Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [142]

A streak of lightning arced through the air as a rapid succession of arrows descended upon the horde of monsters, unleashing a localized thunderstorm that promptly dispatched every last one of them.

"What are you standing there for? Get moving and help out!" Gu Sanqiu gave Tartaglia a sharp kick to the shin. "This is your chance to redeem your reputation as a Harbinger, and you're just standing here gawking?"

Tartaglia shot him a sidelong glance. "I'm pretty sure your hand just now was moving at the speed of a nervous twitch."

"Pffft. You're not wrong—if I were going full speed, you'd probably see the same thing," Gu Sanqiu said nonchalantly. "Besides, accuracy wasn't a concern; I was just shooting into the middle of that monster camp. No way I'd miss a target that big."

"Fine, I'll take your word for it," Tartaglia replied, eyeing the longbow in Gu Sanqiu's hands. "I have to admit, your bow is impressive. To keep its string intact with that much draw weight is no small feat."

"Of course. This is a quality product from Liyue! If Snezhnaya's interested, I could arrange a discount," Gu Sanqiu said with a grin.

Tartaglia chuckled. "I think I'll stick with our usual field gear."

Once Tartaglia moved on, Gu Sanqiu put away his bow and glanced down at his slightly green-tinged right hand.

Phew… If he'd stuck around a second longer, he might've seen something odd.

When he'd drawn the bowstring, he'd instinctively tapped into the power Decarabian had granted him. It felt almost like testing out a new skill in a game, eager to try it out on unsuspecting low-level enemies.

But he quickly realized something was off. He could tell that if he hadn't used the bow to channel and dissipate the power, his hand might've combusted from the sheer energy—taking everything in its path with it.

All in all, I may be able to use this power, but that's different from "control." Right now, I'm more of a "conduit," not a "master."

So much for my plans, he mused, chuckling wryly. It was like gaining a powerful new skill only to find it wasn't so easy to wield. While he could imagine wielding swift blade strikes or rapid-fire arrows enhanced by this energy, there was an essential difference in simply wielding versus truly mastering this power.

But if I can work with it…

Just the thought filled him with ideas: high-density wind-element slashes, creating a vacuum field for suffocation tactics, even larger-scale chemical attacks… He might even get to role-play as a male Rasetsu for a change.

With enough practice, maybe I could even pull off something on par with one of those legendary celestial techniques, just wind-based.

Buoyed by these thoughts, Gu Sanqiu turned back to the battlefield. The presence of seasoned fighters, as well as his own discreet takedowns of critical targets, had expedited the battle's conclusion.

The Knights of Favonius had agreed to clear out the area to safely monitor the mutation rates of the creatures within the trial domain. It was safer to eliminate most of the creatures and maintain control over the process of future mutations.

Having finished off the main targets, Gu Sanqiu glanced over at Diluc, who was polishing his greatsword off to the side, his focus clearly elsewhere.

"Master Diluc, why aren't you joining the battle? Or are you just taking a breather?" he teased.

Diluc looked up, his gaze steady. "If there's something you'd like to ask, feel free to do so."

"Not at all. I just thought it impressive that someone so young became Mondstadt's leading merchant. Just a passing observation." Gu Sanqiu chose not to mention his awareness of Diluc's nighttime heroics.

But maybe he'd try staking out one evening and "accidentally" cross paths with him on a monster hunt.

"The battle seems to be wrapping up. We should probably head back to rest and regroup," Diluc said, giving Gu Sanqiu a pointed look. "Thank you, Master Gu, for your assistance. With your standing in Liyue, it's truly remarkable that you're here to help Mondstadt."

"Ha, save the formalities for later. I'm expecting payment, you know." Gu Sanqiu smirked, moving to stand by Diluc. "But, if you'd care to give me some business advice… say, anything from Mondstadt that'd sell at a premium outside?"

"You may call me Diluc," he said. "Though as a Liyue native, you'd likely know Mondstadt's top exports even better than I."

Gu Sanqiu chuckled. "True, but that's really more my family's concern. As you may have noticed, I'm only responsible for fighting and dealing with 'supernatural matters.' The rest? Not my problem."

"Master Gu," Diluc replied with a dry smile. "You're remarkably candid; most people wouldn't reveal their vulnerabilities so freely."

Gu Sanqiu shrugged. "Vulnerabilities are like the shields of Abyss Mages. You can counter them with elemental reactions, which is why they have backup mages and ritualists. People aren't so different—they know their weaknesses and plan accordingly."

"A sensible philosophy, but not one most would follow."

"Society teaches us that theft and murder are destabilizing, yet there are still Treasure Hoarders running around," he said, rolling a mint leaf between his fingers. "Principles are for those willing to listen. As for me, I mind my business, and what others do is theirs to worry about."

He tucked the mint leaf into his mouth. "Anyway, how about a drink back at your tavern? I'll bring some of Liyue's finest brews. I swear, they're non-alcoholic."

Diluc's lips almost twitched in amusement. "I doubt that. Liyue is quite adept at disguising spirits as non-alcoholic fare, yet they're potent enough to floor a grown man in one shot."

"Oh, but you can trust me," Gu Sanqiu assured him with a grin.

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