Ever since Zhongli and Jiang Xuan went in.
Ganyu became restless.
She paced back and forth around the portal, and Ningguang and Hu Tao understood her worry.
But they couldn't console her.
It was a world full of malice towards life. The only good thing was that Jiang Xuan knew what to do in that world.
After about dozens of laps, Ganyu looked up at Ningguang.
"Has five minutes passed already? Can we enter now?"
Seeing Ganyu's anxious gaze, Ningguang sighed inwardly.
Estimating that the time was roughly right, she could only nod.
"Hu Tao, please prepare for defense. We're entering the Nether!"
Hu Tao also knew this wasn't the time to be playful, so she nodded seriously, taking out her Trident and shield.
The three exchanged glances and cautiously walked into the portal.
The chaotic spatial fluctuations swept over them, followed by an instant blackout.
When they regained their senses, the three had arrived in the long-anticipated Nether.
The smell of sulfur and the scorching air hit them, and before they could get accustomed to the environment.
Ganyu saw Zhongli and Jiang Xuan back-to-back in the distance, each fending off a giant Magma Cube.
"Jiang Xuan!"
Ganyu immediately grew anxious and was about to aim and shoot.
"Ganyu!"
Jiang Xuan was startled, and immediately said:
"Stop! Don't shoot an arrow!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the Magma Cube opposite him slammed into Jiang Xuan's shield with a thud.
Instantly, the shield burst into flames, and its durability plummeted.
But at this point, there was no need to worry about these losses.
With a backhand slash, the Magma Cube was pushed back, exploding in mid-air into several smaller Magma Cubes.
"This thing isn't very dangerous. You just stay put for a while; Zhongli and I can handle it!"
Jiang Xuan hastily replied, then rushed to chase and attack the scattered Magma Cubes.
Even though they didn't pay attention just now, killing the large one, and then suddenly two more large ones appeared, seemed to have caught Zhongli and Jiang Xuan off guard.
But in reality, this thing was not a difficult enemy to deal with.
On the contrary, Jiang Xuan was quite looking forward to killing this thing.
Magma Cream was a good item, or rather, any material for alchemical potions was good stuff.
Zhongli, having just killed that Magma Cube, also realized that this thing just looked intimidating.
In reality, it jumped slowly and had a large body, making it a perfect moving target.
Although it was true that it could easily break a shield.
His shield was already about to break after just a few hits.
However, he still had his Jade Screen Shield and enchanted Iron Armor Set.
The enchantment also included Fire Protection.
Four or five Magma Cubes might be a bit troublesome, but one or two were really not a problem.
"One minute to solve this."
Jiang Xuan said softly, and Zhongli nodded slightly.
The two rushed forward, each holding a Diamond Sword.
The Magma Cubes, which were originally more than a head taller than them, were quickly torn apart.
Seeing this, the three women also relaxed.
Before long, the two killed the last Magma Cube.
Perhaps due to the Looting enchantment, even though the base drop rate was one-quarter, both of these Magma Cubes dropped Magma Cream.
After a quick scan to confirm there were no other Magma Cubes around, Jiang Xuan put away his weapon.
Zhongli walked over and handed him the Magma Cream.
"The materials you wanted."
"Thanks."
Jiang Xuan smiled, then said with some regret:
"Still a bit too little. Oh well... since we're already in the Nether, we'll eventually have enough."
Hearing this, Zhongli shook his head helplessly.
"It's a wonder you can still call this place the Nether..."
"Hell or whatever is too inauspicious!"
Jiang Xuan shrugged, grinning as he walked towards Ganyu and the other two.
"How is it? Can you accept the situation here? If not, you can go back first."
At this moment, the three remembered to observe the Nether environment.
The next moment, their reactions were just like Zhongli's earlier.
After a moment of silence, Hu Tao stared at Jiang Xuan with a confused look.
"This is the place you kept emphasizing was the Nether, not Hell?"
"Jiang Xuan, what on earth are you thinking?! Teyvat's border between life and death isn't even this harsh!"
"If this can't be called Hell, then what place can?!"
Jiang Xuan chuckled, spreading his hands:
"Nether, Hell, either can be used. But don't you think calling this place Hell, and then us coming here, is very inauspicious?"
"..."
After a moment of silence from the others, Ningguang said faintly:
"Although I think you have a point, but... given the environment here, isn't it already very inauspicious?"
Jiang Xuan remained silent, and the others also dropped the topic.
However, it would probably take them a while to accept everything here.
It was simply too harsh.
It could almost be said that danger was everywhere.
At the very least, even when delving deep into a mine, they hadn't encountered such an immediate battle upon entry.
"It seems that the Liyue miners won't be able to come to the Net... Nether to mine resources for a long time..."
Ningguang shook her head.
The environment here made even them feel a bit tense, let alone the miners with weaker self-preservation abilities.
But Jiang Xuan smiled and shook his head.
"That's not necessarily true. There are many things in the Nether that we absolutely must obtain."
"The minerals here are secondary. The main thing is to hunt monsters, just like the Magma Cubes just now."
Saying this, Jiang Xuan took out the Magma Cream and smiled:
"This thing is a very important alchemical potion material."
"Alchemy?"
Everyone was curious. They didn't know much about alchemy. The most knowledgeable about alchemy in Teyvat was originally Khaenri'ah.
Now it was Albedo in Mondstadt.
Ningguang and the others hadn't really explored the specific effects of alchemy.
They only knew that most alchemists seemed to just mend broken items, and Albedo seemed to be involved in some method of creation.
"Jiang Xuan, are your alchemical potions special in any way?"
Ganyu curiously leaned in to examine the Magma Cream, which didn't look particularly special.
It just felt very hot.
"Magma Cream is an important material for brewing Potions of Fire Resistance. I don't need to explain what Potions of Fire Resistance are, right?"
"Is it... like the Fire Protection enchantment, which reduces fire damage?"
Hu Tao asked uncertainly.
Jiang Xuan gave a mysterious smile.
"Be more imaginative!"
"After drinking a Potion of Fire Resistance, you can jump into lava for a bath without any problems. Potions of Fire Resistance sound like they only defend against fire."
"But this thing actually grants complete immunity to fire damage!"
Hearing this, everyone fell silent.
Especially Hu Tao, who was even a little broken.
From yesterday's Fire Protection to today's Potion of Fire Resistance.
It seemed that ever since they prepared to go to the Nether, she, Hu Tao, had been subjected to the most intense targeting in this world.
Hu Tao felt a little wronged.
Did no one consider them, the Pyro Archons, at all?!
After a moment of silence, Hu Tao pouted her small lips, feeling wronged.
"Jiang Xuan! You're targeting me!"
Everyone else also recovered from the miraculous nature of the Potion of Fire Resistance, and seeing Hu Tao's state, they couldn't help but chuckle.
Potions of Fire Resistance were good things.
But once they could be mass-produced and released into Teyvat...
All Pyro Archons, all countless Pyro elemental beings, and even Pyro Abyss Mages and Pyro Slimes...
Would be completely nerfed.
After all, if you could take a bath in lava with a Potion of Fire Resistance, wouldn't resisting your Pyro elements be easy?
This kind of absolute, law-like effect.
Simply put...
Natlan would be enraged.
And Diluc, who had already become a "burnt toast," would probably be even more confused.
Jiang Xuan was also a little embarrassed.
In the MC World, Pyro elements indeed seemed to be targeted.
At the very least, the other six elements hadn't been so severely countered.
Ningguang pursed her lips, holding back a laugh:
"It's alright, Hu Tao. Potions of Fire Resistance are strategic materials and definitely won't be allowed to spread widely in Teyvat."
"Otherwise, Natlan would surely have something to say."
"Look at it another way, Hu Tao, you can also drink Potions of Fire Resistance! Wouldn't it be even simpler and more convenient for you to deal with the Pyro Regisvine then?"
Prompted by Ningguang, Hu Tao also imagined herself drinking the potion and fighting the Pyro Regisvine.
Strangely, she actually felt a bit of anticipation.
However, Hu Tao still looked at Jiang Xuan with a hint of unease.
"No matter what, these potions absolutely cannot be released carelessly, Jiang Xuan! Otherwise, my dignity as the Funeral Parlor Director will be completely swept away!"
Seeing Hu Tao standing with her hands on her hips, looking angry.
Jiang Xuan found it amusing.
He had intended to tell Hu Tao that with her adorable demeanor, she didn't have much dignity to begin with.
But after thinking about it, he decided not to make Hu Tao feel worse.
He just smiled and nodded:
"I understand. But I just want to tell you that the Nether is very important. It's the production area for many alchemical potion ingredients."
"The types of alchemical potions are countless."
"Potions of Strength that enhance power, Potions of Swiftness that make one faster, Potions of Leaping that make one jump higher..."
"Slowness, Fire Resistance, Night Vision, Invisibility, Water Breathing, Healing, Poison, Instant Damage..."
"Not only are there potions you can drink yourself, but there are also potions you can throw to apply effects over a large area."
Seeing the growing brightness in everyone's eyes, Jiang Xuan guided them:
"Imagine, if one day a war broke out, and you used Potions of Strength, Swiftness, Leaping, Invisibility, and Night Vision on a squad of elite Millelith."
"And you threw Potions of Slowness and Weakness at the enemies, or even, during combat, threw Potions of Healing at the Millelith to instantly recover their injuries, and Potions of Harming at the enemies to instantly deal damage..."
"What kind of performance do you think that would be?"
The more Jiang Xuan spoke, the more intense the light in Ningguang's and the others' eyes became.
Even Zhongli became serious.
After a long moment, Zhongli said with a sigh:
"If that's truly the case, even just a Potion of Invisibility could have allowed Liyue to preserve more of its forces during the Archon War..."
"Alchemical potions are indeed a very powerful and terrifying force."
Jiang Xuan spread his hands, smiling.
"So you understand now, right?"
Jiang Xuan's tone became firm, and he pointed to the ground beneath them.
"No matter what, the Nether is a place we must explore, and a place where we must build harvesting machines!"
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