Genshin Impact: Dionysus reigns supreme, all demons retreat!

Bai Zhu's technique was indeed effective. By the time he finished the massage, Qi Qi was able to sit up with Xu Ning's help.

Although my hands and feet are still moving somewhat mechanically, it's much better than when I couldn't move at all before.

Xu Ning carried Qi Qi to the table and sat her down, then called Bai Shu over to eat.

The "thick-grained vegetable and meat stew" simmering in the pot is the dish that Xu Ning remembers best for warding off the cold.

It can be said that it was specially made for Qiqi.

She had Qingyi serve Baizhu rice, while she herself took a small dish, scooped out some, and slowly fed it to Qiqi.

"How are you? Do you feel uncomfortable?"

"Is it good? Want some more? I'll get you some more."

Bai Zhu picked up the stewed meat from her bowl and tasted it; the flavor was surprisingly good!

The little white snake Changsheng ate two pieces of meat from Baishu's hand, watched Xu Ning diligently serving Qiqi, and then turned to ask Qingyi, who was eating on the side.

"Does he usually like to take care of you like this?"

The word "们" in that sentence deeply stung the little snake, Qingyi.

I remember the first time I saw Xu Ning, her swollen cheeks, the woodwork scattered all over the floor, the handmade stove...

The woman in green shook her head coldly. "No."

The little white snake thought to herself, "That makes sense. No one would give so much to others unconditionally. Xu Ning must have ulterior motives towards Qi Qi."

"So you're saying he only treats Qiqi like this?"

Qingyi thought of Beidou, who spent her days eating, drinking, and playing; Ningguang, who took over all the money as soon as she entered the house; and Xiangling, who would occasionally come over to freeload...

He shook his head again, "No."

The little white snake was taken aback. "So, you also like taking care of me like this?"

"Do not."

The little white snake got angry, "I think you just don't want to talk to me properly!"

"Yes!"

I don't want to talk to you!

Qingyi picked up her small bowl, grabbed a small stool from the ground, and sat down in a corner to eat.

Xu Ning only stopped feeding Qiqi after she shook her head and said "I'm so full".

With doting eyes, he watched Qiqi slowly move down the stool and take small steps toward the little sparrow pecking at grains on the grass. Then he turned around and picked up a wine jar from under the table.

"Can you drink alcohol? This is the best wine I have here; it's very good for your health."

Bai Shu laughed, "Since you put it that way, I have to try it."

Xu Ning poured a bowl for himself and Bai Zhu each, emptied his bowl, and then picked up his chopsticks to start eating.

Bai Zhu is much more refined; one should first smell it and then sip it, carefully experiencing the reaction of the wine as it enters the body.

"It seems that there is a nourishing power in your wine; drinking it regularly is indeed beneficial."

Xu Ning replied matter-of-factly, "The earth gives birth to all things and nurtures all living beings. Wine is brewed by taking the essence of all things, so it naturally has nourishing power."

"I just don't know if Qiqi can drink it?" Xu Ning asked.

Bai Shu thought for a moment, "No problem, drinking a little might even be beneficial, but you'd better not get her drunk..."

"How could I possibly get her drunk on purpose?"

Qiqi was squatting not far from the little magpie, watching it peck at the food.

He raised one hand, looking as if he really wanted to touch the little sparrow but was afraid it would fly away.

Xu Ning carefully walked to Qi Qi's side, carrying a wine bowl.

"Qiqi, would you like to try the wine from Brother Xu Ning's house?"

Qiqi had no concept of alcohol, but obediently took a sip from Xu Ning's hand.

Xu Ning asked with some concern, "How are you feeling?"

Qiqi pursed her lips. "It doesn't taste good."

After thinking for a moment, she added, "Warm."

Seeing that Qiqi didn't particularly like it, but wasn't too averse to it either, Xu Ning happily finished his drink and sat back down to tell Bai Shu, "This is a bit too strong. Next time I'll give her something less potent to try."

Bai Shu watched Xu Ning's genuine joy and thoughtfully savored the wine in his hand.

Why are you so eager to help her? You probably had no connection with her before, right?

Xu Ning had drunk several bowls of wine in his excitement, and was now slightly tipsy.

"How can we not be connected? You can't even imagine the bond between us; it transcends time and space."

"Brother Baishu, I know you seem to be obsessed with the matter of immortality, but have you ever truly loved anyone?"

Bai Shu's hand trembled suddenly, but he didn't look up. He stared at the clear reflection in the wine bowl, as if trying to see another person in it.

After a long pause, he sighed and said, "You're still young, you don't understand..."

Xu Ning didn't notice Bai Zhu's strange behavior and continued to eat stewed meat with wine, speaking loudly.

"What do you mean I don't understand? You only see the benefits of longevity, but you don't think about the pain and burden behind those two words."

"If you truly love this world, and love someone, how can you stand indifferently in the endless river of time, watching them be worn away by time and turn to ashes?"

"But if you don't love everything in this world, what do you need immortality for?"

Even after Xu Ning fell into a deep sleep on the table, Bai Shu still stared at the wine in the bowl without moving an inch.

When Xu Ning shook his head and woke up, Bai Shu was still sitting in the same position as yesterday, while Chang Sheng on his neck was still fast asleep with his eyes closed.

Xu Ning turned around to look for Qi Qi.

Qiqi was squatting next to the sleeping baby sparrow in the grass nest, her little hand almost touching the baby sparrow's head.

The scene was almost exactly the same as it had been before he fell asleep the day before, which left Xu Ning completely bewildered for a while.

After washing up, everyone ate some fruit for breakfast and then left the cave together.

"I'm preparing to go back to Liyue Harbor. What about you?"

Looking at the vast wilderness, Xu Ning felt a little apprehensive.

The day before yesterday, he was so focused on finding Qiqi that he didn't ask Liu Yun to send him back to Liyue Harbor directly.

Now that Qiqi has been found, he has no idea how to get back.

Fortunately, he had the knowledgeable Bai Shu by his side. Although Xu Ning was reluctant to ask for help, it was normal to ask for a ride, wasn't it?

Bai Shu didn't mind Xu Ning's little scheme at all, and said with a smile, "Then let's go together!"

"We are currently at the foot of Mount Hulao. If we walk south along the valley to its end, we will reach the Southern Gate. Then, continuing south through Tianqiu Valley and Dunyu Ruins, we can reach Liyue Harbor."

Xu Ning felt a bitter taste in his mouth, as if he was about to embark on a very long journey.

But with Qiqi around, it was still a lot of fun.

For example, when walking, if a normal person encounters a small puddle, they will either jump over it or go around it.

But when Qiqi was walking, she went straight toward the puddle and was about to walk into it, which startled Xu Ning so much that he picked her up from behind.

Even so, Qiqi maintained the posture of walking in mid-air for a long time before stopping and turning her head to look at Xu Ning.

"Qiqi, walk by yourself."

Xu Ning, both amused and exasperated, put Qi Qi down and carefully explained to her, "When you give yourself the command to walk, don't just think about the word 'walk,' but also add that you should avoid any potholes or obstacles you encounter. Do you understand?"

Qiqi nodded seriously, "I'll remember."

The distance from Hulao Mountain to Nantianmen was not far, and Xu Ning and the others did not walk very fast, arriving in less than half a day.

Xu Ning could see a tent appear on one side of the valley from afar.

"Why would someone set up a tent in this desolate place? Could it be that there are other seekers of immortality here?"

Xu Ning took a few steps forward to check, but Bai Shu suddenly grabbed him from behind.

"Be careful, there are many Hilichurls over there."

After Bai Shu reminded him, Xu Ning realized that the tent was actually next to a Hilichurl settlement.

Bai Zhu suggested, "Let's go around here."

Xu Ning didn't want to cause any more trouble, so he nodded and prepared to leave.

However, a sharp-eyed Hilichurl on the high platform spotted Xu Ning and his group and suddenly shouted.

Suddenly, several Hilichurls wielding wooden sticks rushed out of the settlement, cursing and swearing as they charged towards them.

Xu Ning cracked his knuckles and chuckled, “It’s not that we wanted to cause trouble; they attacked first.”

I was just about to go up and deal with these clueless guys.

Suddenly, a white figure rushed out of the tent, blocking the attack of the Hilichurls for Xu Ning and the others.