While Lumine, now armed with Ningguang's carefully chosen intelligence, found herself being drawn deeper into the orbit of the enigmatic Zhongli and the dangerously charming Childe, Ren chose a different path. He retreated from the political machinations of the Jade Chamber, seeking the quiet, open spaces outside the city.
The hoverboard, his secret treasure, became his primary mode of transport. He would fly to the rolling hills of the Bishui Plains or the secluded, rocky coasts north of the harbor, the wind whipping through his hair, a solitary figure soaring above the world. These vast, empty spaces became his new training ground. He practiced his Cryo abilities with a new, focused intensity, his shields growing larger and more resilient, his control over his flash-freezing techniques becoming a thing of microscopic precision. It was a form of meditation, a way to prepare his own strength for the storm he knew was coming.
Several days passed in this manner, a period of quiet, intense preparation. Then, the summons he had been half-expecting arrived.
Ganyu came to him, her expression a mixture of solemn reverence and nervous tension. "Ren," she said, her voice a low, serious murmur. "It is time. The adepti have answered the Traveler's call. They have agreed to meet with the Qixing to discuss the fate of Liyue. The meeting is to be held this afternoon, in the Jade Chamber."
This was it. The next major turning point. The confrontation between Liyue's ancient guardians and its mortal rulers.
"I'm coming with you," Ren stated, not a request, but a simple declaration of fact.
Ganyu nodded, a look of relief on her face. His calm, steady presence had become a source of strength for her in these uncertain times.
They ascended to the floating palace once more. The atmosphere in Ningguang's office was thick with a heavy, almost suffocating, tension. Keqing was there, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword, her face a mask of grim resolve. Ningguang stood by the large window, her gaze fixed on the horizon, as if watching for the arrival of a coming storm.
The meeting had not yet formally begun; they were waiting for the adepti to arrive. Ren, seeing the taut, nervous energy in the room, knew he had to act. He had one more, crucial piece of advice to give, a final, subtle nudge to the chessboard.
He walked over to Ningguang, his expression serious.
"Lady Ningguang," he began, his voice quiet but clear, cutting through the tense silence.
She turned, her amber eyes focusing on him, a flicker of surprise in their depths. "Ren. What is it?"
"I was just thinking," he said, his tone casual, but his gaze direct. "With all of the Qixing, and soon, the most powerful of the adepti, gathered here, in one place… the rest of the city will be… less protected than usual, won't it?"
Ningguang's eyes narrowed slightly, her brilliant mind immediately grasping the tactical implication. "Your point is a sound one."
"The Exuvia," Ren continued, his voice dropping to a lower, more significant tone. "Where is it being kept? The Golden House, I assume?"
"That is correct," Ningguang confirmed, her gaze now sharp with a dawning suspicion. "It is the most secure facility in Liyue."
"But with everyone here," Ren pressed gently, "the security there will be at its minimum, won't it? Just the usual guards." He looked her directly in the eye, his glowing azure gaze holding a weight of unspoken knowledge. "The Fatui are still in the city. Childe is still here. It seems to me that today would be the perfect time for a distraction. The perfect time for someone to try and steal something very important, while everyone is looking the other way."
He didn't need to say more. The implication was as clear and as sharp as a shard of glass.
A cold, hard light entered Ningguang's eyes. She stared at the small boy, at the impossible, strategic foresight he possessed, and she felt a chill run down her spine. He saw the game with a clarity that was almost supernatural.
She turned, her movements crisp and decisive. She gave a series of sharp, quiet orders to one of her secretaries. "Find Yelan. Immediately. Tell her to abandon her current surveillance and proceed directly to the Golden House. She is to take a full, elite squadron of the Millelith with her. They are to secure the perimeter and allow no one, under any circumstances, to enter until I give the word. Tell her… I suspect a heist."
The secretary, her eyes wide with alarm, bowed and rushed out of the room.
Ningguang turned back to Ren, a new, profound respect in her amber eyes. He had not just offered a suggestion; he had potentially just averted a national catastrophe.
"Thank you, Ren," she said, her voice a low, sincere murmur. "Your… perspective is, as always, invaluable."
Just as she finished speaking, a powerful, divine pressure began to build outside. The air itself seemed to grow heavy, shimmering with the raw, untamed energy of the adeptal realm.
Keqing straightened up, her hand tightening on her sword. Ganyu took a deep, steadying breath.
"They're here," she whispered.
The great, formal meeting was about to begin. But Ren, having played his final, crucial card, felt a small measure of relief. He had diverted a key piece, a powerful guardian, to the one place she would be needed most. Now, all he could do was wait and see if his quiet warning had been enough to change the outcome of the coming chaos.