Glory stared blankly at the spot where Qiu Bai had been. A sharp sensation pricked at her eyes, prompting her to slowly open them.
She noticed light filtering through the cloth over her eyes.
With trembling hands, she gently removed the cloth.
The sudden sunlight made her instinctively shield her eyes with her hand.
Once she had adjusted, Glory's eyes widened.
She looked at the people walking by, the vendors shouting, the stone pavement beneath her feet, and the birds flying through the sky.
"I... I can see..."
She stared at her hands in disbelief as tears began to stream down her cheeks.
"Goodwin... I can finally use my own eyes... to see the beauty of this world."
Still crying, Glory slowly stood up. The breeze of Mondstadt brushed across her face, and she broke into a joyful smile.
"Thank you, Mr. Qiu Bai."
"Thank you... for letting me see the world."
Facing the place where Qiu Bai had been, Glory bowed deeply, her tears still falling...
Inside the Angel's Share tavern, a certain bard sitting with a drink seemed to sense something. A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
When he looked up, he saw a refined and strikingly handsome scholar walking toward him.
"Oh? Thanks for saving one of my believers."
"Long time no see, Melethius,"
Venti said as he casually plopped down in the seat next to Qiu Bai, leaning in with a mischievous grin.
"You reek of alcohol. How much have you had?"
Qiu Bai wrinkled his nose and pushed Venti's face away with one hand.
"Aw, that hurts..."
"We haven't seen each other in so long, and this is how you greet me?"
Venti pouted dramatically.
"Your statue's been stolen, and you're still here drinking."
Qiu Bai let out a sigh as he looked at him.
"Hehe, what else can I do?"
"To gather divine power, I need to fulfill my duties. Without power, there's nothing I can do."
Venti gave a light chuckle.
"Tell that to the Traveler.
If you expect me to believe it, you're dreaming."
Qiu Bai rolled his eyes.
"System.
Scan Venti,"
he said inwardly.
Ding!
Name: Venti
Identity: A strand of the Thousand Winds, Wind Spirit, Archon Barbatos, Anemo Archon of the Seven, God of Freedom, Bard, Drunkard
Divine Power Level: Half-step Top-Tier Archon
Overall Power: Peak High-Ranking Archon
Qiu Bai twitched slightly. It was the first time he'd seen someone whose overall strength was lower than their divine power.
Even without the system, he could tell Venti's power hadn't diminished much.
"Ehe~"
Venti scratched his head and stuck out his tongue with a cheeky grin.
"Looks like you're the same as the old man now... living as a mortal?"
Venti asked, eyeing him with a smile.
"Yeah, I go by Qiu Bai now,"
he replied with a smile and a nod.
"It's been ages since we met. Want to share a drink?"
"But I'm broke—spent all the Mora I just earned,"
Venti said with a chuckle.
"I'll buy. Wait here,"
Qiu Bai offered with a smile.
He strolled over to the counter, ordered several bottles of aged fine wine, and returned to the table with them.
"Whoa, Qiu Bai, you're loaded!"
"All this fine wine must've cost a fortune!"
Venti's eyes lit up as he looked at the bottles.
"Not really. Just a few hundred thousand Mora."
Qiu Bai chuckled and sat down across from him.
"A few hundred thousand! I can't even make that in a year telling stories."
"Guess I'm riding your coattails today,"
Venti said with a dramatic sigh, grabbing a bottle and pouring himself a glass.
"So what brings you to Mondstadt?
Did you wake up from your slumber?"
He took a sip, curious.
"Not only did I wake up,"
Qiu Bai said with a grin as he uncorked his bottle,
"I'm strong enough now to take on Morax."
"Huh?! Seriously? That strong?"
"Even the old man could send me flying with one kick."
Venti blinked in surprise.
"Don't make a big deal out of it,"
Qiu Bai waved a hand, brushing it off.
"I just woke up too."
"You're lucky you don't wear down like the rest of us,"
Venti sighed, resting his chin on one hand as he drank.
"I heard you got your Gnosis ripped out... by La Signora, the Fatui Harbinger?"
Qiu Bai raised an eyebrow at him, amused.
"Ah... Rosalyne..."
Venti took a sip and gave a wry smile.
"I do owe her... in more ways than one."
"No worries. I got beaten up and coughed blood thanks to Childe."
Qiu Bai laughed and casually mentioned his own run-in with a Fatui Harbinger.
"Hahaha, really?"
"Looks like we're both in the same boat."
Venti grinned and raised his glass.
Qiu Bai raised his too, clinking glasses with Venti before downing it in one gulp.
"Brings back memories. The last time we drank together...
We weren't like this back then,"
Venti said with a tinge of nostalgia.
A thousand years ago, he'd gone to Liyue in search of the old man and had run into Qiu Bai by chance.
"After we finish these, come with me somewhere."
"You've felt it too, haven't you?"
Qiu Bai smiled and looked at Venti.
"Yeah...
It seems they're planning something against the Lord of the North Wind, Boreas."
Venti nodded slowly and looked toward Wolvendom.
"But no worries.
The Traveler's already on the way."
"Right?"
He grinned at Qiu Bai.
"You're such a slacker."
"When we're done drinking, I'm dragging you there myself,"
Qiu Bai said, already annoyed.
"The Lord of the North Wind, huh..."
Qiu Bai knew all about him.
Originally a god, his power had seeped into the land and transformed into a force that guarded the people.
Andrius had left behind a remnant soul, merged with the spirit of the wolf lord, and became a follower of Barbatos—now known as Boreas.
"Alright, alright, I'll go, okay?"
"I'm scared of you! Just don't carry me—how embarrassing would that be?"
Venti quickly waved his hands, then looked at Qiu Bai with big, pleading eyes, almost like he was begging.