Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [498]

Gu Sanqiu found a hotel for the big lug, left a fairly generous deposit, and then headed home.

Whether Arataki Itto wanted to explore Liyue Harbor or not was entirely up to him—Gu Sanqiu had his own matters to handle.

There was no need to visit the secret vault. He still wasn’t sure why the Abyss Order had sent blueprints for the Ruin Serpent, but as long as they were useful, the vault’s team of research maniacs would gladly take them.

And if that didn’t work out… there was still another move he could make. A path he had yet to activate.

Besides, Osial wasn’t going to cause any real trouble. I said so, and that makes it true.

The first time he met Decarabian, the question “How does one truly kill a god?” had made the old wind spirit burst into laughter. Decarabian had even shared a few conventional methods.

But there was something Gu Sanqiu hadn’t told him.

Zhongli knew he had access to things beyond this world—but he had no idea where they came from.

Thinking back on the bizarre origins of those items, "scattered across the land" didn’t even begin to describe them. The ingredients he pulled weren’t just from different regions—they were from entirely different worlds and domains.

It was one thing if he were like Alice, Klee’s mother—someone who could freely traverse pocket dimensions, bringing back foreign artifacts.

But Gu Sanqiu wasn’t an immortal. He had never truly left Teyvat. So what gave his gacha-like golden finger such power?

He had never dared to think too deeply about it. Some things were better left unknown—because if something out there could probe his mind, searching for answers… he’d rather not invite its attention.

Long ago, back when he first accepted the Legacy of the World’s Eye, he had tossed a rogue jiangshi from Wuwang Hill into the system. The result? It spat out a bizarre-looking hunk of meat.

That was his first experiment. He ran a few more tests, but before long, a thought crept into his mind—one as tempting as it was dangerous.

The kind of thought a serpent would whisper, offering a poisoned apple.

What if I throw Osial into the system?

Would that erase the Vortex God completely?

The idea alone had startled him. He had no idea how much power his ability could handle. And frankly, there was no realistic way to test it.

It wasn’t like he could just shove Zhongli in there as an experiment. That would be beyond idiotic.

Osial wasn’t a formidable enemy. No, he was already marked as Experimental Subject #1—a multi-headed seaweed monster waiting for its turn.

For the sake of Liyue’s peace—and his own curiosity—Osial had to go.

Just then, a rich floral fragrance surged toward him from all directions. Waves of elemental energy gathered, forming a delicate pink envelope before his eyes.

Huh?

Far beyond Liyue Harbor, the black-robed figure gazed into the distance. Sensing the faint presence, he instantly sped up, following the fading trace to the Stone Gate.

"Who are you? Why do you carry the scent of another world?"

A pleasant female voice drifted from the void.

"Oh? So your family still has elders left alive? How unexpected."

"Not yet erased by erosion… looks like the Gu clan has produced another capable one after that remarkable predecessor of yours."

The black-robed figure’s hand twitched.

"What do you want with my family’s heir?"

But before he could raise his hand, the faint presence vanished completely—as if it had never existed.

"Another world…"

He suddenly found himself at a loss for words.

"A remarkable predecessor from ancient times… they must mean Ancestor Gu Shen."

That was the old man’s lifelong dream.

"Interesting… just whose handiwork is this?"

Meanwhile, Gu Sanqiu unflinchingly opened the envelope.

[To Gu Sanqiu of Liyue,]
I am the mighty Dodo-King, ruler of the world! I have come to this false land to claim my precious Dodo-Co.
If you wish to stop me, follow the letter’s guidance and face me in battle!

The Golden Apple Archipelago?

Gu Sanqiu flipped the letter over. As expected, there was more.

[Hahaha, I doubt a message like this could fool you. I bet Albedo saw right through it, too.
I’ve enclosed two bananas from the Akademiya’s Hall of Wisdom in Sumeru—just a little something to encourage you to come keep Klee company~]

Sincerely,
Alice.

Yep. Definitely the Golden Apple Archipelago.

Gu Sanqiu caught the two bananas as they materialized from thin air. Peeling one, he took a bite—but honestly, it didn’t taste all that special.

Bananas grown near the Hall of Wisdom… For Alice to get her hands on something from a place like that? Not surprising at all.

The Hall of Wisdom was merely an outsider’s name for the place. Whatever the locals called it didn’t matter—what mattered was that it was an elite, highly restricted area.

Bringing back bananas from there was the equivalent of… what, scooping a handful of incense ashes from the Jade Chamber’s grand cauldron before its scheduled cleaning?

Not worth much in itself, but to the locals? A blatant act of defiance.

"The Golden Apple Archipelago, huh. Gotta admit, that place is pretty fascinating. Worth a visit."

Not that he was going for the puzzles. If he had to guess, Albedo had immediately figured out who was behind this.

The two of us… the 'No Spoilers Squad'… heading to the Golden Apple Archipelago.

An island filled with ancient mechanisms was definitely something worth studying.

…Wait a second.

Gu Sanqiu clapped his hands together.

Taking Klee out to play?

Who better to bring along than Inazuma’s self-proclaimed King of the Kids?

You’re up, Big Guy.

Gu Sanqiu rushed back to the hotel, only to find Arataki Itto still stuffing his face.

"You’re still eating?"

Itto nodded, completely serious. "Boss, you have no idea. Lady Yae put me on a diet back at the shrine. Something about how ‘a young man with eight-pack abs attracts more visitors.’ I’ve been dying for a proper feast!"

Damn you, pink-haired fox!

You turned this walking war machine into a baited attraction for shrine donations?!

Gu Sanqiu’s eye twitched. "Fine. Hurry up and finish. We’ve got a trip to make. Someone’s trying to kidnap a friend of a little girl I know, and I need you to back me up."

"WHAT?!"

Itto slammed the table, his crimson horns flashing with fury.

"What kind of lowlife would stoop so low as to kidnap a child’s friend?!"

The muscle-bound oni shot to his feet, smacking his chest with one hand and hoisting his Redhorn Stonethresher onto his shoulder with the other.

"Don’t worry, Boss! Leave it to me! I’ll pummel that scumbag into the ground!"

Gu Sanqiu nodded silently.

Judging by Itto’s… intellectual output, there was no way he could promote him from "No Spoilers Squad" to "Three-Man No Spoilers Team."

Gu Sanqiu sighed.

Having a little brother like this was exhausting.

Better to keep him distracted with the surface-level story.

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This is a fan translation of 原神之璃月奉香人 by 淡白蛋清. 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!