As Silaya spoke, the scene shifted to match her words. She was in Vanarana, sitting serenely before the Tree of Dreams, surrounded by Aranara.
[At the final stage of my experiment, only one step remained—the most difficult and decisive. I needed to harness the Akasha's power, enter Irminsul, and seize a portion of its Authority...]
[After leaving Vanarana, I encountered a group of purple monsters. Their target was clear: me.]
The scene changed to show Silaya walking along a path when an Abyss Gate suddenly opened before her. Hordes of monsters surged forth, attacking her relentlessly.
Lumine's pupils constricted sharply, and Paimon gasped, her heart pounding wildly.
The familiar Abyss Gate and Abyss Monsters—they would never forget them, not in a lifetime!
[I encountered the Doctor again, and he saved me. I realized the Akasha was no longer under Lesser Lord Kusanali's control. Using him, I approached the Akasha and completed my final step...]
The final scene showed Silaya sitting cross-legged in the Sanctuary of Surasthana—the last time anyone had seen her.
[This was a grand experiment. In the end, I succeeded. Teacher Alhaitham, you'll definitely see this message I've left behind, won't you? And you too, Traveler and Paimon, Lesser Lord Kusanali...]
Among the crowd, Chu Xi looked crestfallen, desperately wanting to shout to Silaya that she was there too, but knowing her words wouldn't reach her now.
[Teacher, this will be my final examination paper for you. I wonder what grade you'll give me this time? Will it still be the 99 points you gave me before, fearing I'd become arrogant?]
[Now, I will show you the true Salvation Experiment. Traveler, I hope you'll remember as much as you can, at least remember me. After all, I do have my own selfish desires...]
Alhaitham remained lost in thought, unresponsive for a long moment.
"What did she mean by that last line?"
Nahida's voice was heavy with melancholy. "The Traveler is an outsider. If Silaya's goal was to replace Rukkhadevata and be erased from Irminsul, then all of Teyvat will forget her. Only the Traveler will remember her."
"No, no, that can't happen! I don't want to forget Silaya!" Chu Xi's emotions suddenly surged. She had finally found the will to live again—how could she forget?!
Paimon rushed over to comfort Chu Xi, assuring her that she wouldn't forget Silaya either.
As the group spoke, the scene around them shifted once more.
This time they were no longer in the rainforest but in the desert. The desert landscape felt strangely familiar, especially the temple looming nearby.
Visibility was severely limited, with swirling yellow sand stretching into the distance.
"Where are we?" Paimon asked.
After careful observation, Alhaitham concluded, "This appears to be the temple we explored in the desert, but... there are distinct differences, as if time itself..."
"Could Silaya have been here several years ago?"
"No, as far as I know, she almost never left the rainforest. She disliked the desert environment and the sun."
"No, this is utterly inconceivable."
Nahida was shaken to her core. She already knew where they were, but this shouldn't be Silaya's memories...
Seeing everyone's gazes fixed on her, Nahida explained, "This... is five hundred years ago, right after the Khaenri'ah War ended..."
"What?!"
Five hundred years ago?
"Nahida, what are you talking about? If this were five hundred years ago, how could Silaya be here?" Paimon exclaimed, utterly disbelieving.
"Time travel... This is beyond belief..." Lumine agreed, her expression mirroring Paimon's disbelief.
Nahida: "Remember what Silaya said earlier? Her final step was to usurp a portion of Irminsul's authority. Irminsul records everything that happens on the Teyvat Continent, every moment in time."
"The contents of Irminsul can be altered, but the cost is immense, and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata would never attempt such a thing. Silaya likely used this ability to modify this particular segment of Irminsul's records, creating the illusion of time travel."
"However, we can't rule out the possibility that Silaya truly did travel through time using Irminsul. As the Traveler mentioned, she possesses a Pure Soul. We know that Pure Souls have a high affinity with Irminsul. Theoretically, by tapping into Irminsul's temporal pathways, it might be possible to project one's consciousness into the past. But neither of these scenarios constitutes true time travel."
Paimon suggested, "Let's go inside now! Silaya's probably in the ruins."
Lumine: "The dying words of the Priest we found in the Temple mentioned a young woman. Could it be...?"
She remembered what the Priest had said:
[Just as my eyes were closing, a young woman found me. I granted her the authority of the Temple...]
[She vowed to end the suffering of the Desert's people from hunger and hardship.]
Alhaitham nodded. If Silaya was truly here, there was no doubt the Priest had been speaking of her.
Chu Xi: "Then let's hurry and set out!"
Paimon: "But how do we get in?"
She grabbed a handful of sand, but felt nothing—just like before. What they were seeing was merely Silaya's deliberate projection; they couldn't interact with the actual objects in this realm.
"Follow me, everyone."
Nahida conjured a protective shield around the group, allowing them to phase through the Temple walls and slowly enter its interior.
Inside, two figures stood face-to-face. One of them was unmistakably Silaya.
Paimon: "It's really her! Silaya actually went back five hundred years!"
The group immediately rushed closer, eager to eavesdrop on their conversation.
"The Temple was built under the guidance of the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata. Since you bear her essence, you can wield the Temple's authority at any time."
"Thank you. I assure you, this will bring great benefit to Sumeru. All its people will prosper, and the Desert folk you cherish will no longer starve or suffer. The descendants of Deshret and Rukkhadevata will finally lay down their animosity..."
The elderly Priest said, "If that truly comes to pass, I can die in peace..."
Silaya placed her right hand over her chest, bowed respectfully to the Priest, and turned to leave. Lumine and the others hurried after her.
As they reached a corridor, Silaya stopped. Before her, a Vision materialized out of thin air.
Startled, Silaya caught it in her hand and fell into a long, stunned silence.
Can a consciousness... also receive a Vision?
Seeing the Vision in Silaya's hand, Chu Xi immediately retrieved the extinguished Vision she always carried. Comparing the two, every detail was identical except for one being illuminated and the other dark.