Lumine and Paimon's eyes widened as they listened to Yunqin.
Based on Yunqin's description of the "accidentally killed" bard's attire and manner of speaking, it was unmistakably Mondstadt's Anemo Archon!
They had no idea why Venti had suddenly come to Liyue, let alone why he'd made a special trip to see Yunqin. His identity as an Archon was a sensitive matter that couldn't be casually revealed.
Suppressing their laughter, they patted Yunqin's shoulder, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. "Don't worry. That bard is much stronger than he looks. He definitely wouldn't be 'eliminated' so easily."
"Really?" Yunqin's eyes lit up, and she leaned in closer. "But he seemed so gentle and frail... He didn't look strong at all."
This only made Lumine and Paimon want to laugh even more.
Paimon even stumbled back half a step, nearly bumping into a nearby wooden pillar.
"W-We've met him in Mondstadt!" Lumine stammered, trying to explain. "As for his strength... well, he's considered pretty strong in Mondstadt. But if he came to Liyue, he probably couldn't even beat the Adepti."
This was a half-truth.
Venti's strength, of course, far surpassed that of the Adepti.
But Lumine's explanation managed to avoid revealing his Archon identity while still implying he wouldn't get into trouble easily, barely smoothing things over.
"He couldn't even beat the Adepti?!" Yunqin's eyes sparkled brightly, her hands unconsciously clenching into small fists, her voice filled with excitement. "Does that mean he's one of Mondstadt's Adepti?"
"No, wait, Master said Mondstadt doesn't have Adepti... Could he be one of the legendary Four Winds?" The more she thought about it, the more thrilled she became.
I actually 'fought' someone that powerful!
Lumine and Paimon smiled and nodded, quickly grabbing Yunqin's arm. "Let's not dwell on that for now! If we delay any longer, Chef Mao might close up for the day. Let's hurry to Wanmin Restaurant!"
Nearby, Ying'er watched the three of them playfully bickering and couldn't help but laugh. Her bell-like laughter echoed through the alley.
-
When the scene of Lumine and Paimon struggling to keep straight faces while reassuring Yunqin appeared on screen, it sent the players into a frenzy.
"Lumine: I can't exactly tell her the person she 'beat up' was one of The Seven Archons, can I?"
"This is the worst slander the Four Winds have ever faced, hahaha!"
"Ying'er: I have no idea what you're talking about, but seeing you all trying not to laugh is hilarious. I'll just laugh first!"
"High-energy moment ahead! The Wanmin Restaurant perfume oil-making segment is coming up! Get your tissues ready!"
In the parallel world's live streams, the streamers were laughing so hard they were practically falling out of their chairs, nearly interrupting their plot analysis.
-
Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Wanmin Restaurant.
A waiter was busy serving dishes to customers. When he saw Yunqin's group, he immediately greeted them with a smile, menu in hand. "Are you here for a meal?"
"No, no," Yunqin quickly waved her hands. "Is Xiangling here?"
The waiter's smile turned knowing. "Miss Xiangling? She went out early this morning to forage for ingredients! Said she was looking for Slime Condensate."
"Slime Condensate?!" Lumine and Paimon exclaimed in unison.
That sticky, gooey stuff can actually be made into food?
The waiter chuckled, unfazed. "First time hearing about it? Xiangling always manages to turn the strangest things into delicacies."
Yunqin hid her disappointment and explained their purpose seriously. "We'd like to borrow Wanmin Restaurant's kitchen to prepare the perfume oils for the Rite of Parting offering to Rex Lapis."
The waiter's expression grew solemn, and his tone became more respectful. "This is a serious matter! I can't make that decision myself. I'll have to ask Chef Mao. He's busy in the back kitchen. I'll take you to him."
They followed the waiter to the back kitchen. As soon as they pushed aside the cloth curtain, they were greeted by the rich aroma of cooking food.
Chef Mao was expertly tossing food in a wok with a spatula. The dish sizzled loudly, and the flames cast a red glow on his cheeks.
After the waiter explained their purpose, Chef Mao readily set down his spatula and wiped his hands on his apron. "Use the kitchen as you please! If you need any pots, pans, firewood, or spring water, just let me know. Don't be shy!"
"Since the venue is secured... Traveler, are you ready to take responsibility for me?"
"Huh?" Yunqin and Paimon froze simultaneously.
Ying'er couldn't help but laugh. "I meant, take responsibility as my assistants."
The first step in making the perfume oils was to extract Silk Flower essential oil.
Lumine and Paimon led Yunqin to an Alchemy Table in Liyue Harbor.
Yunqin stood beside the table, watching with a bewildered expression.
After extracting three small vials of essential oil, the trio returned to Wanmin Restaurant.
Ying'er had already prepared all the necessary materials. Seeing them return, she smiled and picked up the pestle to demonstrate. "Making perfume oils is different from alchemy. You need to hold the pestle gently, like this," she explained, "and stir at a comfortable rhythm until the Silk Flower's juices..."
Yunqin leaned in close, her eyes fixed on Ying'er's hands, not missing a single movement of her fingers.
When Ying'er finished her demonstration, Yunqin took the pestle. She drew a deep breath and lightly gripped the wooden handle.
Her movements were surprisingly skillful, as if she had practiced this thousands of times.
Occasionally, a stray strand of hair fell beside her cheek. Yunqin subconsciously raised a hand to tuck it behind her ear. As her fingertips brushed the tip of her ear, the gesture carried an unintentional allure.
Lumine and Paimon stared, stunned. Even Ying'er paused what she was doing, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
Yunqin's technique was both precise and gentle, each stir perfectly executed. Combined with her focused expression and the small gesture of tucking her hair back...
...it inexplicably made one's cheeks flush and heart race.
-
The moment Yunqin gripped the pestle, sunlight slanted through Wanmin Restaurant's wooden window, gilding the tips of her ink-black hair with a warm, pale gold.
The pressure of her light grip on the wooden handle was perfectly precise—not so light that the stirring was ineffective, nor so heavy that the essential oil splashed out. Her wrist moved in a fluid, graceful arc.
"Brothers, I can't take it anymore. I'm ascending."
"Holy shit, do I really need to grab tissues?"
"My roommate asked me what the keywords were. I'm dying, lmao."
"This is a 16+ game? Mihoyo, hurry up and make it 18+! I want to see even more explosive, even better content!"
In front of her screen, Lu Nanqing's cheeks burned. She rapidly mashed the screenshot button, capturing over a dozen images of Yunqin making perfume oils.
Seeing a stream of question marks flood the bullet comments, Lu Nanqing cleared her throat. "Ahem, the streamer just wants to learn how to make perfume oils. I'm not like you perverts."
-
"Looks like Little Yunqin has extraordinary talent in certain areas," Ying'er remarked, the first to recover. She smiled teasingly, her eyes dancing with amusement.
Lumine and Paimon subconsciously nodded in agreement.
But halfway through the nod, they quickly shook their heads in denial.
Yunqin paused, tilting her head in confusion. "Isn't precise control of technique and strength very simple?"
Lumine quickly clapped a hand over her mouth, preventing Ying'er from steering the conversation further into suggestive territory.
Before long, three different perfume oils were ready.
Ying'er picked them up and introduced them one by one:
"The first has a sweet fragrance, like dreamy candy—little girls love it. The second smells luxurious, the top choice for wealthy young ladies. The last has a light yet lingering scent, like a misty twilight—it's most popular among mature women."
She then looked at Lumine with a strange expression. "If someone wants to 'have their cake and eat it too,' they'd better think carefully about which slice to take first~"
Lumine and Paimon's cheeks flushed slightly.
Yunqin, however, blinked her large, round eyes, her gaze darting curiously between Lumine and Paimon. Her little head bobbed up and down, sending Ying'er into fits of laughter.
Afterward, the trio bid farewell to Ying'er.
Carrying the freshly made perfume oils, they arrived at the Statue of The Seven.
Zhongli stood before it, his posture as straight and tall as a pine tree. His gaze rested on the statue of Rex Lapis, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions—nostalgia, gratification, and a faint, almost imperceptible trace of melancholy. It was unclear what he was thinking.
Just then, Lu Qiuyun and Lydia's voices suddenly drifted over, laced with amusement. "Mm, Zhongli is indeed handsome, but he still can't compare to Morax."
Lydia chimed in, "Barbatos and Morax have completely different styles, after all."
Yunqin couldn't help but nod vigorously in her mind. It took her a few seconds to realize—I'm free!