Paimon and Lumine were inseparable, so Ryan had to put in a lot of effort to trick her into coming out alone.
'Although he can't use a Teleport Waypoint, he flies so fast...'
Protected by Ryan's hands from the high-speed airflow, Paimon couldn't help but open her eyes to observe, but she could only see the rapidly receding scenery.
Although Ryan's compatibility with his master hadn't increased much, after absorbing the emotions of two Gods last time, his body had become much stronger, allowing him to endure a single adeptus possessing him for longer. Therefore, flying back to Jueyun Karst from Liyue Harbor was no problem at all.
Just like that, Ryan slowly landed on Aozang Mountain with Paimon, settling beside the stone table under the tree in the center of the pond.
"Putting everything else aside, the scenery where adepti live is truly beautiful."
Released by Ryan, Paimon looked around curiously.
In the pond, the graceful Changsheng was leisurely swimming in the clear water. Several red maple leaves slowly drifted from the tree onto the pond, and the subtle ripples Swirl away the water flies that had stopped nearby, while a dragonfly found a perch and gently landed on a maple leaf.
This wasn't Paimon's first time here, but last time Ryan brought them to find Cloud Retainer, so she hadn't looked at the place closely.
But there was a stone table here, so it must be used by an adeptus, right?
"It's because you're here that the scenery is so beautiful."
Ryan said as he took things out of his qiankun bag.
"Eh? S-suddenly saying something like that, why...?!"
Ryan's sudden words startled Paimon, her face slightly flushed as she waved her hands in a fluster.
"No, no, what I mean is, I usually live here and don't feel the scenery is that beautiful. Now that you're here and you think it's beautiful, it means the scenery here has gained a 'beautiful' rating because of you."
Watching the slightly flustered Paimon, Ryan explained with a chuckle.
Paimon finally nodded in relief.
If he said it like that... it really was true!
Thinking of this, Paimon cheered up, then leaned forward to watch Ryan take things out of his qiankun bag.
"These are... ingredients? For lunch?"
Looking at the various meats, seafood, and vegetables, Paimon asked curiously.
"Of course! With such a beautiful view, wouldn't it be a shame not to have a picnic outside?"
Ryan nodded affirmatively. All these ingredients were bought by him at the market early in the morning and were very fresh.
"Hehe, that makes sense~!"
"Then... the surprise Ryan mentioned, is it a grand feast for me?"
Paimon nodded, clasping her hands together in front of her chest with a hint of anticipation.
"Shhh~ It's not time yet. A surprise isn't fun if you reveal it, is it?"
Ryan put a finger to his lips.
"That's true..."
Paimon could only temporarily suppress her curiosity.
Just like that, Ryan took out all the ingredients for lunch and placed them on the stone table.
Looking at the huge pile of ingredients, Paimon couldn't help but look forward to the grand feast even more.
"Oh, Paimon, have you heard of magic?"
Putting away his qiankun bag, Ryan suddenly asked Paimon.
"Magic? I've heard of it. In Mondstadt, some bards would incorporate small magic tricks into their performances to enhance the atmosphere."
Paimon nodded.
"Then I'll perform a magic trick for you. Do you believe that if we go over there to admire the scenery for a while, when we come back, all these ingredients will be prepared by themselves?"
Ryan raised his hand and pointed in the direction of Xuanlian Mountain.
"How is that possible...? Wait, you're not going to cheat with adeptal arts, are you?"
Paimon, of course, didn't believe him.
"Of course not. I'll be right by your side. If I used adeptal arts, you'd expose me immediately."
Ryan shook his head with certainty.
Paimon was somewhat skeptical, but she still followed Ryan towards that direction, arriving at the edge of Aozang Mountain, where further on lay the direction of Chenyu Vale and Xuanlian Mountain.
As Ryan led Paimon towards the edge of Aozang Mountain, a crane's head quietly peeked out from Cloud Retainer's abode.
She glanced at Ryan and Paimon's backs, then rubbed her eyes with her wing and looked again carefully.
Then, as if a large question mark appeared above her head.
Yesterday, Ryan returned to Aozang Mountain and asked Cloud Retainer for help, saying he would bring a girl back today.
Why did it feel like... something was off?
Could it be...? Cloud Retainer, who seemed to have realized something, looked at Ryan and Paimon again, but in her eyes, Ryan had slowly transformed into another appearance: a small white fox.
Beside him was a white flying creature slightly larger than him, and the two walked together.
"Eh...?"
Confused, she scratched her head with her wing, but Cloud Retainer still secretly slipped out of her abode, collected all the ingredients from the stone table, and replaced them with ingredients that were already fully prepared and ready to be cooked.
Then she scurried back into her abode.
"Wow! It really changed!"
After a minute or two, Ryan introduced the distant Xuanlian Mountain to Paimon. When they returned, Paimon was shocked to see all the ingredients on the table already prepared, even the large shrimp had their heads and veins removed.
"H-how did you do that? It's only been a minute or two! Even if someone secretly came to help you prepare them, it wouldn't be that fast, would it?"
Paimon asked Ryan in shock.
Although she thought someone might have helped in secret, she couldn't immediately think of the specific method of help.
"It's magic. If you knew the principle, it wouldn't be fun. It's better to keep it in your heart as a magic trick I gave you."
Ryan smiled gently.
"Alright..."
Hearing Ryan say that, Paimon could only nod.
Next, Ryan asked Paimon what she wanted for lunch and started cooking according to Paimon's preferences.
Meanwhile, elsewhere... Shenhe was sitting near the Teleport Waypoint on Aozang Mountain, lost in thought.
'Ryan is bringing a girl back today, Shenhe. When the time comes, you and I will guard the mountain path to ensure no one disturbs their date.'
"Senior Brother... is he already in his mating season...?"
Shenhe murmured to herself.
She came to the mountain when she was young, and all her knowledge about animals was taught by Ryan.
"Hmm?"
After waiting for a long time near the Teleport Waypoint, Shenhe suddenly sensed something and looked up at the Teleport Waypoint.
Light flashed, and a golden-haired foreign girl appeared before Shenhe.
"He must be here... Hmm?"
Lumine said through gritted teeth, but no sooner had she spoken than Shenhe lunged forward.
Lumine quickly drew her dull blade, but being ambushed, she was a half-beat too slow. Shenhe parried the dull blade from her hand with a spear.
Clang—
Then, Shenhe struck Lumine with a hand chop, knocking her unconscious to the ground.
"Do not disturb Senior Brother."
Looking at Lumine lying unconscious on the ground, Shenhe finished speaking, hoisted her onto her shoulder, and hid her in a nearby bush.
That way, if Ryan were to descend the mountain from here, he wouldn't see her...