Chapter 27: Obtaining the Anemo Archon's Gnosis!
> "The Heavenly Principles… have fallen?"
Venti's voice trembled slightly.
Of all the Seven Archons, none understood the workings of the divine better than him and Morax. He had witnessed kingdoms rise and fall, seen gods come and go, but this—this revelation shook even his carefree heart.
The fall of Celestia… and the rise of a new one standing before him.
His thoughts churned like a brewing storm.
If the Heavenly Principles had truly perished, if Kael had replaced them, then the entire structure of Teyvat's divine order had changed while he slept.
And the Traveler—still missing, still unawakened—what role did they have in this new cycle?
> "Then what should I do…?" Venti murmured inwardly, clutching his lyre.
---
A Proof of Trust
Kael remained calm, extending his palm.
In it glimmered a golden light—the Geo Gnosis, pulsing faintly with the essence of the Earth.
> "Before this," Kael said, "I already obtained Morax's Gnosis."
The divine core of the Geo Archon shimmered gently in his hand, its weight invisible yet immeasurable.
Venti exhaled softly. "So… the old man actually gave it to you."
A wave of relief flickered across his face.
He didn't for a second believe that this newcomer—this weakened Celestia—could have taken Morax's Gnosis by force. If Kael held it, then Zhongli had willingly handed it over.
And if that was the case…
Then perhaps this new Celestia wasn't an enemy.
---
A Deal Between Gods
"It was a trade," Kael explained with a faint smile. "I granted him the power to purify the Abyssal corruption and to slow the effects of erosion. In return, he entrusted me with his Gnosis."
Venti tilted his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. "A fair exchange, I suppose. And now you're here for mine, aren't you?"
Kael didn't deny it. "That's right. The power left by the previous Celestia will only hold back the darkness for a few more years at most. I need strength—fast. The ley lines are growing unstable across Teyvat. You've felt it, haven't you?"
He paused. "The same offer I gave Morax applies to you. I can help you purify Dvalin's corruption and restore your strength. In exchange, I'll need your Gnosis."
Kael's voice softened. "You've been holding Mondstadt together with your winds for centuries, haven't you? You've spent so much divine energy that your body can barely sustain its form."
The Anemo Archon blinked, momentarily speechless.
He hadn't expected anyone to see through him so easily.
Then, with a rueful laugh, Venti raised his lyre and strummed a soft note. "Hah… so you've noticed. I suppose I've really become that transparent, huh?"
The melody drifted across the hilltop—gentle, nostalgic, almost mournful.
> "This offer of yours," he said after a pause, "is one I can't refuse."
He sighed, his tone carrying both amusement and resignation.
"If the old man trusts you, then I suppose I can too. Even if this isn't the path I once envisioned… perhaps it's time to see where the winds will carry me next."
---
The Anemo Gnosis
With a soft hum, a faint green glow appeared at Venti's chest.
The Anemo Gnosis, shaped like a delicate teardrop of emerald glass, drifted free of his body and floated toward Kael.
> "Here. I was planning to hand this to the Tsaritsa eventually," Venti said lightly. "But I'd rather give it to someone who actually cares about Teyvat."
Kael extended his hand, and the Gnosis landed gently in his palm.
The divine essence within it was… immense.
Even compared to the Geo Gnosis, its purity was astounding.
Kael's golden eyes flickered in surprise. "The faith contained within this Gnosis rivals even Morax's. It seems you've been underestimated, Barbatos."
Venti chuckled softly, spinning his lyre. "Faith isn't power, my friend. It's trust. The people of Mondstadt may not see me often, but they've never stopped believing."
His smile turned wistful. "They still pray, sing songs in my name, and drink to my freedom. That's enough."
Kael fell silent.
For a god who embodied freedom, it was ironic—he was shackled by the very faith that worshipped him.
Still, Kael bowed his head slightly. "Then allow me to bear that faith for now."
And with that, he absorbed both the Anemo and Geo Gnoses into his body.
---
A Surge of Divine Power
The world seemed to freeze.
A pulse of golden-green light exploded from Kael's form, rippling across the plains.
Wind and stone intertwined around him—solid and fleeting, strength and freedom merging into one.
His senses sharpened. His divine core expanded.
It was as if his very existence had ascended to another level.
Before this, Kael's strength was comparable to an ordinary Demon God—powerful enough to contend with beings like Osial, but far from his true potential.
Now…
He could feel the pulse of the entire continent.
The whisper of ley lines. The hum of the Abyss. The rhythm of Teyvat's heartbeat itself.
He had reached the power of the first-generation Archons—those who once reshaped the world.
And beyond that, something new stirred within him—an authority he had not possessed before:
> The Power of Space.
A higher domain of control.
He could feel the fabric of reality bending at his fingertips, like silk waiting to be woven.
It would take time to master—but its potential was limitless.
---
A New Alliance
Kael exhaled, steadying himself. "Next, I'll add you to the group," he said to Venti. "You'll receive a portion of my purification power."
He added quietly, "In that chat, I go by Kael—an ordinary traveler. Morax is there as Zhongli. No one else knows our true identities. I'd prefer to keep it that way."
Venti blinked, then laughed. "Ah, secret identities? I like it! You're speaking my language!"
His grin widened. "After all, who could be better at hiding than the greatest bard in Mondstadt?"
Kael gave a faint smile. Despite regaining strength close to his prime, Venti's demeanor remained light and teasing—a good sign for the world.
A serious Venti was far more terrifying than a lazy one.
---
"By the way…" Venti tilted his head mischievously. "The old man's walking around Liyue as a mortal now, isn't he? Maybe I should pay him a visit. I've still got a bottle of thousand-year-old dandelion wine buried under Windrise. Think he'd appreciate it?"
Kael smirked. "If you're lucky, he'll drink it. If not, he might send you flying with a rock."
Venti burst out laughing. "Ah, just like old times."
Kael snapped his fingers lightly, and a faint ring echoed in Venti's mind.
> [Ding!]
Welcome, Venti, to the Celestial Network.
Information flooded through Venti's consciousness—names, messages, faint memories of divine energy.
He looked up, a glimmer of wonder in his eyes.
> "You're using Celestia's authority… to connect the Archons? To strengthen us and purify the Abyss?"
Kael nodded.
"This time, Teyvat will not fall."
Venti smiled faintly, feeling the warm hum of divine resonance fill his body.
Perhaps… just perhaps…
This Celestia was different.
---
A Conversation Between Old Friends
> Zhongli: "Venti. It has been some time."
Venti: "Old man! I thought you'd turned into stone completely! I'll bring a few bottles of vintage when I visit—just don't turn me into a statue, alright?"
Zhongli: "Hmph. You haven't changed at all."
Within the Jade Chamber, high above the glittering city of Liyue, Ningguang and Keqing both paused as a new name appeared in their group chat.
"Venti?" Keqing murmured. "That sounds like a Mondstadt name."
Ningguang's eyes narrowed. "And he knows Zhongli. Another 'traveler,' perhaps?"
But deep down, both of them knew—whoever these people truly were, their presence was beyond mortal comprehension.
---
Meanwhile, far away in the windswept plains of Mondstadt, Venti gazed toward the sky—the very same sky he had shaped thousands of years ago.
The weight of the Anemo Gnosis was gone, but for the first time in centuries, he felt light again.
> "So this is what it feels like," he whispered. "To be free from even the faith of the winds."
And in the distance, Kael's voice echoed softly in his mind:
> "Then let's make sure Teyvat remains free—for everyone."
Venti smiled. "You know… that doesn't sound like a bad song to write."
---
End of Chapter 27: Obtaining the Anemo Archon's Gnosis!