After collecting the materials, Xiangling crouched down and looked at Qiu Bai behind her.
"Qiu Bai, thank you."
"Even though you dragged me away last time, I still insisted on coming back here."
Xiangling scratched her head sheepishly as she spoke.
Qiu Bai smiled slightly and replied:
"As long as you're safe, that's all that matters."
"And with this Blazing Tree, at least your trip wasn't wasted."
Xiangling nodded in agreement but soon noticed something.
She glanced at the beautiful woman standing behind Qiu Bai, curiosity flashing in her eyes.
"Oh, right! Qiu Bai, who is this lady behind you?"
She had already noticed this stunningly beautiful young woman earlier but now that things had settled, she couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.
Qiu Bai waved his hand casually and explained:
"She's my younger sister—her name is Qiu Yue."
At that moment, Qiu Yue stepped forward gracefully, her long legs moving elegantly as she approached Xiangling.
She blinked her captivating eyes and smiled gently.
"Hello, I'm Qiu Yue."
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
Xiangling's face lit up with excitement.
"Hello, Qiu Yue! I'm Xiangling!"
"Hehe, it's nice to meet you too!"
She shifted her weight shyly, feeling a little awkward.
After all, this older sister was simply too beautiful.
And to think that Qiu Bai had such a stunning younger sister—it was quite unexpected.
Meanwhile, Guoba trotted over, looking curiously at Qiu Bai and Qiu Yue.
Qiu Yue lowered her gaze, noticing the small, round, fluffy creature at her feet.
She crouched down gracefully and gently patted Guoba head.
Guoba closed his eyes in contentment, clearly enjoying the touch.
Then Qiu Yue looked up at Xiangling, her face filled with curiosity.
"Xiangling, what kind of creature is this?"
"Why is it so cute?"
Qiu Bai mouth twitched slightly at the question.
He knew exactly what Guoba was—
But there was no way he could just say, "Oh, he's my old friend."
"Uh..."
Xiangling hesitated for a moment before responding.
"To be honest, I don't know what kind of creature Guoba is either."
"I just remember that when I was little, I was sleeping in a house near a bamboo forest..."
"And when I woke up, I saw Guoba munching on some cornbread."
"Ever since then, he's been following me around everywhere."
She gently patted Guoba head, her eyes filled with nostalgia.
"I can't believe it's already been over ten years since then."
"Master also told me to take good care of Guoba."
Xiangling gently patted Guoba head before standing up and looking at Qiu Yue and Qiu Bai in front of her.
Guoba grinned cheerfully at Xiangling.
"So that's how it is."
"It seems like Guoba is a very dear friend to you."
Qiu Yue smiled warmly as she spoke to Xiangling.
Although she could sense that Guoba was once a powerful being, his divine power was nearly depleted.
That was why she had been curious about his origins.
Qiu Bai cleared his throat and spoke calmly:
"Ahem, now that everything is settled—"
"And Xiangling has gathered what she needed—"
"Let's head back to Liyue Harbor together."
"Mhm, mhm!"
Xiangling nodded, her face lighting up in agreement.
"It's been a while since I've gone home... My dad is probably getting worried by now."
"Then let's go."
Qiu Bai turned toward Xiangling and Qiu Yue.
"Xiangling, Qiu Yue, hold onto me."
After saying this, Qiu Bai glanced down at Guoba.
"You too, Guoba hold on tight."
Xiangling hesitated for a moment but, seeing Qiu Yue grab Qiu Bai arm without question, she followed suit.
Guoba, not wanting to be left behind, clung onto the edge of Qiu Bai pants.
And then—
A sudden sensation of spinning and weightlessness hit Xiangling.
Before she could even react, the scenery around her shifted in an instant.
When she regained her balance, she found herself standing outside Liyue Harbor, in an empty area not far from the city gates.
Xiangling clutched her head in confusion.
She looked at her surroundings, then at the distant view of Liyue Harbor, which had seemed so far away just moments ago.
Her jaw dropped in shock—
So wide that she could probably fit a hundred Sunsettias in her mouth.
That was just how utterly stunned she was by Qiu Bai abilities.
"Qiu Bai! H-How did you do that?!"
Xiangling snapped out of her daze and turned to stare at Qiu Bai, her eyes filled with disbelief.
She then glanced at Qiu Yue, who looked completely unfazed, as if this was the most normal thing in the world.
At that moment, Xiangling couldn't help but question reality itself.
Qiu Bai simply chuckled.
"It's just a little trick."
"I merely saved us some walking time."
Hearing this, Xiangling lips twitched violently.
"Little trick?"
"He just teleported them across an entire region!"
"What's wrong, Xiangling? Why are you so surprised?"
Qiu Yue asked, tilting her head slightly.
Xiangling whipped her head around to look at Qiu Yue, her expression utterly baffled.
"You're asking me why I'm surprised?!"
She then glanced back and forth between Qiu Bai and Qiu Yue, both of whom looked completely calm.
At this moment, Xiangling felt like her entire worldview was crumbling.
"Seriously—who wouldn't be shocked by something like this?!"
"Mr. Qiu Bai, although I'm really shocked..."
"I'm also very grateful to you for saving me and Guoba a long journey."
Despite her surprise, Xiangling still smiled and thanked Qiu Bai.
"Let me cook a great meal as a proper thank-you, Mr. Qiu Bai!"
"It'll be a good chance for you to witness my culinary skills firsthand!"
With that, Xiangling cheerfully led Qiu Bai and Qiu Yue toward Liyue Harbor.
The Streets of Liyue Harbor
The moment they stepped into the bustling streets, many passersby began whispering to each other.
"Look at the woman following behind Mr. Qiu Bai..."
"She's breathtaking! She looks just like an immortal!"
The murmurs and glances were all directed toward Qiu Yue.
Her beauty was simply too stunning, unlike anything the people of Liyue had ever seen before.
Just as they were walking through the streets, a familiar figure approached from ahead.
"Hey, Mr. Qiu Bai! Long time no see!"
The voice belonged to none other than Tartaglia, the Eleventh Fatui Harbinger—better known in Liyue as "Childe."
"Yo, Childe, it's been a while."
Qiu Bai smiled and waved casually at him.
"This guy named 'Childe' is also your friend, Mr. Qiu Bai?"
Xiangling tilted her head before suddenly clapping her hands together with excitement.
"Then why don't we all head to Wanmin Restaurant? Since I'm on duty today, the meal's on me!"
Childe rubbed his stomach awkwardly before grinning.
"That's perfect! I haven't eaten much today."
But then, his gaze landed on Qiu Yue, and his expression shifted slightly.
His eyes lingered on her elegant figure, as if mesmerized.
"By the way who is this beautiful lady?"
Qiu Yue had already noticed Childe's intrigued stare and responded with a soft chuckle.
Placing a delicate hand over her chest, she introduced herself gracefully.
"I am Qiu Yue, Qiu Bai younger sister."
"A pleasure to meet you, Childe."
As she spoke, she extended her slender jade-like hand toward him.
Childe hesitated for a second before quickly taking her hand in his.
"Ahem… So you're Mr. Qiu Bai sister?"
"My apologies for not introducing myself sooner."
"My name is Tartaglia, though most people just call me Childe—it's more of a codename, really."
The moment he touched Qiu Yue soft, delicate hand, he felt his face heat up slightly.
Realizing he had been holding her hand for too long, he quickly let go, clearing his throat.
Still, he couldn't help but glance at Qiu Bai, silently admiring how ridiculously good-looking this entire family was.
"Seriously... The genes in this family are unfair."
"A handsome guy like Qiu Bai and now a sister who looks like a goddess?"
Qiu Bai watched Childe's flustered reaction, a knowing smirk appearing on his lips.
He patted Childe's shoulder and said lightly:
"Alright, let's go eat. It's rare for Xiangling to be on duty, after all."
But just before turning away, Qiu Bai gave Childe a subtle, amused glance.
"I treat you like a friend..."
"And here you are trying to flirt with my sister."
"Good one, Childe. Good one."
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