Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [327]

Leaving Klee to let her imagination run wild, Gu Sanqiu stepped into the frozen zone and approached Venti, who was firmly bound by the gravity array.

The freezing mechanism Gu Sanqiu used was a slime-based concoction, designed to maintain the frozen state until the elemental energy was entirely depleted. It wouldn't shatter intermittently like ordinary ice.

The gravity array, etched onto the bomb fragments, clung tightly to Venti's clothing. As long as Gu Sanqiu activated a shield, he could stroll through the area unaffected.

"Hmm, Lord Barbatos, is that how I should address you?"

Gu Sanqiu's lips curled into a smirk. "Or should I call you Grandpa Barbatos?"

A thread of mental energy wormed its way into Gu Sanqiu's mind.

"You brat, how dare you call me 'grandpa' when I look this dashing? Is that what you call your boss back in Liyue too?"

"What else would I call him?"

Gu Sanqiu replied mentally with equal sass. "By the way, I wouldn't exactly call your appearance 'dashing.' 'Adorable shota' feels like a better description."

Venti fell silent for a moment before sending another burst of mental energy.

"Do you want me to have your boss give you a beating?"

With a commendable level of defiance, Gu Sanqiu shot back: "Then I'll just tell him you stole from me—a gemstone, no less—and got caught red-handed. A whole Archon, resorting to petty theft!"

"Too bad I didn't bring a Kamera today. Otherwise, I'd be sure to snap a picture for posterity."

Gu Sanqiu's grin turned even more sinister.

"But, even without a photo, it's not like I'm out of options. Mondstadt has bards who turn legends into songs, and Liyue has novelists and playwrights who spin tales from history. If I tweak the time and place just a little and turn this into an entertaining story, I think people would love it."

"The Church of Favonius wouldn't stand for it. That would definitely turn into a diplomatic incident!"

"And so what?"

Gu Sanqiu shrugged. "In the long lifespan of the Anemo Archon, who's to say what he has or hasn't done? And let's not forget, there's already a certain Mondstadt bard out there to deflect suspicion."

Venti almost coughed up blood on the spot.

That line had been his go-to excuse when dealing with the nuns at the Church of Favonius. To think this rascal was now throwing it back at him!

What goes around comes around, he thought, recalling his old friends' warnings and meaningful glances whenever he'd pulled a reckless stunt.

"Well, technically, I am your elder, right?"

Venti softened his tone. "How about we strike a deal? Let's just call it a day and move on. What do you say?"

Gu Sanqiu didn't respond verbally. Instead, he extended a hand toward Venti's pocket, and the gemstone nestled inside floated back into his own pouch.

"You really thought you could treat this like a piggy bank?"

"Isn't it? I figured you were so rich that you use gemstones for petty expenses."

Gu Sanqiu paused for a moment. "I am wealthy, but who said being rich means I carry gemstones around for payments? Did it ever occur to you that merchants might not have enough change for a gem? Mora is infinitely more convenient!"

"Is there something wrong with your head?"

Faced with Gu Sanqiu's pointed questioning, Venti wished he could find a hole to crawl into.

"Alright then, my esteemed Anemo Archon. Let's discuss what comes next."

Gu Sanqiu studied the immobilized bard with interest. "Should I hand you over to the Knights of Favonius? Or maybe send you to the Verdurous Realm to keep Lord Azhdaha company?"

"Can't you just let me go like a normal person?"

"That's clearly challenging for me. But, it's not impossible. How about an equivalent exchange?"

Gu Sanqiu grinned—a smile that any seasoned merchant would recognize as the prelude to being fleeced.

"Decarabian gave me a Seed of Power. As my elder and a friend of my boss, surely you wouldn't mind giving me one to play with?"

"You call me an elder, but is this how you treat your seniors?"

Venti sighed. "I really can't give you a Seed of Power. It's not something you can just hand out willy-nilly."

"A Seed of Power—also called an Elemental Seed—is far more than just a means to harness another element's power."

"If it's just about wielding another element, Liyue's cultivation techniques can already do that."

"It's not the same," Venti replied through mental energy. "I've seen your cultivation methods in Liyue. But here's the thing: a strong cultivator might possess a Vision, but having a Vision doesn't make one a cultivator. The control over elemental energy is fundamentally different."

Gu Sanqiu nodded thoughtfully. "So, you're saying an Elemental Seed is like having a second Vision inside your body?"

"Not exactly."

Venti's tone grew more cryptic. "In terms of danger, a Vision is like a child babbling compared to an Elemental Seed."

Gu Sanqiu was stunned. "It's that dangerous?"

"A Seed of Power is a fragment of a god's authority, unlike a Vision granted by divine favor. If mishandled, it can assimilate you into the authority itself."

"The assimilation is irreversible. You wouldn't remain yourself—you'd become a vessel of power, no longer a servant but a slave. There's a vast difference between the two."

"Then why am I fine?"

Gu Sanqiu had been using the Elemental Seed from Decarabian without issue, gleefully soaring through the skies on wind currents without a care in the world.

Venti's mental energy practically radiated amusement.

"Even the Archon of Tornadoes wouldn't dare cross the Archon of Contracts. That Seed of Power is unique."

"First, because Decarabian was experimenting with a new path. Second, because your boss is Morax, the God of Contracts himself. With someone that powerful backing you, Decarabian had no reason to mess with you."

"While others have regular Seeds of Power, yours could be called a Purified Elemental Seed. Understand now?"

"Got it."

Gu Sanqiu clapped his hands. "So, Grandpa Barbatos—no, Little Venti—can you give me a Purified Seed of Power?"

"Wait, if someone figures out I'm carrying a Seed linked to you, wouldn't they just slap me for revenge? What if I run into one of your old enemies? Then I'd be at a loss!"

More importantly, Gu Sanqiu thought, what if Venti's Seed influenced him and made him adopt the bard's slacker tendencies? That'd be a disaster!

"You know, your reputation—or should I say strength—isn't quite at my boss's level."

"Gu family... Gu family... sigh."

Venti heaved a long sigh. "Kid, if you can't say anything nice, maybe don't say anything at all. Is this how you're supposed to treat your elders?"