Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

Xiangling darted out with a plate of food in her hands, Guoba perched on her head balancing another dish. As soon as she spotted Gu Sanqiu, her eyes lit up, and she rushed over, waving her spatula.

"Captain! Your ingredients are amazing! I've never seen some of them before, and even the ones I do recognize are of the highest quality!"

Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Can I buy some from you? I'd love to use them for Wanmin Restaurant's special festival dishes!"

Gu Sanqiu shook his head, gesturing toward the plate of Jueyun Chili Stir-fried Pork in Guoba's hands.

"These ingredients contain spiritual energy—or elemental energy, if you will. Even practitioners like us have to eat them in moderation, let alone ordinary people."

He continued, "Take this dish, for example. At most, you could use a tiny piece, finely diced, to flavor a bowl of Wanmin's signature boiled fish soup. Using these on a larger scale just isn't feasible for widespread restaurant use."

Maybe someday, Gu Sanqiu thought, when these ingredients can flow freely through Liyue's culinary industry, becoming staples for every household, Liyue's unification of Teyvat wouldn't be far off.

At that point, even if someone plotted sabotage or resorted to petty schemes like kidnapping heirs to powerful clans, a squad of ordinary kids raised on these ingredients could easily take them down.

Gu Sanqiu shook his head, dismissing the thought. For now, he could only share these ingredients with close friends. Broadly distributing them in Liyue Harbor would inevitably lead to uncontrolled exports, attracting all kinds of troublemakers.

After all, the Gu family had stepped down from their position as leaders in the mystic arts to enjoy life as affluent merchants in Liyue for a reason.

"No wonder Guoba loves them so much—they're so nutritious!" Xiangling marveled.

Ordinarily, Guoba might steal a bite or two for fun. But today, it had gone as far as grabbing entire plates, which was rare indeed.

Turning around, Xiangling noticed two empty plates and Guoba's frozen expression as he pretended nothing had happened.

"Guoba!"

[○`Д′○]

Gu Sanqiu glanced at the creature he technically owed reverence to as an elder ancestor and nodded inwardly. His plan was working perfectly.

By custom, the host shouldn't let guests cook, but Guoba had practically fled at the sight of Gu Sanqiu entering the kitchen, as though his life depended on it.

So, Sanqiu had taken out his prized ingredients, handed them to Xiangling, and let her handle the cooking. Meanwhile, he enjoyed spectating the mahjong game outside.

His plan was flawless—let Guoba experience what high-quality ingredients could offer. Then, he'd seize an opportunity to cook something himself. With any luck, the "Dark Cuisine Master" legacy would finally shift away from the Gu family.

Even so, Sanqiu couldn't help but reflect. Given the inherent limitations of any ingredients, how had one of his ancestors managed to craft food so foul that it left such a lasting impression on Guoba?

Well, considering the ancestor in question was a Gu family member of the Perfume tradition, eccentricity was practically a given.

"Big sis, are you guys done yet? Dinner's ready," Gu Sanqiu called over to Ningguang and the others at the oversized stone table he had crafted for the occasion.

The battlefield, however, looked as intense as ever.

"Gu, Hall Master, since dinner is ready, why not go ahead and eat first?" Zhongli suggested, raising his gaze. "We still have some matters to resolve here."

"At the rate you're going, this won't end anytime soon!" Hu Tao retorted, arms crossed. "I can already tell this match isn't ending anytime soon."

"Simple," Sanqiu said, rolling up his sleeves. "I'll smash the table in half. That'll speed things up for sure."

"Hmm?"

Ningguang and Beidou turned their authoritative glares on him.

"I was wrong."

Sanqiu immediately backtracked. "You ladies continue. I'll whip up a quick meal and bring it over."

Perfect. He could sneak a dish for Guoba while he was at it. If no opportunities presented themselves, he'd just create one—brilliant!

"Let's go. It's clear this match isn't wrapping up anytime soon," Xingqiu sighed. Even with his sharp intellect, watching the game as an outsider was exhausting.

"Right. Looks like they've met their match."

Xinyan shook her head in agreement. It reminded her of meeting a fellow rock enthusiast—an endless exchange of ideas, extending late into the night.

Sanqiu stroked his chin, already considering whether to ban Liyue Millennium from future gatherings. The game was an incredible time sink and a mental marathon—people could easily play for days on end.

Hu Tao, Xingqiu, and Chongyun began setting the table, while Xiangling sat at the head, keeping a vigilant eye on Guoba to protect their hard-earned dishes.

"Help yourselves. We're all friends here."

Sanqiu set down a pitcher of fruit juice and retreated into the kitchen. "I'll make something quick for my sister and her group."

Guoba, initially looking terrified, quickly relaxed as he glanced at the feast laid out before him. Soon, he was swaying happily in his seat.

"Chomp chomp~"

Large flames leaped from the wok, accompanied by the fragrant blend of spices. Sanqiu deftly tossed all the ingredients into the pan. Using wind elemental energy, he controlled the distance between the ingredients and the flames, ensuring their integrity.

"Feels more like alchemy than cooking," he muttered to himself.

---

"Here's your curry omelet rice!"

Sanqiu emerged with a wooden tray. Using elemental energy, he formed small crystalline pedestals around the four players to hold their dishes.

"The sauces are in the jars. Just pour as much as you like."

"Thank you, Gu," Zhongli said, nodding. His gaze lingered on the delicate omelet atop the rice. The gentle breeze teased the edges of the egg, making it tremble slightly without breaking.

"An intriguing ingredient."

Just as the others resumed their strategic standoff, Zhongli decided to observe from the sidelines, savoring the meal.

However, just as he picked up a small knife to cut into the dish, a tiny, round hand tugged at his pants.

"!!?"

Guoba's expression was one of abject terror, though his hands moved with determination.

"Guoba! What are you doing?!"

---

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