The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [359]

"Firecrackers and fireworks… are they really that much fun?" Lumine asked curiously. "I’ve heard that the Lantern Rite ends with a big fireworks display. They’re supposed to be spectacular."

"Hmm…"

Jia Changjiang held a bamboo tube filled with gunpowder, lost in thought. "I don’t know if they’re as beautiful as fireworks, but they’re definitely more fun."

Noticing Lumine and Paimon idling nearby, he decided to indulge in some storytelling.

"Alright, let me tell you about this thing called a double-bang firecracker. It has gunpowder on both ends. When you light the bottom, it explodes and shoots the whole thing into the sky—whoosh—and then… boom!"

Jia Changjiang gestured dramatically, his enthusiasm palpable. "These things are loud—super loud! Firecrackers don’t have the visual spectacle of fireworks, but they make up for it with noise!"

His gaze softened, tinged with nostalgia. "When I was a kid, every New Year’s Eve, every household would set off firecrackers."

"One long string of firecrackers rolled out in an open space. You’d light the fuse, and even while holding a bowl of dumplings, you couldn’t help but cover your ears. Crack! Pop! Bang! The sparks and noise filled the night air."

"The firecrackers echoed everywhere, while the lights in every home glowed bright and warm."

Lumine listened intently and asked with a smile, "So, are you planning to recreate the firecrackers from your childhood?"

"Yep." Jia Changjiang nodded, concentrating as he packed gunpowder into a hemp stalk, securing it with a fuse.

With practiced precision, he linked several of the small firecrackers together, creating a long string of them.

"So… is this also a double-bang?" Lumine pointed at a particularly large bamboo tube stuffed full of compressed gunpowder, its heavy weight betraying its explosive potential.

She hefted it experimentally, noting its considerable weight—at least seven or eight pounds.

"Are you making firecrackers… or a bomb?"

Her thoughts drifted back to Mondstadt, where Jia Changjiang’s penchant for explosions was well known. After all, he’d crafted mortars for Amber…

"Ahem, that one’s just for practice," Jia Changjiang coughed awkwardly. "I didn’t plan on lighting it."

"If you want it, take it. Just don’t set it off in the city," he added warily.

"Then I’ll take it!" Lumine grinned. "Can I have a few more? Just one doesn’t feel satisfying enough."

"You’re not planning to cause trouble with my firecrackers, are you?" Jia Changjiang narrowed his eyes. "If the Millelith come knocking, I’m not taking the fall for you. Watch out, or you’ll end up in Liyue’s detention cell."

"Relax! Not to brag, but we don’t exactly have a fixed address—Liyue wouldn’t even know where to find us!" Lumine said proudly, her chest puffed up as though she’d accomplished something monumental.

"But don’t worry; I won’t set them off in the city," she assured him. "I didn’t even set off fireworks with Klee inside Mondstadt!"

"Is that true?" Jia Changjiang turned to Paimon, seeking a second opinion.

"Well… yeah, it’s true," Paimon admitted hesitantly. "But that’s because there’s nowhere in Mondstadt without people. If she set them off, she’d definitely get caught, so she went outside the city to—mmph!"

Before Paimon could finish, Lumine clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Just as I thought," Jia Changjiang sighed, rubbing his chin. "Liyue and Mondstadt both know you’re trouble. The only person left to fool is Klee."

"Excuse me?" Lumine raised an eyebrow. "Do you even realize your own reputation? You’re always training or picking fights. Aside from taverns, where exactly is your reputation even good?"

After the mutual jabs, Jia Changjiang waved her off. "Alright, go enjoy the festival with Paimon."

"Really? If you’re feeling lonely during the Lantern Rite, we could grab some friends and celebrate together," Lumine offered. "It’d be a waste not to enjoy a festival like this."

"You’ve picked up Liyue’s spirit quickly—‘might as well since we’re already here,’ huh?" Jia Changjiang chuckled. "Don’t worry, I already have plans for the Lantern Rite. Until then, I’ll enjoy the festivities too."

"Good." Lumine grinned. "There’s a game called Mechanicus Puzzles and another one called Exquisite Lantern Craft. Let’s go try them out!"

"Sure thing."

The preparations for the Lantern Rite took weeks, and during that time, the people of Liyue also crafted the Mingxiao Lantern, the festival’s most significant tradition.

Using a massive floating rock as its core, Liyue’s residents contributed materials to build a lantern in the likeness of a long-lost Adeptus. This year, the Mingxiao Lantern was dedicated to Lord Bosacius, the "Guiding Celestial Sovereign."

People wrote their wishes on the donated materials, hoping their dreams would be carried by the lantern’s light.

Even Jia Changjiang, Lumine, and Paimon joined in, inscribing their wishes on a floating stone.

Meanwhile, Lumine set up a small stall in Liyue Harbor to earn Mora by crafting Xiaodeng Lanterns. Despite her mischievous nature, Lumine turned out to have a knack for lantern-making.

While others struggled to shape their lanterns evenly, Lumine breezed through the process, assembling one in mere moments with flawless precision.

Her speed and skill astonished even the festival organizers, who eventually provided her with unlimited materials, trusting her to keep producing lanterns without oversight.

Jia Changjiang, however, took a different route.

Though he learned the basics of lantern-making, his mind kept drifting back to weapons. He experimented with using the materials for unconventional purposes—sharpening floating stone fragments into projectiles or twisting plant fibers into snares.

But crafting an actual Xiaodeng Lantern? That seemed beyond him.

Still, not one to be outdone, Jia Changjiang decided to create a special lantern.

He tossed Xiaodeng Lantern materials into his system’s furnace, along with a few other components, aiming to forge something extraordinary.

The result? A pair of lanterns with sturdy handles attached at the base.

And their properties? Completely absurd.

"[Illumination Spell], [Indestructible], [Heavier Than Mountains], [Hammer of Destiny]…"

Jia Changjiang stared at the item in disbelief.

"I was trying to make lanterns, not hammers!"

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T/N: JAX's LANTERN???