Chapitre 306: Chapter 306: The Stars in My Grasp
"That was terrifying! What a scary person!" Mona patted her chest, exhaling in relief.
"Haha, is the great astrologist Mona scared?" Nolan teased.
"What nonsense! Me, scared? Once I get stronger and my astrology improves, I'll be able to read anything I want!" Mona blushed, clearly irked at being underestimated.
"Speaking of which, what was the Abyss Order doing here anyway? Xiao left so quickly, I forgot to ask." After laughing, Nolan grew a bit curious.
If he remembered right, there were only two treasures of the Salt power sealed in the area's ruins that would interest the Abyss Order. But maybe it was best not to overthink it.
After all, those ruins were sealed by the Geo Archon himself, and getting in would be tough without guidance from Zhongli. Even the Abyss Order's teleportation network wouldn't be able to bypass such a powerful barrier.
"Hmph, don't even think about tricking me into reading any more strange things. If you're that curious, go ask him yourself," Mona said. She was already wary of delving into high-level mysteries; if she happened upon some dangerous figure in her readings, it could spell trouble.
And, given her talent, there was no reason her divinations wouldn't yield answers, so she wasn't about to risk her safety.
"Don't worry, I wasn't suggesting you read it. Just curious, is all." Nolan chuckled, then added, "We should get moving. It's still early in the night, so we can cover some more ground."
…
At Stone Gate
Nolan returned to the small town where he'd first arrived in Liyue.
Although it wasn't as lively as Liyue Harbor at night, the streets were warmly lit and bustling with various stalls—food carts, tea stands, and more.
"Mona, are you hungry?" Nolan asked as they strolled side by side through the street.
It had been hours since their last meal, and he'd also been through a fight. Though, to be fair, his energy reserves were holding up thanks to his "Battery Body." Really, the delicious aroma of food stalls had him feeling a bit peckish.
"Restraining desires is part of training. How can I ruin my cultivation over something as petty as hunger?" Mona replied with a huff.
She once lived off meager Mora, surviving on just bread for a month straight without complaint. If she let herself be swayed by these tempting foods now, she might lose her discipline and struggle to go back to bread.
"Alright then, I'll buy some for myself!" Nolan nodded in understanding, then stopped at a nearby stand to buy a few skewers of grilled meat.
"Why buy so much if it's just for you?" Mona asked, puzzled.
"Because if I indulge fully now, I won't feel tempted again for a while," Nolan explained.
He'd done the same thing back on Earth; if he got a craving, he'd buy a ton at once to satisfy it completely, and that'd curb his cravings for a good stretch of time. Of course, that was only when money wasn't tight.
When you're broke, your brain doesn't even entertain thoughts of 'snacks,' just like Mona right now.
"Alright, but hurry up and finish eating—I don't know how long I can resist the temptation." Mona forced herself to look away from the skewers in Nolan's hands, swallowing hard. She even gave her stomach a little pat, realizing she actually was a bit hungry.
No, I have to hold back! I won't give in that easily!
"Actually, I meant you don't have to resist. You could just indulge fully this once, and that'll probably be enough to satisfy your craving for quite a while."
"Actually, didn't we pack some food from Wangshu Inn? How about finding a spot to eat it?" Nolan, amused by Mona's struggle, couldn't resist teasing her a bit more. He waved the delicious, aromatic skewers in his right hand close to Mona, intentionally letting the aroma waft her way.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" Mona fumed, raising her fist as if to strike him.
Then, right on cue—grumble. Her stomach growled loudly, clearly at odds with her fighting stance.
"Ugh, fine! I can't take it anymore!"
With a faint blush, Mona snatched the skewers from Nolan's hand at lightning speed.
"Hey, save some for me!" Nolan sighed, realizing he'd set himself up. Left with no choice, he turned back to buy a few more.
Otherwise, it'd just be Mona holding the skewers and tempting him instead.
Soon after, they found a spot on the street to finish their food, including the packed meals from Wangshu Inn.
"Hic! This is all your fault, tempting me with food," Mona said, now a bit sleepy, feeling like she'd eaten enough skewers to last her for years.
She wasn't normally one to indulge, but everyone has cravings sometimes.
"It's late now, too late to keep traveling. We should rest. Do you think there are inns still open here at Stone Gate?" Mona asked, sitting on a stone railing with a view of a small river below. She looked up at the starry night, her face soft in the moonlight.
"There are inns open until ten, but I happen to know of a place where you can sleep surrounded by stars—and it's free. Want to check it out?" Nolan replied with a grin as he checked his pocket watch.
He'd noticed Mona had a special fondness for the night sky—perhaps because she was an astrologist. And conveniently, his "Wonderland" contained a breathtaking starry view he thought she'd appreciate.
"No way! A place like that exists? You're not planning to trick me with some illusion, are you? I'm not a little girl, you know!" Mona scoffed, full of disbelief.
"You'll see for yourself." Nolan snapped his fingers, and a "door" shimmered into existence in the air before them, glistening with countless stars beyond, like a gateway into the cosmos.
In reality, he was just linking his "Fairy Tale Wonderland" temporarily with this realm.
The entry didn't have to look like a "door"; it could be a spatial rift, large or small, circular or irregular, but this form looked more elegant.
"What… is this?" Mona's eyes widened. Could there really be a whole starry sky beyond?
"Let's go!" Seeing her curiosity, Nolan didn't hesitate; he took her hand, and with a small leap forward, they were engulfed in the starlit expanse.
Their view transformed.
From the peaceful night of Stone Gate, they were now surrounded by a boundless starry sky. Mona felt as if she were standing amidst the stars themselves!
"How… how could such a beautiful place exist?" she murmured.
[Mona Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 260 Affection Points. Current Affection Level Lv.4 (320/400)]
(End of Chapter)
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État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone