Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [272]

"You're afraid I'll lose?"

Thoma shook his head. "It's not that you're afraid of losing, but to be honest, the opponent you've chosen is too dangerous."

"You're the eldest daughter of the Kamisato family and my dear friend. I can't let you take such a risk."

Thoma's expression turned grim. "That kind of person—if they ever abandon their calm facade and let their wild instincts take over—they would become a beast no ordinary person could face."

Like a soldier returning from countless battles, the sheer presence of someone who has survived such experiences could terrify an ordinary person into collapsing with just one glance.

Having been baptized in blood—whether it's the enemy's or one's own—means you are forever set apart from the average person.

When you drive your weapon into an opponent, the spray of blood and the resistance felt through the blade vividly remind you of life slipping away.

Kamisato Ayaka was silent for a moment before nodding thoughtfully.

"You have a point. Perhaps rushing into a duel with him is indeed too hasty on my part."

"Maybe I should approach this more gradually."

---

Elsewhere, Gu Sanqiu, now fully aware his identity was compromised, decided to stop holding back. With each leap, he propelled himself forward by more than a hundred meters, treating the wilderness like one big parkour playground.

If not for a touch of self-awareness—or the instinct for self-preservation—he might have already launched himself straight toward Yashiori Island.

After all, he had no intention of becoming the first airborne unit in Teyvat to be shot down in foreign airspace.

And a human one at that.

Even when Gu Sanqiu inadvertently triggered the "hostility" of stray Wrecked Ghosts or other monsters, they could do nothing but watch helplessly as he brazenly left their territory.

Along the way, he casually dismantled a few katana racks from Nobushi camps, examining them to see if they held any special properties.

The answer? Nothing.

If they had anything notable about them, it was that the higher-quality katana racks bore more tally marks indicating their kill count. Beyond that, they were entirely unremarkable.

"Tch, just as I thought—some things just can't be copied."

Gu Sanqiu casually flung one of the katana racks like a throwing knife, embedding it into a nearby boulder. Picking up his pace again, he aimed to reach Chinju Forest by nightfall.

While the forest's tanuki inhabitants could be mischievous, it was still their domain, meaning no other creatures dared to cause trouble there.

And that enormous rock—the sealed entity known as Hayashi the Great Tanuki—was not to be trifled with.

The real reason he chose Chinju Forest as his destination was simple: he didn't want to spend the night wide awake and on edge. At least there, he could get a good night's sleep.

As for clichéd scenarios like barging into the Kamisato Estate, accidentally stumbling into someone's bath, and witnessing a "beauty emerging from the water"? Not even on his radar.

First of all, getting himself killed climbing Yashiori Island seemed far more entertaining.

Second, Kamisato Ayaka was almost certainly still in Inazuma City. If that weren't the case, the person sent to maneuver against him wouldn't have been Thoma but one of Kamisato Ayato's subordinates.

And third, he absolutely did not want to be labeled a pervert or get slapped with a wanted notice. He was determined to steer clear of any such behavior.

"Hm, should I maybe wait until the Komore Teahouse is empty, plant some bombs, and blow it up?"

Gu Sanqiu gave the idea serious thought, even planning how to pin the blame.

Blame it on Yoimiya, the local pyrotechnic prodigy. He could already imagine the story: an unfortunate mishap during an experiment with a new type of firework results in the Komore Teahouse being obliterated. Naganohara Fireworks issues a public apology and temporarily shuts down for inspection.

The Tenryou Commission would issue a grave statement about maintaining law and order in Inazuma City, spouting plenty of bureaucratic nonsense about ensuring public safety.

Plan complete.

"Eh, forget it. They've done nothing to provoke me. Ruining my own karma for no reason isn't fun at all."

With a sigh, Gu Sanqiu continued to ponder where he might have slipped up.

Being the scheming underdog and leading his team to victory had always seemed like the easiest route. So why was it so difficult in his case?

If not for the Sacred Sakura, he might genuinely suspect that little fox had betrayed him. If that turned out to be true, he wouldn't be able to resist hosting a nonstop seven-day fireworks festival in Byakko Plain just to let off steam.

Sleep? Forget about it!

Maybe he'd even throw in an earth-shaking technique to spice things up.

The entrance to Chinju Forest loomed ahead. Gu Sanqiu slowed his pace as he approached, sensing immediately that this forest was unlike any other.

It was serene and tranquil, yet not cold or lifeless. The atmosphere seemed to encourage both body and soul to relax entirely, as though beckoning one to lie down and sleep beneath the trees.

"If this place could be turned into a cemetery plot, it'd probably sell for more than a luxury estate."

Gu Sanqiu couldn't help but quip as he observed the forest's surroundings. He noticed that the entire forest was enveloped in an intricate and unseen power system following a specific pattern.

It was an array—an advanced formation requiring immense knowledge and skill to construct.

Covering an entire forest without disrupting the lives of any creatures except for the tanuki? That kind of craftsmanship was enough to make any expert fall to their knees in reverence.

"Even the forest itself has been influenced."

He placed a hand on the trunk of a massive tree.

To describe it in more technical terms might be confusing, but visually, the difference was clear: the colors of Chinju Forest stood out starkly from those of any other forest.

"If not for the array, this forest should be no different from any other—vibrant and teeming with life, with monsters behaving normally as they do elsewhere."

"Something feels off. Is this truly just a sealing array? No strange mind-controlling effects?"

Gu Sanqiu furrowed his brow. Truthfully, he had no way of gauging the skill level of whoever had set this array.

But for a simple sealing array to exert what felt like a near-mind-altering influence… This wasn't something that could be explained by raw power alone.

"Impressive. Better tread carefully."

With a cautious step, Gu Sanqiu entered Chinju Forest. His spiritual energy flowed throughout his body, forming an invisible shield.

If the subtle influence was purely mental, he was confident his soul's core—guarded by formidable barriers—would withstand it.

But if it operated on a physical level, he wasn't sure what type of shield could counteract it.

Geo and other elemental crystallizations at least had visible forms to work with, but all he could sense here was the flow of energy—its expression remained entirely unclear.

"Noted. I'll need to stay sharp when heading to the Grand Narukami Shrine."

Letting go of his earlier dismissiveness, Gu Sanqiu grew increasingly wary. If this forest's array, meant merely to restrain Hayashi, already posed this level of challenge, the shrine itself—centered around ritual and worship—would be on a whole other level.

Even without a direct inheritance of power, the knowledge passed down alone would be formidable. He had no desire to end up like Hayashi—sealed away, waiting endlessly for creatures to wander close enough to sense his existence.

At least prisoners had yard time. Without nearby creatures, Hayashi's only conversational partners were the little tanuki—naive, inexperienced, and knowing nothing of the world.

Better to stay silent.