Adepti's Fury, People Collapse!

"The patience of this Adeptus is at its limit. It's time to make you retreat by other means."

"Though the position of Geo Archon is vacant, your words insult both the Archon and us."

A flash of anger appeared in the eyes of the Adepti.

Their earlier restraint with Ganyu stemmed from their close relationship with her as a being of qilin blood. Moreover, she had been respectful in her speech.

But Hu Tao's words, directly offending both them and the Geo Archon, made them withdraw their leniency and prepare to use real power to teach this audacious girl a lesson.

As guardians of Liyue, they wouldn't truly harm Hu Tao, but making her realize her inferiority was well within their intent.

Lin Yuan, nestled in Hu Tao's arms and watching the scene, marveled at Hu Tao's ability to provoke the Adepti with just a single sentence.

Now this was a true conversation terminator. The Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor feared neither heaven nor earth.

At that moment, the Adepti raised their heads and unleashed their full pressure, no longer holding back.

As the wave of their oppressive aura spread, they kept an eye on Lin Yuan. Not only did they want to punish Hu Tao, but they also sought to test Lin Yuan's reaction under their pressure.

The oppressive force descended, and the ordinary citizens in the area immediately felt the weight. The weaker ones fell to the ground as if a mountain had crashed onto their backs, while the stronger ones barely managed to stay on their feet, struggling to breathe.

Even though the Adepti had only released a fraction of their power, it was enough to subdue all the ordinary people.

Both Hu Tao and Ganyu fared slightly better, but even they felt an immense burden and their breathing grew labored.

Hu Tao was particularly shocked—this was the first time she had faced the overwhelming pressure of the Adepti. As someone blessed with a Vision, she was far stronger than the average person. Yet, under this mere fragment of Adepti power, she felt her movements slow and stiffen. If it came to a fight, would she even be able to retaliate?

While everyone else was suffocating under the immense pressure, Lin Yuan blinked, nursing his bottle in confusion as he looked around.

What was happening? Why were people sitting on the ground? What kind of show was this?

He scratched his head with his paw, completely unaware of why everyone around him looked like they were in some kind of painful constipation. He didn't feel a thing!

The Adepti, observing Lin Yuan calmly sipping his milk, were baffled.

"Why isn't our pressure affecting the little one?"

"He's still drinking? Maybe we didn't release enough pressure."

"Let's increase the strength and see what his limit is."

Though they acknowledged Lin Yuan as a true dragon like the Geo Archon, they found it hard to believe that he could remain unaffected by their pressure.

The Adepti simultaneously increased the weight of their aura.

Windows rattled, and shop curtains flapped wildly as if some invisible force was squeezing the very air around them.

As the pressure intensified, those who had merely been sitting fell completely prone, unable to lift their heads.

No one remained standing. Those who had previously been kneeling were now either fully collapsed or half-lying on the ground, surrendering to the mounting force.

The overwhelming presence of the Adepti rekindled a deep-seated fear and awe for them among the common folk.

Even Ganyu and Hu Tao, though still standing, were drenched in sweat from the strain.

Lin Yuan, however, finally sensed the presence of the Adepti's pressure. To him, it felt like a gentle breeze brushing past his face... and then nothing.

That's it?

He kept sucking on his milk bottle, wondering what all the fuss was about.

He had braced himself for something overwhelming, yet the so-called Adepti pressure barely registered with him—certainly not enough to give him a massage.

However, Lin Yuan did notice that, while he remained unaffected, the people around him were reaching their limits.

He couldn't let the Adepti continue releasing this pressure.

But what could he do? After all, he was just a baby dragon, barely aware of his own powers.

As Lin Yuan pondered, staring blankly at his paw, something in his bloodline stirred, and he instinctively activated a latent power.

Meanwhile, Ganyu and Hu Tao looked around, seeing that everyone except them had collapsed.

Ganyu, struggling under the immense pressure, pleaded, "Adepti, please restrain your powers. Many people are already suffering."

"Hmph, we are safeguarding the mortals. There's no need for concern," the Lishan Dieshui Adeptus arrogantly replied, lifting his avian head.

Even if mortals were harmed by their pressure, they could always use their immortal arts to save them.

The Cloud Retainer turned to Hu Tao and said, "Little girl, do you now realize your mistake?"

Hu Tao, struggling but defiant, managed to raise her head and respond, "This Director has done nothing wrong! All you Adepti do is rely on your overwhelming force."

"Your spirit is commendable," the Moon Carver Adeptus commented, giving her an approving glance.

Though Hu Tao had only been used as a means to test Lin Yuan, her resilience under pressure had gained her their respect.

"However, the gap between us and you is insurmountable—just as the gap between us and the Geo Archon is."

The Adepti floated down from the rooftops and stood in the air, high above the common people.

They continued to watch Lin Yuan closely.

"Is that little one in a daze?"

"Could it be that he's finally feeling our pressure and struggling to resist?"

"That seems likely. Look, he's even stopped drinking milk."

Their pressure had intensified considerably, and they doubted Lin Yuan could remain as unfazed as before.

Especially seeing him momentarily set aside his bottle, they assumed he was now fully focused on resisting their power.

The Adepti began to estimate Lin Yuan's strength in their minds.

"Considering this little one was just born and can endure our pressure, he's not weak. But I still believe the Geo Archon would have handled it better at his age," Lishan mused.

"The Geo Archon was not only a dragon but also a supreme talent. Though this little one isn't as impressive, he's still promising," the Moon Carver added.

At that moment, Ganyu, still staring up at the floating Adepti, couldn't hold back and called out again, "Adepti, please stop—your pressure is..."

Whoosh—

Before Ganyu could finish, a brilliant golden light erupted from Lin Yuan in Hu Tao's arms.

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A/N:

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