Kamisato Ayaka looked at everyone before her.
"Staying tense all the time will only lead to exhaustion."
"It's better to take a good rest."
Kamisato Ayaka smiled as she addressed the group.
"It's just the right time for a celebration feast. How about we all have hotpot together?"
Thoma suggested with a smile, looking at everyone.
"To be honest, I recently learned about a new hotpot game that's very interesting."
Thoma placed his hands on his hips as he spoke to everyone.
"A hotpot game?"
Qiu Bai murmured, rubbing his chin.
"Simply put, everyone prepares different ingredients and puts them together in the pot to cook."
Thoma explained with a smile to the confused Qiu Bai.
"Then we take turns closing our eyes and fishing food from the pot, tasting it while guessing who put it in."
"How about it? Interested?"
Thoma turned to look at Lumine and Paimon, smiling as he asked.
"If you guess correctly, you get to go again."
"And the person with the highest score at the end is said to receive the blessing of the Hotpot God."
Thoma explained, spreading his hands.
"Sounds fun, doesn't it?"
"I've already prepared all the ingredients, I can't wait."
Thoma said with a smile, hands on his hips as he looked at everyone.
"Just how eager are you to play this game?!"
Paimon put her hands on her hips and criticized Thoma.
She had never heard of this hotpot game before.
"Hmm... it does sound fun."
"Let's go prepare some ingredients too."
Qiu Bai turned to Paimon and Lumine with a smile.
"But what ingredients should we prepare?"
Paimon scratched her head, somewhat confused.
"I think Paimon would be perfect."
"So soft, you'd be delicious in the hotpot."
Lumine said with a smile, hands on her hips and eyes narrowed teasingly at Paimon.
"Paimon is not food!"
Paimon looked at Lumine, stomping her foot and angrily retorting.
"Let's prepare things like fish slices, shrimp, and bamboo shoots."
"I haven't eaten anything on this journey yet."
Qiu Bai spoke after pondering for a moment, looking at Lumine and Paimon.
"At least Qiu Bai suggests normal ingredients."
"They sound delicious, I'm looking forward to it."
Paimon turned to look at Qiu Bai with a smile.
Afterward, Lumine and Paimon went out to buy ingredients, and when they returned, everyone started playing the hotpot game.
"You two, no wasting food!"
Paimon warned, hands on her hips as she looked at Ayaka and Thoma.
"This is the most terrifying hotpot I've ever seen..."
"Good thing most of the strange things were eaten by Thoma."
Paimon turned to look at Thoma, covering her forehead as she spoke.
"Haha, I think it's fine."
"It's sweet."
Qiu Bai laughed, looking at the exasperated Paimon.
Though he hadn't seen those strange things Thoma had put in, they tasted pretty good.
With a god stomach, he didn't feel anything unusual.
Although Ayaka had put in a piece of cake, which felt odd, it didn't affect the other foods.
"That's right... I got the highest score."
"Ugh... wait, my stomach hurts..."
Thoma clutched his stomach, trying to endure the pain.
"It's all Thoma fault for putting in so many strange things."
"It made the broth taste very weird."
Kamisato Ayaka criticized, looking at Thoma beside her.
"Even the normal ingredients that Lumine and Mr. Qiu Bai put in."
"Tasted strange to me, and I couldn't guess correctly several times."
Kamisato Ayaka closed her eyes slightly, shaking her head with a perplexed expression.
"But Ayaka also put a small cake in the hotpot..."
"And Qiu Bai ate it."
Paimon looked at Kamisato Ayaka with an odd expression.
"S-sorry..."
"I thought it would taste good..."
Hearing this, Kamisato Ayaka clasped her dress with both hands, embarrassed.
"It's nothing."
"I thought it tasted pretty good."
Qiu Bai smiled at the embarrassed Ayaka, waving his hand dismissively.
"Hey, can you not mislead Ayaka?"
"What if she puts cake in the hotpot when eating with friends in the future?"
Paimon crossed her arms, giving Qiu Bai a mischievous look.
"I can't take it anymore, I need to rest."
Thoma, clutching his stomach, slowly stood up and leaned against the wall corner.
"Actually, Thoma... you didn't have to try so hard."
"You could have just deliberately guessed wrong a few times to pass the turn to Ayaka or the Traveler."
Paimon looked at Thoma with concern.
Lumine turned her head upon hearing this, giving the floating Paimon a mischievous look.
"Haha, I just felt my luck hasn't been great lately, so I needed the Hotpot God blessing to turn it around."
"Before I knew it, I went a bit overboard."
Thoma laughed and scratched his head, then spread his hands as he explained.
"Hotpot God?"
"If there really was a Hotpot God, you wouldn't be kneeling there now."
Qiu Bai mouth twitched, finding the situation somewhat amusing.
"I declare that today hotpot game is now over."
"The winner is me!"
Thoma scanned everyone present, announcing excitedly.
"Oh... how amazing."
Paimon said with her hands behind her back, looking at the excited Thoma with indifference.
"Phew... the game is over, and the work is done for now."
"Next comes vacation time, right?"
Thoma crossed his arms, looking at Ayaka beside him with a smile.
"Yes, if what Thoma says about the Tenryou Commission is true."
"That they're busy preparing something, then we'll go with that plan."
Kamisato Ayaka nodded, looking at everyone and speaking slowly.
"Having some time to breathe, there are also some things I want to do."
Kamisato Ayaka rubbed her chin, murmuring.
"Then let's each take some time to rest."
"We'll meet again at Komore Teahouse in a few days to discuss our next strategy."
Thoma nodded, smiling at Qiu Bai and the others. After saying this, Thoma left.
"Hehe, then I'll also take my leave."
"Everyone, rest well and gather your strength."
Kamisato Ayaka placed a hand on her chest, smiling as she spoke.
Then Ayaka also walked out of the Komore Teahouse.
"Ah, it's all done."
"Now that we've eaten, it's time for a good sleep."
Qiu Bai stretched and yawned.
"Oh right, Lumine, take this."
"If you encounter any danger you can't resolve, just give this thing a hard tap."
Qiu Bai took out a yin-yang jade disc and tossed it to Lumine.
"Thank you, Qiu Bai."
Lumine said with a smile, watching Qiu Bai back as he left.
"Let's go get some good rest too."
Paimon turned to Lumine, speaking happily.
"Yes, let's find a safe place to place the Serenitea Pot, we should get some proper rest."
Lumine looked at Paimon beside her, nodding with a smile.
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist? Now you can read 30 chapters ahead on my P@treon [p@treon.com/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! π)