"Dvalin? What... what's wrong?"
Venti, who was drinking and chatting with Zhongli, suddenly felt a pang in his heart. He stood up abruptly and looked in the direction of the Stormterror's Lair.
"Barbatos, what's wrong with your companion?"
Zhongli saw Venti's grave expression and realized something had happened to his companion.
"It's nothing, Morax. It's just a small problem. I'll be back soon!"
Although Venti said this, he was extremely anxious. He felt Dvalin was in great pain and was dissolving the contract between them.
'Dvalin must be in trouble!'
Venti abandoned his favorite drink, made an excuse to Zhongli, and vanished into the tavern like a gentle breeze.
"Zhongli? Why did Venti leave without a word?"
Feng Yi walked over and asked Zhongli when he saw this.
"It's the Stormterror, Dvalin. Something seems to have happened..."
Zhongli said calmly. Since Barbatos himself had rushed over, there was no need to worry.
Barbatos, as one of the ultimate victors of the Archon War, despite being afflicted by the erosion, still possessed formidable strength.
"Dvalin's gone berserk? How could this be?"
Feng Yi was shocked, as according to the original timeline, Dvalin's rampage was supposed to happen two years later.
The Abyss Order would wait for the Knights of Favonius's grand master and other high-ranking officers to depart before seizing the opportunity to sow discord and incite Dvalin's rebellion.
Why would it happen so suddenly?
Abyss Order: If it weren't for someone stealing our [Princess], forcing us to act prematurely, would we really want to directly confront the Grand Master of the Knights of Favonius?
"Zhongli, Lumine, why don't we go and see as well?"
Feng Yi suggested.
"Mm-hmm~"
Lumine, like a gentle and devoted wife, agreed with whatever Feng Yi said. She immediately put down the tray of drinks she was holding, ready to depart.
"Logically speaking, we don't need to waste time there. Barbatos will handle it himself!"
Zhongli: ???
I finally have some leisure time, don't expect me to lift a finger again!
"Take us there, and I'll treat you to some special Mondstadt tea afterward!"
Feng Yi was helpless. To rouse the lazy Geo Archon, something substantial was needed!
"Then let's go quickly. If we're late, there won't be anything for us to do!"
Zhongli put down his teacup, cast a shield on Feng Yi and Lumine, and then teleported away with a 'whoosh'.
Zhongli: I didn't want to move either! But Feng Yi offered too much!
You know, I'm quite fond of this kind of thing!
"Wait, Paimon wants to come too..."
But before she could finish speaking, Feng Yi and the others had already teleported away.
"Damn it, I'm so angry! You guys went to watch the show and left Paimon here to work, it's too much!"
Paimon clenched her fists and stomped her little feet in the air, muttering incessantly.
When Feng Yi and the others returned, Paimon decided she would give them a lesson they wouldn't forget by stealing all their food!
..................
Stormterror's Lair.
"Dvalin, what's wrong? It's okay, I'm back..."
Venti hovered in the air, strumming his lyre, gently soothing the agitated Dvalin.
"It hurts, it hurts so much! Barbatos, you're too late..."
Dvalin roared at Barbatos. The pain he was enduring was something the idle Barbatos couldn't possibly understand.
"Wow, dear Anemo Archon, your companion has surrendered himself to the Abyss. No need to worry, [Prince] will take good care of him for you!"
At this moment, a wild Abyss Lector of Hydro emerged from behind Dvalin, bowed respectfully to Venti, and spoke in a slightly mocking tone.
"It's you rats hiding in the trenches. Haven't the lessons of five hundred years ago taught you anything?"
Venti glared at the Abyss Lector of Hydro hiding behind Dvalin. He gathered his Anemo power, preparing to teach this impudent rat a lesson.
"See, my dear Dvalin, your Anemo Archon senses you have betrayed him, so he has contacted the Geo Archon from Liyue to kill you. Fly up, break through their encirclement, [Prince]'s reinforcements are waiting outside to assist you!"
The Abyss Lector of Hydro glanced in Feng Yi's direction, then a sudden idea struck him. He used another Abyss sorcery – the Charm of the Abyss – whispering into Dvalin's ear.
"Barbatos, my former comrade, I never thought you would join hands with outsiders to kill me..."
Dvalin's mind was clouded by the toxic blood. He believed whatever the Abyss Lector of Hydro said, having lost his ability to judge for himself.
"No, I didn't. Dvalin, you've misunderstood!"
Barbatos sighed helplessly and quickly explained.
"Then why are they here?"
Dvalin pointed at Feng Yi and the others and roared at Venti.
"They... they are an accident. I don't know why they are here..."
Venti had no words to explain the situation regarding Feng Yi and the others who had come to spectate.
"Barbatos, your lies are too clumsy. Let's part ways here!"
Dvalin suddenly unleashed a powerful storm tornado from his body, pushing Barbatos back. Then, he flew away with the Abyss Lector of Hydro.
"Hey, Venti, need any help?"
Seeing the Stormterror fly away, Feng Yi and the others approached Venti and asked with concern.
"No need. You've already caused enough trouble for me!"
Venti's expression was somewhat dejected. His former comrade had now left him without hesitation.
"Don't be sad, pal. I have a way to help you remove the toxic blood from Dvalin!"
Feng Yi realized they might have caused a mess and quickly comforted Venti.
Fortunately, he had brought Lumine with him, otherwise, it would have been difficult to resolve.
"Are you serious?!"
Venti's eyes, which had dimmed slightly, suddenly regained their spirit upon hearing Feng Yi's words.
"Yes, but the priority now is to stop Dvalin and control him..."
Feng Yi nodded and said.
"No problem, leave this to me!"
A powerful pressure emanated from Venti as he slowly floated into the air. He looked at the departing Dvalin and, with a gentle clench of his hand, immobilized Dvalin and the Abyss Lector of Hydro within a turbulent wind current strong enough to cut through metal and stone.
With a slight wave of his hand, Venti's wind sphere, which held Dvalin, swept Dvalin and the Abyss Lector of Hydro towards them.
Feng Yi watched Venti, who didn't seem to be using his full strength, and couldn't help but sigh. This was the true Anemo Archon, capable of blowing away mountains!
His encounter with the Fatui's Signora two years later must have been Venti holding back, otherwise, the strength he displayed now would have been enough to instantly kill Signora.
Didn't you see that even Dvalin, struggling with all his might, couldn't budge Venti's controlling wind sphere?
.................
ps: Brothers, a small note.
I've started a new book, "Frog Traveler: Brought Back Tifa at the Start," a lighthearted post-apocalyptic novel, exclusively for gentlemen, with a different recipe but the same familiar taste.
The heroines in it are all top-tier from the 3D industry.
Brothers who like it can search for it.