The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [229]

"Are those two the travelers rumored to have defeated the ancient god?"

"That girl looks so young..."

"And the guy? He looks as strong as a Mitachurl."

"Could they really be the legendary Taisui Star? They definitely don’t look like ordinary people."

"Maybe they’re actually Adepti?"

The citizens of Liyue murmured in awe after Keqing’s public thanks to Lumine and Jia Changjiang.

Lumine beamed, clearly reveling in the praise, her expression one of pride and satisfaction—as though silently encouraging the crowd to heap more compliments upon her.

Keqing, however, maintained her serious demeanor as she addressed the two. “The Liyue Qixing repay kindness with gratitude. As you’ve likely heard, we are a group whose reach knows no bounds.”

Her sharp gaze softened slightly. “Name your reward. Whatever you desire, as long as it lies within Liyue, we will see it done. It’s only fitting for your contributions.”

“Are you serious?” Lumine’s eyes lit up, while Paimon gasped, clutching her cheeks in excitement.

“Of course,” Keqing affirmed. “Whatever you ask for, so long as it is within my power, I will make it happen.”

Lumine hesitated, countless ideas flashing through her mind. But after a moment of restraint, reason prevailed. She turned to Jia Changjiang.

“What about you? Anything you want?” she asked.

Jia Changjiang crossed his arms, considering. “I’m easy. If it makes money, great. If it doesn’t, making friends is fine too.”

"In that case..." Lumine turned back to Keqing with a bright smile. “Keqing, Ningguang, and Ganyu—let’s be friends!”

Stepping forward, she threw her arms around a startled Keqing. “One day, when we all have some free time, let’s go shopping or hang out together. It’ll be fun!”

“W-what?” Keqing stiffened in surprise.

“Are you trying to show off?” she muttered. “This is the reward of the Liyue Qixing, and you’re asking just to be friends?”

“Of course!” Lumine replied without hesitation, still clinging to her. “Oh, and while we’re at it, could you put up some missing-person posters for me too?”

---

As the formalities of the Rite of Parting drew to a close, many attendees began to leave in an orderly fashion. Some lingered, caught in the solemn atmosphere of remembering Rex Lapis.

Though Lumine wasn’t aware that other Adepti were present, she busied herself chatting with Keqing and the others. Eventually, she noticed Jia Changjiang waving her over.

“Look,” he said, pointing toward the edge of the venue. There stood Zhongli, gazing out at the bustling harbor and the movement of cargo ships.

“Let’s go have a chat with Zhongli,” Jia Changjiang suggested.

“Sure!” Lumine agreed enthusiastically. “I want to ask what it feels like to both organize and attend your own funeral ceremony.”

“Now that you mention it, I’m curious too,” Jia Changjiang chuckled.

Paimon sighed dramatically, shaking her head at the pair. Why do these two always have such odd priorities?

“Zhongli!” Lumine bounded up behind him, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “We’re here to chat!”

Hearing her cheerful voice, Zhongli turned to face them, his calm expression softening. “So, what do you think? How does this Rite of Parting compare to the Rite of Descension you initially came for?”

“Huh…” Paimon pondered aloud, rubbing her chin. “We did come all the way from Mondstadt for the Rite of Descension, didn’t we? Feels like that was forever ago.”

“Yeah! Zhongli, everyone in Liyue thinks they’ll never see Rex Lapis again!” Paimon gestured dramatically toward the venue. “Meanwhile, you’re just standing here looking completely at ease.”

“Haha…” Zhongli chuckled, a rare trace of lightheartedness in his tone. “Laying down the burden of 3,500 years is bound to bring some sense of ease.”

With a faint smile, he added, “When you have time, let me invite you to Xinyue Kiosk for a meal. Their newest dishes are worth trying.”

“Hah! As if!” Paimon wrinkled her nose. “Xinyue Kiosk is as expensive as Liuli Pavilion—just the tea costs a fortune! Don’t tell me you’re planning to dine and dash again!”

Zhongli fell into a moment of introspection. “Indeed, the cost at Xinyue Kiosk is steep…”

“Then explain this!” Lumine interjected. “How does the Geo Archon, creator of Mora, end up broke?! Back then, Childe was paying for everything!”

Zhongli nodded slightly. “As Morax, I could create Mora at will. But as Zhongli, a mortal, I follow the rules of mortal life.

“Knowing I would soon relinquish my divine seat, I thought it prudent to prepare for life as an ordinary man. It was an opportunity to rehearse for my future.”

“Rehearse? You call buying the most expensive things and having others pay for you a rehearsal?” Lumine shot back, exasperated.

Paimon folded her arms in mock understanding. “Ah, so Zhongli isn’t used to checking prices but also isn’t used to not being able to conjure Mora whenever he wants. That’s how he ended up as a broke freeloader!”

“All those stories of Rex Lapis being rich… and this is the reality?!” Lumine groaned.

“Now, now,” Zhongli said, shaking his head with a faint smile. “I simply spent some of the Fatui’s funds. It’s nothing to dwell on.

“In a city of commerce, people trade more than just Mora—knowledge, perspective, memories, identities, and lives. These are also part of trade.

“The time I spent traveling with you was an invaluable experience, different from anything I knew as Morax. I cherish those memories.”

“That’s nice and all,” Lumine replied, “but it doesn’t change the fact that you failed your ‘rehearsal.’”

“By the way, now that you’ve stepped down, how’s Liyue going to handle Mora production?”

“That will be the responsibility of the Liyue Qixing,” Zhongli replied. “They have plans in place. You needn’t worry.”

“Oh, oh!” Paimon’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “But Zhongli, do you have any secret savings? You know, just in case?”

“Hmm…” Zhongli paused, glancing toward Jia Changjiang before nodding thoughtfully. “By rational standards, that would indeed be a wise precaution.”

“Huh?” Lumine’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Zhongli, don’t tell me you didn’t save anything! Are you seriously just… broke now?!”

“Not quite.” Zhongli shook his head. “Without disrupting the market economy, I did set aside some personal savings.”

“When I first met Jia Changjiang,” he added, “he suggested the idea.”

“Then what’s the problem?” Lumine pressed.

Zhongli hesitated, then sighed. “…I forgot where I put it.”

---

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!