Outside Liyue Harbor, after Qiu Bai and the others had walked for quite some time, he turned to look at Lumine and Paimon.
"Alright, this is far enough."
"Grab onto me."
Qiu Bai glanced around, making sure no one was nearby, then spoke to Lumine and Paimon.
"Okay!"
Paimon nodded. Lumine stepped over and grabbed Qiu Bai's arm.
With a dizzying twist of space, Qiu Bai teleported them to the ruins beneath Mt. Aozang.
Lumine and Paimon nodded to Qiu Bai and headed inside, while he followed behind at a leisurely pace.
The space before them was dim and bleak, surrounded by stone walls etched with strange symbols. At the far end stood a mechanical door.
Paimon flew over to inspect the area, then returned.
"There are signs the Treasure Hoarders were here."
"They really did come!"
She pointed to a patch of dirt on the ground with distinct footprints.
"There's a door over there. Let's check it out," Lumine said to Qiu Bai as she began walking forward.
"No need for all that."
"Lumine, Paimon—step back."
Qiu Bai gave a faint smile, then scanned the area with his divine sense and focused on one direction.
"What is it, Qiu Bai?"
Paimon and Lumine looked at him, puzzled. They were about to move when his voice stopped them.
Despite their confusion, they obediently stepped back behind him.
Qiu Bai walked forward casually. Before him was a stone wall. He raised his right hand as dark divine power began to swirl around his fist.
"Heh, a puzzle?"
"I love puzzles."
He muttered to himself, then raised his fist and smashed it into the wall.
Boom!
With a thunderous crash and the sound of crumbling stone, a hole opened where Qiu Bai had struck. From deep within, a faint, eerie black glow seeped through.
"Alright, Lumine, little Paimon."
"Let's go."
Qiu Bai turned to see Lumine and Paimon both standing there with their mouths agape.
"Qi—Qiu Bai!"
"Last time, when you punched that stone by Xiecui Bank and left a fist imprint, didn't you say that was your full strength?"
Paimon snapped out of her shock and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at him.
"And we actually believed you!"
"You're such a good actor, seriously."
She huffed and turned away, still clearly annoyed at him for hiding his true strength.
Lumine also crossed her arms and turned away with a small huff.
"Hahaha…"
"Alright, alright, no more teasing. Let's go."
Qiu Bai chuckled as he watched their cute reactions, then walked into the newly opened tunnel.
Lumine and Paimon followed close behind.
After a while, they reached the end of the tunnel Qiu Bai had created.
There, in front of them, knelt a Treasure Hoarder in a grotesquely twisted posture, as if frozen mid-prayer.
Before the hoarder stood an upside-down Statue of The Seven. The orb that the Anemo statue once held was now missing.
Dark, eerie energy continued to swirl and gather at the statue's hands, radiating an ominous black glow.
Paimon floated closer to inspect the hoarder, watching carefully for a moment—then suddenly flew back behind Qiu Bai.
"He… he's dead."
"No breath, no heartbeat."
She pointed a trembling finger at the hoarder's body.
Qiu Bai remained calm, quietly gazing at the inverted statue before him.
"So this was the so-called great Treasure Hoarder."
"What in the world did he go through to die like that... so twisted?"
He stroked his chin, muttering to himself.
"I've never seen anything so disturbing."
"It feels... incredibly sinister."
Lumine frowned, staring at the overturned Statue of The Seven ahead.
Qiu Bai was well aware of what the Abyss was scheming.
They planned to use the remnants of a fallen god—specifically what was left of Osial after his defeat. This statue served as the foundation, meant to merge with Osial's remaining body. The position in the statue's hands was intended to house the eye of the world's first plow.
This inverted Statue of The Seven had another name—the Tainted Inverse Statue.
"So during that brief window after I destroyed Osial, the Abyss and the Fatui had already started collecting these pieces?"
"I wonder what Aether was thinking at the time…"
Qiu Bai muttered to himself.
"But this plan is kind of dumb. Osial, plus a statue, plus the plow's eye?"
"Do they really think that could shake Celestia?"
He rubbed his chin, then gave a faint, amused smile.
Just then, the ground beneath them split open, and a deep purple-black light poured from the cracks.
"The ground's splitting—we need to run!"
"Let's go report this to Ganyu and Sister Lan!"
Paimon shouted, eyes wide as she watched the ground slowly fracture.
Qiu Bai gave a quick nod, and the three of them bolted, making their way into another chamber.
The space ahead lit up—and in the center stood a familiar figure.
"Well, well, isn't that the Abyss Herald?"
Qiu Bai narrowed his eyes at the massive figure before them—at least two meters tall, cloaked in swirling Hydro energy, unmistakably elemental hydro manipulation.
"The secrets of the Abyss are not for your eyes!"
"You came here… you looked directly… now you must pay the price!"
"Judgment shall be delivered—by the Herald!"
The Hydro Herald's voice echoed coldly through the chamber as his gaze locked onto the three intruders.
"Abyss… Herald?"
"I think Dain mentioned something about them."
Paimon turned to Lumine, confused.
"Dain? Dainsleif!"
"So, that's it… I thought you were just some rats that wandered in—but it seems you're connected to that man who refuses to let go…"
The Abyss Herald's eyes glinted strangely as he looked at them.
"He sent you to die?"
"His resistance against the Abyss has long reached a stalemate. Small ripples like this won't change a thing."
"The Abyss… cannot be stopped!"
With those words, the Abyss Herald lunged forward, arms transforming into twin blades that slashed toward the group.
Lumine responded instantly, charging forward with her sword.
Clang!
Sparks flew as their weapons clashed. Using the recoil, Lumine flipped backward and landed at a distance.
Qiu Bai, meanwhile, pulled Paimon back with one arm and retreated.
Just as Lumine was catching her breath, a wave of eerie purple-black energy surged straight toward her!
She summoned a burst of Anemo to shield herself, but the impact sent her flying. Her bladeless sword skidded along the ground, carving a long trench.
"What is this power?"
"I've never seen anything like it…"
Paimon, still held by Qiu Bai, stared at the intense battle with wide eyes, her voice trembling with confusion.
"Hahaha—this is the power of the Abyss!"
"The secrets of the Abyss… are beyond your grasp!"
The Abyss Herald laughed as he charged again, blades gleaming with that same sinister energy, aiming straight for Lumine.