Kiana and the Captain's Bizarre Adventure

Chapter 139 When a person's desire becomes too strong, an exclamation mark will appear above th

"What a pity!"

As soon as Yun Jin opened her mouth, everyone's attention was focused on the stage. Even those who were chatting with their tablemates put down their conversations and listened attentively to Yun Jin's performance.

"The wild goose flies alone in autumn, never to return; the foolish man is obsessed with resentment and madness."

As Yun Jin sang, a series of images appeared in everyone's minds.

A man sat at a desk, looking at the books on the table. The eerie surroundings reflected the man's frantic state.

"It is only because the evil animal sacrifice will surely bring disaster."

The scene then shifts to a scene of human sacrifice. In the dark purple scene, a hideous monster sits high above, with a tall altar below and people kneeling on the ground in prayer.

"If it weren't for the heroine drawing her sword, everyone would have perished!"

Suddenly, a righteous light dispelled the darkness, revealing a brave little girl. She fearlessly thrust her longsword at the demon, and at that moment, the opera reached its climax.

The girl succeeded. She used herself as bait to fight the monster to the death. In the end, the girl killed the monster, but she herself fell into the abyss.

If it weren't for the immortal who arrived later and saved her, the girl would probably not have survived. After that, the immortal took her in as his disciple and she left the mortal world.

"Mortal ties are hazy, immortal ties are boundless; familial bonds are severed, the Crimson Palace invites us forth. Crimson silk binds the rotten woodcutter, the wild goose's tracks are distant in the snow and mud."

With a red rope binding her soul, the girl's once black hair instantly turned into snow-white silver, thus completely severing her ties with the mortal world.

"The crane returns, but the former Huabiao pillar is nowhere to be seen; the spider's webs have vainly woven the soul banner that flutters."

Years later, the girl came down the mountain to the old place, only to find a desolate scene. Cobwebs were everywhere, entangled in the room, and there was no one in sight.

So far——

"Cause and effect are fleeting in the mortal world, vanishing like smoke."

Yun Jin opened her eyes, indicating that "The Goddess Splits the Temple" had come to an end, but she would not choose to rewrite the script if that was all.

"The 'Goddess Splitting the Temple' should be nearing its end here, but today I'll add a touch—to sing—for—you—listen—"

The backstage staff brought the song back to its climax.

"Highbrow art may not be unknown; there will always be connoisseurs and refined lyrics."

Several years have passed since that descent from the mountain. This time, the girl descended to find a kindred spirit and found herself entangled in the mortal world. This time, however, the girl came down the mountain with a mission from her master. She took out a long spear from behind her back and together with her kindred spirit, they fought against the calamity from the sea.

"The red-tasseled sword flutters like a shooting star, pointing straight at the raging tide to wash the sea clean."

With this, "The Goddess Splits the Temple" came to a complete end, and Yun Jin also gave her concluding remarks.

"When the crane returned then, it had no one to rely on in the vast world and left alone. Today we meet again, with new and old friends filling the hall, gathering together at this moment."

After listening, Fu Hua couldn't help but exclaim, "So that's how it is. I never imagined Shen He's story would be so convoluted."

"How did the Crimson Kite Immortal know that the 'Goddess Splitting the Temple' tells my story?"

"Haha, I don't really know from where. After all, True Monarch Liuyun just told me about you a while ago. I heard that 'Goddess Splitting the Temple' is based on legends from the Tianheng Mountain area. At the time, I wondered if it was adapted from your real experiences. Now it seems I guessed right."

"Then Master probably didn't say anything strange!"

"of course not!"

This was a lie. At the time, Liu Yun Jie Feng Zhenjun was in the middle of his storytelling, telling Fu Hua everything about Shen He's childhood, including some of Shen He's dark history. However, seeing the murderous look in Shen He's eyes, Fu Hua ultimately chose to keep it a secret to ensure she wouldn't find Shen He making soup when she returned.

Upon hearing Fu Hua's reply, Shen He's expression softened instantly.

"That's good."

It was at this moment that Yun Jin, who had just finished removing her makeup backstage, came to this table.

"How was my singing? Pretty good, right?"

Yun Jin looked as excited as a child, eager for everyone's praise. Paimon, of course, wouldn't hold back his praise either, because it really sounded good!

"It sounds beautiful. And... thank you."

"You're welcome. Thanks to you, 'Goddess's Cleave' is more complete now. The play may end, but life will. I believe you will be able to integrate smoothly into Liyue Harbor in the future."

"Thank you. I think I've found the opportunity for change."

Just then, a man reeking of alcohol walked over. This man, named Zhu Tao, was a fervent fan of Yun Jin. He would attend any play in which Yun Jin performed, and would even buy expensive front-row seats just to get a better view of her singing. However, he was now quite drunk and unsteady on his feet, making everyone worry that he would collapse to the ground at any moment.

"Mr. Yun...hiccup...so you are here."

After greeting Yun Jin, Zhu Tao noticed Shen He sitting to the side, and Shen He's otherworldly aura immediately caught his attention.

"Hmm? This white-haired girl looks so special, almost like an immortal. Could you be one of those goddesses? And this one, isn't this the famous Sora? Hehehe, it seems this trip has really been worthwhile... Would you mind adding a chair? Come, let's chat..."

Although it's said that one shouldn't stoop to the level of a drunk person, Shen He didn't care. She just found the person in front of her drunken state really an eyesore.

"If you don't want to finish the rest of the drink with your nose or eyes, you'd better leave now."

"This familiar feeling...it's like I've gone back to the first time I met Shen He..."

"It seems there's still a long way to go."

In the end, Fu Hua put down her teacup and gently invited Zhu Tao out. It was at this moment that Fu Hua saw Zhong Li sitting to the side.

And so the day came to an end with the premiere of "The Goddess Splits the Temple," and after a few days of rest, the Lantern Festival officially began.

"I never imagined that rebuilding the Jade Pavilion would be for the purpose of fighting such a huge monster. It still seems a bit unbelievable now."

Paimon and Sora were walking and chatting on the street when they ran into Kiana and Kurumi shopping together.

"Huh? Aren't these Kiana and Kurumi? What are you two doing together?"

"Oh my, isn't this my best friend and Paimon? What a coincidence!"

Hu Tao greeted Paimon with a smile.

"Actually, it's nothing. I hadn't had a chance to chat with Kiana properly before, but the Lantern Festival gave me that opportunity. So I arranged a dinner party overnight and had Fu Hua invite Kiana over to welcome them. Who knew we'd hit it off so well! We became good friends in no time. I wanted to show Kiana around so she could experience the Lantern Festival atmosphere."

However, Paimon's focus is clearly always on food.

"Ugh, you guys ate together and didn't even invite me!"

"Oh... I just forgot for a moment. It's okay, I'll definitely invite you all next time!"

"Hehe, speaking of treating people to a meal, I just remembered that I promised Paimon I would treat her to a meal back in Mondstadt. I didn't have time to treat her before due to various reasons, but now that I have some free time, why not take advantage of this day and go to Wanmin Hall for lunch? My treat."

"Eh! Really?!"

"Haha, of course it's true!" Kiana couldn't help but smile as she looked at Paimon's eyes shining. "Just remember to go easy on me, Paimon, I don't have that many Mora to treat you to dinner."

"I'll be careful about that..."

Paimon was aware of Kiana and the others' financial situation. If he were to freely consume all the Mora Kiana possessed, it certainly wouldn't be enough. Although the Adventurers' Guild received many more requests during the Lantern Festival, it was a major holiday, and even Sora wasn't keen on doing any requests at this time, let alone Kiana.

These past few days they've been living off their savings. If it weren't for Grandma Ping giving them a dust-song pot that solved their accommodation problem, they probably would have had to find a campsite in the wild to make do for the next few days.

Sora and Paimon joined the shopping group later. However, Sora, the only male among the group of beautiful girls, seemed to have some difficulty dealing with the glaring stares from all around.

Then, around noon, despite having made a reservation with Xiangling in advance, everyone still waited quite a while before finally taking their seats. Although Paimon had already discussed it with Paimon beforehand, and Paimon had subconsciously ordered less food, the table was still full of dishes after they were served, which made Paimon feel a little embarrassed.

Fortunately, Paimon ordered some large portions of delicious and affordable dishes, so the budget for the meal was still within a manageable range.

After dinner, feeling rather bored, Paimon suggested they go check on Ningguang. Given what had happened, Paimon was worried that this year's Sea Lantern Festival might not proceed smoothly.

On the way, Kiana explained to Kurumi what had happened a few days ago to satisfy Kurumi's restless curiosity. Afterwards, the group arrived near the Jade Palace and immediately saw Ningguang assigning tasks to her two secretaries. Seeing the two secretaries leave, Paimon seized the opportunity to call out to Ningguang.

"Miss Ningguang! Hehe, we're here to play again!"

He was much more polite than Paimon.

"Did I disturb you?"

"How can you say it's an intrusion when distinguished guests are here? Judging from your appearance, are you here in Liyue to prepare for the Lantern Festival?"

"Yes! What have you all been busy with for this year's Lantern Festival?"

Paimon was very curious about this year's Lantern Festival activities.

"It's the same old routine, all sorts of miscellaneous tasks. By the way, the General Affairs Department has planned a fireworks display this year, which is worth seeing. The Lantern Festival has always focused on releasing lanterns, but a lot has happened in Liyue recently. I think people need more warmth and a sense of unity. So I think that at least this year we should adopt a more special way of celebrating that is closer to everyone."

"So that's why you decided to hold a fireworks display?" Kiana asked.

“Yes.” Ningguang nodded. “The General Affairs Department has decided to send the fireworks to various parts of Liyue and light them all at appropriate times. Let the intense light and heat connect people’s emotions.

"Fireworks? Speaking of fireworks, we seem to have seen them in other places too." Paimon asked, recalling the enthusiastic girl he met in Inazuma, who was as warm as summer. "Is there anything special about Liyue's fireworks?"

"Fireworks originated from an invention in Liyue. When the ancestors of Liyue created fireworks, they named them 'firecrackers.' They could emit bright light and loud noise, and could be used to drive away poisonous snakes and wild beasts or to warn others. In the early days, people farmed far from home, and communication was inconvenient. Firecrackers, because they could make a loud noise, were used to transmit signals when necessary. After the official establishment of Liyue Harbor, people's lives improved, and they no longer had to travel hundreds of miles to farm. Gradually, they stopped relying on firecrackers for self-defense. However, the spirit of the ancestors who carried firecrackers and worked hard to cultivate the land was passed down and became a custom among the people."

"Firecrackers are the predecessor of fireworks. We improved firecrackers and set them off during the Lantern Festival to commemorate the fighting spirit of our ancestors."

"Who would have thought that the origin of firecrackers would evolve into this?"

"Greetings, Immortal Chiyuan, and Senior Cangxuan Zhishu." Ningguang quickly stepped forward and saluted upon hearing the voice. "I wonder what Senior Cangxuan Zhishu means? Is there something wrong with what I said about the origin of firecrackers?"

"It's not entirely wrong," Cang Xuanzhi said, swallowing the steamed bun in his hand and wiping his mouth. "The origin of firecrackers is partly as you said. As for the other half..."

At this point, Cang Xuanzhi paused, gesturing to Ningguang with his eyes. Ningguang naturally understood and ordered someone to bring in the finest meat buns, which were then handed to Cang Xuanzhi. After receiving the meat buns, Cang Xuanzhi swallowed hard, and while eating them, he continued to explain the origin of firecrackers.

"These firecrackers originated in a tribe called Shenzhou before Liyue was even established."

“I know that. The original Liyue Harbor was established by the people of Shenzhou, who were protected by the Crimson Phoenix, and the early settlers who followed the Emperor to this place. But... what does this have to do with firecrackers?”

"That's because there was a demon named Nian that was causing havoc in the human world near Shenzhou. It would come to Shenzhou to wreak havoc at a fixed time every year. Because it was cunning by nature, the Crimson Kite Immortal chased and intercepted it several times, but it always managed to escape danger. Later, one time the Crimson Kite Immortal was away on business and was delayed on the road for a few days. Inadvertently, Nian sneaked into the tribe. The people were terrified and stayed indoors. The demon also caused a great disturbance in Shenzhou until it passed by a courtyard and an accident happened."

"What accident?" Paimon asked nervously.

"Haha, it's nothing. It's just that someone in that courtyard was burning bamboo to make charcoal, and the sound of the burning bamboo somehow frightened the monster. The monster let out a strange cry and fled the tribe like the wind. From then on, every year when the New Year came, every household would burn bamboo to make a sound to scare away the monster. Later, after being improved by the Red Kite Immortal, it became firecrackers. The Red Kite Immortal eventually used firecrackers to drive the monster into a trap and kill it. Since then, people have called that day the New Year and designated it as the first day of the new year. This is the original origin of firecrackers, and also one of the origins of the later Lantern Festival."

"I've seen this saying in ancient books before.

I don't know when Shi Qing also came here.

"It is said that this was before the Demon God War in Liyue. However, because it is too far removed from the present, most of the ancient books that record this have been lost. I never imagined that fireworks, or rather firecrackers, were already associated with the Lantern Festival so early on."

“It looks like we have a few more extra jobs.”

"Indeed, but let's focus on the Lantern Festival for now. I wanted to tell you when I got back that we're short-staffed again for the festival..."

“I understand what you mean, but most of the Thousand Rock Army has already been deployed to security for the Lantern Festival, and we simply don’t have any more manpower available.”

"Um, why do I feel like I know exactly what's going to happen next?" Paimon said somewhat uneasily.

"So, Kong, could you please help me out for a while? Don't worry, the reward will be substantial."

"Ugh, I knew it! Can't we just relax and enjoy the Lantern Festival for once?!"

And so, amidst Paimon's complaints, the Lantern Festival officially began.