The two of them gazed at the distant scenery. Though they had only reached the mountainside, they could already overlook all of Liyue. The feeling of starting from such a high vantage point was indescribable.
"It's so beautiful!"
Hu Tao was a little excited. She hadn't felt this way in a long time, her face split into a wide grin. Even Grandpa Hu beside her felt a sense of relief and gently patted her head.
Suddenly, a pyro attack directly blasted towards them. Although Grandpa Hu was old, his senses were still sharp. Sensing the danger, Grandpa Hu, in an instant, hugged Hu Tao next to him, choosing to shield her with his own not-so-large body from this attack.
But how could a mortal body withstand a pyro attack? With a roar, smoke and dust billowed everywhere. As the smoke dissipated, Grandpa Hu's back was already a bloody mess.
Even so, he still held Hu Tao tightly, unwilling to let the little girl suffer even the slightest harm.
"Grandpa! Are you okay, Grandpa!"
Beneath his white hair, his face contorted in pain. The black hat on his head fluttered in the wind and fell beside him. In that moment, he seemed to have aged another year, evoking a pang of pity.
"Cough, cough, I'm fine... Little Hu Tao, be good... hide behind that rock. Grandpa will finish the enemy soon, and then we'll happily go to the mountaintop..."
The obedient Little Hu Tao nodded vigorously. Tears welled up in her plum-shaped eyes, but even so, she tried her best not to cry.
Because Grandpa said he hated seeing her tearful face. I absolutely cannot cry...
"Cough, cough, I thought it was some esteemed deity daring to ambush me? I didn't expect it to be just an ordinary Abyss Mage?"
A spark of pyro energy flickered at his waist. As the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, it was perfectly normal to possess a Vision, especially since most past directors had one.
"Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor? Do you know how many of our plans you've ruined? This time, you will surely die!"
From the Abyss Mage's words, it could be inferred that Grandpa Hu not only dealt with the deceased but also dabbled in some darker matters, like an unsung hero dealing with creatures that threatened Liyue.
"I will surely die? No, no, no, I'll return those words to you. I cannot die here. Hu Tao isn't independent yet. How could I possibly die?"
Without further ado, the black ring on his hand flashed, and a scarlet polearm appeared. The Staff of Homa, the weapon of past Wangsheng Funeral Parlor directors, was also a weapon steeped in history.
Though, in history, this weapon might have just been a fire-starting stick for some ancient ritual. One could only wonder how many times people topped up their accounts for it back then.
Grandpa Hu, despite his age, had a youthful spirit. His movements on his feet were not slow at all, and moreover, he had an exposed wound on his back. If not treated promptly, it could become infected.
Even so, he quickly dashed forward. Pyro attacks had no effect on that guy's shield, especially since he was a pyro Abyss Mage. So...
A yellow talisman appeared, and with a boom, the water from the nearby pond surged like a water dragon, crashing down fiercely.
This was a talisman he had learned from Mr. Zhongli. He had learned all of these simple spells. If it weren't for protecting Hu Tao, he wouldn't have bothered practicing.
Now, Grandpa Hu's every action was for Hu Tao's consideration.
After a burst of steam, the fiery red pyro shield slowly dissipated. The Abyss Mage stood on the ground in disbelief. To cast a shield again, he had to complete a full incantation.
However, during this time, he could not be attacked by the opponent, or the incantation could be interrupted. But the problem was... could these ordinary monsters stop him?
From the darkness, two Mitachurls emerged, along with dozens of Hilichurls. The Abyss Mage could basically command these creatures, making them perfect cannon fodder.
This was just enough time to complete the incantation.
But would Grandpa Hu give him the chance? In an instant, the pyro Vision's light blazed, and the Staff of Homa in his hand also emitted a blood-red glow. Flames instantly enveloped him, making him look like a divine warrior.
No weapon could stand in his way; with a slight touch, they would break. It was as if he could slice through iron.
In less than ten seconds, all the enemies had vanished.
The Abyss Mage hadn't even finished his incantation, but he was nearing the end.
"Once I activate my shield, you won't be my match anymore!"
But Grandpa Hu calmly walked up to him, grabbed him by his furry hair, and tossed him into the nearby pond.
The Abyss Mage, who had just finished his incantation, was suddenly like water being boiled. Countless streams of steam rose. The shield lasted less than a second before it shattered, and he died in the small wild pond.
He then turned into specks of flying ash and vanished from this space, leaving only two branches in his place. It seemed they could be sold for a good price later.
Seeing that everything was resolved, Hu Tao quickly ran out from behind the large rock and immediately hugged Grandpa Hu. Feeling his granddaughter's fear,
He didn't know what to say, only quietly crouched down and stroked her head. However, Hu Tao immediately noticed the wound on his back. The bloody mess startled her.
"Grandpa... Grandpa, do you have medicine? And bandages? Little Hu Tao wants to bandage your wound."
Hearing the little one's words, Grandpa Hu happily took some from his pocket. After all, it was usually this little one who got hurt, so it wasn't unreasonable to keep some wound-cleaning medicine in his pocket, and bandages for emergencies.
But this time, they could be put to good use. It might hurt a bit later, though.
Feeling the liquid from the medicine drip onto the wound, an intense pain shot through him. But to avoid losing face in front of Hu Tao, he gritted his teeth and endured it.
Little Hu Tao's hands were skillful. In no time, the wound was bandaged. Although the process was extremely painful, thinking that his granddaughter had tied it, his heart felt as sweet as honey.
The two of them looked at the mountaintop and said in unison:
"Shall we continue climbing to the top?"
"How about we go home? Climbing the mountain isn't fun!"
Upon hearing each other's words, both of them froze for a moment. But that wasn't important, and they both smiled.
They finally decided to go down the mountain to see a doctor. After all, the wound couldn't be left untreated for long. If it festered further, it would truly become infected.
Under Hu Tao's firm insistence, Grandpa Hu could only hold Hu Tao's hand and slowly walk downwards.