After staying there for a while longer, finally when the sun was about to set, Lumine and Paimon came to Qiu Bai, Zhongli, and several adepti, carrying bundled bamboo shoots in their hands.
At this moment, Can Shu had already transformed into the appearance of a small panda, obediently staying on Qiu Bai shoulder.
"Zhongli, Qiu Bai!"
"You're actually together!"
Paimon looked at the several people in front of her, waving her hand with a smile.
"These are the bamboo shoots you wanted, Zhongli."
"I brought them over."
Lumine looked at Zhongli in front of her, handing him the bamboo shoots.
"Mm..."
"Not bad, very fresh. These are top-quality ingredients. Thank you."
Zhongli looked at Lumine in front of him, nodding.
"Bamboo shoots..."
Can Shu looked at the bamboo shoots in Zhongli hands, drooling as she spoke.
"Hehe... seems you're getting impatient too."
"Authentic Yan Du Xian should be slowly simmered over low heat. Using adeptal mechanisms, in common terms, could also be considered a clever shortcut."
Zhongli channeled his divine power, placing the bamboo shoots into the cooking mechanism, where the seasonings had already been prepared.
"Cloud Retainer mechanical arts are truly remarkable."
"To think she could create such a mechanism."
Qiu Bai crossed his arms over his chest, looking at the cooking mechanism floating in the sky with admiration.
Moreover, why does this look so much like a pressure cooker?
"Cloud Retainer mechanical arts are indeed very sophisticated."
"I specifically borrowed her cooking mechanism for this use."
Zhongli looked at Qiu Bai beside him, speaking with a light laugh.
"Traveler, this journey must have broadened your horizons considerably."
"Traveling with my old friend must have taught you many things."
Zhongli crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Lumine beside him, speaking steadily.
"Yes, having Qiu Bai in Inazuma."
"And this journey of ours has given us a lot of knowledge."
Lumine looked at Zhongli in front of her, smiling and nodding.
"Hehe... you flatter me."
"I merely wanted to see the scenery of the mortal world."
Qiu Bai looked at Lumine in front of him, waving his hand with a smile.
"Don't let nostalgia wound the present. Walking through the world is itself a form of accumulation."
"My old friend traveling with you all is likewise an accumulation for him."
Zhongli looked at Qiu Bai beside him, nodding as he spoke.
"Very true."
Qiu Bai nodded upon hearing this.
"When the Yan Du Xian is ready, please join us in tasting it."
Zhongli looked at the several people in front of him, slowly speaking.
"By the way, Zhongli, Qiu Bai, Hu Tao also asked us to relay a message."
"She said to have you both come back, as she has urgent business and needs you to perform in a show."
Paimon seemed to suddenly remember something, then looked at Zhongli and Qiu Bai in front of her.
"Director Hu also said."
"Don't refuse the upcoming dinner engagement."
Lumine looked at Paimon beside her, nodding as she spoke.
"A performance..."
"What kind of performance requires both me and Zhongli to participate?"
Qiu Bai and Zhongli exchanged glances, speaking somewhat puzzledly.
"It seems like she wants you to portray two characters, saying they're people very important to Liyue."
"She won't let you refuse."
Paimon spread her small hands, looking at Qiu Bai and Zhongli in front of her, explaining.
"As for the dinner, we don't know the details."
"She invited us too, all very mysterious."
Paimon looked at the somewhat puzzled Qiu Bai and Zhongli, speaking.
"Mm... I'm having a small gathering here with Qiu Bai and the three adepti."
"After it's over, Qiu Bai and I will naturally return."
Zhongli looked at the three adepti beside him, then at Qiu Bai, slowly speaking.
"As for the dinner..."
"Mm... since the Director puts it that way, it seems we two humble consultants cannot refuse."
Zhongli stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before speaking.
"Hehe... Morax is right."
"How could we not follow the Director instructions?"
Qiu Bai looked at Zhongli beside him, speaking with a light laugh.
Behind them, the sunset and the slanting rays of dusk made everything incredibly beautiful.
The mountain breeze stirred the corners of everyone's clothes, and the mountain scenery behind them was also veiled in pale yellow mist, breathtakingly beautiful.
"You two guys..."
"One Immortal Lord, one Rex Lapis, both gods of Liyue, and you really dare to say such things."
Paimon crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Qiu Bai and Zhongli with disdain.
If Hu Tao knew about this later, she'd probably be shocked enough to jump up.
"That's quite unfair to us."
"As we are now, walking through the mortal world as the mortals Qiu Bai and Zhongli, we naturally must follow our superior arrangements."
Qiu Bai looked at the disdainful Paimon, speaking with a light laugh.
"Immortal Lord, Rex Lapis."
"The Yan Du Xian is ready."
Moon Carver looked at Qiu Bai and Zhongli, speaking as a reminder.
"Good, I'll come right over."
"Full color, rich aroma... the craftsmanship of this cooking mechanism is quite good."
Zhongli looked at the cooking mechanism floating in the sky, speaking with admiration.
Under the reflection of dusk, the steam from the Yan Du Xian was already rising.
"It looks so delicious."
Can Shu on Qiu Bai shoulder, smelling the aroma, could barely contain herself.
"Wait a little longer, and we can start eating."
"Yuan Gun Gun."
Qiu Bai looked at Can Shu on his shoulder, speaking with a light laugh.
"Why are you still calling me Yuan Gun Gun!"
"Stupid deity, I'm called Can Shu now!"
Can Shu on Qiu Bai shoulder angrily stomped her feet.
Her soft, fluffy little feet stepped on Qiu Bai shoulder, looking very angry.
"Haha..."
"I still prefer calling you Yuan Gun Gun."
Qiu Bai chuckled upon hearing this, speaking.
"Can Shu?"
Paimon looked at Can Shu on Qiu Bai shoulder, speaking somewhat puzzledly.
"Didn't she dislike the name Yuan Gun Gun?"
"Morax gave her a new one. Her adeptus name is Shan'nan Shuibei Adeptus, and her given name is Can Shu."
Qiu Bai looked at the somewhat puzzled Paimon, explaining.
"I see, it does sound quite nice."
"Worthy of Zhongli."
Paimon looked at Can Shu on Qiu Bai shoulder, speaking with a smile.
"The name Rex Lapis gave me sounds much better."
"I really like it."
After Can Shu finished speaking, she jumped to the ground and transformed into human form.
"Hehe... as long as you like it."
Zhongli looked at the cute Can Shu, smiling and nodding.
"Since you made the special trip here, you can't leave empty-handed."
"I'll pack some of this soup for you too. Remember, it tastes best when eaten hot."
Zhongli crossed his arms over his chest, looking at Lumine and Paimon beside him, reminding them.
Then divine power surged around his body, opening the lid of the cooking mechanism, taking a large bowl from the stone table and placing the soup inside.
After covering it with a lid, he handed it to Lumine in front of him.
"Mm..."
"Since it's the Director's instruction, after we finish eating, let's head back."
Zhongli looked at Qiu Bai beside him, speaking.
"Let's eat first."
"Look at this little one, she seems unable to wait any longer."
Qiu Bai smiled upon hearing this, then looked at the little loli at his feet, speaking.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)