Chapter 49 – The Acting Emperor, Qiu Bai

“Ding!”

“System mission!”

“Perform a closely-matched battle in front of Lumine!”

“Reward unknown!”

The system’s prompt echoed in Qiu Bai’s mind.

Then, Qiu Bai smiled faintly at the corner of his mouth and looked toward Lumine, who was fighting Tartaglia.

Childe suddenly manifested a bow in his hand, drew it back, and concentrated dense Hydro Elemental Power in the center before shooting it toward Lumine in the distance.

Lumine flipped backward to dodge the arrow.

Then, with one hand pressed against the ground, green Anemo Elemental Power appeared on the Dull Blade in her other hand. She suddenly shot forward toward Childe’s direction.

Seeing this, Childe showed no panic. The bow in his hand transformed into two sharp blades, and with a fervent fighting spirit, he charged forward as well, directly confronting Lumine’s attack!

With a loud bang!

The two who collided did not separate but instead began testing each other’s strength.

Lumine twisted her wrist, and the Dull Blade thrust toward Childe’s waist. Childe quickly used the blade in his right hand to slash downward.

A sharp, grating sound rang out, sparks flying everywhere!

Then, Childe suddenly retreated backward before lunging at Lumine again!

Seeing this, Lumine refused to back down. She raised her Dull Blade, infused it with Anemo Elemental Power, and charged forward once more!

After another clang!

A shockwave mixed with wind and water erupted from the point of their clash, sending both Lumine and Childe flying backward several meters.

Then, Childe and Lumine charged at each other again, locking into another fierce struggle!

“Qiu Bai, think of something quickly! They look evenly matched!”

Paimon watched the Traveler and Tartaglia locked in combat and anxiously said to Qiu Bai beside her.

She was thinking, if Qiu Bai stepped in to help now, wouldn’t they be able to defeat Childe?

Qiu Bai patted Paimon’s head.

His gaze turned toward Lumine and Tartaglia, who were still locked in combat.

“I’ll~ join~ in!”

Then, Qiu Bai grabbed his sword and charged toward the two.

Lumine was stunned to see Qiu Bai rushing over and quickly retreated backward.

Childe noticed Qiu Bai charging toward them, his pupils suddenly contracting.

“Wow! Bald head!”

Qiu Bai swung his sword, sending a jet-black and white energy slash toward Childe!

“An opening! It’s fleeting!”

Childe combined his two blades into one, forming a long Hydro Elemental staff. At the top of the staff were the two blades combined, giving it a spear-like appearance.

Then, a powerful Hydro Elemental blade slashed horizontally toward Qiu Bai’s attack!

The Hydro Elemental slash clashed with Qiu Bai’s jet-black and white sword energy for a moment.

But Qiu Bai’s jet-black and white sword energy was clearly no match for Childe’s attack. Childe’s Hydro Elemental power shattered the jet-black and white energy.

“Oh no!”

Qiu Bai’s pupils dilated as he saw Childe’s attack closing in on him.

“Qiu Bai!!”

Lumine rushed toward Qiu Bai at her fastest speed!

But she was a step too late. The attack had already struck Qiu Bai hard!

The powerful momentum sent Qiu Bai’s body flying backward, crashing through the wall behind him!

Stones from the wall fell on Qiu Bai, raising a cloud of dust.

“Qiu Bai!”

Lumine didn’t care if Childe was still there. She hurriedly ran over, her delicate hands frantically searching for any sign of Qiu Bai.

“Qiu Bai, Qiu Bai!”

After a while, there was still no sign of Qiu Bai, but Lumine kept searching.

Pushing aside the small stones one by one, tears fell drop by drop, her delicate little hands already scraped and bruised.

Seeing this, Childe did not take the opportunity to attack while Lumine was searching. Instead, he turned and walked toward the Ancestral Exuvia.

Paimon nearby quickly flew over, also using her small hands to dig through the rubble.

Meanwhile, Qiu Bai, buried under the pile of stones.

“This acting, even Yun Jin would say it’s good.”

“I wonder if this counts as performing a battle of equals.”

Qiu Bai muttered to himself with a strange feeling.

“Ding!”

“It does not!”

The system’s voice echoed in Qiu Bai’s mind.

“What?!”

With a sudden sit-up, Qiu Bai sent the massive stone flying.

Lumine, her face streaked with tears, and Paimon, her hands similarly scraped, stared blankly at Qiu Bai, who had abruptly sat up as if jolted from a deathlike sleep.

“Qiu Bai?”

Lumine’s tear-stained face, still clutching a small stone in her bruised hand, looked at Qiu Bai in a daze.

Seeing Lumine’s expression, Qiu Bai’s face froze for a moment.

Then, smiling, he said to Lumine and Paimon, “I’m sorry, Lumine, for making you and Paimon worry.”

“But didn’t I say that I’m actually quite strong!”

Qiu Bai took Lumine’s bruised hand, which was still frozen in shock. After a flash of white light, Lumine felt a warmth in her palm—the injuries had healed completely.

Qiu Bai patted Paimon’s head, and with another flash of white light, Paimon’s hands were restored as well.

Under the astonished gazes of Lumine and Paimon, Qiu Bai slowly stood up, casually brushing the dust off his clothes, without a single scratch on him.

“Morax’s Gnosis, I’ll be taking it now!”

Childe’s voice suddenly rang out from a distance, capturing Lumine and Paimon’s attention.

They turned toward the source of the sound and saw Childe transformed.

A crimson crane mask covered his face, and something resembling a Vision hung at his waist.

Then, lightning crackled in his hand as he reached toward the Ancestral Exuvia!

After a moment, Childe withdrew his hand—empty. He turned and looked at Qiu Bai and the others.

“So that’s how it is!”

“It seems you were the ones who got there first!”

Then, to Lumine and Paimon’s shock, Childe underwent an armor fusion. A large cloak billowed behind him, dotted with dark, shimmering stars.

Consumed by rage, Childe slammed his blade into the ground, shattering the first floor of the Golden House!

The three, unable to keep their footing, plummeted downward.

With one hand, Qiu Bai effortlessly pushed aside the massive stone before him.

Lumine used all her strength to shove away the stones beside her, while Paimon simply flew free.

Still, they hurried over, concerned, to check on Qiu Bai and the Traveler.

At that moment, through the dust-filled air, a purple light descended, its form unclear.

After a shockwave rippled through, the figure within was revealed.

Indeed, it was Childe after his transformation—his strongest state!

“Was it you who took the Gnosis first?”

“Were you faster than me? Or… was the Golden House intel deliberately leaked to me!”

Childe glared at the three, his voice filled with fury.

“No, it wasn’t us!”

Paimon frantically waved her hands at the enraged Childe.

But Childe, lost to reason, paid no heed to Paimon’s words and charged forward!

Just as Lumine was about to act, Qiu Bai beside her, wielding the Yin-Yang Chaos Sword, rushed forward!

Childe’s full-strength strike slashed toward Qiu Bai, who, holding a longsword, also swung forward!

Clang!

Sparks flew everywhere!

“Tsk, what a hassle, still have to act!”

Qiu Bai had already retracted his strength to match Childe’s level, fearing he might accidentally kill Childe with a single careless move.

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