Playing Genshin in Genshin! [24]

---

The Gnosis is a powerful, higher-level external magical organ granted by Celestia to the Seven Archons, the rulers of the seven nations in this world. It resonates with Celestia, allowing the Archons to wield tremendous power without needing a Vision, the more basic external organ used by mortals. In addition to this, the Gnosis holds certain special abilities, though Lu Shiyuan wasn't entirely sure what they were.

In any case, the Gnosis is incredibly important to the Archons, and the fact that the Fatui successfully managed to steal the Anemo Archon’s Gnosis from Venti sent a worrying signal. Could it be that the Archon Quests, the main storyline of the game, would be about the Fatui systematically stealing the Gnosis from each of the seven Archons? And then, perhaps, there would be a major plot twist or explosive finale?

If the Fatui dared to treat the Anemo Archon like this, what might they do to Liyue’s Geo Archon? With the Rite of Descension approaching, would the Fatui make a move during that crucial moment? What would happen to Liyue if they succeeded in targeting the Geo Archon?

To prepare for this possibility, Lu Shiyuan decided to progress the game’s main storyline while also testing the waters with the Fatui. Not because he was particularly noble or patriotic, but because it seemed like staying under the protection of the protagonists might be the safest place to be.

This world was becoming increasingly dangerous. The Abyss Order and the Fatui were beginning to emerge as serious threats, and no one could predict how things might turn out. Rather than being caught off guard, it seemed smarter to stick close to the protagonists—especially someone like Lumine, who was the center of the story. Besides, since Lu Shiyuan already knew the plot, wasn’t it natural to hang around the main character and get involved?

“This guy seems to be spacing out again,” Paimon said, pointing at Lu Shiyuan in exasperation.

“Just leave him be. Let’s head to the Stone Gate,” Lumine said, leading the way with Paimon.

"Ah, youth," Lu Shiyuan sighed as he watched the girls leave. "Running around late at night without a care in the world. I’m not that energetic anymore. Now that I have a Vision, I don't need to train in secret. I can just sleep soundly as soon as the sun sets."

As soon as the thought crossed his mind, a wave of drowsiness hit him. Lu Shiyuan stashed all the luggage into his game’s inventory, found a discreet corner, and rented a room in town to sleep for the night. The rental fee? He traded two of Xiangling’s pieces of boar meat for it.

The next morning, Lu Shiyuan wandered over to Dawn Winery and filled a large jug with wine, storing it in his game inventory. It wasn’t until later that morning, when Lumine, Paimon, and Xiangling finally returned, looking exhausted and sporting dark circles under their eyes. They had a middle-aged man with cat-like ears in tow. Judging by their expressions, they had likely traveled through the night without rest.

“We’re back!” Paimon waved at Lu Shiyuan, who was waiting at the town entrance.

“Glad to see you made it,” Lu Shiyuan greeted them with a smile. “How was your trip? Did you find anything interesting?”

“Brother Lu! We found some incredible boar meat in the domain—it’s exactly what I was looking for, that ‘zap’ feeling!” Xiangling beamed, holding up the meat triumphantly.

“I can’t believe it!” Paimon said, still in disbelief. “That domain you mentioned really exists!”

“And we even saved someone!” Lumine added, pointing to the middle-aged man with cat ears standing beside them.

"It looks like you had quite the adventure. Xiangling, do you think you’re ready to beat Brook in the cooking contest now?" Lu Shiyuan asked with a grin.

“I’m sure I can do it!” Xiangling said enthusiastically, then hesitated and added, “As long as the side dishes turn out alright.”

"Don't worry about that. You all head to the competition site, and I'll catch up in a bit."

"Alright, Brother Lu!" Xiangling trusted him completely. With a cheerful wave, she headed toward Springvale with Lumine and Paimon.

Once they left, Lu Shiyuan moved to a quiet spot and withdrew a collection of fresh, vibrant vegetables from the game’s inventory. Then he made his way to the competition site.

The cooking competition began, and Xiangling had a clear advantage thanks to the superior quality of her ingredients. Combined with her skillful understanding of how to balance and complement flavors, and Lumine’s help in creating an exceptional side dish called "Jade Parcels," Xiangling’s team won the day. Afterward, they discovered that the boar meat Xiangling had used came from an ancient species of boar that had gone extinct 300 years ago. And as for the man they saved—his name was Olaf, and he, too, had been frozen for 300 years by the extreme cold within the domain.

It was all quite remarkable.

After the competition, it was time for everyone to part ways. The Traveler had her journey, and the chef had her culinary path to follow—each going their separate ways.

“Ah, Mondstadt is such a wonderful place. Not only is the Springvale boar meat delicious, but the chefs here are amazing too,” Xiangling said with genuine appreciation at the Springvale town gates. “This trip has taught me so much!”

Though it’s a pity I didn’t see the dragon, she thought.

“Me too,” Paimon nodded vigorously.

"Even though I got dragged into it," Lumine added quietly with a smile, "I learned a lot traveling with you."

"Now, it's time for me to head back to Liyue Harbor," Xiangling explained. "But my journey doesn't end here. After delivering this Springvale boar meat to Wanmin Restaurant, I’ll continue searching for better ingredients across Liyue and Mondstadt. You might just run into me again in the wilderness!"

After saying their farewells to their new friends, Xiangling turned to Lu Shiyuan. "Brother Lu, what about you? Are you coming back to Liyue with me, or do you want to explore Mondstadt a little longer?"

"You go ahead. Since I’m already here, I’d like to look around a bit more."

"Alright, take care of yourself, or else Qianzhi and I will worry."

“I got it.” Lu Shiyuan nodded and handed her a large jug of wine from Dawn Winery. “Here, take this back with you and use it in your cooking.”

"Thank you, Brother Lu!" Xiangling accepted the wine with a delighted smile. "You’re the best!"

With their farewells said, Xiangling and Guoba set off back to Liyue, while Lu Shiyuan, Lumine, and Paimon headed toward Mondstadt City together.

“Hey, Shiyuan,” Paimon said in a mock-sage tone, “Mondstadt’s in the middle of a dragon crisis, and you’re still in the mood to sightsee?”

“It's just a dragon crisis,” Lu Shiyuan replied with a grin. “Mondstadt has the Knights of Favonius and a certain bard on their side. I doubt Stormterror will cause too much trouble. You, on the other hand, might want to be careful you don’t get blown away.”

"You...! I’m just trying to look out for you, and you make fun of me?" Paimon huffed. "Hmph! You really are a big trickster!"