Now that Barbatos had brought it up again, a hint of gloom crept into Lin Mo's eyes.
What troubled him was how to handle his relationship with Eula in this lifetime.
From a purely rational standpoint, the best choice was the one he'd considered from the very beginning—treat everything that had happened with Eula in that parallel world as nothing more than a dream.
That way, he could take Alice's feelings into account, and he wouldn't have to suffer the pain of separation once the mission was complete.
But after being alone in the same room with Eula just moments ago, Lin Mo wavered.
Those things had truly happened in a parallel world.
The feelings were real.
Their bond as husband and wife was real.
How could he possibly dismiss all of that as a mere dream?
So even before Barbatos appeared, Lin Mo already had a plan forming in his mind.
He would storm Celestia.
Defeat the Heavenly Principles.
Obtain the three wishes promised by the system.
Then, using those wishes, return to this world and stay by Eula's side.
Why choose to take the initiative instead of simply following Lumine's story route?
Because before Lin Mo was transmigrated, Genshin Impact's main story had only been updated to version 2.3.
He could only guess that after Lumine gathered all seven elements, she would ascend to Celestia and meet the Heavenly Principles—likely leading to a confrontation.
But that battle might end up being nothing more than a symbolic sparring match, with no real chance for him to intervene.
Lin Mo's reluctance to disrupt the storyline also stemmed from another consideration.
Even if Lumine and the Heavenly Principles never truly came to blows, there were two major forces that were almost guaranteed to clash with her.
One was the Abyss Order, lurking in the shadows of Teyvat while carrying out bold and dangerous plans.
The other was the Tsaritsa of Snezhnaya, who had dispatched the Fatui across Teyvat to collect the Gnoses.
By not interfering with the plot, he ensured those two forces would still have the opportunity to challenge the Heavenly Principles in the future.
When that time came, and he joined the battle, his odds of victory would be much higher.
But all of this was still speculation.
Now that he knew he carried the power accumulated over ninety-nine lifetimes, Lin Mo was certain of one thing—
His combat strength was already on par with that of an ordinary god.
Rather than waiting for the story to unfold and sneaking into the battle as an opportunist, it would be better to march openly to Celestia and face the Heavenly Principles head-on.
Though his current strength was still insufficient, the first step was clear.
He needed to know how to reach Celestia.
Only then could he make further plans.
Having settled his thoughts, Lin Mo raised his eyes to Barbatos and asked solemnly,
"You're the Anemo Archon. You should know how to get to Celestia, right?"
"Go to… Celestia…"
Barbatos immediately grew flustered. "Y-you… why would you want to go to such a terrifying place?"
"That's none of your concern. Just tell me how," Lin Mo replied calmly.
Barbatos's expression darkened.
"Lord Ganyu… ordinary people can't ascend to Celestia…"
"The sky you see now is a false sky."
"What we perceive as Celestia is merely its projection within the false firmament—the real Celestia exists beyond it."
"Even if… I could take you beyond the false sky…"
"If you haven't received the recognition of the Heavenly Principles, you still won't be able to set foot on Celestia…"
"…Recognition from the Heavenly Principles?"
Lin Mo frowned. "How does one obtain that?"
Hearing the question, Barbatos first glanced back at the projection of Celestia hanging in the night sky.
Then he turned around and explained patiently,
"First, you must receive the gaze of a god and become a bearer of a Vision—what people call a 'Genshin.'"
"Once you hold a Vision, the gods will observe you, assess your actions, and judge whether you are worthy of ascending."
"The gods then report to the Heavenly Principles."
"Only with her approval can one ascend to Celestia."
As Barbatos explained, Lin Mo's frown deepened.
But the very next moment, he smiled, patted Barbatos on the shoulder, and said lightly,
"Sounds troublesome—but isn't that why you're here, as a god?"
"All right, all right, I get it."
Barbatos immediately unfastened the Vision from his waist and handed it to Lin Mo.
"Here. This was prepared as a reunion gift for you."
"From today on, you're officially a Vision bearer—personally watched over by me, a god~"
"…Oh?"
Lin Mo raised an eyebrow, examining the Vision with obvious delight.
An Anemo Vision.
That would certainly make traveling much more convenient.
"Oh, right—Vision bearers must have a strong wish," Barbatos added.
"You'll need to tell me what yours is, so I can report it to the Heavenly Principles."
"A wish?"
Lin Mo smiled faintly. "Then let it be this—my dream is to become Teyvat's number one devoted lover."
"Teyvat's… number one devoted lover?"
Barbatos blinked in confusion. "What a strange wish~"
"Eh? Is that wish not allowed?" Lin Mo asked curiously.
"Of course it's allowed~"
"But… how exactly am I supposed to write a progress report on you striving toward that wish?"
Barbatos couldn't help but feel curious.
"Heh, that's your problem," Lin Mo replied with a mischievous grin.
"I don't care about anything else, but when it comes to my work reports, you're not allowed to slack off."
"All right, all right~ I got it!"
The mention of serious work clearly dampened Barbatos's mood.
But since it concerned Lin Mo, he knew he had no choice but to take it seriously.
"By the way, what abilities does this Anemo Vision have?" Lin Mo suddenly asked, intrigued.
From what he remembered, Anemo Visions typically granted abilities like gathering enemies with wind or riding air currents.
"This one's a universal model~ my proudest masterpiece~"
Barbatos lifted his chin proudly and explained,
"All abilities currently known to Anemo Vision bearers—you can use them all, Lord Ganyu."
"And once you're familiar with wielding Anemo, you'll even be able to create your own techniques using wind."
"So? I treat you pretty well, don't I~?"
Barbatos's face was practically screaming Please praise me.
"All right, all right~ our Barbatos is the best~"
Lin Mo didn't hold back his praise.
Then, still smiling, he added,
"Since you're being so good to me, I'll give you a little warning in advance."
"A warning?"
Barbatos tilted his head, puzzled.
"Yes. You're going to get beaten up sometime soon—better prepare yourself mentally."
Lin Mo's smile carried a hint of schadenfreude.
"Ah? Seriously?"
Barbatos stared at him in disbelief. "In Mondstadt, someone actually dares to beat up the Anemo Archon? Could it be that god from Liyue?"
Mentioning Morax, Barbatos looked utterly innocent.
"But… I don't remember provoking him recently…"
"It's not the Geo Archon," Lin Mo said, shaking his head with a smile.
"Not Morax?"
"Then who in Mondstadt would dare bully the Anemo Archon?!"
Barbatos protested indignantly.
"Well… do you remember the name Rosalyne-Kruzchka Lohefalter?"
Lin Mo prompted gently.
"Eh-heh, that name sounds strangely familiar!"
Barbatos frowned.
"Why is it that… just hearing that name makes me feel a little guilty?"
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T/N:
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