"You know very well that I do not take that as a compliment"
"So, where's the Segment in the prime of his life, then?"
The scene changed to a massive burning tree, with The Doctor standing before it.
The tree was unmistakably identical to the Irminsul that Lumine had seen when her consciousness connected to it.
"Heh, he's busy with... a little experiment in "blasphemy""
Collei suddenly jolted awake in bed, gasping for breath. She felt as if she had just had a dream.
"Collei, time to head out on patrol!"
"Ah, okay, Master Tighnari!"
Collei stared at her hand, murmuring, "Just now... what was that...?"
Only then did the A Winter Night's Lazzo PV truly end.
[IRMINSUL?! That's Irminsul, right? It has to be Irminsul!]
[Holy crap, burning Irminsul? What the hell is the Doctor up to?]
[Doesn't Irminsul connect to the Ley Lines? If it burns, won't Teyvat fall into chaos?"]
[I'm a bit lost. How did we suddenly jump to Irminsul?]
[Knowing Mihoyo's habits, this part of the story is actually the present-day storyline, right before Lumine sets off for Sumeru.]
["The person talking to the Doctor is..."]
The scene of Irminsul burning left players in stunned silence.
After watching the entire PV, Chen Xiyao felt her brain overloaded.
The PV was packed with information, so she replayed it, discussing the details with viewers in her live stream.
"So, Angie died when the Fatui obtained the seven Gnosis, most likely in Natlan."
"Childe went to the Abyss alone after his sister's death..."
As Chen Xiyao dissected the information, she scanned the live stream chat.
More than Angie's death, she was concerned about the fate of the other Persons of Pure Soul.
What had become of Yuna and Silaya by this point? Had the Traveler managed to protect them properly in the end?
Jiang Mumu switched between several live streams, finally leaving satisfied after seeing the streamers' stunned reactions to the promotional video she had released.
She then checked on live streams from overseas streamers, finding similar reactions.
Below the official PV, netizens' comments were more enthusiastic than ever.
After spending half a day watching, Jiang Mumu returned to her private space, opened Genshin Impact, and began grinding through the map.
In the Player World, over a dozen more days passed. A month after the last Genshin Impact update, the new version 3.1 arrived: King Deshret and the Three Magi.
Lumine and Paimon followed Katheryne—or rather, Nahida—to a new location.
"First, let's talk about Dunyarzad," Paimon said, waving her little hands. "It's such a relief she's okay. I was so worried during the Sabzeruz Festival samsara, but now I can finally relax."
Nahida nodded. "Yes, after we parted ways at the End of the Sabzeruz Festival, I ventured outside the city and witnessed the scenes the Traveler described.
"Within countless dreams, I found one that was gradually fading... This perfectly confirmed my suspicions."
"When Dunyarzad could no longer withstand the Akasha's harvest of her dream, her consciousness would dissipate, breaking free from the Akasha's control. However, the remaining fragment of consciousness wouldn't last long. It would retreat to its rightful dream, gradually fading along with the dream itself until it vanished completely."
"I poured all my efforts into maintaining Dunyarzad's dream, but it couldn't last much longer. Fortunately, you shattered the samsara in time."
Paimon grew even more excited.
"So, we all saved Dunyarzad together! We made it just in time!"
Lumine smiled first, then said with a touch of wistfulness:
"A truly heartening outcome. Let's hope we can always make it in time in the future."
Nahida tilted her head in confusion. "Hm? Why are you both smiling so contentedly? I thought you'd be moved to tears... Hmm... I still need to observe you more closely."
Paimon: "Either way works! It just depends on the person!"
Nahida: "Very well. Besides this, you must have many more questions for me. You saved my devout follower, and I will repay you with all the answers I can provide."
After pondering for a moment, Lumine asked about the Irminsul, the crimson sky, and the cryptic message she had seen while unconscious in Avidya Forest.
She also suspected that the crimson sky might be connected to Khaenri'ah.
"It seems the Traveler has connected with Irminsul," Nahida said. "That message is a fragment of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's residual consciousness within Irminsul—perhaps her final memory before death."
"As you likely know, Greater Lord Rukkhadevata disappeared after the Cataclysm of Khaenri'ah. The timeline aligns perfectly, so your suspicions are not unfounded."
"As for the message itself... I haven't been able to decipher it, not even with Akasha's current capabilities."
"Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's residual consciousness within Irminsul appears to have been 'corrupted,' emitting an extremely dangerous aura. Many scholars who attempt to connect with it have been driven to utter madness... Despite my repeated warnings to the Akademiya, victims continue to emerge."
"However, I believe the key to saving Irminsul lies within this message, which is why I haven't given up on deciphering it."
Paimon looked dejected.
"But if even you don't know what that illusion means, then didn't we come to you for nothing...?"
Nahida: "The Traveler touched that consciousness and remained completely unaffected. Like Silaya, with you both here, we might finally have a chance to decipher it..."
[Hmm, saving Irminsul... wasn't that Silaya's thesis topic?]
[My intuition tells me Silaya must play a crucial role in all of this.]
[Haven't Lumine and Paimon realized Silaya's identity as a Pure Soul yet?]
[Upstairs, you're being too demanding! We have the benefit of hindsight as players. How could Lumine and Paimon possibly know?]
[And don't forget the Doctor! That guy's trying to burn Irminsul to the ground!]
-
At Silaya's home, after breakfast, Silaya called Chu Xi over.
"Chu Xi, I'll be leaving for a while. It might be a few days, or it could be a month or two. While I'm gone, go find the Traveler. She's seen and experienced so much; she might be able to help you find the answers you've been searching for."
Silaya pulled a box out from under the bed.
"These are some pretty stones I've collected since you arrived in Sumeru City. The Traveler seems to really like them. You can use them as a thank-you gift."
Chu Xi didn't take the box. She just stared blankly at Silaya, a hint of hurt flickering in her eyes.
"...Are you... trying to get rid of me?"
"Pah, pah, pah! What nonsense are you spouting?" Silaya placed her hand on Chu Xi's head, speaking earnestly. "I need to conduct an experiment. If it succeeds, it will be a great boon for all of Teyvat."
"Is it about Irminsul?" Chu Xi remembered the title of Silaya's paper from earlier that morning.
"Mm-hmm! But don't tell Lumine or Paimon, especially not my teacher, Alhaitham. I want to give him a huge surprise when I'm finished!"