Compared to the crane from earlier, the voice of the young woman before them was exactly the same.

Even so, Nekomata still couldn't believe it. Could what she had seen in old movies actually be true—that there really existed Adepti capable of limitless transformations?

Seeing her lingering doubt, Xianyun gave a cold snort. "I have a name. Do not address me carelessly."

At that moment, Keqing, Hu Tao, and the Traveler came over.

The Traveler and Paimon already knew Xianyun's true identity, so they weren't surprised. But for Hu Tao and Keqing, it was their first time learning that the elegant woman they often saw on the streets of Liyue was none other than the reclusive Adeptus, Cloud Retainer.

Hu Tao was especially stunned. Not long ago, just before heading to New Eridu with Keqing and the others, she had even tried to pitch Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's services to Xianyun.

If she had known Xianyun was an Adeptus, she never would have done that. Instead, she would have thought of a way to bring her into Wangsheng Funeral Parlor and have Adeptus help advertise the business.

Keqing slowly stepped forward. "Miss Xianyun... I never expected you to be the Adeptus Cloud Retainer."

Xianyun said evenly, "I have dwelt in the mountains for a thousand years. But now that Liyue is in an age ruled by mortals, I have come down to walk among them, to experience their lives. I do not enjoy being disturbed."

Keqing nodded. "Rest assured, Adeptus. We will not reveal your identity."

On the side, Nekomata whispered, "Is she really an immortal?"

She looked just like a refined and dignified woman. Could it be that Liyue had simply arranged for someone to play the role, just to secure cooperation with New Eridu?

And it wasn't only Nekomata. Zhu Yuan, Qingyi, Tsukishiro Yanagi, and Mikhail, president of the Hollows Investigation Association, all carried the same doubt.

This cooperation with Liyue was of great importance. A single misstep could not be allowed. So they all remained extremely cautious.

Seeing their continued skepticism, Paimon threw up her hands helplessly. "Xianyun, they still don't believe you're an Adeptus. Why not show them a little of your power, so they can see for themselves?"

At this, Cloud Retainer looked displeased.

An Adeptus was an Adeptus—why should she have to prove herself?

But then Xianyun's gaze fell on Sam Li in the crowd. When she saw him nod slightly, she sighed.

"Very well. If that is the case, then let you witness the power of this Adeptus."

The moment her words fell, Xianyun leapt from the ground and shot into the sky at incredible speed.

Too fast.

Before anyone could react, she was already gone from where she had stood—it was nearly impossible to track how she had moved.

The next instant, Zhu Yuan suddenly looked up. "There—!"

Everyone followed her gaze, and sure enough, Xianyun's figure appeared in the air.

But it didn't stop there.

With a piercing crane's cry that shook the heavens, the clouds gathered in the sky were torn apart.

Moonlight shone down, brighter than before.

At the same time, with that cry, countless Anemo currents swept in from every direction, forming fierce winds that buffeted the group.

Around Cloud Retainer, endless streams of wind gathered.

In the blink of an eye, a towering phantom of a crane—hundreds of meters tall—materialized around Xianyun.

The phantom grew denser and denser until, in barely ten seconds, it had become a fully solid, colossal crane.

It spread its wings, blotting out the sky.

As the giant crane slowly beat its wings, gales howled. Paimon had to cling tightly to the Traveler's clothes just to avoid being blown away.

Nekomata gasped, "Look—it's flying past us!"

As the crane swept overhead, its wings cast a vast shadow, plunging the area into darkness.

The sight was overwhelming, leaving everyone awestruck.

Zhu Yuan felt certain: if Adeptus Cloud Retainer chose to intervene, with just a flap of her wings she could wipe out a high-ranking Ethereal.

Perhaps even against the most terrifying beings lurking deep within Hollow Zero, she would still have the strength to fight.

Before anyone could recover from the shock, the giant crane beat its wings again and flew toward a massive boulder in the distance.

When it neared the stone, it gave a single light flap.

At once, countless wind blades appeared—bright as blades of light, standing out starkly in the night.

In an instant, the blades rained down on the boulder.

Billy frowned in confusion. "What? The rock isn't moving at all. Are the stones in Liyue really that tough?"

The words had barely left her mouth when the ten-meter-high boulder shone with light—and shattered.

It crumbled into thousands of fragments, collapsing into a heap of rubble.

So strong.

Too strong.

The sheer force of it—enough to reduce a massive boulder to dust.

If it had been a high-ranking Ethereal, or even a stronger one, it would have been torn apart in an instant.

And yet, this was only one of Cloud Retainer's techniques.

As an Adeptus, her arts were countless, her strength far beyond this.

And she hadn't even displayed her mastery of mechanisms yet.

After the strike, Xianyun withdrew her power. The hundred-meter crane vanished from the sky, and in its place, her normal crane form soared in a graceful circle.

Then, in a flash of emerald light, she descended before them and transformed once again into the form of a young woman.

Seeing all this, Zhu Yuan, Tsukishiro Yanagi, Soldier 11, and President Mikhail were struck dumb, unable to form words.

Now that the Adeptus had revealed her might, shifting from a crane into a woman before their eyes, all doubt in their hearts was gone.

There was no mistake.

The cold-faced, graceful young woman standing before them truly was an Adeptus of legend.

Liyue truly had immortals.

As silence fell, Xianyun said calmly, "I have already demonstrated my power. Do you still question my identity?"

Her voice jolted them back to their senses.

Zhu Yuan quickly stepped forward, clasping her hands in salute. "I am Zhu Yuan, sheriff of the Janus District Branch of New Eridu. I pay my respects to Adeptus. Please, I beg you—lend your aid against Hollow Zero and save the people..."

At her side, Qingyi, Tsukishiro Yanagi, Soldier 11, and President Mikhail also followed her lead, bowing respectfully to Cloud Retainer, pleading for the Adeptus to save their people.

They had just arrived in Liyue and didn't yet know its etiquette.

The gesture they used came straight from old movies, where immortals were greeted this way.

But Xianyun merely shook her head. "New Eridu is not Liyue. What, pray tell, business is it of mine?"