"…I see."
"So you're Guixu, the old man's friend. Looks like it was all just a misunderstanding."
"A foreign god appearing within Mondstadt's borders—of course I had to stay cautious."
Venti stepped forward after a moment of thought.
He extended a hand and smiled.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am one of the Seven—Barbatos, the Anemo Archon."
"But you can just call me Venti."
Even now, he still couldn't quite understand.
Why would the old man become close friends with a god who had slaughtered over a hundred others?
And why—
That same being—
Would be described by him as gentle?
But—
Since this ancient god had returned in this era…
Had reunited with the old man…
And had become friends with the Traveler and Paimon—
Then there was no reason for him to remain on guard.
"As long as the misunderstanding is cleared, that's enough."
"Just call me Qiu Nian."
Qiu Nian smiled faintly and shook his hand.
In that instant—
A trace of divine power surged from Qiu Nian's palm.
Venti's expression shifted slightly.
He looked at Qiu Nian.
Qiu Nian simply gave a small nod.
Understanding his intent—
Venti accepted the power.
The next moment—
His erosion was completely halted.
Fragments of countless memories flashed through his mind.
In that instant—
He understood everything.
"…So that's how it is."
Venti blinked.
His eyes widened in shock.
Then—
He nodded silently to Qiu Nian.
The cutscene ended.
"Oh my…"
"This is quite something."
"The old man's friend, Guixu… hehe, I've really met someone extraordinary."
Venti withdrew his hand, resting his chin lightly as he smiled.
"The old man, the Traveler, and Paimon are your friends…"
"And I'm their friend too."
"Haha, what a coincidence."
"This is definitely something worth celebrating."
"Once the Windblume Festival wraps up, how about we grab a drink together?"
"Haha…"
"That sounds perfect."
Qiu Nian chuckled and accepted without hesitation.
"Fortunately, the misunderstanding has been resolved."
"Otherwise, in my current state—gravely injured by the God of Obscuration…"
"I might not have been able to contend with the Anemo Archon, who can split mountains and scatter storms."
Qiu Nian said calmly.
"Oh, come now~"
Venti waved his hand dismissively.
"Divine power comes from fulfilling one's duties."
"And clearly, I'm the weakest among the Seven."
"The Traveler can vouch for that."
He glanced toward Lumine and Paimon.
They exchanged a look.
…That did seem to be true.
But somehow—
Something felt off.
"So with my current strength…"
"How could I possibly contend with a god who once rivaled the old man?"
Venti spread his hands.
"You flatter me."
Qiu Nian shook his head slightly.
"I was merely bluffing earlier."
"Oh! What a coincidence!"
Venti placed a hand over his chest, looking surprised.
"Then it seems we really are kindred spirits."
"I was bluffing too."
"Haha…"
"Then we truly do get along."
Qiu Nian nodded with a faint smile.
"Right? Right?"
Venti winked at him playfully.
Guixu really does feel a lot like the old man…
Do people all end up like this after living for six thousand years?
Though compared to him, Guixu feels less rigid…
At least personality-wise, we get along quite well.
Quick-witted, adaptable… plenty to talk about.
The chat exploded with laughter.
[These two are killing me 😂]
["What a coincidence"]
["Kindred spirits"]
[So you were BOTH bluffing?!]
"Weren't they about to fight just now…?"
"Why are they suddenly praising each other instead?"
Paimon crossed her arms, complaining.
Lumine stood beside her, hands on her hips, giving them both a suspicious look.
Qiu Nian was injured.
Venti couldn't even beat Signora.
And both of them were her friends.
If they had really fought—
She honestly wouldn't have known who to help.
"Yeah…"
"How did this suddenly turn into mutual flattery?"
"But… thank goodness they didn't fight."
Xuehua shook her head, half amused, half confused.
The chat kept scrolling wildly.
[Business-level mutual praise 😂]
[Peak social skills unlocked]
[The real MVP: Morax]
[For real—just mentioning Morax instantly calmed Venti down]
[Meanwhile Zhongli sipping tea in Liyue, suddenly gains +999 reputation]
[I'm crying 😂]
[As long as they didn't fight, I'm happy]
But honestly—
It wasn't surprising that players were confused.
Both Qiu Nian and Venti were far too good at acting.
Qiu Nian claimed he was severely injured—
Yet he effortlessly defeated the God of Obscuration.
He even said his current strength wasn't on par with any of the Seven.
And Venti?
He once reshaped Mondstadt's entire terrain.
Yet he called himself the weakest Archon.
When Signora attacked him—
His eyes and braids didn't even glow.
But just now—
They did.
So how were players supposed to judge their true strength?
Between these two—
Not a single word felt completely reliable.
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