"Even more delicious grilled ribs?!" Klee and Paimon exclaimed in unison, their mouths slightly open, practically drooling.
"Ahem, Xiangling," Paimon rubbed her hands together, flashing a sweet smile. "Once your ribs are done… could you maybe share some with us?"
"Sure! I can even invite you to be my taste testers!" Xiangling replied cheerfully. "But I still haven't caught a wild boar, and I don't have all the veggies and seasonings I need." She looked a bit troubled. "I'm planning to use only local Mondstadt ingredients for this dish—that way, that stuck-up chef will have to admit I'm better!"
"No problem! Leave the ingredients to us!" Paimon puffed out her chest proudly, then flew up to Lumine. "See? We just have to help her find the ingredients, and we get a free gourmet meal! Pretty sweet deal, huh?"
"Klee wants to help too!"
Watching the two foodies spring to life at the mention of food, the rest of the group could only smile helplessly. In the end, they decided to split up—Shen Qin, Albedo, Sucrose, and Rosaria would go collect data at the Anemo Statue, while the others followed Xiangling to gather ingredients. They would regroup later in Springvale.
After separating, Albedo spoke up. "Did you notice? Xiangling has a Vision. Judging by the design, it seems to be from Liyue's Geo Archon. But… why would someone with a Vision be chased by wild boars?"
"Hah, you don't need to be suspicious of her," Shen Qin chuckled. "Xiangling is a top chef at the Wanmin Restaurant in Liyue. She's incredibly skilled. Her biggest hobby is traveling around Teyvat searching for new ingredients to inspire new dishes. It's not surprising to find her anywhere."
"As for not using her Vision… she probably just forgot. She's so devoted to cooking, she might only use her Vision to control cooking flames."
Albedo nodded thoughtfully. "A truly pure-hearted person."
Perhaps only someone that pure could draw a god's attention and be granted a Vision.
Thanks to their prior experience, Shen Qin's team collected the data quickly. Within fifteen minutes, they arrived back at Springvale, but the others hadn't returned yet. So, they sat down on the grassy hill at the village's edge to brainstorm the shield system design.
"I'm confident I can replicate the structure of a teleport waypoint. From there, we could reverse-engineer the Statue of the Seven's structure. But the materials might be tricky. We don't even know the basic components of something that can conduct ley line energy," Albedo noted.
"I actually have a lead on that," Shen Qin said. "Have you ever heard of Lumenstone from The Chasm in Liyue?"
"I've heard of it," Albedo replied. "It's said to be a very rare mineral, right?"
"Exactly," Sucrose added. "Lumenstone is extremely rare, and only found in The Chasm. Some people in Liyue can use its special properties, but otherwise, it's useless—just a collector's item for the wealthy. It's not even traded in markets."
"I once heard it's 'alive,' so I studied it a bit—but found nothing useful. I probably left it somewhere at home. I'll look for it later."
Shen Qin nodded. "I'll also ask Diluc—he might have some in his estate."
"Alright. Let's revisit the materials issue once we get the Lumenstone. Now, we have to solve another major problem—shield durability," Albedo said, rubbing his temples.
"A single-layer shield can only hold so much. It might weaken Dvalin's attacks layer by layer, but if he hits it with a high-energy blast all at once, it won't hold."
"I've considered that," Shen Qin replied confidently. "As long as we add a strong enough buff to the shield, Dvalin definitely won't be able to break through."
"Buff?" Sucrose tilted her head. "What's that?"
"Oh, it's a Liyue slang term. In Mondstadt language, it means a 'positive effect.'"
Albedo chuckled. "Looks like you've got this figured out. Alright, let's go over the remaining details…"
They continued to discuss the technical aspects until about an hour later, when Xiangling's group finally returned.
Xiangling marched straight into the restaurant where she'd eaten earlier and challenged the chef. Five minutes later, she came out grinning. "Hmph, she accepted the challenge. She'll regret looking down on me—just wait until 8 PM!"
"Wait, what?!" Paimon's eyes widened. "Why 8 PM?!"
"Because there are still customers before then," Xiangling said matter-of-factly.
"Klee's gonna starve before then!"
"Yeah, Paimon too!" The two foodies looked pitiful.
"Can't you guys eat something else to tide you over?" Shen Qin lightly bonked Klee on the head. "Why wait until the showdown to eat?"
"But, but… Xiangling is a famous chef from Liyue! People line up every day at her restaurant for her food! I want to save room for the good stuff!" Klee said earnestly.
"Aww, I didn't know you guys were looking forward to it that much…" Xiangling scratched her head, flustered. "Tell you what, I'll whip up some tasty snacks to fill you up halfway before the match. Afterward, I'll make sure you're stuffed!"
Klee and Paimon exchanged a glance and high-fived. "Yay!"
They found an open spot on a hill south of the village and borrowed some cooking tools from the villagers. Xiangling began cooking with the ingredients they'd gathered.
But watching her toss all kinds of bizarre things into her dishes made everyone a little uneasy.
Sucrose: "Huh? Why are you putting Slime Condensate in there? Is that… edible?"
Albedo: "That's a lot of Jueyun Chilis… hmm, I think I'll stay back when the food's served."
Venti: "Hey, hey! I know you have cooking freedom and all, but isn't this a little too free?"
Klee: "Lizard tails? Aren't those for making explosives?"
Rosaria: "I've eaten… questionable things in my bandit days, but never anything this gross."
Shen Qin: "I know the final result will be delicious, but watching the process… ouch, my eyes."
Paimon: "Wooow! Everything looks super tasty!"
Lumine: "…Paimon, do you have to eat everything?"
And then, one by one, the colorful, aromatic, mouthwatering dishes were served.
Everyone: "Smells amazing!"