Chapter 16: Keqing — This Is All Kael's Fault
"Sir, are you sure this is wise? After all, he's Tianquan Ningguang's consultant. Provoking him might worsen our relations with Liyue," Felix said carefully, voice low.
Childe—Tartaglia—smiled as he adjusted the straps on his gauntlets, that dangerous spark of excitement already dancing in his eyes.
"It's fine. I won't reveal my identity. And even if I do—so what?"
He looked out the frost-covered window of his Snezhnayan quarters, his grin widening.
"Liyue doesn't belong to Ningguang alone. A single Tianquan Star isn't someone I'm afraid of."
Felix hesitated, wanting to argue but stopping himself.
A Harbinger's decision was absolute. All he could do was follow and pray this didn't spiral into diplomatic chaos.
Childe cracked his knuckles. "It's been too long since I've had fun in Liyue. Let's pay this mysterious 'consultant' a visit."
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Mt. Tianheng — Edge of Liyue Harbor
The midday sun hung low behind drifting clouds, its golden light reflecting off jagged rock formations and the sweeping plains below.
A crackle of thunder echoed across the mountain paths.
"Seriously, even near Mt. Tianheng? Why are there so many monsters here?"
Keqing's sharp voice cut through the wind as she swung her sword, Lion's Roar, in a flash of violet light. The air rippled as two Hilichurls were cleaved apart in a single graceful motion.
She frowned, eyes narrowing at the disturbed ley lines pulsing faintly beneath her feet.
"The ley lines are unstable… The Abyss must be involved."
A soft hum from her Vision vibrated against her waist. Liyue's Yuheng of the Qixing didn't usually dirty her hands with monster hunting, but this was different.
Ever since the chat group appeared, Keqing had been training relentlessly—fighting, cultivating, and refining her internal energy to strengthen herself.
And now, the points system rewarded her for clearing corruption.
Which meant there was no reason to stop.
"Good. Then I'll just work harder," she muttered, twirling her blade.
With a burst of Electro energy, she flickered forward, her form dissolving into a streak of lightning. Her sword cut through another Hilichurl before it even had time to turn.
A flash—
Another strike—
Thunder rang through the cliffs like a drumbeat of divine power.
Her movements were elegant yet merciless, every swing perfectly balanced between power and precision.
She fought not for glory, but for control.
Not just of her enemies—
But of herself.
Because deep down, Keqing knew she wasn't like the others.
She didn't blindly revere gods. She wanted to surpass them.
To prove that mortals could stand shoulder to shoulder with the divine.
And yet—her thoughts slipped as fatigue started creeping into her limbs.
"Wait… my energy?"
She frowned. Her breathing was faster than normal.
Normally, her stamina recovery matched her rhythm perfectly. But since she began cultivating internal energy, her body had changed—strengthened, yes, but not balanced yet.
She hadn't realized how much energy her new technique consumed when used in tandem with her Vision.
In short, she'd overdone it.
"Not good…" she muttered, just as a massive Hilichurl Berserker roared and charged at her from behind a rock wall.
Keqing turned sharply and parried, sparks exploding as metal clashed against crude steel. She pushed off, flipping backward—
Snap!
Pain shot up her leg. Her heel broke mid-landing. She stumbled, barely managing to land upright, a grimace twisting her usually composed expression.
"Damn it—my ankle…"
The moment she steadied herself, a wave of fiery heat surged toward her. The Abyss Mage standing behind the Berserker had begun casting.
The fireball grew, swirling with chaotic red-orange flames—
She gritted her teeth, preparing to take the hit.
If she timed it perfectly, she could block most of the damage with her Vision—
But before the flames struck—
A warm, golden light enveloped her.
The explosion vanished into harmless sparks.
A translucent golden dome shimmered around her, glowing like solid jade.
Keqing froze.
"This is… the Jade Shield?! The Geo Archon's power?!"
Her pulse quickened. She looked up toward the sky instinctively.
Had Morax—after centuries of silence—answered her call?
Then a familiar, far-too-casual voice spoke from behind her.
"I'm flattered, but no, I'm not Morax."
She turned sharply.
Kael stood there with a faint smile, hands in his pockets.
"...You?!"
Her expression flickered between relief and indignation.
"How do you know his techniques?!"
Kael shrugged, casually forming a spear of glowing Geo energy in his palm.
"Deals, mostly. I'm on good terms with the original owner."
Before she could even retort, he moved.
A blur of motion—
A single thrust—
And the Hilichurl Berserker that had towered over her was impaled clean through the chest, pinned to the ground like a broken statue.
Keqing blinked. Once. Twice.
The fight that would have taken her a full ten seconds was over in half a heartbeat.
He had made it look… effortless.
The kind of effortless that came only from absolute mastery.
Her pride screamed at her.
Trying to maintain her composure, Keqing crossed her arms, tilting her chin upward. "Tch. Don't get the wrong idea. I didn't need saving. My shoes just broke, that's all."
Kael gave her an amused look. "Uh-huh. Sure. Totally believable."
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "What's that supposed to mean?"
He chuckled softly, leaning his spear against his shoulder. "It means this is your own fault."
Keqing blinked. "My—what?!"
"You weren't managing your internal energy properly," he explained calmly. "Your cultivation technique enhances your muscles and reflexes, but you haven't adjusted your control.
"When you landed, you unconsciously channeled energy to stabilize yourself. That tiny burst was enough to overload the structural integrity of your shoes. So, technically…"
He pointed at her broken heel.
"…you broke them yourself."
For a full three seconds, Keqing just stared at him.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
He smiled innocently. "I'm just saying. You're too strong for your own footwear."
Her grip tightened on her sword. "You—you—!"
"Don't worry," he added lightly, brushing dirt off his coat. "Next time, I'll have Ningguang make you custom ones. Geo-reinforced soles. Completely explosion-proof."
She glared daggers at him. "You're mocking me."
"Would I dare?"
"Yes!"
Kael laughed quietly, the sound low and irritatingly smooth. "Relax, Miss Keqing. You're still the strongest swordswoman in Liyue."
"Obviously," she muttered, crossing her arms again. "But this—this mess—is your fault!"
He raised an eyebrow. "How so?"
"If you hadn't uploaded that ridiculous cultivation method, I wouldn't have twisted my ankle, broken my shoes, and nearly gotten roasted by an Abyss Mage!"
Kael pretended to think. "Hm. So… the technique that made you stronger and faster is also the one that made you clumsier?"
"Yes!"
"So you're saying I made you too powerful?"
Keqing hesitated, realizing how stupid that sounded—but her pride wouldn't let her back down.
"Exactly!" she declared.
Kael sighed, smiling helplessly. "Fine, fine. Next time, I'll write a footnote: 'May cause shoe malfunctions in workaholic swordmasters.'"
Keqing's face turned bright red. "K-Kael!"
"What? It's practical advice."
"Practical—?!" She raised her sword, pointing it at him. "One more word, and I'll show you what 'divine combat' looks like!"
Kael only grinned. "That's the spirit."
Lightning crackled faintly around her as she glared at him.
And yet, for the first time in a while, the storm in her chest felt lighter.
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✨ End of Chapter 16