Chapter Seven: "Cinnabar Cliff"

Cinnabar Cliff, while not particularly magical, is known for one thing: the sudden appearance of slimes.

The locals readily accepted these slimes that seemed to materialize out of thin air. No one questioned whether there might be a hidden treasure responsible for their appearance. The prevailing belief was that elemental forces naturally congregated over time, leading to such occurrences – a rather commonplace explanation.

It's common knowledge that slimes are elemental creatures. Unless provoked, they rarely pose a threat to one's life. Well... except for Dendro slimes!

This species is truly peculiar, downright repugnant, and seemingly impervious except for their vulnerability to Pyro. Of course, this only holds true for ordinary folk. Chosen ones or seasoned hunters can easily handle them.

The trickiest aspect about grass slimes is their ability to conceal themselves in the terrain, making them challenging to locate. They aren't particularly formidable, lacking the chilling cold of Cyro slimes or the searing heat of Pyro slimes. Besides their knack for surprise attacks, they're just plain revolting. They aren't particularly deadly.

The conversation took a slight detour. Xian Yu wasn't overly concerned about capturing the slime this time. Instead, he pondered how to deal with it after apprehending it.

"This might be a bit tricky. I'm not sure if an cyro slime can freeze it. I haven't attempted that yet. I'll give it a try later..."

Regarding whether it can be frozen, Xian Yu is uncertain. In the game, he's never tried such a tactic. Furthermore, the game can only serve as a loose reference and shouldn't be taken too seriously.

In theory, with enough power, freezing them shouldn't be an issue. However, he's currently only mastered elemental abilities, leaving him unsure.

This means that while killing them is straightforward, capturing one alive poses a greater challenge.

During his journey, Xian Yu encountered a few people and, after some inquiries, it took him quite a while to reach his destination.

Standing at a distance, Xian Yu quickly spotted the group of slimes. At first glance, he couldn't help but think, "Why haven't these slimes been dealt with? They're so close to such a crucial water source, and there are so many of them."

By preliminary estimates, there were over ten of them.

While it might not sound like a large number, most people would find them difficult to handle. The environment around a waterfall is highly conducive for cyro slimes. One lapse in attention could lead to a "permanent freezing" predicament. Furthermore, conventional attacks do minimal damage to them, which presented a bit of a problem.

Likewise, Xian Yu contemplated how to capture one. Luring them out individually seemed challenging.

"Forget it; I'll consider it a good deed and lure them all out. When the time comes, I'll keep one and eliminate the rest!"

Although he didn't want to resort to violence, there didn't seem to be a better option.

After his consideration, he carefully walked over without getting too close, as slipping and falling into the water was something he wanted to avoid.

When he was about ten meters away from the slimes, he stopped and began throwing stones.

While the method may have been somewhat simplistic, it proved highly effective. The falling stones quickly disrupted the slimes' tranquility, prompting all of them to start hopping around.

Surprisingly, their actions were rather cute. Were it not for the mission, Xian Yu wouldn't have the heart to harm them.

However, the world worked in a way where what was vital to some might be the end for others. It was an irreconcilable contradiction that often led to resentment and violence.

Fortunately, these creatures lacked intelligence, so there was no psychological burden in dispatching them. If they had been humans, Xian Yu might have hesitated. He wasn't particularly soft-hearted, but in his previous life on Earth, he couldn't bear to take a chicken's life, let alone harm another person. It would have been a formidable task for him to suddenly be asked to take a life.

Indeed, Xian Yu is still an ordinary person. Even though he's been in this world for a few days, he's never experienced taking someone's life. It might happen in the future, but for now, it's not something he's considering.

People who become cold-blooded and murderous as soon as they find themselves in a different time or world are either deeply troubled or psychologically distorted, and Xian Yu doesn't fit either of those descriptions.

There's no burden on his conscience, and he proceeds without hesitation.

The sword's gleam is like a cold breeze, and his movements are as graceful as moving clouds.

The slime emerging from the deep water area was like a lamb ready for slaughter in front of Xian Yu. There were no challenging battles or unexpected twists. Slimes, with their simple bouncing movements, were as delicate and fragile as tissue paper when confronted with a sword infused with spiritual energy.

Xian Yu refrained from using elemental power. Both were ice-based, so resistance was expected. Additionally, cyro slimes possessed an icy armor on their exteriors, making them resilient to conventional damage. The sword was the most practical choice. Of course, if one had a magical weapon, it could cut through them directly.

But such weapons were exceedingly rare in this world. Xian Yu had never encountered any holy relics from the game, and the concept of treasure chests was nonexistent. If any existed, they were likely the possessions of other adventurers or, in the rarest cases, true relics.

The killing process concluded swiftly, leaving only a smaller slime behind. After all, they were essentially the same size, just like "power banks."

These creatures weren't genuinely "power banks." They didn't deplete their power; as long as they had access to water, they could survive quite well. In contrast to the volatile nature of elemental crystal butterflies, slimes were exceptionally stable. As long as they weren't left in a waterless environment, they could endure.

Moreover, the smaller slime likely lacked the same strength as its larger counterparts. With Xian Yu's current abilities, the chance of success was quite high.

"Little Slime, I hope I can succeed; otherwise, I'll have no choice but to harm you..."

Xian Yu was resigned to the fact that he had been able to harness elemental power for only a little over a day. He could only hope for success. If not, a trip to Dragonspine Mountain would be in his future.

After his remark, the elements began to gather, and the surroundings grew colder. Fortunately, there was an abundance of cyro elements in the area, so the slime was swiftly ensnared. Xian Yu didn't freeze it solid, allowing some room for the slime to move.

This approach was a spontaneous idea. It might make the slime less resistant. Although it could easily attract attention from outsiders, it was the only way to ensure the survival of the cryo crystal butterfly.

Looking at the sizable cryo cubes before him, Xian Yu felt a bit perplexed. He wasn't sure how to transport them back. The space in his backpack couldn't accommodate living creatures, so he had no means to store them.

After pondering for a while, he retrieved a black cloth towel from his backpack, wrapped it around the ice cube, gathered the remains of the deceased slimes, and set off.

Xian Yu wasn't concerned about the ice melting; he could control it at will. However, it was a bit troublesome to carry it all the way back.

He had no intentions of returning to Liyue Port. He didn't need to worry about selling the slime condensate, so he didn't particularly care about the mission's compensation.

He'd expected this trip to take a while, but to his surprise, it had lasted only a few days. With a bit of luck, he might even return today.

"Get a carriage or a cart or something! Carrying this stuff around isn't practical..."

What he was hoping for didn't appear, but a group of people did.

Xian Yu paid little attention to these individuals, despite their somewhat peculiar attire – odd clothing wasn't uncommon on the continent of Teyvat.

It wasn't until the leader overheard one of his men's comments that he paid closer attention. "Boss, look, that kid seems to be holding something in his hand, wrapped in black cloth. It might be a treasure!"

Hus men's words excited the leader. They were a group of treasure hunters who couldn't resist the allure of potential riches. Even the slightest hint of a valuable discovery was enough to spur them into action.

The plot of Liyue had been set in motion, and the desolate wilderness offered an ideal opportunity for theft.