From the information Chongyun provided, they learned that the Stove God had once appeared in the Guili Assembly.
However, the present-day Guili Assembly was now largely uninhabited—just a desolate wilderness.
That said, near the Guili Plains stood Wangshu Inn, the oldest intact structure in the area.
If there were any ancient texts nearby, they would likely have been sent there.
The group soon arrived at the inn.
They split into two teams: Mu Yang went to find the manager, while the others headed to the kitchen to ask Yanxiao.
Yanxiao turned around. "Huh? Isn't this Lumine? And these are...?"
"Our friends Xiangling, Guoba, and Keqing."
"Keqing?! As in the Liyue Qixing's... that...?"
The sudden appearance of the famed Yuheng Star of the Liyue Qixing threw Yanxiao into a panic.
After all, he was a former notorious bandit who had turned over a new leaf!
Could she be here to arrest him?
"Don't worry, Yanxiao." Paimon gestured for him to calm down.
"Hello." Keqing was very friendly.
Yanxiao steadied himself, confirming they weren't here to apprehend him.
Trying to save face, he said, "A small fry like me... this is the first time I've met someone as important as the Yuheng Star."
Xiangling didn't speak but observed Yanxiao closely.
Her assessment:
A healthy physique, strong wrists, honest eyes... definitely a good cook!
Yanxiao asked Keqing if they were here to eat or if they needed something from him.
Keqing explained they were searching for clues about the Stove God.
"Does this inn have a library? Are there any records about the Stove God?"
Yanxiao confirmed there was indeed a library with many old texts—he had even flipped through some recipe books there.
With that, he got up to search.
Before long, he returned with an ancient volume in hand.
Xiangling and Keqing pored over the book together.
Meanwhile, Lumine and Paimon went upstairs to find Mu Yang.
Mu Yang shook his head slightly—the manager also believed the Stove God was Rex Lapis.
However, there were many ancient texts available, and they were free to browse.
After all, this was Ningguang's territory.
And Ningguang had long since given Mu Yang unrestricted access.
Lumine said, "No need, Yanxiao already found something."
"In that case, we'll wait here."
Paimon suddenly had an idea. "Speaking of which, Xiao lives here too, right?"
"We already know the tastes of the adepti in Chenyu Vale. Should we have Xiangling ask about the preferences of Liyue Harbor's adepti as well?"
Lumine thought for a moment. "Preferences... Xiao only eats Almond Tofu, doesn't he?"
"But it wouldn't hurt to ask."
So Paimon flew down to fetch Xiangling, while Lumine and Mu Yang went up to Wangshu Inn's rooftop terrace.
Xiao appeared as abruptly as ever.
"The two of you together—has something happened in Liyue Harbor again?"
Lumine explained the situation to him.
Just then, Xiangling arrived.
"Hello, Adeptus Xiao. I'm Xiangling."
Xiao merely nodded. "Mn."
Having been acquainted with Mu Yang, an adeptus, for some time, Xiangling didn't react with shock.
Instead, she asked Xiao about his preferences as a diner.
"I have little interest in mortal food. Cooking is tedious, and the wait is long. Only Almond Tofu is barely palatable."
Xiangling noted this down. "Only Almond Tofu?"
"Mn." Xiao refused to elaborate further.
"Rather than asking me, you'd do better to ask Mu Yang. He's more knowledgeable in this regard."
——————
Meanwhile, during the scene...
Guinaifen had finally noticed what she believed to be a shocking detail.
Ever since realizing how active Guoba had been during the event, she had been keeping an eye on it.
This time, no matter who was speaking, Guoba kept stealing the spotlight in the background—now even more prominently.
"Folks, Guoba is seriously acting strange. Did you see that just now? Guoba greeted Xiao!"
"Xiangling clearly hasn't met Xiao before, but Guoba was so enthusiastic, just like when it saw Mu Yang."
Guinaifen continued her analysis.
"Xiao didn't respond, and Guoba immediately looked dejected."
"If you ask me, Guoba's identity is definitely suspicious—it's at least an adeptus."
[Why not say Guoba is the Stove God? That would fit!]
[No way, seriously??]
[LMAO, Diluc mains really out here trying to hype him up]
[I support this—Guoba's screen time is definitely notable]
"Damn—would miHoYo actually go this route?"
"Xiangling, you're something else. Dominating the Abyss is one thing, but even the story too?"
——————
Having said his piece, Xiao left without giving Mu Yang and the others a chance to stop him.
There were too many people here—he disliked such situations.
By now, Keqing had finished her investigation.
This time, they had more leads than from Xingqiu's earlier information.
The text read:
Two hundred li northwest lies the Guili Assembly, where many settlements gathered. The people hunted, farmed, and wove for their livelihood.
When the Stove God descended, his form multiplied, standing no taller than a child.
Like stars falling to earth, they scattered among countless households to aid in lighting fires.
With this fire, the people learned to cook warm meals, prepare soups, and roast meat.
Everyone present shared their thoughts, agreeing that the Stove God was a very approachable deity.
This completely contradicted the "Stove God as Rex Lapis" theory.
Keqing grew even more curious about the truth.
After a day of investigation, it was now dinnertime.
Yanxiao suggested preparing a feast for the Yuheng Star to sample his skills.
Xiangling placed her hands on her hips—she greatly approved of Yanxiao's confidence.
Keqing, as a noble lady holding high office, had tasted countless delicacies.
Yet Yanxiao was so self-assured that he could satisfy her palate.
Xiangling admired confident chefs—they produced good work.
"I want to try his cooking!" She was already looking forward to it.
With Xiangling's endorsement, Keqing agreed.
"Such hospitality is hard to refuse. Yanxiao, we await your culinary artistry."
"Haha, just you wait and see!"
Lumine, familiar with the place, found them seats downstairs.
Xiangling glanced around and noticed someone missing. "Where's Mu Yang?"
Lumine replied, "He seems to be tinkering with something in the kitchen."
Paimon rubbed her hands excitedly, drooling.
"Could he be preparing some secret feast for us?"
Lumine shook her head. "No. Since Yanxiao said he'd cook, Mu Yang definitely won't interfere."
Meanwhile, atop Wangshu Inn...
On the table lay a plate of Almond Tofu that Mu Yang had prepared for Xiao...