Looking at the object that had fallen to the ground, Nahida spoke with a hint of speculation. Beside her, Xiao remained unconscious, his condition a mystery. The great Demon-Subduing God had actually collapsed.
"Let's take that thing back and set up camp nearby. It seems our journey to Sumeru will have to be delayed."
Lu Ze sighed. He had stumbled into trouble again. While it wasn't a particularly difficult problem, it was certainly vexing.
On a flat piece of ground nearby, a tent was quickly set up. They had originally planned to have lunch at The Walking Kitchen, but now it seemed they'd have to cook for themselves. It couldn't be helped, with a patient to care for.
Xiao was settled into the tent. If he didn't wake up, their journey couldn't proceed. They couldn't exactly take him to Sumeru. Zhongli would likely disagree, and Xiao himself might even try to stab him with the Vortex Vanquisher.
"Lu Ze, could I see that astrolabe? I'm a bit curious about it."
Nahida pointed to the Taiwei Astrolabe lying on the ground, indicating her interest.
"Of course. I don't understand how it works, but as the God of Wisdom, you should be able to figure it out."
He picked it up from the ground and handed it to Nahida.
"I don't know either. The God of Wisdom isn't omniscient; there are answers even the God of Wisdom cannot obtain, right, Lu Ze..."
Uh, for some reason, Lu Ze suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Looking into her large green eyes, he turned his head away with a hint of embarrassment.
Nahida carefully examined the large dial in her hands, her eyes scanning it quickly. Then, she touched the hour hand, but it wouldn't budge.
"From what I can tell, this is a relic from the Archon War. Its specific energy supply likely came from humans and Liyue Adepti. However, within its energy, there is the person named Xiao. It seems he tried to activate this thing and suffered a backlash. As for where the four-armed masked figure came from, that's unknown."
Hearing this, Lu Ze could only imagine the scene in his mind. Xiao had discovered this object and confirmed the presence of his companion's aura on it, so he attempted to activate it. The result was a backlash, leaving him incapacitated. As for where the four-armed masked figure came from, that remained unknown, as the plot had not elaborated on how the Taiwei Astrolabe was used. The original scene was merely an event quest.
"Is that so! Can you reactivate it? I'd like to see what this thing does."
However, Nahida shook her head. She didn't know how to use it. Everything she had said was merely an analysis from the perspective of the God of Wisdom. Perhaps this was something she didn't know.
"It seems we'll have to wait for Xiao to wake up. Really, if we weren't here, he might have been eaten by some monster."
Although he grumbled about Xiao internally, he wouldn't abandon him in need.
Time passed quickly. After a simple lunch, the entire afternoon had gone by, and Xiao still hadn't woken up. This was truly... If they had known, they might as well have handed him over to Zhongli in Liyue Harbor. Why did he have to take on this mess himself? As evening fell, Xiao remained motionless. If it weren't for his faint breathing, Lu Ze would have thought he was dead.
"What should we do? There are only two tents, and he's taken one. Where will I sleep?"
Nahida said without hesitation:
"Come with me. There's nothing wrong with sleeping together. Why are you looking at me with such rejection?"
Lu Ze glanced around nervously. "Loli, are you sure? I'm not into that."
"Alright, alright, I'll change my appearance."
Hearing that she would change her appearance, Lu Ze breathed a sigh of relief. He'd rather have an older sister than a little girl. After all, "three years for a start, a lifetime in prison" wasn't just a saying.
Lu Ze, sitting outside the tent, hadn't even registered what was happening when a slender hand directly pulled him inside. Nahida looked at the person on her lap with a smile.
"What do you think? After changing my appearance, my little Lu Ze, are you embarrassed?"
Looking at Nahida so close, Lu Ze shyly averted his gaze. Even after everything he had been through, even having children, he could still feel embarrassed...
But Nahida wanted exactly this effect. She slightly adjusted the angle of her left hand and then went straight for it. In that moment, two identical little soldiers clashed, sword against sword. Later, they even discarded their swords and entwined, fighting fiercely, making it a spectacle to behold.
"Mmm... Lu Ze, your attacks are really fierce. Then I'll have to bring out my true strength. I wonder if you can take it."
Nahida chuckled, wiped a bit of saliva from the corner of her mouth, then adjusted her posture and began a new round of attacks. This time, however, it was an all-out battle, using every part of their bodies. Fortunately, Xiao in the next tent was unconscious. If he hadn't been, he probably wouldn't have been able to stand it, given how loud the sounds of their fight were.
Meanwhile, in his dream, Xiao held the Vortex Vanquisher, vigilantly surveying his surroundings. All around him were weeds and tall grass, making it difficult to discern the enemy's movements. Then, in the next second, a person wielding an identical weapon, even looking exactly the same, a perfect 1:1 replica, appeared. The only difference was that the enemy's face was covered by a mask, while his own was bare.
"Don't think you can defeat me just because you have the cover of the grass."
He parried the incoming blow with his green Vortex Vanquisher, then quickly shook the spear, beheading the enemy. However, instead of blood spurting out, it dissipated into wisps of black energy and vanished.
"Those words should be said by me. You'll never defeat me, because you are me, and I am you! Don't struggle, embrace me. Only when we are one..."
Before he could finish speaking, his body was pierced by the Vortex Vanquisher.
"Deceitful words! Then let's see if you can truly die!"
In the confined space, the two fought for countless rounds, unable to determine a victor. Suddenly, the masked Xiao appeared behind him, a mask now in his hand.
"Join us. It's fun to join us... See, all your companions have joined us."
As soon as he finished speaking, four figures appeared in the distance.