Lumine rushed to Mu Yang, her voice filled with worry as she asked about his injuries.
How could he have been hurt so badly, even losing his right hand?
Before this battle, Mu Yang had "concealed" his condition well, only showing a brief moment of hesitation.
His weaker side was revealed solely for the players' benefit.
As for Lumine and Shenhe, they couldn't tell at all.
Mu Yang usually used the system to suppress his power, preventing others from probing.
So even though he had diverted his strength to deal with Clarisse, neither Lumine nor Shenhe could detect his weakness.
Not even someone as close as Cloud Retainer could fully see through it, though she might have had her suspicions.
Her immediate appearance on the battlefield to aid Mu Yang suggested she was prepared.
"It's just excessive power depletion, no big deal," Mu Yang said with a faint smile. "A period of rest, and I'll recover."
Mu Yang wasn't lying; it was just that this "period" spanned quite a while.
His words were like a calming pill, steadying the hearts of those present,
especially Lumine and Shenhe.
They had never seen Mu Yang so gravely injured.
Lumine, at least, had witnessed Mu Yang being knocked back by Osial.
But in Shenhe's mind, Mu Yang was synonymous with invincibility.
Each of the Adepti Masters had their strengths, but Master Mu Yang had gone the furthest in swordsmanship.
The other Masters wouldn't even spar with him—nobody was bored enough to want a beating.
Shenhe wasn't naive. She knew this battle wasn't the main cause.
The real reason was tied to her Master's annual disappearance during the Lantern Rite.
But she also knew her Master likely wouldn't answer her questions...
— — — — — —
Mu Yang's words not only reassured Lumine and Shenhe
but also calmed the players' hearts.
For fans of Mu Yang, like Guinaifen, Silver Wolf, and Sparkle,
they definitely didn't want their favorite character to inexplicably become a battle-damaged version.
If Mu Yang couldn't recover, it would severely impact his future appearances.
For a sword immortal pursuing the pinnacle of swordsmanship, losing his dominant hand would be devastating to his combat ability.
At the very least, he wouldn't be able to show off as effortlessly as before.
Fortunately, Mu Yang's injury was temporary.
Silver Wolf frowned. "This still doesn't explain where that 'time is running out' line came from."
"What could be preventing Mu Yang's Adeptal energy from recovering?"
As a plot analysis player, Silver Wolf noticed the clues.
Mu Yang's injury definitely wasn't caused by these small-fry beasts.
[There's still too little information; I hope there's an explanation later.]
[That said, the one-armed hero vibe has its own charm, though recovery is definitely better.]
[His right hand half-disappearing into silver frost was peak aesthetic—maximum heartbreak vibes.]
In this storyline, the biggest winner was undoubtedly Mu Yang.
Though events didn't go according to his plan,
his spotlight in this thrilling ensemble battle pushed his popularity to new heights.
The iconic scene of slicing the tsunami was a small highlight.
And who was the second-biggest winner?
Sparkle.
As the cosplayer who most resembled Mu Yang across Earth,
every time Mu Yang debuted a new form, her popularity and discussion skyrocketed.
For example, during the Raiden version, Mu Yang's new form after powering up, with its intricate clothing patterns and numerous accessories,
didn't stump the "Steel Plate" Sparkle.
Her impeccable recreation had her trending multiple times during version 2.1 alongside Mu Yang.
This only deepened her love for him...
From a popularity standpoint, this was positive feedback for Mu Yang.
So, "Top Donor Mu Yang" sent her plenty of gifts, encouraging her to keep going.
This time, Sparkle got to work at lightning speed.
Since Mu Yang's outfit hadn't changed, she only needed to figure out how to hide her right hand.
Returning from the wardrobe to the camera, Sparkle got into character.
Her right sleeve hung empty.
Her eyes carried a hint of exhaustion.
"It's merely a bit of frost..."
[Ice Ice, how dare you steal Immortal Venerable's line?]
[It's gotta be you, Steel Plate!]
[Mu Yang took second place in the "Imitating Mu Yang" contest.]
[Sigh, with one hand gone, you can't hold mine anymore.]
Sparkle pinned the comment. "Let's see yours."
[Stop it! Mu Yang would never say that!]
[This stream's all about chaos.]
...
Chaos aside, gifts were gifts, and gifts meant more buzz...
While Mu Yang was still acting on the beach, Sparkle had already pushed him onto the trending list.
Loyalty!
— — — — — —
On Teyvat's side,
Mu Yang didn't rush to rest but instead praised Shenhe.
Her performance this time was exceptional.
Cloud Retainer also said Shenhe's display was eye-opening.
"It seems this Immortal need not worry about your life in Liyue Harbor."
"Master, I haven't decided yet."
At that moment, Paimon, Ganyu, and Ningguang approached from nearby.
"Hey, we're back!"
Paimon was thrilled to see Shenhe again.
"Shenhe, you were amazing, just like a hero from an opera!"
Paimon mimicked Shenhe's moves, making everyone laugh.
"That's great. Next time I hear Mr. Yun sing, I should be able to accept those praises openly."
Shenhe accepted the compliment, seemingly ready to stay and live in Liyue Harbor.
Lumine pretended to pout. "Paimon, aren't you forgetting something?"
Paimon flew to Lumine's side. "Hehe, you've always been amazing—Paimon's most reliable partner."
After the teasing, Lumine asked where Paimon had been and why it took so long to return.
Ningguang spoke up. "Let me explain."
It turned out that before leaving the Jade Chamber, Shenhe had anticipated that a sea beast like Beisht might escape using the terrain.
So she left a tracking talisman with Ningguang.
Shenhe was naturally a battle maniac.
Under Mu Yang's guidance, her combat intelligence had soared.
After the underwater battle,
Ningguang learned Beisht's escape route, swiftly pursued with Beidou's cooperation, and eliminated her.
And Paimon? She was on the Jade Chamber the whole time, staying one step ahead of Ningguang, racking up heroic deeds!
Ningguang looked at Cloud Retainer. "Watching in the shadows for so long, do you have any conclusions?"
Though the Great Immortal Bird was prideful, with Mu Yang present, she toned it down.
She didn't say anything too harsh, especially since many of the beasts were drawn by Mu Yang.
But she emphasized Shenhe's role.
Ningguang responded, "I don't deny that. It was just a tougher process. The victory is still ours."
She waved her hand. "Worst case, I can smash another Jade Chamber."
[Jade Chamber: 6]
[Nuclear explosion gameplay.]
[A world where only the Jade Chamber gets hurt.]
Seeing Ningguang's attitude, Cloud Retainer gave a serious evaluation.
Ningguang's modifications and recreations of the Guizhong Ballista showed innovative ideas.
Combined with her proactive planning for this crisis, she had made significant progress compared to before.
This crisis had been resolved successfully.
As thanks, Ningguang invited everyone present to the Jade Chamber, where she would personally host them.
Mu Yang declined, saying he had other matters to attend to.
"Is that so..." Ningguang appeared calm, but her eyes dimmed slightly.
With so many eyes around, her role as Tianquan represented all of Liyue.
She couldn't ask about Mu Yang as freely as others could.
She had hoped to check on him privately at the Jade Chamber,
but hadn't expected him to refuse...