Awakening

"You're awake?"

"Is there anywhere else that still feels uncomfortable?"

The moment Lin Feng opened his eyes, he heard Tighnari's concerned questions.

"My mouth just feels so bitter!"

Only when he saw the bowl of medicine in Tighnari's hand did Lin Feng realize that his mouth was filled with a heavy bitterness. It tasted a little like when, as a child, he had curiously bitten through the sugar coating around a pill.

"That was the medicinal soup I fed you while you were asleep. It's mainly for restoring your strength."

"You actually collapsed and slept for an entire day just from touching a statue. You need to eat more nutritious food lately."

Tighnari looked at Lin Feng's somewhat slender body with concern.

"Alright, enough about that. Check yourself and see if a glass ball suddenly appeared somewhere on you?"

Tighnari took his Vision from his waist and pointed at it. "Something roughly like this."

Clearly, Tighnari believed the earlier phenomenon had occurred because Lin Feng had received a god's attention. Though he did not understand why the spectacle had been so astonishing, judging from Lin Feng's control over the elements at the time, Lin Feng should have received a Dendro Element Vision.

"No, I didn't find one."

After hearing Tighnari's words, Lin Feng did not hold much hope. Given what had happened to him, it felt less like he had received a god's attention and some inconsequential reward, and more like he had gone shopping in a god's house with a sack.

Luckily, this is Sumeru. If it were somewhere else, the god might be right in my face the moment I opened my eyes.

"Then that's strange. Your physical condition has been greatly strengthened, and that attraction toward the elements has also intensified. These signs are very similar to what happens after obtaining a Vision."

Tighnari was visibly puzzled.

"How do you feel now?" Tighnari asked.

"If there's nothing seriously wrong, come outside for a moment and see whether you can control Dendro Element Power." He suggested that Lin Feng go out and give it a try.

"I've never felt this good before. Let's go test it out."

"Though I've never used Elemental Power before, so I might not be very proficient."

Lin Feng was eager to give it a try as well.

"Here will do."

Tighnari stopped and pointed at the two targets in the clearing ahead.

"This is where I usually practice Archery. Try to see whether you can use Vines to Entangle those two targets."

Tighnari stepped aside, leaving the space to Lin Feng.

"Mm, I'll do my best."

Lin Feng took a deep breath and began recalling the sensation from before. The green particles in the air became visible again, and Lin Feng tried to give them an order.

"Entangle!"

Lin Feng let out a low shout.

"Rumble!"

Looking at the targets before him, which had been crushed directly by thick thorns, Lin Feng's heart filled with Doubts.

This is Entangle, the skill meant for control? Isn't something wrong here?

"Whoa, that's truly astonishing. The power far exceeds expectations. Lin Feng, you really are quite exceptional."

Seeing the "Vines" nearly as thick as his thigh, Tighnari's understanding of Lin Feng's Combat Power was completely refreshed.

"Mm, the activation speed is a little slow, but the power is extremely high. An attack of this level is even stronger than some Elite Monsters that wield the Dendro Element."

Tighnari recorded something in the notebook he carried with him.

"Then let's continue." Tighnari looked at Lin Feng expectantly.

"Stop!"

"That's enough for today."

Seeing Lin Feng's fatigue, Tighnari stopped his research.

He looked around.

The once-level practice ground was now littered with craters blown out by plant mines. Huge thorny Vines carpeted the ground, while even the plants nearby had shot up considerably due to the scattered Dendro Element.

"Is it finally over? I'm... I'm exhausted."

After bombarding the area without pause for half the day, Lin Feng had also gained a clear understanding of his Combat Power.

Honestly, it was very strong!

Although his level was not high, the power of his moves even surpassed level 51 Tighnari's.

It was only because he lacked a handy weapon like Tighnari's bow that his methods of using it were rather limited.

He only had "Entangle," which controlled the Dendro Element and gathered it into Vines; "Earthspike," which generated from the Dendro Element in the ground; and "Explosion," which compressed and bound the Dendro Element before throwing it all out at once.

As for that extraordinary power, it was most likely due to his level 7 Elemental Affinity. In terms of in-game stats, it was probably an enormous increase in elemental damage bonus. If quantified, it had to be several hundred at least.

"You're remarkably talented at manipulating the elements."

Tighnari stopped writing and walked over to Lin Feng.

"Even without a Vision, your ability to control the elements is clearly already stronger than that of most people." Tighnari was deeply astonished.

"In fact, many holders of Dendro Element Visions cannot even create sturdy Vines. They merely attach Elemental Power to their weapons for a certain strengthening effect. Yet you were able to reach this level just after acquiring Elemental Power. In my memory, perhaps only one friend can rival you in combat."

Tighnari openly praised Lin Feng's talent.

"Of course, your shortcomings are also quite obvious, such as insufficient attack precision, a lack of adequate combat experience, and too few versatile methods."

"But I'll help you improve those problems gradually in the future. With your Combat Power, I can finally take things a little easier. Clearing out monsters every day was making my Ears tired enough to droop."

Tighnari revealed a heartfelt smile.

"You mean I'll be helping you handle the work of clearing monster camps from now on?"

Lin Feng asked, having caught the hidden meaning in Tighnari's words.

"Of course. After all, isn't your goal to travel through the Seven Nations? Methods of combat are also indispensable."

"Originally, I planned to teach you some Archery, but now that you've gained Elemental Power, it seems I'll need to add some related lessons as well."

Tighnari tossed the pen in his hand and answered with a smile.

"Come on, let's head back. After dinner, I'll deal with some backlogged reports first. You should rest for the night."

"There happens to be a Hilichurl Camp nearby that needs clearing. Tomorrow, I'll take you there to experience real combat firsthand. Make sure to sleep early tonight."

After informing Lin Feng of tomorrow's schedule, Tighnari left. Testing Lin Feng's abilities had evidently caused quite a few reports to pile up.

"Hilichurls... I wonder what they actually look like?"

Back in his little room, Lin Feng ate the Meat Roll he had bought on the way back, curious about the most famous enemies in the game.

As someone who speedran Mondstadt's daily commissions, Lin Feng had accumulated several thousand Hilichurl masks in the game. Yet since arriving in Teyvat, he had not seen a real Hilichurl even once.

Filled with anticipation for his first battle, Lin Feng washed up and went to bed early.

As an inexplicable drowsiness washed over him, Lin Feng gradually drifted into sleep.