Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

As soon as the white figure entered, Gu Sanqiu waited about half a minute before testing the line on his fishing rod. As expected, only the fishing line reeled back up.

"Tch, well, I'd thought this might happen, but it really does feel like reeling in after the bait's been snatched."

He put the rod away and closed the portal. "So he actually did it. Managed a full crossing, and on his own terms, no less."

It's widely known that travel between worlds usually involves something ridiculous, like getting struck by lightning, hit by a car, or drowning after a breakup. These are the kinds of incidents that sane people don't exactly strive to emulate.

But this self-initiated, "leap of faith" style of his was something new. How effective it would be, though…that was anyone's guess.

"No loot drop from the portal, huh?" Gu Sanqiu shook his head and dismissed the thought, reminding himself it was probably a good thing. If an item had appeared, it might have meant his friend was in some kind of "item-transit mode," stuck on a conveyor belt to who knows where.

But no item drop meant there was a high chance he'd gone through a 'personal' channel, with actual interactions. Of course, whether the person he'd encounter would be a friendly face or something beyond mortal comprehension? That was anyone's guess.

"Well, back to business."

Popping out of Teyvat into the unknown was White Shadow's decision, after all. Whatever awaited him, be it as a slave or some other fate, he had to have considered it already.

Everyone's an adult here; they know the consequences.

Gu Sanqiu moved down to a storage chest, where he carefully opened a small purple-gold jade box.

Item: Rebirth Pill

Quality: Purple

Source: Cangdao Palace

Description: Due to the high risks of cultivating the "Cangdao True Mantra," practitioners frequently suffer body explosions. Since most use temporary vessels, multiple replacement bodies are common practice for newcomers. The Rebirth Pill aids in synchronizing the soul with an artificial body.

Additional Note: The reconstitution methods of Cangdao Palace are peerless, but their research goals are…questionable. All advancements in restoration serve only to fuel the creation of disposable, explosive bodies.

Gu Sanqiu's face remained neutral as he reread the item description. This was one of many oddities his "starter pack" had provided him back when he first arrived in Teyvat.

This rebirth pill was one among several treasures stored away for future emergencies or as a last-ditch option.

"The only real worry," he muttered, "is whether this pill could somehow push that Cangdao cultivation method on me."

After all, if the technique really required one to train on disposable bodies before using the mantra on their true self, how would that work for someone who's only got the one? He hoped for a disclaimer label—something like "For External Use Only."

But remembering White Shadow's words, Gu Sanqiu's resolve returned. If this golden finger was going to off him, it had plenty of chances to do so already. It wasn't exactly some sadistic force scheming for a dramatic finale.

So he swallowed the pill without another thought.

His body's reconstitution was undeniably painful, but it only made Gu Sanqiu marvel at those crazy cultivators in Cangdao Palace. His compatibility with this body was already nearly perfect, and it still hurt this much—how did they stand it with their temporary vessels?

By early morning, Gu Sanqiu had packed everything he could carry. He arrived at the meeting point looking like an overburdened traveler.

"Xiao?"

The almond tofu-loving adeptus nodded with a faintly amused look as he glanced over Gu Sanqiu's bulging pack. "That's all for supplies?"

"Yeah, pretty much. A few items for defense, too," Gu Sanqiu admitted. "I mean, given what I'm up against, I doubt I'd last long in a one-on-one situation, so I thought I'd stack the odds a bit."

"Your job is to channel the powers in that bone pen. Leave the rest to me."

Translation: Relax, big guy's got you.

And with that, Gu Sanqiu was off his feet, soaring into the air.

"Here we are."

Xiao set him down gently, and after confirming he was steady, a flash of curiosity flickered in the adeptus's gaze. It wasn't often that mortals stood so calmly after being hauled through the sky.

"Ready?"

"Ready." Gu Sanqiu took out the bone pen, calmly stabbing it into his arm where it rested like some miniature antenna.

Time to activate the paper doll art.

"This might take a bit," he admitted, "and the pen is technically a consumable. I don't know how long it'll hold."

Then he turned to Xiao with a suggestion. "You know, if you analyzed this art, maybe you could recreate it with some of the minor spirits. Could save time in the long run."

"I'm no craftsman," Xiao replied, shaking his head. "One mustn't depend too heavily on external tools. Leave it for later."

"Aw, come on. Fists versus Treasure Hoarders versus weapons—it's all the same, right? At the end of the day, we're just getting the job done as efficiently as possible."

Xiao remained silent for a moment before replying. "Evil will always remain."

Gu Sanqiu blinked. Xiao had a point; unless the ancient, defeated gods were obliterated at their roots, spirits born of shattered ambitions and residues would linger forever.

"Xiao, later could we capture one of the minor spirits? Just for study?"

"Do it yourself."

"Okay, different question." Gu Sanqiu held up his spear. "How come some spirits go wild just seeing this weapon? Did my ancestors do something with it?"

"That wasn't recorded?"

Xiao's expression remained impassive. "Back then, your family followed the Lord of Geo into battle, along with the Millelith. To ensure they could damage the enemy, this spear repeatedly carved wounds into their foes."

Gu Sanqiu's jaw dropped. "So, my ancestor just…kept slicing open godly entities with this?"

"Correct."

---

Oh, hey there, Traveler! 🍃 My friend here is the one bringing these stories to you—quite the talent, wouldn't you agree? If anything feels off, just give them a nudge—they're always happy to make things even better.

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Here's to more adventures and endless inspiration~ 🎵