"You want to fight me?" Smith asked with a playful smile.
Tartaglia's combat strength had always been a bit of a mystery. Initially, many believed that he possessed the power of an adeptus, especially since he had once fought the dual-element Traveler to a near standstill.
However, as time went on, it became clear that while Tartaglia could unleash power comparable to an adeptus when using his Delusion, he still fell short of figures like Xiao.
The Traveler's strength was another enigma.
At first, people speculated that the Traveler and their sibling could stand toe-to-toe with the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. After all, the Abyss sibling had openly declared war on Celestia.
But later, it became apparent that the opening cutscene wasn't as balanced as it seemed—the Traveler had been completely overpowered and sealed away in mere seconds.
Even the Abyss sibling admitted they couldn't defeat Dainsleif, and there were at least five individuals from Khaenri'ah stronger than Dainsleif himself.
The Traveler, despite wielding five elements, was still unable to match the might of the Fatui Harbingers' highest-ranking members.
Initially, many believed that mastering all seven elements would make the Traveler as strong as Celestia's ruling forces. But in reality, their peak strength was likely only on par with the Seven Archons.
And if that was the case, then was the Traveler truly worthy of being called a Descender?
"Of course I want to fight you," Tartaglia said eagerly, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "You seem like a formidable warrior."
"If you want to fight him, then you'll have to defeat me first," Keqing interrupted, stepping in front of Smith with sharp determination in her gaze.
Tartaglia's grin widened as he turned his attention to her. "I've already challenged the Yuheng Star. Liyue has set the duel for one month from now.
I look forward to our battle, Keqing."
Then, shifting his gaze back to Smith, he added, "And I hope we can fight as well when the time comes."
With that, he turned and walked away, having already learned what he wanted to know.
However, his mind wandered elsewhere. The Tsaritsa had tasked him with finding Zhongli, but after wandering Liyue for several days, he hadn't caught a single glimpse of him.
Where could the former Geo Archon be hiding?
Watching Tartaglia disappear into the crowd, Keqing frowned. "Was he here to provoke us?"
Keqing wasn't naive. In fact, she was incredibly sharp—perhaps even more so than Smith himself. However, Smith always gave off the impression that he was several steps ahead, as if he already knew the outcome of every situation.
That sense of wisdom made Keqing trust him deeply.
"It was likely a test," Smith said after a moment of thought.
Tartaglia wanted to see if he was truly a Descender.
"There's a difference between being a traveler from another world and being a Descender," Smith continued.
"A Descender?" Keqing tilted her head. "Are you one?"
This was the first time she had heard the term, and it sounded significant.
"I'm not entirely sure myself," Smith admitted, shaking his head. "But what I do know is that you need to train harder.
Your goal should be to surpass him within the month."
Over the past few days, Smith had observed Keqing's growth. If she were to fight Tartaglia now, she might not lose outright—but he didn't want her to take unnecessary risks.
After considering his options, Smith added, "Tartaglia wields a divine weapon. If we get the chance, we should ask Morax if he has any suitable weapons for you. He has plenty of valuable relics.
I remember Rockknotted Jade, a blade that would suit you perfectly."
"Rockknotted Jade?" Keqing's eyes widened slightly. She had heard of that legendary weapon before.
A gift from the Geo Archon himself—the very idea of wielding it made her heart race.
A powerful weapon could be a game-changer in battle. But more than that, this was Morax's own sword. The symbolic weight of such an artifact was immeasurable.
It would mean that Rex Lapis himself acknowledged her.
But could she really claim such a thing?
"Would he truly allow me to wield it?" Keqing asked, hesitating.
She wanted the sword. That much was undeniable. But at the same time, she wasn't sure if she was worthy of it.
"Why wouldn't he?" Smith replied casually. "Morax admires you—of that, I have no doubt.
Besides, Rockknotted Jade is just another weapon to him. If it benefits Liyue, I don't think he would hesitate to lend it to you."
Smith smirked. "And let's be honest, this fight is for Liyue's honor. Morax wouldn't want you to lose just because of a weapon disadvantage. Borrowing Rockknotted Jade seems perfectly reasonable."
Whether or not she would have to return it later… well, that was a problem for the future.
Keqing frowned slightly, feeling conflicted.
She still remembered what she had said during the Rite of Parting. Back then, she had been rebellious—doubting the gods, questioning their rule.
Would the Geo Archon still recognize someone like her?
Before she could dwell on it any longer, Smith opened the guild chat and sent a message.
Smith: "@Zhongli, are you there? I need to borrow something."
Zhongli: "What do you need?"
Smith: "Rockknotted Jade. Tartaglia has challenged Keqing to a duel. He's using a weapon granted by the Tsaritsa. It seems fair that Liyue lends its champion an appropriate sword as well, don't you think?"
Ganyu: "Rockknotted Jade?"
Xiao: "!!!"
Ningguang: "That weapon… That might be a problem. It's the sword of the Geo Archon. The symbolic significance is immense."
Ningguang wanted Keqing to win—after all, she was representing Liyue. But if Keqing wielded Rockknotted Jade, the entire city would erupt into chaos.
As long as Morax remained in hiding, the sword would serve as a proxy for his will.
And that meant that even the Liyue Qixing would be overshadowed by Keqing's presence.
But Zhongli responded without hesitation.
Zhongli: "Rockknotted Jade? It holds little use for me now. I shall entrust it to the Yuheng Star."
His response was decisive.
If it had been anyone else, Zhongli might have hesitated, worrying about their ambitions.
But Keqing?
She was a woman of principle. Strong-willed, unshaken by temptation.
And more importantly, she was now a part of the guild. If something ever went wrong, Zhongli could simply take the sword back.
Zhongli himself was preparing for retirement. He wished to step away from mortal affairs and entrust Liyue to its people.
However, after listening to some of Smith's horrifying insights, Zhongli had begun to reconsider his retirement plans.
It seemed that leaving everything to mere mortals might not be enough.
Perhaps he would need to remain… just a little longer.
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