A motorcycle appeared on the continent of Teyvat, looking completely out of place amidst the surrounding Hilichurls and Slimes. Ye Xi used his Electro energy to constantly feed power into the batteries, sending the vehicle hurtling forward. Because it was electric, there was no loud engine roar to attract too many Hilichurls.
Ganyu sat behind him, her arms wrapped around Ye Xi's waist. She had been shy for quite a while, but eventually, she adapted to the sensation. Slowly, she found herself with enough mental room to appreciate the passing scenery.
"So fast..."
She realized they had already left Liyue Harbor far behind. If she had been traveling on foot, it would have taken several hours to reach this point. In truth, she was very familiar with this area. She had come here secretly just last night.
Nearby was a place where she had hidden her... products resulting from an over-accumulation of adeptal energy. Ever since she discovered Ye Xi had obtained that "coconut milk," she had been worried about her treasure hoard.
She wondered if Ye Xi had really been stealing it from her. When she had checked her hiding spot the night before, she was horrified to find that some were indeed missing!
Thinking it had been discovered, she had spent a great deal of effort moving her treasures to a new location. Since only a few bottles were missing, she felt a bit more at ease, reasoning that even if Ye Xi had taken them, he wouldn't have many left.
Thinking of this, she let out a small sigh of relief. If Ye Xi kept drinking that "coconut milk" right in front of her, she really might just faint!
Ye Xi noticed their speed was much faster than he had anticipated. He originally thought they wouldn't reach the Guili Plains until nightfall, but they arrived at the wasteland by mid-afternoon.
Red-tinted Sandbearer Trees were everywhere, their withered yellow leaves dyed crimson by the setting sun. Beyond the desolate trees stood ancient, collapsed ruins. The crumbling walls stood lonely upon the earth, carrying the heavy weight of Teyvat's history.
Seeing this, Ganyu felt a surge of emotion. Ye Xi also recalled the background story he had designed for the Guili Plains. Long ago, the people of Liyue lived here. There was another god named Guizhong who ruled alongside Rex Lapis. Because Guizhong and Rex Lapis were close friends, they named this place the Guili Plains.
Later, countless gods fought for a seat among the seven, sparking the Archon War. Although many Adepti fought bravely to protect the plains, the constant conflict and natural disasters brought immense suffering to the people.
Guizhong eventually perished in the chaos. Rex Lapis then led the survivors south of Mt. Tianheng to establish Liyue Harbor. Since then, the Guili Plains had been abandoned, never returning to its former glory.
Seeing Ganyu so lost in thought, Ye Xi stopped the motorcycle. He figured they could walk around and pay their respects. After all, Ganyu's mother had also been a part of the Archon War in this region.
"Why did we stop?" she asked.
Ye Xi smiled and said, "The bike needs a rest after running so long. Let's have some dinner here before we continue."
Ganyu was delighted to hear this. She nodded quickly and let go of Ye Xi's waist. Ye Xi hopped off the bike and reached out a hand. Ganyu, still a bit shy, placed her hand on his shoulder as he lifted her down.
The feeling of being in his arms this time was slightly different from before. Last time, there was only embarrassment. This time, alongside the shame, there was a sense of attachment. She found herself wishing she could stay in his embrace a little longer.
However, Ye Xi set her down quickly, leaving her with a faint sense of loss. Even with the body of an Adeptus, traveling all afternoon had left her feeling a bit weary. She stretched her body where she stood, letting out a long yawn.
Ye Xi's eyes lit up as he watched from behind. Under the golden glow of the setting sun, the girl's silhouette was graceful and incredibly alluring. Time seemed to freeze in that moment; it was as beautiful as a painting. He only regretted not bringing a Kamera to capture the scene.
She was perfectly curved and eleganta feast for the eyes! Ganyu's figure couldn't quite match the sheer scale of someone like Yae Miko or Rosalyne, but she was perfectly proportional. There wasn't an ounce of extra weight on her; everything was just right. It was like a perfectly seasoned dishneither too heavy nor too light. To Ye Xi, every part of her was something to be cherished.
He stored the motorcycle back into his Spatial Backpack and said with a laugh, "Let's head into the city ruins."
[I wonder if we can find any traces of Ganyu's mother from back then.]
Hearing Ye Xi's inner voice, Ganyu was startled. She couldn't understand how he knew about that. 'I feel like he knows Liyue so well...'
She nodded gently. "Alright."
They walked into what used to be a bustling city, though most of the buildings had long since collapsed. Weeds and dead wood were everywhere. Just looking at the ruins gave one a sense of how tragic the war must have been.
Ganyu sighed and began to tell the story quietly. "The Archon War was a time of absolute chaos. Guizhong died because of the conflict, and a great flood swept through the Guili Plains.
My mother followed Rex Lapis, protecting the people as they migrated south. She used to tell me stories of how difficult that journey was when I was a child."
Ye Xi nodded. He had heard this story before in the lore of Marchosius, God of the Stove. The Qilin mentioned in that tale was likely Ganyu's mother. This led Ye Xi to a sudden thought. What was her mother's name? Mama Ganyu? Lao Gan Ma?
As they chatted, they continued deeper into the ruins. The ground was covered in mossy stones and broken tiles, making the path difficult to navigate. After a few steps, Ganyu's foot slipped, and she fell forward against Ye Xi's back.
"Are you okay?"
Ganyu nodded. "I just slipped a bit."
"The road is rough here. Be careful." Ye Xi reached out his hand again.
With a blush, Ganyu familiarly placed her small hand in his. A warm sensation enveloped her, causing her heart to beat a little faster.
After wandering for a while, Ye Xi spotted several Electro Slimes bouncing around in the distance. He suddenly remembered that he needed to install a generator tonighta Slime-powered one. He specifically needed Electro Slimes.
Just as he was thinking about how to catch them, an ethereal voice rang in his mind.
[Congratulations! You have obtained a Slime Capture Ball.]
[Slime Capture Ball: Can house Slimes in a miniature space and keep them revitalized.]
[Rewards are being distributed, please check...]
Ye Xi was stunned for a moment. This thing sounded exactly like a Poké Ball. Still, it was incredibly convenient. It meant that if the Electro Slime ran out of power, he could just recall it to the ball to recharge.
He squeezed Ganyu's hand, prompting her to look up in confusion. "What is it, Xi?"
Her voice trembled with a hint of bashfulness. It was the first time she had called him by his name.
Ye Xi's heart skipped a beat, and he smiled. "I'm taking you to catch some slimes."
"Eh!?"
Ganyu instinctively recoiled, crossing her arms over her chest with a look of extreme shyness. Ye Xi often muttered things in his heart about "black slimes," and after a few such instances, she had eventually understood what he meant. Hearing him suddenly suggest catching slimes made her both shocked and mortified.
Ye Xi blinked, looking at her reaction. He got the feeling she might be misunderstanding something. He pointed toward the Electro Slimes in the distance and said, "I meant those slimes."
Ganyu's face turned bright red, even to the tips of her ears. After being embarrassed for a good while, she finally looked up, her face blooming like a fresh flower.
"Catching... slimes?" She didn't understand how he planned to do it.
Ye Xi flicked his wrist, and a red ball appeared in his hand. "Come on, let's have some fun."
He led Ganyu toward the Electro Slimes. Several large slimes were jumping around, each protected by a thick elemental shield.
He needed to break the shields before he could pull them into the ball. As for the small slimes, he didn't bother with them; he didn't want to over-harvest, and frankly, he just didn't want the weak ones.
"Ganyu, I'll go in to draw their attention. Use your Cryo power to help me break their shields."
Ganyu nodded obediently. Although she didn't know what he was up to, breaking Electro shields was easy for her.
Ye Xi dashed into the middle of the slimes. The Electro Slimes' eyes went wide with anger as they bounced toward him, trying to ram him. Honestly, being hit by a slime didn't hurt; it felt like being bumped by a giant ball of soft jelly.
The real danger was the pure elemental energy they carried. Xiangling used to burn through her pots constantly while trying to cook with slimes. For an ordinary person, a hit from a Pyro Slime would cause burns, a Cryo Slime would cause frostbite, and an Electro Slime would leave them completely numb.
However, none of this bothered Ye Xi. He stood amidst the bouncing slimes completely unscathed. If anything, the sensation was a bit like his interaction with Yae Miko last night...
[Attacked by Electro energy. Immunity active.]
The notification kept ringing in his head. All elemental attacks were neutralized by his Midnight Coat.
Ganyu moved to his side to assist. An Ice Lotus bloomed upon the parched earth. Ganyu's figure suddenly vanished, leaving only a transparent, shimmering afterimage. When she reappeared, she was already a safe distance from the flower. Many of the slimes were drawn to the lotus, throwing themselves against the icy petals.
The shields shattered almost instantly. Ye Xi seized the opportunity and aimed the Slime Capture Ball. A beam of red light shot out, sucking the slimes into the ball's pocket dimension.
"How magical..."
Ganyu clapped her hands in wonder. "Xi, what do you want these slimes for?"
Ye Xi gave a faint smile. "You'll find out when we return to the Serenitea Pot tonight."
His words left Ganyu's curiosity burning. She couldn't fathom what use slimes could possibly have.
As the sun went down, the wilderness plunged into total darkness. At night, the filth and shadows tended to hide away, and a campfire was usually enough to keep them at bay. Ye Xi gathered some firewood and started a blaze. The ruins provided some walls that acted as a natural windbreak.
The night sky was exceptionally bright without any artificial lights or signs of civilization. Suddenly, a familiar rumbling sound echoed through the quiet.
Gurgle...
Ganyu clutched her stomach, her face turning red with embarrassment.
Ye Xi laughed. "Hang in there, it'll be ready soon."
He pulled out his cooking utensils and pots from his Spatial Backpack. Ganyu had said he didn't need to go to any trouble and that she could just eat some Qingxin, but Ye Xi didn't like the idea of her eating cold food at night.
He decided to make a dish called Pine Nut Corn. It was a recipe he had obtained through a wish recently. It was entirely vegetarian, so Ganyu could eat it without worry. He also stir-fried some Sweet Flowers and Qingxin.
Soon, the fragrant dinner was ready. Ganyu sniffed the air, her eyes widening. Her stomach stopped its protest as if it knew a feast was coming and was waiting patiently.
"Give it a try. I promise it's just as good as anything from Wanmin Restaurant!" Ye Xi handed her a spoon, confident in his culinary skills. He even planned to give this recipe to Xiangling eventually.
Ganyu couldn't wait. She scooped up a spoonful of corn and popped it into her mouth. As she bit down, a soft, sweet flavor exploded across her palate. It was delightfully chewy and tender.
"I've never tasted anything like this..."
Seeing her practically drooling over the food, Ye Xi chuckled. "Of course. This is my own original creation."
It was a bit shameless to claim that, but technically, it was the first time this dish had ever been made in Teyvat.
Ganyu clapped her hands in admiration. "You're so amazing."
[I'd rather hear you say that tonight...]
Ye Xi's thoughts took a detour into the gutter again. Cut it out! Focus!
He cleared his mind of distractions and began to eat as well. Ganyu, hearing his thoughts, felt her face heat up. However, she had already made up her mind. If Ye Xi really liked hearing those kinds of encouraging words at "that" time, she would do her best to cooperate.
They ate their meal while enjoying the warmth of the fire. The sounds of crickets and frogs filled the air, giving the wilderness the cozy feeling of a rural courtyard. After dinner, Ye Xi lit a torch and led Ganyu out of the ruins and back onto the dirt path.
"Let's put in a bit more distance. We should try to get closer to Jueyun Karst before we call it a night."
Ganyu looked at him in confusion. "But it's so dark outside. How can we see where we're going?"
As she spoke, Ye Xi brought out the motorcycle. The powerful headlight cut through the darkness, illuminating the road ahead.
"How magical..." Ganyu had lost count of how many times she had said those words today. She was genuinely surprised that a machine could have a light that didn't require a flame.
While she was staring at the headlight in awe, Ye Xi took advantage of her distraction to scoop her up in his arms.
"Wait!"
Ganyu was startled! In the pitch-black surroundings, she had thought they were being attacked. But once her nose caught his familiar scent, she immediately relaxed.
She gave his chest a light, playful swat. "You're mean..."
Ye Xi laughed and placed her on the seat. "Hold on tight. I'm going to show you what real speed feels like!"
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