Obviously, this Hilichurl King was far stronger than an ordinary one.
Though ordinary Hilichurl Kings were tall and powerfully built, and could easily smash a typical adventurer into adventurer paste with one blow, they were still nowhere near someone like Bai Ye, a Genshin Eye bearer.
Yet the Hilichurl King now standing before Bai Ye and Ganyu was shrouded in black mist, completely ignoring Bai Ye's wind-infused shots.
Bai Ye put away his Handheld Crossbow.
"Ganyu, I'm going to use my Art of Automata. Move back a little."
He warned Ganyu.
"Mm."
Ganyu hopped backward, her gaze never leaving Bai Ye.
Everyone knew that Bai Ye was a master of the Art of Automata, but no one knew just how skilled he truly was.
Bai Ye's previous opponents had all been Treasure Hoarders. Even the heavily wanted gang leaders among them were merely more wicked than others, while their actual combat ability was mediocre. Bai Ye could deal with them using only his Handheld Crossbow.
Then—
Under Ganyu's gaze, Bai Ye took out several rod-shaped objects.
Bai Ye swiftly drove two of them into the ground.
When the Hilichurl King charged over, Bai Ye retreated as well. Several chains shot from the tops of those rods toward the Hilichurl King. After circling around it once, they tightly bound it.
The wind elemental power around Bai Ye surged once more. He quickly ran behind the Hilichurl King, took out another two rods, and drove them into the ground.
Two more iron chains wrapped around the Hilichurl King.
Four iron chains bound the Hilichurl King.
Seeing that the Hilichurl King had been temporarily restrained, Bai Ye could not help smiling.
Not bad. This Hilichurl King looked enhanced, but not to an absurd extent.
The chains he had specially reinforced could still hold it in place.
The Hilichurl King did not have much intelligence. It looked intimidating, but it was not difficult to deal with.
But it was not over yet.
Bai Ye took several mechanical wooden kites from his person and lightly tossed them into the air. Like real birds, they flew straight toward the Hilichurl King.
The wooden kites landed on the Hilichurl King's joints.
"Explode!"
Bai Ye shouted softly again.
Then—
The wooden kites emitted a cyan glow, turning into blade-like edges that pierced directly through the Hilichurl King's limbs.
The Hilichurl King was instantly torn limb from limb.
Bai Ye snapped his fingers again, and the wooden kites that had flown out returned to his sleeves.
Combining Adeptal Arts with the Art of Automata he had recently learned really did make everything flow smoothly.
After finishing all that, Bai Ye turned to look at Ganyu.
"Sister Ganyu, did you see my contro..."
Bai Ye suddenly noticed that the expression on Ganyu's face, as she stood not far away, had changed.
It had become exceedingly eager.
Although their conversation had been pleasant while they traveled earlier, it was still their first meeting. Unlike with Ningguang, whose thoughts and values aligned closely with his own, Ganyu had maintained a certain distance from Bai Ye.
Now, everything had changed.
Bai Ye had originally planned to tease Ganyu, asking whether she had been so stunned by his exquisite Art of Automata during his battle with the Hilichurl King that she had forgotten to help him.
But seeing her expression now, Bai Ye suddenly did not dare say it.
He silently took a step back.
It's dark and windy tonight.
And I'm the only one around.
This is bad!
"W-what is it?"
Bai Ye's voice trembled slightly.
When Bai Ye had restrained the Hilichurl King with chains, Ganyu had originally intended to draw her bow and shoot it.
But just as she was about to loose an arrow, she saw the wooden kites Bai Ye had deployed.
These wooden kites...
As Bai Ye controlled them, she froze.
This technique for controlling automata was incomparably familiar.
Though she herself did not know the Art of Automata, she was extremely familiar with it.
Especially because—
She had seen this kind of Art of Automata more than anyone else.
Master, isn't this your Art of Automata?
Master, did you secretly take in another disciple outside?
Ganyu had previously only known that she had a junior sister at Mt. Aocang.
Are you telling me I have a junior brother too?
While Ganyu was thinking this, Bai Ye was using Adeptal Arts on the Hilichurl King.
The moment he used those Adeptal Arts—
All of Ganyu's doubts instantly vanished.
She might not have been familiar enough with the Art of Automata, but these Adeptal Arts were far too familiar. She had mastered them herself.
They were precisely the Adeptal Arts of her master, Cloud Retainer.
Though all Adepti could use Adeptal Arts, different Adeptal Arts were not the same. The distinctive traits of her master's arts could not be mastered by other Adepti.
So her master really had secretly taken in a disciple elsewhere?
Ganyu found the thought somewhat amusing.
But as she looked at Bai Ye, she felt even more warmly toward him.
The reason she had kept some distance from Bai Ye before was that he was human while she was half-Adeptus. Ganyu had felt there was a gap between them, making it difficult to get along.
But now—
Little Bai Ye was her junior brother.
Then there was no problem.
Ganyu instantly felt the barrier between them disappear.
The expression on Ganyu's face grew increasingly affectionate as she looked at Bai Ye.
Especially since it had been a long time since she had seen someone she could speak with so warmly.
Hearing Bai Ye's trembling voice, Ganyu felt that she might have frightened her little junior brother.
She hurriedly said softly:
"Sorry, I was just too excited, little junior brother."
"Hmm!?"
The moment Bai Ye heard Ganyu say that, his head filled with question marks.
What did she mean by junior brother?
When had he become Ganyu's junior brother?
Wasn't Cloud Retainer still at Mt. Aocang?
Could it be that before Ganyu became Cloud Retainer's disciple, she had also studied under his teacher?
Seeing Bai Ye's utterly confused face, Ganyu thought that perhaps he had only recently arrived in Liyue and did not know much, so she quickly continued, "My teacher is also Cloud Retainer. Judging by our ages, I should be your senior sister."
"I know that Sister Ganyu's teacher is Cloud Retainer..." Bai Ye trailed off, then suddenly realized something.
Did I learn my Art of Automata from Cloud Retainer?
Bai Ye thought it over. The game had made it very clear that Cloud Retainer was a master of the Art of Automata.
That labyrinth diagram really could have been Cloud Retainer's handiwork.
So Ganyu had mistaken him for Cloud Retainer's disciple.
"Yes, my teacher is Cloud Retainer. Didn't you also learn Adeptal Arts and the Art of Automata from our teacher, Junior Brother Bai Ye?"
Wait, why were Adeptal Arts involved too?
Bai Ye was even more confused.
The Art of Automata was understandable.
Could it be that I learned my Adeptal Arts from Cloud Retainer too?
Before you continue