"Wear a certain outfit?" Zhongli seemed puzzled. "What kind of bet is that?"
"Don't worry, I won't make you wear anything indecent," Lucas chuckled. "So, what do you say? Dare to take the bet, Master Zhongli?"
With the talent [Wisdom of the God of Wisdom], Lucas's learning and comprehension abilities far surpassed those of ordinary people. Moreover, he had considerable skill in both spear and sword techniques. Even if the Rain of Stone Spear Technique was the spear art of the Geo Archon, he might still manage to grasp a part of it.
After all, even in the real world, Lucas had trained in martial arts with his grandfather since childhood. Aside from gaming, martial arts was his only hobby.
"Though it may sound a bit boastful," Zhongli thrust her geo spear into the ground, "in my long life, there has never been anything I dared not do."
And so, Lucas found himself "mysteriously" learning spear techniques from Zhongli.
As for why Zhongli suddenly decided to teach Lucas martial arts, it naturally had something to do with the simulator.
Unlike ordinary people, Zhongli, as a god, retained more memories from the simulator.
Thus, everything Lucas had done in the simulator was etched in Zhongli's mind.
Although in the dream, this man had been overly obsessed with "power" and had indeed resorted to unscrupulous means to achieve his goals, for Zhongli, protecting and building Liyue was the most important thing. As for the concepts of "good" and "evil" defined by human morality, she didn't particularly care.
Therefore, Zhongli, who had long wanted to "retire," turned her attention to Lucas once more.
If she had to choose a successor to the Geo Archon, the Liyue Qixing would naturally be the first choice. At the very least, she wanted to see this young man become the Tianshu first.
Of course, everything Zhongli did was merely to provide some assistance. Whether Lucas had the ability to stand out in this Tianshu election ultimately depended on his own capabilities.
Zhongli's spear training began quickly.
As everyone knew, among the Seven Archons, the Geo Archon Morax had another title—"God of War." Even without relying on geo elemental power or his divine bloodline, his martial prowess alone was enough to dominate Teyvat.
It was said that the Geo Archon was proficient in a hundred weapons but favored the spear. Today, the flourishing martial arts in Liyue were largely due to the reverence for the Geo Archon. Even the faintest traces of his techniques, passed down through generations, were enough to establish new schools of martial arts.
This Rain of Stone Spear Technique, while not Zhongli's most profound martial art, was still one of the finest spear techniques in the world. As the saying goes, "A month to master the staff, a year for the saber, a decade for the sword, and a lifetime for the spear." Even for a highly talented martial artist, it would take at least three to five months to grasp the basics of the Rain of Stone Spear Technique. Mastering it in a single day was simply impossible.
However, once she began teaching, Zhongli was astonished to find that this human man's talent was nothing short of extraordinary. Whether it was the grand, sweeping movements or the subtle, intricate details, he grasped everything with ease. By midday, he had already mastered about half of the Rain of Stone Spear Technique!
"Let's stop here for now," Zhongli said, glancing at the blazing sun in the sky. "Take a break."
"I'm fine! I'm not tired!" Lucas had no intention of resting and continued to practice the moves he had just learned. "You go ahead and rest. I'll keep practicing for a bit."
"From a rational perspective, haste makes waste," Zhongli advised. "I'm saying this for your own good."
"Are you..." Lucas swung his spear, wiping the sweat from his brow, and grinned. "Starting to worry that I'll master this spear technique before sunset?"
Zhongli was momentarily stunned, then a rare smile appeared on her face. She turned away and said, "Even if we extend the deadline to sunset tomorrow, it wouldn't matter. I'll go have some tea. As for you... keep working hard."
---
In a nearby pavilion, Xianyun had already brewed a pot of fragrant tea. She spread a sheet of paper on the stone table in front of her and was sketching something.
"After all these years, you still remember my favorite flavor," Zhongli said, taking a sip of tea. "What are you drawing?"
"New clothing designs," Xianyun replied. "I bought some fine silk at the market the other day and wanted to try my hand at designing."
"You're still the same as ever, always tinkering with new things," Zhongli glanced at the sketches, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Aren't these designs for Ganyu and Shenhe? Why are there three?"
Indeed, there were three designs on the paper. Knowing Xianyun as she did, Zhongli understood that she never did anything without a purpose.
"Oh, one of them... is for you," Xianyun handed one of the designs to Zhongli, smiling. "Want to take a look?"
Zhongli took the design, but her eyes couldn't help but dart around nervously. She murmured, "This doesn't seem suitable for me. No matter how you look at it, there's too much lace and cutouts."
"For the Geo Archon, it might not be suitable," Xianyun said seriously. "But for a tall, elegant young woman like you, it's perfect."
"Let's not talk about that for now," Zhongli changed the subject. "Are you so sure I'll lose this bet?"
"If it were anyone else, you'd have a sure win," Xianyun said confidently. "But he's my future son-in-law. I have a lot of faith in him."
"I thought... you were against him being with Ganyu," Zhongli mused. "Didn't you come all the way from Mt. Aocang to Liyue Harbor to break them up?"
"Don't make me sound like the villainous mother-in-law from some folk tale," Xianyun smiled faintly. "To be honest, no matter who Ganyu chose, I'd probably dislike him. But if I had to pick, Lucas is the one I dislike the least... Huh? Where'd she go?"
Zhongli had already set down her teacup and walked over to where Lucas was practicing his spear techniques.
Watching her "superior's" retreating figure, Xianyun smiled faintly. She looked at the design she had prepared for Zhongli and said, "Maybe I'll lower the neckline a bit more..."