Ferocious beasts were usually enormous creatures.
And the one that had swallowed little Ganyu whole was especially gigantic.
Even though it now lay dead, Ganyu still trembled with fear — a primal instinctive terror before a creature so vastly larger than herself.
But the Master said she had defeated the monster!
Her expression immediately brightened, her eyes curving into happy crescents.
"Master, does that mean I'm amazing?" Ganyu asked expectantly.
"Mm-hmm. Very amazing."
Gu Chen nodded, wiped the blood from his longsword, sheathed it, and then lifted Ganyu into his arms.
From her new, higher vantage point, Ganyu could see the land beyond Jueyun Karst — the ground was covered with the torn remains of countless beasts. Sword marks crisscrossed the terrain like a massive fishing net cast from the heavens, erasing every monster beneath it.
Ganyu's eyes went wide in awe.
She glanced at the beast she had "defeated." Compared to the Master's feat, hers was nothing impressive… but Master had praised her, and that made her chest swell with pride.
"Master, I'm going to find Auntie Liuyun!" Ganyu chirped.
"She's over there cleaning up the battlefield. Go on." Gu Chen thought for a moment — there was no danger now — and set Ganyu down.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, she darted off with her short legs toward Liuyun the Cloud Retainer.
Before long, she spotted the immortal using her powers to clear away the remnants of battle.
"Ganyu? Why are you here?"
Liuyun blinked in surprise when she saw the little qilin. Ganyu's hair was a tangled mess, her clothes were sticky, and she reeked faintly of something strange.
Liuyun's expression turned grave. "Were you injured?"
"No, nope!"
Ganyu bounded up, eyes curved into crescents again as she proudly announced, "I defeated a beast! Master said I'm super amazing!"
"Hah?"
Liuyun froze for a second, then laughed out loud. "That's impossible!"
How could such a tiny child defeat a ferocious beast?
"It's true!"
Seeing Liuyun didn't believe her, Ganyu hurried to explain: "Master said the beast swallowed me, but I got stuck in its throat — it couldn't breathe and died!"
Liuyun stared at her blankly for a heartbeat, then burst into full laughter. "Hahahaha! So it suffocated because you got stuck in its throat? That's… that's quite something!"
The immortal laughed harder and harder, clutching her stomach.
Ganyu froze.
She lowered her head and looked at herself — round, plump, and a little disheveled.
She had seen Liuyun and the other adepts take on human form before — all elegant figures with graceful curves. She had once thought she would look like that when she grew up.
But now… she was just a chubby ball who had choked a monster to death.
She had been too focused on her "victory" to notice it before, but now, hearing Liuyun's laughter, a pang of sadness welled up inside her.
"What's wrong?"
Liuyun tilted her head when she saw Ganyu's sudden dejection.
"Nothing."
Ganyu shook her head and walked away.
Liuyun blinked, puzzled.
What was that about? She had just been laughing over a funny story — why the sudden gloom?
"Wait… could it be because I didn't praise her?"
Realization dawned on Liuyun, but by then Ganyu was already gone.
"Uwaaah!"
Ganyu sat by the roadside, sobbing pitifully, tears streaming down her little cheeks.
"What's all this?"
Gu Chen approached, brows furrowed in concern.
"N-nothing…"
Ganyu sniffled, trying her best to stop crying — but the more she tried, the worse it got.
"Who upset you? Tell Master, and I'll go have a proper talk with them." Gu Chen gently patted her head.
"Uuuwaaah!"
That only made Ganyu cry harder, burying her snotty face in his chest.
Gu Chen sighed softly, half helpless, half amused, patting her back as he spoke in a soothing tone. "Our little Ganyu can even defeat a ferocious beast — who would dare bully you? Tell me and I'll deal with them myself!"
At that, Ganyu cried even harder.
Gu Chen was completely lost.
After a while, Ganyu lifted her tear-streaked face and asked softly, "Master… would you ever dislike Ganyu?"
"Hm?"
Gu Chen blinked, caught off guard — but then smiled. "Little Ganyu is so adorable. How could I ever dislike you?"
"Master's the best…" Ganyu sniffled, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly.
"You went to see Liuyun earlier, didn't you?" Gu Chen asked gently.
Ganyu pouted. "Auntie Liuyun laughed at me!"
"Oh?" Gu Chen raised a brow. "And why did she laugh?"
"I told her I defeated a beast. She didn't believe me. Then I told her it choked to death on me — and she just kept laughing!" Ganyu said indignantly.
Gu Chen weighed the little qilin in his arms and couldn't help the wry expression that crossed his face.
Now he understood.
After a moment's thought, he said softly, "Ah, I see. Don't blame your Auntie Liuyun — she probably just wasn't expecting such a… unique method of victory. But still, you did defeat the beast, and that's something to be proud of."
"They all turn into pretty humans, but I'm just fat…" Ganyu murmured, wiping her tears.
"That's fine. It just means you've got a good appetite — and eating well means you're healthy." Gu Chen chuckled, carrying her up the mountain.
After a moment of silence, Ganyu asked tentatively, "If I stay like this forever, Master… you really won't dislike me?"
"Of course not. No matter what kind of Ganyu you are, you'll always be adorable. I could never dislike you."
Ganyu's worries melted away, replaced by a bright smile through her tear tracks.
Master really was the best in the world.
A master like this… she truly liked.
When they returned to the cave, Gu Chen said, "I've prepared hot water for you — go wash up. I'll go have a word with your Auntie Liuyun."
Only then did Ganyu realize how dirty and smelly she still was. With a wrinkle of her nose, she scampered off to bathe.
As she sank into the warm pool, she thought back on how Master had still held her and comforted her, even when she was covered in grime.
"Master's so nice~" she giggled to herself.
"Liuyun, you really should mind a child's feelings," Gu Chen said helplessly when he found her. "If you must laugh, at least do it behind her back."
"I— It just slipped out!" Liuyun sighed. "I'll make it up to her later. I'll bring her some high-quality Qingxin flowers."
"Make sure the others know too. She's still young — if you all laugh at her, she'll start worrying too much about her body. She's an adeptus beast — things like weight don't matter."
"I understand," Liuyun nodded solemnly… then couldn't help snickering again. "Still… choking a beast to death — hahaha!"
Gu Chen chuckled too but waved a hand. "Alright, alright. I'd better get back before she starts overthinking again."
When he returned, Ganyu had washed clean and smelled faintly sweet. Her little magical dress shimmered softly as she lay on the bed, kicking her feet idly.
Gu Chen sat beside her, drying her hair with a wave of his hand. "Your Auntie Liuyun has already reflected on her actions. She said she'll bring you some delicious Qingxin next time."
"Really?" Ganyu's eyes sparkled like stars.
"Of course. Immortals don't lie."
"Yay!"
A few days later, Liuyun indeed brought Qingxin as promised — and though her expression twitched the whole time, she managed not to laugh. Ganyu, naturally, was delighted just to have the treat.
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