Originally, Ningzhe's attitude towards the dish of Xian Tiaoqiang was indifferent.

I don't like to eat, and I don't hate eating either. The only reason that defines the difference between the two is how Ningzhe was feeling at the time.

And starting from today, Ningzhe has a new definition of immortal jumping over the wall.

The super-concentrated version of Jueyun chili spread in Ningzhe's taste buds, and when paired with some horsetail grown in Dihuazhou, the hot and weird taste exploded in his mouth like bouncing bombs.

In a daze, bits and pieces of the past seemed to appear in Ningzhe's eyes...

Liyue Port, Mondstadt City, Xumi Order...

The places he had traveled to were replayed in his mind like a lantern.

When he was dying, Ningzhe opened his mouth with all his strength and spoke extremely weakly:

"I...my manuscript hasn't been handed in yet..."

Then, he rolled his eyes and fainted on the table.

"..."

Shen He's hand holding the chopsticks shook. The scene in front of her was something she had not seen in the past decades.

Didn't you say that you would bring her to taste delicious food? Why did she fall down while tasting it?

Next to the fallen man, Ning Yu and Chongyun were still smiling, as if nothing had happened, talking and laughing as they ate the remaining boiled fish and braised pork belly.

A body of pure yang, a heart of purity...these three people are rated higher by the immortals one by one.

But look at them now, they look like rebellious teenagers playing pranks on each other.

Is this the young generation that the immortals have high hopes for...

Even with Shen He's cultivation, he couldn't help his eyelids twitching.

"call..."

Taking a long breath, Shen He suddenly understood.

Then, she also followed Ning Yu and Chongyun's example, ignoring Ningzhe who was still lying on the table, and ate the pot of fairy jumping over the wall in front of her without changing her expression.

Um?

A piece of stewed wild boar meat entered his belly, and a look of surprise appeared on Shen He's indifferent face.

It's really delicious...

Afterwards, she completely forgot about Ningzhe, focused all her attention on the fairy jump wall, and started to enjoy the meal.

...

I don’t know how long later, Yunhai Bookstore.

Ningzhe didn't know how he returned to the bookstore.

He only knew that when he opened his eyes, he saw a familiar room.

Familiar wooden table, wooden chairs, a few pieces of manuscript paper scattered on the ground...

At first glance, yes, it is my own room.

But looking over the next second, Ningzhe suddenly found an old man with white hair sitting on the chair.

The old man's appearance was exactly the same as what Ningzhe had seen in his dream before.

"...woke up?"

Seeing Ningzhe open his eyes, the white-haired old man turned his head, with a slight smile in his eyes as clear as the sky.

"You were...asked me the question on the chessboard..."

"good."

"But this isn't..."

Ningzhe, who was still a little confused at first, suddenly became alert. He carefully observed the surrounding environment.

"Don't look, this is not your bookstore."

The white-haired old man seemed to like seeing Ningzhe's surprised look, and couldn't stop the smile on his face.

"I see...Is this a dream?"

Seemingly seeing the current situation clearly, Ningzhe also put aside other small thoughts and spoke respectfully: "If this is the case, then... I have a few questions, I dare to ask you."

"Okay, tell me."

The white-haired old man seemed to be in a very good mood.

"First, who are you?"

"who I am?"

The white-haired old man didn't seem to expect that the boy asked so directly, and was stunned for a few seconds.

Then, the white-haired old man shook his head and said calmly: "I can tell you the answer to this question."

"However... after learning the truth, you will be shouldering a considerable mission, and it may even change your life."

"Even so, are you still willing?"

mission?

This time it was Ningzhe's turn to be stunned for a moment, the word and the meaning behind it kept flashing in his mind.

Minute by second, time passes quietly.

Seeing Ningzhe's hesitation, the white-haired old man didn't make any move and just looked at him quietly.

"...I'm sorry. I'm just a mortal and can't make such a promise to my senior."

After a long silence, Ningzhe bowed slightly and spoke apologetically.

"hehe..."

The white-haired old man just smiled without saying much.

"Then...the second question. Before I was about to tell the answer, the huge rock element suddenly appeared last time...what happened?"

Rock element?

As if he had already guessed that Ningzhe was going to ask this question, the white-haired old man just shook his head gently, then looked at him and said in a calm tone: "You should have a guess in your mind about this answer..."

"Yes, but I need the truth, the real truth."

Ningzhe's eyes were surprisingly serious, completely different from his usual self.

"..."

The white-haired old man fell silent, seeming to be making some kind of decision.

Ningzhe also said nothing and just looked at the white-haired old man.

[Dream] is too important to him.

This is Ningzhe's biggest secret in the entire Teyvat continent, besides his own memory.

The surging rock element last time was so powerful that it even blocked his senses. He was unable to notice what was happening outside.

When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to reality.

"...That's all."

After a long time, the white-haired old man finally let out a long sigh and said, "As you guessed, the rock element that appeared that day... was the work of Morax."

Morax!

"Sure enough...is it the old man?"

Ningzhe's expression was complicated, and he gently lowered his raised hand.

For him, a "mortal", the impact of this incident is self-evident.

Because once this is confirmed, the [dream] will no longer be an ordinary dream.

Morax was known as the "God of War" in ancient times. Now, after thousands of years of accumulation, he still intervenes in his dreams?

So... in a sense, this white-haired old man is on the same level as Morax.

In other words, this person is enough to make Morax feel a little troublesome.

"Last question, you..."

After coming back to his senses, Ningzhe raised his eyes and spoke softly.

However, before he finished speaking, the surrounding scene suddenly began to deconstruct.

The speed of deconstruction was very fast. By the time Ningzhe reacted, two-thirds of the entire room had disappeared, leaving a blank space.

"It seems... there is no chance this time."

Compared to Ningzhe, who was a little panicked, the white-haired old man could see clearly, and the smile on his face never stopped.

"Remember, young man."
To be continued...