The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

"This is troublesome. These hounds are floating in mid-air, so there's no way they could leave any footprints. To find them... I guess I'll have to rely on my eyes and ears."

"Ugh, this feels so troublesome."

“No,” Gan Yu replied, then took out her bow and pointed it into the distance without hesitation, “They’re already here.”

"what?"

Only after Gan Yu reminded her did Kiana belatedly realize that the beast hounds outside the inn had somehow gathered into a force.

More than a hundred hunting dogs floated over, just like the ones they had seen when they clashed with the Thunder Apostle that day.

"Ow!!!"

Seeing that their whereabouts had been discovered, the hunting dogs didn't waste any words and charged forward with a howl.

It seemed that in their eyes, the two beautiful young women in front of them were the most delicious prey.

However, faced with the hounds' audacious attack, Kiana and Gan Yu simply exchanged a smile.

"The moment of decisive battle has arrived!"

Kiana leaped down the steps of the inn, clearing a dead zone with sweeping, powerful swings, before forcefully thrusting her sword upwards.

As the flames danced, several beast hounds that couldn't dodge in time were lifted into the air. She then leaped up and wielded the King's Sword, launching an unstoppable aerial pursuit.

The swift sword swept through the loose formation of the hounds, and many of the beast-like hounds that couldn't dodge in time were engulfed by the flames, turning to ashes and remaining in this world forever.

In an instant, the erosion of the raging fire caused the demonic beasts to flee in defeat, retreating frantically like a swarm of frightened rats.

"A great opportunity!"

Taking advantage of the moment, Gan Yu raised his bow and fired several arrows in quick succession.

The arrows, like mortar shells, exploded above the hounds' heads, creating deadly frost-covered flowers that slowed their movements in the gusts of cold wind.

Just then, Kiana launched a swift attack, and the raging fire instantly shattered the solid ice, unleashing its power.

The heat waves alone were enough to tear their flesh apart, leaving them completely powerless to fight.

In the end, when the battle was over, very few hunting dogs remained, and the few that survived fled like stray dogs.

"Still trying to run?"

Kiana ended her flight and landed steadily on the ground.

Her gaze drifted into the distance, and with her exceptional eyesight, she quickly spotted the fleeing hunting dogs.

The Blazing King Sword is drawn.

"Give me--!"

However, just as Kiana bent down to gather her strength, intending to rush over and eliminate all her defeated opponents.

Completed the final task brilliantly.

However...

"When the sun comes out, I bask in the sun; when the moon comes out, I bask in the moonlight!"

A familiar female voice came from the other end of the road.

Without a second thought, Gan Yu lowered his bow, utterly puzzled as to why Kiana's voice could be heard from afar.

She stared, somewhat bewildered, at the white-haired girl standing in the wilderness, wielding a blazing greatsword.

At this moment, Kiana was like a torch, illuminating the surroundings.

It gave light to those around it.

This also drew the attention of the visitors very quickly.

"Huh?"

As the footsteps drew closer, the girl who had been humming the lullaby soon appeared before the two of them.

It was Hu Tao who had finished dealing with some trivial matters at Wuwang Slope and was preparing to return to Liyue Harbor.

She stretched out her hand to gaze into the distance, carefully discerning the radiant figure, and then, as if she had discovered something fun, she skipped and hopped over.

"Hey, Kiana? What a coincidence, what a chance encounter here. By the way, what are you doing standing around with a sword in the middle of the night instead of sleeping? Are you planning to rob the inn?"

Hu Tao stroked her smooth chin and suddenly uttered these words.

She stared intently at Kiana with her bright, starry eyes.

A mischievous glint flashed in his cunning eyes.

Upon seeing this, Kiana instantly realized that she might have misunderstood something.

"How could that be? Cough cough. Walnut, you're overthinking it."

To prove her innocence, Kiana sheathed her sword and then waved her hands repeatedly to show that she was innocent.

However, Hu Tao was clearly not so easily fooled.

The hall master, who had come from afar, licked his thin lips, then suddenly stood on tiptoe and grabbed her hands.

"Hehe~ Caught red-handed, come back to the Hall of Rebirth with me!"

The Battle Between Flame and Lightning and the Abyss (Genshin Impact): Chapter 49 What are you two doing sneakily?

Caught red-handed with the evidence?

Is this word used in the wrong context?

Never mind, these are minor issues. The problem is...

Why is Hu Tao looking like she's catching a thief?

Kiana felt inexplicably ashamed as this young girl grabbed her hands.

She coughed and explained:

"You've misunderstood, Walnut. I'm not a bad person."

"Ok?"

Hu Tao stood on tiptoe, sizing up the girl who had a voice almost identical to her own, her playful expression gradually turning serious.

She questioned him with righteous indignation:

"If you're not a bad person, then what are you doing downstairs at Wangshu Inn so late at night instead of sleeping?"

"Um, I..."

Just as Kiana heard Kurumi's question and was about to explain, Gan Yu finally arrived late.

The half-immortal girl slowly walked between the two and gave Hu Tao a somewhat forced smile.

Although they don't see each other often, they do know each other.

Therefore, the sensible Hu Tao obediently let go, holding the back of her head and staring at Gan Yu as if nothing had happened.

"What have you two been doing sneaking around at night?"

Hu Tao gestured with her chin, giving him an expression that said something was definitely wrong with the two of them, as if she had already confirmed that Kiana and Gan Yu were engaged in some strange activity.

To be honest, her actions were quite prescient.

After all, strictly speaking, what these two are doing right now is indeed a covert operation.

"To be honest, we've discovered monsters lurking near Wangshu Inn."

"Eh?"

Upon hearing that a monster had appeared, Hu Tao immediately realized what was going on.

So they were punishing evil and upholding justice! Oh no, oh no, I've become the villain...

Instantly, Hu Tao was so embarrassed that she broke out in a cold sweat.

She gave a helpless smile, then explained to Kiana:

"So you guys were capturing monsters..."

"To be precise, it's about annihilating them." Kiana summoned the King's Sword and plunged it into the earth, speaking slowly like a majestic knight. "As long as these monsters are not eliminated, Liyue will never have peace. Ganyu and I plan to annihilate them all, or at the very least, to return to the world beyond."

"Outside the world...? Does that mean sending them to that world?"

After thinking about it for a moment, Hu Tao felt that there was no difference between simply eliminating them directly.

However, that's not important. She had actually noticed the anomaly on her way to Wuwangpo.

However, due to being busy with other matters, there was no time to investigate and handle the matter.

I never expected this...

"In that case, why not include me, the head of this hall?"

"Master Hu, you also intend to help Wangshu Inn?"

"No, it's just because we're friends. Right, Kiana?"

After Hu Tao finished speaking, she grasped Kiana's hand again, looking as if she were quite adept at it.

Although the two girls are different in height, dress, and even temperament.

But for some reason, Gan Yu could sense that they... had something in common.

Could it be because of the sound?

"It's really strange that there are people in this world with exactly the same voice. I don't know why. And why do these two look so similar? Could they be... long-lost twins, uh, okay."

After being distracted for a while, Gan Yu shook her head vigorously to bring herself back to her senses.

Not to mention that these two have the same hair and eye color, Master Hu took over the position of Master of the Hall of Rebirth from his elders.

But I've never heard of her having any long-lost relatives.

So, is it really just a coincidence that these two people were born with the same voice?

"Unbelievable...cough cough! Never mind, these are her private matters, I shouldn't interfere. I should learn from Miss Keqing, hmm! I must never be like True Lord Liuyun Jiefeng!"

Gan Yu made a silent vow in her heart.

The three of them thus determined their common goal and began to slowly walk towards Mingyun Town, the last place the beast hounds had fled to.