Genshin x Minecraft: Building the Temple of Virtue

Although Ryen had leveled half of the original village, the other half remained intact.

The essential structures were still standing: the lava-fueled blacksmith shop and the houses packed with villagers. As they passed by, the faint chatter of the villagers could still be heard from within—though the numbers didn't seem to have changed much.

Ryen estimated it would take about a week to reach his target population for the village. Not too long, and he had the patience to wait.

Following the remnants of the road, they walked toward the river. Ryen had no intention of setting up the miners' base near his own home. After living in the Chasm for so long, he had no desire to return to such a setting!

Instead, he planned to clear the area near the mountain caves behind his home, turning it into a miner's base.

The location was perfect. It was far enough from his main base to avoid disturbances, but close enough that Ryen could intervene quickly if anything happened. From the floating island above, he could easily monitor activities in the area.

The base would be situated near the caves, making mining operations convenient. Meanwhile, the trees in the vicinity could be felled to build the base, providing ample resources for construction. There might even be surplus wood to transport back to Liyue Harbor, where it could be processed into lumber for trade.

Of course, Ningguang would probably feel heartache over such resource use. To her, every tree was as good as gold mora.

As for why Ryen, having already decided on a location, had brought them to the river by the village instead—he had his reasons.

After all the effort he'd put into recent projects, he figured he deserved some relaxation! And what better way to enjoy the moment than by spending time with three lovely ladies? If only he had saddles and armor for horses, he might have taken them for a ride.

As for Zhongli and Xiao, who were also part of the group… Ryen decided to momentarily ignore their presence.

They stopped at the edge of the river, a waterway roughly 20 meters wide. The current wasn't particularly swift, and the riverbank where they stood was about four to five meters higher than the water level.

Not far away, the sandy riverbed was marked by small pits and ridges—most likely Ganyu's handiwork from earlier.

The river was clear enough to see partway into its depths, but the bottom remained shrouded in darkness. Ryen suspected the deeper waters might harbor drowned creatures.

Across the river stretched an endless grassland dotted with cattle and sheep. Even from this distance, they could spot a group of leisurely grazing horses, their movements slow and unhurried.

The scene exuded a sense of tranquility that seemed to seep into the group, easing their spirits.

"Even though this world is made of blocks, the scenery is incredible," Ryen remarked. "It's the perfect place to relax and unwind."

Ningguang stretched lazily, shedding her usual dignified demeanor and revealing a rare, serene softness.

"Maybe we could turn this into a tourist destination?"

Ryen chuckled and teased, "I thought you'd want to make money off of it."

Ningguang rolled her eyes at him with a faint smile.

"While I do enjoy earning mora, I'm not so practical that I can't appreciate a moment of relaxation."

Ryen shrugged, choosing not to press further.

"I actually think Ryen's idea has potential," Keqing chimed in enthusiastically, pointing to the vast grassland across the river.

"Didn't Ryen mention this world's stunning variety of landscapes? Grasslands, jungles, deserts, snowy plains, oceans…"

"Once we've developed parts of this world, we could definitely expand into the tourism industry. Traveling to another world would undoubtedly attract countless visitors."

"And with this world's unique features, we could offer tailored construction projects. It could be a brand-new business model for Liyue…"

"The prospects are enormous, and it could drive Liyue's economic growth significantly."

As Keqing spoke, her thoughts flowed so naturally that she pulled out a notebook to start jotting them down.

Ryen blinked in mild surprise at her earnestness.

"It seems like someone else here is more obsessed with work," Ningguang teased, winking at Ryen.

Keqing, however, frowned slightly, her tone turning firm.

"I'm being serious. This is something we should plan for, Ningguang. It's crucial for Liyue's future."

Seeing Keqing's work-focused stubbornness flare up, Ryen couldn't help but laugh softly. He intervened gently, saying,

"With the current state of things—we haven't even explored beyond a 10-kilometer radius—you might be getting ahead of yourself, Keqing."

"As an old saying from my world goes, 'Take too big a step, and you risk pulling a muscle.'"

Stretching his arms, he let the cool river breeze wash over him.

"The more you think about the future now, the more mistakes you're likely to make. Let's focus on completing our immediate plans before worrying about what's next."

If Ningguang had said this, Keqing might have argued back, even if only a little. But since Ryen was the one speaking, she listened intently, nodding thoughtfully.

It wasn't about favoritism—it was just that Ryen had spent the past half-year sharing countless stories from his world, each packed with wisdom that had left a lasting impression on Keqing.

For Keqing, a nation with thousands of years of history in governance and human rule offered endless lessons to be learned and reflections to be made. Every word and deed carried weight and was worth deep consideration.

Though she felt a tinge of regret, Keqing nodded, temporarily shelving her ambitious ideas.

Ryen noticed her disappointment, his eyes lighting up with a hint of mischief. Pointing toward the wide river below, he grinned.

"Would you believe me if I told you I could build houses on the riverbed? Or even construct a fully transparent glass room underwater?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Ganyu nodded seriously, her expression earnest.

"I believe you!"

"Uh…" Ryen was momentarily stunned by her straightforward response.

Realizing she might have sounded too eager, Ganyu's face flushed a light pink as she hurriedly explained,

"Because… because you've already shown us so many incredible things! Building something underwater doesn't seem impossible at all!"

"Even Teyvat has ruins and domains hidden beneath the water. If it's you, I'm sure you could make something even better!"

Her unabashed trust made Ryen feel a rare sense of warmth. His expression softened, and he chuckled gently.

"Though Ganyu makes it sound like I can do anything… she's not wrong."

"I can build a large underwater palace—completely habitable and perhaps even grander than anything on land."

Hearing this, Ningguang's interest was piqued. Her elegant brows furrowed slightly as she mulled over the idea. After a moment, she seemed to connect the dots.

"Now that you mention it… I recall seeing you construct a massive aquarium with glass. Not a single drop of water leaked out."

"Then, on the floating island, whether it was the mob tower, the stone generator, or the farmland Keqing planned…"

"It seems like in this world, as long as blocks are placed to form a sealed structure, water doesn't seep through at all."

"If that's the case, then yes, it's entirely possible to build underwater structures."

Ryen couldn't help but applaud Ningguang's insight, laughing as he did.

"As expected of you—you've already grasped some of this world's unique mechanics so quickly."

"As a reward, how about this: when the time is right, I'll help you rebuild the Jade Chamber in this world."

Ningguang's lips curled into a light smile, her radiant eyes gleaming with an unusual brightness.

"If it's possible, I'd rather you teach me. I'd like to construct the Jade Chamber myself."

"What was impossible in Teyvat could become simple in this world. Living in a Jade Chamber I built with my own hands would be immensely satisfying."

Ryen, appreciating her perspective, nodded without hesitation.

"Of course, I'd be happy to guide you."

He was just about to say more when a piercing sound cut through the air like a blade, sharp and sudden.

Ryen's expression darkened instantly. Without a second thought, he pulled out his shield and positioned himself in front of Ningguang.

Bang!

Everything happened in a flash—so quickly that even Zhongli failed to react.

By the time the group regained their senses, they saw Ryen holding his shield, where a peculiar weapon had embedded itself.

It was a trident, sleek and menacing, still trembling slightly from the force of its impact.

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