The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [284]

“Huh?”

Lumine tilted her head in confusion. “Are you serious?”

She glanced at Zhongli. Based on her interactions with him, he didn’t seem like the type to do such a thing. Could Wanyan really be spouting nonsense about Morax, who was standing right there with them?

“This doesn’t sound like something the Geo Archon would do,” Paimon said, echoing Lumine’s skepticism.

“Who cares?” Kliment interjected, excitement creeping into his voice. “If the ruin’s sealed, it means there must be perfectly preserved relics inside!”

“Wait,” Jia Changjiang said, stepping forward and looking directly at Wanyan. “I won’t comment on the truth of the matter—that’s not my area of expertise. But there’s something I need to say to you.”

Wanyan blinked, caught off guard.

“You’ve made some pretty basic mistakes from the start,” Jia Changjiang said. “You’ve let preconceived notions and assumptions guide you. Words like I think or it seems keep coming up in your reasoning. That’s dangerous—it makes it easy to stray far from the objective truth. That’s a fundamental error in research.”

Wanyan faltered under his criticism, momentarily at a loss for words before retorting, “But this seal must be hiding some truth. The Salt Archon is dead. Who else but Morax could have placed it here?”

She gestured to the seal. “And since it’s still intact, no one can even get inside.”

“Well, isn’t that why we have Mr. Zhongli here?” Kliment said smugly. “If anyone can solve this, it’s him!”

“This seal has been here for ages,” Wanyan countered. “I even activated a mechanism once, but it didn’t do anything to the seal. Not even Zhongli could—”

Before she could finish, Zhongli cut in calmly. “I… know a bit about this seal.”

“Wait, what?!” Wanyan stared at him, stunned.

Lumine, too, found herself at a loss for words.

Here we go again, she thought. When they were preparing the Rite of Parting, Zhongli had pulled this same act—I know a little—before proceeding to solve every problem with apparent ease.

And if this seal really was set by Morax himself, how could Zhongli not know how to undo it?

Pretending to only “know a bit” when he actually knows everything… He’s doing it again!

“Let us head to the seal Wanyan discovered,” Zhongli said smoothly, unfazed by the reactions around him. “There are… authentic methods for breaking it.”

After confirming that Wanyan’s mechanism was indeed one part of the seal’s solution, Zhongli guided the group to the next mechanism with a practiced ease that left no doubt he knew exactly what he was doing.

Wanyan observed the new site in astonishment. “The elemental obelisks here… they’re connected to the previous mechanism? No wonder even the Vision-wielders I brought couldn’t figure it out.”

Zhongli nodded, his tone steady. “This mechanism is tied to an ancient phrase from the Archon War:"

"‘To the south, across Tianheng; to the east, into Yaoguang; to the west, upon Jueyun; to the north, by Qingce. The land is desolate, and all life is ravaged. Liyue’s vastness offers no sanctuary.’”

“Huh? South what? West where? Why do Liyue people talk so cryptically?” Kliment muttered, thoroughly confused.

Wanyan, however, appeared to understand. Her expression shifted as realization dawned.

Zhongli acknowledged her understanding with a slight nod. “This phrase also relates to the Salt Archon.”

His voice carried a faint wistfulness. “This kind and benevolent deity risked everything to offer her people a safe haven amidst the chaos of the Archon War. She traveled across Liyue, searching for a place untouched by battle and bloodshed.

“In that era, even a moment of peace was a rare luxury. Ultimately, the refuge she found was this land, known as Salt’s Hollow.”

Zhongli’s gaze softened as he shared the tale, but Wanyan interjected with bitterness.

“And that peace was shattered by Morax,” she said firmly.

Jia Changjiang sighed from the sidelines. This girl… Why is she so stubborn? How can she not hear the undertones in his words?

“I’ll handle the seal,” Lumine volunteered after surveying the group.

Zhongli didn’t seem inclined to act, and no one else present had a Vision. That left only her to channel the elements.

Seriously… five people and a floating emergency ration, and not one Vision among them.

Activating the elemental mechanisms, Lumine successfully dispelled the seal.

When they returned to the now-unsealed entrance, Zhongli peered into the massive crater below and said, “The long-buried secrets here are finally ready to see the light of day.”

He turned to the group. “Before we proceed, I have a suggestion to prevent the kind of disputes we encountered at Guyun Stone Forest.”

“Please, go ahead,” Wanyan said.

“I propose a contract,” Zhongli explained. “Its terms are simple: Each person takes turns claiming one item at a time.”

He added, “To demonstrate my sincerity, I will exclude myself from the sequence.”

Lumine studied his serious expression. It was clear that while the relics within were likely precious, Zhongli’s primary concern was something deeper—something tied to the history of this place.

“I’ll pass as well,” Lumine said.

Her unexpected decision left Paimon gaping. “What?! Traveler, are you sick? You’re giving up treasure?!”

“I’ll go third,” Jia Changjiang chimed in with a shrug.

However, Kliment was less agreeable. “No way!” he snapped. “Why should I split the loot with this amateur archaeologist and some random guy?”

“And why should I tolerate you desecrating the Salt Archon’s relics?” Wanyan shot back.

Zhongli intervened with calm authority. “If you refuse the contract, I will no longer serve as your consultant.”

He added firmly, “Whatever treasures—or traps—lie ahead, you’ll face them on your own.”

Kliment grumbled but ultimately relented. “Fine. Half is still worth it.”

Wanyan, however, had one condition.

“If I agree to this contract,” she said, “Mr. Zhongli must promise me one thing: Whatever truth we uncover, you must judge it impartially—even if it reflects poorly on Morax!”

Lumine raised an eyebrow. “What if the truth exonerates Morax instead?”

Wanyan froze, the possibility clearly never having occurred to her. After a moment, she stammered, “That… that’s impossible!”

Zhongli gave a faint smile and nodded. “Very well. I accept your condition.”

“The contract is sealed. Let us proceed.”

---

T/N: ugh i remember how much i hated this bitch

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!