Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

Gu Sanqiu stared at the Geo element's self-proclaimed "number one meathead."

His elder sister, his father, even Albedo—all of them were undoubtedly intellectual powerhouses, with intelligence levels that seemed to touch the heavens.

Even that tall maid was a prodigy in every field she dabbled in. If it weren't for her lack of confidence, Mondstadt might have already gained another "Whirlwind Knight."

But as for this guy…

Gu Sanqiu strongly suspected that Arataki Itto had wagered away the walnut-sized portion of his brain while playing beetle fights.

Itto wasn't an idiot, but he was undeniably a hot-blooded fool. With a bit of diplomacy, one could call him naturally sincere; with less tact, he was simply an overgrown child.

"You're challenging me to a duel?"

"That's right! Come on, let's see what you're made of!"

"First of all, if you truly wish to issue a duel, you should do so with more decorum. Blocking someone's door like this? Unacceptable. Duels are sacred matters."

"Second, this counts as inciting trouble. I could call the Tenryou Commission right now and have you arrested."

Arataki Itto immediately straightened up in fright, taking several steps back.

For some reason, even though the man before him was just a samurai with a steady hand resting on his katana, his stern demeanor reminded Itto of one of those nagging old scholars who could lecture children all day long at an academy.

"Y-You! Who are you?!"

"As you can see, a samurai."

"Dammit! Samurais aren't supposed to be this naggy! Can't we just have a straightforward duel?"

"And why can't samurai be naggy?"

"Because only those old geezers in academies, the ones who've read too many books and fried their brains, act like that!"

A vein bulged on Gu Sanqiu's forehead.

For some reason, when Itto said that, Gu Sanqiu was reminded of a trip to Huaguang Stone Forest with his father. During that journey, Hu Tao had teased him endlessly, calling him fussy.

"Fool!"

Without hesitation, Gu Sanqiu flung a copy of Kamiyato-ryu Sword Techniques Essentials—borrowed from the Tenryou Commission—straight at Itto's face.

While the Kamisato Clan wouldn't hand out their truly profound teachings, this book was still a rare treasure of swordsmanship.

"If you can't even understand the contents of this book, how will you master advanced techniques or gain stronger skills?"

"If you don't read, don't understand etiquette, and fail to temper your character with wisdom and experience, how do you expect to cut a sharper blade in life?"

"For instance, this phrase: 'Align the spirit with the blade, channel essence through form, the thunder steadies the mind, and clarity returns to the heavens and earth.' Do you even comprehend what it means? Do you understand how it merges physical strength and spiritual energy into an advanced technique?"

"These basic principles—do you not get them?!"

Gu Sanqiu's habit of lecturing had been triggered. He was convinced Arataki Itto was beyond salvation, as irredeemable as Xingqiu's handwriting.

That handwriting had once enraged Xiangling's father so much that he chased Xingqiu across the entire street with a spear. Even now, Xingqiu's calligraphy remained atrocious. The guy didn't feel shame about it either, instead treating it as a quirky way to communicate with his family's retainers.

Thinking of this made Gu Sanqiu's chest tighten in frustration. He liked taking it easy, but he wasn't prone to outright slacking. Xingqiu, however, excelled at the art of deliberate laziness.

And now, faced with another similar personality, Gu Sanqiu marveled at his own restraint for not reaching for his hammers to deliver a "physical enlightenment" session fueled by Geo energy.

"Tch, I never bother with stuff like this!" Itto tossed the book back at Gu Sanqiu and flexed his muscular right arm.

"A true warrior always finds their ultimate moves through personal enlightenment, creating their own path!"

Gu Sanqiu stared blankly at him, half-convinced that Xingqiu and Itto were secretly in cahoots—or worse, that Itto had read A Lazy Scholar's Guide to Swordsmanship.

It sounded suspiciously like Xingqiu's excuse for dodging calligraphy practice.

"One day, when I become famous, my style will be known as the unique, carefree 'Autumn Script.' It's not terrible handwriting—it's confidence!"

He'd said that just before being chased down two more streets.

It was plausible, Gu Sanqiu supposed, but he firmly believed Xingqiu's attitude was sheer laziness, on a grand scale.

He couldn't shake the feeling that Xingqiu might have even written such nonsense into his novels.

Hearing Itto now, Gu Sanqiu felt his blood pressure spike. The urge to beat this guy into the ground surged within him.

"So, you said you want a duel, right? And if you lose, you'll join the Arataki Gang?"

"That's right! But there's no way I'll lose—I'm Arataki Itto, the undefeated boss of Hanamizaka!"

The undefeated boss of Hanamizaka—the leader of local kids.

Accurate enough.

"And if I win?"

"You win? Ha! Impossible! I'm Arataki Itto, the one and only! There's no way I'd lose!"

"But if I do win?"

"Tch, fine! If you win, then you'll be the new boss of the Arataki Gang!"

"Of course, I'll keep training hard until I take the position back!"

"Well then, samurai, do you accept my challenge?"

"I do. Let's take it outside the city; there's no room to fight here."

Not just a fight—I'm going to thrash you.

Outside the city, Itto stretched and warmed up while sizing up Gu Sanqiu, who remained motionless, hand resting on his katana like a statue.

"Hey! Are you seriously going to fight me like that?" Itto clenched his fists. "Just so you know, I don't hold back!"

"Good. Neither do I."

"Then let's begin!"

Nearby, one of Itto's gang members shouted, "The duel begins!"

"Ha!"

Itto launched himself forward with explosive force, a trail of dust kicking up behind him.

"Decent speed," Gu Sanqiu remarked, unsheathing his katana. "But unfortunately, you lack basic control over the battlefield."

"One Blade Style—Scarlet Flame Serpent!"

Flames roared to life, forming a serpent with gaping jaws that lunged at Itto. The surrounding temperature soared, leaving even Itto's gang parched and sweating.

"Th-That's cheating! Boss is barehanded, and he's using a blade!"

"Yeah, stop him!"

"Hold it! This is Boss's duel—we have to trust him!"

"You're cheating!" Itto shouted, beads of sweat forming on his brow as he confronted the flaming serpent. Did this guy not understand that fighting barehanded meant he should do the same?

"Bring it on!"

Itto slammed his fists together, summoning a shield of Geo energy that coated his body like golden armor. He charged through the serpent's heat and swung a punch directly at Gu Sanqiu.

A gleam of light sliced through the air. Itto's hairs stood on end as he spotted the katana's blade arcing toward his side.

So that earlier move was just elemental manipulation—this guy hadn't even properly attacked yet!

"Take this!"

Blood pumping with excitement, Itto roared and charged headlong, aiming his glowing horns straight for Gu Sanqiu's face.

---

Oh, you're still here? Nice. While I'm out here juggling revival matches and reminding villains why they should reconsider their life choices, someone's behind the scenes making sure my story reaches you. Gotta admit, they're doing a pretty solid job.

If you want to help keep this whole thing running smoothly, here's the link: [patreon.com/WiseTL]. Think of it as… supporting your favorite underdog. Everyone loves an underdog, right?

Anyway, time to get back to saving the day. See you in the next chapter—don't forget to stay out of trouble (that's my job).

— Xia Luo 🕸️