Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

This bonus chapter is a small gift—may it bring you a touch of tranquility.

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"Is this your test?"

"Yes. Even though we've only exchanged a few words, doesn't it seem like one?"

"Fine, it does."

Keqing looked at Gu Sanqiu. "There's a long-standing rumor among the people. They say that every move the Liyue Qixing makes is under the watchful eyes of some mysterious beings. If any member of the Qixing harbors disloyalty, those beings will purge the heavens and the earth."

"These so-called mysterious beings—don't tell me they're from your family."

"Rubbish! That's the kind of nonsense you'd find in a poorly written novel."

Gu Sanqiu shook his head. "Why not make up a story where three sentences from someone convince the Qixing to hand over half of Liyue Harbor?"

"My family is made up of humans. And as humans, we experience emotions and desires, hold our own positions, and have our own circles. You get what I mean, right?"

"The Geo Archon is as wise and unfathomable as the depths of the sea. There's no way he'd grant my family that kind of unlimited power."

"Even if adepti descended to the mortal realm, without sufficient evidence, the most they could do is hold an inquiry or, at most, quietly commission someone from my family to investigate."

Gu Sanqiu explained, "For example, if someone spread rumors about you, Ningguang, or Uncle Tian secretly committing crimes, my first response would definitely be to find those people and send them straight to Wuwang Hill."

"Those are just malicious rumors spread by people with ill intentions—or the wild imaginings of some third-rate storyteller."

"As for the former, it's hard to trace the source. As for the latter, it doesn't clearly violate any laws, so it's tricky to handle."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of Keqing's lips before she quickly suppressed it.

"Still, that makes sense. Someone as wise as the Geo Archon would never entrust such power to others lightly. Perhaps only beings completely free from emotions and desires could handle such responsibility."

No, that's not entirely true. Families like mine and Hu Tao's are proof enough that the old man has his emotions and desires.

He's always made a clear distinction between his biological children and his adopted ones.

"Back to the point. Can you tell me now what that crimson figure's power is?"

"Killing Intent Battle Spirit. It's a technique developed by the soldiers of the Millelith during the Archon War. It's a method for the weak to challenge the strong, but it comes at a great cost."

After his explanation, even Keqing was troubled.

"You're saying there's no effective substitute for the recovery supplies we need at this stage?"

"Didn't you gather enough data on this?"

"I had them fetch the pills you made from storage. Wait, one pill per person should suffice, right? If not, I'll have them issue more later."

"One per person should be enough. Combined with food and other medicinal supplies, it won't be a problem. And you had Baizhu inspect it, didn't you? He knows what he's doing, so don't worry about that."

"Good. If something went wrong because of my negligence, that would be a disaster."

Keqing looked at Gu Sanqiu. "Putting other things aside, are you sure there's no viable substitute?"

"No."

Gu Sanqiu shook his head decisively. "I even consulted some senior experts who are friendly with my family about this. The answer is—it's extremely difficult."

He pulled out a pill and placed it on the stone table.

"This thing can only sustain a single squad for one battle. In the chaos of the battlefield, where things change in an instant, each squad would need at least two pills dissolved into a medicinal solution to even have a base to start from."

"Currently, only I, or some highly skilled elders in the secret archives or Minlin, can produce pills of this caliber."

"If you want to arm the entire Millelith with Killing Intent Battle Spirit, even splitting myself into a thousand parts wouldn't make it feasible."

"Is there any way to create a streamlined production process?"

"High-quality weapons require custom craftsmanship. The same goes for pills. My current skills aren't advanced enough to design a streamlined production line for high-quality ones. Low-quality ones, maybe."

"Couldn't we substitute with low-quality pills?"

Gu Sanqiu shook his head again. "No. Do you want to see Millelith soldiers dying en masse because of insufficient support from logistics? Absolutely not."

"That's a fair point…"

Keqing looked up. "What about forming elite combat teams? Select a group of top-tier Millelith soldiers, train them intensively, and turn them into strike teams like assassins. Would your pills be enough for that?"

"That's feasible. But if I'm not available, you'll have to rely on the secret archives for pill supplies. I suggest you settle that with them first."

Gu Sanqiu asked, "By the way, how many special elemental materials does your government currently have?"

"Ever-burning Flame Seeds, and some rare Whopperflower nectar. Why do you ask?"

"Killing Intent Battle Spirit can be enhanced with those materials. I'm thinking of ways to innovate."

Perhaps creating something akin to elemental giants imbued with Killing Intent Battle Spirit wouldn't be out of reach.

"So, you're saying the reason this can't be widely implemented is due to logistical limitations?"

"No."

Gu Sanqiu said, "Logistics are an issue, but there's another reason I don't want this widely implemented. The two are entirely separate."

Even if he sought help from master alchemists, they might produce a batch of excellent pills as a favor. But without a sustainable process, it couldn't become the norm.

Mastering core techniques himself was the only way to feel secure. It's a tangible display of confidence.

Favors, after all, have their limits. To squander his family's goodwill on something unrelated to them would be sheer folly.

Like he always said, if his sister ever became Empress of Liyue, then such favors would be worth spending.

"You just don't want to give it away?"

Keqing sighed. "Must you be so guarded?"

"I have no choice but to be cautious. Tread carefully and step boldly if you want to go far."

Gu Sanqiu handed Keqing a scroll. "I've written some foundational applications of Killing Intent Battle Spirit here, as well as a few mantras to stabilize the mind and control the power."

"Don't make this public for now. Let those few squads get the hang of it first and see if they can manage the power output. If it works, then we'll have more flexibility to scale."

"This technique was once the Millelith's method to challenge the strong from below. But right now, there aren't any enemies strong enough to warrant such measures in Liyue. A middle ground is probably the most reasonable approach for now."

"There are many foreigners in Liyue Harbor. It's possible that other nations are already aware of this. If they deliberately publicize it, we'll be in a passive position."

"They wouldn't dare."

Gu Sanqiu's lips curled into a cold smile. "Killing Intent Battle Spirit was just a side note in that incident. The real focus was the Conqueror of Demons, who soared through the skies as a golden-winged roc."

"Our dear neighbors are all polite and sensible people. They'll understand that Liyue still harbors an unrestrained, fully battle-ready adeptus specializing in slaughter."

"Even if they have other thoughts, they wouldn't risk coming here so soon to court death!"

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Our time together may be brief, but it is not without meaning. The Shogun and I will continue to watch over this journey, steadfast and unwavering. Until we meet again, may your steps remain steady on the path you walk.

— Ei