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[Genshin Impact] Chapter 237: Rumors of the Stormterror's Lair
🕑 Added 2024-08-21 16:30:01 +0000 UTCEven his normal attacks, once enhanced by his weapons and expertise, typically exceeded the power level of his own rank.
So, the first option seemed rather useless, and he quickly dismissed it.
As for the second option, Nolan pondered for a moment. If he were a member of the Treasure Hoarders, this enhancement would certainly be tempting.
It would be a must-have for sneaky activities.
Whenever he was short on Mora, he could quietly sneak into some wealthy person's mansion and take a little something, redistributing the wealth for a good cause. That way, he'd never be broke again.
Of course, he wasn’t the type of person who had no moral boundaries.
Besides, "Concealment Form" at level one already provided an hour of invisibility, which was more than enough time for any task.
So, in the end, he chose the third option, based on his current needs.
[Concealment Form: Secret Arts Lv.10 (Domain)]
As the skill upgrade was completed, the knowledge of how to use the max-level skill flowed into Nolan’s mind.
It was exactly as described in the selection screen—when activating "Concealment Form," he could now create a domain where anything within a three-meter radius could be hidden.
Additionally, now that the skill was maxed out, its duration had been significantly extended.
At level one, it provided an hour of stealth, but now, at level ten, it lasted five hours—enough time to do almost anything he wanted.
After walking through the streets for a while, they finally saw the familiar wooden arch bridge.
"Alright, we’re almost there, but it looks like someone’s using the alchemy table," Paimon said with a hint of surprise as she floated higher to get a better view.
"Yeah, it’s probably an adventurer's party preparing for a field expedition tomorrow after taking on a commission. How about we wait until they’re done?" Lumine suggested with a gentle nod.
"No need," Nolan said with a smile. "After absorbing the energy from the Primogems, I’ve grown a bit stronger. Now I can extend my invisibility skill to include all of us."
“Wow! That means we can use the teleport waypoints without worrying about being seen!” Paimon’s starry eyes lit up with excitement.
“Of course,” Nolan confirmed with a grin.
"Stop talking and try it already," Lumine urged, her soft lips parting impatiently.
"Alright. It’s my first time using it this way, but I’m sure it’ll work." Nolan nodded, leading them to a secluded corner where no one could see them.
He then activated the "Concealment Form" skill.
Immediately, Nolan sensed everything within a three-meter radius—himself, Lumine, Paimon, the walls of the nearby buildings, and the ground beneath their feet.
If he wanted, he could make any of them invisible.
It seemed that this "Stealth Domain" was even more powerful than he had imagined. The possibilities for its use were endless.
For example, he could sneakily make the bathroom door disappear while Lumine was bathing, just to see her embarrassed and furious reaction.
Ah, why is that the first thing I thought of? My mind is so dirty!
Nolan sneaked a glance at Lumine, relieved to see that she hadn’t noticed his impure thoughts.
If she found out what he was thinking, who knew if she’d give him a good thrashing?
Suppressing his wayward thoughts, Nolan selected himself, Lumine, and Paimon, granting them all invisibility.
In the next instant, they melted into the environment as if they were drops of water merging seamlessly into a lake.
"Does this mean they can’t see us now?"
Paimon didn't feel any particular change in herself and could still see Lumine beside her. Could it be that Nolan's ability hadn’t worked?
“This ‘Stealth Domain’ has a three-meter radius. We can still see each other within it. If you want to know if it worked, let's just walk over and check,” Nolan said with a smile as he headed toward the wooden arch bridge.
Hearing his words, Lumine and Paimon quickly followed, making sure not to step outside the invisibility range.
Before long, they crossed the wooden arch bridge and purposefully circled around the alchemy table in front of the unfamiliar adventurers.
Sure enough, no one noticed them.
After confirming that everything was working correctly, they headed straight for the teleport waypoint.
Lumine grabbed Nolan's hand and signaled for Paimon to hold onto her. Then, she gently placed her other hand on the waypoint and, without hesitation, selected their destination.
When they reappeared, it was at the teleport waypoint in Mondstadt's Fountain Plaza.
At this time, just like in Liyue Harbor, the streets were still lit, and a few pedestrians were walking around.
However, none of them noticed the sudden appearance of Nolan and his group.
The "Concealment Form" effect hadn't been dispelled by the teleportation, which pleased Nolan greatly.
Using the wind to glide on their Wind Gliders, they returned to their home on Val Berry Street in about ten minutes.
From the outside, the lights in the house were on, indicating that Fischl was likely inside.
Over the past few days, they had been unable to return home due to their trip to Mt. Aozang in search of the Adepti, and Nolan wondered if Fischl had missed him.
He chuckled to himself.
If Teyvat had something like a telephone, Fischl could have kept in touch with him anytime, and he could have informed her when he couldn’t return from an expedition, so she wouldn’t worry.
Perhaps there was some sort of Adepti magic for long-distance communication? He thought about asking Shenhe about it tomorrow when he went to train in mental techniques.
Having already dispelled the “Stealth Domain,” Nolan and the others opened the door and walked into the living room. There, they saw Oz standing on the table, eating some beans.
“Oh, Sir Nolan, you’ve returned,” Oz remarked with mild surprise.
“Good evening, Oz,” Nolan greeted with a smile, then asked, “Where’s Fischl?”
“The princess is bathing. Would you like to join her?” Oz replied, swallowing a bean and speaking with a hint of amusement in his voice.
“Hmm, not a bad idea,” Nolan said, rubbing his chin, his eyes lighting up as he turned to Lumine and asked, “Want to join her for a bath? Just the three of us.”
Hearing such a straightforward suggestion from him, Lumine crossed her arms under her chest and glared at Nolan with her amber eyes, full of disdain as if looking at trash.
“Hmph, idiot!”
With that, she headed upstairs, not wanting to stay and give Nolan any more chances to take advantage of her.
Clearly, Lumine knew Nolan’s little schemes, and she wasn’t mentally prepared to take their relationship to the next level—especially not with other girls involved.
Although Lumine's affection for him was high enough that she could tolerate his relationships with other girls, that didn’t mean she was comfortable being close with those girls herself.
Achieving the dream of sharing a bed with all of them would still require a lot more effort on his part.
Nolan mused thoughtfully.
“Let the princess's radiance illuminate the heavens and the earth,” came Fischl’s soft humming from the bathroom, accompanied by the sound of water splashing as she lay in the tub, wiping her body with a towel.
Nolan stood outside the bathroom door, cleared his throat to mask his excitement, and knocked on the door, asking, "Princess, may I come in?"
"Hmph, you shameless attendant! I won't allow you to enter!" Fischl's voice echoed from inside.
The bathroom wasn’t far from the living room, so Fischl, with her keen hearing, had already noticed that Nolan and the others had returned and overheard their conversation.
Nolan tried to turn the doorknob, only to find it locked from the inside.
But that wasn’t an issue for him. His mental tendrils could extend within a five-meter radius, allowing him to unlock the door from the other side.
As he thought, so he did.
With a click, the bathroom door opened, and the layout inside came into view.
The bathroom was about five square meters. The front part contained a squat toilet, separated by a glass door. Beyond that was the larger space with the bathtub.
"Ah! You cheating attendant!" Fischl exclaimed, her hands crossed over her chest as she pressed herself against the edge of the tub, embarrassed and frustrated.
The steam clinging to the glass walls made the view inside hazy.
Nolan chuckled softly. He felt that the universal energy he had consumed earlier for his "Harmony" ability had mostly recovered by now.
It was time to try out the ability’s effects on Fischl in another way, besides just kissing.
Nolan pushed open the glass door and, with no escape for Fischl, scooped her up, spreading and supporting her soft, snow-white legs as he pressed her against the wall.
“Ah, so cold,” Fischl shivered as her back suddenly touched the cool, smooth tiles, causing her to tremble.
The next moment, she felt her lips being sealed.
Time seemed to pass as quickly as the hot water flowing from the faucet. Who knew how long had passed when Fischl, now weary, exhaled warm breaths from her soft lips and wrapped her arms around Nolan’s neck, resting her head on his shoulder.
The water in the tub submerged both their bodies, with only their heads remaining above the surface. Nolan glanced at Fischl using his Golden Eye of Judgment.
【Level: Thirty-Nine】
Fischl must have been close to leveling up earlier, and after absorbing the universal energy from the "Harmony" ability, she had just crossed the threshold.
It seemed that if Nolan used "Harmony" on Fischl a few more times, she could reach level forty. Then, after absorbing that four-star Thunder Jade, she would likely achieve her second breakthrough.
The "Harmony" ability was indeed impressive.
After testing it on both Lumine and Fischl, Nolan had gathered some experience.
Firstly, due to his physique and the bonus from his "Abundant Life" Specialty, it only took him about two hours to recover after using "Harmony" once. This recovery time would get even shorter as he grew stronger.
Secondly, using "Harmony" could save them about two to three days of training, providing comprehensive growth in both physical and mental attributes.
While two or three days of growth might not sound significant, it was certainly satisfying.
To avoid catching a cold from staying in the water too long, Nolan and Fischl didn’t linger. They changed into their pajamas, dried their hair with the wind element, and then cuddled up in bed to sleep.
During the night, Nolan's hands wandered restlessly.
Eventually, the long night passed.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the curtains, casting light on the bed. Fischl sat up on Nolan's stomach, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
Looking at his still-sleeping face, she recalled how this guy had pestered her even while they slept last night. Irritated, she leaned over slightly and pinched both of his cheeks.
Nolan was jolted awake by the pain.
When he went downstairs for breakfast, his cheeks were still a bit swollen, causing Lumine and Paimon to stifle their laughter.
"My dear princess, do you have some free time today? How about joining us for an adventure in Liyue?" Nolan asked with a smile.
"Hmm..." Fischl thought for a moment, touching her chin, then shook her head. "Recently, some adventurers reported that the wind barrier around the Stormterror's Lair suddenly opened. As an investigator, it’s only natural that I must go and investigate."
"Stormterror's Lair?" Nolan knew the place well; it was where Dvalin, the Stormterror, resided in the game’s storyline. If they hadn’t dealt with Dvalin at Starsnatch Cliff, they likely would have had to face him in the lair.
The lair was usually surrounded by a wind barrier, making entry difficult. In the game’s story, it was only removed with Venti's help. Now that it had opened unexpectedly, could something have gone wrong, or was it just Venti, the idle Anemo Archon, messing around?
"Well, I won’t have any time off until I finish my investigation," Fischl said with a nod, taking a small bite of the soft bread in her hand.
"Alright, then take this. The Electro energy inside should be enough for your second breakthrough," Nolan said understandingly, handing Fischl the four-star Thunder Jade he had obtained earlier at the Stone Gate.
"Oh? Well done, attendant." Fischl, wearing black silk gloves, took the Thunder Jade with her left hand, carefully feeling the abundant Electro energy within.
It was indeed sufficient to aid her breakthrough.
"Hmph, in return, take these Primogems this Princess have found during my recent adventures," Fischl said, pleased, as she handed Nolan three Primogems she had planned to give him.
She had found them in two ordinary chests.
"Thank you, Princess!"
Nolan smiled as he accepted the Primogems, lifting Fischl’s hand and planting a kiss on her fair skin.
"And please, Princess, keep an eye out for more Primogems when you explore Stormterror's Lair. I’ll join you in the investigation after I’ve learned the mental training method in a few days," Nolan explained his plan.
"Hmph, do as you wish!" Fischl, though secretly wanting him to accompany her, responded with a slightly haughty tone.
"Hehe, how could the great adventurer Lumine and her best guide miss out on an adventure? We’ll be there too!" Paimon, wearing her crown, said cheerfully, taking a sip of milk.
"Yeah, there doesn’t seem to be any progress in finding my brother in Liyue, so it might be good to go on an adventure to clear my mind," Lumine added, taking a small bite out of her bread, accidentally letting a few crumbs fall into the soft, snowy valley between her breasts, causing a slight tickling sensation.
(End of Chapter)
