"Tch, this is giving me chills," Gu Sanqiu muttered, shaking his head before continuing to read the latter part of the scroll. It detailed the construction of the Juelu Yin-Yang Bureau in full.
A secret domain that could enhance ordinary people's combat abilities without endangering their lives—essentially a beginner-friendly training ground—was undeniably intriguing.
Yet he couldn't figure out whether his ancestor, Gu Shaochong, had survived or why this scroll had suddenly arrived in Liyue nearly five centuries later.
Ever since Venti had warned him about certain "golden-haired" individuals appearing, strange occurrences seemed to be cropping up everywhere. Monsters, mysterious figures like the one in black who had effortlessly taken down a Sumeru scholar—there was already more than enough for him to investigate.
Now, this letter from Inazuma brought an additional layer of complexity.
What was the "plan" mentioned in the letter? What secrets had Gu Shaochong and the survivors of the Chasm event uncovered? Could it all be connected to the dwindling numbers of the Gu Clan's descendants?
Gu Sanqiu suspected that Gu Shaochong had disclosed these plans knowing they would never meet again. Perhaps sharing such secrets had been a form of farewell, a way to sever ties.
Goodbye, my friend. I'll risk my life for my plans now. We'll never see each other again in this lifetime.
As for Seinosuke, Gu Sanqiu wasn't entirely convinced that the shadow envoy was dead.
According to the letter, Seinosuke had exiled himself to another dimension, seemingly intending to spend his remaining days in solitude.
Given his mastery of Adepti arts and his ability to found the Juelu Yin-Yang Bureau after a brief time in Liyue, Seinosuke was no ordinary figure. Whether he was truly gone was still up for debate.
But Gu Shaochong? There were too many gaps in the story. The older generation had hidden too much, leaving Gu Sanqiu with too little to work with.
An ancestor who lived for nearly a thousand years...
That must refer to Gu Shen. If that old man had truly lived that long, did it mean the Gu Clan once possessed a method for pseudo-immortality?
"Damn, if only I had some flashy, rule-defying power to look back through the river of time. Then all these secrets would be laid bare."
Rolling up the scroll, Gu Sanqiu mentally organized the key points. While he wasn't entirely sure about some of the Yin-Yang techniques, he understood the basics of constructing the Juelu Yin-Yang Bureau.
It was like having a blueprint for a building: the framework was clear, but the finer details—like furnishing and decor—would require careful refinement.
Seinosuke's legacy made the task far easier. He had integrated Liyue's Adepti arts into the Bureau's design, even providing a method to build it entirely using Liyuean techniques.
Following those instructions, Gu Sanqiu could undoubtedly create a functional version of the Bureau in record time.
In this era of relative peace, with resources readily available, constructing it now would be far less taxing than it had been for Seinosuke centuries ago.
"Let's start tomorrow. Time waits for no one, and the Bureau could significantly benefit the Millelith soldiers who have mastered the art of battle spirits."
Gu Sanqiu glanced at the calendar. There wasn't much time left before his agreed meeting with Venti. If he wanted to prepare for the chaos brewing in Mondstadt, completing the Bureau first was essential.
---
The next morning, streaks of green light danced across the sky as Gu Sanqiu carried Hu Tao on his back, soaring out of Liyue Harbor toward Guili Plains.
"Faster! Fly faster, Sanqiu!"
Hu Tao spread her arms wide, yelling with glee. She could afford such antics only because Gu Sanqiu had shielded her with a protective barrier—otherwise, the wind would've left her face completely numb.
"If I fly any faster, we'll break another speed threshold, and you can kiss your fun goodbye."
"Hehe, fine, fine."
Content for now, Hu Tao pulled out several hair ties and began fiddling with Gu Sanqiu's hair.
"So, why the sudden trip? Did you discover something new?"
"Yeah," Gu Sanqiu replied. "I learned an ancestor's name and uncovered some things I didn't know before."
"Huh? And that somehow involves them?"
Satisfied with the multi-braided hairstyle she'd created, Hu Tao teased, "Those fools hardly seem like they'd have any connection to your clan of cunning masterminds."
Gu Sanqiu shot her a sidelong glance. "Cunning? Care to explain that one?"
"Do I really need to? Just look at yourself."
Hu Tao grinned mischievously. "You can't deny that you're one sly fox, Sanqiu."
"I absolutely can."
"Pfft, as if! You'd lie without blinking."
Gu Sanqiu resisted the urge to toss her off. He knew it wouldn't faze her; if anything, she'd just laugh and demand a repeat.
"We're here."
They landed in a valley. Gu Sanqiu quickly smoothed out his hair, undoing Hu Tao's handiwork, before striding forward.
"Hey! That was my masterpiece! Do you have any idea how hard it is to style your hair at such high speeds?"
"Next time, for sure."
Pouting, Hu Tao crossed her arms. "Fine, but you'd better not come up with another excuse. Or better yet, why don't you teach me how to fly?"
How would a Pyro user even fly?
Gu Sanqiu had no idea. His ability to fly relied on the power of an elemental seed, a gift from Decarabian. Once he'd mastered it, flying became second nature. Teaching someone else was a different matter entirely.
It wasn't like he could rip the elemental seed from his body, split it in half, and hand a portion to her.
"Let's put the flying lessons on hold. If you're bored, go play with a wind glider. Treat it as a little pastime."
Ruffling her hair, he added, "Or maybe I'll build you a wind-and-fire wheel someday so you can fly to your heart's content."
"Really? You promise?"
Beaming, Hu Tao pulled out a small notebook and started jotting notes.
"'Today at Guili Plains, Sanqiu promised to...'"
Gu Sanqiu's face darkened as he yanked her ear. "Do you really trust me so little? And who taught you to keep a ledger like that?"
"Xingqiu, of course!"
Hu Tao replied matter-of-factly, "He said he's been burned by you so many times that he had to learn. Writing things down makes promises harder to dodge, he said. Much better than verbal agreements."
...
Where am I supposed to find plans for a wind-and-fire wheel? Raid Sumeru's archives and hope for the best?
Xingqiu, you'd better watch your back.
---
...
Huh. You really stuck it out all the way to the end.
Didn't think you had the patience. Guess I was wrong.
WiseTL's the one who actually made all this come together. I'm just here putting a bow on it... or, well, shoving it in a backpack and calling it a day. Same thing.
If you had fun, you know what to do:
👉 [patreon.com/WiseTL]
And if you're the social type, there's a Discord too. Pretty decent spot to hang out—no battles required.
👉 [discord.gg/wisetl]
Alright. That's enough standing around. Go on—before you make it weird.
—Leaf