Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

Gu Sanqiu chuckled twice. The first time he'd come to Mondstadt, Venti hadn't even shown his face. Now, not only had he shown up, but he'd walked right into Gu Sanqiu's trap. Naturally, Gu Sanqiu couldn't let this opportunity slip by.

"Brother Sanqiu! Brother Sanqiu!"

Klee tugged at his sleeve, her big, hopeful eyes looking up at him.

"When are we going to catch the bad guy?"

"Patience, Klee. We'll deal with the bad guy very soon."

Gu Sanqiu patted her head gently. "But first, we need to restock our weapons and ammo a little."

---

Meanwhile, in Mondstadt, Venti leaned against a secluded corner, looking at the sparkling gemstone in his hand with a mix of regret and frustration.

I should have known better. This brat is a descendant of Morax's bloodline. No matter how wealthy he is, someone like that is bound to guard his possessions meticulously.

Venti's plan had been simple: take the gem to an auction house, pawn it off for a hefty deposit, and enjoy a luxurious feast. Easy enough, right?

But the moment the auctioneer had tried to analyze the gem with elemental energy, the stone lit up brilliantly. Worse yet, it imprinted Venti's aura and likeness onto its surface. Using the elemental energy as a power source, it had immediately started emitting a distinct signal.

By the time Venti realized he'd been caught, it was too late to abandon the gem without raising suspicion. Had he simply dropped it and fled, the auction house would've reported him to the Knights of Favonius under suspicion of theft.

And as a man who relied on Mondstadt for his steady supply of wine and freedom, Venti couldn't afford to tarnish his reputation with such a scandal.

What a pain, Venti thought bitterly. This little brat really outmaneuvered me. Inputting foreign elemental energy only to have it mark and transmit the wielder's signature… What kind of brain comes up with something like this?

He sighed, realizing he was stuck. Throwing the gem away wouldn't stop its signal now. Enough time had passed for Gu Sanqiu to figure out what was happening and pinpoint his general location.

Venti frowned, weighing his options.

Option One: Report the gem to the Knights and admit he'd picked it up out of greed. He'd likely face nothing worse than a verbal reprimand.

Option Two: Wait for Gu Sanqiu to find him, risking a humiliating public showdown and an ultimate loss of face.

Neither option seemed ideal. The thought of being caught red-handed by a junior—especially one with such a smug face—was almost unbearable.

"Damn it, Morax! You've trained such a crafty descendant—does that really suit your dignified image?" Venti growled through gritted teeth, ducking into the forest as the sound of approaching wind caught his attention.

He'd sensed it. Someone was flying toward him at high speed, their trajectory a dead-straight line. He didn't even need to look to know who it was.

Gu Sanqiu was coming for him.

"Morax is so mean! Teaching someone so sneaky…" Venti muttered, grinding his teeth as he darted between trees.

Gentle breezes swept the branches out of his way, sparing his signature white stockings from tears.

The little brat's speed increased again, closing the distance rapidly.

If I use my divine authority, I could lose him easily.

But then Morax would hear about it. And nothing was more terrifying than that knowing look Morax had perfected over thousands of years.

"Ugh! Why am I even considering running away from a child?"

Venti suddenly smiled, mischief lighting up his face. Maybe I'll play along for a while. A game of tag could be fun…

Boom!

A deafening explosion rattled the air, disrupting the gentle breezes around Venti and nearly sending a branch flying into his face.

"What the—?! Is that… an elemental explosion?"

Venti's face darkened. "Morax, you idiot! Did you give this kid an elemental seed just to mess with me?"

---

Up in the sky, Gu Sanqiu sat cross-legged on a platform of wind, Klee perched happily in his lap. She fiddled with a golden rocket launcher, elemental energy faintly glowing across its surface.

Behind them, an enormous stockpile of launchers and ammo floated on a cushion of condensed wind energy. Their target? That didn't even need to be said.

"Klee, have you figured out how to use the launcher yet?"

"Of course!" Klee puffed out her chest proudly.

"Brother Sanqiu, where's the bad guy? I can't wait to test my new weapon!"

"It's not exactly a new weapon—just your bombs in a different delivery system," Gu Sanqiu corrected with a grin, patting her head. "We're still a bit too far away. Be patient."

Interesting, Gu Sanqiu mused. He's not using his divine power to escape?

Though he didn't know why, it made things far more convenient.

"Hold on tight, Klee. Time to pick up the pace."

The faint glow of his Delusion flickered. Wind-Fire Boost!

"Another element?!"

If it weren't for his centuries of discipline, Venti might've cursed out loud.

Morax! Do you know your brat's been collecting elements like a hobby?!

The sudden boost brought Gu Sanqiu close enough to spot the bard's crooked green hat.

Smiling faintly, Gu Sanqiu leveled twin rocket launchers at his target.

"Fire!"