Genshin Impact: Awakening in the Darkness

“I want to give up the ‘Jade Pavilion’.” Ningguang’s decision shocked Ganyu, who knew what the ‘Jade Pavilion’ represented.

Liu Yun asked, puzzled, "What does this mean...?"

Xuanqing also learned of this Seven Star's thoughts. She was courageous and decisive, so why not lend her a hand?

Ningguang: "My Lord, please restrain the Vortex Demon God! I need to use this 'Jade Pavilion' to suppress Oser."

"Alright." Xuan Qing agreed, and divine power flashed in his eyes beneath his white robe. Lightning struck down from the sky, directly hitting Ausel. The collision of lightning and water elements creates conductivity, and this attack left Ausel only able to let out a weak roar. But then, he was betrayed by the water element he controlled. The water ignored his commands, fixing him in place, and even ice elements clung to his body, freezing him! Making him unable to move.

The "Qunyu Pavilion" quickly arrived in the sky, obscuring the sky above Ausel's head.

On the "Jade Pavilion", the immortals surrounded Kong because of his special physique, which could contain multiple layers of immortal power.

Xiao: "I understand." He put on the mask and, together with the other immortals, applied his immortal power to the traveler.

"Traveler, please lend a hand." Hearing Ningguang's words, Kong nodded, then raised his sword-wielding hand, concentrating his power into the blade and plunging it into the ground…

Ningguang sighed endlessly: "Farewell, my old friend... We part today so that we may have the opportunity to reunite in the future."

Kong's attack destroyed the power system of the "Jade Pavilion." Now, the "Jade Pavilion" is teetering on the brink of collapse. Several immortals carried everyone towards Liyue Harbor, and even Gan Yu revealed her true form, easing some of the pressure…

The Jade Pavilion plummeted from the sky, and Ausel, suppressed by Xuanqing's divine power, had no way to dodge. This attack shook the earth, and the massive shockwave created a huge tsunami, but it was blocked by Xuanqing's protective barrier. Ausel never showed himself again…

Paimon: "So... is this finally over?"

Xuanqing removed the protective shield and transmitted his voice to them, saying, "That extremely fierce and ominous aura has indeed faded away. This was not Oser's full strength; his true form is still suppressed under the Lonely Cloud Pavilion."

Xiaoyue: "The 'Unrestricted Talisman's' power wasn't permanent to begin with, and now that the 'Jade Pavilion' has once again placed it under the 'Lonely Cloud Pavilion'... even the 'Whirlpool Demon God' probably won't be able to cause trouble again."

"Many thanks to all the immortals for their great help. If it weren't for your presence, the future of Liyue Harbor would be unpredictable..." Ningguang expressed her gratitude.

Liu Yun Jie Feng Zhenjun: "Hmph, why bother with flattery? Besides, we didn't 'coincidentally' come here—are you already pretending to have forgotten why we came? And, since you, Heavenly Lord, have already awakened, then perhaps..."

Xuan Qing hurriedly said, "Um... I'm still so sleepy, I'll go first!" Then he immediately cut off the transmission.

Paimon whispered to the void, "I have a feeling that this Heavenly Lord doesn't want to get involved in the conversation and conflict between the immortals and the Seven Stars, it's like..."

Sora (whispering): "Like Wendy, right?"

Paimon nodded, but the conversation among the immortals continued. Granny Ping stepped forward and said to Liu Yun, "Liu Yun, there's no need for such confrontation... I've heard that when Ning Guang first started learning business, she began using her very limited income to prepare for the 'Qunyu Pavilion' project."

Grandma Ping: "Initially, it was only the size of a room, but through continuous expansion, it has now become a palace of this scale. It is her spiritual pillar as a merchant and as one of the Seven Stars, and also a reflection of her life. The destruction of 'Qunyu Pavilion' for Liyue was of great significance to her. I think such cooperation and sacrifice should at least earn her a word of praise."

Ningguang: "No, at this point I would prefer to say 'at least it can be used as a bargaining chip,' which would suit my taste much better."

"...Ha." Grandma Ping nodded and smiled.

"Thank you, sir, for speaking up for me. We are well aware of the purpose of your visit today... but we cannot back down." Ningguang expressed her gratitude to Granny Ping, but she could not sway her decision.

Shaving Moon: "Oh?"

"Three thousand seven hundred years... According to records, the immortals and the Emperor have signed a 'contract' to protect Liyue for over three thousand seven hundred years." Ningguang explained, "Even now, the mountains and rivers of Liyue remain as solid as a rock, unchanged from a thousand years ago—a truly awe-inspiring feat. But this doesn't mean Liyue is still the Liyue of three thousand seven hundred years ago. Please don't just focus your protective gaze on this land—look carefully at this city, look at everyone here."

"Are you questioning the way we protect Liyue?" Xiaoyue was instantly annoyed, while Lishui and Liuyun remained in a wait-and-see attitude.

Ningguang: "I have no intention of offending you. I just hope that you seniors can consider Liyue's situation once again."

Liu Yun: "Ha, you actually address me as 'senior.' You Seven Star juniors don't even have the 'seniority' in front of me..."

Ningguang: "This morning, I also dreamed of the Emperor."

"Hmm?" Ningguang's words piqued Liuyun's curiosity.

“In my dream, I wanted to tell him that we, the Seven Stars, though mortals, are also bound by ‘contracts.’ Each generation of the Seven Stars leaves behind something worth inheriting.” Ningguang paused, gazing at the setting sun, and continued, “I also wanted to tell the Emperor that, under your guidance, the Seven Stars have strived to survive in the human world, constructing a network of contracts called ‘trade.’ But I said none of this. I simply looked at him until I awoke…”

Paimon: "Condensed Light..."

After thinking for a moment, he decided to interject, "Actually, everyone's position is the same..."

Liu Yun didn't refute: "What are you trying to say about 'the bystander sees most of the game'?"

"Once a Guardian clashes with the one they are supposed to protect, things become very difficult to salvage. There's a story that happened in Mondstadt, the story of the 'Guardians of the Four Winds' and the people of the Anemo Archon." Sora began to describe simply: "The Anemo Archon wanted to stop their conflict because he felt that conflict would only leave scars on both sides and bring no benefit. I think the Celestial's actions just now were actually because he didn't want to become the fuse between you, repeating the tragedy of Mondstadt."

Keqing sighed after hearing this: "The seven kingdoms of the mortal world each have their own troubles."

"What you said is a very simple truth... but as immortals, we shouldn't let strangers who helped us laugh at us." Li Shui persisted in her final insistence.

Seeing their stubborn expressions, Grandma Ping said with a hint of exasperation, "Alright, didn't Ningguang just say, 'Look carefully at this city, look at every person here'? I've tried this kind of observation before. Why don't you try it too?"

At this moment, Xuan Yue also came to them: "Still struggling with it?"

Paimon: "Hey! Jin Xuan! You're alright!"

Xuan Yue helplessly shrugged and said, "My own Heavenly Lord sent me here to clean up this mess, but he went to sleep himself. What can I do?!" (It's because I was worried he'd try to be brave again and end up being thrown out... How could I possibly say that out loud...)

Those present who knew his identity—Liu Yun, Xiao Yue, Xiao, Granny Ping, and Li Shui—were instantly speechless. What a ridiculous excuse!

"Ahem," Xuan Yue cleared her throat and said, "Alright everyone, Liyue today is vastly different from what it was thousands of years ago. We are now in the era of the Seven Regents. Times are changing, and so are people and culture. So why should our methods of protecting Liyue remain unchanged?"

"But..." Xiaoyue wanted to say something more, but in the end she didn't say anything.

"Esteemed immortals, please forgive me for being unable to perform the full ceremony due to my armor." At this moment, a soldier from the Thousand Rocks Army mustered his courage and stepped forward, saying, "I am Feng Yan, the instructor of the Thousand Rocks Army, and I have come specifically to thank you, immortals. I thought this battle would be my last, but it was thanks to your help that my entire unit did not suffer heavy casualties. You immortals have displayed great power, and I am but an ordinary soldier, but I will certainly stand firm on the front line from now on and will not let you down."

Cutting the Moon: ...

elf:……

"Huh? Why does everyone look so dejected? Didn't we just defeat a giant monster?" At that moment, a little girl ran over and asked in confusion.

Grandma Ping asked gently, "Hehehe...aren't you scared? Little girl, it was so dangerous just now..."

Changchang: "Changchang isn't afraid because I have the uncles from the Thousand Rock Army, the powerful adults and older brothers and sisters with the 'Eye of God,' and everyone in Liyue... everyone is here! When there's danger, everyone will protect Changchang. In our spare time, we'll make fun things and delicious food, and we'll make the harbor more and more beautiful!"

Changchang's eyes lit up when she saw Xiao, and she immediately greeted him, "Big brother over there, thank you for protecting Liyue Harbor! Come visit us next time at the Lantern Festival!"

Xiao was reluctant to refuse, but he was burdened with karmic debts and would be harmful to ordinary people, so he still refused, saying, "...I can't come."

Changchang: "Huh?"

Xiao: "There's nothing I can do. After all, I'm a 'celestial being.'"

Changchang: "Oh, I see... then being a 'celestial being' really not easy."

Xuan Yue noticed her little bird's disappointed mood, so she immediately went over, patted its head, and comforted it.

Grandma Ping: "Everyone, look, this is what this era looks like... The realm of the 'Contract' is still grateful to the Immortals. But over the years, Liyue's various problems, big and small, haven't necessarily required the Immortals' power to solve."

Xuan Yue: "This is precisely the charm of humanity; though they are 'weak,' they are also incredibly strong. The 'contract between the gods and Liyue' has lasted for over a thousand years; now it is the era of 'Liyue's contract with humanity.'"

Xuan Yue and Granny Ping's words silenced the immortals. After a long while, Li Shui broke the atmosphere: "Sigh... Look around, we're just standing here at the harbor, and we already feel a bit out of place... Don't you think so, Liu Yun?"

Liu Yun: "Why are you asking me? I wasn't the one who led this...to Liyue Harbor to interrogate us..."

Paimon (whispering): "Huh? The atmosphere over there with the immortals seems different..."

Kong: "Looks like we've managed to persuade them."

"Let's go back," Xiao said first, then looked at Xuan Yue. Only after Xuan Yue nodded did he leave.

Xiaoyue: "...The Great Sage Who Subdues Demons?"

"...Yes, I understand what the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons means. Liyue, which I haven't seen in so long, is indeed vastly different from what I remembered. I'm afraid that by the time I figure out this new 'contract'... you humans will have created an even newer form in Liyue." Thinking this, Lishui shook her head and sighed, "Forget it. Better to go back, better to go back..."

Xiaoyue softened her tone, saying, "Very well, if all the immortals agree, I will no longer insist. But after the immortals depart, will the 'Liyue Seven Stars' be able to control everything? In my opinion, we still must be wary..."

Xuan Yue crossed her arms and said, "Alright, Xiao Yue. Don't worry, leave this oversight to the people of Liyue. Once Liyue's 'order' changes, or goes astray, it won't escape the Celestial Lord's watchful eye."

Xiaoyue: "That makes sense. Then I will also decline Yunjian's offer."

"Yes, let's meet again after Jueyun Pavilion." Xuan Yue watched them leave, which made everyone present breathe a sigh of relief.

"The crisis of a great war between humans and immortals can be considered to have ended peacefully, right?" Paimon patted her chest and said. She was just afraid that the two sides would fight, but fortunately it ended peacefully.

"Alright, travelers, now it's our turn. Follow me." Seeing that the matter was resolved, Xuan Yue decided to lead them to the place Xuan Qing had instructed.

Paimon: "Huh? Where are we going?"

"Go, to the turning point of your journey in Liyue. Let's go."

Kong and Paimon were completely confused. After greeting Ningguang, they followed Xuanyue's footsteps.