The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

"Gentlemen."

The voice of Void Treasury appeared on the communication device, but compared to before, it sounded particularly weak, as if he had just experienced a great battle.

What happened?

Kiana, Mei, and Bronya exchanged glances, realizing that something was wrong.

Just as they expected, Void Treasury on the other end of the audio channel then dropped a bombshell.

"I'm very sorry, but I have bad news and good news. Which would you like to hear first?"

"Huh? Why do I feel like both of them are bad news?"

Kiana looked up with a black line on her face and found that the floating island's descent had inexplicably slowed down. This was probably related to the information that Void Archives was about to reveal.

Anyway, let's hear the good news first.

"Shall we start by saying it's a good thing?"

“I’ve hacked Lucaini’s defense system, and it’s now at its weakest point.”

Hmm, very good. This means the battle plan has been a great success; now all that's needed is to attack!

Kiana gripped the Blazing King Sword tightly, her heart filled with hope for the battle to come.

However, it is very regrettable...

"Now that the good news is over, here comes the bad news. Unfortunately, my whereabouts have been exposed, and Lucini's toys should be gone by now. That's all there is to it. Farewell."

After saying this, Void Treasury closed the communication. It seemed he didn't care much about his partners, or perhaps... he didn't want anyone to miss him?

Just as Kiana and the others were wondering about their partner's disappearance, the clamor of monsters indeed came from afar.

As numerous monsters appeared, everyone raised their weapons and began to fight.

"Prepare for battle! Kiana, don't make a move, wait patiently for your opportunity!"

Mei and Bronya, the two veteran Valkyries, took up their weapons and began to lead the newcomers in fighting off the enemy. Their strength was beyond doubt, and they were in no way inferior to the enemy who outnumbered them by hundreds of times.

In just a few rounds of fighting, the monsters had already suffered heavy casualties. Those who were either dead or wounded would face further attacks from newcomers like Carol Timido if they wanted to continue fighting.

Overall, the advantage lies entirely with the Valkyries. After all, Kiana, their main fighting force, hasn't even made a move yet.

But don't forget, that thing in the sky is about to fall!

"Hoo, host."

As the floating island in the sky drew closer, Sirin, who had been sitting on Kiana's shoulder in a daze, finally spoke softly.

Just as she spoke, the Blazing King Sword began to gather flames that symbolized victory.

This means Kiana has begun to unleash the power of the gems, and will unleash tremendous power to completely resolve the crisis caused by the Celestials.

"I remember you mentioned before that you wanted to bring your friends back to Teyvat, right?"

"Yes."

Upon hearing this, Sirin slowly rose and began circling her master, muttering to herself as she did so:

"Although it's difficult, we'll earn a lot of Herrscher Points after this event. In that case, let's treat it as a post-battle treat."

It's really strange that this little guy has actually agreed.

But that's alright.

"Ah."

Without saying much, Kiana slowly nodded, then looked up at the Asura Demon City that had fallen like a meteorite.

This battle was inevitable. All of this must be put to an end.

To prevent the beauty of this world from being desecrated, and for those we should protect.

People of heaven, go back to where you came from!

"Xin Yan, draw your sword!!!"

Kiana focused her fighting spirit and fully unlocked the power of the gem. She then unleashed a powerful sword strike, and strange, clockwork-like patterns suddenly appeared in mid-air for some unknown reason.

The sound of a pendulum swinging back and forth echoed throughout the world.

Immediately afterwards, an intangible hemispherical object exploded across the sky in an instant. The entire world was shrouded in a pale purple hue, a fracture of spacetime.

At the same time, an energy surged forth from the moon that had been sealed away.

This energy broke through the barriers of time and space, instantly taking shape in mid-air, and ultimately creating a ring of colorful doors.

Despite the unusual sight, no one was shocked.

At this moment, everyone's expression froze due to the stop of time, and the swooping monster and the rapidly falling sky island also stopped.

The city fell silent, the world fell silent.

And when the brief stillness ends, a powerful explosion occurs that is enough to cause a spacetime tremor!

With a single sword strike, space and time were cleaved apart... and the barrier between the Sub-Heaven Demon City and the teleportation star gate was severed.

As the ethereal sound of shattering glass echoed, the palace inhabited by the celestial beings was inevitably and forcefully blasted out of this world...

Out with the old, in with the new, an unforgettable Lantern Festival (Liyue New Year): Chapter 1 Don't be afraid, Ganyu, we're just here to play with you!

Teyvat.

Beside Wangshu Inn, on a small islet.

A cute and charming girl with horns on her head is sleeping soundly on her side like a kitten.

She wore a short white cheongsam with gold embellishments, over which was a tight-fitting backless bodysuit, covered by black stockings with gold embellishments on the hoops. She wore white arm warmers with double-layered cuffs, the inner layer flaring outwards. Her hands were covered by long black gloves, the forearms tinted with a gradient blue hue.

The bright sunlight filtered through the treetops and fell on the girl's lovely and charming body, making her originally fair and jade-like skin reflect a dazzling pearl-like luster.

She lay on her side on the grass, resting without any defenses. Every now and then, her delicate eyebrows trembled as she let out a low, unintelligible moan; her beautiful, melodious voice was enough to attract anyone's attention.

Her beautiful profile exuded peace and gentleness, and her horns, representing the characteristics of a Qilin, swayed from side to side with her breath.

As for those mesmerizing black-stockinged legs, they were curled up at that moment.

This is an adorable and charming little Qilin.

The little unicorn's name is Gan Yu.

With the annual Lantern Festival just around the corner, many tasks will soon be piled up on my shoulders.

Although handling these matters is not difficult, if you calm down, you can even immerse yourself in your own world and chat with your secretaries while taking a break.

But a few days ago, when I had finished my work with great effort and offered to work overtime, Ms. Ningguang said that she needed to go to Wangshu Inn to recuperate and observe in order to prepare for the Lantern Festival.

All food and lodging expenses can be reimbursed.

The task at hand is simply to observe any unusual activity in the vicinity. It's so simple it's almost unbelievable—why not just call in any Sen'iwa soldier for something this trivial?

Why do I have to come?

After much deliberation, Gan Yu finally came to a conclusion.

To put it simply, Ningguang wanted to rest but didn't know how to ask, so she organized this publicly funded vacation.

Although this order is quite absurd, it is because it was Ningguang who said it herself.

So he had no choice but to stay at the Wangshu Inn, where he began his difficult 'working' period.

Several days passed in a flash. This morning, after getting up, Gan Yu couldn't wait to say goodbye to the inn and began to wander around the neighborhood under the guise of patrolling.

As I wandered around, I felt a bit sleepy due to the chaos, so I took a nap on this small island.

Although the sudden assignment was surprising, she had to admit that she hadn't felt this relaxed in a long time.

It's been a very long time since I've enjoyed this kind of leisurely lifestyle.

I remember the last time I could live without any worries was during that short period of peace after Liyue Harbor was built.

Once upon a time...

Gan Yu was lost in the dream of memories, a sweet smile involuntarily spreading across her face.

Her lips curled up slightly, revealing a set of clean, even teeth.

It's like a cute and charming little kitten.

However, the good weather didn't last long, as a sudden warm breeze made Gan Yu feel something was amiss.

"Hmm~"

She let out a captivating murmur, then slowly opened her eyes.

Before your eyes lies a vast expanse of azure river, its clear surface reflecting the sunlight, creating dazzling rays that ultimately project magnificent patterns.

Occasionally, traces of fish swimming, flocks of birds flying, the chirping of insects, and petals falling from blooming flowers can be seen shimmering in the river.

Beyond the lush vegetation and the river, one can see the extremely high Longji Snow Mountain.

Those cold mountain peaks always send forth chilly winds. Such winds are reassuring, but... why does it suddenly get hot here?

Feeling puzzled, Gan Yu slowly sat up, then hugged her delicate knees with some confusion.

"Am I getting a little complacent because of this vacation—oh no, because of this work—and starting to feel disoriented?"

Gan Yu rubbed her warm belly, then touched the cold corner of her stomach. In that moment of contrast, she suddenly realized...

Something is coming.

Strange, why do I have this feeling?

Gan Yu, who was completely bewildered, slowly got up and looked up.

As a result, in just one glance, she witnessed a scene she would never forget...

"what!!!"

How could I possibly describe the scene before me? A girl I knew very well had returned? But why was she here?!

The thought had only crossed her mind for a fleeting moment when Gan Yu felt an overwhelming pressure, like Mount Tai pressing down on her. Then...

She was knocked unconscious.

Meanwhile, Kiana and the others, who were the instigators of all this, covered their foreheads, completely unaware of what was going on.