The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

Startled, I turned around and saw that it was a shadow?

"Shadow, you wouldn't be...?"

“I have some knowledge of cooking.” Ying released his hand, then revealed a confident expression as if victory was assured.

Kiana was speechless at her expression, which seemed completely unconcerned.

"Oh well."

Upon hearing Kiana's agreement, Shadow revealed a rare smile.

Then, the cooking began.

Everyone took turns using the boiler and choosing ingredients to cook according to their own preferences.

Xiangling chose the more conventional boiled fish, and the result was so fragrant that it received praise from everyone present.

Yan Xiao also chose fish, but it was braised fish. Although the preparation was exquisite, it was not to her liking.

Shadow and Kiana didn't give it a good review, but Luminous and Paimon thought it tasted delicious. Perhaps it was because they used to eat fish by themselves, and when they caught some, they didn't have much seasoning. But now they had the opportunity to eat fish like this, so they thought it was very good.

With both chefs in charge, it was Kiana and the others' turn to cook.

"Hmm, Ying. Let's go first, otherwise the kitchen is going to be a mess later."

"Ah."

Thanks to Paimon's persuasion, Ying took the lead in cooking.

However, because she rarely has the opportunity to use specialized pots and pans, she cannot be said to be very skilled at using them.

Even so, he's still more reliable than the other two.

"It's done, a satisfying salad. Phew... this is definitely easier to make."

As time went on, Ying finally served a satisfying salad.

How should I put it... this dish doesn't really feel like a dish; it would be more like a snack.

After all, simply washing and chopping the ingredients, and adding sweet seasonings, makes a good dish.

Isn't this a bit too rudimentary?

However, Kiana and Kage found the dish quite delicious.

Ying, in particular, ate almost half of the fruit.

Perhaps the sweetness reminded her of tricolor dumplings?

Seeing that Ying was enjoying her meal, Kiana felt very happy.

"Well... now it's my turn!"

However...

"Ah! Kiana, the food is burnt!"

"Why is it ready so quickly? You haven't even added salt yet!"

"Wow, the vegetables are burnt black by the sword, how scary..."

After Kiana finished her incredibly skillful operation, the kitchen was still there unexpectedly.

Although the various strange phenomena that occurred during this period made the two chefs, Yanxiao and Xiangling, very nervous.

Fortunately, the kitchen is still there.

As for that dish...

Won't you try some?

"No, no!" everyone said in unison.

The dish she was holding not only looked strange, but it also smelled burnt.

Just looking at it fills one with fear of eating it.

However...

"Hmm, Kiana. Your fire... is a bit too much."

Ying picked up her chopsticks, took a piece of dark, unappetizing potato, chewed it for a while, and then swallowed it with difficulty.

This is the final thought that came to mind...

"Eh...is that so? I was actually quite looking forward to it. Okay..."

After trying it herself, Kiana had to agree with Shadow's point of view.

After everyone else had taken turns cooking, it was her turn to cook.

When that moment arrives...

Kiana inexplicably felt a sense of impending doom.

The Battle Between Flame and Lightning and the Abyss (Genshin Impact): Chapter Thirty-Five - The Shadow Warrior Recalls the Past

When Kiana saw that Shadow was about to start acting, she immediately sensed something was wrong.

She gave a somewhat forced smile, then suggested:

"Um, Shadow. Should we...?"

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Fine. Just do what you want to do..."

Having received Kiana's support, Ying touched her hair with a touch of emotion.

"Yes, I will do my best. I learned a lot from watching these people cook. I'll keep watching."

After saying that, Ying reached for her chest...

Before long, Wuxiang's sudden attack appeared in Liyue.

The reason why this Thunder God, who had traveled from afar, drew this sword...

It was because of cooking?

If Zhongli, who was far away in Liyue Harbor, sensed that something was wrong, he would know about this situation.

Most likely, they'd freeze in place, surprised that their colleague would make such a big deal out of nothing...

After the lightning-streaked katana appeared, the atmosphere in the entire Wangshu Inn kitchen became extremely tense.

"Shadow! Calm down, don't resort to violence!"

"What? I have no interest in that. I just wanted to chop some vegetables."

Shadow found Kiana's overreaction quite strange.

While cooking, she used that giant sword burning with flames to swiftly and decisively slice through the ingredients with a terrifying aura.

Now I...

Hey, why am I like that?

Ying stared at the familiar knife for a long time before finally putting it away.

"It doesn't belong to me, which is strange... I would have taken the treasure she left behind. Thank you, Kiana."

"It... well, this belongs to your sister, so you must take good care of it."

"Is it because of [wear and tear]...? My memories of her are becoming more and more vivid, as if... I am the one..." Shadow slowly reached out and gently stroked the hair ornament that had been combined into one.

In an instant, memories flooded back like a spring.

Ying still remembers how much her older sister, Zhen, loved Inazuma's scenery, food, and cultural stories, to the point that she would share them with Ying endlessly. Although they shared a common understanding of the "wear and tear" of time, Zhen preferred to focus on the present rather than worrying about the future. "It's precisely because we understand that this moment is fleeting that we should cherish and enjoy it to the fullest."

At that moment, she could only smile bitterly, reflecting on how, as a mere shadow warrior, she was even more rigid than General Thunder. She also reflected on herself, wanting to learn to be as composed as Zhen. But the day of sudden change came too quickly, catching Shadow completely off guard. When she came to her senses, she found herself holding the knife her dying sister had handed her.

On this day, the Shadow Warrior became the true "Thunder General".

On that very day, I truly understood the excruciating pain caused by "wear and tear".

If we continue to move forward with time, even this sword, this cherry blossom... all the beings of Inazuma will disappear from our sight. This is the foundation of Inazuma, and what the "Thunder General" must protect.

"From this perspective, forward-thinking is not meaningless... nor is it presumptuous." With this realization, life transcends the physical body, and eternity descends upon this mortal world.

However, after leaving the Pure Land of One Heart, Ying gradually came to understand the true meaning of what her sister Zhen had once said: "It is precisely because we understand that this scene is fleeting that we should cherish and enjoy it even more."

Because this scene is fleeting, we must seize the moment and enjoy it.

However, if this scene is far removed from the past, then the so-called enjoyment might just be a burden... of preserving time and memories.

"Hehe. Sigh..."

This was rare, Ying sighed.

Seeing her so heartbroken, Kiana, who had been on guard since the beginning, paused for a moment, then asked:

"Shadow? You..."

"It's nothing, I just realized I picked up the wrong knife."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Shadow swiftly drew out the Nagikusa Inahi.

The moment the knife was drawn, everyone present was startled once again.

"Why did you change it? And this one is even bigger!" Yan Xiao, the head chef and host of this cooking competition, complained speechlessly.

"It's alright, I'm more comfortable with this knife."

"This is a huge problem! Hey! Don't chop it! The table's going to break!"

As Ying cooked with exaggerated movements, the already somewhat messy kitchen became even more chaotic.

Before long, the entire kitchen was filled with a strange 'fragrance' that sent shivers down one's spine.

"Phew, it's done."

Beside him, Yan Xiao squatted on the ground, holding his head in his hands, regretting that he hadn't been able to recognize this kitchen destroyer.

However, even if it's regrettable, there's nothing we can do about it.

"Uh...everyone's dishes were presented very well; I can say I benefited greatly from them..."