Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [359]

"Teaching me a lesson?"

Gu Sanqiu's eyes scanned the group of approaching Stonehide Lawachurls, and a smirk tugged at his lips.

"How amusing. It's been quite a while since anyone dared speak to me like that."

The Lawachurls before him were different—their darkened, tempered hides hinted at rigorous training. These must be the "Hardened Hulking Churls" Xingqiu had mentioned.

However… their coloration evoked an odd, almost humorous association in his mind.

He turned to the Hydro Abyss Mage nearby. "Hey, don't tell me you trained these Lawachurls by throwing them into some ridiculously high-pressure environment?"

The Abyss Mage faltered, his voice betraying both astonishment and reluctant admiration.

"You noticed? Impressive. But it won't help you. With these little monsters here, your defeat is inevitable!"

Obviously, Gu Sanqiu thought with a deadpan expression. Even wild Steelix evolve the same way.

Ignoring the Abyss Mage's dramatic proclamations, his attention was on the Lawachurls. Their movements were eerily synchronized, following commands without hesitation.

"Attack!"

The lead Lawachurl lunged forward, arms outstretched to grab Gu Sanqiu, while the others roared, shaking their fists and summoning elemental armor that shimmered with raw energy.

"Let's see what you've got," Gu Sanqiu said, grinning as he stepped forward to meet the charge head-on. His hands braced against the massive arms of the Lawachurl, halting its momentum in a thunderous clash.

Boom!

The ground beneath them cracked, sinking slightly under the strain. The Lawachurl's muscles bulged as elemental energy coursed through its frame, amplifying its already formidable strength.

"Not bad," Gu Sanqiu remarked dryly. Then, with a swift pivot, he drove his right foot into its ankle.

"ROAR!"

The beast bellowed in pain, staggering. Seizing the opportunity, Gu Sanqiu twisted and hurled it into the distance with a resounding crash.

The Abyss Mage's watery shield quivered as he witnessed the display.

"As I thought… such terrifying physical power… and that familiar face… The real deal has shown up!"

"Formation! Attack!"

The Mage raised his staff, and the remaining Lawachurls raised their arms in unison. They slammed their fists into the ground, summoning boulders brimming with concentrated elemental energy that encircled Gu Sanqiu.

"Resonance: Steel March!"

Thud. Thud. Thud.

The Lawachurls began a rhythmic stomp, each impact resonating through the earth. The one Gu Sanqiu had thrown clambered back to its feet, rejoining the formation as an unearthly hum enveloped them.

In addition to their elemental armor, a shimmering, intangible substance wrapped around their bodies, pulsing like an advanced form of resonance.

"Resonance, huh? Like I don't know a thing or two about that."

Gu Sanqiu sneered, slamming his foot into the ground.

"Seismic Shockwave!"

A massive shockwave exploded outward, the ground rippling violently. Yet as the energy reached the Lawachurls, the mysterious substance enveloping them shimmered and absorbed the impact entirely, leaving them unharmed.

Gu Sanqiu's eyes narrowed as he surveyed the phenomenon. Without hesitation, he armed himself: twin hammers charged with elemental power aimed at the closest Lawachurl's head.

The Abyss Mage cackled. "It's useless! Useless!"

The resonant field shimmered once more, erasing the elemental energy from the hammers. Gu Sanqiu noticed that the boulders around him seemed to grow slightly larger with every failed attack.

"Ah, I see now. The stones are the core."

The Abyss Mage chuckled darkly. "Oh, are you guessing the stones are the core? Let me save you the trouble—it's pointless. Once Steel March begins, unless your power in a single strike surpasses the combined elemental capacity of everyone here, you'll never break it!"

"Combined capacity?" Gu Sanqiu muttered, furrowing his brows. It wasn't like he had a stats screen to check their energy reserves. And if he naively followed this conveniently shared information, he'd be a fool.

The Abyss Mage's grin widened. "With your strongest moves sealed, all you have left is your physical strength. Let's see how long you can hold out against my Lawachurls!"

"Everyone, advance!"

The Lawachurls moved in perfect coordination, surrounding Gu Sanqiu with disciplined steps. Their armor darkened to near-black, the elemental energy condensing further as they closed in.

"Demon-Subjugating Vajra Staff!"

Gu Sanqiu leaped into the air, forming a massive Vajra Staff imbued with Geo energy. He aimed it directly at the center of the formation and brought it crashing down.

The Lawachurls raised their arms simultaneously, and the mysterious resonance flared. The Vajra Staff met the combined force and, after a tense moment, shattered into fragments.

Gu Sanqiu's eyes remained locked on the stones. As they absorbed the lingering elemental energy, they grew again, solidifying his suspicion.

One Lawachurl can't block a Vajra Staff—it takes two or three working together. But with all of them acting in unison, their combined power greatly reduces individual strain.

He sighed. It was a double-edged realization. On one hand, overwhelming force could work, but on the other, these Lawachurls had numbers, coordination, and their formation. To top it off, the Abyss Mage's shield radiated an unfamiliar brilliance—far more dangerous than the usual water-based shields.

Thud!

One of the Lawachurls leaped into the air, aiming its horned head, now glowing with elemental light, directly at Gu Sanqiu's chest.

"Nope, that's too much chest-bumping for me."

Gu Sanqiu inhaled deeply, Geo energy forming a protective shield around his arms. Timing it perfectly, he caught the Lawachurl's horns mid-charge.

"You came to me—don't leave now. Let's have a chat!"

With Anemo energy bursting beneath his feet, he yanked the Lawachurl into the air, ignoring the repeated blows raining on his Geo shield. Letting out a roar of his own, he swung the creature into its comrades below with a bone-rattling crash.

The Abyss Mage snorted, twirling his staff. A gentle wave of water caught the airborne Lawachurl and set it down gently. The others pressed forward without hesitation, stomping the ground in unison.

The ground pulsed, disrupting the Anemo energy beneath Gu Sanqiu and dragging him back to the earth. Before he could regain his footing, a barrage of punches and flying rock fragments rained down on him.

"Trying to bury me alive, huh?" Gu Sanqiu growled, curling up as his Geo shield flared, absorbing the brunt of the assault. Dust and debris billowed into the air, obscuring the battlefield.

The Lawachurls, undeterred, began hurling massive stones into the pit where Gu Sanqiu lay.

"You've got to be kidding me! Are you seriously trying to bury me alive?!"

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T/N: gaga discord server link 6 dsya https://discord.gg/ZJsEjAHH