Honkai Impact: The Dream Keeper

After everyone entered the stone wall—

"Wow! I never imagined there was such a vast space behind the stone wall!" Kiana exclaimed.

"Yes, it really is vast..." Long Qiao forced a smile.

"Hmm? Qiao, is something wrong?" Mei asked.

"Huh? No... what could be wrong with me?"

“That’s true, but we can’t see Major Himeko here anymore, and the detector isn’t responding,” Mei said.

"Sigh! There's nothing we can do but search slowly. Don't panic, after all, it's Teacher Himeko," Menmo said with a smile.

"By the way, everyone, the words on the stone wall just now really caught my attention," Fu Hua said over the communicator.

"Those are incantations used since ancient times by the land of China to seal away evil. What exactly is this place used for? Anyway, if you find anything later, you must tell me everything."

"understood"

After walking for a while, the group found themselves trapped in the same spot. Kiana then contacted Fu Hua for a solution. Fu Hua revealed that the cave was arranged according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) formation and instructed the group to head southwest, where the exit was located.

Then the group arrived at a maze, and Kiana ran towards the southwest. Fu Hua quickly said...

"Wait, don't move!"

"What's wrong? I've already stepped on it..." Kiana said.

"Oh no, we're doomed," Zhang Qing said, shrugging.

"The auspiciousness or inauspiciousness represented by the Eight Gates varies depending on which palace they reside in; those places are very dangerous!" Fu Hua said.

"Kiana, what did you just do? The floor... the floor is starting to collapse!" Mei exclaimed.

"Run!" Long Qiao shouted.

After a while...

"Finally...finally escaped! Gossip is so hard!" Kiana said breathlessly.

"Hey! What a coincidence! Everyone, look over there! There's a golden sword!"

"A golden sword? Could it be the legendary Xuanyuan Sword? So this labyrinthine maze was meant to protect this sword," Fu Hua said.

“But…aren’t the inscriptions on the stone tablet meant to seal away evil? The Xuanyuan Sword is clearly a sword used to fight against the Honkai,” Fu Hua said.

"Qiao, do you know why?" Menmo asked.

"Do you think I'm an encyclopedia? There's only one possibility: prepare for battle, the Xuanyuan Sword may have been corrupted!"

As the group advanced slowly in battle stances, the three Crimson Bird stone sculptures simultaneously emitted beams of light towards the Xuanyuan Sword. Amidst the light, a red-haired woman stepped out.

"Himeko?! Mo-ge, Xiaoqing! Prepare for battle!" The moment Long Qiao finished speaking, the three of them transformed into knight forms, and Himeko swung her sword, which was blocked by Long Qiao's blade.

"Major Himeko seems to be controlled by that sword. Bronya has determined the danger level to be high. Level 1 combat readiness!"

"Bronya, Kiana, Mei, leave this battle to us. Don't go in; support us from behind," Long Qiao said.

Long Qiao, wielding a sharp blade, launched the first attack, but all his attacks were blocked by Himeko.

"street!"

"Here it comes! KamenRide! Faiz!" Menmo pulled out the Faiz card and transformed into 555.

Zhang Qing also pulled out a Heavy Strike Descent Card and unleashed a Rising Dragon Breakthrough skill on Himeko. Himeko raised her sword to block, but was still severely injured.

Long Qiao, wielding a sharp blade, walked towards Himeko, but at that moment, something unexpected happened! Arcs of electricity and blue flames suddenly appeared on Long Qiao's body.

"Ah!!! What...what happened?" Long Qiao cried out in pain.

He then suddenly transformed into an Orphnoch, but the blue flames on his body had not yet dissipated.

Everyone present was stunned, but only Long Qiao knew that his body was about to give out!

"Damn it! Stop...stop it!!!" With a shout from Long Qiao, the flames on his body completely dissipated, and then, in his Orphnoch form, he knocked the heavily injured Himeko unconscious with a single punch.

Then Long Qiao transformed back into human form and turned to look at them.

"She's alright, but Himeko's vital signs are very weak. We need to get her out of here for treatment, otherwise she'll be finished," Long Qiao said.

"Okay, I understand. But coincidentally, what happened to you just now?" Men Mo said.

"It's nothing... don't worry," Long Qiao said, waving her hand.

"Don't talk nonsense! What else are you hiding from us? Kiana and the others may not know you, but we know you too!!" Men Mo suddenly grabbed Long Qiao by the collar and said.

"...You'll know the answer soon enough...What you want to know will all come to light...Oh, I need to relieve myself first." Long Qiao smiled, put Men Mo's hand down, and left the area, walking away into the distance...

"Something terrible has happened! Kiana, and everyone else!" Theresa's communicator suddenly crackled to life.

"What's wrong, Dean Theresa?"

"According to satellite detection, a large number of Anti-Entropy forces have suddenly appeared in your waters! They're likely heading towards the Xuanyuan Sword. You must leave Jiuyou immediately! I will arrive with reinforcements in two hours," Theresa shouted.

"I know, but Qiao just told me he went to the bathroom," Menmo said.

"By the way, Qiao, I went to your dorm this morning and found a lot of sand in your room. What happened?" Theresa asked, puzzled.

"What?! Coincidentally, him! This guy... no wonder he suddenly reacted like that, and no wonder he seemed to be hiding something... This guy... bastard!" Men Mo suddenly cursed.

Then, amidst the puzzled looks of the crowd, Menmo began to explain.

“You all know that Qiao is an Orphnoch, right? Remember what I said? His body is about to give out… It’s probably because his Orphnoch factor is too explosive, and then Faiz’s Burst Form is accelerating his demise… I guess… he can only live until today at the very least…” Menmo said in a low voice.

“Skillful…” Bronya muttered, head down.

A short while later, the group encountered the Anti-Entropy forces...

"Hahahaha, you trashy Valkyries, don't run! You're completely surrounded!" said a pink-haired girl.

"I am Xing Mar, the person in charge of this operation. Alright, stop wasting my time and obediently hand over the Xuanyuan Sword," Xing said.

"Who's trash! You arrogant brat!" Kiana yelled.

Then everyone looked to the side and saw that they were indeed surrounded. They then tried to negotiate with Xing, but when the negotiations failed, Men Mo and Zhang Qing joined forces to drive Xing away, and then they began their escape again...

The group then came to a fork in the road. Bronya told them to go right, as the left side was very hot and might be a dead end. However, Kiana believed the exit was on the left. Zhang Qing then suggested exploring the left side first.

After some searching, they finally found the exit, but suddenly a mysterious sound came from it.

"Brave young boys and girls, the seal on the monster is about to be broken. I will give you my last bit of power. Please, seal it away once more..."

"Huh? Who was that voice just now?" Kiana asked.

Everyone shook their heads in unison.

After leaving, they encountered the Anti-Entropy Force again.

"Now you can't escape. Let's kill Bronya too this time!" Xing said cruelly.

Then the Xuanyuan Sword glowed, and Ji Lin's figure appeared, while a purple light flashed deep within the Nine Netherworlds...

Suddenly, the figure of a giant beast appeared on the sea...

A black figure stood some distance away, closest to the sea surface, with a red flying insect stalking beside its head.

"Is it finally coming, Chi You...? This is your burial ground, and my end..."