Genshin Impact, I, a mere mortal, cannot accompany you to the very end.

Qing Nuoyan gazed at the crane, and for some reason, his heart ached slightly.

why.

After a moment, he cupped his hands in thanks and said, "Then Nuoyan will humbly accept your offer."

That's it.

It was already getting dark.

Shen He was a very sensible girl. She usually cultivated in seclusion. She and her master relied on immortal dew to fill their stomachs and had never tasted human dishes. She was also a little curious. The stone table was covered with dust, so she took the initiative to clean it.

Gan Yu stared blankly at the scene. Shen He swept the stone table, and her master took out a pot of alchemy furnace from somewhere. She said it was a modified furnace that could be used to cook rice, powered by electricity, and named it an electric rice cooker. Qing Nuoyan was preparing ingredients nearby...

As dusk fell, wisps of smoke rose from the valley.

The scene is harmonious.

A voice inside her told her that perhaps she should stay.

Perhaps I should stay here.

We should stay here.

A strange sound.

But in the end, Gan Yu still took her leave.

She is the secretary of the Liyue Seven Stars, and there are still many things waiting for her to handle during the Lantern Festival.

I've already wasted too much time taking today's leave, so I can't stay any longer.

Under the cool moonlight, she chose to turn and leave, the moon shining on her shadow.

Perhaps she missed something.

-

-

Whew, I wrote a hundred more words today than yesterday. I'm not a nobody, Whew.

Book 1: Chapter 83 'Morax Covered Up the Truth of History'

"Salt from the earth".

Zhongli repeated the place name, the scattered shadows of the leaves outside the window falling on his face, making it impossible to discern his expression.

"Young friend."

"You mean you're going to the Salt of the Earth?" Zhongli asked.

This is a tea room.

The shadows of the trees swayed gently, and the orange sunlight, filtered through layers of pine and cypress leaves, washed away excess heat. Only golden rays of light and the still-swaying shadows of the pines and cypresses illuminated the tea room.

People in Liyue love to drink tea; drinking tea is considered an elegant pastime.

Elegant pursuits should take place in a refined setting, bathed in the warm afternoon sunlight, sharing fine tea with two or three connoisseurs. The pale yellow aroma of the tea seems to imbue time with a golden hue, a true example of stealing a moment of leisure from a busy life—Liyue people know how to enjoy life.

Clearly, Mr. Zhongli was a true veteran of the Li Yue family. When Qing Nuoyan found him, he was leisurely sipping fragrant tea.

Besides Zhongli, three other gentlemen, one woman and two men, were gathered around the small tea table. They were all dressed in the refined manners of scholars, wearing long gowns and mandarin jackets, and their speech and conversation exuded elegance.

"Yes, the salt of the earth, do you know where it is...?"

Ying tugged at Qing Nuoyan's sleeve and subtly stood on tiptoe to increase her height—she believed this would display her authority and imposing presence.

Her golden eyes were also filled with a stern look, like a majestic little hen.

Meanwhile, the little hen was watching Zhongli warily.

In the little hen's opinion, this suspicious man surnamed Zhong should be treated with caution. This guy is a typical fair-weather friend. He looks refined and polite, but who knows what kind of gambler he is behind the scenes. He's just a street hustler.

If I'm not careful, Qing Nuoyan will be led astray by this guy!

I am seeking advice out of sheer desperation.

Although the Salt of the Earth is listed in the Teyvat Travel Guide, its location is too remote, making it an obscure attraction that is almost ignored. Not to mention travelers, even the locals of Liyue don't know much about it.

Just as he was in a state of utter distress, Qing Nuoyan said that the Mr. Zhong Li he had met was an old Liyue native who was knowledgeable about ancient and modern times, and knew a little about mountains, rivers, landforms, cultural relics and antiques. He suggested that he consult with him.

And so, the current situation came about.

"Salt from the earth..."

Before Mr. Zhong Li could reply, the female scholar to his left showed a look of admiration, "That is... the territory of the Salt God."

"I haven't heard anyone mention it in a long time."

The female scholar had chestnut hair, light blue eyes, and glasses perched on her nose, suggesting she was a woman who was very serious in her speech and actions.

"Gentlemen," she said, looking up at Qingnuo Rock, "my name is Wanyan. May I ask what brings you two here to seek this salt from the earth?"

Of course, he couldn't reveal his agreement with Qingnuoyan. He smiled and said, "I was just curious and wanted to go and see for myself, maybe go on a trip, and also learn about history for future reference."

Want to learn about history...?

Wan Yan's eyes brightened even more. She stood up, appearing very enthusiastic.

“It just so happens that I’m also very interested in that period of history. We can discuss it. Let’s find a quiet place.”

Ying's gaze sharpened, and the little hen shifted her wary look from Zhongli to Wanyan. Her cold, eerie light shone like a mountain spring. Sure enough, this was only the beginning, and these people had already shown their true colors!

This place is indeed some kind of shady place.

This woman named Wanyan is shameless, showing off her two long, white legs, and even wearing glasses and academic attire...

Ying had only heard about this kind of thing occasionally. It was called... something like role-playing. They dressed up elegantly and properly, but in reality, they were... it was really embarrassing to even think about!

Looking for a quiet place to discuss academic matters...

Ying had long seen through the woman's scheme. Perhaps seeing that Qing Nuoyan was still young, naive, and foolish, this woman wanted to take advantage of him. She lured him to a dark room under the guise of academic pursuits, and then... well...

Perhaps recalling some scene, Ying's cheeks flushed slightly, a beautiful blush spreading along her fair face, like a pure white sky dyed by dusk.

Wan Yan's eyes were as hungry as a weasel seeing a chick!

Sure enough, the guys who hang out with Zhong Li, that drunkard, are all bad people.

The more Ying pondered it, the more indignant she became.

She spread her arms, standing between Wanyan and Qingnuoyan.

With her head held high, soft light bathed her strikingly beautiful profile, her ears slightly flushed, but her eyes were resolute. She truly resembled a mother hen protecting her chicks, speaking with unwavering authority:

"Can't!"

"If you want to take him away, you have to take me with you first."

Wan Yan was stunned.

She wasn't annoyed at being interrupted by Ying; on the contrary, she was even happier.

She was naturally happy that more people wanted to learn about that period of history.

She smiled and said, "Of course, of course. If you want to come, little sister, just come over. It's always better to have more people to discuss academic matters."

People of Liyue... are all people from Liyue like this?

...Is this...so...so open?!?

Playing this big!

Female hooligan!

Yingxin was shocked. It was one thing for him to have his eye on Qingye, but he had also set his sights on her!

Women at this level are incredibly powerful.

Aunt Huangmao had never been so humiliated.

Her bright golden eyes grew even more stern, and she bit her teeth lightly, making a clicking sound like an angry little lion. She stared resentfully into Wanyan's eyes, her silent gaze seeming to shoot sparks.

"We're not going..."

Unexpectedly, before Ying could finish speaking...

Wan Yan seemed to suddenly realize something, then turned her gaze to Mr. Zhongli and said:

"By the way, Mr. Zhongli is also very knowledgeable. Why don't you join us for a deeper discussion? Wanyan also has a few questions to ask you."

She even invited Zhongli, that street hustler, to join her!

She wants it? Does she want two men and two women? What does that mean?

Four, four four four... four that thing!

Ying then turned her gaze to Zhongli. This fellow seemed utterly devoid of manners and shame, nodding calmly and naturally, and said:

"That's fine too."

That street hustler actually agreed! You, who seem so serious on the surface, are actually like that too!

The little hen's brain is about to shut down.

Ying couldn't let things get out of hand any longer—if this continued, Qing Nuoyan would be led astray by them.

The mother hen was very anxious; she felt she couldn't protect her chicks anymore.

She gripped Qing Nuoyan's sleeve tightly, almost baring her teeth, her golden eyes glaring at Zhongli one moment and then warily watching Wanyan the next. She whispered in her ear, "Don't... don't let yourself be led astray..."

The girl stood very close to Qingnuo Rock.

Qing Nuoyan lowered her head slightly, and she could see her soft, pale golden hair. The long, thin strands of hair were lifted by the wind, and the colors of the hair and the pale yellow light intertwined, making it impossible to distinguish where the sunlight was and where the hair was. Only the hair—the sunlight—fell gently on her cheek, making her feel slightly itchy.

Qing Nuoyan had no idea what this blond-haired woman was up to this time.

but.

Whether it was her fingernails gripping her sleeves tightly, her wary yet beautiful eyes, her slightly flushed cheeks, or the way she nestled beside him like a child, muttering to herself, her sun-kissed hair tickling his cheeks—all of these things made Qing Nuoyan think that this blonde woman was kind of cute.

He pinched Ying's cheek and said deliberately, "What are you afraid of corrupting?"