The morning sun cast a golden sheen over Dihua Marsh, its light filtering through the mist that clung to the wetlands.
Xander stood on the balcony of Wangshu Inn, gazing at the horizon where Teyvat's false sun rose in a mockery of celestial glory.
He sighed, the warmth on his face a hollow comfort compared to the true sun he once knew.
"Praise the sun… no, forget it," he muttered, shaking his head in disappointment.
"Teyvat's sun isn't worthy of such reverence," he added, his voice tinged with disdain.
He thought of Klee, the little spark of Mondstadt, and a smile tugged at his lips.
"When I reach Mondstadt, I'll have Klee praise the sun with me every morning," he decided.
"Even a runaway sun is still a sun, after all," he mused, chuckling at the thought.
Breakfast at Wangshu Inn had been a hearty affair, a spread of Liyue's finest flavors.
Xander savored the last bite of a golden shrimp ball, its crispy exterior giving way to a succulent core.
A bowl of lotus root soup had warmed his stomach, its subtle sweetness a perfect complement.
He washed it down with a cup of qingxin tea, the floral notes lingering on his palate.
The inn's dining hall buzzed with the chatter of merchants and travelers, their voices a lively hum.
Wooden beams overhead were carved with intricate patterns of clouds, a testament to Liyue's craftsmanship.
The scent of steamed buns and grilled fish wafted from the kitchen, mingling with the marsh's earthy aroma.
Xander rose from his table, his travel cloak draped over one shoulder, the Shadowfang Blade at his side.
He stepped outside, the morning air cool and crisp, a welcome relief from the inn's warmth.
Dihua Marsh stretched before him, a landscape of shimmering waters and swaying reeds.
The marsh was a painter's dream, its surface reflecting the sky in hues of blue and gold.
Waterfowl skimmed the surface, their wings cutting through the mist with graceful arcs.
Lotus pads dotted the shallows, their pink blooms a splash of color against the green.
But Xander had little interest in the scenery, his mind far from the beauty around him.
He wasn't one for leisurely travel or sightseeing, preferring the comfort of home.
When he had the chance, he'd rather stay indoors, immersed in games or videos.
The idea of wandering for the sake of views held no appeal—he was a man of action, not reflection.
Dihua Marsh, for all its charm, was also a perilous place, teeming with threats.
Qiuqiu tribes roamed the wetlands, their crude camps hidden among the reeds.
Young rock dragon lizards prowled the rocky outcrops, their scales glinting in the sunlight.
The Millelith maintained a presence here, their small outposts dotting the main road.
Every few miles, a wooden watchtower rose, manned by soldiers in golden armor.
Their task was to keep the road to Mondstadt safe, clearing monsters that strayed too close.
It was a grueling job, one that demanded constant vigilance and courage.
The monsters of Dihua Marsh were numerous, their strength a challenge even for seasoned fighters.
Among them, the Qiuqiu Kings reigned supreme, towering brutes of elemental fury.
Most stayed within their camps, their presence a looming threat to unwary travelers.
But occasionally, a Qiuqiu King's temper would flare, driving it to wreak havoc beyond its territory.
As Xander crossed a wooden bridge between Dihua Marsh and Stone Gate, chaos erupted.
The bridge, a sturdy structure of oak and rope, spanned a narrow river cutting through the marsh.
Its planks creaked underfoot, the sound of rushing water below a constant murmur.
Millelith soldiers, clad in their golden armor, scrambled across the bridge, their spears raised.
Their shouts filled the air, a cacophony of orders and cries as they faced a monstrous foe.
A Rock Helm Qiuqiu King, a B-rank beast of Geo fury, stood at the bridge's center.
The creature was a colossus, its body a mass of jagged stone and Geo-infused muscle.
Its helmet, a natural formation of rock, shielded its head, glowing with faint yellow veins.
Each step it took sent tremors through the bridge, the wood groaning under its weight.
The Millelith, numbering over a hundred, fought valiantly, but they were outmatched.
Most were common soldiers, their strength barely reaching C-rank at best.
A few officers, leading the charge, possessed C-rank prowess, their spears crackling with elemental energy.
But the Rock Helm Qiuqiu King was a B-rank monster, its power far beyond their capabilities.
The beast roared, a guttural sound that shook the air, and swung its massive fist.
A Millelith soldier was caught in the blow, sent flying into the river with a splash.
Another soldier thrust his spear at the creature's leg, aiming for a gap in its rocky armor.
The spearhead sparked against the stone, leaving only a shallow scratch before the soldier was swatted aside.
"Damn it—where's the support? We need reinforcements!" an officer shouted, his voice strained.
"Don't engage directly—hold it off and get it away from the bridge!" another barked.
"Target its weak spots—aim for the joints, anywhere the armor doesn't cover!" a third ordered.
The Millelith were well-trained, their discipline holding despite the odds.
Even with such a vast gap in strength, they managed to inflict minor wounds on the beast.
Their spears and arrows peppered its frame, chipping away at its rocky exterior.
But the Rock Helm Qiuqiu King was a force of nature, its resilience unmatched.
It bellowed, the sound a thunderclap, and unleashed its elemental power in a devastating burst.
Geo energy ignited around it, a yellow aura flaring like a beacon of destruction.
The beast's form seemed to glow, its power surging as if it had tapped into a primal rage.
It stomped the bridge with a heavy foot, the wood splintering under the force.
The impact sent shockwaves through the structure, planks exploding outward in a shower of debris.
The bridge buckled, a gaping hole forming where the Qiuqiu King stood.
The beast fell into the river below, the water reaching its neck as it thrashed.
With a mighty leap, it propelled itself back onto the bridge, landing with a crash.
The wooden structure groaned, a massive gap now splitting its length.
The Millelith scattered, some clinging to the ropes, others tumbling into the water.
The Qiuqiu King's landing spot was mere feet from Xander, who had been crossing the bridge.
He teleported in a flash of blue light, narrowly avoiding the beast's crushing weight.
The ground where he'd stood exploded, a circle of Geo spikes erupting from the earth.
The spikes gleamed with elemental energy, their tips sharp enough to impale steel.
Xander reappeared a few paces away, his cloak billowing in the wind.
"Hey, was that on purpose?" he called, his tone laced with irritation.
He waved a hand, fanning away the dust that clouded the air around him.
"You had the whole bridge to land on, and you pick right next to me?" he added.
The Rock Helm Qiuqiu King didn't answer—communication wasn't its forte.
It roared instead, a sound that rattled the bones, and charged at Xander.
Its massive fist, a boulder of Geo-infused stone, hurtled toward him with terrifying speed.
Xander raised his Shadowfang Blade, its dark steel glinting in the morning light.
He blocked the punch with the blade's scabbard, the impact sending a shockwave through the air.
A gust of wind erupted from the clash, the force cracking the ground beneath Xander's feet.
The wooden planks splintered, spiderweb fractures spreading outward in a circle.
Despite the blow's ferocity, Xander's expression remained calm, almost bored.
The Millelith soldiers gaped, their eyes wide with disbelief at the sight.
The Rock Helm Qiuqiu King was the mightiest of its kind, a terror on the battlefield.
Its punches could shatter stone, its Geo powers capable of leveling entire camps.
Yet Xander had blocked the strike with ease, his stance unshaken by the beast's might.
For Xander, this was child's play—B-rank or not, the creature was no match.
There were levels even among B-rank beings, and Xander stood far above this foe.
The gap between a half-step demon god's kin and a mid-tier B-rank was a chasm.
He pushed back with a surge of strength, forcing the Qiuqiu King to stagger.
With a swift motion, he swung the Shadowfang Blade, the air humming with its speed.
The strike lifted the beast off the ground, sending it soaring into the air.
Xander followed, leaping after it with a grace that belied the chaos of battle.
He slashed three times in rapid succession, each cut a blur of dark steel.
The Qiuqiu King's rocky armor cracked, shards of stone falling like hail.
Xander spun in midair, a whirlwind of motion, delivering a roundhouse kick.
The blow sent the beast higher, its massive form tumbling through the sky.
He summoned a phantom blade, a spectral copy of the Shadowfang, and launched it upward.
The ethereal weapon struck the Qiuqiu King, pinning it in the air for a moment.
Xander teleported to its side, his form a streak of blue light against the morning sky.
Another flurry of slashes followed, each strike lifting the beast higher still.
The Millelith below watched in awe, their jaws slack as the battle unfolded.
They had never seen such a fighting style—knocking an enemy into the air and keeping it there.
The Qiuqiu King, despite its weight, was helpless, unable to counter Xander's aerial assault.
Its Geo aura flickered, the burst mode it had entered beginning to fade.
Xander's attacks were relentless, a dance of blades that painted the sky with violence.
The beast's rocky hide bled, dark ichor dripping from the wounds Xander inflicted.
After a dozen rounds of aerial combos, the Qiuqiu King's strength finally gave out.
Xander delivered a final, devastating slash, the Shadowfang Blade glowing with power.
The strike sent the beast plummeting, its body crashing onto the broken bridge with a thunderous boom.
The impact shattered more planks, the river below rippling from the force.
Xander landed lightly, his cloak fluttering as he sheathed the Shadowfang Blade.
He turned, offering the Millelith a fleeting glance, his expression one of quiet confidence.
The soldiers stared, their awe palpable as they took in the scene.
The Rock Helm Qiuqiu King lay defeated, its once-mighty form a broken heap.
Xander walked away, his silhouette framed by the rising sun, a lone figure of strength.
The Millelith whispered among themselves, their voices a mix of admiration and disbelief.
"Who… who is that man?" one soldier asked, his spear trembling in his grip.
"He took down a Rock Helm Qiuqiu King like it was nothing," another murmured.
"I've never seen a fighting style like that—keeping it in the air like that," a third added.
Their officer, a grizzled veteran with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward.
"That's Xander, the adventurer from another world," he said, his voice steady.
"He's the one who's been clearing relic guards in Guili Plains," he explained.
"No wonder—he's on a whole different level," a younger soldier breathed.
The officer nodded, his gaze following Xander's retreating form.
"We owe him our lives—let's get this bridge repaired and report back," he ordered.
The Millelith sprang into action, their morale bolstered by the victory.
Xander continued on, the road to Mondstadt stretching before him.
Dihua Marsh's beauty faded into the background, his mind already on the journey ahead.
The Shadowfang Blade at his side thrummed, a silent partner in his travels.
He thought of Klee again, her bright smile a beacon in his mind.
Mondstadt awaited, and with it, new adventures—and perhaps a chance to praise the sun.
***
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