Genshin Impact: I am the Great General of Liyue

Chapter 171 The Bard's Lesson 1

Softly uttering the original name of the person before him, the wind god Barbatos summoned a gentle breeze.

"The wind... is the sound of a wind that is sought but not found in the desolate sea..."

Just as Hans thought it was an illusion, Barbatos activated his power and pulled the other into the mental realm.

Hans stared in astonishment at the young poet before him, who radiated a pure and ethereal aura. A guess, no... not an answer, formed in his mind: he was the Wind God.

"I...I've always believed in your existence..."

Barbatos extended his left hand and uttered a gentle voice that reached straight to the soul.

"Can you give me the soul of my old friend?"

Incredulously checking Wendy's left hand and face, Hans tentatively reached out and placed his hand on Wendy's.

When the adventurer Hans Jacibord entrusted the soul of his old friend to the wind god, he once again saw his old friend, whom he had called out a thousand times, reaching out to him...

In that instant, Hans was overwhelmed with a mix of emotions: shock, hope, nostalgia, and sorrow...

Stanley's soul said nothing, only glanced at the haggard Hans, and then vanished into the wind.

A thousand words cannot compare to the unwavering gaze that conveys a single message.

"Thank you."

By the time Hans realized what was happening and wanted to embrace his old friend, he had already been carried away by the wind and gone into the sky.

Looking at the god he worshipped, Stanley paused for a long time before slowly speaking.

"This...this is truly incredible...Thank you...Thank you so much, Lord Barbatos...I'm sorry, I need some time to process this...but I think I'll be alright..."

Having said that, Stanley, whose real name was Hans, left the tavern, half-asleep. When he awoke from his hangover, he couldn't even remember Barbatos's face from the night before.

Perhaps... if he had been a little more determined in his heart at that moment, he could have obtained the God's Eye that others dreamed of.

Watching Stanley walk away, Wendy nodded with satisfaction and said, "Yes, that's great! Stanley has found his true self, and Jack has successfully become independent. With so many good things happening, it's worth having a drink to celebrate!"

Seeing Wendy, who had just finished some serious business and was now about to drink again, Paimon quipped, "Are you planning to stay in this tavern and drink until you drop?"

"Haha, the wine here is too expensive. Jack still owes me money; he promised me a rare and expensive bottle of wine as payment, remember? I'll go find him and get that bottle first. Let's meet at the 'usual spot' later!"

After saying that, Wendy just chuckled and slipped away.

"Huh? What old spot? I don't know it. Hey! Hey, you busker!"

Ying put her hands on her hips speechlessly and said helplessly, "We can only guess..."

Courtney twitched her nose and confidently put her hands on her hips.

"Perhaps... I can find Lord Barbatos. Aunt Liuyun said that even without the Eye of God and the ability to use elemental vision, there is still a way to track elemental remnants. Come with me."

Just as Courtney was about to leave, Paimon reminded her, "Oh right! Elemental vision, Traveler, you can use elemental vision."

Courteney paused after hearing what Paimon said.

"Ah? Damn it... How could this happen? I finally had a chance to use my skills..."

Following the trail, the group found Wendy sitting on the palm of the Anemo statue.

Ying opened her Wind Wings, held Courtney in her arms, and flew up through the wind.

Slightly surprised, Wendy turned around and said, "You found me so quickly."

Paimon stood with his hands on his hips, clearly displeased.

"You're so hard to catch. Could you please not leave so suddenly next time? By the way, busker, did you get the alcohol?"

"Got it, haven't had a chance to taste it yet. But judging from the aroma, this 'rare and precious wine' Jack gave me... is just apple wine."

With that, Wendy sighed and looked into the distance.

From the palm of the Anemo statue, you can almost see the entirety of Mondstadt; the scenery is truly breathtaking.

Moreover, you can enjoy the clearest breeze, making it a perfect place to relax and unwind.

With a long sigh, Wendy remarked, "I really miss it. The first time I saw this view, I wasn't 'this way' yet."

Courtney sat next to Wendy and curiously twitched her cat ears.

"Not like this?"

With a slight smile and a squint, Wendy patted Courteney's head and began to tell a story.

"About 2,600 years ago, before the mortal realm was divided among the seven gods, Old Mondstadt was besieged by a tyrant's hurricane, so severe that even birds could not pass."

"Old Mondstadt? Ah, I remember now, it's the Stormterror's Lair, right? You mentioned it before!"

Wendy tilted her head slightly to look at Paimon, who had raised the question, and affirmed, "Yes. The tyrant of the wind that once ruled that tower was Deckalapian, the 'Demon of Tornadoes.' And I was merely a wisp of wind among the thousands. I possessed neither divine status nor human form... just a tiny elemental spirit in the wind, a wisp of wind that could bring 'small changes and hope.'"

"Just an elemental spirit? Not humanoid? Huh? Venti, didn't you used to look like this?"

Paimon asked again.

Wendy gave a soft "hmm," took out her harp, and prepared to play.

"Yes. My current appearance, actually, is just like that fake Mr. Stanley's; I'm borrowing a 'friend'."

Seeing this, Courtney instinctively took out her violin and began to provide accompaniment.

"The story I'm about to tell begins in Old Mondstadt, in that land ruled by a tyrant, where I met a young boy. He knew how to play the piano, searching for his own poetry, but he was born within the Windwalls and had never seen the blue sky."

Courteney opened her mouth and uttered the boy's line from the story.

"I want to see birds soaring in the sky."

Wendy wasn't surprised and continued strumming the strings.

"The boy's eyes were stubborn, his pupils shining. But his voice was drowned out by the howling wind, for the tornado only collected the hymns, leaving no other sound. The true sky, the poetry and song outside the cage... isn't that a wish worth fighting for? So the boy extended an invitation to me..."

"Come with me—crush the tyrant, tear apart the wind wall."

"The youth raised the banner of rebellion, and I too joined the war in pursuit of 'freedom.' Those who broke free of their cages triumphed, causing the collapse of divine thrones, the swirling winds of war, and the trembling of nations. In the smoke of battle, we witnessed the demise of tyrants; in the ashes, we saw the fall of towers. Thus began the 'New Mondstadt'—and from then on, no one ever ascended the throne again."

As the last note fades, the story comes to an end, and a new chapter begins.