The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

Before he could finish speaking, Zhongli spoke up slowly from the side.

It was as if he was stating a fact, yet also as if he was trying to exonerate Xiangling:

"From a purely rational standpoint, this chef's skills are commendable, and his ideas are quite novel. However..."

"But what?" Ying asked, glancing sideways.

"This chef can sometimes cook some truly unacceptable food."

As soon as he finished speaking, a plate of hot soup bubbling with frog meat, turtle shells, butterfly wings, cabbage, and Jueyun peppers was placed in front of Zhongli.

"Ta-da! Our special stir-fried eel is fresh out of the oven, Zhongli, have a taste!"

"..."

Seeing that the dish was clearly not right, Zhongli didn't touch it.

He has always had certain requirements for food.

Unfortunately, this dish, which was so disappointing in every way, made him completely unwilling to even try it.

"Ahem! From a purely rational perspective, I already felt satisfied with having dinner with you, young master."

Zhongli waved his hand, showing no intention of tasting it.

He pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze to Kiana and Shadow.

"Since they are distinguished guests who have come from afar, then...why don't they try it on my behalf?"

"Huh? Is that so...?"

Upon hearing Zhongli's request, Xiangling stroked her chin and pondered for a while before finally complying with Zhongli's request and placing the dish, whose various meanings were unacceptable, in front of the two of them.

Finally, she didn't forget to look at the two of them with a hopeful expression, as if afraid they would refuse to enjoy it.

"Uh," Kiana said, picking up a spoon and stirring the soup. "It seems to have plenty of ingredients."

"Right, right! I caught butterflies and frogs for ages for this dish! Hehe..."

After Xiangling finished speaking, she couldn't help but show an embarrassed expression, as if she hadn't understood Kiana's true meaning at all.

"You've been catching butterflies and frogs for a long time; you've really put in a lot of effort for this."

After hearing Xiangling's words, Kiana suddenly felt that it might not be a good idea to refuse her so casually.

Helpless, she could only nod slowly, and then said:

"Then I'll try it—!"

However, before Kiana could finish speaking, Ying took the spoon, scooped up a spoonful of soup, and put it in her mouth.

All of this happened so suddenly that Kiana and Zhongli didn't even have time to react before Ying swallowed the soup.

"The taste is not bad."

"Huh? Really?"

"If you don't believe me, you can try it."

After finishing speaking, Ying placed the soup bowl directly in front of Kiana.

Finally, he didn't forget to hand over the spoon as well.

Looking at the slightly damp spoon, Kiana hesitated for a moment before taking the spoon and scooping up a mouthful of soup.

Um...

How to describe the taste...?

Is it just average?

"It feels spicy and numbing, but not too spicy. The initial taste is very stimulating, but it is essentially a fairly ordinary soup."

After briefly introducing my subjective feelings in a similar manner, I followed the example.

Kiana put down her spoon, showing no intention of continuing to eat.

Overall, it wasn't anything particularly outstanding...

“Is it normal? Hmm... why is that? Sigh,” Xiangling sighed, then took the soup bowl back. “I’ll cook some home-style dishes instead. It’s rare for you to come all this way. I’d be too embarrassed to let you try my cooking if I didn’t do it well.”

However, Xiangling was only slightly discouraged for a short while before she cheered herself up again.

"I will definitely do better!"

"Yes, we believe you," Kiana slowly echoed.

The Battle Between Flame and Lightning and the Abyss (Genshin Impact): Chapter 18 - Kurumi Meets Kiana

After putting aside those whimsical ideas in her mind, Xiangling began to settle down and rely on her cooking skills.

Although these dishes are all fairly common Liyue dishes, her genius chef skills are undeniable, even dishes that ordinary people are already tired of eating.

If she were to make it, it would taste noticeably delicious.

Thanks to Xiangling's decision to stop with her tricks, Kiana and the others were able to enjoy the delicious food full of Liyue flavor.

These foods embody the essence of Liyue's local culture and have stood the test of time, making them well-known and beloved delicacies among the people of Liyue.

Now, these delicacies, after being cooked by Xiangling, have taken on a different flavor.

This allowed Ying to experience once again the profoundness of Liyue's culinary culture.

"Hmm...it tastes very good. If I remember correctly, Liyue's cuisine is divided into different cuisines, right? What cuisines are these?"

Ying put down her chopsticks and asked with some confusion.

"Well... Wanmintang doesn't belong to either of Liyue's two major cuisines."

Kiana yawned, then answered Shadow's question crisply and decisively.

"Oh? Is that so...?"

"Yes."

Seeing that the two had almost finished eating, Zhongli, who hadn't had any intention of writing from the beginning, slowly nodded.

"Wanmin Hall is one of the few places in Liyue that enjoys a reputation throughout the entire Liyue region without relying on the reputation of its cuisine."

"I never expected you to give me such a compliment..."

After hearing Zhongli's introduction, Ying gradually realized that this restaurant was unusual.

Even the most ancient gods praised it, which shows just how powerful it was.

That said, this god...

"What are you doing now, you mortal named Zhongli?"

Taking Kiana's previous instructions into account, Shadow complied with her wishes and did not mention Morax's true form.

For Zhongli, this is not a bad thing.

"No need to be so polite. We've only met by chance, and you... are no longer a shadow warrior. In essence, we are on the same level."

Zhongli spoke these words with great magnanimity, without relying on seniority to be arrogant.

He had a relatively high opinion of one of the twin demon gods.

Therefore, we are willing to acknowledge his identity as General Thunder.

"No, in the end, I still..."

Ying felt a little embarrassed by Zhongli's magnanimity.

This puzzled both Kiana and Zhongli.

"What's wrong? Ying, what exactly happened to you...?"

"It's nothing, just a little disappointed. Even without divine guidance, the people of this land still live happily and joyfully. There are people like her who can always wear a smile. And my land..."

In fact, as early as when he arrived in Liyue, Ying had vaguely sensed the difference between Liyue and Inazuma, which he was in charge of.

In the days since leaving the Pure Land of One Heart, she has occasionally gone out for a stroll to clear her mind, and the atmosphere she experiences is completely different from that of this thriving city.

Are these the people ruled by the Geo Archon...?

Even without divine guidance, one can still find their own direction.

Looking back at myself...

Ying eventually realized that he might be somewhat unsatisfactory in terms of governance.

However, her concerns are actually a sign of maturity.

"Hehe, don't be so disappointed, Shadow Warrior."

Zhongli slowly stood up, gesturing to Kiana and Ying to follow.

After the two left the Wanmin Hall hand in hand, they left together.

The Rock God, who blended perfectly into the crowd, slowly took a step forward.

“From the moment the initial contract was made until now, I have been watching over them and guiding them onto the right path. This is certainly a good thing, but... the wear and tear involved is something that ordinary demons cannot withstand. Your choice to preserve yourself and entrust your consciousness to objects is actually a good way to combat wear and tear.”

"Is that so? But... it seems there are no stories worth telling on my land."

"Do not."

Zhongli slowly refuted Ying's point of view, and said with his hands behind his back:

"Mortals have weak bloodlines, but they are also strong. They are never short of heroes; we just haven't noticed them."

"Well..."

Ying seemed to understand something.

Seeing this, Zhongli turned around and slowly nodded, then fixed his gaze on Kiana.

"Traveler, where would you like to go next?"

"Huh? You're asking me? Hmm... I want to spend the Moon Festival with Shadow!"

Kiana hugged Shadow's arm tightly as she spoke, looking very happy.

Upon hearing her say this, Ying, as the person involved, muttered with some doubt: