"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
In the dilapidated ruins, one by one, monsters affected by the cold environment, possessing a certain ice elemental power, were blown to pieces by the small bouncing bombs thrown by Klee.
Explosions echoed continuously in the air as Lumine led the group forward, effortlessly slicing through any obstacle in her way. Whenever a building or piece of debris blocked their path, her golden sword light would swiftly make quick work of it, clearing the way.
Watching in awe as Klee gleefully threw her bombs and Lumine slashed a straight path, Xiangling decided to put away her spear, instead focusing on finding any suitable ingredients from the surroundings.
Behind them, Noelle kept her Dustbringer sword raised, carefully on guard as her body glowed with a golden protective shield.
"Heave-ho!"
Klee threw another bouncing bomb, her eyes lighting up as she watched the ice shield-bearing Hilichurl Berserker flee in defeat, disappearing from view. Klee looked around with her head tilted up.
"Lumine, look! There's a huge ice wall over there!"
Pointing to a massive ice wall located at a lower level on the opposite side, Klee blinked, saying, "I feel a strange energy behind it. It feels like a giant tree made of ice, but it also has a weird sense of life."
"It's such a strange feeling."
Grabbing another bomb, Klee tossed it as hard as she could.
"Boom!"
Lumine quickly conjured a golden barrier, shielding everyone from the blast. Her golden eyes gleamed as she focused.
"I see it! The Cryo Regisvine is in there!"
She raised her sword and, with a downward slash, severed the incoming frost and shockwave in one move.
An ice-blue Cryo Regisvine emerged from the ground, resembling a giant flytrap. Lumine glanced at Xiangling, whose face was full of excitement.
"This Cryo Regisvine doesn't look particularly edible, does it?" Lumine questioned.
"Heh!" Xiangling wiped the corner of her mouth, lifting her finger with excitement. "That's where you're mistaken, Lumine!"
"No matter what kind of ingredient it is, as long as we study it carefully and put our heart into it, we can always make it delicious."
"There's no such thing as inferior ingredients!"
Standing tall, Xiangling smiled and said, "No matter the ingredient, I want to make it into a super tasty dish!"
Gazing at the Cryo Regisvine, Xiangling's eyes shone with determination.
"Rare ingredients like this might contain a flavor unknown to us."
"As a chef, this really gets my blood boiling. I want to get my hands on that Cryo Regisvine and make a brand-new dish right now!"
She reached for her spear and leaped into the air.
Her blue hair flowed in the wind, her golden eyes flickered with fire, and her crimson spear swept forward. Xiangling landed gracefully, her red Vision glowing at her waist as she laughed and called out.
"Guoba! Firebreath!"
Boom!
A small yellow bear with black eyes appeared before Xiangling. Guoba's tiny black eyes focused on the Cryo Regisvine, which had begun to gather ice energy. Guoba kicked off the ground!
Boom!
Flames spewed fiercely from Guoba's mouth, causing the Cryo Regisvine, ready to unleash a torrent of ice energy, to tremble violently. The intense pain it felt made it lose control, shooting the amassed ice energy into the air above, thickening the already frosty ceiling of the cave with jagged icicles.
Boom!
Another burst of flames roared forth. Wielding her spear with a smile, Xiangling ignited a blaze at its tip.
As the Cryo Regisvine fully unfurled its petals and roared at her, Xiangling dodged the two attacking vines, twirling her spear deftly. With her body twisting, she evaded spikes that burst forth from the ground.
Her Vision shone brilliantly at her waist, her face glowing with determination as she shouted, "Let me show you what my master's spear techniques can do!"
Flames coalesced around her spinning spear, forming a solid fiery ring that shielded Xiangling from all incoming attacks.
She swiftly pulled her spear back, her body poised before striking the incoming flower head of the Cryo Regisvine with precision, her strike setting off another burst of flames.
With her spear recoiled and ready, Xiangling thrust her weapon forward like a meteor. Each strike was precise, her master's spear techniques evident in every move, landing every blow on the Cryo Regisvine's vulnerable spots.
Guoba, meanwhile, leaped above the Regisvine, releasing a long-awaited blaze from his mouth.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Meteor-like strikes rained down, each imbued with a searing blaze, turning into a fiery dance that engulfed the massive Cryo Regisvine.
Crash!
With a resounding crash, the Regisvine collapsed. Xiangling twirled her spear triumphantly as she dashed toward the fallen foe.
"Roar!"
A low growl emanated from the defeated Cryo Regisvine. The once-motionless branches twisted and coiled again, the remaining body of the Cryo Regisvine spinning towards Xiangling.
Amid the fog of cold air, sharp icicles began to fall from the cave ceiling.
Xiangling's pupils constricted as she quickly positioned herself in front of Guoba, raising her spear to defend them.
"Time for cleanup!"
A massive sword made of light descended, smashing the spinning Regisvine away with brute force.
A smaller figure held aloft a great glowing sword many times her size. Noelle stood protectively in front of Xiangling and asked, "Xiangling, are you okay?"
"Hehe," Xiangling laughed sheepishly, shaking her head. "I'm fine, thanks for saving me, Noelle."
Glaring at the standing Cryo Regisvine, Xiangling frowned. "I didn't expect it to be this tough. I got too excited seeing such a rare ingredient and let my guard down."
"But I won't make that mistake again," she declared. She brandished her spear, resuming her battle stance. "Alright, delicious Cryo Regisvine, time for me to handle you properly!"
Fire reignited around her, her well-trained spear technique showcasing her experience. With every calculated strike, Xiangling broke down the Cryo Regisvine, treating it like a delicate ingredient, reducing it to valuable materials.
Watching with admiration, Noelle felt the weight of her inexperience. She realized just how vast the world was and how much she still had to learn.
In this fight, she hadn't even had a chance to help.
"Noelle, now you see where your shortcomings lie," Hiroshi's voice came from her side. He looked at the defeated Cryo Regisvine and then at Noelle, whose eyes still flickered with determination.
"Yes, Master Hiroshi. Now I understand what you were trying to tell me." Noelle tightened her grip on her sword, looking up resolutely at Hiroshi.
"Master Hiroshi, I want to become stronger. I never want to be in a position again where I can't fight alongside my companions!"
Seeing Noelle's determined expression, Hiroshi smiled.
Noelle was still a fledgling, yet she was diligent, training herself daily, always eager to help others, all for the day when she could spread her wings and protect more people.
"Alright, your master will help you with that."
In the background, Xiangling gleefully dismantled the Cryo Regisvine, carefully preserving every piece she deemed useful.
"Cryo Regisvine, Cryo Regisvine, delicious Cryo Regisvine!"
"Cryo Regisvine, Cryo Regisvine, delicious Cryo Regisvine!" x3
Watching Lumine, Paimon, and Klee happily singing along beside her, Xiangling laughed, "Hahaha, why does it sound so funny when you sing it?"
"Xiangling, you're amazing!" Paimon shouted, flying next to her, waving her arms excitedly. "You took down the Cryo Regisvine so quickly! Your spear technique is incredible!"
"Hahaha, it's nothing," Xiangling said modestly, a joyful smile on her face. "It's all thanks to my master's guidance, and I'm determined to be a chef who travels far and wide in search of unique ingredients. This is all just part of the journey."
"Alright, now that I'm done, let's get cooking."