Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

"Such immense strength."

Gu Sanqiu's expression grew solemn. The power coursing through Arataki Itto's bloodline was the kind that defied reason. He couldn't fully gauge the force behind that punch, but it was clear—it was far beyond anything he had encountered before.

Among his friends in Liyue, Sanqiu was known for his physical strength. Yet, compared to the sheer might behind Itto's full-powered strike, even he seemed lacking.

"A true monster."

Gripping his katana tightly with both hands, Gu Sanqiu closed his eyes briefly. When they reopened, flames once again coiled around the blade.

"Wavebreaker... Ocean Cleaver."

A horizontal slash.

Swoosh—

The sound of crashing waves echoed through the air, leaving Itto's gang dumbfounded. There was no sea or river nearby, so where was this sound coming from?

They quickly found their answer.

Within the clash between Gu Sanqiu and Arataki Itto, no energy spilled out—yet the contrast between the crimson and golden auras was striking. Both fighters' faces were strained with effort but bore faint smiles, puzzling the onlookers.

"Heh, you're strong," Itto remarked.

"You're not bad either."

The lack of energy dispersion was due to both combatants channeling their power with precision. In such a high-stakes moment, where a single slip could mean defeat, their mastery of control was nothing short of extraordinary.

But I'm stronger!

Itto roared internally as he pushed forward with his fist, forcing Gu Sanqiu to retreat a step.

"You're strong, no doubt about that. But it's not enough."

Sanqiu smiled. "You've already lost."

"Tch, anyone can talk big! I've got the upper hand here. There's no way—"

Swoosh—

The sound of waves resounded again. Itto froze, his gaze shifting to the strange crimson flames swirling around Gu Sanqiu.

The flames gathered and condensed, forming streams of molten fire that flowed continuously like liquid. The crashing wave sounds were emanating from them.

"Did you know," Sanqiu said softly, "this technique was developed by a certain predecessor as a decisive finishing move."

He continued, "That predecessor initially trained in ceremonial swordsmanship—an art far from suited for combat. Early in his travels, he often found himself at a disadvantage.

"But his talent was immense. He devised a technique that stored power for a delayed, overwhelming strike, perfectly tailored to his fighting style."

"Release!"

Sanqiu's voice rang out as he slammed his sword downward. The flowing flames erupted violently, forcing Itto's punch away and leaving his right hand completely numb.

Itto's pupils contracted as Sanqiu shifted his blade's stance, unleashing a diagonal slash from below. The ferocity of the flames combined with the precision of the blade's arc aimed directly at Itto's torso.

I can't block this!

Panic flashed in Itto's eyes, but he steadied himself. Layer after layer of golden shields enveloped him, reinforcing his defenses.

Even if I get injured, as long as I survive, my oni bloodline will heal me!

Boom!

The strike landed squarely, sending Itto hurtling like a fireball into the forest. The impact ignited the trees, setting them ablaze.

"Boss!"

"Big Bro!"

Itto's gang scrambled toward the burning forest, desperate to rescue their leader.

"No need to panic," Sanqiu said calmly. "Your boss isn't dead."

After all, he had held back the final blow. Not to mention, Itto's sheer physical resilience was enough to give anyone pause.

Pure brute strength like that was incredibly difficult to defend against.

Sanqiu glanced at his katana, noticing cracks forming along its blade. This wasn't a weapon from his family—it was something he had casually forged himself for practice. A mere green-tier weapon, clearly incapable of withstanding combat at this level.

Retrieving a talisman, Sanqiu tossed it skyward. Its glowing sigils absorbed the flames engulfing the forest, extinguishing them entirely.

In truth, it was a mere trick; he had used his Delusion to absorb the fire. Whether the forest was drained of life or reduced to ash made little difference to the scorched vegetation.

"Cough, cough—don't worry about me, guys!" Itto's voice rang out from the clearing smoke. He stumbled out, laughing through a mouthful of blood. "I'm fine. I'm Arataki Itto, boss of the Arataki Gang, after all!"

"No, you seem to be forgetting something. You're not the boss anymore. I am."

Sanqiu walked over, extending a hand to pull Itto upright.

"Ah… right…" Itto froze, his smile stiffening as realization dawned.

"Hmph! Don't get ahead of yourself! We only recognize Itto as our boss!"

"Yeah! The boss of the Arataki Gang will always be Arataki Itto!"

"Alright, settle down, you lot!"

Itto, still unsteady on his feet, glared at his gang with uncharacteristic seriousness. His commanding presence silenced them instantly.

"A true boss honors his word. A duel is sacred. You don't want to be the kind of people who can't accept a loss, do you? Haven't I taught you better than that?"

"Uh…"

The three exchanged uneasy glances, then turned to the calm and composed Gu Sanqiu.

Did this mean they'd have to call this guy their boss from now on?

Perhaps leaving the Arataki Gang to him and forming a new "Itto Gang" with their leader wasn't such a bad idea after all.

"I lost fair and square." Itto let out a hearty laugh and slapped Sanqiu on the shoulder. "You're strong, really strong. Guess I'll have to make time to read some of those books after all. Seems like those old scholars might've had a point."

Sanqiu shook his head. "There's no shame in losing to widely taught techniques. True martial arts are anything but ordinary."

"Also, let's stop with the 'old scholar' jabs, shall we? Makes for better conversation."

In all honesty, this was one of the strangest yet most challenging fights Sanqiu had faced.

His previous opponents, aside from mindless creatures like Specters, were all prodigies with inherited techniques, superior weaponry, and razor-sharp minds.

Itto, on the other hand, had relied purely on his Geo-enhanced shield and raw strength, forcing Sanqiu to pull out his most refined techniques—and even then, Sanqiu hadn't escaped unscathed. Itto truly embodied the strength of the oni lineage.

"So," Sanqiu asked, "earlier, you said using a weapon didn't count as a duel. What did you mean by that?"

"Oh, right."

Itto picked up Sanqiu's cracked katana and examined it. "It's just as I thought. This weapon isn't very high quality, is it?"

"Hey, boys! Bring me my weapon!"

With a loud chant, the three gang members dragged over a massive, ferocious-looking claymore.

"This is my weapon—the Redhorn Stonethresher."

With a gentle tap, Itto brought the claymore into contact with Sanqiu's blade. The katana shattered into fragments of metal.

"If I used this in our duel, that's what would've happened."

…

Damn it. What kind of whale-tier nonsense is this?!

---

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 🕸️