To Zhongli, everything he witnessed today could only be described as unprecedented in the history of Teyvat's fishing community—utterly absurd and completely beyond imagination.
While the fishermen of Teyvat busied themselves boasting about the rare species they had caught, one particular fisherman here had managed to reel in five Drowned…
And that wasn't even the most bizarre part.
In an instinctive follow-up cast, that very same fisherman managed to hook none other than the mighty Conqueror of Demons, General Alatus, and drag him into the air.
The image of Xiao, clutching a trident in one hand and a shield in the other, staring blankly while dangling from a fishing hook, was one of such sheer comedic absurdity that Zhongli couldn't help but feel it belonged more in a stage play than reality.
The miraculous "Drowned fishing incident" had taken place an hour ago.
By now, the group had returned to Ryen's estate, a sprawling villa that exuded warmth and comfort.
The sky had turned completely dark, but the estate remained brightly illuminated to prevent any monsters from spawning within its boundaries.
Although the group didn't plan to return to their own world just yet, they had already set up the dual-portal system to ensure they could travel back at any time.
Now, they sat around a campfire near the villa, enjoying cups of hot tea and basking in the cozy atmosphere.
"This fishing rod truly is extraordinary…"
Ningguang's soft exclamation broke the silence, marking the umpteenth time she had marveled at the peculiar item.
"If the fishing association in Liyue knew about a rod like this, they'd be willing to spend an astronomical amount of Mora to get their hands on one."
From the way she spoke, Ryen quickly realized what Ningguang had in mind—she wanted to learn how the fishing rod was made, so she could produce and sell it to Liyue's fishing enthusiasts.
Ryen chuckled and shook his head.
"For now, I'd advise you to let go of the idea of selling fishing rods."
"Why? Is it because they're too heavy?" Ningguang inquired, tilting her head slightly.
Ningguang's enthusiasm was unmistakable. It seemed she was eager to establish her first Mora trade venture in this world.
Her plan was simple yet effective: resell these fishing rods to the avid fishermen of Liyue, raking in Mora from their overflowing pockets.
However, Ryen shook his head again.
"The issue isn't its weight. In fact, I don't have many fishing rods myself."
Ningguang appeared to grasp his point and asked softly,
"Is it because of the materials?"
Ryen sighed and nodded reluctantly.
"To make a fishing rod, you need three wooden sticks—that's the easy part. But the other key material… is string."
"String is a peculiar material," Ryen explained, his tone carrying a tinge of helplessness. "It can only be obtained by killing spiders or breaking down spider webs."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "And, on top of that, string is a primary component for crafting bows and arrows. Given our current situation, we can't afford to squander it on something as indulgent as trade."
"String isn't exactly easy to come by, after all."
Ningguang nodded thoughtfully at his words. Although she didn't show any overt signs of disappointment, Ryen could sense a subtle trace of regret in her expression.
Unable to resist, he added a few reassuring words.
"It's not a huge issue. There are plenty of spiders and webs in the mines. Besides, we've already built a mob farm, so it won't be long before monster materials become abundant."
Hearing this, a gentle softness flickered in Ningguang's eyes, and she gave a slight nod.
"Now I see why you prioritized building a mob farm first."
Ryen chuckled, choosing not to elaborate further.
Instead, his gaze shifted toward Xiao, who sat nearby clutching a trident that was nearly as tall as himself.
Well…
It had been thanks to Ganyu's incredible luck.
Three of the drowned zombies they had encountered had been carrying tridents, all of which were retrieved after the fight.
Ryen had given one of these tridents to Xiao as a gesture of goodwill.
After all, it was partly Ryen's fault that Xiao had been unceremoniously fished out of the water and slammed onto the ground with enough force to break both his legs.
Although Xiao had quickly dismissed the incident, stating that his injuries had fully healed after eating an apple and restoring his saturation levels, Ryen still felt responsible.
If the hook had been higher, Xiao could have genuinely been in danger.
Plus, gifting Xiao the trident wasn't just an apology—it was also a way to boost his combat prowess in this new world.
While Xiao's signature weapon, Primordial Jade Winged Spear, was a fine tool, its unique divine attributes were largely nullified in this world. At most, it was just a sharp weapon.
In terms of sheer damage against monsters, the trident likely outperformed the spear.
When Ryen glanced at the clock, it was nearing 8 PM.
He decided it was a good time to wrap things up.
"Alright, there's not much left to do tonight. Let's head back soon," he announced. "But before that, let's take stock of today's gains."
The group quickly grew serious, setting aside their lighthearted banter as they turned their attention to Ryen.
Truth be told, Ryen himself hadn't accomplished much that day. Most of his time had been spent constructing the floating island.
At best, he had taken down a few drowned zombies, inspected some trees, and harvested a modest batch of potatoes and carrots.
After a moment of thought, he spoke up.
"I didn't get much today, so I can give you all some seeds to plant back in your world. Also, bone meal—"
"Ahem!"
Keqing interrupted him with a sharp cough, cutting him off before he could finish his sentence.
"I managed to gather quite a bit of soil, along with some wood and stone," she said quickly. "I'll just bring those back. I'm planning to claim a plot of land near Mount Tianheng, fill it with soil from this world, and try growing crops from our world."
"However, I'll need to borrow a water bucket from you, Ryen," she added.
Ryen nodded readily. "The bucket's in the chest. Take it whenever you're ready. That said, you might also want to try using bone meal on your crops—"
"Ahem!"
This time, it was Ningguang who interrupted with a delicate cough.
With her usual elegance, she said, "I gathered several saplings and six stacks of birch wood blocks. Once I've processed the wood into planks at a crafting table, I'll send them to the harbor for further refinement or direct sale. Either way, they'll fetch a good amount of Mora."
"As for the saplings, I'll leave those to you, Keqing," she added.
Keqing nodded in agreement. "No problem."
Realizing that further attempts to promote the use of bone meal would be futile, Ryen decided to let the matter rest. It seemed they would need more time to fully adapt to the peculiarities of this world.
"I think I'll take some sand and glass back with me," Ganyu said softly, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
"Glass has a strong market appeal, especially given how unique the glass from this world is. This batch can serve as a test to gauge its market reception."
The group unanimously supported her idea.
After all, glass wasn't just valuable in Liyue—it was highly sought after in all seven nations.
The only challenge lay in transporting it safely.
But the glass produced in Ryen's world was remarkably durable, making logistics far less of a concern.
With their plans finalized, the three women had clear goals for what they wanted to bring back.
However, Xiao and Zhongli seemed a bit lost.
Xiao had spent the entire day working on the floating island, ending up with a pouch full of cobblestones.
Meanwhile, Zhongli had alternated between mining stone and slaying monsters, leaving him with an equally unappealing collection of cobblestones and rotting flesh.
Xiao, for one, had no intention of bringing those grotesque monster materials back with him. They were far too disgusting.
But the idea of leaving empty-handed after an entire day's work felt like a waste.
Noticing their hesitation, Ryen clapped his hands together and suggested with a grin, "Alright, here's the plan. Take the cobblestones back with you and practice crafting some basic items—stairs, levers, furnaces, that sort of thing. It'll give you some experience with crafting."
"Also, I'll pack some dyes for you to take back."
His words left the group momentarily stunned. After a brief pause, Zhongli raised a curious eyebrow and asked, "Dyes?"
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