Ningguang and Hu Tao crouched down, carefully extending the Netherrack bridge through the air toward the Nether Fortress.
Ryen and Zhongli remained on high alert, scanning the area for any potential threats, while Hu Tao kept an eye on the fortress's movements, constantly updating the team on the locations of the Wither Skeletons.
Ryen had repeatedly emphasized just how dangerous Wither Skeletons were.
In everyone's mind, these creatures were just as troublesome as Endermen—perhaps even more so.
And yet, the fortress chests were right near them.
Ryen wanted to take the risk.
The group moved in complete silence, their bridge stretching steadily toward their first target—the Nether Wart chamber.
The tension in the air gave everything an oddly thrilling feel.
As they neared the chamber, Ganyu tugged lightly at Ryen's sleeve.
He nodded in understanding, signaling for Ningguang to bring out her diamond pickaxe and start digging.
Everyone held their breath as Ningguang carefully broke a hole in the wall—just big enough for one person to squeeze through.
Ryen's voice came low and firm:
"Go!"
Without hesitation, he charged through first—shield in one hand, Netherrack in the other.
Ignoring everything else, he made a beeline for the entrance.
A Blaze nearby noticed them immediately, beginning to float toward their position.
Ryen whirled around, slammed the entrance shut behind him, and only then turned to assess the room.
No Blazes inside.
The team wasted no time—everyone had already begun harvesting Soul Sand and Nether Wart with methodical efficiency.
Ryen let out a small breath of relief, taking a moment to observe his surroundings.
The chamber was completely sealed, with no openings leading elsewhere.
The magma glow from the hole they had just dug illuminated the space, making it surprisingly bright.
Unfortunately—no chests.
With everyone working together, Ryen didn't need to dig himself.
Before long, Ningguang looked up and signaled—they were done.
No time wasted—they quickly retraced their steps, sealing off the tunnel behind them.
Just like before, they built another aerial bridge—this time leading beneath the Blaze Spawner room.
Ningguang hesitated before digging again. This time, she knew rushing in blindly wasn't an option.
Ryen thought for a moment before speaking:
"We'll break a hole at the bottom of the wall—just enough to hit their legs. Once we've thinned them out, Zhongli and I will move in and seal the entrance."
"We need to let the Blazes continue spawning inside the room."
Ganyu almost spoke up—it sounded risky—but seeing how familiar Ryen had become with the Nether, she chose to trust him.
First, they expanded the surrounding area, turning the bridge into a proper stone-walled platform.
Once they had a solid foundation, Ningguang began digging.
Brick crumbled.
A wave of scorching heat rushed out.
Ryen stepped forward immediately, gently pulling Ningguang back.
"I'll take care of this. My sword has Looting III."
The Blazes inside sensed his presence and swarmed toward the gap.
But thanks to the low opening, they couldn't float up properly.
They twisted and flailed, stuck just out of reach of their usual attack patterns.
Ryen didn't hesitate.
His diamond sword flashed, slashing through them in quick, decisive strikes.
Blaze after Blaze fell, their Blaze Rods clattering onto the ground and into Ryen's inventory.
Seeing everything go so smoothly, the others relaxed a little, watching as Ryen efficiently cut down the Blazes.
When only one Blaze remained, Ryen glanced at Ningguang.
She understood instantly—it was time.
She quickly broke a new opening—large enough for someone to pass through.
The moment the final Blaze fell—
The wall crumbled.
"Zhongli!"
Ryen called out, and Zhongli reacted instantly.
The two of them charged in—**one after the other—**and immediately blocked the entrance.
Everything was going according to plan.
No new Blazes had arrived from outside, and the entrance was secure.
Ryen and Zhongli barely had a moment to catch their breath—
And then the spawner activated.
For a second, the room flashed.
Then—
Four Blazes spawned at once.
Ryen froze.
Normally, a Blaze Spawner would generate one to two Blazes at a time.
Four at once?
What kind of ridiculous luck was this?!
Ryen had no idea whether to call it bad luck—or good luck.
But he didn't have time to think.
Because the Blazes were charging up their fireballs.
"The Grandmaster is here!"
Hu Tao cheered as she rushed in, followed closely by Ningguang and Ganyu.
With five people working together, the tide of battle flipped instantly.
The four Blazes were cornered and taken out with brutal efficiency.
The only downside?
Only Ryen and Zhongli had weapons with Looting III.
In the end, only three Blaze Rods dropped.
As for why it was three...
Typically, tools were enchanted with Fortune, while weapons had Looting.
But when it came to Ganyu, her luck stat was basically maxed out by default.
Without even having Looting, she still managed to get two Blaze Rods—leaving Zhongli, who did have the enchantment but only got one, feeling rather embarrassed.
After gathering the rods and confirming there were no further threats in the room, everyone retreated back to the platform.
They sealed up the opening to ensure they could continue farming Blazes safely.
Ryen chuckled lightly. "Alright, this should be enough for now. Later, if we take some time to clear out the Blazes outside the Nether Fortress, we'll be able to farm Blaze Rods steadily."
"So, does that mean our trip to the Nether has been really smooth?"
Ganyu blinked up at Ryen, her big, expectant eyes filled with hope.
Ryen reached out and ruffled her horns.
"Very smooth. We've gotten a lot out of this. Now, all we need is enough Blaze Rods, and we can return to the Overworld."
"Of course, before that, I have to check out that treasure chest."
Standing at the edge of the platform, Ryen gazed at the distant chest, still guarded by Wither Skeletons.
His mind started to calculate.
After a moment, he turned and said, "Zhongli and I will go. You guys stay here and keep farming Blaze Rods with our Looting-enchanted weapons. We'll grab the loot and come right back."
Taking the weapons, Ningguang hesitated. "Are you sure? There are two Wither Skeletons, plus all those Blazes nearby. Shouldn't we wait until we have more people?"
Ryen grinned.
"No worries, it won't be dangerous. We just need to grab the loot. One bucket of milk is enough to handle any surprises."
"Besides, don't forget—we have Zhongli's shield."
At this, Zhongli's eye twitched. He replied coolly, "I'd advise against placing too much faith in my Jade Shield. My strength is too restricted here—it might not hold up against a Wither Skeleton's attacks."
"Not to mention, as you said, the real danger of a Wither Skeleton is the wither effect."
Ryen patted him on the shoulder with a laugh. "So, are you in or not?"
"Of course." Zhongli's answer was immediate. He said no more.
Ryen exchanged nods with the others before building a bridge toward the treasure chest.
The room with the Blaze Spawner wasn't far from their target, and since they were traveling by air, it only took them a few minutes.
About three blocks away from the chest, Ryen stopped.
In truth, Wither Skeletons weren't that hard to kill. If necessary, they could be taken down with a bow from a safe distance.
But without Looting, it would be a total waste—since the drop rate for Wither Skeleton Skulls was already miserable.
Unlike Blazes, Wither Skeletons didn't have a spawner, so they weren't easy to farm.
Since there were two of them, he wanted to get the most value out of them.
Ideally, they'd drop two skulls.
After observing for a while, Ryen mapped out their movement patterns.
The skeletons never strayed more than ten blocks from the chest. The real problem was the seven Blazes hovering within sixteen blocks of the area.
That was their aggressive detection range.
It was as if the chest had an elite guard unit—something Ryen had never encountered in all his time playing the game.
Still, it was worth a shot.
He spoke in a low voice:
"Once the first Wither Skeleton reaches its ten-block limit, and the second one starts moving back at about the seven-block mark…"
"The Blazes will be a little farther away."
"I'll rush in and grab the loot while you hold them off with your shield. Then, we retreat immediately, break the bridge, and get out."
Zhongli nodded and activated his Jade Shield.
"What are the odds this works?"
Ryen smirked.
"About an 80% chance we get out unscathed. And a 100% chance I get everything in that chest."
Zhongli chuckled softly, saying no more.
They waited until the Wither Skeletons and Blazes were in the right positions.
Then, Ryen jumped forward, quickly placing blocks to elevate himself toward the chest.
As expected, the two Wither Skeletons turned toward him, and the Blazes shrieked, floating in his direction.
Ryen wasted no time—his shield's durability was already running low.
Two Wither Skeletons were manageable, but with that many Blazes, things could get messy fast.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have minded fighting them here and now.
Pushing aside the thought, he popped open the chest and grabbed everything inside.
The haul was decent—one Diamond Horse Armor, nine Diamonds, six Gold Ingots, and some enchanted gear.
Unfortunately, there was no diamond weapon or armor.
Still, it was a good find.
Not far away, Zhongli had already engaged the Wither Skeletons.
Their heavy, sweeping strikes made his arms feel slightly numb, but aside from that, he was unfazed.
Could he counterattack?
Zhongli considered it. But before he could act, Ryen was already calling for him to retreat.
They hurried back to the bridge, breaking the Netherrack behind them.
The Wither Skeletons could only stand at the edge, rattling in frustration.
"Flawless execution."
Ryen grinned, holding up the diamonds.
The loot wasn't game-changing, but at this pace, they'd be able to complete their objective within a week.
"Are you sure we're not taking down the Wither Skeletons?"
Zhongli asked in a calm tone.
"With a shield, it didn't seem too difficult."
Ryen rolled his eyes and pointed at the Blazes swarming toward them.
"Two Wither Skeletons are fine, but did you consider how we're supposed to handle all these Blazes?"
"Logically speaking… using elemental powers and Iaido?"
Zhongli mused.
Ryen froze for a second—then smacked his forehead in frustration.
"I completely forgot! We've been playing it so safe that I didn't even think about your actual combat skills!"
Zhongli said nothing.
He could tell—Ryen had genuinely started seeing him as nothing more than a walking shield generator.
Not that he minded. If he didn't have to fight, he was more than happy to stay in retirement mode.
But now, with the Blazes already upon them…
Ryen unsheathed his long-neglected katana, glancing at Zhongli.
"In that case, I won't say no to more loot."
Zhongli smirked.
"I was also curious to see how much of my power still holds in the Nether."
Crossing his arms, his golden eyes gleamed.
~~----------------------
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