Chapter 89 – The Land of Wind

Lumine glanced at the few people present.

“That statue resembles the form of the Anemo Archon.”

“Should we ask the people from the Church of Favonius?”

Lumine looked at Dainsleif and spoke slowly.

“Yes, that bard who sings everywhere is too hard to find. It’s better to go to the Church of Favonius first to understand the situation.”

“Maybe we’ll find some clues.”

Paimon looked at the people around and spoke slowly.

“That bard who sings everywhere… is he really that hard to find?”

Qiu Bai smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth, laughing inwardly.

“The church… hmph.”

Dainsleif let out a low snort, chuckling with a hint of disdain.

“Huh? Dainsleif, what’s wrong?”

Paimon looked at Dainsleif with some confusion, not understanding why he seemed a bit angry.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go first and talk later.”

Dainsleif quickly turned his head and hurriedly said.

Then he turned around and walked toward Mondstadt. Seeing this, Lumine and Paimon followed.

“To laugh at the power of the gods?”

“After all, he’s just a child who has lived for five hundred years. There are some things he doesn’t quite understand yet.”

Qiu Bai looked at Dainsleif’s back and couldn’t help but chuckle softly, then followed behind the three of them.

They were already at the border of Liyue, so walking there wouldn’t take too long.

After half a day, they finally reached the territory of Mondstadt.

It was noon, and the sun hung high in the sky, shining down on this land.

A free wind brushed against their faces. On the distant plains, dandelion seeds drifted in the air.

In the distance, there were continuous mountain ranges, rivers, lakes, vast plains, and a Statue of The Seven emitting a pale blue light, soaring into the sky.

The azure sky was dotted with clouds like cotton, floating slowly in the air.

“It’s been a long time since I set foot on the land of wind.”

“The air here is still so warm and fragrant.”

Qiu Bai looked at the beautiful scenery and smiled, unconsciously recalling Mondstadt’s background music in his mind.

“Huh? Has Qiu Bai been here before?”

Paimon asked with some confusion, as it was said that Qiu Bai had been in a deep slumber all this time.

“Hehe, I came here a long time ago.”

“Back then, this place looked just like it does now.”

Qiu Bai patted Paimon’s head and said with a smile.

“The ‘long time’ you’re talking about definitely isn’t the ‘long time’ I understand, right?”

Paimon narrowed her eyes, looking at Qiu Bai, who was patting her head.

“It’s quite nostalgic, actually.”

“After all, this is where I first met the Traveler.”

Paimon turned her head, looked at Lumine, who was admiring the scenery, and said with a smile.

“Yes, Paimon, this is the starting point of our journey.”

“I wonder how everyone in the City of Mondstadt is doing.”

Lumine nodded with a smile, her mood lifting as she took in the beautiful scenery.

“Now isn’t the time to admire the scenery.”

“We need to go to the Church of Favonius and investigate.”

At that moment, a voice that ruined the mood spoke up—it was Dainsleif.

“Right, let’s go to the Church of Favonius then.”

“After all, the important matters come first.”

Paimon nodded in agreement.

Then Lumine and Paimon looked at Qiu Bai, hinting frantically, as the distance to the City of Mondstadt was quite far.

“Hehe, my little Mystic Arts aren’t very reliable for places I haven’t been to in a long time.”

“Little Paimon.”

Qiu Bai patted Paimon’s head and said with a smile.

“What if I accidentally send you to the middle of nowhere?”

“Be careful, or a wolf might eat Paimon.”

Qiu Bai looked at Paimon’s unhappy expression and spoke in a somewhat somber tone.

“Ah, no way! Let’s just walk there instead.”

“Paimon doesn’t want to be eaten by a wolf.”

Paimon was startled by Qiu Bai’s expression and spoke with a hint of fear.

“Paimon is such a scaredy-cat.”

Lumine put her hands on her hips and teased Paimon mockingly.

“Hmph, I’m not scared at all!”

“Let’s go, I’ll lead the way.”

Hearing Lumine’s taunt, Paimon turned her head with a light snort and flew straight to the front.

Seeing Paimon like this, both Lumine and Qiu Bai covered their mouths and chuckled softly.

Qiu Bai and Lumine followed along, while Dainsleif seemed lost in thought. After a moment, he too began walking.

After walking for a day, all the monsters they encountered along the way were dealt with by Lumine. By now, it was already evening.

Behind them, a campfire was lit, its smoke slowly rising into the sky. Qiu Bai stood alone on a cliff, hands clasped behind his back, watching the moon gradually ascend.

Paimon held a pile of Sunsettias in her arms, while Lumine carried a few fish as she slowly walked toward the campfire.

Dainsleif sat on a rock with his eyes slightly closed.

“Qiu Bai, would you like some grilled fish?”

Lumine looked at Qiu Bai standing on the cliff and asked softly, strolling over as well.

“Hehe, if it’s made by Lumine.”

“I’d eat it without hesitation.”

Qiu Bai chuckled lightly, teasing Lumine beside him.

Hearing this, Lumine’s face flushed slightly. She sat down on the cliff, propped her chin in her hands, and also gazed at the distant moon.

“Qiu Bai, how long have you been asleep?”

Lumine asked calmly.

“Hmm, let me think.”

“A thousand years ago, I wandered the mortal world for several decades before falling into slumber.”

“Then, five hundred years later, it was the time of the war between the Adepti and the Greater Demons.”

Qiu Bai seemed to be reminiscing as he turned to look at the seated Lumine and spoke softly.

“I was forcibly awakened for a few hours to end this Immortal-Demon War, then fell back into slumber.”

“The day you saw me in Liyue Harbor was when I awoke again, five hundred years later.”

Qiu Bai crouched down, looking at the distant moon as he spoke slowly.

“And the reason I have no connection to Celestia.”

“Is likely because my Gnosis has existed since the moment I was born.”

Qiu Bai continued slowly.

“So, Qiu Bai, you…”

“Were a deity from the moment you were born?”

Lumine looked at Qiu Bai curiously, speaking with some surprise.

“Lumine, when you resume your journey, always remember the meaning of the journey itself.”

“The end doesn’t mean everything. Before reaching the end, use your eyes to observe this world more.”

Qiu Bai nodded, turned around, and looked at the bright moon in the sky, speaking slowly with his hands behind his back.

“Qiu Bai…”

“Venti once said something similar…”

Lumine stared blankly at Qiu Bai’s back, not fully understanding the meaning of his words.

A shout came from below the cliff.

“Ouch~! Isn’t this path flat?”

“How could I still trip?”

A somewhat clumsy, silly-sounding voice drifted up from below the cliff.

Hearing this voice, Qiu Bai twitched the corner of his mouth.

“Isn’t that the Pyro Archon Bennett’s voice?”

Qiu Bai looked down curiously.

A white-haired boy wearing shorts and a pair of binoculars on his head.

There was still a small white band-aid on his nose, and he was rubbing his head at the moment, clearly having taken a fall.

Indeed, this person was none other than the six-star Pyro Archon, Bennett.