"Sigh, I should've brought the old man along. Sticking to a rigid mindset really isn't helpful," Gu Sanqiu muttered as he dashed through the trees, heading straight for Wuwang Hill.
After receiving Hu Tao's "call for help," Gu Sanqiu didn't hesitate. He claimed his "daily sign-in rewards," quickly packed up, and hit the road that same night.
It was only after he set out that he realized he had been avoiding Zhongli all this time because his soul hadn't fully merged. If Zhongli had noticed that he was an outsider from another world, it would have been a disaster.
But now that his two souls had merged, as long as he kept his mouth shut, he would just seem like a slightly odd incense bearer. Even Zhongli would only think that something was a bit off about his mental state.
Still, it was too late to go back and call for help now. Besides, all of Liyue was Zhongli's domain, and Gu Sanqiu couldn't imagine that Zhongli would sit back and let Hu Tao get into any real trouble.
Rustle, rustle—
The sound of rustling leaves came from behind Gu Sanqiu, followed by a volley of green projectiles aimed at him.
"No wonder they say even regular people can handle these things if they're a bit brave."
Gu Sanqiu pulled out his golden fishing rod and swatted the green orbs to dust.
"But if it were a large group of slimes, even the Millelith might have a tough time dealing with them."
Gu Sanqiu turned his head, and a flash of red glinted in his eyes. The suppressive power of his corresponding element instantly sent the three slimes fleeing in terror, leaving him to continue on unimpeded.
"Elemental energy—this stuff really is at the core of everything in Teyvat. But honestly, the fact that slimes are immune to their own elements seems a bit unfair."
Fast-forward to Reincarnated as the Slime God or The Celestial Slime Raising Diaries, and with a bit of elemental fusion, you could probably go toe-to-toe with the Heavenly Principles after a quick face wash.
"But without the recognition of a Vision, I still can't release elemental energy outward. Breathing fire or spitting ice? Yeah, that's not happening anytime soon."
As the sun rose, Gu Sanqiu appreciated the efficiency of the Qixing's governance. Aside from taking a shortcut earlier, he hadn't encountered any Hilichurls or other monsters.
...
"Boss, give me two orders of almond tofu and a grilled fish to go. I'm in a hurry."
"Oh, this must be your first time at our inn, isn't it?" Smiling, Verr Goldet glanced at the sweat-covered Gu Sanqiu. "Two tofu and one fish, coming right up. Please wait a moment."
In the kitchen, Yanxiao stared intently at Gu Sanqiu, who was sipping tea. His grip on his knife didn't relax for a second.
"Alright, he means no harm. He just arrived in a... unique way. No need to overthink it. Get back to cooking," the lazy-looking uncle next to him patted Yanxiao on the shoulder. "If you keep the customer waiting too long, the boss will be upset."
"Bah, you freeloader! You've got some nerve lecturing me."
Yanxiao grumbled as he returned to the stove. "No one saw him arrive. Who knows how that guy got up here? If he's a bad guy planning something against the inn, we're in big trouble."
After quickly packing up the famous "Xiao-bane" dishes, Gu Sanqiu ate a few bites and then, with no hesitation, leaped off the balcony in full view of everyone!
Splash—
With a slight flick of his back, a pair of golden wings with black patterns unfolded, and after adjusting his direction, he soared toward Dihua Marsh.
"Wind gliders, huh?"
Verr Goldet watched thoughtfully as Gu Sanqiu disappeared into the distance. She traced her finger lightly across the counter, considering whether to add him to her information logs.
He didn't use the elevator, appeared before her suddenly, and had total control over the wind gliders—plus, she'd never seen him before.
"He came from the direction of Liyue Harbor. Why haven't we received any intelligence on a person like him?"
What she didn't know was that Gu Sanqiu had traveled under the cover of night, speeding the entire way. Even if the Millelith had noticed his movements, the intelligence department would have weighed his status as an incense bearer before bothering to report it. By the time the news reached anyone, Gu Sanqiu would have long been gone.
"That sunset is gorgeous."
Gu Sanqiu glanced at the vibrant colors of the sunset, then at the ominously dark Wuwang Hill. Without a second thought, he headed straight in.
But entering Wuwang Hill alone at this time of day was no different from a horror movie character heading straight into their doom. Did he really think he was the protagonist, with plot armor and an endless supply of scapegoats?
"If it weren't for the fact that Wuwang Hill has never really caused any problems, this huge cemetery would've been leveled long ago."
He blew lightly at a small blue flame flickering nearby.
Boom—
The blue flame visibly grew larger, as if triggered by some unseen mechanism. Suddenly, all the other blue flames in the area rushed toward him, seemingly eager to surround him!
!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ
"What the—?! Were you guys bees or ants in a past life?!"
"This is nothing like the family records!"
Gu Sanqiu turned and ran. That one breath he exhaled had given the yin-aligned flames a taste of human life force, like an irresistible boost of energy for them. But he hadn't expected the situation to escalate so much!
With a swarm of blue flames closing in, Gu Sanqiu fired a signal into the sky and bolted. Even Hu Tao would be wary of these flames, let alone a mere mortal like him without a Vision.
"Oh-ho?"
From a small, dilapidated house in the distance, Hu Tao glanced up at the sound of the signal flare. When she saw the golden firework explode in the sky, her face lit up with joy.
"Heh heh, backup has arrived!"
Immediately after, a red signal flare shot into the sky, briefly blooming like a fading flower.
"I've got my direction!"
Glancing at the flare, Gu Sanqiu nearly twisted his neck in the process. He let out a sharp whistle, and from the sky came an angry bird's screech, piercing the air and stunning the blue flames chasing him.
The Great Shadow Eagle descended, a fierce black wind swirling around it, scattering the blue flames that had formed a wall. Its eyes blazed with undisguised murderous intent.
"Whew—good thing you were here."
Gu Sanqiu sighed in relief. He had really almost met his end this time. Who would have thought that blowing on those flames would cause such a disaster?
If he'd known, he would've snuffed out the two ghostly flames on his shoulders before even entering Wuwang Hill. But then again, who knew if all those old family remedies actually worked?
"Let's go find Hu Tao. I'll leave the rest of this journey to you."
Half an hour later, Gu Sanqiu easily found his target. Hu Tao was sitting cross-legged on the ground, swaying back and forth, entertaining herself.
"Why'd you call me here? The weather's getting colder. At least sit on something."
Gu Sanqiu reached out, and the Great Shadow Eagle obediently flew back into the sky, watching over the area for any suspicious movements.
"Wow, what a cool bird! I want one!" Hu Tao's eyes sparkled as she grabbed Gu Sanqiu's arm. "Hey, hey, when your black bird has chicks, can you give me one? It'll be the official mascot of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor!"
"With such a handsome bird, our business will boom! Ho ho ho."
"Focus—on—the—important stuff."
---
T/N: The "daily sign-in reward" actually refers to him fishing out of the vortex, that is his cheat.
If you spot any mistakes let me know so I can fix them.
Read up to Chapter 30! [P@treon.com/WiseTL]