Back at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Elliot went about his daily life as usual.
Afternoon.
Covered in dust and dirt, Ethan Chen was desperately sprinting through Liyue Harbor.
Even after tumbling to the ground multiple times, his knees scraped and bleeding, he seemed numb to the pain—climbing up each time and dashing forward again.
"Faster... faster..."
Tears welled up in his eyes as he charged ahead like a madman, bumping into passersby. Those he hit were momentarily stunned, and before they could even react, he was already gone.
Bang!!!
The door of the Funeral Parlor burst open with a loud slam.
All the staff turned toward Ethan Chen with startled expressions—and Elliot was no exception.
"Quick! Hurry!! Hu Tao's been captured by the Hilichurls!!!"
His eyes were wide with panic as he shouted hysterically.
"What?! Where is she?!" Elliot blinked across the room in a flash, eyes filled with urgency and unease.
It was the first time Ethan Chen had ever seen him this angry—he froze in place, stunned.
"Down below Mt. Tianheng!"
Whoosh!
Elliot vanished, leaving behind a trail of sparks.
In the blink of an eye, a blazing streak of fire shot through the crowd like a missile.
"Please be okay... You have to be okay..."
Boom!!!!
He stomped down with immense force, blasting a deep, scorched crater into the ground. His speed soared even faster, the roaring flames turning into a searing heat wave under the wind's pressure, warping the very air.
In moments, he arrived at the base of Mt. Tianheng.
Looking up, he saw three Hilichurls gripping Hu Tao halfway up the mountain.
Fury surged in Elliot's eyes as a crimson spear materialized in his hand.
"Die!"
The instant the spear left his hand, it turned into a brilliant blaze and vanished.
One of the Hilichurls behind Hu Tao was instantly impaled.
"Flame Flash!"
In a flash, Elliot disappeared from the ground and reappeared right beside Hu Tao.
"Don't be scared. Grandpa's here."
He wrapped one arm around her protectively, grabbed the spear with the other, and drove it through the Hilichurl nearest the cliff, hurling it down.
Boom!!!!
The one near the wall was slammed into the rock with a powerful kick. Around the cratered impact, cracks spread out like jagged lightning bolts.
Just as Elliot thought it was over, a swarm of Hilichurls surged up from below—archers, Dawei Hilichurls, even Mitachurls.
All of them—Level 100.
There was no time to wonder why so many enemies had suddenly appeared. Elliot clutched Hu Tao and sprinted toward the summit, then leapt from the back side of the mountain.
"Ahhhhh!!"
Hu Tao had never experienced anything this wild—no safety gear, just free-falling off a mountain. Of course she screamed.
But...
Elliot was the safety gear.
Two-thirds of the way down, he suddenly stabbed his spear into the cliffside. The sheer friction dramatically slowed their fall.
They were close to the ground now. He pushed off the rock with his feet, pulled the spear free, flipped backward mid-air, and landed with ease.
No sooner had they landed than the Hilichurls came charging again.
Carrying Hu Tao, he sprinted across the terrain until they reached a relatively flat area. There, he gently stroked her soft hair.
"Hu Tao, be a good girl. Wait behind that rock. Grandpa will clean this up quickly."
"But—"
Whoosh!
Before she could finish, an arrow landed beside her in the grass, startling her into running behind the rock.
Elliot rose, spun his spear, and deflected the volley of arrows.
Then he stabbed the ground behind him and drew a straight line.
A wall of fire instantly shot up behind him, forming a blazing barrier that shielded Hu Tao completely.
He glanced back and gave her a gentle smile.
"Grandpa... go get 'em!" She clenched her tiny fists and cheered him on.
"Mm." Elliot smiled as he knocked away the arrows pouring down like rain, leaving Hu Tao awestruck.
It was her first time seeing Grandpa fight.
She'd always thought of him as a gentle funeral director—never imagined he could be so cool.
Elliot turned back again, but now his gaze was sharp and fierce, brimming with killing intent, as if he could tear someone apart.
Dragging his spear behind him, he charged forward at lightning speed. His spear danced like a graceful performer—swift, fluid, and flawless.
Hilichurls shattered under his assault, some flung far from the group.
Elliot dove into the heart of the swarm.
Surrounded on all sides by monsters.
He slammed his spear into the ground and brought his hands together.
"Eight-Sided Fire!"
The air trembled.
With a deafening roar, a flaming circle erupted around him, eight pillars of fire rising like serpents of pure fury, forming an ancient Bagua symbol that blazed like a miniature sun on the battlefield.
The ground cracked beneath his feet. The flames spiraled outward, shaping a burning ring with eight cardinal points—
as if the heavens themselves had descended to pass judgment on the invaders.
Hu Tao's jaw dropped as she stared in disbelief—was this really her grandfather's power?
She had never imagined he was this strong!
As the flames gradually faded, Elliot slowly pulled his spear from the ground and rested it behind him.
The horde of monsters was completely annihilated.
He walked toward Hu Tao, waved his hand gently in the air, and the remaining flames before her vanished.
"Grandpa! That was amazi—"
BOOM!!!!!!
Before she could finish, the scene suddenly shifted.
Two armored warriors in demonic masks appeared.
One red, one purple.
Sparks flew as Elliot, spear in hand, braced against their twin attacks, his face grim.
"Kairagi... Why are you here..." he growled through clenched teeth, his hands trembling around the spear.
These weren't ordinary Kairagi.
They were Level 100.
"Little Tao, get back... don't return to Liyue..."
He was scared.
Scared she'd try to run back and call for help.
But things were too dangerous now—if she ran into monsters on the way, it would only make things worse.
"Grandpa..."
"Don't worry. Grandpa will handle this."
He spoke with steady resolve, then exploded with power, flinging the two attackers back.
"Be good. Do as I say."
"Mm... be careful, Grandpa."
With that, Hu Tao obediently ran to a rock in the distance where she could still see the fight, her eyes filled with worry.