The Medicine Furnace Adeptus finished his share of Gu Sanqiu’s offerings with a satisfied look, using a toothpick to clean his teeth before leaping onto a nearby tree branch.
“Anyway, kid, watch yourself. I know what you’re worried about,” he began.
“The reappearance of power like this will inevitably attract all sorts of attention—study, even attempts to seize it. That’s just the nature of human desire, and it’s beyond what you can suppress.”
“The fact that you came to me shows you’ve got some brains. I’ve told you all I can. The rest is up to you to figure out. Even I can’t help you much with this.”
After a brief pause, he plucked a leaf from the tree and placed it in his palm, infusing it with energy before tossing it onto Gu Sanqiu’s head.
“If anything goes wrong, pour your mental energy into this leaf, and I’ll come help.”
“Of course, only for non-combat situations. Back in the day, I was just logistics support, after all.”
“My strength is down to a fraction of what it was. If you encounter an opponent you can’t handle, just call on the Conqueror of Demons. With his power, he can resolve most problems for you.”
“Wait, Senior Medicine Furnace, don’t go yet,” Gu Sanqiu interjected. “You mentioned earlier that the Millelith using the Battle Soul of Killing Intent were under my family’s command. So why was the technique erased from the records? Did my family commit some grave mistake in the past?”
Aside from a particularly reckless ancestor, Gu Sanqiu couldn’t imagine any reason why something as significant as the Battle Soul would be wiped from his family’s history.
“It’s not that,” the Adeptus replied, turning to leave. “Your ancestors didn’t commit any great wrong. Stop overthinking it, kid.”
“Wait! Don’t go! I was sure you’d follow that up with a ‘but’!”
“Hmph, you brat.”
With a dismissive scoff, the Medicine Furnace Adeptus vanished. Gu Sanqiu sighed, retrieving the leaf from atop his head and tucking it into his pocket.
—
“Well, well. You reek of food. Which restaurant’s kitchen did you raid this time?”
“Raid nothing. That kid came to find me,” the Adeptus retorted, leaping onto a table and helping himself to the tea Granny Ping poured.
“He seems to have figured something out.”
Granny Ping’s hand paused mid-pour. “What did he figure out?”
“I let something slip when he asked about the Battle Soul of Killing Intent,” the Adeptus admitted. “Now the kid knows his family used to be commanders back in the day.”
“And? What of it?”
Granny Ping’s tone was calm. “The Gu family descended the mountains long ago, merging the practices of cultivation and warfare. It’s no secret that members of the Millelith were trained in the Battle Soul under their command. It’s all part of the Millelith’s heritage.”
“Are you sure you’re not overthinking things?”
“I hope so,” the Adeptus said, though his expression darkened. “But with that kid’s smarts, it’s hard not to wonder how much he’s pieced together.”
“Don’t forget,” he added, voice dropping to a murmur, “what those Wretched Gods screamed during the battle a few days ago.”
“‘Gu Saint!’”
“Just a name. Nothing more,” Granny Ping replied evenly. “Little Gu is clever, yes, but the Gu family has always been clever. If this went unnoticed by generations of previous incense bearers, I doubt there’s cause for concern now.”
“Let’s hope you’re right,” the Adeptus murmured, sipping his tea and slipping into quiet reminiscence.
—
“Lady Keqing, here is the combat data report from the Millelith’s last Lantern Rite operation.”
“Understood. What’s the assessment?”
The officer hesitated before replying, “Overall… very promising.”
“‘Very promising?’” Keqing tapped her desk with a finger. “This is official work. When giving reports, your language needs to be precise.”
“Yes, Lady Keqing,” the officer said with a bow. “Based on our evaluations, the preliminary force we’ve dubbed the ‘Crimson Giant’ has shown the capability to defeat all manner of monsters and Wretched Gods without a single loss.”
“Provide the detailed test limits regarding monsters.”
“There were three key scenarios,” the officer began. “First, the Crimson Giant fending off a combined attack by three Abyss Mages. Second, a one-on-one fight against a Geovishap King. Finally, a confrontation against both forces simultaneously.”
“You said ‘without a single loss.’ Are you saying it was a clean victory in every instance?”
Keqing frowned.
“Aside from struggling slightly against the Geovishap King, the team had no trouble dealing with other threats.”
“However, this power is extremely taxing. After only two battles, the soldiers reported severe exhaustion.”
“Severe exhaustion? Were they examined for internal injuries?”
“Doctor Baizhu from Bubu Pharmacy has already conducted an assessment. The fatigue stems purely from overexertion. For the sake of the soldiers’ health, further testing was halted.”
“You made the right call,” Keqing said, nodding. She handed over a slip of paper.
“Retrieve the restorative pills provided by the Gu family from the warehouse—one per soldier. Have them recover quickly, then undergo another check to ensure there’s no long-term damage. Every soldier is a valued asset to Liyue.”
“Understood, Lady Keqing.”
After the officer left, Keqing massaged her temple, retrieving one of the pills from her desk and popping it into her mouth. She then began reviewing the battle report in detail.
“An ability that seems to amplify potential, deployed at the squad level… suspected to be related to the ancient Millelith?”
Keqing frowned deeper as she read the next section.
“A combat style that drains bodily energy, likened to the Delusions manufactured by the Fatui. Suggests filing formal requests with the Gu and Hu families for cooperation in official investigations?”
Keqing’s lip curled into a disdainful smile. With a flick of her fingers, the paper disintegrated in a spark of Electro energy.
This report would make its way to the desks of all seven Qixing. It wasn’t hard to imagine the ulterior motives behind such a proposal—or to predict the consequences for the people behind it.
Those who disrupt Liyue’s harmony would face swift justice.
“Still,” she murmured, glancing at the faint ashes on her desk, “why haven’t you shown up yet?”
Keqing thought of that reckless man—always so unserious until the moment he picked up his spear to fight impossible odds.
“Or perhaps… you already knew this would happen.”
—
Three days later—
Knock, knock, knock.
“Hmm. I had a feeling it’d be you,” Gu Sanqiu said as he opened the door to find Keqing standing there.
“Or rather, after so many days, I’ve gained a newfound respect for your patience to wait this long.”
“And what sort of impression do you think I’d leave otherwise?”
“Charging over the moment you saw certain data, sword drawn, barking demands for me to cooperate like a bandit forcing a marriage.”
“Why does that sound so ridiculous? What were you up to just now?”
“Nothing much. Just jotting some notes.”
Keqing glanced at the stone table. “Liyue Sword Techniques for Children, Volume One? What is this nonsense?”
“Exactly what it says,” Gu Sanqiu replied casually. “Once I finish compiling it, I’ll submit it for approval. Liyue’s next generation needs some extracurricular activities to engage with. All this focus on making money is ruining the nation’s spirit.”
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