Finally, Yuto personally served Shenhe a large amount of dishes. Shenhe couldn't refuse Yuto and could only silently accept them.
It must be said that Shenhe actually had a very large appetite, but it was understandable. After all, her unusual strength and stunning figure would not be possible without sufficient energy replenishment.
During the meal, Shenhe suddenly asked, "Do you need me to do anything?"
"Huh?" Yuto was a bit bewildered, not understanding what Shenhe was asking.
"My master once warned me that no one is good to you for no reason. You've treated me to two meals and promised to use your Sharingan to create training illusions for me. You're so good to me, don't you need me to pay some price?"
"Oh, speaking of that, I actually do have something I need your help with right now."
"What is it?" Yuto's straightforward attitude actually made Shenhe feel a bit more at ease. After all, he genuinely needed her help. If Yuto truly asked for nothing in return, Shenhe would suspect him of having ulterior motives.
"Do you know Narukami Ogosho?"
Shenhe nodded and said, "Narukami Ogosho once had a very good relationship with Mountain Shaper, but I recall that he should have already passed away."
"That's right. After Narukami Ogosho passed away, his adeptal abode also fell into disuse. I heard there's a mingxia floating stone in his adeptal abode. This stone is very useful to me, but with my strength alone, I don't seem to be able to move it, so..."
"So you want me to help you retrieve this mingxia floating stone?"
"Exactly. I've already scouted that his adeptal abode is near Tianheng Mountain. However, adeptal abodes usually have some defensive mechanisms, and since the abode has been abandoned for a long time, some demons and evil spirits might have bred there."
"Okay, I agree." Shenhe's answer was very direct, without the slightest hesitation.
"Alright then, tomorrow morning, we'll go and retrieve that stone."
After eating and drinking to their fill, Yuto paid 50,000 Mora for the meal in advance. Although Chef Mao had said earlier that he would treat them, Yuto clearly didn't take it seriously and engaged in a very representative Liyue-style exchange of courtesies and refusals when leaving.
In the end, Yuto did not spend any money when bidding farewell to Chef Mao, and Chef Mao later found the Mora Yuto had left behind when clearing the tables.
This left Shenhe, who didn't understand social etiquette, full of questions. It seemed Shenhe still had a long way to go before truly integrating into human society.
After eating, Yuto decided to arrange a hotel for Shenhe to stay in. Although Shenhe said she could meditate outdoors for a night, Yuto decisively rejected the idea.
As Yuto was leading Shenhe to find a hotel, they happened to pass by the Heyu Tea House downstairs.
The Heyu Tea House is definitely one of the most popular places for Liyue people. It is located in a prime spot among the pavilions in central Liyue, and it also has a stage inside for storytelling, singing, and performances. Liyue's famous opera troupe, the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, is affiliated with the Heyu Tea House.
When there are no performances, one can sit on the high platform and leisurely enjoy the sea view of Liyue Harbor. When there are performances, one can enjoy tea while listening to stories and songs.
Those with money can naturally sit in the front seats, drinking tea and having some snacks. Those without money don't need to worry; they just need to arrive early to secure a seat at the back, and standing to listen is also a pleasure. If the performance on stage is good enough, one can give appropriate tips, similar to live streaming tips in later generations.
In this world without mobile phones, internet, and a lack of entertainment, people work hard during the day to support their families, and at night, the performances at the Heyu Tea House can be said to be one of the rare forms of entertainment for the people of Liyue.
When Yuto and Shenhe passed by, the Heyu Tea House was already packed, with people even standing downstairs. Even if they couldn't see the performance, listening with their ears was a form of entertainment.
It was precisely for this reason that, although there were many spectators, everyone tacitly spoke in hushed tones. Only during some exciting plot points would the audience below burst into enthusiastic cheers.
At this time, a storytelling session was taking place on stage. The storyteller was the famous Liyue tea scholar, Liu Su. Originally, Yuto had no interest in listening to stories and was about to leave with Shenhe, but the storyteller happened to begin a new story, titled "the divine damsel of devastation."
(Note: the divine damsel of devastation here is the storytelling version, not the opera version performed by Yun Jin. I re-read Shenhe's Story Quest, and Yun Jin said that her father created this story based on folk legends, meaning the story existed first, and then came the later, shocking opera version.)
It was hearing this name that made Yuto stop downstairs and look up. Shenhe, seeing this, also stopped and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
"Let's listen to a bit of storytelling first. It might be helpful to you."
"Storytelling?"
Although Shenhe was puzzled, she silently followed Yuto towards the Heyu Tea House. Since there were too many spectators at the moment, they couldn't squeeze in. Yuto and Shenhe stood downstairs and listened, as it didn't greatly affect their hearing.
A heroic legend of a divine monster and an adeptal maiden was slowly recounted by the storyteller.
Legend has it that near Tianheng Mountain, there was a prosperous village where a particularly loving couple lived. One day, a terrifying monster suddenly appeared. The wife, who was out gathering herbs, was captured by the monster. The husband was heartbroken and soon became deranged.
The monster arrogantly told the villagers: "If you want to save your lives, sacrifice the children in the village to me!" The monster's power made the villagers greatly fear it, and they could only obey its demands.
Just as they were discussing whose child to offer to the monster, a young girl suddenly stepped forward. She carried a demon-slaying sword and, pretending to be very scared, walked to the monster's lair. Then, she boldly attacked. After a bitter struggle, she finally defeated the monster.
Later, because of her exceptional talent, she was taken in by an Adeptus, creating a beautiful legend. It's just a pity that the divine and mortal realms are forever separated, and she has since been unable to re-enter the mundane world.
(Ah, I once thought about creating my own storytelling version of the divine damsel of devastation, but alas, my skill is not enough. If there were a talented reader who could supplement it, that would be great.
the divine damsel of devastation is my favorite allogene PV. I highly recommend anyone who hasn't seen it to watch it, preferably after experiencing the entire storyline.)
Tea Scholar Liu Su, as Liyue's top storyteller, naturally described this story vividly, with twists and turns, drawing continuous cheers from the audience below.
At the end of the story, Liu Su also mentioned that Mr. Yun of Liyue's famous opera troupe, the Yun-Han Opera Troupe, was currently rehearsing the new opera "the divine damsel of devastation," and that people from all walks of life were welcome to come and watch when it premiered.
Goodness, a new play that hasn't even finished rehearsals, and they're already laying the groundwork and promoting it so early? Fan Erye, the owner of Heyu Tea House, truly puts in a lot of effort for the Yun-Han Opera Troupe affiliated with his tea house.
After all, as long as Yun Jin sings once at the Heyu Tea House, hey, the net profit in Mora would be enough for the tea house to not open for a month!
For such a cash cow, one naturally has to treat her with wholehearted dedication.
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