Albedo shifted restlessly in his seat, unable to steady the tremor in his hands.
His reaction was entirely natural. A treasure his mentor had pursued across a lifetime was about to materialize right before his eyes.
Whether he could decipher its ultimate principles or not, simply holding a few specimens would fulfill his deepest aspirations. It was the summit of alchemical pursuit, no lesser in prestige than the Philosopher's Stone.
"If that is truly their nature, Genesis Crystals possess power far beyond standard reason," Ningguang murmured, resting comfortably against Ryen's side with a thoughtful frown. "Though... a primordial substance responsible for world creation will undoubtedly prove exceptionally difficult to master."
Albedo shook his head with firm resolve. "Regardless of the challenges, Genesis Crystals are supreme treasures that we must secure at all costs. The research will yield answers in time."
Ningguang inclined her head in agreement. "Very well. Once the module is active, we will immediately dispatch expeditionary teams to search for them."
Albedo drew in a long, steadying breath, doing his best to rein in his surging excitement. "You have my deepest gratitude. Genesis Crystals hold immense significance for me, for each of our sovereign courts, and for the entirety of Teyvat. If possible, I hope to secure a sufficient allocation for the research division. I leave the collection in your capable hands."
While the others recognized the raw utility of the crystals, they lacked Albedo's specialized scholarly framework to fully grasp their cosmological depth. Even so, prioritizing their harvest was an obvious consensus.
Ryen offered an easy smile and continued with his breakdown.
"Beyond Genesis Crystals, there are numerous other relics you will find indispensable."
"The Crown of Insight, which carries primordial wisdom from ancient eras, as well as items capable of directly ascending your fundamental life force: your personal Constellations."
Jean let out a soft breath of astonishment, blinking in mild disbelief. "Even Constellations... Can such metaphysical concepts truly be materialized?"
Ryen gave a firm nod.
"They present an extraction challenge, certainly, but securing them is far from impossible. As development deepens, acquiring them in bulk will become a regular routine."
"Much of it hinges upon the collection of Intertwined Fates and Acquaint Fates."
The names stirred faint recognition in the room, though the specifics remained obscure.
The leaders instinctively shifted their attention back toward Albedo.
The immense convenience of the Genshin Impact module was already making itself felt. Previously, understanding any foreign mod material required constant, detailed consultation with Ryen. Now, historical archives from Teyvat held existing documentation, and native scholars could parse the mechanics independently, saving tremendous time and effort.
Albedo pondered the names for a few moments, speaking in a low, measured voice.
"My mentor's journals contained brief passages regarding them, though the details are somewhat distant in my memory. I must consult my archives upon returning to the laboratory."
"If memory serves, an Intertwined Fate represents a seed of destiny woven to link distant dreams, while an Acquaint Fate is a seed of hope destined to illuminate the starry skies."
"Both entities are inextricably bound to the conceptual laws of fate."
"Anything governing fate operates on a profoundly complex level. I will need to conduct a thorough review of our ancient texts and compile an exhaustive dossier on these key materials to share with everyone."
"My mentor recorded numerous metaphysical compounds that I once dismissed as theoretical myth. It seems I remain far behind her scholarly stride."
Albedo paused, tapping his fingers lightly against the table. "Additionally, there is a specialized substance tied to the flow of Ley Lines and the roots of Irminsul, designated as..."
Before Albedo could finish, Ryen cut in with a chuckle. "Condensed Resin, correct?"
"Precisely! That is the term!"
Ryen smiled and nodded. "It is present within the module as well."
Albedo blinked in silence, letting out a long, reverent exhale. "The Genshin Impact module... is truly miraculous. Once deployed, the entire ecological and industrial balance of Teyvat will undergo an unprecedented transformation. It is undeniably the most fitting path for our civilization."
Ryen offered no dispute, continuing smoothly.
"Beyond the items you recognize, there are bucketed elemental fluids, elemental crystals, and numerous other derivatives. Once the installation concludes, you can review the crafting registers at your own pace."
"Tell me: is this module worth our investment?"
Zhongli gave a slow, dignified nod. "Applying universal principles, this module aligns flawlessly with our present developmental trajectory."
"In truth, it will remain indispensable across all future phases of our growth. From a macro perspective, it will provide massive, constructive catalysis to the entire civilization of Teyvat."
Finishing his notes with crisp, practiced brushwork, Zhongli looked up once more.
"Are there other critical categories that warrant prioritized recording?"
"Naturally. We have barely scratched the surface with basic materials," Ryen replied, waving a hand casually. "Beyond refined reagents, there are vast culinary ingredients and agricultural crops."
At the mention of culinary goods, Paimon's eyes widened with intense focus, leaning forward with undisguised anticipation.
Ryen chuckled, giving Paimon's head a playful pat, though he had no intention of elaborating on pantry staples. No matter how convenient, food supplies were not a strategic priority for high-level military planning. The logistics teams would naturally handle agriculture during routine colonization.
"Next on our manifest: Artifacts."
Ryen paused, looking around the table. "You are all familiar with how artifacts manifest back in Teyvat, yes?"
Beside him, Ganyu gave a gentle nod.
"They typically form within ancient domains linked to subterranean Ley Lines or areas where Ley Line energy stagnates and pools."
"The items themselves may have originated as ordinary mortal possessions, yet washed by centuries of history and nourished by the deep earth, they absorb human conviction and lingering memories, crystallizing into what we call artifacts."
"Equipping an artifact bestows potent passive amplification, offering substantial combat improvements to both Vision wielders and standard combatants."
"Historically, however, artifacts remain the exclusive domain of allogenes."
"Their stringent generation conditions make large-scale deployment impossible. To my knowledge, the vast majority of recovered relics are low-tier fragments with modest enhancements. Truly formidable relics exist, but assembling a complete, matching set is virtually unheard of."
Ningguang nodded in agreement, speaking softly. "After awakening my Vision, I spent years seeking suitable artifacts. Across all these seasons, the finest pieces in my collection belong to the Retracing Bolide set, and even then, I managed to secure only two matching pieces."
Ryen raised an eyebrow, a teasing grin touching his lips. "Since when did our Tianquan care about combat enhancement?"
A faint flush dusted Ningguang's cheeks as she gave him an affectionate swat on the arm. "I originally acquired them to host a grand auction and offload an unawakened Vision, as you well know! Who could have predicted the jewel would resonate with me instead?"
Ryen chuckled softly, smoothing her hair. "That sounds more like the Ningguang I know, whose heart belongs entirely to Mora."
"Nonsense," Ningguang countered gently, poking his side. "At present, I care only for you and the prosperity of Liyue."
Watching the two exchange open affection right in front of the table, the assembly felt a collective wave of sweet exhaustion.
Venti cleared his throat with exaggerated theatricality, breaking the intimate atmosphere. "Ahem! Let us keep the romance for later, Ryen! Tell us about the artifacts in this realm!"
Ryen rolled his eyes at the bard, though he returned his focus to the table.
"Within the Genshin Impact module, artifacts operate under entirely different rules compared to Teyvat."
"Here, artifacts generate in vast abundance, and identical pieces can be harvested repeatedly without limit."
"In return, their enhancement parameters are fixed and standardized."
"In strict theoretical terms, they may lack the bespoke, unique nuances of certain historical relics back home, but their raw combat efficiency is virtually identical."
"Best of all, the barrier to acquiring them is effectively zero."
Ryen paused, letting his next words carry full weight.
"Within the module, beyond hunting monsters, artifacts can be extracted directly from specialized artifact ore veins."
"Which means that acquiring legendary artifacts simply comes down to mining."
The room froze in stunned silence.
After several seconds, the Tsaritsa spoke, her voice laced with rare incredulity. "Just... mining?"
"These are sacred relics of memory and conviction!"
Ryen shrugged with an amused smirk. "And this is the block world. What else did you expect?"
The Tsaritsa fell silent.
Harvesting sacred artifacts with a pickaxe?
The concept sounded utterly scandalous.
If the scholars and Vision wielders back in Teyvat learned that legendary relics could be hauled out of dirt tunnels like common coal, they would probably faint from sheer indignation.
Leaving aside the virgin terrain of the New Continent, the subterranean depths of the Main Continent were crisscrossed with established mining networks.
Under Ryen's rules, the moment the module loaded, complete artifact sets would flood their storehouses in a ceaseless torrent.
It made a mockery of mortal reverence, yet none among them held blind, religious fanaticism for relic worship, sparing them a complete crisis of faith.
"Artifact ores yield four-star and five-star tiers, matching the standard classifications of the module," Ryen explained.
"Treat five-star sets as the highest grade, equivalent to pristine primordial relics."
"Their full parameter listings are far too lengthy to read out here. You can cross-reference our domestic literature on historical sets upon your return, or inspect them once we mine the first batch."
"Take the Crimson Witch of Flames set, for instance..."
As the name left Ryen's lips, his gaze shifted toward Rosalyne.
Rosalyne stiffened, shifting uncomfortably in her chair and pointedly averting her eyes from his gaze.
"A two-piece Crimson Witch set provides a flat fifteen percent bonus to Pyro DMG," Ryen continued, pretending not to notice her unease.
"A four-piece set massively amplifies the damage dealt by Overloaded, Burning, and Burgeon reactions, while boosting Vaporize and Melt triggers by fifteen percent."
"For any Pyro Vision wielder, it stands as an absolute, top-tier loadout."
The leaders nodded in contemplation, having no desire to burden Ryen with cataloging every set. They were working with the lore of their own homeland, after all; whatever gaps remained could easily be filled by researching classical texts in their domestic archives.
Relying on their own expertise to develop this module felt far more gratifying than expecting Ryen to hand-hold every minor step.
Even without the complete statistical ledger, hearing the parameters of the Crimson Witch set sent a pulse of excitement through Diluc and the Pyro allogenes.
A flat elemental bonus stacked with reaction multipliers...
Combined with the amplification from Master-tier staves, a single elemental reaction would hit with enough force to blow a god clean out of the sky.
"Ehe! The Witch set, you say?"
Venti's lips curled into a sly, knowing grin as he turned a mischievous glance toward the rigid figure sitting across from him.
"If memory serves, the full title of that historical set is the Crimson Witch of Flames, isn't it?"
"What a remarkable coincidence. We happen to have a former Crimson Witch sitting right here at our table, don't we, Rosalyne?"
Hearing Venti's teasing, barbed tone, Rosalyne's face darkened, her knuckles whitening as her fist clenched beneath the table.