“Hiss…”
As soon as Xiao disappeared, Jia Changjiang dragged himself off the ground, pressing against his wounds. “So many cuts and bruises…”
“Well, I suppose I’ve fulfilled at least part of what I promised Zhongli.”
He reached into his system inventory, pulling out pre-prepared bandages and medicinal ointment to tend to his injuries.
At this rate of blood loss, Jia Changjiang figured he might bleed out before he even had the chance to die in Xiao’s hands.
Using his teeth, he tore the bandages open, applied the ointment, and wrapped his wounds tightly. Though the injuries on his back were tricky to reach, he managed to cover them as best he could.
The only reason he dared go toe-to-toe with Xiao earlier wasn’t just for the thrill of battle—it was because of a small ace up his sleeve.
Jia Changjiang reached to the back of his head and touched two particularly stiff hairs standing out from the rest.
These two lifesaving strands—obtained during one of his draws—still hung there, ready for use.
“The fight’s over. Time to head back and help with the Rite of Parting preparations.”
Dressing himself in fresh clothes and his kasaya, Jia Changjiang wiped away the most visible bloodstains, retrieved his monk’s staff, and started hobbling back toward Liyue Harbor.
As for the Adepti and the Qixing… he wasn’t worried.
With Xiao there, the Adepti would honor the contract and give Liyue a fair chance. Jia Changjiang smiled to himself.
“I wonder how Zhongli and Lumine are doing with the preparations for the Rite?”
He muttered to himself, imagining all the arrangements they’d likely made.
—
Meanwhile, Zhongli and Lumine had just purchased a shipment of noctilucous jade.
Lumine and Paimon were left speechless at Zhongli’s extravagant behavior—and his utter refusal to carry any money.
Before meeting Zhongli, Lumine would’ve thought it impossible for the words generous and penniless to describe the same person.
But Zhongli defied expectations. When purchasing the jade, he hadn’t hesitated to declare, “I’ll take it all!” despite not carrying a single Mora.
In the end, he carefully selected the finest stones from the batch, using the funds provided by Childe to pay.
Thankfully, when the sellers learned the jade was for the Rite of Parting to honor the Geo Archon, they generously lowered their prices, making the deal somewhat manageable.
Now, Lumine and Paimon were working on another preparation: crafting incense for the ceremony.
Having gathered the necessary three types of glaze lilies, the only task remaining was to find someone skilled enough to help turn them into incense.
At the moment, the duo wandered through Liyue Harbor, searching for anyone who smelled… fragrant.
“Fragrant, huh… Xiangling smells good, too, but it’s more of a food smell. Probably doesn’t count, right?”
Lumine sat on the harbor’s edge, pondering where to find someone suitably “fragrant.”
They’d already questioned several people, but…
Paimon shouted, “That’s because you’re asking all the wrong questions, Lumine! Sniffing people and asking why they smell so good—of course they thought you were some kind of creep!”
“What’s wrong with liking soft, fragrant, cute girls?” Lumine countered confidently. “By the way, Paimon, you’re soft and smelled like milk when I took a bite last time.”
Paimon yelped, hugging herself and floating a safe distance away. “Enough of that! Anyway, someone mentioned the Silk Flower Boutique, didn’t they? Let’s go see Miss Ying’er there!”
“Miss Ying’er, huh?”
Lumine’s expression lit up with recognition. “She left quite the impression on me. Too bad the Silk Flower Boutique just sells porcelain—guess I’ll have to shelve my other plans for now.”
Paimon puffed up in indignation. “What do you mean just porcelain?! What exactly were you hoping to do?!”
When they found Ying’er at the boutique, she greeted them with a playful smirk. “Oh? Finally ready to make your move on me? I was beginning to wonder if you’d show up.”
“Huh? You knew we were coming?”
Lumine tilted her head in curiosity. Ying’er chuckled, covering her mouth. “Word gets around. Everyone in the harbor’s heard about two girls sniffing out ‘fragrant’ targets. Some male customers were particularly annoyed. Imagine my surprise when the culprits turned out to be two adorable young ladies like yourselves.”
“We’re here to make incense!” Paimon interjected hastily before Lumine could say anything embarrassing.
“That’s right! I’m adorable. So, Ying’er, why not let me make a move on you?” Lumine declared confidently, planting her hands on her hips.
Ying’er raised an eyebrow, amused. “Oh? Do you think you’re up to it?”
“Of course! How about it?” Lumine asked, grinning smugly.
“Stop fooling around! We’re here to make incense!” Paimon pushed Lumine’s face away with all her strength, turning back to Ying’er. “We want to use these three kinds of glaze lilies to craft incense.”
“Three types of incense at once?” Ying’er’s surprise was evident. “Quite the appetite for someone so young… Could it be you’re gathering them to gift to a certain someone?”
“If I were gifting incense, it wouldn’t stop at just three kinds,” Lumine replied smugly. “I’ve got plenty of people I could give them to.”
“Hey!!!” Paimon shouted.
“My, how bold,” Ying’er laughed. “With looks like yours, I suppose you can back it up.”
“Alright then, I’ll help you make incense,” Ying’er said with a playful wink. “But only on one condition—you’ll be my assistant. And while we’re working, I expect you to give me your undivided attention.”
Ying’er crooked her finger, beckoning Lumine.
“No problem!” Lumine patted her chest confidently. “While we’re making incense, I’m all yours!”
“You can do whatever you want with me!”
Ying’er laughed. “Alright, let’s go find a proper place to make the incense.”
“Xiangling’s kitchen should work,” Lumine suggested after a moment’s thought. “She’s got plenty of pots and pans.”
“Wanmin Restaurant? Excellent choice,” Ying’er agreed. “Shall we head there?”
“You’d better take responsibility as my assistant, though,” she added with a teasing smile.
“Don’t worry. I’ve got plenty of stamina—I can handle it!” Lumine replied with a nod.
After greeting Chef Mao, Xiangling’s father, they borrowed a pot from the restaurant. With the pot in hand and the extracted essential oils from the alchemy station, they began the process.
“Making incense requires a gentle touch,” Ying’er explained, guiding Lumine through the steps. “Grip the pestle lightly, move it with care… Stir slowly, keeping your fingers steady. Let your natural rhythm guide you until the essence flows out and transforms into the oil we need.”
—
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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