Genshin Impact: Dionysus reigns supreme, all demons retreat!

The altar was covered in dust, and a gray, unrecognizable sculpture was placed in the center of it.

It's likely that no one has cleaned this little temple for many years; it's covered in dust.

Xiangling took off her iron spear and basket and put them on the ground.

First, take a whole piece of cloth out of the basket and spread it flat on the ground; this will serve as a bed.

Xiangling took off a pair of small floral shoes, sat on the "bed," and took out two spicy meat buns wrapped in oil paper from her basket.

She took a bite of one and handed the other to Xu Ning, saying, "Brother Xu Ning, this is a spicy meat bun I made myself. It's delicious."

Seeing her wolfing down her food, Xu Ning knew she was really hungry after walking all day on the mountain path.

He gently patted Xiangling's head, "Eat slowly, wait for your brother for a while!"

Xu Ning placed the Dust Concealment Gourd, and in a flash, he was inside. "Qingyi, come and help in the kitchen quickly!"

Since Ningguang recounted her experiences before and after the battle with the demon god at home, she has asked Yelan to purchase a lot of supplies.

Rice, flour, cooking oil, vegetables, fruits, medicine, bandages, and ingenious tools—almost everything imaginable was stuffed into Xu Ning's Hidden Cave.

Fortunately, Qingyi said that the cave itself could preserve freshness, so there was no need to worry about the items spoiling or rotting.

Xu Ning made a stir-fried pork slice and a stir-fried shrimp, then put a small bowl on top of them and carried it out.

"Xiangling, come here quickly. Your brother made two dishes for you. Eat more while they're hot."

Xu Ning placed the dishes on the offering table, then turned the small, upside-down bowl over and poured a bowl of "sweet wine" into it.

"How about we eat some food, drink some sweet wine, and then go to sleep?"

Xiangling couldn't help but swallow as she smelled the enticing aromas emanating from the two dishes.

The spicy meat bun in my hand doesn't seem so delicious anymore!

After thinking for a while, Xiangling shook her head firmly, finished the spicy meat bun in her hand, and placed the other one on the offering table.

"Brother Xu Ning, you eat by yourself. I'm determined to rely on myself this time. But you must make it for me again when we get back... make it twice, please."

Xu Ning smiled helplessly; the little guy clearly wanted to make up for the meal he missed today next time.

After receiving Xu Ning's affirmative answer, Xiangling curled up on the bundle and quickly fell asleep.

Xu Ning couldn't help but sigh, squatted down next to Xiang Ling, picked up her small feet, and gently massaged them.

After walking all day on mountain paths, the little girl didn't complain about her tired feet at all, but judging from how quickly she fell asleep, she was clearly extremely exhausted.

After massaging both of her feet, the little girl mumbled something in her sleep, turned over, and Xu Ning took the opportunity to release her little feet.

I turned my head and glanced at the gray sculpture lying on the altar, which remained motionless.

"I need to go to sleep too, otherwise I'm afraid I'll ruin the little girl's chance."

Xu Ning stood up, placed the Dust Concealment Gourd near the door, and then slipped inside.

The moon set and the stars moved on; I don't know how much time had passed.

The dusty, stone-sculpted thing on the altar suddenly moved.

That action was like a sleeping puppy suddenly smelling meat and sniffing around.

Then this thing suddenly sprang up like a carp leaping out of the water.

Stretching out his arms and legs, the accumulated dust on his body peeled off like pieces of a hard shell.

A plush toy resembling a tiger in a cloth bag was revealed.

After gently patting himself a few times, the cloth-bag tiger took a few steps on the offering table.

Upon seeing the "spicy meat bun" wrapped in oil paper, it wore a very confused expression.

In its perception, this "food" seemed to have an extraordinary connection with it.

It picked it up and took a bite. A familiar spiciness melted in its mouth, making it seem as if it remembered something, yet it seemed as if it remembered nothing at all.

However, the taste was clearly to its liking, and it ate with a beaming smile.

After finishing the spicy meat bun in its hand, it turned its gaze to the food that Xu Ning had placed on the offering table.

In the morning, Xu Ning had just come out of the cave when he heard Xiang Ling's happy laughter.

"I'll call you Guoba (crispy rice crust) from now on. It's my favorite dish. I like you just as much as I like it."

Xu Ning coughed lightly, thinking to himself, "This sentence is similar to 'the ingredients hit someone' in a chilling way."

Hearing Xu Ning cough, Xiang Ling turned around happily, held the rice crust upside down on her head, and laughed, "Brother Xu Ning, come and see my new friend. I've named it Rice Crust."

Xu Ning walked over with a smile and pinched Guoba's little hand twice as a greeting.

It's plump and feels nice to the touch.

Xiangling proudly boasted to Xu Ning, "Guoba just gestured to me that it woke up yesterday and was so hungry that it ate the rest of my spicy meat bun."

"And to thank me, it even agreed to my request to come down the mountain with me."

Xu Ning smiled and said, "Then you'll have another playmate."

"Oh, the bundle on the ground is covered in dust. Take it outside, shake it off, and put it away. We have to go back today."

Xiangling nodded obediently, took the rice crust off the ground, picked up the bundle, and ran outside.

Just as Guoba was about to chase after it, a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed it by the back of the neck.

The smile on Xu Ning's face gradually disappeared.

"You gave yourself to Xiangling to thank her for the spicy pork buns. And what about me? You didn't do anything for me?"

Guoba hesitated for a moment, but then made up his mind and shook his head decisively.

"Haa? Nothing at all?"

Xu Ning was greatly dissatisfied.

"I used a total of 36 shrimp for a plate of stir-fried shrimp, and now there are less than 6 left."

"The stir-fried pork slices were reduced to just 'stir-fried,' and even the sweet wine in the bowl was drunk up and replaced with water. Do you think I wouldn't notice that you've tampered with these dishes? You're clearly insulting my intelligence!"

Xu Ning grabbed the rice crust and said, "And you touched my wine gourd in the middle of the night, didn't you? You dare say the dirty handprints on it weren't yours? Looks like you didn't have enough wine, huh?"

Guoba gave an awkward yet resolute look, patted his belly, and indicated that he really had nothing else to give besides himself.

"Ah!"

Xu Ning sneered and put it down. "Fortunately, I'm not a particularly calculative person. Since you've chosen to follow Xiangling, I hope you can protect her at all times and never let her get hurt in any way."

Guoba made a resolute expression and nodded heavily.

Xu Ning put everything on the offering table into his own space and was about to call Xiang Ling to leave.

But then Guoba trotted to the corner of the room, dug a square, plate-like object out of the dusty floor, and placed it in Xu Ning's hand.