As the Lantern Rite approached in Liyue, Jia Changjiang and Lumine began their preparations.
Though they hadn’t yet learned how to craft sky lanterns, once Lumine heard about the required materials, she was eager to gather them in Liyue’s wilderness.
She wasn’t sure how many lanterns to make, but… it was the Lantern Rite, after all. Gathering extra materials couldn’t hurt, right?
Stocking up on a little bit of everything—totally normal behavior, isn’t it?
With that thought in mind, Lumine and Jia Changjiang had been venturing out to gather sky lantern materials.
However, as they passed by the Wangshu Inn one day, something felt off.
Several Hilichurls nearby were emanating a dark aura. Their movements were frenzied and erratic, far more aggressive than usual.
“These Hilichurls… are corrupted?”
Lumine tilted her head in thought. “They seem stronger than regular Hilichurls… kind of like the ones in Dragonspine?”
“That does seem to be the case… But if the Hilichurls here are like this, wouldn’t that be dangerous for people passing near the Wangshu Inn?” Paimon asked. “Why don’t we take care of them?”
“Would the Wangshu Inn really be affected by just a few Hilichurls?” Jia Changjiang wondered aloud.
“Of course! I’ve taken on plenty of commissions in Liyue to clear out Hilichurls and monsters near the Wangshu Inn,” Lumine said. “At this point, when I visit the inn, people call me their ‘Gold-Star Brawler.’”
She continued with a grin, “The innkeeper even gives me discounts on meals, and Yanxiao’s taught me two new dishes. Since we’ve already spotted these Hilichurls, it wouldn’t feel right to just leave them be. Let’s help out for the sake of the kind folks at the inn!”
Drawing her one-handed sword, Lumine prepared to deal with the corrupted Hilichurls.
Despite the dark aura enhancing them, the Hilichurls weren’t much stronger than usual and were quickly taken down by Lumine and Jia Changjiang.
But after finishing off the Hilichurls, they noticed something unusual.
A little farther away, there was another group of Hilichurls with the same dark aura. Among them stood a figure wearing a Nuo-style mask, their hands clasped in prayer. A talisman materialized in their hands, and the Hilichurls scattered, fleeing in all directions.
“The Hilichurls… ran away!” Paimon exclaimed. “Who’s that masked person?”
“They don’t seem to be using ordinary techniques. It’s more like adepti arts,” Lumine speculated.
Having crossed paths with exorcists like Chongyun and adventurers like Xingqiu—and even witnessing adepti themselves—Lumine was quick to make the connection.
“Could that person also be an adeptus?” Paimon wondered aloud. “Xiao has a similar mask, doesn’t he?”
“That technique just now… Wasn’t it a [Sigil of Permission]?” Jia Changjiang noted. “And unlike the counterfeit ones that Childe gave us before, this one seemed… authentic.”
“Huh?” Paimon blinked in confusion. “Then let’s go ask and figure out what’s going on.”
“Ugh… Such a hassle,” Lumine muttered, clearly reluctant. “That person could just be some con artist. Why bother checking?”
“Still, it feels like we’ve stumbled onto something again.” Jia Changjiang grabbed Lumine by the collar as she tried to sneak away. “Besides, if they are a fraud, wouldn’t that be interesting?”
“Sure, it’s interesting, but it’s also annoying… Jia Greenskin, stop yanking on my collar! Fine, I’ll go!” Lumine grumbled. “Not like we’ll get anything out of exposing a scam anyway…”
Muttering under her breath, Lumine reluctantly approached the masked individual.
Before she could say anything, the masked figure spoke first.
“No need for thanks. Exorcising evil and aiding the world is the duty of the adepti—it’s hardly worth mentioning.”
“Hmm? You’re unfamiliar faces… I thought you might’ve been devotees,” the person said, their voice carrying an otherworldly calm.
Devotees?
“Oh, how interesting. I’ve met adepti before and even pursued the path of adepti arts myself,” Lumine responded, her reluctance giving way to curiosity. “This is Jia Changjiang, and that’s Paimon. They’re both with me.”
“Ah, fellow seekers of the divine path. Then it’s only proper for me to introduce myself,” the masked individual said.
“I am the Celestial Lord of Plucked Stars and Seized Constellations, known to my devotees as the Celestial Lord of the Stars. I have descended from the mountain to aid mortals. If you have any wishes, feel free to share them with me.”
“An adeptus who grants wishes?” Paimon asked skeptically. “I thought adepti were just good at fighting.”
“Haha… While I am indeed powerful, boasting of one’s abilities is not the way of a true adeptus. Perhaps you should speak with the other devotees and judge for yourselves.”
“Let’s ask around first, then decide,” Jia Changjiang suggested.
The group approached the nearby devotees.
The believers seemed deeply convinced of the Celestial Lord’s abilities, but their stories about his so-called miracles…
Most of them involved dubious remedies or rituals like burning portraits, which didn’t seem particularly credible.
“Hmm…”
At a safe distance from the Celestial Lord, Lumine whispered to Jia Changjiang, “This guy’s definitely a fraud, right? Everything he says sounds like something a street charlatan would say.”
“Huh? But Paimon feels like the devotees really believe in this Celestial Lord,” Paimon said, confused.
“A Celestial Lord ranked above a True Lord? That’s quite the claim. I’ve never heard of any Celestial Lord in Liyue before,” Jia Changjiang replied. “If he’s a Celestial Lord, then I’m the Lord of Tai Sui, and my buddy here is the ancestor of all adepti. This guy’s almost certainly a fake.”
“So, should we expose him now?” Lumine suggested.
Jia Changjiang shook his head. “If we accuse him now, the devotees won’t believe us anyway. Let’s keep talking and see what we can learn.”
With that decision, the trio approached the Celestial Lord again.
“I get the feeling that the devotees’ problems are all resolved through… psychological tricks?” Lumine asked pointedly.
“You jest,” the Celestial Lord replied with a soft chuckle. “There was once a great adeptus, Xue Wuliang—known as the Master of Quantum Mysteries. He once said…”
“All things are interconnected. The mind’s influence is a thread tying the soul to the outcomes of the world.”
“In other words, their wishes are now on the path to fulfillment. Do you understand?”
—
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!
Reader discussion
0 Comments
Be the first reader to share a thought about this chapter.