"What proposal? Let's hear it," Yun Fan's words piqued Venti's curiosity. He wanted to hear what this Divine Lord from Liyue had in mind.
"My suggestion is to skip the detours," Yun Fan said with a mysterious smile. The space behind him shattered, revealing a massive blue-and-white cannon. Its barrel glowed with a purplish-blue energy.
Gulp.
Everyone present swallowed hard. Although they had never seen this weapon before, cannons did exist in Teyvat.
For example, the Mountain Shaper Cannon in Liyue's Chasm and the Divine Pillar Cannon on Kannazuka Island in Inazuma.
They had never seen Yun Fan's cannon before, but that didn't stop them from feeling the suffocating pressure it exuded.
"You... you're not planning to..." Venti forced a smile, already dreading the possibility.
"Exactly. There's no need for Lord Barbatos to expend his divine power to break the wind barrier. Once we reach Stormterror's Lair, I'll just use the Star of Eden to blow Dvalin's lair to smithereens. Don't worry, I'll control the force."
I don't believe you for a second! You... Venti nearly cursed. This guy isn't trying to save Dvalin—he's trying to send him to the afterlife!
"No, no, let's stick to my plan. I still have enough power for this," Venti quickly waved his hands.
"What a shame," Yun Fan sighed, feigning disappointment.
After this little interlude, the operation was set to begin the next morning. Everyone was to rest and prepare, as only with proper rest could they perform at their best.
Once the strategy was finalized, everyone dispersed to make their preparations. Yun Fan glanced at the sun outside. It was almost lunchtime, so he decided to return to his room to rest and come down later for lunch.
Just as Yun Fan was about to leave, Diluc stopped him.
"Mr. Yun Fan, a moment, please."
"Hmm?" Yun Fan paused and turned to look at the red-haired Diluc, puzzled. He and Diluc didn't have much of a relationship. What could Diluc want with him?
"Mr. Yun Fan, may I ask how strong you truly are? Could you enlighten me?" Diluc bowed slightly, his tone respectful.
"My strength? I'd say I'm on par with the Seven Archons," Yun Fan thought for a moment and gave a rough estimate. This was the first time he had seen Diluc act so deferentially, whether in the game or in Teyvat.
"On par with the Seven Archons..." Diluc repeated Yun Fan's words, though he wasn't particularly surprised. After all, Yun Fan was the Divine Lord of Liyue.
"I beg you to help me kill The Doctor! For this, I am willing to pay any price!" Diluc said coldly, his voice filled with anger and hatred.
"Hmm... I'll consider it," Yun Fan didn't give an immediate answer. Diluc was essentially offering his allegiance. Taking him as a subordinate wouldn't be a bad idea, as Yun Fan couldn't handle everything himself. Having capable subordinates would save him a lot of trouble.
Moreover, Diluc had a vast network. Although the game never mentioned the name of his organization, the fact that he could rescue Diluc from the Fatui Harbingers suggested it was no ordinary group.
Plus, stealing Venti's right-hand man felt satisfying. He could have Diluc restrict Venti's access to alcohol, forcing the bard to visit the Cat's Tail Tavern. And since Venti was allergic to cats...
As for killing The Doctor, Yun Fan had never intended to let him live since arriving in this world.
"I can help you kill The Doctor, but in return, I need you to work for me. I won't interfere with your normal life, but when I need you, you'll be at my disposal. How does that sound?" Yun Fan agreed to Diluc's request but also laid out his conditions.
"Deal. I accept," Diluc agreed without hesitation. In his eyes, Yun Fan's terms were more than reasonable. The price was minimal for the help of a god.
"Then let's formalize the contract."
"Is this Stormterror's Lair?" Paimon flew up to the wind barrier and reached out to touch it.
"Stop, Paimon!" Venti shouted, but he was too late. Paimon's hand had already touched the barrier.
"Ah!" A sharp pain shot through Paimon's hand, and she reflexively pulled it back.
"Wow, I'm bleeding!" Paimon looked at the blood dripping from her hand, her voice trembling.
The wind barrier around Stormterror's Lair wasn't like in the game, where it merely blocked and slightly harmed intruders. The real wind barrier was composed of high-speed air currents, capable of cutting through metal when the speed reached a certain level.
Yun Fan wasn't surprised by the barrier's sharpness, but the blood on Paimon's finger caught his attention. It wasn't the usual red but had a faint golden hue.
Yun Fan was certain it wasn't an illusion or a trick of the light.
"Traveler..." Paimon flew over to Lumine, who chuckled and took out a white handkerchief to bandage her hand. As she did, Lumine teased, "See if you'll touch random things again."
"Everyone, step back. I'll use my divine power to break the wind barrier now," Venti said, pulling out his lyre and beginning to play.
Yun Fan, standing to the side, ignored Venti and instead consulted the Void Archives, which he hadn't summoned in a long time.
Void Archives, what's with the golden tint in Paimon's blood? Yun Fan sensed that Paimon's blood was special. In his experience, those with golden blood were never ordinary.
That creature has taken the first step toward godhood, the Void Archives' voice echoed in Yun Fan's mind.
Godhood? You mean the true gods who can freely traverse the river of worlds? Didn't you say there are no true gods in Teyvat? Yun Fan was shocked. Paimon's origins were far more complicated than he thought.
She has only taken the first step. She is still far from becoming a true god.
Is that so? Then tell me, what is the method to become a true god? Yun Fan asked the Void Archives. He had wanted to ask this question during his last extraction but was kicked out of the mental space for being too aggressive.
The method to become a true god...