes—each larger than the knight himself—gleamed with lingering fury.
Its full length stretched six to seven hundred meters, its height two to three hundred.
A black tiger with vast wings. Though slain, its ferocity remained. Weaker Abyss Mages nearby trembled, legs weakening under its gaze.
Its body bore countless scars—burns, lightning strikes, frost wounds, blade cuts. Yet none had truly pierced its hide.
The true killing blow was a single razor-thin sword mark carved into its brow, still radiating abyssal energy.
"A hard battle indeed."
Kong nodded, acknowledging the knight's report.
"This was among the strongest beasts in the forbidden grounds of Jueyun Karst. By cultivation standards, near Foundation-Establishment perfection—close to Refining Essence into Qi."
"Had it broken through, we may not have felled it at all."
"We lay in wait for long, finally finding it isolated. With traps set and a strike launched, even so, the cost was grievous—nearly two hundred Abyss Mages, dozens of Lectors and Heralds lost."
"Without others channeling Abyssal power to buy me time, I could not have slain it."
He gestured toward the corpse.
"This creature is, at best, akin to a mid-tier demon god's spawn—no more than high-tier at most. But… it carried within it spiritual energy, the very essence cultivators use. Against it, all elemental attacks—even Abyssal power—were halved in strength."
"That is why such beasts rampage unchecked. Likely the same reason one pushed through to Mt. Tianheng, overwhelming even Liyue's forces."
Kong's eyes gleamed with strange light. He stepped forward, patting the fallen tiger's head.
"Dead, and still so fearsome… hard to imagine what one alive could do. And what of a Refining Essence into Qi beast…"
The knight fell silent. Before, he might have boasted he could capture such a beast. Now, after today's carnage, he had learned humility.
Though stronger than a Foundation-peak beast, his own power could barely scratch it.
Their forces simply could not pierce its defenses.
Spiritual energy—it stood on a level far beyond their Abyssal arts.
"Prince, research into spiritual energy must be deepened," the knight urged.
Kong's lips twitched.
Research spiritual energy?
The graves of those who had tried already had weeds three meters tall.
To non-cultivators, spiritual energy was poison.
"Studying it directly is folly. Beasts' evolution has already taught us that lesson."
He shook his head.
"Spiritual energy is meant for cultivators. For now, I will not let us approach it. That leaves only one path… martial arts."
The knight froze, hesitant.
"Prince, you mean… Liyue?"
"Please reconsider. Martial arts were created by the Geo Archon himself, now Mount Shu's Dragonhead Peak master. Their significance is immense.
"Liyue overflows with cultivators—adepti, Qixing, even its common folk are formidable.
"With so many grandmasters, and countless innate and trained soldiers—our foundation is far weaker.
"To provoke them would be disaster. Their bond with Mount Shu is deep. Any conflict would doom us."
He spoke earnestly, nearly begging Kong to abandon the thought.
Today's Liyue was no longer something the Abyss could afford to provoke.
"I know. I won't do anything so foolish. Be at ease."
Kong shook his head. The knight exhaled in relief, though curiosity lingered.
"Then, Prince, you mean…"
Kong fell silent for a long moment, then sighed, voice tinged with melancholy.
"Lumine… my sister…"
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