Bai Hao didn't hesitate—he took a bite.
The Sparkling Fruit melted sweetly on his tongue, like ripe pineapple—tangy, fragrant, almost sparkling with tropical freshness.
Thump, thump—thump, thump—!
A sudden pulse of light surged through his veins, as if Ultraman Tiga himself had awakened inside him.
He raised a finger, aimed at the fake flower in the corner—
ZzzTT!
A narrow beam of golden light shot out, slicing through a petal, then drilling clean through a wooden pillar. A faint smell of scorched resin drifted through the room.
"Tsk tsk… laser beams. Never gets old."
Whistling, Bai Hao flicked his fingers. A splash of chantless water magic extinguished the ember in a puff of steam.
Business handled, he started tidying up—
Railgun Coins, Miku headphones, Bubble Teapot watch—all tossed neatly into the system warehouse.
As for Eula's 'black headband'?
…Yeah.
Not a headband.
He'd save that for later.
After a quick wash, he changed into the silver-white martial uniform embroidered with flowing clouds. It fit perfectly, outlining his tall, lean build like that of a wandering noble swordsman.
A bit of hair gel, a smirk at the mirror—
"Not bad. Handsome as ever."
He cracked open a can of Qiqi-brand Coconut Milk, savoring the rich, creamy flavor—warm, as if freshly delivered by the Coconut Goat herself.
Drink finished, he leaned out the window.
A cool night breeze brushed across his face.
Below, Liyue Harbor glittered—lanterns swaying, merchants shouting, carriages clattering over stone roads. The whole city shimmered like a living constellation.
"Alright then. Time for a stroll."
He stretched lazily—
Fwoom!
Golden radiance burst from his body.
In the next heartbeat, he dissolved into shimmering particles and shot upward.
Whoosh—!
Bai Hao reappeared a thousand meters in the air.
Wind tore at his sleeves as he drifted downward, his smile widening.
"So this is what phase-shifting feels like… interesting."
He clenched his fist, feeling the afterglow of teleportation—the instant acceleration, the effortless nullification of momentum.
"Let's test it somewhere fun."
With another golden flash, he vanished.
Destination: Guyun Stone Forest.
Over the Sea — A Surprise Guest
He reappeared above the ocean… and frowned.
Millelith patrols were everywhere, scanning the waters around Osial's ancient seal.
"Tch. Can't test anything here. Shame… I wanted round two with Osial."
He sighed, then streaked farther out over open waters, a golden ray slicing the night.
After a hundred kilometers, he stopped—hovering over the deep, star-speckled sea.
"This spot looks good."
Then—
ROOOAAAR!!!
The ocean exploded beneath him.
A colossal blue serpent shot upward, fangs bared, jaws wide enough to swallow a fishing fleet whole.
Bai Hao blinked aside just in time as its bite snapped on empty air.
"Osial? …No, wait. That's his wife—Baijie, isn't it?"
He floated higher, chin resting in one hand.
The ocean churned violently.
Three enormous serpent heads rose from the depths, lightning reflecting off their scales.
Osial was a five-headed elemental behemoth, but Baijie—
Baijie still retained her original form: a three-headed abyssal serpent.
"Even Osial has a wife. Meanwhile, I'm still single. Wonderful."
The three heads glared up at him, hatred burning in triplicate.
Then—
HSSSSSSHHH!!!
All three serpents unleashed cyclones of compressed water, shooting through the sky and tearing Bai Hao's body apart on impact.
For a moment, only a head, a hand, and a leg dangled in midair—edges flickering with golden particles.
He didn't even flinch.
"Tch. Spraying me the moment we meet? Osial's wife really likes it rough."
His eyes narrowed.
He had mellowed out recently—but one rule remained absolute:
If someone sprays you,
you spray back.
He crossed his hands before his chest.
Golden light ignited between his fingers.
"八尺琼勾玉!
— Yasakani no Magatama!"
Zzzt! Zzzt! Zzzt! Zzzt! Zzzt!
A storm of golden projectiles rained from the heavens, blanketing the sea in beams of light.
"SSSHHAAAAAAA—!!!"
Baijie howled, thrashing in agony as whirlpools and tidal waves erupted around her.
Dozens of giant waterspouts shot upward in retaliation—
but Bai Hao's elemental body blinked through them effortlessly.
That was the beauty of a Logia-type fruit:
If you didn't have Seastone or advanced Haki,
you were punching sunlight.
The battle raged for minutes.
At last, Baijie's roars weakened.
Three massive heads drooped in defeat, her blood dyed across the waves like ink.
The golden rain eased.
The sea stilled—steaming, rippling, stained red.
The once-mighty serpent collapsed atop the ocean.
"Grrhhh…"
Baijie glared up with her remaining strength—hissed one last curse—
Then rolled over and disappeared beneath the waves, slipping into the depths.
Bai Hao crossed his arms, lips quirking.
"Tough hide for a sea monster. Fine, I'll let you live."
In Teyvat, gods and ancient beasts rarely died outright.
Not worth the effort to finish her.
He scratched his cheek.
"Seriously though, why'd she even attack me? What a dumb snake."
Shrugging, he let the thought drift away.
The Yasakani no Magatama test was a success.
The local marine population had endured enough trauma for the night.
With a shimmer of gold—
He turned and shot back toward Liyue Harbor,
A streak of light slicing across the star-filled sky.
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews. comment
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read 50 chapter ahead on P@treon if you're interested: patreon.com/Mona_studios