Genshin Impact's Incense Burner of Liyue [485]

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the depths of The Chasm. Gu Sanqiu, disheveled and carrying a massive coffin on his back, walked with vacant eyes, repeating the same motion of digging over and over.

"Keep going… keep going…"

His gaze, devoid of any emotion, reflected the toll of relentless digging and the mental anguish he had endured. The only thing he remembered was his mission—to unearth these remains. Everything else had faded from his memory.

Figures in white undershirts moved around him, Treasure Hoarders cloaked and masked, cautiously clearing debris from the path ahead of Gu Sanqiu. They barely dared to make a sound, their footsteps deliberately light.

They had watched him stumble and collapse more times than they could count, his body seemingly nearing its limit. Each time, the coffin on his back would pin him to the ground like an anchor. Yet he always got back up, guided by the golden glow of a Vision—his only beacon of hope in this desolate solitude.

Moved by this unwavering determination, some of the Treasure Hoarders had started following him. Though they dared not touch the remains, they quietly cleared stones and rubble from his path.

"Boss, this guy hasn’t eaten or drunk anything for nearly half a month. Why are we still following him?"

Smack!

The Treasure Hoarder leader struck the speaker over the head.

"Shut up! Don’t call him ‘that guy.’ Address him as Sir, got it?"

The leader’s eyes glimmered with a rare sense of reverence. "Whatever the reason, our hands are unworthy of touching the remains of heroes. But he… he can."

"Even if we’re unworthy, we can still contribute in some small way. For Sir, and for the heroes who rest beneath the earth."

Though they had come to The Chasm for treasure, the oppressive, enclosed environment had unsettled them all. But the sight of this solitary coffin-bearer had given them a glimmer of hope—a light in the stormy sea.

"We wish you strength to keep going, Sir."

The Treasure Hoarders awkwardly bowed toward Gu Sanqiu. "You are… a true beacon of light."

Thin blue threads that had begun to coil around the Hoarders froze at these words. Then, as if reconsidering, they retreated silently, leaving the group to watch Gu Sanqiu walk away.

The path ahead was one they dared not tread. Beyond this point lay uncharted territory, absent even from the records of their own organization—a place so perilous that even imagining it was daunting.

They didn’t dare follow.

The Treasure Hoarder leader bowed deeply. We came here seeking riches, but we’ve followed you for half a month. That’s enough. It’s time to return to our own path.

Ever since The Chasm was sealed, its depths had become a forbidden zone. Even the well-equipped Fatui ventured here with extreme caution, fearing for their lives.

They were but common Treasure Hoarders, armed with crude methods and plagued by constant anxiety over their own survival. How could they continue to follow this man into the abyss?

And yet…

The leader stomped his foot, suddenly ripping off his mask as his subordinates looked on in shock. He sprinted forward and knelt by the side of the path.

"Sir, the road ahead is fraught with danger. We cannot go any farther, but I wish you safety on your journey."

He bit his lip. "When I return to the surface, I’ll turn myself in. I hope I’ll see you again in Liyue Harbor."

"Please… don’t die!"

"And if I manage to earn an honest living after this, I’ll treat you to a drink!"

Gu Sanqiu passed by him without a word but paused to gently pat the man on the head.

"Go. Turn yourself in."

"The spirits of the fallen will watch the road you choose to walk."

"Do not give yourself cause for regret."

The leader watched in stunned silence as Gu Sanqiu’s figure grew smaller in the distance. Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.

"Yes!"

His subordinates, who had rushed over to stop him, found him immovable as he knelt, his forehead pressed against the ground.

"Boss, are you really going to surrender? Stealing from The Chasm is a serious crime, you know."

One of the younger members glanced at Gu Sanqiu’s retreating form and nodded with sudden conviction.

"Damn it! Why does he get to look so cool while we’re stuck doing shady work? Fine. Let’s turn ourselves in too!"

"Yeah! We’ve been following him for two weeks. If I have to go back to our old ways, I’d rather die!"

"Let’s do it! Turn ourselves in!"

"To think… a man capable of inspiring Treasure Hoarders to repent."

A short-haired woman stood in a shadowed corner, idly twirling a jade dice in her hand as her eyes followed Gu Sanqiu.

"You’re full of surprises, little master."

But no matter how impressive he was, now wasn’t the time to let him continue.

Using her grappling hook, the woman descended gracefully, landing directly in Gu Sanqiu’s path.

"Little master, you need to stop. If you keep pushing yourself like this, even your strength won’t last much longer."

Gu Sanqiu looked up coldly. "Who are you?"

"My name is Yelan. I’m a special operative for the Ministry of Civil Affairs and a covert intelligence agent for Ningguang."

Yelan extended a hand toward him. "You can’t keep going. The corruption in The Chasm will consume you completely."

"I don’t need your help. Move."

Gu Sanqiu took a deep breath, his head lowering before he raised it again. His eyes shone gold and black, the surrounding corruption forced away by the sheer pressure of his will.

The [Eternal Sight] burst into radiant light, expelling not only the corruption but Yelan herself.

"Thanks for the advice. Now step aside."

Shrugging off his coffin, Gu Sanqiu adjusted his stance and bypassed her without another glance.

"Tell my sister I’m fine. And thank you."

Yelan frowned, watching his unstable gait as he pressed onward. Something about his condition didn’t add up.

From the moment she had first seen him, his physical state had been deteriorating. Even loose rubble seemed capable of tripping him. He looked as if he could collapse at any moment.

And yet, the surge of power he had displayed earlier had been overwhelming, as though his body had sustained no damage at all.

"An unbelievable strength of will…"

Returning to her vantage point on the rock face, Yelan’s eyes widened as she saw Gu Sanqiu stumble directly into a heavily corrupted area.

The [Eternal Sight]’s golden light intertwined with the black essence of his soul, forming a ferocious spectral wolf. The beast lunged at the corruption, obliterating the sphere in a single bite.

Thud.

Gu Sanqiu dropped to his knees, exhausted. With trembling hands, he drove a heavy greatsword into the ground to prop himself up. Dragging his body forward, he reached the remains of the corrupted sphere and unearthed a skeleton stained with purple and black.

The [Eternal Sight] flared once more, purging the corruption from the bones. Gu Sanqiu carefully placed them into the coffin on his back.

Blood trickled from his body, unstoppable.

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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!