Genshin Impact: Awakening in the Darkness

"Hmm... I'm so bored, Qing. I want to go to Mondstadt for a while." Xuan Yue said, idly playing with the fallen berries in her hand at home.

"Want to go? Now then?" Xuan Qing asked Xuan Yue for her opinion, and casually released a spatial tunnel.

"Have you finished your reports?" Xuan Yue asked, pointing to the stack of documents still beside Xuan Qing. Xuan Qing simply smiled, "I have time if I'm with you..."

Xuan Yue had no more worries and rushed into the spatial tunnel, with Xuan Qing following behind. In the blink of an eye, they were back in their villa. As Xuan Yue was about to revert to her original form, Xuan Qing handed her an identity document.

Xuan Yue: "What is this?"

Xuanqing: "Your identification won't raise any suspicion when you go to Mondstadt. How about we go out for a stroll?"

"Let's go!" Xuan Yue's face was beaming with joy. He grabbed the two empty fruit baskets by the door, taking one for himself and tossing the other to Xuan Qing. The meaning was clear: he wanted Xuan Qing to come with him to pick fruit…

Unlike Liyue, which is mostly composed of cliffs and precipices, Mondstadt has a relatively flat terrain. It has a unique charm.

"Hey, Xuanqing. Do you think it's possible that the Traveler and Paimon will suddenly appear in front of us in the next second?" Xuanyue looked at the fruit she had picked and for some reason thought of Paimon's greedy look.

"Hmm." Xuan Qing simply responded silently, her hands inexplicably quickening their pace in picking fruit...

"Xuanqing, I can't possibly eat all of that. Just enough for today."

Xuan Qing: "Not enough."

Xuan Yue: ? "What do you mean?"

Then Xuan Yue understood what it meant, because the next second: "Jin Xuan! Qing Yue! What are you doing here!"

It's Paimon!

“Is my mouth blessed? ... Wait, Xuanqing, why didn’t you tell me!” Xuanyue turned to meet Xuanqing’s innocent eyes and said, “I did. I said it when you said, ‘Is it possible that the Traveler and Paimon will appear in front of us in the next second?’”

Xuan Yue (「▼皿▼): "You only said 'hmm,' how am I supposed to know what you mean?"

Kong walked up and asked, "Are you two arguing?!"

Xuan Yue: "Hmm? No? We rarely argue. It's just that Qing's way of speaking is too bland. He can barely say a few words in front of people he doesn't know well. His meaning is too difficult to understand..."

Paimon: "Indeed, Grandpa Qingyue always has a very aloof demeanor and doesn't usually interact with people."

Hearing Xuan Yue and Paimon's words, Xuan Qing couldn't help but think back for a moment: (Really?...)

"Ahem! You've gone too far! How could you forget about me, the famous bard of Mondstadt?"

Hearing that familiar tone, Xuan Yue and Xuan Qing noticed that Wendy was also there, with an ordinary Mondstadt boy next to him.

Xuan Qing: "Long time no see. Also, thank you."

Xuan Yue naturally knew what Xuan Qing meant, even though Wendy hadn't shown up.

Wendy: "Oh dear, I appreciate Grandpa Qingyue's thanks. Of course, it would be even better if we could have a few more bottles of wine."

Xuan Qing: "Don't worry, there's also this one..."

The boy next to Wendy spoke shyly, "My name is Jack."

Xuan Qing: "Yes, it's nice to meet you."

Upon hearing Xuan Qing's words, Jack became even more hesitant to speak.

Xuanqing: ?

Xuan Yue: "Could it be that your expression was too cold and scared him?"

Xuan Qing: "No way..."

Paimon then spoke up: "Jin Xuan, Qing Yue, what brings you to Mondstadt?"

Xuanqing: "He was bored at home, so he came out to pick some fruit. Liyue's terrain is too steep; Mondstadt is much better..."

Xuan Yue continued Xuan Qing's words, "Yes, and I was just talking about you guys when you suddenly appeared. But speaking of which, you didn't come to this desolate place with any mission, did you?"

Sora: "Yes, we're going to help Jack find the two legendary weapons..."

Suddenly, Jack exclaimed excitedly, "It's the legendary Sword of Courage and the Shield of Radiant Will! With them, I can become a great adventurer like Mr. Stanley!"

"Legendary weapons?" Xuan Yue whispered to Xuan Qing, "(Do these weapons exist? I have absolutely no recollection of them.)"

Xuan Qing: (This was probably made up on the spot. Look, there's someone hiding in the bushes behind them.)

Xuan Yue looked towards the bushes behind them and saw a person dressed as an adventurer hiding there, eavesdropping.

Xuan Yue: (Should we tell them?)

Xuanqing: (No need, this is Mondstadt. How could a Wind God not sense it? Let them handle things here. Let's go home, wash some fruit, and bring it over.)

Xuan Yue: (Okay, I want to eat more first!)

In just a few seconds, Xuanqing and Xuanyue had already come up with an idea. Xuanyue spoke up, "It seems you've already made up your minds. Ah Qing and I won't bother you any longer. We'll come back to find you for some fruit later."

Paimon: "Really?! Hehe..."

Sora also seemed very happy: "We will definitely go."

Only after Xuanqing and Xuanyue had gone far away did they continue their journey.

On the road——

Xuan Yue then asked, "Do those two weapons really exist?"

Xuan Qing nodded: "Those who believe will find it, those who don't won't. The key to these two weapons is actually 'courage' and 'willpower.' I guess Wendy wants to focus on these two things. Aren't there some monsters around here?"

Xuan Yue immediately understood Xuan Qing's meaning: (As expected of you... Barbatos.)

Wendy and his companions arrived near a Hilichurl camp, where a group of Hilichurls were dancing around a pile of objects, as if they were performing some kind of ritual.

Paimon: "Could those Hilichurls over there be holding a ceremony? Could it be that there's something they want to offer in that pile of things?"

Jack: "Could it be the 'Sword of Glorious Courage'?"

Wendy: "Hey, maybe."

Jack was instantly motivated and decided to break into the Hilichurls' camp to get the sword-shaped thing.

But as he got closer, he hesitated and became afraid, daring not to go any further. Having no other option, Sora had to help him fight off the Hilichurls before Jack dared to search through the pile of things.

Wendy: "Behold, the 'Glorious Sword of Courage'!"

Wendy was the first to take out the thing that looked like a sword.

Paimon: "No way? It's just a super ordinary old sword! Why would Hilichurls worship something like this?"

Venti: (Perhaps someone just threw the sword into the pile of loot that the Hilichurls were already worshipping...)

"This, this is too old! And... how should I put it, it's so ordinary that it's speechless..." Jack couldn't believe his eyes. This was completely different from the high-end, legendary weapon he had in mind.

Wendy: "No, Jack, have you ever seen the Wind Crystal Butterflies fluttering outside Mondstadt? These butterflies are inconspicuous during the day, but they become dazzling at night, like flying jewels."

Wendy: "Isn't courage the same? People who have a smooth life don't understand its value, but when you are in dire straits, courage is the only light that makes you fight and get out of the predicament."

Kong: "A silver tongue." If Xuan Yue were here, she could only say he's just another gullible fool...

Jack: "You, you're absolutely right! That's it, this must be the 'Sword of Glorious Courage'!"

Wendy: "Hmm, so the sword has been found, only the shield is missing. Let's look around the area! The item must be in Dadaupa Valley—hmm?"

Kong noticed the change in Wendy's tone, and even Paimon seemed to sense it. They looked towards a patch of grass nearby and saw a figure run out, disappearing in the blink of an eye. And that figure... they recognized it immediately. Wasn't it the adventurer they had parted ways with not long ago?

Paimon (softly): "Hey? There looks like someone over there!"

Wendy (softly): "Stanley? What's he doing here?"

Sora (softly): "He looks a little strange..."

"What happened? Why did you suddenly stop?" Jack noticed something was wrong behind him and turned around to ask.

Wendy: "It's nothing. A 'Treasure Weasel' that just throws gold coins ran by."

Jack: "What? Where is it! I want to see it too!"

Wendy: "Didn't you come here to find the artifact? Then don't bother looking."

Poor Jack, he's been fooled by the great Wind God again.

Paimon and Sora looked utterly helpless...