Just as Azhdaha was about to agree, a surge of battle intent instantly swept through all of Liyue. Azhdaha and Yuto simultaneously looked towards the northwest.
"This is... Morax's aura?"
"Huh? Are you sure?"
"This aura is all too familiar to me. But who is he fighting? Is there an opponent in Liyue that requires his full strength?"
"The northwest... it's The Chasm. Could it be that the dirty things at the bottom of The Chasm have emerged again?"
"Never mind that, there's no time to lose. Jump on my back, I'll take you to support Morax."
Meanwhile, ten days had passed since Lord Rex Lapis ordered the Adepti to search for Azhdaha's whereabouts. During this time, the Adepti had virtually turned all of Liyue upside down, their legs nearly breaking from exhaustion, yet they found no trace of Azhdaha.
If Azhdaha had shown himself in his original form, his massive body could not possibly be hidden. The only explanation was that he had changed his size, perhaps lurking within Liyue Harbor, searching for Lord Rex Lapis's tracks.
With this thought, all of Liyue Harbor entered a state of Level 1 combat readiness. Ganyu, Madame Ping, and the Millelith led by the Qixing searched repeatedly in the areas near Liyue Harbor. While Azhdaha was not found, some suspicious individuals within Liyue, unable to withstand this level of scrutiny, directly confessed.
Over these ten days, they arrested sixty-nine Treasure Hoarders, twenty-four Fatui Vanguard members, nine illicit merchants, and three Snezhnaya spies lurking in Liyue Harbor.
This search operation was fruitful, greatly rectifying the social atmosphere of Liyue and earning unanimous praise from the Liyue people. However, the high-ranking officials of Liyue who knew the truth did not smile at this result; instead, they were filled with worry. "Damn it, where did that dragon hide?"
At this time, Mt. Aocang and The Chasm were already deserted. Whether miners, residents, or the Treasure Hoarders entrenched there, all had been persuaded to leave by the Millelith.
On a peak in Mt. Aocang, a mature and steady figure sat with his eyes closed, meditating. He had been sitting there for ten days, and behind him, the Adepti, who had found nothing, had gathered, preparing for an impending major battle.
Actually, Azhdaha's disappearance was not within his consideration. He had painstakingly planned a Rite of Descension and a Rite of Parting to announce his departure, but if a major battle truly occurred today, it would be tantamount to announcing to the world that he was not dead, and his retirement would have to be postponed again.
Damn it, he had only enjoyed a few days of comfortable retirement, and now he had to go back to work! That Space Archon who took Azhdaha, you'd better be careful, don't let me catch you.
Alas! Zhongli helplessly opened his eyes. Those naturally imposing phoenix eyes instantly became incredibly sharp, a beam of light shooting straight into the clouds. A majestic, bright yellow battle robe instantly adorned him—this was the battle robe personally crafted for him by the Geo Yaksha Menogias back then.
The originally harmless Zhongli immediately transformed into the awe-inspiring Lord Rex Lapis, wielding his signature weapon, the Vortex Vanquisher. His aura instantly reached its peak, as if proclaiming to the world, "Lord Rex Lapis is here!"
And the Adepti standing behind him, seeing Lord Rex Lapis in this form, couldn't help but shed tears, as if they were instantly transported back to the days of fighting alongside Lord Rex Lapis thousands of years ago.
How long had it been since they last witnessed Lord Rex Lapis in his divine armor!