With no way to shoot, Keqing also devised a method of attack.
Thunder elemental energy gathered beneath her feet as she charged toward the sea. With the high speed of the Electro element, she could briefly run across the water's surface.
She hurled her lightning stiletto, instantly teleporting into the air. As she neared Osial, she unleashed "Stellar Restoration."
After a series of deft sword strikes, Keqing shouted, "Ganyu!"
Ganyu understood immediately, using her Cryo arrows to create a foothold at Keqing's landing point.
After landing, Keqing swiftly threw another lightning stiletto toward the small island. However, the distance of a single stiletto wasn't enough to get her back to the island.
Having taken a full combo, Osial felt some pain and, in anger, fired a water cannon in Keqing's direction.
But with Shenhe and Hu Tao protecting her, there was no way the water cannon could hit Keqing.
With Ganyu's coordination, Keqing made several leaps and returned to the island.
"Yuheng is truly impressive," the Millelith praised.
Say what you will about the damage output, but this combo undeniably boosted morale.
Let's not talk about whether the damage was high or not—just how fast was that combo?
It could only be said that Keqing's strength wasn't weak, but against Osial, it felt somewhat lacking.
When facing Osial, even Shenhe's strength fell short, let alone Keqing's.
Osial wasn't some random lesser demon god. For Keqing to make Osial's health bar show even a sliver of red was already commendable—it at least meant she'd broken through its defenses.
Osial was furious and split off one of its "water serpent heads" to approach the island.
The massive "serpent body" appeared on the island, swinging its head to sweep at everyone present.
This gave Hu Tao, who had been idly enchanting the Millelith's arrows with Pyro, a burst of energy. With a flourish of her polearm, she charged forward. Shenhe didn't move, but her Cryo spirit also thrust forward with a polearm.
Together, Shenhe and Hu Tao managed to halt the terrifying momentum of the "serpent body."
Keqing's lightning stiletto appeared on the serpent's head, and she instantly teleported, her longsword infused with Electro slashing down.
Ganyu's arrows followed, exploding upon impact.
Under this continuous assault, Osial's head quietly withdrew.
However, at that moment, several water threads wrapped around the serpent's head, tightening fiercely and dealing another blow.
"Sorry, I seem to have arrived late," Yelan said, performing a line-retracting motion.
Osial was frustrated. How could it take such a beating right after breaking free from its seal? Each of these opponents was so formidable—were they fishing for law enforcement here?
Osial's attacks were fully blocked, and while the attacks from Liyue's people and the Adepti could land on Osial, the damage wasn't significant.
Now it was a matter of whether Liyue would tire out first or Osial would run out of health first.
In the distant sky, a green-clad boy sat cross-legged in the air, the wind serving as his seat.
"Well, that's quite a show, but if this keeps up, won't it just turn into a test of endurance?"
"Competing in stamina with a demon god isn't exactly a wise choice," Venti commented while sipping his wine.
He had no intention of intervening. This was Morax's test for Liyue, and as Mondstadt's Anemo Archon, he naturally had no standing to get involved.
Besides, with so many Adepti present in Liyue, Osial wasn't going to make any significant waves. For now, it seemed the Adepti weren't even using their full strength.
"Want a drink?"
"Oh, minors can't drink," Venti said.
"Barbatos-senpai, I'm almost five hundred years old," Nahida's voice came through.
Next to Venti, the wind was holding up a Void Terminal.
"Thank you for your help, senpai, but unfortunately, I can't join you for a drink right now," Nahida said gently.
"Then we'll save it for another time," Venti said with a smile.
This was as much as he could help Nahida with—meddling in another nation's affairs was out of the question.
On the Qunyu Jade Chamber, Lucian halted his attacks. "This isn't working. I think…"
"Oh! I know! Are you going to say, 'I think I'm going to set the sea ablaze!'?"
Paimon mimicked Lucian's pose, flinging her tiny hand with a determined expression.
"Go for it, Lucian! Set the sea on fire and take down this big monster!" Paimon said excitedly.
"…" Lucian grabbed Paimon's cheeks, pinching and rubbing them.
That was just something I said! If I could actually set the sea on fire, even Morax would have to pour me a cup of tea.
In the future, it'd be Ei picking food for me while I turn the table, and Venti toasting me while I refuse to drink.
I'd punch Nahida's nursery and kick Furina's opera house.
At that moment, Zhongli, observing the battle from the harbor, smiled. With his encouragement, little Paimon had actually stolen Lucian's line.
Releasing Paimon, whose cheeks were now flushed from the pinching, Lucian said:
"What I meant was, I think we should pour all our firepower into suppressing Osial so I can seal it."
Paimon rubbed her cheeks. So I guessed wrong? If I guess right next time, will he stop pinching me?
Lumine looked at Lucian skeptically. "You have a way to seal it?"
Lucian nodded. Osial hadn't fully broken free from its seal, so it couldn't move freely or exert its full power.
He had obtained an item from the system capable of reinforcing the seal, but they needed to suppress Osial first, or it would still break free.
It was like catching a Pokémon—if it resisted too much, it would break out of the Poké Ball.
"Let's go talk to Ningguang," Lucian said.
Ningguang, meanwhile, was already considering whether to sacrifice the Qunyu Jade Chamber.
Fighting at sea wasn't Liyue's forte, but if they let Osial reach land, Liyue Harbor would suffer greatly.
They couldn't retreat, but if this dragged on, even if they repelled Osial, it might return in the future.
The only solution was to seal it again, and Ningguang thought of her Qunyu Jade Chamber.
The materials used to build the Qunyu Jade Chamber were tied to the Adepti, and it was imbued with countless techniques, making it perfect for a large-scale sealing array.
But the Qunyu Jade Chamber was her dream—how could she bear to give it up so easily?
"I am, after all, the Tianquan."
Ningguang said softly, casting a reluctant glance at the structure behind her before her gaze hardened.
The Qunyu Jade Chamber could be rebuilt. She could not allow Osial to destroy the Liyue she cherished.
"Honored Adepti, hear me out," Ningguang began.
"I know what you're going to say, but before that, listen to my plan," Lucian interrupted.
"Oh? What plan does Mr. Lucian have?" Ningguang asked.
She now knew Lucian wasn't the Geo Archon, as this was the Geo Archon's test for Liyue—how could the Geo Archon himself intervene?
"I have an item that can reinforce the seal, but it's a bit more complicated than simply smashing the Qunyu Jade Chamber. We need everyone to suppress Osial first."
Smashing the Qunyu Jade Chamber could knock Osial out and seal it directly.
But Lucian's item wasn't powerful enough to seal a demon god outright—it could only prevent Osial from breaking the seal once it was formed.
This meant they had to suppress Osial's resistance before the seal could take hold, which was far more troublesome.
"I see. Let's proceed, then," Cloud Retainer, ever the impatient one, said after hearing the plan, immediately channeling her Adeptal energy.
"Cloud Retainer, you…" Mountain Shaper sighed, also beginning to channel his Adeptal energy.
Moon Carver followed suit, as did Madame Ping and Xiao, lending their power to the Qunyu Jade Chamber's array.
"If that's the case, my plan will serve as a backup," Ningguang said, quietly relieved, as she mobilized her Geo element to support the Adepti's attacks.
Seeing the Qunyu Jade Chamber intensify its firepower, Keqing and Beidou understood what was happening and, with perfect coordination, unleashed their respective powers.
===✧✦✧===
Character Voice Line · Ningguang: About Lucian · Part Two
"Hm, I'm very grateful to him. It was he who helped me preserve the Qunyu Jade Chamber. However, dealing with a prophet means you can never hold any cards close to your chest.
Fortunately, he and I are on the same side, not enemies."