Genshin x Minecraft: Building the Temple of Virtue

In the end, Ryen couldn't resist giving a brief demonstration of modern firearms.

The instant the demonstration began, Ningguang and the others fell silent again.

These weapons required little skill to operate—ordinary people could learn how to use them in no time. Yet their lethality was undeniable.

Even Zhongli, despite his serene composure, felt a faint chill when he faced the dark barrel of the gun without his Jade Shield activated.

And yet…

The flintlocks from Snezhnaya, while technically firearms, were little more than fire-starters in the hands of a strong being like him.

Zhongli pondered deeply. Was the immense power of this weapon due to the differences in the world's laws? Or was it simply the result of using the extraordinary materials native to this world?

Whichever the case, it was undeniable that this world held unfathomable potential.

From what Zhongli could gauge, the so-called "modern firearm" Ryen wielded could, with sustained fire, wound even the adepti. Of course, that assumed the adepti didn't dodge—after all, their speed far outmatched that of the bullets.

If Zhongli were to voice these observations, Ryen would likely double down on the importance of modern firearms. He might even marvel aloud, "The materials of the MC world truly defy all logic!"

But beyond firearms, what concerned Zhongli most was the so-called Peacekeeper Missile.

Just hearing Ryen's description of its power sent chills down his spine.

Brutal, devastating, and undeniably deadly.

Truth be told, Zhongli hoped such a thing would never appear in Teyvat.

Because…

From what Ryen had described, even Zhongli himself doubted he could withstand the Peacekeeper Missile's blast unscathed.

Then again, considering it from another perspective, if he couldn't endure it, neither could the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.

If that were the case, then perhaps it was worth ensuring that such a weapon could be controlled.

Zhongli's thoughts drifted back to the distant past—the snowy mountain where a nation had been pinned beneath the frost, the destruction of Khaenri'ah…

He didn't like war.

Despite being hailed as the God of War, revered as the most victorious deity of the Archon War, Zhongli had never sought battle for its own sake.

His fights had always been a necessity—an endless struggle to protect his people.

The tragedy of the snowy mountain had been a wake-up call for him.

The fate of Orobashi had stirred a deep, unshakable sorrow.

And Khaenri'ah…

That was when Zhongli's quiet resistance against Celestia and the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles began to take root.

For five centuries, he had harbored the thought: If one day, Liyue…

But now, change was finally within reach.

In the past, Zhongli had lacked the strength to defy Celestia. Though powerful, he was far from being a match for the Sustainer. This powerlessness had been one of the reasons his strength had waned so rapidly over the past 500 years.

It was also why he had offered quiet support to the Cryo Archon's audacious plans. He admired her boldness and her tragic determination, but Zhongli had his own people to consider.

He couldn't take such extreme measures.

But now… now, he saw a new glimmer of hope.

A path that didn't rely solely on himself or the adepti.

A path that relied on humans—on the imagination and resolve of his own people.

On Ryen.

A path toward reaching a point where even the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles would no longer inspire fear.

Zhongli vividly recalled one of Ryen's earlier remarks:

"The difference between having a gun and not having one is as vast as heaven and earth."

If that was true…

Then Zhongli was willing to support Liyue. He would support his people in mastering weapons so powerful that even he could be slain by them.

Because this, he believed, was the ultimate protection he could offer them.

The love of a god for their people was a conviction etched into their very essence. For their people, they would bear any sacrifice—even their own.

And among the Seven, none embodied this belief more steadfastly than Zhongli.

This was one of the primary reasons why Ryen had chosen to work with Liyue first.

He deeply respected the Geo Archon, who, for over six millennia, had devoted himself wholeheartedly to his people.

As for Ryen's plan to collaborate with Liyue in creating top-tier weapons, neither Zhongli nor Ningguang raised any objections.

Using Ryen's own words:

"A power capable of ending everyone's lives—I might never use it in my lifetime, but I absolutely cannot afford to be without it."

Ningguang and the others understood what he meant.

It was akin to the current state of the Seven Nations.

The gods might rarely appear, but their existence was indispensable.

Nuclear deterrence followed the same principle.

"Regardless!"

Keqing clapped her hands decisively, her voice brimming with excitement.

"We need to increase our investment and expedite our exploration of this world."

"We've severely underestimated Ryen's world. The mysteries it holds have the potential to overturn everything we know. Perhaps… one day, Liyue might even step beyond Teyvat!"

The concept of other worlds wasn't foreign to Teyvat.

After all, outsiders were not uncommon in this land.

But Teyvat natives venturing beyond their world? That was exceedingly rare.

Let alone bringing an entire nation into the unknown.

Now, Ningguang and the others saw an unprecedented opportunity laid out before them.

"Ryen, what do we need to do next?"

Keqing gripped Ryen's arm tightly, her striking eyes shining with an unprecedented fervor.

"I can't wait to explore this world! Let's mine! Let's venture into the Nether!"

Ryen's face darkened immediately.

Sure, mining and exploring the Nether were essential tasks, but…

Coming from Keqing, it sounded downright ominous.

With a resigned sigh, Ryen reached out and gently patted Keqing's head.

"Don't be so impatient. We'll go, but we're far too fragile right now."

"We don't even have full iron armor, let alone diamonds. We're nowhere near ready."

"The Nether is dangerous. At the very least, we need to go in with enchanted iron armor. Honestly, I'd feel much better if we had enchanted diamond gear instead."

"First, you all need to familiarize yourselves with the unique aspects of this world."

"Safety is our top priority! You know as well as I do that opportunities and risks always go hand in hand."

Keqing understood this perfectly well.

But Ryen's grand visions had left her deeply inspired.

She couldn't even begin to imagine what Liyue would look like if everything Ryen had described became reality.

A nation greater than it had ever been, even under the leadership of the Geo Archon.

Keqing was sure of it.

Taking a few deep breaths, she steadied her emotions.

"I understand, Ryen…"

Her confidence radiated as her earlier passion condensed into a steady resolve, flickering like an inner flame in her brilliant violet eyes.

"There's still plenty of time left today. What's your plan?"

Ryen lowered his gaze thoughtfully, pausing for a moment.

"I—"

Bang!

Before he could finish, the unmistakable sound of something crashing echoed from nearby, followed by the chilling groans of a zombie.

"Mr. Ryen, everyone, be careful!"

Xiao instantly drew his Primordial Jade Winged-Spear and positioned himself in front of the group.

If one observed closely, his stance was subtly closer to Zhongli than anyone else—a habit formed over thousands of years.

Luckily, everyone was too startled by the sudden appearance of zombies to pay attention to this detail.

Otherwise, Keqing might have started piecing together Zhongli's true identity.

"A zombie? How is there a zombie here?"

Keqing frowned, but as she noticed the zombie's location, realization dawned.

"Wait… did this come from the monster spawner tower?"

"…"

Xiao remained silent, watching the zombie furiously thrash about within the confines of the spawner tower. He couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable holding his spear.

"Well, not bad," Ryen remarked, glancing at the tower with satisfaction. "Looks like my spawner tower is working perfectly."

He looked up at the sky to estimate the time—it seemed to be around 2 PM.

It wasn't an ideal time for monster spawning, yet the tower had already produced results. This alone proved its efficiency.

Feeling quite pleased, Ryen drew a stone sword and began walking toward the trapped zombie.

Having such a capable group had certainly sped things up. Without their help, it would've taken him much longer to complete these structures.

Despite their lack of familiarity with this world's mechanics, Zhongli and Xiao were incredibly efficient workers.

Directing Zhongli to build platforms and Xiao to mine stone had been particularly satisfying.

Ryen had even considered building a witch spawner tower next, but the time wasn't right yet. That plan would have to wait.

For now, the monster spawner tower was operational. Ryen figured that staying here overnight would allow him to complete his tasks.

He couldn't help but wonder what rewards the system would grant this time. He wasn't lacking in raw power, so…

"A new mod would be perfect!"

Fueled by anticipation, Ryen quickened his pace.

"Mr. Ryen!"

Suddenly, Xiao called out, stepping forward and speaking in a low voice.

"Even if the zombie is trapped, it's still dangerous. Allow me to handle this."

Ryen was momentarily taken aback but, seeing the determination in Xiao's eyes, he smiled and handed over the stone sword.

"Then I'll leave it to you."

"This is my duty."

See? This was the benefit of having reliable tools—or rather, companions.

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