Who was Liben? Anyone who has ever joined his event would surely cling to his leg and cry out—
"Liben! Take me with you! How am I supposed to live without you?!"
After all, exchanging random junk for Primogems — no commissions, no battles, no running around — simply logging in and trading trash for treasure?
Truly the most benevolent event in all of Teyvat.
And Liben, a humble traveling merchant, would even lose money for the Traveler's sake…all while offering advice on the side.
"Quick!"
At the sight of new Geovishap, Futsu Mitama instantly condensed Musou Isshin, Chakra Desiderata flickering to life.
A violet flash tore through the air as he crossed space itself, appearing before Liben just as several Geovishap Hatchlings leapt out from the bushes.
Liben panicked, raising his hands in a feeble attempt to block. Backpedaling in fear, he slipped and fell, staring in horror as the monsters lunged toward him.
"Courting death."
Lightning flared in Futsu Mitama's eyes. With a single swing of Musou Isshin, a blade forged entirely of Electro power cut cleanly through the first vishap.
PFFT—!!
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG—!!
The leading Hatchling was severed in two. The rest were blown aside by the shockwave. The bisected monster twitched briefly on the ground, then its movements stilled. The light faded from its eyes.
"So strong…!"
Xiangling, clutching her spear, blinked in astonishment. She was no stranger to Geovishap — they were stubborn creatures with tough hides. She had only planned to stall them long enough for the man to escape.
But to kill one so effortlessly…and with such overwhelming power?
Unbelievable.
"Lululu!" Guoba scrambled to Liben's side and helped the trembling merchant back onto his feet.
"Thank you, thank you—ow, my poor backside" Liben rubbed his bruised hips, then looked urgently at Futsu Mitama.
"Benefactor, don't fight them! The ones chasing me are only a small portion!"
He pointed shakily toward the east.
"Over there — near the South Gate — a huge group of Geovishaps has gathered. They seem to be hunting something! And they've already started fighting the large Hilichurl tribe nearby!"
Futsu Mitama simply smiled.
"You can rest now. Leave the rest to us."
His stance shifted. Without even looking, he sidestepped another charging Hatchling and sliced it cleanly mid-air.
A second corpse hit the ground.
"ROAR!!"
The two more towering Geovishap that had been watching finally moved. Nearly three meters tall and armored like natural fortresses, they thundered toward Futsu Mitama.
But Kuki Shinobu and Aila stepped forward as one.
"This path is blocked." Shinobu drew her tachi in a reverse grip. Lightning crackled along its length before she shot forward and delivered a swift kick—
SWISH—!!
A deep violet gash opened across the Geovishap's chest.
Harder than I expected, she assessed calmly.
She had never fought a Geovishap before — only their younger Hatchlings during her studies in Liyue. Rumors did little justice to their actual toughness. Yet here she was, greeting one on the very day she returned to Liyue.
Meanwhile, Aila didn't draw her blade immediately. She crouched low, sprinting straight at the second Geovishap.
Enraged, the beast slammed its claws to the ground—Rock spikes erupted toward her.
But her movements were uncanny. As though she could see a heartbeat into the future, she slipped between each spike, closing the distance in a blink. A blue gleam lit her eyes.
One draw. One flash.
And an entire claw was severed.
"ROOOAR!!"
The Vishap howled. Hydro energy flooded its body, turning its remaining claws a vivid blue.
"Elemental infusion?" Aila's expression sharpened, but she remained unshaken.
A trace of Hydro hardly changed anything. Across from her, Shinobu's opponent flared with Pyro energy, flames coating its limbs as its anger spiked.
Not to be outdone, Xiangling tightened her grip on her spear.
"Alright! Witness my master's spear techniques!"
"Lululu!!"
Guoba rushed beside her.
"Oh? You're fighting too? Perfect!" Xiangling pointed dramatically at a nearby Hatchling. "Guoba—fire breath!!"
"LULULU!"
A torrent of fire blasted forward, engulfing the monster. Xiangling stabbed repeatedly through the flames, finishing the creature off.
Liben stared in disbelief.
He had traveled across Teyvat — met the Knights of Favonius, the Millelith, the Shogunate Army, and even the Fatui — yet he had never seen such raw, effortless combat ability in a group so young.
Futsu Mitama alone cut down seven Hatchlings and visha[s. Xiangling and Guoba defeated one together. Shinobu and Aila each felled their vishap.
"Bang!"
Shinobu's vishap collapsed. She exhaled lightly.
"Is the wilderness really this dangerous now?" She spoke wryly. "Three Vishaps and eight Hatchlings. Even I would've needed effort to handle this alone."
Xiangling nodded, equally unsettled.
"Just a week ago, there weren't so many monsters here"
Fortunately, they came with Futsu Mitama Party today. Otherwise, she and Guoba could've done nothing but run.
Once Futsu Mitama confirmed all threats were gone, he approached Liben.
"It's safe now. Are you hurt?"
Seeing the familiar face, Futsu Mitama felt an odd warmth. This was the generous merchant who had given him countless Primogems in the past — the very reason he once summoned Raiden Shogun in a single ten pull.
"I'm fine! All thanks to you, Benefactor!" Liben bowed repeatedly. "If not for you, I'd be monster food by now. As thanks…whatever you need, take it. Free of charge!"
He opened seven Slime-shaped boxes before Futsu Mitama.
"Hm?"
Aila's gaze landed on something inside the Geo Slime box. She picked up a small basalt pillar with a crystal embedded in its center.
"No way " Shinobu's eyes widened. "Is that a basalt pillar?"
"Basalt… what?" Liben scratched his head. "I just found it lying on the roadside. Looked like a nice ornament, so I planned to sell it for a few thousand mora."
He truly had no idea what it was. But to everyone present — who could sense elemental flows — the truth was obvious. A dense concentration of pure Geo energy. Second only to a bloodjade branch. An extremely rare forging material worth millions of mora, used for crafting high-tier weapons and armor.
Futsu Mitama had been wanting to forge armor for Aila, but lacked materials. This one item solved that problem entirely.
Shinobu patiently explained.
"Se–several MILLION mora?!"
Liben's jaw nearly dropped. Aila silently returned the item — it was far too valuable to take for free. But Liben waved his hands.
"Compared to my life, a few million mora is nothing! Benefactor, you saved me with no hesitation — that alone is worth more than any treasure!"
He pushed the basalt pillar insistently into Futsu Mitama's hands.
"Please take it. I insist!"
Futsu Mitama looked at the priceless ore in silence. A gift descending straight from the heavens. In the game, basalt pillars were cheap and common — farmed from the Geo Hypostasis. But in the real world?
This was a miracle of pure Geo, akin to what a master alchemist like Albedo or an Archon like Zhongli could create. It was precious beyond measure. Seeing Liben's earnest expression, Futsu Mitama finally accepted it.
Liben exhaled in relief — if the Benefactor refused, he would've talked until nightfall forcing the gift onto him.