As Hu Tao led the group upward, she explained along the way, "The Rite of Descension is held at Yujing Terrace, the highest point in Liyue Harbor. Anyone can watch, but since the ceremony is quite tedious and dull, most locals don't bother going."
"Oh, really? I thought it'd be really lively, with lots of yummy snacks…" Paimon said, clearly disappointed.
Jiang Bai reached over and flicked her forehead. "Are you dumb? The Rite is a solemn event—why would there be stalls selling snacks?"
Paimon rubbed her forehead and pouted.
I was just saying… Why take it so seriously?
While walking up, Aether quietly observed the surrounding shops and passersby. Just as Hu Tao said, despite today being the Rite of Descension, Liyue Harbor seemed no different than usual. Merchants opened their doors as usual, busy people bustled about their errands.
The only difference was a few clever shopkeepers advertising discounts in honor of the Rite.
As they approached Yujing Terrace, Millelith soldiers became increasingly visible.
Childe, who'd also come for the event, noticed them immediately and approached, waving cheerfully. "Hey, you're here too? Want to join me?"
Jiang Bai initially wanted nothing to do with the Fatui, but on second thought, sticking close to Childe would allow him to react immediately if anything suspicious happened.
So, he plastered on a bright smile and threw an arm around Childe's shoulder.
"Mr. Zhongli was just wondering whether you'd show up! Come, let's go together!"
Childe was visibly surprised by Jiang Bai's sudden friendliness. Just a short while ago, the man had clearly regarded him with open hostility. Now, he was suddenly being so friendly?
Something definitely felt off.
Childe returned the gesture, casually draping his own arm around Jiang Bai's shoulders.
"Great! I've reserved a perfect spot. We'll get a close-up view of Rex Lapis himself!"
Seeing the two suddenly acting like old friends, a huge question mark appeared above Hu Tao's head.
What's going on here?
Aether and Paimon exchanged confused glances, and finally, Paimon voiced their thoughts aloud.
"Who's that guy?"
"The Eleventh Harbinger of the Fatui, Childe—Tartaglia," Zhongli answered calmly.
"A Fatui Harbinger?!" Aether and Paimon exclaimed simultaneously.
After being thoroughly beaten by a Fatui Harbinger in Mondstadt, they'd immediately run into another here in Liyue!
And why was Jiang Bai getting so chummy with him?
Both silently decided to hold their questions for later.
Once they reached Yujing Terrace, Childe led them directly to a prime spot near the front.
At last, Aether got a clear view of the ceremony: a massive incense burner, a grand altar, and a regal, imposing woman standing solemnly before it.
The ceremony's preliminaries proved painfully long and monotonous.
Jiang Bai kept one eye trained suspiciously on Zhongli, the other closely watching Childe. He fervently wished he could look in two directions at once. Fortunately, both men behaved perfectly normally up until Rex Lapis's arrival.
Hu Tao was similarly vigilant, carefully observing Childe and the crowd around them.
Meanwhile, Aether and Paimon had already begun drifting off from boredom.
Childe quietly touched the [Sigils of Permission] tucked inside his coat—he had more than one. He was eager for Rex Lapis to appear, ready to use the Sigils to attract the Archon's attention for a direct audience.
Zhongli, on the other hand, was simply here to witness this final Rite with his own eyes.
Each person present carried their own hidden agenda.
Minutes crawled by, and after a series of elaborate rituals, the true summoning finally began.
Everyone present perked up with renewed focus.
Ningguang closed her eyes, Geo energy surging around her fingertips. Streams of shimmering golden Geo power flowed gracefully into the incense burner, which erupted into a dazzling beam of light soaring skyward, beckoning the Archon's descent.
As though a gateway to another world had opened, the clear sky instantly darkened, clouds swirling into a majestic vortex around the pillar of light.
Everyone excitedly raised their heads, eagerly awaiting the Archon's appearance.
However, what happened next left them utterly stunned: instead of descending gracefully from the heavens, an enormous dragon suddenly crashed straight down onto the altar, kicking up clouds of dust.
Chaos immediately erupted throughout the square.
Jiang Bai instantly turned to Zhongli.
Zhongli's expression was entirely blank. He casually thumbed his jade ring, betraying neither surprise nor confusion, as if he'd expected exactly this outcome.
Jiang Bai then shifted his gaze to Childe, who stared with wide-eyed shock, clearly just as bewildered as everyone else. Evidently, this was completely beyond even his expectations.
Scanning the surrounding crowd, Jiang Bai saw similar looks of astonishment and confusion everywhere.
The first person to regain composure was Ningguang on the altar. She stepped forward to investigate, her brows knitting tightly together. She sensed no trace of life in the fallen dragon—which could only mean one thing.
Rex Lapis had been assassinated.
"Rex Lapis has been assassinated! Lock down the entire area immediately!" Ningguang commanded sharply, spinning around to fix Childe with a piercing stare.
Millelith soldiers rapidly moved into position, their white-tasseled spears gleaming sharply as they sealed off Yujing Terrace.
The assassination of Rex Lapis was something unprecedented in Liyue's millennia-long history. There was no contingency plan, no guidelines for how to handle such a catastrophe.
Thankfully, Hu Tao's earlier warning had already made the Qixing wary of the Fatui, leading them to closely monitor all known Fatui members.
But even their heightened vigilance had failed to prevent this tragedy.
"What the heck just happened?" Paimon muttered, scratching her head in confusion. "Did she just say Rex Lapis was assassinated? Does that mean... the Geo Archon is dead?!"
For newcomers like them, this news was far too shocking.
Ignoring everyone else's reactions, Hu Tao, after a moment of shock, leaped straight toward the fallen dragon's body to inspect it. As Director of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, she was uniquely attuned to the presence—or absence—of life.
The corpse before her had no trace of vitality.
Ningguang had been right—Rex Lapis was truly dead.
Staring at the lifeless form of the Archon, she clenched her fists and slammed them into the ground, heedless of the blood now dripping from her knuckles.
Rage blazed fiercely within her plum blossom eyes.
This was Rex Lapis, the revered Archon worshipped by all of Liyue.
Who… who would dare do this?
She fixed an icy, deadly stare upon Childe, her fury so intense that the air around her shimmered from heat. Without hesitation, her [Staff of Homa] materialized in hand, thrusting straight toward Childe's throat.
Childe narrowly dodged to the side, utterly bewildered and barely managing to parry. "Wait, wait—why are you attacking me?!"
"Talk! Was it you?" Hu Tao's voice was frigid, her glare like she was staring at a dead man.
It was the first time Jiang Bai had ever seen Hu Tao with such cold, merciless eyes—as if she wouldn't rest until her target was dead.
"How could I be responsible? I'm as shocked as everyone else!" Childe protested loudly, genuinely baffled.
He'd come hoping to see Rex Lapis, not his corpse—much less to be accused as the culprit.
It might've been understandable if he had done it—but the truth was he hadn't done a thing!
Jiang Bai didn't interfere with Hu Tao's assault on Childe. Instead, he turned to Zhongli, whose expression was still eerily calm, and spoke quietly but clearly.
"It was you, wasn't it?"