Genshin Impact : The Divine Gunsliger of Teyvat

Lisa blinked, staring at her fingers as she flexed them. The pain was gone. If it weren't for the sweat-soaked clothes clinging to her, she might have thought it was all a dream.

"What kind of miraculous potion is this? It can even dispel the Abyss's curse..." Lisa murmured, her voice filled with disbelief as she looked at Shao Yun. She had so many questions. What kind of potion could neutralize something as powerful as the Abyss's corruption?

Shao Yun was equally surprised. He hadn't expected the tonic to work so well. Lisa looked not only fully recovered but also more vibrant than before, as if she'd been rejuvenated.

"I just thought I'd give it a try. Didn't expect it to actually work," Shao Yun said, glancing at the remaining bit of tonic in the bottle. He corked it and was about to put it away when—

"Wait!"

Lisa's hand shot out, gripping Shao Yun's wrist. Her eyes burned with intensity as she stared at the green glass bottle in his hand, like a prospector who'd just struck gold.

Shao Yun paused, caught off guard by her sudden enthusiasm. He gave her a curious look. "Uh, Lisa, calm down..."

"Ahem." Lisa quickly composed herself, releasing his wrist and clearing her throat to mask her earlier outburst. But her eyes remained fixed on the bottle. "Mr. Shao Yun, could you...?"

She hesitated, her pride warring with her desire. Even though she was bold enough to ask, it still felt awkward to request something so valuable from someone she barely knew.

Shao Yun noticed her gaze lingering on the bottle and waved it slightly in front of her. "You want it?"

Lisa nodded subtly, her eyes locked on the tonic. There was a hint of nervousness in her expression, as if she feared he might refuse.

A potion that could neutralize the Abyss's curse? Any mage, not just Lisa, would be fascinated by it. Lisa was certain that if this potion were to appear at the Sumeru Akademiya, the sages would throw aside their dignity and fight tooth and nail to get their hands on it.

Her hand twitched, almost as if she wanted to snatch the bottle from him.

Shao Yun glanced at the partially used tonic, noting that its potency had diminished. He couldn't possibly give her something so inferior. So, he stashed it back into his bag.

Seeing the bottle disappear, Lisa's lips twitched downward in disappointment. But then she reminded herself that such a precious item couldn't possibly be given away so freely to someone she'd only just met.

Still, he had saved her. Lisa began mentally cataloging what she could offer as a token of gratitude.

"Here, take this one. It's unopened."

Shao Yun's words hit Lisa like a thunderclap. Her eyes widened, and her face froze in a mix of shock and disbelief. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Shao Yun, noticing her stunned expression, simply handed her the bottle. "Hey, you okay?" He waved a hand in front of her face. "You still look a bit out of it. Should I let Jean know you need more rest?"

"Ah..." Lisa stared at the bottle in her hand, feeling as if she were in a dream. Such a precious potion, just handed to her like this?

Truth be told, Shao Yun felt a twinge of regret. The ingredients for the tonic were hard to come by, and it had cost him a lot of resources. But she'd asked, and he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

Well, consider it an investment in goodwill, he thought.

"Thank you. I don't know how to repay you," Lisa said, her voice regaining its usual smooth, sultry tone as she smiled softly.

(TL/N : Ms. Lisa, I have idea)

"Don't mention it," Shao Yun replied politely, though inwardly he was already imagining what kind of gift she might give him. A free weapon from the blacksmith? A new set of clothes from Mondstadt's general store?

As he daydreamed, his gaze unconsciously drifted downward, which didn't go unnoticed by Lisa.

She lightly touched her neck, her fingers tracing a delicate line along her skin. Her eyes sparkled with playful mischief as she spoke in a low, velvety voice. "I'll prepare a proper thank-you gift, but for now..."

She ran a hand through her sweat-dampened hair and raised an eyebrow at him. "Staring at a lady while she's drenched in sweat isn't very gentlemanly, you know."

Shao Yun snapped out of his thoughts, realizing where his eyes had wandered. He quickly turned away, flustered. "Ah, sorry! I was just... lost in thought."

Lisa's lips curled into a sly smile, her eyes glinting with amusement. She leaned forward slightly, her hand drifting toward her collarbone. "Oh? Were you thinking about what's underneath...?"

(TL/N : SEGGS!?!?)

Shao Yun took a step back, raising his hands in surrender. "My apologies, Miss Lisa. I didn't mean to offend. I just remembered I have something to take care of. I'll be going now."

With that, he turned and hurried toward the door. Lisa watched him go, a playful smile on her lips. She waved lightly. "What a shame. Do drop by again sometime. I'll have some delicious tea and pastries ready for you."

"Thank you, Miss Lisa. I'll definitely visit when I have the chance," Shao Yun called over his shoulder as he reached the door.

Just before stepping out, he paused and glanced back at her. "Oh, and make sure to rest well. The tonic removed the negative effects and restored your energy, but you should still take it easy."

"Thank you for your concern, my handsome and charming gentleman," Lisa replied, blowing him a quick, teasing kiss.

Shao Yun couldn't help but feel a little smug as he left. Those two bottles of Special Miracle Tonic hadn't gone to waste.

---

[Task Complete: Unlocked Lisa's Afternoon Tea.]

[Available during free time between 14:30 and 15:00 at the Knights of Favonius Library. Cannot be triggered during main story progression.]

As soon as Shao Yun stepped out of the Knights' headquarters, the system notified him that he'd unlocked Lisa's afternoon tea event. It made sense, but the "free time" part was a bit vague. Did it mean during exploration phases? Probably, since they were still in the middle of the main story.

He decided to set the afternoon tea aside for now. Since he'd spent time with Lisa, he didn't have a chance to change his clothes at Amber's place. Instead, he headed straight for the Cathedral to find Venti.

Leaving the Knights' headquarters, Shao Yun expected to reach the Cathedral after climbing a few steps. But to his surprise, he had to navigate through several residential areas. Thankfully, while Mondstadt had expanded, its basic layout remained the same. As long as he kept heading upward, he'd reach his destination.

Finally, after climbing the last set of stairs, the grand and majestic Cathedral came into view. Its towering spires were a defining feature, and in the square before it stood the imposing statue of the Anemo Archon.

Shao Yun couldn't help but pause to admire the scenery. He pulled out his sketchbook and quickly jotted down a rough drawing of the breathtaking view.

Just as he finished, he heard Paimon's voice shouting from a distance.

"Stop! Don't run!"

At the same moment, the system updated his task.

[Current Task: Intercept Venti.]

No sooner had the task appeared than a green figure came sprinting up the stairs toward the square. It was Venti, his face wearing a mischievous grin as if he were playing a game of tag with Lumine and Paimon.

Shao Yun quickly calculated the timing. This was the part of the story where they were supposed to meet Venti. Since the task was to intercept him, he decided to play along.

He ducked into the bushes beside the stairs, blending into the foliage as he waited for the right moment. His eyes locked onto the steps, his mind racing with ideas on how to stop Venti. Should he jump out and surprise him?

In the blink of an eye, Venti appeared on the stairs. Shao Yun's focus sharpened, and he held his breath, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Venti glanced back at Lumine and Paimon, chuckling to himself, completely unaware of Shao Yun lying in wait. Just as Venti turned forward again, Shao Yun burst out of the bushes like a charging bear, planting himself squarely in Venti's path.

Venti spun around, colliding face-first into Shao Yun's chest.

"Oof!" Venti stumbled back, clutching his nose. "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there."

Shao Yun raised an eyebrow. The great Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, running into someone like this? Then he remembered—Venti had been weakened after purifying Dvalin and suffering the backlash of the curse.

If even Dvalin, the Dragon of the East, could be driven mad by the curse, and Lisa had been in agony after touching the corrupted crystal, it made sense that Venti's powers were diminished. His senses must have been dulled by the injury.

Still, the mission was clear: stop Venti from running. But there was no need to be rough. Shao Yun simply stood in his way.

"My companions seem to be chasing you, so I can't let you go," Shao Yun said calmly.

Venti recognized his voice from their encounter in the Whispering Woods. He opened his eyes and looked up at the towering figure before him. A knowing smile spread across his face.

"Oh, it's you. Guess I've been caught," Venti said, his tone light and playful. Since his goal of leading Lumine and Paimon to the statue had been achieved, he didn't mind staying put.

But Lumine and Paimon were still a fair distance behind. Seizing the moment, Venti decided to strike up a conversation.

"By the way, Mr. One-Time Acquaintance, may I ask your name?" Venti asked with a cheeky grin.

Shao Yun saw no harm in answering. "Usually, I go by Shao Yun."

The phrase "usually" piqued Venti's curiosity. "Oh? And what about unusually?"

"That depends on the situation and how creative I'm feeling with my lies," Shao Yun replied with a smirk.

Venti laughed. "You're quite the interesting one."

"Oh, and my name's Venti, by the way," he added with a wink.