126: Hu Tao—The Wicked Bloodsucking Staff!

"Bloodsucking?"

Zhongli's eyes flickered with understanding as he looked at Ryen.

The latter nodded and explained in a calm voice, "Just like its name suggests, this staff drains blood."

As he spoke, Ryen turned and pointed the staff at a pig grazing in the nearby pasture.

A shrill, agonized squeal rang out.

Strangely, though the pig thrashed and struggled, it remained completely suspended in midair.

A moment later, the others noticed—its blood was being stripped from its body, turning into a crimson mist that floated steadily toward Ryen.

Not long after, the pig vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a fresh piece of raw pork.

A collective shiver ran through the group.

This scene was chilling—far too eerie.

Ryen's ability resembled something only the darkest sorcerers would wield.

If this were his previous life, people would have undoubtedly pointed fingers, calling him a necromancer.

But in Teyvat, magic like this had never been seen before.

Zhongli furrowed his brows slightly and said in a deep voice, "It seems… you have directly—"

"Exactly," Ryen interrupted with a small smile, spinning the bloodsucking staff in his hand. "This weapon drains life essence."

The way he casually twirled the staff sent another round of chills through everyone.

"When locked onto an enemy, the staff forcibly suspends them in midair. Even if they manage to land, they'll be afflicted with a slow debuff."

"It doesn't deal high damage per hit, but the attack speed is terrifyingly fast."

"As long as the staff has a target, that target is as good as dead."

Ryen then paused, his tone becoming more serious.

"But the most terrifying part of the Bloodsucking Staff is this—"

He looked around at the group before declaring, "Any life force it extracts is transferred directly to me."

"It restores my health and my hunger."

"In other words, if I get injured or run low on energy, all I have to do is attack with this staff, and I'll recover in no time."

"Which is why…"

Ryen spread his hands in a helpless shrug.

Hu Tao, who had been silent up until now, suddenly pouted and said in a disgruntled tone, "Snatching someone else's life force for your own use—what an evil weapon!"

The others nodded in agreement.

Ryen rolled his eyes. "I'd accept that from anyone else, but Hu Tao? Come on."

"Isn't your 'Secret Art: Spirit Soother' the exact same thing?"

Hu Tao's smug expression froze. She struggled for a moment before attempting to defend herself.

"T-That's completely different!"

"My Spirit Soother is… is…"

Seeing her flounder, Ryen chuckled and flicked her nose playfully. "What, are you trying to say it generates life force out of thin air?"

"Ugh…"

Hu Tao fell silent.

If she claimed that, it would be utterly ridiculous.

After all, her elemental burst worked by striking an enemy and restoring her own health based on the damage dealt and her own vitality.

And where did that life force come from?

The more she thought about it, the more she realized—wasn't she also just violently ripping energy away from enemies to heal herself?

If that weren't the case, why did Hu Tao's "wasted burst" become one of the most frustrating misplays imaginable?

If Spirit Soother could really generate life force from nothing, wouldn't Hu Tao be spamming her burst with every step she took?

Ultimately, the difference lay in appearance.

Ryen's staff openly, unapologetically drained enemies dry, making it seem far more sinister.

But at the end of the day, it was just a weapon.

Weapons weren't inherently good or evil—only the wielder determined their purpose.

Even the Staff of Homa in Hu Tao's hands held a vastly different meaning compared to someone else wielding it.

The others seemed to come to the same realization.

While the Bloodsucking Staff still gave them an eerie feeling, it was no longer outright repulsive.

After all, they trusted Ryen.

"Alright, let's not waste any more time. Go get the horses," Ryen instructed with a grin.

Xiao gave a small nod before heading toward the stables.

Meanwhile, Hu Tao, who had been left speechless by Ryen's logic, suddenly had a glint of mischief in her eyes.

She put on her most adorable smile, sidled up to Ryen, and clung to his arm.

"Heehee~ Ryen, look! You've got yourself this fancy new Bloodsucking Staff, and you even gifted Ganyu that awesome Barrett sniper rifle."

"Don't you have a little something for me too?"

Ryen raised an eyebrow.

He saw right through her act, but he played along, feigning confusion.

"Oh, you want my diamond sword? Sure. I don't have it on me right now, but you can grab it from my room."

"..."

Hu Tao's face instantly darkened.

She puffed up her cheeks in indignation. "Who wants your diamond sword?! I already have one!"

"Unbelievable! You're messing with me on purpose, aren't you, Ryen?"

Ryen merely shrugged with an innocent expression.

"Heaven and earth bear witness—I would never deceive the adorable Master Hu."

"Ugh…"

Hu Tao's cheeks flushed red for a moment, but she quickly crossed her arms and declared,

"Don't play dumb! You already have so many cool—uh, powerful weapons! Just lend me the Enma Blade for a little while!"

"If that's too much, the rifle will do! I'm not picky!"

Hearing her come right out with it, Ryen couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head.

"Alright, enough of that. The Enma Blade and the rifle are off-limits."

"So stingy!"

Hu Tao pouted, puffing up her cheeks in frustration.

"I'll return it after a little while! At worst… at worst, I'll move in with you!"

"…?"

The moment those words left her mouth, not just Ganyu but also Ningguang and Nahida turned to stare at her.

Hu Tao, however, didn't mind in the slightest. She latched onto Ryen's arm, swaying coquettishly.

"Come on, Ryen! Just for a bit, okay?"

Looking at the adorable Hu Tao clinging to him, Ryen sighed helplessly.

"Alright, enough of that. The Enma Blade and the rifle aren't just ordinary weapons. They can't be used so casually."

"The Enma Blade has durability. If it runs out and I haven't activated the Katana mod, it'll actually break."

"And the rifle? It's almost out of ammo. If you play with it for a bit, it'll just turn into a fancy stick."

Hu Tao pursed her lips. She wasn't the type to throw a tantrum over something like this.

It was just that after seeing Ryen's teleporting swordplay with the Enma Blade, she couldn't help but feel a little envious.

She just wanted to try it out—experience the thrill of moving instantly at will.

Ender Pearls were nice, sure, but those things drained health.

Even with the Fall Protection enchantment, it didn't mean she wouldn't lose HP.

However—Hu Tao's eyes suddenly lit up. She pointed at the Bloodsucking Staff in Ryen's hand.

"Then what about that thing?! That one won't break, right? And you're always holding onto it!"

At her words, Ryen chuckled and nodded.

"Good point. The Bloodsucking Staff won't break."

"If its durability runs out, that just means it's out of charge. All I need is a Fermented Spider Eye to recharge it, and it'll be as good as new."

"Why? Interested? I can let you try it out for a bit."

With a mischievous grin, Ryen waved the Bloodsucking Staff in front of Hu Tao, tempting her.

Her expression stiffened instantly before she hurriedly let go of his arm.

"Hmph! Who wants to use such an evil weapon?! Forget it! I'll just make my own in the future!"

Her childish defiance only made her more endearing. Ryen chuckled, ruffling her hair gently.

"Alright, alright. If I get the chance, I'll find you a weapon that suits you better."

"I promise it'll not only be fun but also incredibly useful for your exorcisms."

Hu Tao's eyes gleamed with excitement. She immediately extended her hand for a handshake.

"It's a deal! If you go back on your word, you'll face the wrath of the Geo Lord!"

Ryen smiled and nodded.

—A weapon suited for Hu Tao, something to help with exorcisms…

The Great Merciful Gatling Gun, rotating at 3,600 rounds per minute.

Deliverance for all, benevolence in action.

Forget exorcising mere spirits—she could probably exorcise an entire Fatui Harbinger with that thing.

Ryen honestly doubted there was anything in Teyvat that could withstand the sheer firepower of a Gatling gun.

Except for gods, of course.

To be fair, even if he unloaded an entire arsenal of Gatling guns on Osial, he doubted it would kill the sea monster.

It wasn't that its defenses were impenetrable.

It was just that gods were… weird.

As long as Osial remained in the ocean, it could regenerate endlessly. That alone made it nearly impossible to deal with.

Not that it was truly unbeatable…

If push came to shove, he'd bring out RPGs and missiles.

And if that still wasn't enough…

Well, then it'd be time to introduce Teyvat to the concept of nuclear warfare.

…

Before long, Xiao returned, leading several horses.

Seven in total, each clad in diamond armor.

Naturally, Zhongli and the others each took one, while Nahida shared a horse with Ryen.

Technically, two-person riding required a special mod.

But rules were made to be bent, and Ryen wasn't about to be stopped by something so trivial.

Nahida was small enough that holding her while riding was easy.

Ryen had considered getting her a foal, but really, how would that look?

Everyone else riding mighty stallions, while Nahida lagged behind on a tiny horse?

Besides, holding Nahida while galloping across the plains—now that sounded like a fantastic time.

Swinging onto his horse, he secured Nahida in his arms.

At that moment, Nahida silently thanked the heavens for her petite size.

She didn't miss the way Ganyu gazed at her, full of envy.

"Everyone ready?"

Ryen tightened his grip on the reins and called out, his voice brimming with excitement.

Before anyone could answer, he nudged his horse's sides, raising his voice:

"Let's ride!"

The horses neighed and shot forward, carrying the group out of the estate.

They passed through the bustling base, where Millelith soldiers and miners alike turned to watch, offering respectful nods.

Soon, they crossed the newly constructed bridge leading to the grasslands, where the scenery stretched vast and unbroken.

The estate and base quickly disappeared behind them, even the floating island shrinking to a mere speck in the distance.

In the Minecraft world, horseback riding was incredibly freeing—no worries about missing a turn and plummeting off a cliff.

Even Ningguang, who wasn't the best rider, easily controlled her horse.

The wild wind, sharpened by their speed, was bracing yet refreshing.

At that moment, Ryen understood why Venti was so obsessed with freedom and the wind.

For just a fleeting second, Ryen resonated with that feeling completely.

He tightened his hold on Nahida, who closed her eyes blissfully, stretching her arms out wide.

She was savoring every moment of this new experience.

Above them, clouds drifted lazily. Below, the grasslands sprawled endlessly, painted in lush hues.

The grass wasn't tall enough for the classic "wind blows, revealing grazing herds" look, but even so, the sight of freely roaming cattle, sheep, and horses filled the air with a different kind of tranquility.

"Ryen, Ryen! Look, there's a Lucky Block over there!"

Suddenly, Nahida exclaimed, pointing excitedly into the distance.

Ryen narrowed his eyes, spotting the glowing cube. He quickly raised a hand, signaling Ganyu to lower her bow.

Releasing the reins momentarily, he pulled out his own bow, drawing the string back.

A fiery arrow shot forward like a streak of lightning, piercing the Lucky Block with pinpoint precision.

The block shattered instantly, spilling out an abundance of diamonds and emeralds.

Ryen rode through at full speed, scooping up the loot without stopping.

Turning back to the others, he flashed a grin.

"Now that's a great start."

"Looks like this trip is going to be a lucky one!"

~~----------------------

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