Genshin Impact: The Sage's Disciple Doesn't Want Fame

"Good boy, much better than that Jade Balance Star."

"You'd better shut your mouth!"

Ke Qing had a sour face. She had finally managed to find a topic to talk about, but this guy was so unreliable. She might as well just die already.

After walking a few dozen steps, Ke Qing glanced at her side a few times, then suddenly stopped. This made Ji Ming stop as well, and he said with a smile, "What's wrong? Do you want me to carry you, Lord Yuheng Star?"

"How come your inner garment is stained with blood?"

Ke Qing's pupils dilated as she forcefully ripped open the long robe draped over Ji Ming's body, revealing it covered in tiny specks of blood. Had it not been for the way he walked, the robe might have remained undetected.

Ji Ming said helplessly, "My Lord Yuheng, please be mindful of the political implications. Although it's raining heavily now, this is still the main street of Liyue. There will still be people who, like you just now, will be leaning against the window looking at the scenery."

"So why is there blood on the surface?"

Gently poking the blood-stained areas, Ke Qing carefully examined whether there were any injuries. Only after confirming that Ji Ming was unharmed did she breathe a sigh of relief.

Ji Ming took the soft, white hand in his and gently removed it from his chest. He then put his arm around Ke Qing and continued walking forward, saying, "Come with me first. Let's enjoy the scenery and relax along the way. I'll explain when we get there."

The main street of Liyue takes on a unique charm in the rain. Looking out to the horizon, you can see the ripples and waves created by raindrops hitting the water.

Ripples upon ripples, waves upon waves, the entire sea surface seems to be covered by a giant fishing net, wondrous and fantastical.

“When I was a child, I used to fish at the dock.”

“Is the fish delicious?”

With Ji Ming holding her hand the whole time, Ke Qing blushed slightly, but she didn't feel the slightest bit of disgust. Instead, she cooperated and asked a question.

Ji Ming shook his head, his face seemingly nostalgic, but he found it amusing: "I don't know. I only remember getting a really bad beating. They called me an orphan and said that the place was their gang's territory. I was less than ten years old at the time."

Could this be the reason why Ji Ming joined the gang? Ke Qing felt a surge of pity and grasped Ji Ming's hand in return.

"Lord Yuheng Star, I am not pretending to be pitiful and seeking comfort, so there is no need to comfort me like this. If you are willing to listen to me continue, that is already a form of comfort."

Ke Qing remained silent, but the force in her hand gradually increased.

Naturally, Ji Ming felt the force gradually increasing. He was filled with emotion and walked a few dozen more steps. Before him stood a stone arch bridge, a rare sight in Liyue Harbor.

It's been a while since I've come back to visit. Thinking about it, I realize I've really forgotten my roots. As soon as I have a new place to live, I forget about my old home.

"For a long time, I lived under the bridge arch, right in the arch of this stone bridge."

"I was ten years old that year, and I made a living by collecting broken ore from the outer edge of the Layered Rock Abyss. That year I met Senior Sister Gan Yu, who gave me an enlightenment book and several new clothes."

"Later, my early learning books were lost, my new clothes were worn out, and I struggled in Liyue Harbor all the time."

Ke Qing listened silently, then suddenly made a request: "Can I go down and take a look?"

Ji Ming was taken aback, then smiled and said, "That's your freedom, Lord Yuheng Star."

There was no one under the bridge, only a tattered bed sheet that looked like it hadn't been used for a long time. It was hard to believe that Ji Ming had ever lived in such a dark and damp environment.

Leaving the stone arch bridge and continuing forward, Ji Ming pointed to a small alley on Feiyun Slope and joked with Ke Qing: "Lord Yuheng Star, have you ever been in a fight? I mean the kind where every punch lands hard and there are no rules."

"No, I have only competed with others in swordsmanship."

"In that alley, I had the most unforgettable fight, not for myself or the Nine Gates, but for someone I had no connection with."

Ke Qing was intrigued and pressed further, "For whom?"

"Do you know Master Hu Tao? She's the 77th generation head of the Rebirth Hall, and the granddaughter of Old Hu back then."

"Of course I know. You fought for her back then?"

Ji Ming fell into reminiscence, then slowly shook his head: "The description is not quite accurate. Strictly speaking, it was to repay a debt of gratitude."

Ke Qing looked at the alley, which was now filled with boxes of odds and ends, but the narrowness of the alley was still evident. She asked, "Repay a debt of gratitude? You're only eighteen now, and you were even younger back then. Did Master Hu Tao do you a favor?"

Pulling his hand away from Ke Qing's, Ji Ming raised his hand and gently tapped her head before taking it back, saying irritably, "She was only thirteen years old back then, what favor did she do for me? I did it to repay Old Hu, who, upon hearing of my parents' passing, decided to give them a free funeral and even build a grave for them at Wuwang Slope."

Because of his parents' last will and testament, Ji Ming refused Old Master Hu's offer and scattered his ashes into Yunlai Sea.

Ke Qing covered her head with her left hand, glared at Ji Ming, and said in the same tone, "So, why did you choose to repay my kindness by fighting?"

"There was nothing we could do. A few street thugs were spouting nonsense on Old Hu's funeral day, saying that Hu Tao was a jinx, that he had killed his mother and father, and in the end, even his own grandfather. In short, they said some very unpleasant things."

"At that time, I thought to myself, Old Hu has been kind to me. If I were still a man, how could I stand by and watch his granddaughter be bullied?"

Ke Qing's emotions were stirred up, and she said angrily, "And then what? And then what?"

"Then I cursed those bastards in the street, saying they were born of lowly maids and raised by slaves, and grew up eating dog excrement and drinking horse urine on the street. They chased after me in a fit of anger."

"And then?"

Amused by the repeating Ke Qing, Ji Ming smiled and said, "Then I led them into an alley that was only wide enough for one person to pass through, and forced them to fight me one-on-one. I focused on attacking their lower body, and they were down in no time. Naturally, I was also bruised and battered."

"Haha...and then what?and then what?"

Ji Ming said helplessly, "Why are there so many 'then' questions?"

Ke Qing blinked: "Didn't Hu Tao invite you to dinner?"

Okay, this girl's work hours are unpredictable, and she's really naive in private.

Holding an umbrella, Keqing continued forward, leaving Liyue Harbor and arriving at the Tianheng Mountain area. Following the river, they came to Qingxu Pool, where they found a severely damaged yet exceptionally clean Bronze Sparrow Temple. Inside the temple were three large, locked chests.

Do you remember what I told you at the teahouse before?

"I remember, it was here that you swore brotherhood with your sworn brothers and killed a wealthy but unscrupulous merchant."

Upon entering the Bronze Sparrow Temple, Ji Ming released Ke Qing's hand, put away the yellow paper umbrella and handed it to Ke Qing for safekeeping, then took out several items from the sewn bag.

A pipe, a matchbox, and three sticks of incense.

Intending to light the tobacco directly, Ji Ming suddenly turned his head and asked, "Do you dislike the smell of smoke?"

Ke Qing frowned slightly, her tone carrying a hint of displeasure: "I can accept it, but why did you start smoking a pipe?"

This girl and Hu Tao are practically identical in this respect. Ji Ming has never tried smoking a pipe in front of Senior Sister Gan Yu before; he'll try it next time.

Since he didn't dislike the smell of smoke, Ji Ming simply lit the tobacco and, before the match went out, lit all three incense sticks as well.

"Here, help me get this."

Handing the three incense sticks to Ke Qing, Ji Ming, with a pipe in his mouth, pulled out a machete from his waist, walked to the three large boxes, and violently broke open the copper locks. Inside were three severely injured and dying men, their mouths gagged and bound.

Ke Qing's pupils dilated in shock as she quickly looked at Ji Ming, who was brandishing a knife. The latter gave a sly smile: "Sorry, let's talk later. Please don't stop me."

Grabbing the three dying men by the collar and throwing them in front of the bronze sparrow statue, Ji Ming, who had retrieved the three incense sticks, bowed devoutly and said, "Immortal above, I, a junior, wish to start a massacre in front of the statue today. These three are all wicked and malicious. I am acting on behalf of Heaven. Please do not be offended."

After placing three incense sticks in front of the bronze sparrow statue, Ji Ming showed no mercy and killed the three men one by one with his knife. Blood was everywhere, and it also splattered onto Ji Ming's already blood-stained inner shirt.

"Ji Ming, what's wrong with you...?"

"I'll keep my promise and help you clean house."

Ke Qing's anger subsided, but then she began to find it hard to accept: "Ji Ming, you can't keep killing people. Cleaning up the house should be my job."

"Yes, yes, it should be you who does it, but you are the revered and beloved Lord Yuheng Star, and your hands do not need to be stained with dirty blood. Let me do it for you."

There was no sarcasm in Ji Ming's tone; instead, his words were full of seriousness: "Ke Qing, I've decided not to hate you anymore."

"why?"

"Because you are willing to listen to me, I don't dislike people who are willing to listen to me."

They dragged the body into the box and locked it again. Ji Ming didn't need to worry about the bloodstains on the ground; his sworn brothers would come and clean up the scene in a little while.

Ji Ming wiped the machete clean, made sure there was no blood left, and put it away at his waist. Just as he was about to turn around, he felt a strong kick coming from his buttocks.

Staggering forward a few steps, Ji Ming rubbed his backside and looked back angrily, saying, "What are you doing?!"

Ke Qing tilted her head, still in the kicking motion, and said with a smile in her eyes, "It really felt good. Can we do it again?"

"Keqing, I'm going to continue hating you."

"That's great. I really couldn't get used to Ji Ming just now. The current Ji Ming is much better."

Ji Ming was speechless. "I'm leaving. You can have fun by yourself."

"That's the attitude; that's the most fun Ji Ming has to be like."

Girl, are you playing a game of offense and defense switching?

Ke Qing curled her lips into a smile, tossed the yellow paper umbrella to Ji Ming, and said with a smile, "I have something on you now, so you have to obey my orders. From now on, you have to come pick me up every time it rains."

"No, I have to pick up my senior sister. I can't take care of you, a young woman waiting to be married."

Ignoring Ji Ming's rambling, Ke Qing ran out of the temple and shouted, "I hate Ji Ming the most, so I will hate Ji Ming forever!"

Outside the Bronze Sparrow Temple, the rain gradually stopped.

Chapter 30 What's wrong with cultivating for three thousand years?

Liyue Harbor, in a courtyard house in the southern part of Scarlet Cloud Slope.

Ji Ming, head drooping and face full of obedience, sat on the carpet and said earnestly, "Senior Sister Gan Yu, I was wrong."

On the armchair beside her, Gan Yu sat with her arms crossed, fuming. She was tightly gripping the still-warm pipe in her hand. After all, a pipe is just an ordinary object, and the force she was using almost snapped it in half.

It must be admitted that Gan Yu is cute when she's angry, but her aura is also quite fierce.

"Junior Brother Ji Ming, when did you pick up such a bad habit?"

Gan Yu raised his pipe and swayed it slightly in the air. Behind the armchair, Hu Tao poked her little head out mischievously and stuck out her tongue in a provocative manner.