The Infinite Journey of a Certain Flame

"But now that you mention it, it makes sense..."

Mei then put aside her inner concerns and, with great self-assurance, slowly reached out to block Kiana.

Kiana, who hadn't expected her to do this, looked up in confusion, not understanding why.

However, this doubt did not last long, as Mei soon spoke up:

"That's right, we came to protect you at the request of that green-haired boy."

"Protect?"

Upon hearing Kiana and Mei's words, the white-haired woman looked puzzled.

Of course, she wasn't wondering what kind of reward these people were offering to protect her, nor was she wondering why they agreed to protect a stranger like her; rather...

The Great Sage Who Subdues Demons? Why would he...?

What did he say?

After all, he had been under the command of Liuyun Jiefeng Zhenjun alongside Gan Yu, so how could he not know the might of the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons?

Since they knew his name, they were also aware of how aloof and arrogant he was.

For such an immortal to ask someone for a request so directly, it must be because it is something extremely important.

However...

"He told us to keep an eye on you. Don't let him hurt anyone..."

Kiana and the others spread their hands, then turned their gaze to Gan Yu.

It wasn't until she was under everyone's gaze that Gan Yu suddenly realized that she... had actually acted impulsively without thinking.

"No, no! How can we do this? We can't repeat the embarrassing mistake of misunderstanding the Fools with the Traveler. It might become gossip fodder for Lord Liuyun Jiefeng again..."

So, Gan Yu smiled at the thug who was covered in cold sweat and looked like he was about to turn into an ice sculpture.

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she put away her bow.

"Shen He, let him go. Although these people have made mistakes, they shouldn't be judged by us. Handing them over to the Thousand Rock Army is the most appropriate way for residents of Liyue Harbor to deal with them."

"Well..."

Faced with his senior's instruction, Shen He turned his face away with some displeasure. He looked like a junior who had done something wrong, his gentleness tinged with a hint of rebellion.

This scene was quite amusing to Kiana and the others.

Despite being significantly taller and larger than Gan Yu, who resembled a younger sister, Shen He turned his head away with his hands behind his back, showing no intention of interrupting.

Hmm...it's obvious they actually have a good relationship?

However, just as Kiana was secretly marveling, Shen He suddenly clutched his lower abdomen, his expression somewhat distorted.

"What's wrong? Are you injured?"

Upon seeing this, Gan Yu hurriedly went forward to check, only to hear a reply that was both laughable and absurd.

"I'm hungry, do you have any refreshing drinks?"

“This…” Gan Yu shook her head with a smile.

I rushed here early this morning without even having a sip of water, so how could I possibly have time to gather herbs?

However, Gan Yu did not say that she did not have any, but instead turned her gaze to Ying beside her, "Traveler, could you please pick a few Qingxin plants? I can cover the cost."

Out with the old, in with the new, an unforgettable Lantern Festival (Liyue New Year): Chapter 22 How much Mora does a pound of Tranquil Heart cost here?

On one side of the platform of Yuqiongtai, several girls stood facing each other.

The area is spacious, offering a panoramic view of Liyue Harbor's busiest streets. Occasionally, a gentle breeze blows, creating a refreshing and otherworldly atmosphere. If you're lucky enough to bring your own tableware, the culinary experience here is truly exceptional.

Of course, considering that this is not a tourist attraction, it seems we have no choice but to give up.

Kiana slowly looked at Luminous and found that the blond traveler was wearing a long face, looking as if to say, "Why did you have to come here again?"

Qingxin is a specialty of the Liyue region. It's a translucent white flower that grows on solitary, rocky peaks. It refuses the warmth and moisture of the plains, preferring to gaze into the distance from its cold, precipitous summit. Only atop the mountains can it be seen.

It is precisely because of this characteristic that one must climb high mountains and move from one mountain to another in order to collect them.

The difficulty of harvesting it is undeniable, the process is undeniably complex, and the discovery is undeniably significant.

Of course, effort and reward are often positively correlated. This is because the flower *Clematis chinensis* has many uses; it can be used in medicine, cooking, and even has special functions such as decorating gardens and cultivating temperament.

This has led to a relatively high demand for it, and a considerable amount of it has been collected in the past.

However, after collection, they are often used up for various reasons.

If we were to do it again now, it would mean climbing the mountain again.

"I'm very busy right now and don't have time to collect Qingxin (a traditional Chinese medicine concept)."

Ying spread her hands, indicating that she was powerless to help.

Since the parties involved have already said so, there's nothing Gan Yu can do even if she wants to say more.

Helpless, she could only worry to herself, then realized that since it was impossible to collect the materials now, it would be better to buy them nearby.

So the question is, who should you buy from?

"Bubulu should have some in stock. If we want to buy some..."

After much deliberation, Gan Yu finally gave Shen He a gentle smile.

"Aren't you going to live in a thatched hut?"

“Sigh,” Shen He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said, “I don’t know.”

Well, that's not unexpected.

Gan Yu thought that if Shen He, who hadn't been down the mountain for a long time, knew where to buy Qingxin, they wouldn't have ended up like those two hooligans said, going to several shops in Liyue and still not finding anything to eat.

The problem has been solved, but it could also be said that it hasn't been solved.

After all, he wouldn't be able to help guide the way anymore.

"The Thousand Rock Army has arrived."

At Gan Yu's prompting, a Qianyan soldier wielding a white-tasseled spear slowly approached.

"It's you two again? Humph."

Clearly, Chiiwa Jun had already been observing these two thugs for some time. Now, seeing them being beaten, he made his conclusion without even asking Kiana, Mei, or Shinzuru about their situation.

"You were probably trying to extort money, but you ended up getting beaten up instead, weren't you? You actually messed with Miss Gan Yu this time. You won't learn your lesson unless you're locked up for a few days!"

After being taught a lesson, the two thugs were taken away by Qianyan Army.

Because of Gan Yu's special status, she also went along to make arrangements.

Of course, whether she didn't want to go to Bubulu is unknown.

In short, after Gan Yu left, the heavy responsibility of taking care of Shen He fell on Kiana and the others.

To be honest, Kiana and Mei were both a little confused after learning about the mission.

"It feels like I've taken on an incredible mission."

Mei stroked her smooth chin and pondered for a moment, then gave Shen He a friendly smile.

"Hello, Ms. Shen He, is that right? Please follow us. We will ensure your safety—"

"Sigh." Shinzuru didn't show much joy at Mei's enthusiasm, only slowly crossing his arms, closing his eyes, and muttering, "I can take care of myself perfectly well. Uh..."

I was only halfway through my sentence when I heard a growl from my stomach.

Shen He touched his flat stomach, lowered his head, and didn't know what to say.

Upon hearing this voice, everyone smiled knowingly.

Kiana, feeling that she and Shen He were already fairly familiar with each other, then extended her hand and asked:

"Alright, alright, let's hurry up and go to Bubulu to buy Qingxin, shall we? By the way, why do you insist on eating these things when you're hungry?"

“…” Shen He did not answer immediately, but hesitated for a moment. Because he thought that this person was sent by the Great Sage Who Subdues Demons, he dispelled his concerns and said, “I don’t like other foods.”

Well, according to those two thugs' complaints, she recently practically roamed every restaurant in Liyue. But she'd only take one bite of each dish before leaving immediately.

If we rule out the possibility of deliberately finding fault, then the only possibility is that he or she has a particular taste, right?

Kiana stroked her chin thoughtfully for a moment, then smiled at the equally puzzled crowd and said:

"Is that so? It must be due to differences in individual constitutions. Anyway, let's set off quickly."

"Hmm." Ying and Paimon nodded, looking quite lively. "It's been a long time since we've seen Qiqi and Baishu. It would be great if we could run into them."

"Qiqi and Baizhu? It feels like it's been ages since I've seen them. I wonder how they're doing now. Is Qiqi still craving coconut milk?"

With these questions in mind, Kiana waved her hand and then led everyone toward Bubulu.

Walk through the bustling streets and through the throngs of people.

They eventually made their way up the steps and successfully arrived at Bubulu's pharmacy.

Unfortunately, Bai Shu and the snake around his neck are nowhere to be seen here at this moment, and even Qi Qi, who occasionally greets people here, is nowhere to be found.

After asking the on-duty pharmacist, Agui, Kiana learned that Baizhu was busy with something, while Qiqi was gathering herbs.

"It seems Gan Yubai is worried?"

Kiana said this jokingly, and then asked Agui:

"Do you have any medicinal herbs? How much Mora do you have for Qingxin, Liuli lily, and Liuli bag? Give me as much as you have."

Everyone was shocked by these words.

Pharmacist Agui frowned, thinking to himself, "Are you deliberately trying to cause trouble? You order medicine without a prescription, just asking for whatever quantity you want. Do you think our Bubu Lu is some kind of restaurant? Wait a minute! Could this... be someone sent by the Rebirth Hall to cause trouble?"

Because he wasn't very familiar with Kiana and the others, and their outfits seemed rather strange, Agui became suspicious.

Just as the pharmacist was feeling uneasy, Mei and Hotaru, both amused and exasperated, each grabbed one of her arms.

Ying sighed, then asked:

"Are you sick, Kiana? I'll take you to see Bai Shu for treatment."

"Kiana, don't take medicine randomly if you're not feeling well. I've always told you to take good care of yourself, you know that all medicines have side effects," Mei added with concern.