Genshin Impact's Sweet and Hard Free People

"..."

In this way, the topic fell into a cycle again. In fact, Xinhui did not blame anyone at all; they were just overthinking it.

"Alright, enough of that. I've finally come all this way to Mondstadt, and I'm planning to explore it properly." Hu Tao was getting a little annoyed by Xin Hui and the others' words. You could tell from her pouting lips that the little girl really wanted to go play.

I probably interrupted the conversation because I didn't want them to keep arguing about it.

At this moment, Keqing, following Hu Tao's idea, suggested a good one: "That's perfect! I've heard that the square in Mondstadt is packed with people every day, we can go there and take a look..."

Chapter Seventy-Five: The Boy's Chant

Mondstadt, the city of freedom, the city of pastoral idylls, the crown of the North—this is Mondstadt, renowned among bards and artists.

The clear waters of Cider Lake flow into the city along ancient canals, colliding and splashing into the spacious fountain pool in the square. Climbing the stone steps, it doesn't take long to see the cathedral standing nearby, the tallest building in Mondstadt. Compared to the bustling shopping streets a few blocks away, it is much quieter and more peaceful.

The square in Mondstadt is not far from the church.

The tall and exquisite circular plaza is constructed from stone pillars and a bluish-green roof. In the center of the plaza is a circular artificial canal, which surrounds a huge bluish-gray statue.

It is a statue modeled after Barbatos, the god of wind. It is tens of meters high and has a magnificent presence. Most people who come to the statue of the wind god will pray to the wind god with respect and worship.

It was already quite some time before Xinhui and his group appeared.

Their gazes involuntarily swept over all the novel things before them; this architectural style was nowhere to be found in Liyue.

Due to cultural differences between countries, the architecture in Mondstadt is mostly exquisite and highly aesthetically pleasing. In contrast, the ancient architecture of Liyue, while emphasizing beauty, places even greater emphasis on practicality.

"Wow, it really is a big square, and there are so many people." Hu Tao's excitement was palpable.

"The statue is modeled after Barbatos. In the eyes of the Mondstadt people, his status is no less than that of the Geo Archon in the eyes of the Liyue people. It's just that the Geo Archon is more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people." Keqing said, looking at the statue of the Anemo Archon with his hands raised.

Keqing's explanation was just right, perfectly illustrating the purpose of those who occasionally bowed before the statue of the wind god, their eyes filled with reverence and pure faith.

Just then, the sound of a piano drifted from not far away. In the open square, it did not seem out of place; on the contrary, the beautiful music was even more pleasant and had a unique attraction.

Xinhui and the others couldn't help but turn their heads to look, and found a boy with braided pigtails playing the zither and singing.

The boy was completely absorbed in his playing, seemingly lost in the music, and the slight upturn of his lips showed how much he enjoyed the performance.

Xin Hui looked at the boy and immediately smiled, followed by a sense of understanding. How wonderful, to be able to listen to this drunken poet's chanting.

"Let's go listen to him, we don't have anything else to do anyway." Xin Hui's suggestion was agreed upon by Gan Yu and the others, and the group walked together toward the boy who seemed to be working hard.

The singing boy was Wendy. On one hand, he sang to relax, and on the other hand, it was also his means of making a living. Only by singing stories and conveying them to the hearts of the audience could he earn their money.

At this moment, several Mondstadt citizens stood before him, listening to Venti recount the story of the Stormterror, Dvalin.

The beautiful prelude and moving melody brought the harp to life in Wendy's hands, producing incredibly melodious and beautiful sounds. Then, Wendy's emotionally charged narrative voice filled the air.

The story I'm about to tell begins in ancient times.

At that time, the gods still walked on the earth.

The Sky Dragon descended from the sky, filled with curiosity about everything in the world.

The dragon sought its own answers, yet could not comprehend the chaos of the mortal world.

The Wind Singer played his harp, and the Sky Harp answered him one by one.

The dragon is nothing more than a curious child, simply flying carefree, even to this day.

It listens to poetry and wants to learn to sing, so that all things may understand its heart.

The singer and the dragon became legends, and a dark age soon followed…

At this moment, the lion's teeth decayed, the eagle banner fell silent, and another evil dragon approached Mondstadt.

Suffering is the shadow that hangs over the cathedral, and lamentation is re-formed into poetry by poets.

The sky dragon answered the call and fought a desperate battle with the evil dragon in the storm...

The Sky Dragon swallowed the venomous blood of the evil dragon and fell into a deep sleep.

Years later, however, no one recognized its resurgence.

Why do people nowadays despise me?

The Sky Harp remained silent.

Anger and sorrow, life and poisonous blood, all turned into tears that fell from the dragon's eyes.

Poetry falls silent, and corruption takes hold easily. The lyre of the sky, however, is no longer able to speak…

Wendy's vivid singing had clearly moved those who were shedding tears; as they listened to the story of Dvalin, they were involuntarily touched.

"It was us who wronged Stormterror!"

"Stormterror has done so much for Mondstadt, yet he hasn't received the understanding he deserves..."

"yes……"

"..."

Sighs came from the listeners, and the reason for their emotions was mostly due to the recent invasion of Mondstadt by the Stormterror.

After the lament, some listeners left with heavy hearts, while some kind-hearted people handed some Mora to the boy as a sign that Wendy's singing was beautiful.

Hello, Wendy.

Just as Wendy was lamenting, "Why did I only receive fifty-odd Mora? Was my chanting not good enough?", he suddenly caught sight of Xinhui waving at him from the crowd.

So he casually replied, "Oh, it's you, Xinhui."

Do they know each other?

Their practiced greetings and mutual recognition of names made them seem like old acquaintances. Xinhui, however, had only been in Mondstadt for a day; how could he possibly know someone so quickly? This naturally caught Keqing's attention.

"Xinhui, do you know this poet?"

“Yes, I know him.” Xin Hui paused for a moment, but quickly came up with a reason. “I came to Mondstadt with Young Master Xing Qiu from the Fei Yun Merchant Guild before, and that’s when I met Wendy.”

He couldn't very well say that he met Wendy while drinking last night, could he? That would most likely make Keqing even angrier. However, Xinhui was still not good at lying, and the twitching expression on his face had already given him away.

"It's true what Xinhui said, we've known each other for a long time." Wendy smoothed things over for him, preventing Keqing from continuing to be troubled.

"So? Were you also drawn here by my poem?" Wendy said with a hint of confidence. "As the world's best bard, my skill cannot be demonstrated by just one poem."

That's definitely self-praise, but he certainly does have the ability.

"From what you're saying, you know a lot of stories, huh?" Hu Tao was clearly intrigued, perhaps because of Wendy's chanting earlier.

"Of course, whether it's the present moment or the distant past, whether it's within Mondstadt or among the Seven Kingdoms, those stories are deeply imprinted in my mind..."

Chapter Seventy-Six: The Divine Punishment of Flame

The Deer Hunter Restaurant.

A highly-rated restaurant located on Mondstadt's central avenue. Many passersby are drawn in by the enticing aromas and then try their signature dish – honey-glazed carrot and pork stir-fry.

Meat dishes drenched in honey sauce. The sizzling honey sauce brings out an amazing deliciousness in the tender and juicy meat, as if the whole body is bathed in warm orange sunlight.

There were also manor-made baked muffins for Gan Yu to eat.

Round flatbreads. Evolved from an afternoon snack at the estate, they have become a regular main course, often garnished with the finest raspberries. The fragrant flatbreads have a soft, fluffy texture, making your taste buds feel like they're on cloud nine.

Although it's open-air, it's definitely a great restaurant.

Watching Wendy devour the honey-glazed carrot and pork stew with a satisfied expression, Xin Hui couldn't help but chuckle. He figured this drunken poet must have spent all his money on alcohol, otherwise he wouldn't be wolfing down his food even when he was treated to a meal.

"Thank you so much! I never imagined there was such delicious food in the world. It's even more enjoyable than drinking alcohol," Wendy said, rubbing her slightly protruding belly with a satisfied expression.

"That's just because you haven't eaten in a long time," Xinhui said without hesitation, choosing to expose him.

"Hehe~" Wendy tried to act cute to get through the situation, but he still couldn't hide his poor state. He was clutching the only 50 or so Mora in his pocket. I really don't know how he could be so cheerful.

Seeing how happily he was eating, Xinhui ordered another one, a stack of high pieces.

A hearty meat dish. Originally a Mondstadt home-style dish consisting of stacked roasted ribs, potatoes, and cheese, it later gained fame as the grand finale of the badminton festival. The ingredients are piled into a pleasing shape, and the perfect proportions ensure that each layer is delicious and not greasy. First, feast your eyes on the exquisite plating. Then, let the tender ribs melt in your mouth.

During this time, Xinhui and his companions were not idle either, and they all enjoyed the exotic delicacies.

They chatted casually even during the meal. Since Wendy had previously mentioned his extensive knowledge, he naturally needed to be put to the test.

"Which of the seven gods, besides himself, does the Rock King Emperor have the best relationship?"

Wendy: "Naturally, it is that great god, Barbatos, the god of wind."

"So, what does Barbatos like?"

Wendy: "Barbatos loves wine and the wind, especially cider. But if we're talking about the best wine, Barbatos would vote for dandelion wine. Besides that, his favorite flower is Cecilia, and his wish is to travel the whole world."

"Which of the seven gods is the most difficult to get along with?"

Wendy: "It's probably the Ice Goddess, because her cold aura matches her personality."

"..."

Wendy eventually managed to handle Keqing and the others' questions one after another, answering them all fluently. Although even Keqing and the others didn't know the answers to some of the questions, they believed Wendy for the time being because she spoke so logically.

"Then, one last question," Keqing said, her expression turning sharp, "What kind of place is the Ember Sea?"

“The Sea of ​​Ashes…” Wendy stopped what she was doing upon hearing this word, as if recalling a distant event. “I can only tell you that it is a land covered in ashes.”

"In the land of blazing light, far from the distant winds, even the ashes are slowly dying out. It, which once teemed with life, is now consumed by the flames of the sky..."

Wendy seemed to be deliberately making the Sea of ​​Ashes seem very mysterious, even though he had explained the previous questions very clearly.

"You mean, there were other creatures in the Ember Sea?" Keqing had clearly caught this information. Based on her intuition, Wendy was not as simple as he seemed on the surface, but she could not guess his secret.

"It's amazing you were able to read this information." A rare look of surprise appeared on Wendy's face. "Just as you thought, except that there used to be people living in the Sea of ​​Ashes, but later... they encountered [divine punishment]."

The word "divine punishment" immediately alerted Hu Tao, who was standing beside her, because the goddess of life, Yi Meng, had also mentioned that she died because of "divine punishment."

Walnut was about to ask something when Wendy looked up and interrupted her. The latter gestured for them to stop, then picked up more food from her plate.

"We can't say much about this, you'll have to use your imaginations. Anything... is possible." Wendy stuffed another piece of braised meat into her mouth, her face full of satisfaction.

Although Keqing and the others were disappointed, they still generously thanked Wendy: "Thank you, learned poet."

“It’s alright, it’s nothing serious,” Wendy said with a smile, raising her glass. “Would you like some cider? It’s a very special drink.”