The Tawei Disk Taken by Chi! The Strange Happenings in the Chasm!

The Qixing returned to their respective posts, and observant individuals could tell that after their recent collective visit to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Liyue seemed to have entered a state of preparedness for battle. The Qixing themselves were directly overseeing the regulation of Liyue's various affairs.

Even the Millelith had been dispatched to eliminate monsters and excavate ruins, regardless of whether these monsters and ruins were in far-off places that wouldn't affect Liyue. The true purpose behind all this was training the army!

Compared to the ancient Millelith, today's Millelith were weak and even the word "cowardly" would be an overstatement for them. However, the environment back then was different. Liyue was riddled with dangers, and in such an environment, not becoming stronger meant death. So, the strength of the ancient Millelith was not without reason.

Nowadays, Liyue no longer faces as many crises, leading to fewer opportunities for the Millelith to train. Moreover, the general safety of the world has made the Millelith less eager to grow stronger.

However, the environment has recently changed—not just due to the frequent crises emerging around Liyue, but also because of Lin Yuan's revelations.

In the Jade Chamber:

"Do you really think what Lin Yuan said is likely to happen?" Keqing asked hesitantly.

"You've already found your answer, haven't you? And besides, many of the things Lord Morax mentioned have already been confirmed," Ningguang said calmly.

Keqing smiled bitterly. She didn't really want to believe it, as some of the information Lin Yuan provided was just too outlandish. However, as Ningguang said, no matter how unbelievable, Keqing had already made her decision.

"Then let's proceed."

Perhaps Liyue couldn't help the Geo Archon directly, but it wouldn't be a burden either.

The reason the Qixing had so swiftly initiated the Millelith's training plan was partly due to information they overheard from Lin Yuan during casual conversations. Lin Yuan wasn't one to put on airs; during their casual chats, he would discuss a wide range of topics, some of which he didn't even realize were critical.

Information that seemed like basic game lore to Lin Yuan, things that any player could know, was considered deep secrets in Teyvat.

For Lin Yuan, these things weren't worth paying special attention to, so during conversations, he casually mentioned bits about the Abyss, like how it might be plotting to overthrow Teyvat. However, Lin Yuan kept certain details, like the involvement of one of the twins as a leader of the Abyss, to himself.

Still, if Ningguang and Keqing were to ask, he might just reveal more.

With the twins already in Teyvat, the long peace following the Archon War would soon be broken.

In his casual remarks, Lin Yuan often conveyed such feelings, and when he advised the Qixing to prepare for battle against monsters, they naturally assumed it was a divine warning.

Thus, with Ningguang and Keqing's vigorous promotion, Liyue's military training was in full swing.

On the outskirts of Dihua Marsh:

A merchant caravan flying the banner of the Feiyun Commerce Guild was moving along the main road. They were transporting a valuable shipment from Qingce Village to Liyue Harbor.

"Get moving! This shipment is extremely precious. If anything happens to it, neither you nor I will be spared!" shouted a plump middle-aged man at the center of the caravan, urging the convoy to move faster.

"Boss, Liyue hasn't been very safe lately. What exactly are we transporting that's worth taking such risks?" one of the man's confidants asked quietly.

"I've heard that many merchant caravans have disappeared recently…"

"This is a rare treasure I've secured with great difficulty. Once we deliver it to Liyue Harbor, we'll surely be rewarded handsomely. You'll have a share of the profits too!" The merchant boss gave his confidant a sly glance, his gaze lingering briefly on a specific box among the cargo, a glint of greed in his eyes.

"Go on, keep an eye on the others. Don't let anyone slack off. We need to reach Liyue Harbor as quickly as possible!"

"Understood!"

The lackey complied and went to oversee the others.

Just then, a burly man with a scar on his face called out to the merchant boss.

"Stop! Something's wrong!"

A red Vision dangled from the man's waist. Upon hearing his words, the entire caravan halted.

"What is it? What's the matter?" The merchant boss rushed over, his tone anxious. Due to the value of this cargo, he had specially hired a Vision holder from the Adventurers' Guild to escort them.

In emergencies, this Vision holder had equal command over the caravan.

The issue quickly became apparent without the man needing to explain further. In the distance ahead, a group of monsters appeared—mostly Hilichurls and slimes, with a few Hilichurl Berserkers mixed in. Strangely, all of them were shrouded in thick black mist.

The merchant boss was terrified and just as he was about to ask whether the hired adventurer could deal with the situation, he noticed that the supposed expert was pale-faced and drenched in cold sweat.

"They're not just in front of us—they're behind us too!" someone in the caravan screamed.

"There are monsters to the left and right as well! We're surrounded!"

"I don't want to die!"

As the terrified shouts echoed through the caravan, more monsters emerged from all directions, encircling the entire group. However, despite their overwhelming numbers, the monsters didn't attack right away. They slowly closed in, creating immense pressure on the caravan.

The guards gripped their weapons, though only this small bit of steel gave them any sense of security. Helplessly, they turned to the Vision holder for a plan. However, what they saw in his face was fear as deep as their own.

Despair began to spread through the group. What could they do?

The merchant boss, his mind racing, quietly approached the adventurer and whispered, "If it's just me, can you get me out of here alive? I'll triple your payment after the job!"

"Deal!"

The scar-faced man understood the boss's intentions immediately. He was planning to use the rest of the caravan as bait to hold off the monsters while the two of them escaped.

The merchant boss scanned the group, his eyes cold. He approached the center of the caravan and picked up the small box he had been eyeing earlier.

"Think of your families back in Liyue Harbor. Think of the comfortable lives you could have. The only way to survive now is to fight with the weapons in your hands!" he shouted.

"If we break through, I'll triple everyone's pay!"

Raising his decorative sword, the merchant boss roared, "Charge!"

Leading the way, he chose the side with the fewest monsters, and the rest of the caravan, seeing their leader taking action, rushed forward with him.

Their movement naturally triggered the monsters to respond, and a battle broke out.

However, as soon as the guards clashed with the monsters, they realized something was wrong. Normally, they would have been able to handle Hilichurls, but this time their blades barely scratched the monsters' skin.

"What's going on with these monsters?"

"They're too tough!"

"No, help! Someone save me!" Screams echoed as several guards were quickly overwhelmed. Meanwhile, the boss and the scar-faced adventurer had managed to open a small gap in the enemy lines using the Vision's fire power.

The other caravan members rejoiced, thinking the way was clear, but in the next moment, the two men slipped through the gap and fled, leaving the others to their fate.

The monsters split into smaller groups, some chasing after the two escapees while the rest closed in on the trapped caravan.

"Damn it!"

The remaining guards cursed as they realized they had been abandoned.

Meanwhile, the monsters showed no mercy, continuing to slaughter the defenseless caravan members.

As the boss and the adventurer ran, they quickly disposed of a few pursuing Hilichurls, the boss's mind already plotting the next steps.

"You'll get ten times the original pay once we get back to Liyue Harbor. I've already reported the cargo to the Feiyun Commerce Guild's headquarters, so don't even think about betraying me," the boss said, feigning confidence. However, a keen observer would have noticed the sweat beading on his forehead.

After a brief internal struggle, the scar-faced adventurer laughed and nodded. "Of course, boss! I'll see you back in Liyue Harbor!"

However, just as they let down their guard, a towering Hilichurl Chieftain leaped from the shadows. Before they could react, it slammed its massive fists into the adventurer's skull with a sickening crunch. The Vision fell to the ground, rolling away as the adventurer collapsed lifelessly.

The merchant boss barely had time to process what happened before the Chieftain's next blow struck him, sending him flying and knocking him unconscious.

The Chieftain glanced around, seemingly ready to continue its rampage, but then something on the ground caught its eye.

The box the merchant had been carrying had fallen open, revealing a peculiar disk-shaped object inside. The disk had an inner circle and an outer ring, with strange blue characters etched along the ring and three arrow-like symbols in the center.

A raspy, eerie voice emanated from the darkness surrounding the Hilichurl Chieftain.

"The Taiwei Disk… I've finally found it!"

A shadowy figure emerged from the mist, taking the disk into its hands.

The eerie figure emerging from the shadows was cloaked in a thick, dark mist, making it impossible to discern their appearance. They gazed at the disk, a glint of excitement flickering in their cold, glowing eyes.

"The Taiwei Disk... so much power contained in this little object. With this, the plan can proceed even faster."

The figure held the disk carefully, as though it were a relic of unimaginable value. They glanced down at the unconscious merchant, now of no consequence.

"No witnesses," the figure whispered to the Hilichurl Chieftain, whose eyes glowed faintly in response. The Chieftain raised its massive arm, ready to deliver the final blow to the merchant.

But before the attack could land, the sound of a distant whistle cut through the air. A brilliant flash of Geo energy exploded, and the Chieftain stumbled back, howling in pain.

"Who dares?" the shadowed figure hissed, looking around for the source of the attack.

Out of the mist stepped a tall figure clad in elegant armor. In one hand, they held a gleaming Geo Vision, and in the other, a stone spear, crackling with elemental energy. The newcomer's amber eyes radiated calm determination.

"Leave him," the warrior said coldly. "There's no honor in killing the helpless."

The shadowed figure narrowed their glowing eyes. "And who are you to interfere?"

"I am Xiao, the Vigilant Yaksha, sworn to defend Liyue," the warrior declared, his grip on the spear tightening. "I won't let you get away with this."

The shadowed figure seemed to hesitate, weighing their options. "The Yaksha of Liyue… interesting. But you are too late. The disk is already in my possession."

Xiao's expression darkened, and he lunged forward with blinding speed. The Hilichurl Chieftain moved to block his path, swinging its enormous fists, but Xiao gracefully dodged and struck with his spear, shattering the Chieftain's mask with a single blow. The giant creature collapsed to the ground in a heap of stone and dust.

The shadowed figure took a step back, their hand tightening around the Taiwei Disk. Realizing they couldn't defeat Xiao in a direct confrontation, they smirked and began to fade into the mist.

"Foolish Yaksha, you cannot stop what is coming. The Abyss will rise, and Teyvat will fall, whether you like it or not."

With those parting words, the figure disappeared, vanishing into the mist like a phantom.

Xiao stood still for a moment, eyes scanning the area for any remaining threats. Sensing none, he turned his attention to the unconscious merchant. With a swift motion, he tossed the man over his shoulder and leaped into the air, heading toward Liyue Harbor.

Meanwhile, deep within the Chasm, an unsettling tension lingered in the air. The earth trembled ever so slightly, as though it was reacting to something buried far below. In the darkness, whispers echoed from unseen forces, and the abyssal creatures prowling the depths became more agitated than ever.

At the center of it all, a strange, pulsing energy radiated from a hidden chamber beneath the ground, where the influence of the Abyss seemed to seep into every corner.

A figure clad in dark robes stood at the heart of the disturbance, their arms raised high as they chanted in an ancient, forgotten tongue. Floating before them was a giant crystalline structure, bathed in the ominous glow of Abyssal energy.

"Soon," the figure whispered with a malevolent grin, "the Taiwei Disk will activate the ancient mechanisms. And when it does… Liyue will crumble."

The ground beneath them pulsed, as though answering the figure's sinister call.

Back in Liyue Harbor:

The Jade Chamber floated high above the city, its view offering a stunning panorama of the land below. But within its grand halls, the atmosphere was far from peaceful.

Ningguang stood by the window, gazing out at the horizon. Her expression was one of deep contemplation, her sharp mind processing the recent reports from the Chasm and the disturbances near Dihua Marsh.

Keqing and Ganyu stood nearby, both equally concerned.

"Monsters acting unusually aggressive near the Chasm and Dihua Marsh… and now reports of merchant caravans going missing," Keqing said, her brows furrowing. "It seems something is brewing."

Ningguang nodded. "We've already suspected that the Abyss Order might be involved, but we don't yet know their full plan. I believe the Taiwei Disk is at the center of this."

"The Taiwei Disk?" Ganyu asked, tilting her head slightly.

"It's an ancient artifact, said to have been created during the time of the Archon War. Legends say it holds the power to control geo-tectonic forces. If it falls into the wrong hands, it could be disastrous for all of Liyue."

Keqing's eyes widened. "If the Abyss Order gets their hands on something like that…"

Ningguang turned to face them, her eyes steely with resolve. "We can't let that happen. The Qixing will need to act quickly. We'll send forces to investigate the Chasm immediately. And I want someone to track down the merchant caravan that was carrying the disk."

Ganyu stepped forward. "I'll take care of it. We can't afford to lose any more time."

Keqing nodded. "I'll coordinate the Millelith to secure the Chasm. Whatever the Abyss is planning, we have to be ready."

Ningguang gave them both a rare, approving smile. "Liyue is counting on us. We won't let it fall."

As the Jade Chamber glowed softly under the evening sun, the three women steeled themselves for the battle that lay ahead. Somewhere, deep within the earth, forces beyond their understanding were already beginning to stir.

Far from Liyue, Lin Yuan was standing on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the distant Chasm. He had a strange feeling that something important was happening beneath the surface—something that could change the fate of Teyvat.

"I have a bad feeling about this…" he muttered to himself.

Without waiting for further signs, he turned and began his journey toward Liyue Harbor, knowing that soon, everything would come to a head. The stage was set for the final battle, and all of Teyvat was about to be caught in the storm.

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T/N:

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