Lumine spent some time scouring the area and managed to gather a few cooking ingredients. After a chaotic effort involving smoke and burnt edges, she and Paimon, faces smudged with ash, proudly placed several dishes on the stone table.
“Wipe your face. It’s not a great look if you meet an Adeptus with soot all over,” Jia Changjiang said, holding out a damp towel. He helped Lumine and Paimon clean up before continuing.
“Thanks, Mr. Jax,” Paimon said, her voice small but cheerful.
After the offering of food was placed, a glowing portal suddenly appeared at the cliffside, its light shimmering like water.
“It looks like the Adeptus is ready to meet us,” Jia Changjiang said calmly, his monk’s staff resting against his shoulder as his prayer beads glinted in the sunlight.
“Yay!” Paimon cheered, floating excitedly. “If the Adeptus lives in such a beautiful place, they must have a kind personality, right?”
With that, the trio stepped through the portal, finding themselves inside an expansive domain.
“Wow… what a huge domain!” Paimon exclaimed, spinning around in awe.
“Do all Adepti live in places like this?”
A cold, dignified female voice suddenly rang out, surrounding them.
“The aura of the Sigil of Permission… Though I know not the specifics of your purpose, your sincerity in offering a tribute is noted. As such, I grant you this opportunity to meet me.”
The voice continued, its tone unwavering. “However, if you wish to see me, you must pass the trial I have personally set. Otherwise… leave of your own accord.”
“And if you value your lives, you may want to reconsider.”
“What?” Paimon gasped. “Didn’t we already offer tribute? Why is there still a trial?!”
“Her voice is beautiful,” Lumine admitted begrudgingly, “but this is so unfair!”
“You think so too, right, Mr. Jax—?” Paimon turned around mid-sentence, only to find Jia Changjiang’s expression transformed from calm to a grin brimming with excitement.
“Little Paimon, you heard her. This isn’t me starting a fight!”
Jia Changjiang tore off his monk’s robe, tying it around his waist like a battle apron. The prayer beads coiled tightly around his left arm, while his right hand twirled the monk’s staff before resting it on his shoulder.
Gone was the serene monk. What stood now was a warrior ready for battle.
“Mr. Jax! You promised not to challenge the Adepti!” Paimon cried.
“I’m not,” Jia Changjiang said, his grin widening. “This is her trial, not my challenge!”
He cracked his knuckles, his eyes alight with exhilaration.
“A trial is an opportunity! If she’s setting this for us, it’s only right to meet her expectations.”
He slammed the bottom of his staff against the ground, the iron rings jingling as the sound echoed through the domain.
“If we want to meet the Adeptus, we must show our sincerity. And what better sincerity than passing her trial?”
“You just want to fight!” Paimon accused, stomping her tiny feet in frustration.
“Oh?” The Adeptus’s voice returned, tinged with intrigue. “How curious. Many mortals offer tributes, yet few seek trials with such enthusiasm. Very well. For your fervor, I shall present a trial befitting your spirit.”
As her words faded, mechanical whirring filled the air. Several altered Ruin Guards emerged from the shadows, their forms bearing intricate modifications to their cores and exteriors.
“These intruders once disturbed the mountain’s peace. I have repurposed them with my craftsmanship. Now, they shall serve as your opponents,” she declared. “Let us see if your strength matches your resolve.”
Paimon’s eyes widened as the Ruin Guards approached. “Mr. Jax! She’s mad at us now!”
“Relax.” Jia Changjiang dragged his staff along the ground, its iron rings jingling with every step. “When it comes to battle, you can trust me completely.”
He broke into a run toward the nearest Ruin Guard, his staff spinning above his head like a whirlwind.
“I’ve waited so long for this! From Liyue Harbor to here—finally, a real fight!”
With a mighty leap, Jia Changjiang hurled himself at the first Ruin Guard, smashing his staff into its core with a resounding clang.
“Take this! And this!”
“Th-this…” Paimon stammered, then turned to Lumine. “Traveler, we’ve got to help Mr. Jax! If the Adeptus gets angrier—”
Lumine hesitated, watching Jia Changjiang tear into the Ruin Guards with ease. “He’s really good at fighting, though… Fine.”
She drew her sword, her resolve hardening. “Besides, I want to meet this beautiful-sounding Adeptus already!”
Charging into the fray, Lumine joined Jia Changjiang, her blade cutting through the mechanical monsters while he demolished them with raw force.
The battle was intense, but Jia Changjiang reveled in it. His staff swung with relentless power, shattering the outer shells of the Ruin Guards. The clinking of the iron rings on his staff created a rhythmic melody amidst the chaos.
“Hahaha!” Jia Changjiang laughed as he landed on one of the Ruin Guards, driving his staff deep into its core. With a sharp twist, he disabled it entirely, leaving it to collapse lifelessly.
“Jax!” Lumine called out in exasperation. “Stop breaking the cores! They’re the most valuable part!”
“Valuable?” Paimon piped up, her earlier panic replaced by a calculating look. “She’s right! Intact Chaos Cores are worth a lot, but—wait! These belong to the Adeptus!”
Ignoring them, Jia Changjiang pulled out a pristine Chaos Core from another Ruin Guard and tossed it to Lumine.
“Here, happy now?”
“Yes! Thanks!” Lumine’s face lit up as she caught the core and stuffed it into her bag.
As the final Ruin Guard fell, the locked doors at the edge of the domain creaked open, revealing a path deeper inside.
From beyond the doorway, the Adeptus’s voice called out once more.
“Come forward.”
—
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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