“That old man’s strength isn’t just about raw power,” Venti said casually to Lumine and Jia Changjiang as he recounted tales of Morax. “He became the God of Geo not by sheer luck or trickery, but by leading his followers through the chaos of that turbulent era, carving out his reputation as the Geo Archon.”
Downstairs, Paimon was still enjoying her breakfast and hadn’t yet joined them.
“Among the original Seven who governed the world after the Archon War, only Morax and I remain. The others… have all been replaced. The youngest of the current Seven, the Dendro Archon, has only been in power for five centuries.”
“As the God of Contracts, Morax values one thing above all else: his promises.”
With a flick of his fingers, a Mora coin appeared, spinning between Venti’s fingertips. “This currency? It’s named after that old stick-in-the-mud himself—Morax.”
Venti seemed to consider tossing the coin to Lumine but hesitated, likely remembering the state of his own empty wallet. He simply held it up instead.
“Mora is one of the contracts he made with the people of Teyvat,” Venti explained with a faint smile. “The ability to produce Mora anytime, anywhere? Imagine how nice that would be. That guy never has to worry about money.”
Sighing wistfully, Venti muttered, “If I’d thought ahead, I’d have introduced a currency for Mondstadt too. Then maybe I wouldn’t always be broke when trying to buy dandelion wine…”
He tapped his chin thoughtfully. “Hmm… what would I have called it? Bar… no, Tost?”
Lumine squinted at him. “So… Morax is really rich, huh?”
From Venti’s descriptions, Lumine began piecing together an image of the Geo Archon in her mind: a wealthy and powerful figure who provided constant guidance to his people, valued contracts, and was surrounded by loyal followers. A god who had carved out his domain through strength and brilliance during the Archon War, earning the illustrious title Rex Lapis.
And then there was the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, sitting before her…
Too broke to afford apple cider, barely involved in governance, and so elusive in Mondstadt that his appearances were more myth than reality. He frequently lazed about, lost his Gnosis to the Fatui without much of a fight, and even Paimon had nicknamed him the bard who sells songs for coins.
Compared to Morax, Barbatos seemed utterly useless.
“Ehe~”
Venti sat cross-legged on the bed, clearly reading Lumine’s thoughts. Sticking his tongue out playfully, he grinned. “That’s the essence of being the God of Freedom, isn’t it? If all the gods were the same, wouldn’t that be boring?”
“But you’re just so different from Morax,” Lumine pointed out flatly.
Still, as Venti’s tales of Morax continued, Lumine couldn’t help but grow wary of this unknown Archon. A god of such strength and influence was not to be underestimated.
What if… Rex Lapis was involved in sealing me away?
The thought made Lumine lapse into silent contemplation.
Meanwhile, Jia Changjiang broke the tension, asking curiously, “So, Venti, are there many strong fighters in Liyue?”
“Strong ones? Plenty,” Venti replied. “Among Morax’s subordinates, many of the adepti—called the ‘Illuminated Beasts with Three Eyes and Five Manifestations’—are still alive and well. Each of them is remarkably powerful.”
Venti’s gaze turned sly. “Jax, don’t tell me you’re planning to challenge the Geo Archon at the Rite of Descension?”
Jia Changjiang quickly denied it. “No way. I wouldn’t do something like that.”
But inwardly, Jia Changjiang shuddered at the thought. Challenge Rex Lapis during the Rite of Descension? That would turn it into a Rite of Mourning. The whole city might think I’m an assassin!
He wanted an honorable fight, not a citywide manhunt.
“Really?” Venti raised a skeptical brow. “Well, I guess you don’t seem like someone who’d ruin the mood.”
“That said,” Venti continued, “if you truly plan to spar with the adepti, you’d better have a solid reason. They’re not the type to welcome interruptions… Hmm…”
A mischievous glint appeared in Venti’s eyes as he suddenly embraced Jia Changjiang.
“Uh… what are you doing?” Jia Changjiang asked, confused.
Venti stepped back, leaving behind a faint tingling sensation on Jia Changjiang’s shoulder. When Jia Changjiang glanced down, he noticed a small, glowing mark in the shape of an Anemo sigil.
“What’s this?”
Jia Changjiang touched the mark, marveling at its subtle energy.
“Just a little token,” Venti explained cheerfully. “It’ll let the adepti know this mark came from me. If you accidentally bother them, at least they won’t give you too much trouble.”
“That’s not fair! I want one too!” Lumine protested, pointing at Jia Changjiang’s new mark.
“You already have one,” Venti replied smoothly. “Remember that fake Vision I made for you? You’ve barely used it.”
“Really?” Lumine asked, still skeptical.
“Of course!” Venti nodded firmly.
“Alright,” he said, stretching lazily. “I think that’s everything important. Since you’ll be heading to Liyue soon, let me just say this: Mondstadt will always welcome you back.”
“If you like, you can even think of Mondstadt as your second home,” Venti added with a warm smile. “Anytime, you’re always welcome.”
“Don’t worry! I already consider the Knights my family!” Lumine said proudly. “I’m Acting Grand Master Jean’s hardest-working Honorary Knight!”
Jia Changjiang laughed as he stood, stretching. “Mondstadt’s got great scenery and even better wine. I’ll always remember this place.”
Pausing, he added, “I’ll be back often. And when I am, I’ll treat you to a drink.”
“Yeah, and when we return, we’ll throw another party!” Lumine grinned. “Next time, I’ll make sure I get to drink!”
“Then I’ll look forward to it,” Venti said with a playful wink. “Traveler and warrior, may the winds accompany you on your journey.”
—
T/N: someone save me i’m fainting from being too FUCKING FED WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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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