Leaving Mondstadt, Jia Changjiang, as always, casually swung his battle axe onto his shoulder.
Unlike Lumine, who kept her weapon sheathed most of the time, Jia Changjiang relished the weight of the massive axe resting on him.
“The Temple of the Lion of the South Wind… didn’t we clear it out last time when we dealt with Dvalin?” Paimon asked curiously. “Has it become an adventurer’s hot spot now? Or did we miss some treasure?”
“Impossible. I made sure to check every chest in my line of sight!” Lumine asserted confidently. “Maybe the hilichurls dragged stuff in later.”
“Let’s hurry and find Jack and Stanley first. After we’re done, we can go meet everyone’s imaginary friends,” Venti said cheerfully. But before he could finish, Jia Changjiang, already brimming with energy, charged into the domain with his axe, startling the hilichurls inside.
“Don’t run, hilichurls! Take this!”
Jia Changjiang plunged headfirst into the fray, clearing the way as he went. Behind him, Venti and Lumine found themselves with little need to fight; the domain, filled with nothing but hilichurls, was quickly becoming Jia Changjiang’s playground. Swinging his battle axe, he tore through the enemies like a lawnmower.
“Ah~ Every time I see Jax fighting, he feels so reliable. As a companion, he’s definitely someone you can trust,” Venti mused as he watched Jia Changjiang’s broad back. “But as an opponent… well, he’d certainly be a headache.”
“What do you think, Traveler?”
“Me? I’ll just stand here and watch,” Lumine replied casually. “Jax isn’t our enemy; we’re friends now.”
With Jia Changjiang leading the charge, much of the domain was swiftly cleared. Lumine and Paimon managed to snag a good number of treasure chests left behind by the hilichurls along the way.
Before long, Jia Changjiang spotted two adventurers being chased by a group of hilichurls.
“Found them!!”
With a powerful throw, Jia Changjiang hurled his axe. The weapon whistled through the air, embedding itself into the ground in front of a hilichurl that had just turned to investigate the noise.
Meanwhile, a wooden-shield-wielding hilichurl brute found itself snatched up before it could react. Dangling helplessly by its ankle, it was swung around like a ragdoll.
“Ha-ha~~!”
Jia Changjiang used the hilichurl brute as an improvised weapon, smashing it into the surrounding hilichurls. The group, which had been chasing Jack and Stanley moments ago, was utterly decimated.
“Hey!! Get over here, you!”
Switching tactics, Jia Changjiang grabbed a flaming-axe hilichurl brute with his free hand. Now wielding a brute in each hand—one as a shield, the other as a weapon—he charged after the fleeing hilichurls with a grin.
Jack and Stanley watched in stunned silence as Jia Changjiang rampaged through the crowd, leaving devastation in his wake.
“Are you Jack and Stanley?” Lumine asked as she approached the two adventurers.
“Yes, that’s us… but you are…?” Jack replied, still dazed.
Lumine explained, “We’re here to deliver a message. Eileen said she couldn’t discuss the adventure plan with you today; she’ll have to reschedule.”
“A m-message…?” Jack glanced over at Jia Changjiang, who had just finished off the last hilichurl with a dramatic flourish. His confusion deepened.
Messengers… were this powerful now?
“Thank you, and… uh, sorry for the trouble,” Jack said, scratching his head awkwardly.
“You didn’t have to butt in! I, Stanley, could’ve handled this small situation just fine!” Stanley said gruffly, attempting to save face.
Paimon gasped. “You’re that Stanley? The legendary adventurer who’s been to the Ashen Sea?!”
“That’s right, I’m Stanley,” he replied with a self-assured nod.
“What an honor! So, what’s the plan now? Should we keep exploring or head back?” Venti asked.
Stanley chuckled. “With a legendary adventurer like Stanley here, why turn back? Stick with me, and I’ll regale you with tales of my exploits. You’ll see just how incredible I am.”
Dragging a barely conscious hilichurl brute behind him, Jia Changjiang approached.
“Ooh! Storytime? I want to hear it!” Paimon exclaimed enthusiastically, clapping her hands.
“Yes, yes! Mr. Stanley, you mentioned the Ashen Sea earlier!” Jack added, eyes bright with anticipation.
“Ha… fine, listen up,” Stanley said, clearing his throat. “In the legendary Ashen Sea, not a single breeze stirs. The silence there is deafening, and all you can see is a sky full of ash…”
His gaze grew distant, his voice adopting a dramatic tone. “My companion was almost dragged into a vortex created by a monstrous beast. If not for me grabbing him in time…”
“And… and what happened to him?” Jack asked, his voice trembling.
“He…” Stanley hesitated, then continued somberly. “Unfortunately, I was the only one who returned to our homeland. He… remains there.”
Jack looked crestfallen at the tale, but Stanley quickly snapped at him. “Jack! No moping! You’re going to be a great adventurer, aren’t you?”
“But sir, didn’t you say once… that the greatest achievement for adventurers is to die on their final journey and—”
Jack clenched his fists. “And never, ever die in a windless place! We have to let the wind carry our souls back to Mondstadt!”
Lumine raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Jack’s resolve.
“Exactly,” Stanley said, his tone losing its bravado. “Our dream is to die where the wind can take us home to Mondstadt…”
“But back then, they… they died in the Ashen Sea.”
His voice was heavy with regret.
With the story told, the group resumed their exploration of the ruins.
Jia Changjiang, however, remained deep in thought.
As Stanley’s tale ended, Jia Changjiang’s system suddenly triggered a new quest.
[If You Are Trapped in a Windless Land]
Even in the Ashen Sea, where no wind blows… someone can still bring everything home.
Quest Items Received:
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A record of Mondstadt’s past (1)
-
Seed of Courage (1)
Quest Reward: Unknown
Objective: Speak to the individual. You don’t need to resolve their lingering regret, but your presence may help them take a step toward the future.
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This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!
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