Qiu Bai and Lumine stood atop the cliff, gazing down at the figure below.
Without hesitation, Qiu Bai leaped off the edge. Despite the great height, he landed soundlessly, barely making a ripple in the air as his toes lightly touched the ground.
Lumine, on the other hand, used her Wind Glider to descend gracefully.
"Bennett, what are you doing here?"
Lumine asked curiously as she approached him.
Paimon, who had been hovering on the cliff, also flew down to join them.
"Oh! So this is where you guys were! I was wondering why you suddenly disappeared."
"Huh? Wait, isn't this Bennett?"
Paimon eyes widened in surprise upon recognizing him. After all, it was quite unusual to run into someone alone in the wilderness this late at night.
"Hehe, as the leader of Benny's Adventure Team…"
"I never let the night stop my journey!"
Bennett grinned as he scratched the back of his head.
Paimon sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"Still, you should be more careful walking alone at night."
"Especially since, well… Bennett's luck is… how do I put this…"
She trailed off, not quite sure how to phrase it without sounding too blunt.
Bennett, however, simply laughed it off, seemingly used to the remarks about his misfortune. Then, his eyes shifted to Qiu Bai, standing a short distance away.
"By the way, Honorary Knight, Paimon…"
"Who's that behind you?"
Lumine turned slightly and smiled.
"Oh, this is Qiu Bai. He's from Liyue and a guest consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."
"Qiu Bai, this is Bennett."
Qiu Bai stepped forward with a warm smile and extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you, Bennett."
Bennett grinned and shook his hand firmly.
"Hehe, I'm Bennett!"
"Leader of Benny's Adventure Team!"
Then, he tilted his head in curiosity.
"By the way, Traveler, where are you guys headed?"
"I heard you went to Liyue, so why are you back in Mondstadt?"
Lumine chuckled.
"We had some things to take care of, so we returned."
"How's everyone in Mondstadt doing?"
Bennett nodded enthusiastically.
"They're doing great!"
"Oh! Fischl said something the other day, let me think…"
He paused, rubbing his chin as he tried to recall her exact words. Then, striking a dramatic pose, he imitated Fischl signature over-the-top speech.
"O distant traveler who walks the path unknown, this Prinzessin der Verurteilung shall bestow her divine protection upon her loyal friend!"
His exaggerated delivery earned a chuckle from Lumine.
"Haha, that's so like little Amy."
Qiu Bai chuckled at the remark.
"Looks like Fischl hasn't changed at all."
Paimon crossed her arms and grinned at Lumine.
"Yeah, if she ever went out without Oz, talking to people would be a real challenge!"
Lumine turned to Bennett with a smile.
"Since you're here, why don't you come back to Mondstadt with us?"
Bennett hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Hmm… yeah, I've been out adventuring for a while now."
"Guess it's about time I head back."
As he spoke, he instinctively placed a hand on his stomach.
Paimon noticed and clapped her hands together excitedly.
"Bennett, you're hungry too, right? Well, lucky for you, we grilled some fish!"
"Let's head back and eat!"
Lumine nodded in agreement, and the group made their way back up the cliff.
Upon reaching the top, Paimon glanced at Dainsleif, who still sat with his eyes closed, unmoving.
"I wonder if that guy even slept…"
Waving a hand in front of him, she sighed.
Dainsleif slowly opened his eyes and responded in his usual serious tone.
"One must never let their guard down in the wild."
"It is a matter of survival."
Then, his gaze shifted to the campfire.
"However it seems your fish is about to burn."
"What?!"
Paimon gasped.
"I went to find you guys and completely forgot about it!"
She immediately flew over to the fire, but it was too late. The fish was already charred black.
Bennett scratched his head, looking guilty.
"This is my fault… sorry, everyone."
Qiu Bai patted Bennett shoulder reassuringly.
"It's fine."
Stepping up to the fire, a soft white aura began to swirl around his hand. As he extended it towards the burnt fish, a gentle light enveloped it. The blackened skin gradually faded, turning into a perfect golden-brown hue.
Qiu Bai nodded in satisfaction before looking back at the others.
"Alright, it's ready."
"Come and eat."
Paimon jaw dropped.
"Whoa… Qiu Bai, that was amazing!"
"You actually restored the fish back to normal!"
Clapping her hands in awe, she wasted no time rushing to grab a piece.
Lumine smiled and sat by the fire, picking up a juicy fish and taking a bite.
"Let's eat quickly. We still have a long journey ahead tomorrow."
Seeing her start, Paimon and Bennett joined in.
Bennett chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.
"Hehe… well, if you insist, I won't hold back!"
"No need to rush tomorrow morning."
"Get a good night sleep. I'll handle everything."
Qiu Bai smiled as he spoke. He had chosen not to teleport because he wanted to take in Mondstadt's scenery. The last time he visited was a thousand years ago, and after so long, he naturally wanted to explore it on foot.
Paimon cheered excitedly.
"Yay! That's amazing!"
"My imaginary limbs finally get a break from walking!"
She stomped her foot in joy, while Lumine also nodded with a smile.
Bennett, however, was confused.
"Wait… what do you mean by not needing to walk?"
He looked at the group, puzzled. Mondstadt was still quite far away, and walking there would take a long time.
Paimon grinned mysteriously at him.
"You'll see tomorrow, Bennett."
"Qiu Bai got a little trick up his sleeve."
Then, without explaining further, she happily continued eating her grilled fish.
Turning her attention to Dainsleif, she called out,
"Hey, Dain, do you want some?"
"We still have more."
Dainsleif slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Paimon, and let out a soft chuckle.
"No, I'm fine."
"You all go ahead and eat."
With that, he closed his eyes again.
Paimon pouted and turned back to her food.
"Weirdo."
Qiu Bai, now sitting on the grass, took a bite of the fish skewer in his hand.
"Hmm… not bad."
"Paimon, your cooking is actually pretty good."
Hearing the praise, Paimon giggled, rubbing the back of her head.
"Hehe, it's nothing special."
"Besides, if not for you, these fish would've been inedible."
As the night went on, one by one, the group drifted off to sleep.
Paimon curled up in Lumine arms, while Lumine herself hugged Paimon close, lying peacefully on the grass.
As for why they didn't use the Serenitea Pot? it was because Ping had rushed the production of two new teapots, which resulted in them being completely empty inside. There were no buildings at all. Even if they went inside, they would still end up sleeping on the grass.
Thinking about it, Qiu Bai couldn't help but twitch the corner of his mouth.
"Looks like I need to gather some wood and materials… I'll have to build a proper house myself using divine power."
Sensing Dainsleif presence, he murmured,
"Is he asleep too?"
With a sigh, he laid down on the ground, resting his hands behind his head. Crossing one leg over the other, he gazed up at the starry sky.
"Tomorrow, we head to Mondstadt."
"It's been a long time since I last visited."
With that final thought, he slowly closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Read 20 chapters ahead on my P@treon [p@treon.com/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)