Chapter 51: A Grand Scene of Feigned Death

"Blades, too, come in many types: long blades, short blades, dual blades. Different blades have different uses. Short blades and dual blades emphasize flexibility and versatility, excelling in close-quarters combat and relying heavily on footwork." "Long blades, however, focus on sweeping, powerful movements, overwhelming opponents with momentum. Battling with a long blade emphasizes explosive bursts of strength and speed, aiming to dispatch foes in the shortest possible time." As Zhongli explained the different uses and characteristics of various blades, Xin Yu silently picked up a straight-backed long blade from the nearby weapon rack. Zhongli nodded, then also selected a similar long blade from the rack. The two were currently in a martial arts hall in Liyue Harbor. Xin Yu didn't know the specifics of this place; according to Zhongli, the owner had temporarily lent them the space for training. Apparently, the owner had business to attend to and wouldn't be back for a while, so he had entrusted Zhongli with looking after the place. Xin Yu had to admit, this Mr. Zhongli really seemed well-connected in Liyue Harbor. He could converse with people from all walks of life, even recognizing several random passersby on the street. After having Xin Yu swing the blade a few times, Zhongli spoke seriously, "It seems you have no prior foundation, little friend. However, your physical condition is already extraordinary. With some initial practice, you should be able to grasp the basics." Xin Yu nodded. He knew his situation – he didn't lack physical strength or speed, but he lacked technique and combat intuition. Technique could be honed through practice, but combat intuition could only be developed through actual battle. Thus, Xin Yu began a period of being relentlessly beaten – well, perhaps "beaten" wasn't quite right. Given his current physique, even if he stood perfectly still and allowed Zhongli's practice blade to strike him, it wouldn't cause any real injury. Likewise, Xin Yu didn't believe the ordinary iron blade in his hands could inflict any harm on Mr. Zhongli before him. Therefore, their sparring held nothing back. Both controlled their raw power, focusing purely on technique in exchanges that, to an outside observer, would look indistinguishable from a life-or-death struggle. Throughout his bouts with Zhongli, Xin Yu studied and imitated his opponent's movements. Time slipped by unnoticed, and a week passed. Just as Xin Yu was growing accustomed to immersing himself in daily blade practice, Zhongli informed him today that he had matters to attend to. He also told Xin Yu that today was the day of the Rite of Descension and suggested he go join the festivities. During the week, Xin Yu hadn't been entirely secluded in his training. He had learned about Liyue and knew the Rite of Descension was a very important day. He guessed Mr. Zhongli was likely busy with matters related to it. He wondered just how powerful the gods of this world were. How much stronger were they compared to Venti and Zhongli? Xin Yu had made rapid progress in his mastery of blade techniques over the week. He estimated that soon, this kind of 'playing house' combat might no longer suffice for improvement. He would need genuine life-or-death battles to advance quickly. He had also learned some of Teyvat's history during this time. He considered his ability to traverse time and space – could he perhaps travel back several thousand years to the Archon War and find an Archon to engage in a deadly duel? He had also heard Mr. Zhongli mention that the deity of Inazuma was highly skilled in blade arts. However, he'd also heard that Inazuma was currently under a strict lockdown policy. Rushing over there might result in getting struck by lightning. Xin Yu mulled it over. It didn't seem like a major issue. Once his fundamentals were solid, and after getting a sense of the gods' power at the Rite of Descension, perhaps he would head over to Inazuma for a look. With these thoughts, Xin Yu followed the massive flow of people to the venue where the Rite of Descension was being held. The crowd was indeed huge, and excitement and happiness were etched on everyone's faces. Merchants prayed for new business directions to secure greater profits. Ordinary folk yearned to see their god, praying for a year of happiness, health, peace, and family harmony. Even many travelers from other nations wore excited expressions. After all, the basic currency of this world, Mora, was issued by this very Rex Lapis. He could rightly be called the God of Wealth of Teyvat. Xin Yu, who was purely there to gauge the strength of a god, seemed to be an anomaly among the vast majority. "Hm? Kong?" Xin Yu was curiously looking around when he spotted the small, floating Paimon and Kong beside her in the air. However, they were quite far away, and Xin Yu didn't intend to go over and reminisce. Fundamentally, besides both being otherworldly travelers, they weren't really that familiar with each other. "The auspicious time has arrived!" With the voice signaling the official start of the ceremony, the crowd gradually quieted down. The noisy chatter subsided until, finally, not a single person spoke. It was truly incredible. Without any prior coordination, and with many attendees being visitors from other nations, they could achieve such rapid silence. It was likely only possible due to the presence of a god. A white-haired woman faced the crowd. She was one of the seven leaders of Liyue, a member of the Liyue Qixing. The Tianquan, Ningguang. Xin Yu silently tilted his head up. Something seemed to exist in the sky. Could it be that the Archon had already arrived? But the thing in the sky didn't feel like it possessed any life fluctuations. Was it just hidden exceptionally well? While Xin Yu was lost in thought, the Tianquan, Ningguang, had already completed the steps of the Rite of Descension and formally invited Rex Lapis to appear. Suddenly, the sky became overcast, the winds churned violently, and then—a creature shaped like an Eastern dragon plummeted from the clouds, crashing onto the offering platform. It knocked over the incense burner and other sacrificial items placed there. The unidentified creature lay limp, seemingly devoid of any sign of life. The atmosphere instantly plunged into dead silence. If one could hear the breathing of those nearby before, now it felt as if even the sound of breathing had vanished. Ningguang was the first to react. She spun around, waved her hand decisively, and shouted with the loudest voice she could muster: "The Geo Archon has been assassinated! Seal the entire area!" The crowd immediately erupted. Some exchanged worried words, some shouted in disbelief, some chuckled darkly, and some cried out in incomprehensible grief. The silence instantly transformed into a hubbub, which then swelled into a roaring pandemonium. Large numbers of Millelith—Liyue's combined military and law enforcement agency—began to rapidly cordon off the square. It seemed they intended to investigate everyone present. But if someone capable of silently killing the god of this place was truly here, what was the point of doing this? Xin Yu stared doubtfully at the body lying not far away. This didn't look like a corpse. It felt like... a meticulously crafted prop, designed to deceive. Though expertly made, it was ultimately an empty shell, devoid of any lingering trace of spirit or soul. Moreover, the residual energy within felt strangely familiar. "Fake death..." Xin Yu pondered. There must be some grand conspiracy afoot. He couldn't shake the feeling that this hyper-realistic corpse, tossed down like this, was merely bait. Suddenly, Xin Yu heard a commotion and saw Kong and Paimon hastily fleeing through the crowd, seemingly unwilling to be questioned. "Why is he running? Did he do this?" Xin Yu shook his head, deciding to ignore that situation for now. He would first deal with the current lockdown and then head back to the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor to see what was going on.