"Hey, is it really okay to let him take that thing?" Yu Jin casually asked at the entrance of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, watching Childe gradually walk away.
The "Shattering Lies, Severing Illusions" that Zhongli mentioned was more than just the obsessions in one's heart. Yu Jin could feel that the power within the "talisman of everlasting moral restraint" could genuinely break through certain restrictions.
"Don't worry about it. Although my reactions are much slower than before, keeping an eye on him is still no problem," Zhongli said, crossing his arms, as if he didn't take Childe seriously at all.
"Alright, as long as you're happy." Yu Jin stopped worrying after hearing Zhongli's words. Since he didn't care, Yu Jin wouldn't bother either.
"My avatar, I'll entrust it to Brother Yu Jin."
"No problem, no problem. I already have an idea. I'm just waiting for your 'go die'."
Yu Jin waved at Zhongli, hoping that when Zhongli saw his "corpse," he wouldn't beat him up.
In fact, Yu Jin was already a little worried that Zhongli would beat him up, because from all the signs just now, it was highly likely that the God Zhongli was talking about was Osial.
But Osial had now become a true giant sea serpent. When the seal was lifted, it would probably be difficult for Liyue to even find Osial.
Thinking of this, Yu Jin felt a bit like visiting Osial. Since Beisht's matter was settled, he hadn't told Osial yet.
"Something came up, gotta go!" Yu Jin acted on his thoughts. After greeting Zhongli, he disappeared in a flash.
Watching Yu Jin's hurried departure, Zhongli couldn't help but shake his head slightly.
"Hmph—, a truly unfathomable fellow."
...Following the Chihu Rock street inward, one could reach the Liyue Harbor docks. Timber and anchors were piled here, and the shouts of the dockworkers were constant.
This was a gathering place for countless ships from various countries, where they would undergo resupply and maintenance.
On a secluded part of the dock's edge, Yu Jin tapped the deep water with his foot. Although he had previously swum from Mondstadt to Inazuma, he was still a little afraid of water.
After all, the Undead are easily dissolved in water.
Of course, it was only a little fear. About the same as his fear of dogs.
After a while of testing, Yu Jin took a few deep breaths, then leaped down into the calm water.
"Plop!"
A huge and unaesthetic splash erupted, drawing the attention of distant workers.
"What a big splash! Go see if someone fell into the water!" A worker put down his wooden box, intending to investigate.
"Hey, use your brain, will you? With such a big splash, could it be a person jumping out? It must be some big fish, alright. I think you're just trying to slack off!"
The nearby coworker rolled his eyes at his colleague. If someone could really make such a big splash, they would be a "prodigy."
"Indeed... indeed, I was careless. Back to work, back to work!" The worker looked at the huge splash on the distant deck and also realized.
Such a large splash could not possibly be made by a human; his worry was unnecessary.
So, he lamented the richness of Liyue's waters while wondering whether he should go fishing there after work.
Meanwhile, the "prodigy" Yu Jin, as the dockworkers called him, was rapidly moving through the dark, lightless depths of the sea.
Foamy white bubbles surged around Yu Jin's body, and his propulsion came from his arms, which were moving so fast they were almost a blur.
Although the seabed was dim, Yu Jin's direction was clear—because Zhongli's seal was too conspicuous.
Both in terms of aura and visual effect.
Soon, a glimmer of orange-yellow appeared in the previously dark seabed. Subsequently, this light grew brighter and brighter until a massive, rune-flashing light wall appeared before Yu Jin's eyes.
These barriers, based on towering stone pillars that plunged deep into the seabed, completely surrounded this entire area of the seabed, forming a small, enclosed space.
This was Morax's masterpiece from the Archon War, a barrier that had stood for thousands of years.
Yu Jin hovered in the sea, looking at the barrier before him, contemplating how to pass through it.
Last time, he had torn space and jumped out of the Abyss. This time, however, he had to face the seal directly.
Yu Jin felt that this time, the commotion should be smaller; at least, he shouldn't tear space or directly shatter the seal.
So, Yu Jin slightly lowered his center of gravity, his posture resembling a high-level slide tackle.
The next moment, his figure suddenly turned into a wisp of smoke, instantly disappearing into the seabed, as if Yu Jin had never existed in this world.
Hound's Step—a combat skill that allows one to instantly disappear and move by stepping. It has fast movement speed and a long range. When used while locked onto a target, it can move around the target.
The smoke gathered, and Yu Jin's figure reappeared on the seabed. This time, however, he was inside the seal.
Hound's Step is essentially an instant, short-range spatial teleportation, with almost no wind-up or cool-down.
Yu Jin loved to use it to bathe in the enemy's barrages. Generally, he would also pair it with two thrusting swords.
This combat method was incredibly mindless: infinite Hound's Step, then stab the enemy in the rear when the opportunity arose. No one in The Lands Between could withstand this tactic.
Yu Jin looked at the empty sea, feeling a little emotional. The first time he came, it was a bit crowded, with Osial's five heads and body all curled up in the seal.
But now everything had changed; Osial's serpent shadow was nowhere to be seen.
However, a sound could be heard.
"Ah~, Lord Osial, your power rivals that of the Heavenly Principles. I, Morax, am willing to bow down as your subject."
"Hahaha! Good, good, good! I, Osial, am kind-hearted, so I'll reluctantly accept you as my subordinate!"
Familiar voices came from a distance—Zhongli's and Osial's. But why was Zhongli's voice so strange?
Yu Jin swam towards the sound and saw Osial, who had turned into a sea serpent, standing on a reef at the bottom of the sea, laughing loudly.
Beneath him was a black-and-white silhouette of Zhongli. This Zhongli was very different from the one Yu Jin knew; he wore a long robe and a cloak, appearing sharp and imposing.
But his face was devoid of expression, and he mechanically knelt before Osial, meticulously praising him.
"Oh, wow, I didn't expect you to be quite the player, Osial." Yu Jin was immediately amused. Osial got tired of watching adult films, so he started playing dress-up, huh?
If Zhongli saw this, he wondered if he would beat Osial up.
"Yu... Yu Jin? Why are you here?" Osial heard another voice and first looked around cautiously. After realizing it was Yu Jin, he immediately panicked and dispelled the "Zhongli" phantom.
Yu Jin was somewhat of an acquaintance, so Osial felt it was better to save some face in front of him.
"Of course, something came up. I've already delivered your item to your wife. She'll probably grow five heads very soon."
Yu Jin looked at Osial with interest. Beisht already knew about Osial watching adult films, and he was curious how Osial's life would be from now on.
"Grow... five heads?" Osial was stunned after hearing Yu Jin's words, then let out a few contented laughs.
"In that case, she should be able to travel unhindered in the Dark Sea," Osial murmured to himself.
"Yu Jin, thank you."
"No, why does your tone sound so strange?" Yu Jin suddenly had a bad feeling.
Just now, Osial still had that self-entertaining, positive mindset. Why did he sound older than Zhongli now?
Like he was about to die.
Then, Yu Jin saw Osial actually try to kill himself.
"Holy crap, what are you doing!"
"Don't do anything rash, Osial! You still have a wife; you can't die!"
Note:
Dear readers,
The Lunar New Year is approaching, and I wish you all a new year filled with success, good fortune, and prosperity!
Holiday Announcement:
I'm writing this to announce that I will be taking a short break from posting to celebrate the holiday from February 15th to February 22nd, 2026. I will officially return to work on February 23rd.
Don't worry though! During this break, I'll be busy prepping a bunch of new chapters so I can post them consistently once I'm back. I promise the upcoming parts will be even more exciting, so please stay tuned!
Thank you so much for your understanding and for always being such a supportive community.
Happy Lunar New Year!