aircannonsinc Chapter 212: Bright Sky in the Sea
Chapter 212: Bright Sky in the Sea
Mo Ran sat in a wheelchair, motionless, like a wooden sculpture. There was a faint white glow surrounding him, making him look like a star.
More than two months have passed. Every household in Liyue Harbor has decorated their homes with red lanterns, put on new clothes, and walked the streets to visit relatives and friends.
During this period, most Liyue people are busy praying for peace and getting rid of bad luck, which, in Liyue tradition, is bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new.
On Mount Tianheng, the siblings Kong and Ying, along with their travel companions, stood on the edge of the cliff, overlooking the entire Liyue Harbor, which was looming in the clouds and mist.
Ying stretched lazily, her yellow hair a little messy, because she had just returned from the Layered Abyss not long ago. After many days of guidance from her brother, she had already seen clearly the so-called ritual of expelling the curse.
Before today, they had been walking in the lower level of the mining area of the Layered Rock Abyss and had removed all the instruments. As for why they didn't let people from the abyss in, it was because Ying hadn't been adventuring with her brother for too long.
Since there is an opportunity right in front of us, why not do it? Although they are very tired now and the three of them are exhausted, the smiles on their faces and in their hearts are real.
Paimon, the elf-like thing, also yawned and said, "This time when we go back, we must ask Mo Ran to cook us a big meal! I don't know if he is awake now?"
Sora stretched out his hand and flicked Paimon's forehead. There was a loud snap like thunder. The blond boy grinned and laughed, "It's time for you to wake up. What are you dreaming about Prince Yan?"
"Well, Ying! Look at him, he always bullies me!" Paimon looked at the yellow-haired girl, pointed at the culprit with one hand, and complained.
Upon hearing this, Ying also stretched out her jade hand and rubbed little Paimeng's face, saying with emotion: "Isn't this the only function of Paimeng!"
"No, I'm your emergency... No, I'm a good guide who will lead you all over Teyvat. How can you bear to treat me like this!" Paimon still wanted to try to awaken the conscience of the two men.
Ying smiled, revealing a canine tooth at the corner of her mouth, which was cute yet a little scary at the same time. "Paimon is round, so he's best used for kicking."
"Ah, kick? It would be better to just touch it." Kong advised hurriedly.
Ying closed her eyes slightly, revealing only a slit, and smacked her lips and said, "But it seems more fun to kick it!"
Paimon was frightened and hurriedly hid behind the blond boy, while the latter was sweating nervously when he saw his sister coming towards him eagerly.
Ying laughed and waved her hands, saying, "Okay, stop teasing Paimeng. We came back just in time. Today is a very important festival in Liyue. Let's go."
“Maybe there will be a party!”
…………
In the deepest part of a home in Liyue Harbor, the white light on a man in black dissipated, and he slowly opened his eyes, emitting two rays of clear light. The world in his eyes was much brighter and clearer than before.
This person is Mo Ran. After being in seclusion until today, his strength has finally improved. He feels the power in his body and mutters to himself: "With my current strength, even without using the Extreme Fighting Tactics and the Claw of Corrosion, I can at least fight Morax to a draw, or even beat him!"
"But the battlefield is changing rapidly, so we can't easily draw conclusions."
Mo Ran stood up and walked out of the secret room. His home was no different than usual, but there were some changes due to the arrival of the Lantern Festival.
The table ornaments, the color of the curtains, and the carpet all became bright red under the illumination of the candlelight that never went out at night.
He walked to the open door. In the yard were Ningguang and the Qiqi sisters. Although the former was in a high position and had great power, she still hung lanterns and posted couplets herself.
The other hand made hand gestures and used magic to clean the lawn in the yard. Wherever he walked, piles of dust floated behind him.
"Father."
Mo Ran was watching, and when he heard the gentle voice behind him calling, he turned around and responded, "Yeah."
Shen He was still as stunningly beautiful as ever, her beauty without a single flaw. She was standing not far away, her slender hands gently holding her temples, like a fairy from heaven, incomparable.
"Old man."
"Master!"
The two people in the yard also ran over. Qiqi jumped onto Mo Ran's neck and said with a smile, "Happy Lantern Festival, Master!"
Mo Ran paused and smiled, "Happy Lantern Festival."
Not long after talking with the three people, Mo Ran heard a voice transmission. After giving some instructions to the three children, he went out and headed straight for his destination.
At the port where three bowls are served, the storyteller's voice, with its ups and downs, tells a good story that is popular among the people.
Mo Ran followed the source of the voice transmission and saw the idle man in the black and gold robe. He was holding a half-full wine bowl, shaking it slightly, looking very comfortable.
This is Zhongli, a well-read and knowledgeable gentleman, who is also a guest official of the Wangsheng Hall.
"Mr. Mo Ran is here quite quickly, huh? After several months of practice, he is truly extraordinary!" Zhongli's amber eyes flashed, and he spoke slowly.
Mo Ran smiled and said, "It's okay for now, it's nothing!"
"Mr. Mo Ran, you are too modest. There are not many people nowadays who browse Liyue antiques in the Expo and remember them one by one." Zhongli looked at the curious eyes from the surrounding tables and made an excuse.
Mo Ran sat down and said, "It's just a small matter. Compared with Zhongli's other old friend, he is probably a little bit worse."
Zhongli chuckled and said, "Haha, it's not a little bit, nor is it bad, but it's at least a draw."
Mo Ran remained silent. He believed in his old friend's judgment. However, if this was true, then his future progress in fighting against the law of nature would be a great step forward.
"Hey, Zhongli, you are here?" Paimon asked with surprise. Behind her were the traveler brother and sister. After this period of time, Ying also knew the real enemy under the persuasion of her brother.
However, she still had some resistance to the Seven Gods in her heart. Although destroying Kanriya was not their original intention, the Seven Gods had contributed a lot after all.
The hatred of the destruction of a country over the past five hundred years is not so easy to let go.
Zhongli said slowly: "I should be the one to say this, but it must be fate that I meet you three here. How are you doing recently?"
"not bad."
Kong held Ying's hand. She felt at ease with her brother's hand, and the look in her eyes became much calmer, like a gentle girl next door.
Zhongli said: "You look calmer than before. It seems that it is a good thing to keep pursuing and gaining along the journey. You seem to have found your goal!"
"Thank you, Zhongli, and Mo Ran as well!" Kong said with a smile.
Paimeng looked at the man in black, swallowed his saliva, his eyes sparkling, and said impatiently: "Mo Ran Mo Ran, why are you starting to cook?"
Mo Ran's mouth twitched. Although he often held banquets during festivals, there was no need to ask as soon as they met. Did she treat him as her personal chef?
Out of politeness, Mo Ran still replied, "Let's talk about it when we have time."
"Isn't Kong right here?" Paimon pointed at the blond boy and waited for Mo Ran's answer. However, after a long silence, she came to her senses and saw the strange expressions on everyone's faces. She lowered her head in shame.
Zhongli looked at Paimeng who was begging for food and said slowly, "Speaking of delicious food, now is the perfect season. I wanted to go to Qingce Village to pick some sprouting bamboo shoots. The residents there gave me a basket of them, and they tasted very good."
"Why not use ordinary bamboo shoots?" When Paimeng heard the word "delicious food", he was as eager as if he had found a piece of warm charcoal in the snow.
Mo Ran said quietly, "Of course, Mr. Zhongli, who is used to the refined life of the upper class, feels that ordinary bamboo shoots at this time of year are not edible."
Paimeng nodded and said thoughtfully, "Since you are a particular person, Zhongli, you will definitely say that the sprouted bamboo shoots are fresh and tender, with a fresh and fragrant taste, and ordinary bamboo shoots cannot replace them."
"You two know me very well." Zhongli folded his arms and said, "The festive season is approaching, and there are still many items on the list given by the hall master that have not been purchased. I wonder if you four are free to help?"
"I can't help you!" Mo Ran said without hesitation.
Zhongli looked at the other three people again. They all looked alert. He couldn't help but ask, "Can you imagine what Menglue's bamboo shoot stew tastes like?"
"Put the large chunks of lean meat and the fragrant and crisp bamboo shoots into the pot and simmer for half a day..."
Paimon's heart was pounding because of these words, Kong was slightly moved, Ying didn't show any change on the surface, but she became curious.
Mo Ran suddenly interrupted, "To put it bluntly, it's just pickled vegetables with preserved vegetables!"
Paimeng finally came to his senses and said stubbornly, "Do you think we will be moved and run errands for you to pick bamboo shoots?"
Kong and Ying looked at their travel companions with their eyes slightly lowered, with an expression of "watch your show", almost exactly the same.
Zhongli said calmly: "It is true that bamboo shoots are delicious."
Paimon looked at the two travelers, went over to see them and begged them for a while, and finally made up his mind to go and pick bamboo shoots, because it would not take much time if they went through the space rift, and Sora could use the teleportation anchor point that the people of Teyvat could not see.
Zhongli watched their backs as they left, then looked at the man in black sitting next to them, and said calmly, "Bamboo shoots are just icing on the cake when placed on the table. But when they are cooked by good friends and eaten together, they are meaningful."
Mo Ran glanced at him, his mouth twitching. He knew that whenever Morax looked for him, it must be something important, and this time was no exception.
But it’s not unacceptable. After all, there will definitely be more than one person cooking by then.
Thinking about these things, Mo Ran felt a little better. He drank a full cup of mellow sauce-flavored liquor and listened to the storyteller on the stage talking eloquently.
It is said that the corpse of the evil Chi defeated by the Geo King turned into fertile terraces, but in fact, those terraces were cultivated by the hard-working hands of the Liyue people.
It is not some fairy tale story, but the evil dragon was indeed sealed there. That evil dragon was the one that attacked Guiliji during the war between demons and gods.
The place where the body was dismembered and sealed was called Qingce Manor.