Jiang Chen and Lumine spent the next stretch of their journey outdoors.
They were still within Mondstadt territory for now.
When they passed Dawn Winery, the two didn't bother trying to freeload a night's stay.
Diluc wasn't there, and if they showed up uninvited they'd probably get thrown out.
So camping it was.
This time, they'd prepared well.
No more miserable nights—everything was comfortable.
And when they were too lazy to set up a tent?
They simply cleared out a hilichurl camp and took over the spot.
Jiang Chen had absolutely zero psychological burden about that.
In fact, he occasionally ran into Abyss Mages along the way as well.
A few even managed to escape.
The moment Jiang Chen saw them, he immediately understood:
These were probably sent by the big brother—Aether.
Meaning… Jiang Chen himself might already be marked for observation.
After all, he was currently traveling with Aether's younger sister.
Of course the big brother would keep an eye on him.
But strangely, the Abyss Mages never attacked.
They only watched, then slipped away.
Scouting, huh? Figures.
Lumine, however, had a very different reaction.
The moment Paimon explained that "Abyss Mages are everyone's enemy, and their drop materials sell for a lot!"—
—Lumine lunged at them without hesitation.
Yes, she went after them purely for the loot.
If Aether knew his little sister was farming his own subordinates for materials…
Would he cry?
Or send even more Abyss Mages her way so she could farm to her heart's content?
Even knowing they were likely Aether's scouts, Jiang Chen didn't think too much about it.
If Aether really tried something…
Well, he wouldn't want something to happen to his precious little sister, right?
Huh. Why did that suddenly feel like Inazuma levels of family drama?
After many days of traveling, they finally reached Stone Gate.
Passing through meant stepping into Liyue—
the region with the densest concentration of residual godly corruption.
Even from afar, Stone Gate was an impressive sight:
two massive mountains forming a narrow valley, the only pass between Mondstadt and Liyue.
Destroying this place would be equivalent to declaring war between nations.
It would cripple trade, forcing travelers to circle around through Dragonspine—
a suicidal alternative.
"Waaah!!
It's beautiful!" Paimon zoomed ahead as soon as they emerged from the pass.
Below lay Guili Plains, bathed in the orange glow of the setting sun.
From here, the entire region stretched out like a grand painting.
Lumine followed behind, stunned.
"It really is beautiful…"
After such a long journey, a view like this felt well-earned.
Jiang Chen nodded.
"Let's head down and find an inn for the night.
We'll continue tomorrow.
Once we cross Guili Plains, the next stop is Wangshu Inn."
Because Stone Gate was a major trade crossing, there were plenty of small inns and eateries built into the cliffs.
And luckily, despite the crowds, there were still a few open rooms.
Jiang Chen and Lumine each took one.
After washing up, they headed down to eat.
First Taste of Liyue Cuisine
Because Stone Gate catered to both nations, you could order Mondstadt dishes or Liyue dishes.
Naturally, now that they were in Liyue, Jiang Chen wanted to try the local food.
He casually rattled off:
"Stir-fried Sliced Meat, Mora Meat, Golden Shrimp Balls, Jidou Blossom, Almond Tofu, Three-Cup Chicken Slices."
The waiter froze.
"That many? For only three people?"
He hesitated.
"Sir, ordering this much will waste food.
We don't encourage that.
If you only want to try the flavors, you can come back anytime—you'll have plenty of chances."
"Just order them," Jiang Chen said with a smile.
"We won't waste anything.
We have someone who can eat it all."
The waiter glanced at Lumine, Jiang Chen, then finally at—
Paimon.
He clearly didn't buy it.
But since the customer insisted, he wrote the order and hurried to the kitchen.
Paimon was practically vibrating in her seat, staring at other tables' dishes with sparkling eyes.
"When are the dishes coming?? It's taking forever!"
"You being impatient won't make them cook faster," Jiang Chen said, rolling his eyes.
"Hehe… but I wanna try Liyue food sooo badly…"
Paimon scratched her cheek, embarrassed.
She had never eaten anything from Liyue before, and the aroma drifting from the kitchen was irresistible.
Both Jiang Chen and Lumine gave her synchronized side-eyes.
Greedy little floating thing.
Thankfully, the wait wasn't long.
Dish after dish was brought out, filling the table with color and aroma.
Jiang Chen even ordered several bowls of rice.
Liyue's cuisine resembled the food from his previous world—
familiar, yet with distinct regional twists.
The moment he smelled it, his appetite roared to life.
After days of Mondstadt bread-heavy meals, finally—
Real food.
It felt like the comfort of tasting home again after living abroad for too long.
Advance Chapters available on Patreon
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