In the world of Minecraft, time passed quietly, almost imperceptibly.
Before long, three weeks had gone by.
And in those three weeks, Gong Qu focused on one thing, farming.
In the first week, he expanded his land from 20 plots to 80. With four wheat harvests per week, his total income neared 10,000 world coins.
Eighty plots, 6,400 square meters, roughly ten acres.
Just harvesting and replanting required considerable time and effort from him and Keqing alone.
So, for now, expansion had to stop there.
By the end of the third week, Gong Qu exchanged his savings for one Vision and two Teleport Anchors.
Perhaps it was because he had spent all those weeks immersed in farming, but the Vision he awakened wasn't the expected Geo, it was the vibrant and life-filled Dendro.
[Character: Gong Qu]
[Level: 45]
[Vision: Dendro]
That was the only change to his character panel after receiving the Vision.
No elemental skills, no elemental burst, no Constellations, just the Vision attribute added, like he'd unlocked a trinket slot in his Minecraft interface.
Still, it granted him abilities tied to the concept of the Dendro element. As for skills and burst attacks, he'd have to figure those out himself.
His character level differed from Keqing's. His level was based on Minecraft-specific actions: mining, smelting, harvesting, and so on. Even when repairing enchanted gear at the anvil, the system didn't deduct experience, it asked for Enchanted Bottles instead.
So, Gong Qu finally made use of that Infinite Bow. By stacking a bunch of scattered enchantments, he crafted a true divine weapon: Power IV, Unbreaking III, Punch II, and Infinity.
As for Flame, he skipped it. With his newfound Dendro abilities, Flame would only reduce arrow damage.
After finishing his farmland expansion and acquiring a Vision, Gong Qu and Keqing began a dull but necessary chapter of their journey, mining.
After days of relentless digging, they had explored more than 10 kilometers deep into the mountain cave behind their home.
One early morning
Gong Qu and Keqing, both in full iron gear, resumed their excavation through the old shaft.
The current version of this Minecraft world must've been fairly advanced, it supported hidden armor visuals.
So outwardly, they looked like they were wearing regular clothes, but in reality, they were protected by steel-level defense. A proper sci-fi black-tech setup.
Even so, the armor didn't affect their physical perception or movement. It was seamless and comfortable.
"Ah Qing, do you feel like it's getting hotter around here?"
"Is it? I don't really feel anything."
Gong Qu thought for a moment, raised his hand, and let a soft green glow bloom in his palm.
"Probably because of my Dendro elemental sensitivity. I'm much more aware of nearby fire sources now. If I'm right, we should be close to lava."
"Lava? You mean...?"
"Yep. There might be diamonds nearby."
Just the thought made Gong Qu unable to contain his excitement.
Diamonds meant he could build a Nether portal and gather rare resources.
It also meant he could craft higher-quality diamond gear, enough to finally activate that long-coveted Dragon Adventure modpack.
Without warning, he hugged Keqing and kissed her cheek.
She made a face, wiped her mouth in annoyance, and shot him a sideways glance.
He didn't mind at all. Chuckling, he picked up his pickaxe and started carving a new path.
About ten minutes later
The bubbling sound of lava came from behind a wall just ahead.
"This must be the spot," Gong Qu said.
Keqing raised her pickaxe, ready to smash through, only for Gong Qu to stop her.
"Wait!"
"Let's build a platform and dig a drain channel first. Just in case."
Keqing imagined lava rushing in as soon as the wall broke. She shivered.
"Sorry, Ah Qu... I got ahead of myself again."
"No worries. With elemental powers, our survival odds are way higher, even in emergencies. But being cautious never hurts."
Gong Qu gently pulled Keqing back and dug out a small trench ahead, filling it with two buckets of water.
He then raised the trench edges for safety, climbed onto the wall, and resumed digging.
Clang! Clang!
Clang! Clang!
The rhythmic strikes of the pickaxe echoed against the deep slate.
His heartbeat fell into rhythm with the sound.
Until, crack!
A block shattered, and a shaft of bright light pierced through the opening.
"Hiss!"
What lay before them was an enormous lava lake. The thick, bubbling surface churned like boiling water. The air shimmered with heat distortion.
"This has to be hundreds of acres wide..." Gong Qu estimated from his elevated vantage.
Keqing dumbly nodded beside him.
After all, she was a real estate mogul, not a mining expert. Even in Liyue, she'd never seen such a spectacle.
"Alright, enough gawking. Finding diamonds in a lava lake this huge could take forever," Gong Qu said, patting her shoulder.
Keqing swallowed her awe and asked, "So... same strategy? Dig down bit by bit, then fan out left and right?"
"No need to be so roundabout."
Gong Qu carved out a two-block-high entrance.
Then he extended the tunnel two more blocks over the lava, broke the connecting block beneath him, and stood on a floating cobblestone platform.
From his backpack, he pulled out a water bucket and poured it onto the platform.
Whoosh!
Infinite water gushed outward, spilling over the edges.
Thanks to gravity, the water plunged downward, until it touched the searing lava.
Ssshhhh!
In an instant, steam hissed into the air, and dark purple obsidian began spreading across the molten surface, devouring the lava beneath.
Once a large enough area had turned to obsidian, Gong Qu reclaimed the water with his bucket.
Without the source, the remaining water quickly vanished.
"See? Like that. Let's just build a ladder and head down."
Keqing's throat twitched, but she swallowed her reaction.
At this point, the wonders of the Minecraft world had numbed her. Nothing surprised her anymore.
Once they landed, Gong Qu stomped lightly on the obsidian beneath them.
Stable. No sign of lava lurking beneath.
Next step? Simple:
Dig.
Lapis Lazuli?
Good stuff, vital for enchanting. Keep it.
Redstone?
Also good. Sadly, no electricity in this world. Store it for later research.
Gold Ore?
Not much use, but in the real world, gold apples are lifesavers. Better collect a few more.
[Achievement Unlocked: Is This a Diamond?]
[Reward: 500 World Coins]
Wait, Diamond? Where?
The unexpected achievement notification left Gong Qu baffled.
Then he heard Keqing's excited shout from deeper in the mine.
"Ah Qu! I found diamonds!"
A flash of lightning crackled in the air, and a soft body suddenly crashed into his arms.
Keqing held up a shimmering blue cube and chirped, "Look, look! This is the diamond you were talking about, right?"
Her bright eyes sparkled even more dazzlingly than the gem itself.
For a moment, Gong Qu couldn't look away.
The diamond in her hand suddenly didn't seem so important anymore.
"Yes," he smiled. "That's exactly the diamond I wanted."
"Haha, right? ...Wait, why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm admiring my diamond. Problem?"
Keqing's cheeks flushed red.
"Ugh! That's so cheesy!"
"But it's true. We're practically an old married couple now, and you still blush so easily. You really are my one and only diamond."
As he spoke, Gong Qu leaned closer, then captured her lips in a kiss before she could respond.
Keqing didn't resist.
In fact, as his teasing deepened, a soft moan escaped her lips, and she melted into his embrace like a flower in spring rain.
A rare moment of tenderness in the depths of the earth.