Gu Chen's travels had always been the definition of go-where-the-wind-takes-you.
So the trio headed straight toward Dragonspine without hesitation.
[Klee]:Albedo-big-brother is on the snowy mountain! Will the Honorary Knight big brother and Honorary Knight's big sister meet him? (Sucrose·cute)
[Albedo]:Dragonspine is large, so the chance is small—but if luck's on both sides, it's possible.
[Klee]:(Klee·yay!)
[Lumine]:Cold, freezing places should be avoided whenever possible.
[Paimon]:Only the warm little Seelies can make me feel safe!
[Columbina]:Poor kin…
[Kaeya]:What?
[Xingqiu]:What do you mean, "poor kin"?
[Collei]:Who stops halfway through a sentence like that?!
[Lumine]:Riddle-speakers, begone from Teyvat!
[Kaeya]:Seconded!
[Diluc]:You are a riddle-speaker yourself.
(Kaeya deletes a message.)
[Kaeya]:Haha, fine then! Anyway, Dragonspine looks close from a distance, yet it took Gu Chen and the others days to reach it!
[Diluc]:Nice try, awkward topic shift.
[Neuvillette]:Even from afar I can see that mountain has something strange—almost like the remains of a great beast in the valley below.
[Albedo]:Indeed. That is the corpse of the dragon Durin. When it fell, its body formed in this place.
[Signora]:Serves it right—should've been ground to dust!
[Lumine]:Oh? You hate Durin that much? Fine then—arise, Durin!!
[Jean]:@[Lumine] Don't! Durin brought too much pain to Mondstadt. Please don't joke about that.
[Lumine]:Alright, alright.
[Lisa]:If I recall, Albedo's camp is above Wyrmrest Valley. I wonder if they'll meet?
In the video—
The trio had reached Dragonspine's outskirts.
Before even stepping fully into the mountain, the air was biting cold.
"Don't catch a chill."
Gu Chen shrugged off his coat and draped it over Lumine's shoulders.
She glanced at him, worried. "What about you?"
"I'm fine," he said with a small smile.
His sturdy physique let him endure the wind and snow as if it were nothing.
Paimon huddled in Lumine's arms while Gu Chen led the way through the storm.
Snowflakes landed thick on his short-sleeved shirt, soaking it quickly and clinging to his skin.
Lumine stole a glance—and her already rosy face turned even redder.
[Hu Tao]:ABS!!! (Barbara·shy)
[Kirara]:I-I-I-Is this okay to watch?! (Barbara·shy)
[Lisa]:Our little Gu Chen really has that "slim-in-clothes, built-out-of-clothes" figure~
[Itto]:@[Gu Chen] Bro! Where'd you get those muscles?
[Gu Chen]:No clue. Didn't train in this life; just… naturally like this. (shrug)
[Venti]:Can I touch them? (Venti·sparkling eyes)
[Zhongli]:(subway-grandpa-scrolling-phone)
[Dvalin]:Barbatos, you disgust me!
Gu Chen: "…"
Venti, seriously—do you read the things you say out loud?!
"Stay. Away."
He stepped aside with a shudder.
"Ehe~ don't be so coldhearted," Venti chuckled.
"Just watch your video!" Gu Chen glared.
"Fine, fine."
Venti drooped and focused back on the screen.
On the video, the trio reached Wyrmrest Valley.
The vast, snow-covered corpse of Durin lay before them—so massive it merged with the mountain itself.
Gu Chen slammed a fist against one of the ribs.
Boom!
The bone quivered, shedding piles of snow, yet showed no damage.
"This punch didn't even leave a mark… impressive. The bone's structure is incredibly dense—perfect for crafting a weapon," Gu Chen concluded.
"You can make weapons from something that big?!" Paimon gasped.
"Of course. A weapon like that suits me—and with it, I can protect you both even better." He smiled.
"Hehe~" Paimon's eyes curved into little crescent moons, her grin silly yet adorable.
Lumine smiled too.
[Klee]:Paimon's so cute!
[Heizou]:She looks like someone who's not very bright.
[Paimon]:Say that again!!
[Yae Miko]:Look at Lumine's expression—pure happiness and comfort~ (Hu Tao·teasing)
Lumine, trudging toward Liyue in the present, didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Watching from the outside, she had to admit—Gu Chen treated her past self incredibly well.
When he said he wanted a weapon to protect them better, even this-life Lumine—just a bystander—felt a deep sense of safety.
After losing her brother and her powers, facing a strange world with only a tiny floating companion…
Then someone strong and gentle appeared, shielding her from the cold.
It was a feeling of security she hadn't realized she craved.
She stopped walking, frozen in place.
Why did it feel like Gu Chen was starting to occupy a corner of her heart too—
and that corner was growing with every passing scene?
Could I… actually like him?
She felt lost.
"Lumine, look—we met Albedo!"
Paimon's voice snapped her back.
On the screen, the trio had indeed run into Albedo.
After a short exchange, the ever-generous Chief Alchemist offered his precious instruments to help them.
The four began excavating Durin's spine together.
[Dvalin]:Why do I suddenly feel a twinge in my back?!
[Azhdaha]:Pity Durin is gone. Otherwise he might have joined us!
[Azhdaha]:Insolent ants! Cease your digging—you insult the noble dragon race!
[Venti]:Uh… Durin was an artificial dragon.
(Azhdaha deletes a message.)
[Azhdaha]:Ahem, farewell then. I must… go prepare my next "Seal-Breaking" plan against Morax.
[Ganyu]:Senior Azhdaha, Lord Barbatos and Lady Furina are both in the group. Could it be that Morax is as well, simply silent? (Paimon·shock)
[Azhdaha]:So what if he is? I am no cowardly Morax! Let him know—what can he do about it?!
[Zhongli]:…
Erosion really does ruin the mind, Zhongli sighed inwardly.
[Kazuha]:The divine weapon is complete! My ancestors were swordsmiths—this spear forged by Gu Chen and Albedo could rival legendary artifacts!
On-screen, the weapon emerged from the forge: a long spear.
Its flattened, sword-like tip gleamed silver, its shaft carved with fine grooves for grip—
the dragon bone beneath reinforced and adorned under Albedo's careful hand.
Just looking at that icy gleam, one could sense its deadly sharpness—
and knowing it was forged from the bones of a dragon made it all the more fearsome.
[Zhongli]:By appearance alone, it resembles the Vortex Vanquisher about seventy percent.
[Venti]:Gu Chen was already that strong bare-handed—now with a proper weapon, even Dvalin-level foes wouldn't stand a chance! (mischievous)
[Dvalin]:Wait, what—am I a unit of measurement now?! (Xinyan·furious)
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