flstandardbreds Chapter 171 The Lantern After a Year (4)
Chapter 171 The Lantern After a Year (4)
Xuan Yue, carrying a Mora bag, strolled through the market, looking around at different places, enjoying the lively atmosphere.
"What should I buy? Never mind, I'll just buy a little of everything. That place is dark and empty anyway, there's nothing there. Let me see… Oh! 'Flowers in Full Bloom,' tea cakes, and…" Xuan Yue's gaze also fell on the grilled tigerfish displayed at Yi Nian's stall, and her thoughts drifted away…
"...I...miss you all so much..."
Even the most solid rock will bear the marks of time; that's the price.
"This... never mind." Xuan Yue looked away and left the stall. Even if there was only a one in ten thousand chance, he shouldn't cross that line, because his condition couldn't afford to deteriorate any further...
He can't wait...
However, he didn't notice that the familiar golden figure in front of the stall had just passed by by chance.
"Delicious!" Paimon ate with his mouth full of oil, forgetting to take a tissue to wipe it off.
"It tastes really good. Paimon is quite knowledgeable about food."
"Of course, I'm your best guide."
Paimon stood proudly with one hand on his hip and the other holding a grilled fish, looking exceptionally smug.
"Haha, you guys enjoy your meal. I need to go serve the other guests. If you'd like some more, just come over and order. You're welcome anytime."
Yi Nian was particularly pleased; the affirmation of his food was an acknowledgment of his culinary skills. Delicious food was his most persistent pursuit.
Since there were other people waiting to order, Sora and Paimon carried the food and walked back to Miss Ya to report back.
Since the commission has already been accepted, it's only right that the task be returned.
"You're back! How was it? Yinian's cooking, wasn't it pretty good?"
The moment I saw them, I knew my recommendation was right. After all, Paimon's mouth was full of oil, and he still had two skewers of grilled tigerfish in his left hand and a half-eaten skewer in his right.
Even Kong himself still had a string of coins he hadn't touched.
Yi Nian's craftsmanship is truly exceptional.
"Hmm, very good. But it seems that Yi Nian doesn't want to listen to your suggestions." Kong reported Yi Nian's attitude truthfully, but Wang Ya's reaction seemed to be expected.
"Really? He said the same thing last year... If he had followed our advice on advertising, the revenue should have been much higher."
Paimon: "So that's how it is..."
"Never mind, don't worry about it. Here, the gift we agreed on, this 'Sky Lantern' is for you." Wang Ya took a delicate little lantern from a wooden box next to her and handed it to them.
This is what she called the "sky lantern".
Paimon: "Wow, what a beautiful lamp! How was it made?"
"Hmm... I can't explain the method of weaving it in a short time."
Wang Ya: "If you are interested in the 'Xiao Deng', you can go ask Jing Ming over there. He is the person in charge of the 'Xiao Deng' and the 'Ming Xiao Deng'."
Paimon: "Is he in charge of that really huge light too?"
Wang Ya: "Yes, he should be nearby, so it should be easy to find him."
"Paimon, do you want to learn how to make lanterns?" Kong asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Hmm, didn't you say Xiao was a bit unhappy lately? If I could make a 'fairy lantern' for him myself, maybe he'd cheer up."
"...That's a solution, let's go then."
On the other side, Xuan Yue's bag was already filled with all sorts of things.
He bought some food, household items, and toys.
But I always felt like he had forgotten something. What was it?
"Look, look! My mom made me a lantern, and it even has deer embroidered on it. Isn't it beautiful!" A little girl was showing off her lantern to her friends, very proud of it.
"Wow! Really, it's so beautiful. Your mom is amazing! Can you teach me? I want to make one for my mom. Oh, and for my dad too." A little boy looked at the little girl with pleading eyes, hoping to get her permission.
"...I'll take you to ask my mother. I don't know if she'll agree."
Even after the group of children had gone far away, Xuan Yue's gaze remained fixed on the departing lantern.
“The lantern…that’s right, it’s the lantern!” Xuan Yue slapped his forehead, only then realizing that he had forgotten something.
How can the Lantern Festival not include lanterns? But he doesn't know how to make one. Should he buy one? Would Xuan Qing mind? Or should he make one himself? He doesn't know how! But he can learn!
As she pondered this, Xuan Yue ran towards the city, her destination being the "Hall of Rebirth" not far away.
In Liyue, everyone knows that the guest elders of the Hall of Rebirth are all-knowing and all-powerful, possessing profound knowledge of the past and present.
But at this moment—
"Sigh, I give up on Morax." Xuan Qing rarely showed his willingness to give up. Beside him was a pile of broken materials and some scraps of cloth.
Any Liyue resident could recognize these as materials for making Sky Lanterns, but judging from the scraps on the table, there are probably more than a hundred portions here.
"Strange, you can handle formations, talisman drawing, and weapon forging with ease, so your practical skills shouldn't be lacking." This stumped Zhongli as well. He originally thought that making two lanterns in an hour would be more than enough, but now he's probably in debt for a hundred.
"If you know some theoretical knowledge about formations, you can apply them. The more you use them, the more proficient you become. Drawing talismans is the same principle. There are diagrams and detailed explanations of how to use them in books. Refining weapons is even simpler. It all comes down to the combination and control of elemental forces."
“But this…” Xuan Qing pointed to the pile of junk in front of him and said, “I’m really no good at this. My hands and brain are not on the same wavelength.”
“…Let me think of another way. Hmm?” Zhongli sensed someone knocking on the door downstairs.
Could they be guests? But why would someone be holding a funeral during the Lantern Festival?
Although Zhongli thought so, she still went downstairs to open the door. What came into view was a head of golden hair, and then a pair of heterochromatic eyes.
"..." Zhongli fell silent for once, but still calmly greeted Xuan Yue: "Jin Xuan, what's wrong..."
Xuanqing, who was upstairs, naturally heard Zhongli's words.
Startled, his body immediately turned transparent again, then transformed into a crystal butterfly and flew out of the window.
Why not use telepathy? Because Xuan Yue's power has surpassed that of Morax. If they used telepathy, it would be no different from speaking to his face in Xuan Yue's eyes.
"Didn't you write to me and tell me to come back? Hu Tang is going to host a dinner party, but you didn't tell me in advance, and I almost missed it."
"So you're here to see the sect leader? She's still catching up on sleep, and if you come now, she'll..."
"Going to sleep? That's fine. I came here to find you anyway." Xuan Yue said, handing over a black bag containing materials for making lanterns that he had bought from a shop along the way.
He was worried he wouldn't do a good job, so he bought dozens more portions, which startled the shop owner. He said he was only the second person he'd ever seen buy materials so frantically.
"These are... materials for making lanterns. Do you want me to teach you how to make lanterns?"
"Yes, think about it. The 'Void' is nothing but endless darkness; I plan to make a few lanterns to take in and keep Xuanqing entertained."
“I’ve checked it out. The fabric on these lanterns can be embroidered. But I don’t know how to embroider, and it’s too late to learn now. So before I came, in addition to buying the materials, I also asked a few embroiderers to help me embroider some patterns. So now all I need to do is learn how to make the lanterns.”
Xuan Yue was already imagining how happy Xuan Qing would be when he received these lanterns, whether he would come up and give him a hug, or...
But Zhongli wasn't so happy at the moment. Heaven knows he had already exhausted most of his energy today with these so-called lantern materials.
However, he was still willing to teach Xuan Yue if she wanted to learn. He no longer had such high expectations; as long as she could make even one lamp, it would be a success...