Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [445]

Dvalin's roar came to an abrupt halt. "Why is this suddenly tied to Sanqiu again? Are you two having some sort of long-distance argument?"

Venti seethed. "There's nothing to discuss with him! It was bad enough that he used Decarabian's power to trick my believers, but now he's set to become the West Wind Saint? That's going too far!"

Oddly enough, Dvalin found himself in a much better mood.

"Hmph. That's what you get for neglecting your responsibilities. Serves you right for falling into Sanqiu's hands."

"No, no, no, this can't happen! If it does, people will think I'm conspiring with Decarabian!"

Venti ruffled his hair furiously, then froze, shifting his body left and right with a suspicious look on his face.

"Wait a minute. That old lady who opposed the idea earlier... I think I remember her from somewhere."

---

Back in the tent, the elderly woman—whom Venti had referred to as a "little girl"—was speaking to Jean.

"That's how it is, Acting Grand Master Jean. You know the rules. The Church and the Knights must keep their affairs separate. If he becomes the West Wind Saint, he cannot also be granted the title of Honorary Knight."

Jean suddenly regretted not bringing Barbara along.

This wasn't just any elder—it was the elder of the Church of Favonius, known as the "Old Mother," a figure so respected she was practically a living relic.

She had once called Jean "little Jean," but now she addressed her formally, emphasizing the need to handle this as an official matter. If Barbara were here, her ability to sweet-talk might have softened the old woman's stance.

The Old Mother was known for her compassion toward sincere devotees of Barbatos, but Jean realized this situation left little room for sentimentality.

The Old Mother turned her gaze to Gu Sanqiu, then tapped the armrest of her wheelchair. The knight behind her pushed her closer to him.

"Stand up straight."

"Huh?"

Gu Sanqiu blinked, confused. "What do you mean, 'stand up straight'?"

He had half a mind to ask who she was and why she was ordering him around, but given her age and frailty, he decided to hold his tongue.

Let's see what she says next before deciding how to respond, he thought.

"I mean exactly what I said," the Old Mother replied with a faint smile. "Stand properly. Don't slouch—it doesn't suit a grown man."

She chuckled softly. "Child, it's best to listen to me. At my age, even a slight cough could be troublesome. Surely you wouldn't want to upset an old woman, would you?"

Well, that's a new one.

Gu Sanqiu chuckled, then stood up straight, his eyes sharpening. "Alright. What do you want to say?"

Just as he was about to let loose with a snarky remark, the Old Mother reached out and gently patted his stomach. Her expression softened into one of relief and nostalgia.

"Good, good... Yes, this form. You must be a descendant of Shaochong."

"What?"

Gu Sanqiu froze. Did this elderly woman know Gu Shaochong?

No wonder her earlier behavior seemed so presumptuous—it wasn't arrogance but the familiarity of someone addressing the younger generation.

"You knew my ancestor?"

"Yes, I did."

The Old Mother's face brightened with a warm smile. "Come now, child. Push me outside for a walk. I'd like to have a word with you."

One of the female knights behind her frowned. "Old Mother, even making it this far was taxing. It's not suitable for you to be out in the cold winds of the snowy mountain."

"Don't worry, don't worry. This boy is a Gu family descendant. Do you think a little cold wind could trouble him?"

The Old Mother glanced at Jean. "I'll borrow little Sanqiu for a while. You can discuss other matters in the meantime, Acting Grand Master."

"Of course," Jean replied.

Their conversation had clearly shifted from official to personal, so Jean didn't object. It wasn't unusual for the elderly to want to reminisce with familiar faces.

Gu Sanqiu took the wheelchair from the female knight and activated a Geo shield, summoning several pills from his pocket that circled around the Old Mother. The air filled with a soothing fragrance.

"There. This setup should keep you comfortable. This small medicinal array is effective for someone your age. I can arrange for the Church to purchase these in the future."

"Just like Shaochong," the Old Mother said with a laugh. "Your family has always been full of clever tricks."

The two left the tent and reached a quiet spot overlooking the snowy mountain. The Old Mother gazed into the distance before speaking.

"Sanqiu, that so-called response from the Wind God—it wasn't actually from Barbatos, was it? You orchestrated it through some means."

Gu Sanqiu frowned but nodded frankly.

"Yes, that's correct. During the mission in the ruins, we encountered Decarabian, the Tornado God. I gained some abilities from him."

"I suspected as much," the Old Mother said with a sigh. "It didn't seem right that Barbatos would respond so suddenly to something so trivial."

Gu Sanqiu crossed his arms. "But Old Mother, Albert has gone beyond being a mere fanatic of Barbara. His behavior is a serious problem."

"In Liyue, someone like him would've been tied up and thrown off a mountain in Minlin—or dropped straight off the Jade Chamber if I wanted to save time."

"Hahaha! You really are Shaochong's descendant. He tossed his fair share of people and monsters off cliffs back in the day."

The Old Mother tapped her armrest, still smiling. "But Albert's obsession is Barbara's trial—her test of growth. If she's to walk this path, she must overcome it herself. Once she figures it out, everything else will fall into place."

"When there's a choice, there's always gain and loss. Challenges await every traveler on their journey; it's unavoidable."

"Barbara is still a gentle, meek little lamb. Without unconventional methods, how can she truly grow?"

The Old Mother continued, "That boy Albert—do you think he would've caused so much trouble without my tacit approval?"

Gu Sanqiu's expression froze. He had suspected something when he saw the teal-armored knights, who were clearly strong enough to eliminate Albert without issue. Yet, they hadn't intervened, leaving the situation for Gu Sanqiu to handle.

So it had all been part of this elder's plan.

"Barbara needs trials. She has to cross this hurdle. But I didn't expect you to step in and disrupt things."

The Old Mother sighed. "You're just like little Jean—quick to act, even when it might not be the best approach."

"Jean might still be okay. She admires heroes and has role models to look up to. That red-haired boy, though... I didn't foresee how things would turn out for him."

She shook her head. "Still, Barbara now has a goal worth pursuing. That's a good thing."

Gu Sanqiu shrugged. "I'm not exactly a great person. Is it really a good idea for Barbara to see me as a role model?"

"Whether or not you're a 'good person'—what does that matter to the world?"

The Old Mother turned to him with a smile. "What's important is that there are people who believe in you. That's enough."