Black-skinned, donkey-eared, short and stout, wrapped in a fiery crimson mage's robe—the creature inside the Pyro shield was a species Gu Baizhou had never encountered in Genshin.
That didn't stop him from planning ahead.
During his days in this world, he had noticed a peculiar "color affinity":beings attuned to an element instinctively manifested its hue.Red meant Pyro, without question.
So…
Gu slid a few small wooden vials between his fingers like a trained soldier loading rounds.He deftly fit one to an arrowhead and cracked it.Viscous Hydro Slime sap, mixed with sweet-flower nectar, oozed onto the arrow's gleaming shaft.
He raised the crossbow and fired.
Hiss!The water-tipped arrow struck the fiery shield.Azure light and crimson flame clashed, steam rising as cracks spread across the seemingly indestructible barrier.
"%&%*%&…"Startled, the Pyro Abyss Mage leapt up, muttered an eerie incantation, and vanished in a flash of flame.
+1 Advanced Hearing EXP+1 Abyssal Language EXP+1 Abyssal Profanity Culture EXP+1 Comprehensive Archery EXPComprehensive Archery Lv4: 7/20
"Is it… gone?"Yang Yi exhaled shakily—then a sudden burst of sparks flared before him.
The Pyro shield reappeared.
Whoosh!Another arrow loosed instantly.Gu's practiced aim and keen elemental vision let him anticipate the mage's return.
Crack!Like shattering glass, fine fractures webbed across the fiery barrier.
Thwip! Thwip! Thwip!Gu's shots came rapid and precise.The cracks deepened.
"Ayaya!"The mage glared once, then vanished completely.This time even the flow of elemental energy disappeared.
"Now it's truly gone," Gu said, noting the creature's caution.If it had fought in earnest—using words and ley-line branches to weave its spells—it might have had a chance.Curiously, it had never actually attacked him.
Yang Yi stood stiff, still shaken.Other treasure-hunters were scorched, panicked, or—foolishly—still eyeing the ruins.
At the ruin's center a lone stone pillar held an amber crystal encircled by dark-red runes, a clear warning to intruders.
"We're not getting in," muttered a knife-wielding member, discouraged.
With the Abyss Mage gone, none of them could break the mechanism.
"You've been chasing the wrong prize," Gu's calm voice came from behind.
This time, no one raised a weapon.They simply listened, aside from Hu Huo who still moaned from burns.
"Only treasure that is unclaimed and truly valuable deserves the name," Gu explained solemnly."Treasure-hunting begins with choosing the right target—unowned treasure."
The group nodded, half understanding but instinctively agreeing.
"This is Taishan Mansion, forged by the immortals," Gu continued evenly."Even if priceless artifacts lay within, the immortals live eternal.Should they one day return and question you, all your effort would be wasted."
His tone was unhurried, but his words carried weight.
"What's the root cause of your misstep?" he asked.
"The root…?" Yang Yi prompted.
"Thought. Knowledge. Initiative," Gu said, raising three fingers."Your initiative is commendable, but you lack learning and insight.You couldn't read the stele, nor unravel its mechanisms."
He began with praise—softening them for the lesson.
"You speak truth," one admitted respectfully. "Please guide us."
"The earth may forget history, but books will record the immortals' legends," Gu said gently."You must study—learn to read the scripts, understand the builders of these ruins.Know yourself and your opponent, and you'll never be defeated."
The treasure-hunters looked enlightened.One, surnamed Lü, stepped forward with conviction:"Your words clear the clouds from our eyes. We understand!"
"And now," Gu asked, expression steady though inwardly pleased, "what will you do next?"
"Give us a moment," they murmured, huddling to discuss.Finally Lü declared,"We will leave the Treasure Hoarders and form a new group.We'll spend our days in Liyue's libraries, studying ancient texts to improve our knowledge."
Gu nodded. "Embrace new ideas. Strive to be new youth.If there's nothing else, leave now—the monster may return."
With that, he turned and walked away, silhouette fading from view.
When he was gone, whispers spread among the treasure-hunters.
"Did we just meet an immortal?""But why would an immortal use a crossbow?""Fool—he bore no Vision, yet shot down a monster with mortal arrows.If not an adeptus, what else could he be? Perhaps he merely hides his power to spare us.""Indeed. Who but an immortal would be here in Taishan Mansion?Maybe he's conducting some secret experiment."
"Stop guessing. No treasure will appear.Better to read more books and better ourselves.The immortal's words were true: Embrace new ideas, strive to be new youth."