The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [289]

“Havria lost all her lands in the war,” Zhongli began, his voice calm yet unyielding as he shared a truth that would be cruel to Wanyan’s ears. “All that remained was this—her final refuge.”

“And in the end, she didn’t even have a blade to protect her people or herself.”

His words struck Wanyan like a physical blow. Her knees gave way, and she nearly collapsed, saved only by Lumine’s quick reflexes as she grabbed her arm to steady her.

“Then what about this sword?!” Wanyan’s voice trembled with desperation. “If this sword isn’t the weapon of the God of Salt, why is it here?”

“Do you want the honest answer?” Jia Changjiang interjected. “A simple sword, placed ahead of artifacts imbued with a god’s power… there are only two explanations.”

“It’s either a divine weapon—or the weapon that killed a god.”

His words landed like a thunderclap, shattering Wanyan’s composure.

“No! That’s a lie!” she screamed, unwilling to accept the reality. “You’re all followers of Morax! You’re saying this just to shake my faith—”

Slap!

The sharp sound echoed through the chamber.

Even Lumine, who had been ready to catch Wanyan, froze in surprise. Jia Changjiang’s hand hung in the air, his slap having landed squarely on Wanyan’s cheek. Though he hadn’t struck her as harshly as he had the Fatui Harbinger La Signora back in Mondstadt, the force was enough to send Wanyan stumbling backward, collapsing onto the ground.

“Wow…” Lumine muttered, flinching. “That was… heavy-handed.”

She remembered the last time Jia Changjiang had slapped someone—it had been vicious. This time was less severe, but Wanyan, far weaker than the Harbinger, was visibly shaken.

Jia Changjiang exhaled slowly, his expression neutral as he looked down at Wanyan, who was cradling her face in shock. “Get up,” he said, extending a hand to her. Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet.

“Don’t think so little of us. We have no interest in deceiving you.”

Turning to Zhongli, Lumine asked, “So… it’s true then? Everything you’ve said?”

Zhongli nodded solemnly. “Indeed. Otherwise, the truth would not serve as her punishment.” He sighed. “This is not a story I wished to tell.”

“Then what about the salt statues?” Wanyan asked, her voice hoarse, still clutching her cheek. She lowered her gaze, her posture defeated. “The ones we’ve been seeing along the way… what did they see? What did they do? Why did they end up like this?”

“Keep moving forward,” Zhongli said, his back to her as he started walking.

“Whether you can accept the truth or not, what lies ahead will reveal everything.”

Without turning back, he continued, “If you cannot trust me, then see it for yourself.”

Wanyan hesitated for a moment but eventually followed him.

Paimon hovered nearby, curiosity flickering in her voice. “Zhongli, what’s ahead?”

“Salt,” he said, his tone somber. “And betrayal.”

With that, he fell silent, offering no further explanation as he led the way.

As they ventured deeper, the number of salt statues increased.

The statues depicted people in flight, their expressions frozen in terror, as if fleeing from some unspeakable disaster. They seemed to recoil from whatever lay ahead, their movements captured in salt—desperate, wild, and filled with fear.

Finally, the group arrived at a massive door.

“This door holds the record of all truths,” Zhongli said, his voice echoing. “It is what you seek—and the punishment you deserve for breaking the contract.”

As he spoke, the door began to glow, slowly opening to reveal the chamber within, untouched for millennia.

Inside, the floor was marked by ripples of salt that radiated outward from the center of the room, as though a massive explosion had occurred.

In the center stood a figure—frozen in salt—locked in a pose of thrusting a blade forward with all their strength. Surrounding this central figure were dozens of salt statues, all appearing to flee from the scene, their backs turned to the focal point of the disaster.

“This is…” Wanyan’s voice faltered as her legs gave out. She sank to the salt-covered floor, staring blankly at the scene before her.

If the sword truly was the weapon used to kill the God of Salt, then the meaning behind the central figure’s desperate stance was undeniable.

“The story goes like this,” Zhongli said, stepping forward, his voice steady as he continued. “Among Havria’s people, someone realized that their gentle, kind, but weak god could never protect them in the brutal Archon War.”

“Rather than let her suffer the torment of defeat, these mortals—whom she had sheltered—chose to grant her… a merciful end.”

Paimon gasped. “But these statues… aren’t they the result of the God of Salt’s power? Could it be…”

“No.” Zhongli shook his head. “Havria did not resist. Even the weakest of gods possesses power far beyond mortals. But…”

“Even the weakest god, when they die, release power that no mortal body can withstand. Those who could not escape were turned to salt.”

Zhongli turned to Wanyan, whose trembling hands clawed at the salt beneath her. “The survivors of this tragedy fled to Liyue, seeking Morax’s protection. That is the truth of what happened.”

“Then… who broke the blade…” Wanyan whispered, her voice choked with emotion. Her hands clenched handfuls of salt, trembling as she waited for the answer.

“The descendants of Havria’s people,” Zhongli said. “They feared the remnants of her divine power and the curse she might have left upon her betrayers. So they returned here, at great risk, to break the sword and enshrine it—hoping to pacify her wrath.”

“But this god, who never once resisted her fate, could never harbor hatred toward her people.” Zhongli lowered his gaze, his voice filled with quiet sorrow.

“She… was a god who did not belong in that era.”

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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!