Genshin x Minecraft: Building the Temple of Virtue

The village lay about four hundred meters away.

Ningguang sat gracefully on a birch wood block, quietly studying a crafting notebook in her hands. Every so often, she'd glance up thoughtfully at the workbench in front of her.

The serene forest around her occasionally echoed with birdsong, adding a tranquil touch to the scene. Yet, even sitting on a mere tree stump, Ningguang exuded an air of elegance, untarnished by the mundane world.

Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she murmured to herself,

"Axes, pickaxes, swords… the crafting formulas seem heavily reliant on shaping."

"The notes also suggest that buckets and bows are crafted entirely based on their shapes."

"It seems that much of the crafting in this world follows shape-driven formulas. So, if I wanted to craft a brush or a spear, would it also depend primarily on their shapes, with materials swapped in accordingly?"

"Or… could it be that this principle only applies to basic tools?"

Intrigued, she continued her musings.

"Interesting… Ryen keeps mentioning redstone technology."

"Redstone… could it be the most vital material in this world? And technology—could it be akin to the innovations in Snezhnaya or Fontaine?"

She paused, her expression thoughtful.

"If such knowledge were mastered, it might bring a revolution to Liyue…"

She shook her head slightly.

"Well, when there's time, I'll have Ryen share more crafting formulas. Perhaps I can develop something new based on them."

As she spoke, Ningguang began jotting down notes:

Nether, End, Ender Dragon, Enchantments, Golden Apples, Alchemy Potions…

"These seem important, judging by Ryen's descriptions," she murmured.

"Unfortunately, he's not planning to explore the mines yet, so it'll be a while before we can assess the value of diamond materials."

Lost in thought, she scribbled meticulously in her notebook, filling the pages densely. Normally, Ningguang wouldn't use a notebook, preferring the luxurious texture of scrolls or silk.

However…

Her gaze drifted to the tattered remnants of scrolls and the shattered pieces of her favorite smoking pipe scattered on the ground, and she sighed.

"My strength is too much now… the materials from Teyvat simply can't withstand it."

In the short time she had spent taking notes, Ningguang had already torn through twelve scrolls, broken seven brushes, and even shattered her beloved pipe.

At this point, she didn't dare retrieve anything from her Vision's storage space. None of Teyvat's materials could handle the overwhelming power she now possessed in this world.

"Ryen's strength must be incredible," she muttered. "I'll need to ask him how he controls it when I get the chance."

She quickly jotted down this new thought.

But then—

Crack!

Ningguang glanced at the now-broken brush in her hand, her expression turning awkward.

"The eighth one…"

A soft chuckle interrupted her musings. Turning her head, she saw Keqing and Ganyu approaching together.

"Not used to this kind of strength, are you?" Keqing said with a playful smile, hands on her hips. "I was the same way at first. I broke so many things."

Ningguang's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

"And how do you control it now?"

Keqing spread her hands in helplessness.

"Do you see me using anything from our world here? Even my weapon—I haven't dared to take out my Lion's Roar."

The Lion's Roar was of excellent craftsmanship, but…

Keqing's current strength was at a level where she could probably lift the Jade Chamber single-handedly.

Her weapon simply couldn't withstand her power anymore.

The first time she arrived in this world, she accidentally exerted too much force, leaving a handprint on the hilt of her Lion's Roar. Seeing the damage later had broken her heart.

The Lion's Roar was a treasure in Teyvat, second only to divine artifacts.

"It seems I'll need to study how to produce paper in this world," Ningguang said, shaking her head and tucking her notebook away.

"What about you two? Have you gathered enough materials?"

Ganyu nodded earnestly.

"I've collected five stacks of sand. While digging, I also found about half a stack of flint."

"Keqing managed to gather six stacks of dirt blocks. That should be enough for Ryen's plans. We came to check on your progress."

"I'm doing fine," Ningguang replied, her tone composed. "I've gathered six stacks of wood. While chopping trees, I made some other discoveries as well…"

She reached into her storage space and pulled out a sapling and an apple.

"After cutting down a tree, I noticed that the leaves gradually disappeared on their own, dropping saplings and apples."

"Oh, and there were also some sticks," she added thoughtfully. "But I didn't collect those. Sticks don't seem particularly important, and I don't have much space left in my inventory."

"Apples seem to restore fullness," Ningguang continued. "They taste quite good. I've collected twenty-three so far."

"As for the saplings…"

Ningguang contemplated for a moment before speaking softly, "The trees in this world are truly peculiar. I'd like to see if they can be cultivated in Teyvat."

Keqing nodded with a smile. "That's entirely up to you. Ryen mentioned that when we leave, we're free to decide what resources we want to bring back."

"But as for things like iron ore, we should leave those for the exploration teams that come later. Ryen likely has a pressing need for them right now."

Ningguang didn't object to this, rising gracefully to stretch her back. "Let's head back then. Oh, and what about this workbench…"

"Leave it," Ganyu interjected. "It's not particularly important. Ryen said that items like this, which can be crafted anytime and anywhere using available materials, aren't worth carrying around since they take up inventory space."

Ningguang nodded in agreement. "That makes sense. Let's head back. It's almost noon. I wonder if Ryen plans to eat here or if we're heading back to the estate for lunch."

Hearing this, Keqing scrunched her face slightly. "If possible, I'd prefer to eat here. Going back and forth would waste too much time."

"Besides," she added, "didn't Ryen say he plans to finish building the floating island today?"

Ganyu's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?! Keqing, are you serious? Building a floating island in a single day? That's just…"

Her words trailed off as she froze mid-sentence.

She stared blankly at the village—more specifically, at the sky above the estate—where a massive platform had suddenly appeared, already taking shape.

Keqing and Ningguang followed her gaze, their eyes widening in astonishment.

Ningguang rubbed her eyes in disbelief. "This… is real?"

"How is that possible?! At most, we've only been away for two hours!"

Although Keqing also found it baffling, she thought for a moment and managed to piece it together. Ryen had built the estate in a single day, so constructing a floating island in half a day wasn't entirely inconceivable.

If anything, this pace might even be considered slow for him.

"This world… truly gets more fascinating by the moment," Ningguang remarked, quickening her pace. "Keqing, Ganyu, let's hurry back and see if we can lend a hand."

The other two snapped out of their daze, exchanged a glance, and promptly followed Ningguang.

Before long, they arrived at the estate.

Up close, the scene was even more magnificent.

A towering pillar reached into the heavens, as though it had descended from the skies themselves. At its peak sat a sprawling platform that continued to expand visibly.

Looking more closely, the trio spotted Ryen and his team enthusiastically stacking blocks at the platform's edges. From the sides of the platform dangled numerous vines, which, to Keqing and the others, appeared to be purely decorative.

"Is this how we're supposed to get up there?" Ganyu asked, pointing curiously at a ladder nearby. "Looks like we'll have to climb…"

As she spoke, Ganyu glanced surreptitiously at Ningguang and Keqing's outfits.

For her, it wasn't an issue—her snug, one-piece bodysuit made such activities relatively hassle-free. But for Ningguang and Keqing, with their dresses and qipao, it was another matter entirely.

Ningguang, too, realized the problem and rubbed her chin in mild exasperation. "If it were just us girls, it wouldn't matter as much. But…"

She sighed, waving off the thought. "Forget it. Once we're up there, I'll have a word with Ryen about this. So, who's going first?"

Before the question even finished, Keqing eagerly grabbed the ladder, giving it a shake to ensure its stability. Satisfied with its sturdiness, she declared, "I'll go first. Be careful not to fall!"

With that, she wasted no time scrambling up the ladder with remarkable speed.

Ningguang and Ganyu, already accustomed to Keqing's impulsive nature, didn't dwell on it. They exchanged a glance before following her up the ladder.

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