"The Rite of Descension is about to begin. Please remain orderly, and anyone who dares disrupt the ceremony will be severely punished according to the law!"
As the hour approached, the bustling Yujing Terrace finally quieted down under the control of the Millelith. Fengyan, the Millelith's chief instructor, strode forward with firm steps and announced with authority to the crowd.
Seeing that the crowd had fallen silent, Fengyan turned and saluted Ningguang, the Tianquan of the Liyue Qixing, who stood on the high platform. "Lady Ningguang, the Millelith have completed their task. Awaiting your orders."
"Mm," Ningguang nodded, her gaze sweeping over the crowd below. It was a subconscious action, but it led her to notice someone who caught her attention.
The Honorary Knight from Mondstadt? She's here to witness the Rite of Descension too? Interesting. With Ningguang's intelligence network, it would have been easy to keep tabs on Lumine's every move. However, most of her resources were currently focused on the Fatui, leaving little attention for this harmless traveler.
"Traveler, do you feel like that important person up there is looking at us?" Paimon poked Lumine's shoulder, sounding uncertain.
"Probably not?" Lumine couldn't be sure. To her, Ningguang's gaze had merely passed over them without lingering or scrutinizing.
"Is that so? Maybe Paimon is overthinking it," Paimon shook her head, dismissing the thought, and turned her attention back to the high platform.
By now, Ningguang had also withdrawn her gaze. She raised her hand, observing the sun through the gaps between her fingers.
After confirming the time, she addressed the crowd gathered at Yujing Terrace.
"The auspicious hour has arrived."
Ningguang stepped forward to the central censer, her hands moving swiftly as she formed intricate seals. At the same time, the Geo Vision at her side activated, and pure Geo energy gathered in her palms.
Whoosh!
With a flick of her finger, a stream of Geo energy shot into the censer. In the next moment, the inscribed array within activated, and a golden pillar of light surged into the sky, piercing the clouds. Instantly, the weather changed. The once clear sky was now covered in thick, dark clouds, swirling into a vortex.
Seeing the sudden darkening of the sky, Ningguang felt uneasy. She sensed an oppressive atmosphere. In previous Rites of Descension, the skies had always been clear. This was the first time such ominous clouds had appeared.
Soon, Ningguang's concerns were validated. From the center of the vortex, a massive dragon's head emerged, only to plummet from the sky and crash onto the ceremonial platform.
"What's going on...?"
"What happened...?"
"Is that... the Geo Archon...?"
"I don't know..."
The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. After a brief silence, the crowd erupted into chaos, murmuring and speculating.
"Silence!" Ningguang's sharp command temporarily restored order. She hurried to the dragon's head, reaching out to check for breath.
Confirming that the Geo Archon had indeed perished, Ningguang stood up and shook her head, her gaze turning cold and fierce.
"The Geo Archon has been slain! Seal the area!" Ningguang ordered. As her voice fell, Millelith soldiers swarmed in from all directions, surrounding the crowd that had gathered to witness the Rite of Descension.
"Wh-what's going on, Traveler? She said the Geo Archon has been slain. Does that mean the Geo Archon is... dead?!" Paimon covered her mouth in shock. In her mind, the Geo Archon Morax was the strongest of the Seven. Whoever could kill him must be terrifyingly powerful.
Lumine was equally shocked by the Geo Archon's death, but unlike Paimon, she didn't make a fuss. After all, she had seen her fair share of big events.
"Should we... run away?" Paimon asked nervously, as the Millelith were about to search their area.
Lumine quickly covered Paimon's mouth, exasperated. Could you at least whisper when saying such things? She glanced around and, sure enough, many in the crowd were giving them strange looks. Some even began calling for the Millelith.
"Miss, please show us your identification!" Upon receiving the report, the Millelith took the matter seriously. Fengyan himself approached the two, his expression stern.
"Here, this is our proof," Lumine pulled out a document from her inventory and handed it to Fengyan. It was a certificate given to her by Acting Grand Master Jean before she left Mondstadt, proving her status as the Honorary Knight and a friend of Mondstadt.
Fengyan took the document, carefully reading through it. Soon, a look of surprise crossed his face.
This was a certificate personally issued by Acting Grand Master Jean of the Knights of Favonius. The young blonde girl before him was the traveler who had helped Mondstadt resolve the dragon crisis?
"Thank you for your cooperation," Fengyan said, then his tone shifted. "Since you have legitimate identification, why did you mention running away earlier?" His gaze turned sharp. If Lumine couldn't provide a reasonable explanation, even with her credentials, he would have to detain her.
After all, this matter involved the death of the Geo Archon!
Lumine facepalmed. Once again, Paimon had gotten her into unnecessary trouble! Why would they want to run? It wasn't like they had killed the Geo Archon.
Yun Fan had once told Lumine that her enemy was the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. Knowing that the Geo Archon wasn't her enemy, the original reason for fleeing in the story no longer applied.
But how could she explain this to the Millelith? Saying the crowd misheard wouldn't work. One or two people might mishear, but not an entire crowd.
Ah! Lumine's eyes lit up as she thought of a solution. She cleared her throat and spoke with a hint of helplessness.
"Sir, there's something you might not know."