Ding!
System Mission!
"Engage in an evenly matched battle in front of Lumine!"
"Reward: Unknown!"
The system's prompt echoed in Qiu Bai's mind. His lips curled into a faint smile as he turned his gaze toward Lumine, who was locked in battle with Childe.
Suddenly, a bow materialized in Childe's hands. He drew it back, channeling a surge of Hydro energy into the arrow before releasing it toward Lumine.
She flipped through the air, narrowly dodging the shot. Landing smoothly, she pressed one hand against the ground while the other wielded her bladeless sword, now infused with vibrant Anemo energy. With a swift motion, she launched a powerful strike toward Childe.
Childe remained unfazed. His bow instantly transformed into twin blades, and with a wild glint in his eyes, he charged forward, meeting Lumine's attack head-on!
Boom!
Their weapons clashed, neither side retreating as they tested each other's strength.
Lumine twisted her wrist, angling her bladeless sword toward Childe's waist. He reacted swiftly, slashing downward with one of his blades.
A sharp, grating noise rang out as sparks scattered in all directions!
Childe suddenly leaped back before lunging at Lumine once more!
Lumine wasn't about to back down. She gripped her bladeless sword tightly, Anemo energy surging through it as she charged forward again!
Clang!
A shockwave of wind and water erupted from the impact of their strikes, forcing both combatants back several meters.
Then, without hesitation, they rushed at each other again, resuming their fierce clash!
"Qiu Bai, do something! They're evenly matched!"
Paimon hovered anxiously beside Qiu Bai, eyes darting between the battling Lumine and Childe.
She couldn't help but wonder—if Qiu Bai jumped in now, wouldn't they be able to take Childe down together?
Qiu Bai patted Paimon's head, his gaze locked onto Lumine and Childe.
"…I'll handle it!"
Without another word, Qiu Bai gripped his sword and sprinted toward the fight.
Lumine caught sight of him charging in and, looking momentarily stunned, instinctively leaped backward.
Childe's pupils shrank as he registered Qiu Bai's sudden approach.
"Whoa! Look who decided to show up!"
Qiu Bai swung his sword, unleashing a slash of dark, inky energy toward Childe!
"Flaws—fleeting!"
Childe's twin blades merged into a long Hydro-imbued polearm. At its tip, the two blades combined, giving it the form of a spear.
With a decisive swing, he sent a powerful Hydro slash surging forward to meet Qiu Bai's attack!
The two forces collided, water and darkness clashing fiercely.
For a brief moment, they seemed evenly matched, but Qiu Bai's energy quickly began to falter. Childe's Hydro slash shattered through the inky aura, breaking past Qiu Bai's defenses!
"Not good!"
Qiu Bai's pupils constricted as he realized the attack was already upon him.
"Qiu Bai!!!"
Lumine bolted toward him at full speed!
But she was a step too late.
The impact struck Qiu Bai squarely, sending him hurtling backward with immense force. His body crashed through a stone wall, debris crumbling onto him as dust filled the air.
"Qiu Bai!!"
Lumine didn't even glance at Childe—she ran straight toward the rubble, her delicate hands frantically searching for any sign of him.
"Qiu Bai! Qiu Bai!"
Even as more time passed with no response, she didn't stop.
She dug through the scattered stones, her fingers becoming scraped and raw as tears silently fell.
Childe, seeing this, did not take advantage of the opening. Instead, he turned and walked toward the remains of the Immortal Ancestral Transformation.
Paimon quickly flew over as well, helping to search with her tiny hands.
Meanwhile, beneath the pile of rubble…
"…That performance? Even Yun Jin would've praised it."
Qiu Bai muttered to himself with a strange sense of amusement.
"…Does this count as an evenly matched battle?"
Ding!
"No, it does not."
The system's cold response echoed in his mind.
"…What?!"
With a sudden burst of strength, Qiu Bai sprang up, sending the heavy stones flying as he shot upright in a sit-up motion.
Lumine, her tear-streaked face frozen in shock, and Paimon, whose hands were just as scraped as hers, both stared at him in stunned silence.
"…Qiu Bai?"
Lumine, still holding a small stone in her wounded hands, gazed at him blankly.
Qiu Bai paused, taking in the sight of Lumine's tear-filled eyes and Paimon's dirt-covered hands.
Then, he smiled.
"Sorry, Lumine. I didn't mean to make you and Paimon worry."
He gently took Lumine's injured hand. A soft white glow enveloped it, and warmth spread through her palm—her wounds disappeared.
Then, he reached out and patted Paimon's head. Another flash of white light, and her hands were healed as well.
As Lumine and Paimon stared at him in astonishment, Qiu Bai casually stood up, brushing the dust off his clothes.
Not a single scratch on him.
"The Heart of God belonging to Morax—I'll be taking it."
Childe's voice rang out from a distance, immediately drawing Lumine and Paimon's attention.
They turned toward the sound, only to see that Childe had changed.
A crimson mask now covered his face, and at his waist hung something eerily similar to a Vision.
Then, lightning crackled in Childe's hands as he reached toward the Immortal Ancestor's Remains.
A moment later, he pulled his hand back—empty. His gaze shifted toward Qiu Bai, Lumine, and Paimon.
"So that's how it is…"
"Looks like you got here first."
Lumine and Paimon's eyes widened in shock as Childe's form suddenly changed. His armor snapped into place, and the massive dark cloak billowing behind him shimmered with flickering black stars.
Consumed by madness, Childe slammed his long blade into the ground with devastating force, shattering the Golden House's first floor!
The unstable ground beneath them collapsed, sending all three tumbling down.
Qiu Bai casually brushed aside the massive boulder in front of him with one hand.
Lumine struggled to push away the debris beside her, while Paimon, floating in the air, quickly flew over to check on them with concern.
Above them, the thick dust parted as a violet light descended, its true form obscured.
A powerful shockwave rippled through the air, revealing the figure within.
It was Childe—now in his strongest form.
"You took the Heart of God before I could, didn't you?"
"Were you simply faster? Or… was the Golden House's intel intentionally leaked to me?"
Childe's furious gaze locked onto the three of them.
"No, we didn't take it!"
Paimon frantically waved her hands, trying to reason with him.
But Childe, lost in his battle-fueled madness, wasn't listening. Without hesitation, he charged!
Lumine was just about to react—
But Qiu Bai had already rushed forward, wielding the Yin-Yang Chaos Sword!
Childe unleashed a full-force strike, his blade hurtling toward Qiu Bai.
Qiu Bai met it head-on, swinging his own sword!
Clang!
Sparks erupted as the weapons collided!
"Tsk… What a pain. I still have to put on a show."
Qiu Bai had already adjusted his strength to match Childe's, careful not to accidentally kill him.
…