In Teyvat, slimes were among the most common elemental creatures. Just as the Seven Nations corresponded to the seven elements, slimes came in all seven types.
Zhang Hao had a bold idea—why not try taming one of each? If he could gather all seven kinds, maybe, just maybe… fusing them together would create a whole new element.
"This one looks like it'd feel cool to the touch…"
Ordinary-sized slimes all had straightforward attack patterns. Cryo Slimes, for example, were icy-blue spheres capped with snowy white, like a snowball given life.
Their collision attacks applied Cryo, just like Hydro Slimes applied Hydro. Getting hit felt like being rammed by a blob of soft, squishy ice.
Perfect for hugging in the summer.
"Alright, Hydro Slime, you're up!" Zhang Hao declared.
Hydro Slime: "???"
If it could talk, it would probably say: "You seriously want me to fight a Cryo Slime? For real?"
Because Hydro + Cryo meant freeze. One clash and it would get locked solid, while the opponent walked away unharmed.
Master, are you… okay in the head? Even you'd do better than me here.
Zhang Hao laughed awkwardly, scratching his head. "Ahaha, right, forgot Cryo counters Hydro. My bad."
Instead, he crouched and waved at the Cryo Slime. Surprisingly, the icy little blob didn't attack. It simply bounced over and stopped at his feet.
Curious, Zhang Hao reached out. Unlike the squishy-wet feel of the Hydro Slime, the Cryo Slime was deliciously cool—like touching a flowing liquid that never froze solid.
They stared at each other for a long moment.
What a strange human, thought the slime. No sense of boundaries at all.
When Zhang Hao asked if it wanted to follow him, the Cryo Slime agreed without fuss. His team had grown once again.
For now, his goal was clear: collect all seven elemental slimes. And since Mondstadt already had them all, he wouldn't need to travel far.
On a grassy plain, Zhang Hao spotted what looked like a suspiciously wiggling plant. He grinned—it was a hidden Dendro Slime.
Unlike the others, this one was sneaky. It burrowed into the ground and launched ambushes from below.
"Pyro Slime, you're up!"
This time, he sent out his newly caught Pyro Slime. Fire plus Hydro could both reveal the Dendro Slime's location, but fire was the cleaner option.
With a burst of heat, the Pyro Slime ignited the surrounding grass. Soon, a flaming green blob popped out of the soil, flailing around until it managed to smother the flames—charred black in the process.
"Dendro Slime, secured."
Just like that, Zhang Hao had four elements under his belt: Hydro, Cryo, Pyro, and Dendro.
With four little blobs bouncing along behind him, he was easily the flashiest guy in Teyvat.
He decided to rest for the day. The remaining three slimes could wait until tomorrow.
The next morning, under a birch tree, he encountered an Anemo Slime. Its light green body sprouted a pair of tiny wings, and with the power of wind it floated gracefully in the air, zipping about like a balloon on fast-forward.
Zhang Hao dodged its rush, then coaxed it over. One quick negotiation, and it joined the squad. Easy.
Large slimes, he noted, had more impressive abilities—some could drop boulders or launch ranged attacks. Geo and Cryo slimes even sported protective shells.
Naturally, he needed a Geo Slime. And sure enough, he found one near an iron ore deposit.
It was brown and heavy-looking, with rocky protrusions sprouting plants from its back.
Zhang Hao glanced at the ore and chuckled. "Man, before Zhongli's release, mining was such a pain. That old fossil really is the number one miner in Teyvat. Just hold his skill and boom—free ore."
Still, he managed to recruit the Geo Slime without issue.
Now only one was left: Electro.
Electro Slimes were usually found where lightning energy was strongest—near electro crystals.
At last, beneath a cliffside, Zhang Hao found a cluster of deep purple crystals, towering half as tall as a man.
Even before he touched them, the hairs on his arms stood on end. A pleasant, tingling buzz filled the air.
With a pop, an Electro Slime appeared—purple, with antenna-like glowing nodes atop its head.
Bzzzt!
It launched itself at Zhang Hao, discharging electricity straight into his body. His hair stood on end, frizzing wildly.
"Huh? I'm fine?"
Zhang Hao blinked in surprise. The shock only made him feel a little numb. No burns, no injuries. Could his body be mutating somehow?
The thought electrified him more than the slime did. Perhaps his physique was adapting to the elemental energy in Teyvat. He had been feeling sturdier with each passing day.
Just like in cultivation worlds, living in this environment might actually strengthen me over time.
"Here, zap my shoulder—been sore from sleeping wrong."
Electro Slime: "…Never heard such a request, but sure, why not."
The impromptu "electric massage" left Zhang Hao refreshed, buzzing with energy.
In the end, the Electro Slime happily joined his party.
"All seven collected. Shame I can't summon Shenron."
He chuckled, glancing back at his rainbow-colored entourage of bouncing blobs. Surely no other place in Teyvat had all seven elements gathered together like this.
While slimes weren't much of a threat to adventurers—their simple body-slam attacks were easy to dodge, and Vision holders could blast them aside with ease—walking around with seven at your heels made Zhang Hao look untouchable.
Still, he needed a Serenitea Pot. Hauling a whole squad of slimes around was just too attention-grabbing.