I opened a shop on the Astral Train-Chapter 72

Hu Tao handed the phone to Hanya. She didn't speak immediately after taking it but instead turned on the video mode.

Soon, Jing Yuan's image appeared on the phone screen.

Seeing that it was Jing Yuan himself, Hanyu spoke up to confirm Hu Tao's identity.

"General, do you know this girl?"

Jing Yuan smiled. "Yes, don't worry, let Huo Huo follow her. I often meet with Master Hu."

Hanya nodded at Jing Yuan's words. "I understand. Then I'll let Huo Huo go with her."

Jing Yuan reassured her. "Alright, don't worry about it."

The call would abruptly end thereafter.

Hanya turned to Hu Tao. "I'll leave Huo Huo in your care for now, Master Hu."

Hu Tao put away her phone with a grin. "It's fine, it's fine. I'll take Huo Huo away first, then?"

Hanya nodded in agreement.

After that, the two returned to Kevin and the others, and Hanya called Huo Huo to his side.

Huo Huo stood up straight, awaiting instructions.

"Huo Huo," Hanya said, "Master Hu and I have discussed this. You'll be following Master Hu to train in ghost-hunting and exorcising evil spirits for a while."

Huo Huo's eyes lit up with excitement. "Really?"

Hanya nodded slightly. "Really. Remember to listen to Master Hu and learn from her."

Hu Tao walked over and patted Huo Huo on the shoulder. "Go ahead, pack some clothes and follow me. I have bedding and everything."

Huo Huo, practically bouncing with excitement, ran off to pack her things.

Kevin and the others chatted with Hanya and Xue Yi for a while.

From Xue Yi and Hanya, Kevin learned that Jing Yuan had asked Yanqing to search the treasure chest. Kevin felt a deep regret—he had arrived in Suiyuan too late.

Soon, Huo Huo came running back with a small suitcase decorated with fox paw prints.

"Hu Tao, Lord Hanya, Huo Huo has packed her luggage!"

Kevin took the suitcase from her. "Alright, let's head back."

With that, Hu Tao, Kevin, and the others took Huo Huo, bid farewell to Hanya and Xue Yi, left Suiyuan, and boarded the Xingcha train home.

The journey back was filled with a lighthearted atmosphere. Huo Huo, finally free from Suiyuan, was brimming with excitement.

Uncle Tail watched the joyful Huo Huo from the side, a faint smile tugging at his lips. It had been a long time since he'd seen the little girl this happy. The last time was probably on her birthday, right? He thought to himself.

—

At the entrance of the Hall of Rebirth, the scene was livelier than before. Several small vendors had set up stalls nearby, targeting customers who had spent the night online, selling food outside the internet café.

Late at night, gamers would come out for a bite, and business was thriving.

Hu Tao glanced at Huo Huo. "Are you hungry?"

Huo Huo was about to say no when her stomach growled loudly.

Hu Tao laughed and pulled her towards a street vendor selling grilled fish.

The vendor looked up and immediately recognized her. "Hey, isn't this Master Hu? Why are you still up so late?"

Hu Tao was equally surprised when she saw him clearly. "Lao Liu! When did you switch to selling fish? Weren't you working at the docks before?"

Lao Liu chuckled. "Made some money, figured I'd start a business."

He then noticed the small figure beside Hu Tao, curiosity flashing across his face. An orc?

"Master Hu, who's this?"

"This is Huo Huo. Huo Huo, this is Lao Liu—you can call him Uncle Liu."

Huo Huo nodded obediently. "Uncle Liu~"

Lao Liu beamed. "Ah, Master Hu, you here for some food? Eat here, I'll grill you two fish."

"Last year, I was making a shipment to Wangshu Inn. If you hadn't saved me, I'd be at the bottom of the sea by now."

Hu Tao grinned. "Alright, we'll eat here then. Two grilled goby fish—one spicy, one not."

Lao Liu led them to a seat. "Got it, I'll have it ready in no time."

Hu Tao had to admit—Lao Liu had good business sense. His stall was set up in a prime location, offering a clear view of the port and the sea.

Huo Huo sat on a small stool, watching the bustling street, feeling like she was in a dream. She had really followed Hu Tao to another world.

Just then, a familiar voice rang out.

"Hu Tao! You're here too?"

She turned to see Ying, Paimon, and Sora approaching.

Over an hour ago, Sora had woken up.

Ying had taken him to see Asmodeus, who had questioned him about when he first encountered the 'sinner.'

Sora recounted that he had met Alberic, the founder of the Abyss Order, in Sumeru.

Asmodeus had understood immediately, realizing that Sora had been marked by the 'sinner' at that moment.

Although she released him, she still forbade him from wandering around freely—afraid that he might be targeted and possessed by the black mist again.

After they left Asmodeus, Paimon, hungry as ever, suggested they find food. The three of them had ended up here.

Ying, Paimon, and Sora reached Hu Tao's table.

Paimon waved. "Hu Tao, you're eating here too?"

Hu Tao nodded. "I just came back from Yuri's place. I brought Huo Huo here for some food."

She then gestured toward Huo Huo. "By the way, let me introduce you—Huo Huo, an intern judge of the Luofu Ten Lords Commission. She's been following me recently to learn how to catch ghosts and exorcise spirits."

Huo Huo immediately greeted them. "Hello~ My name is Huo Huo."

Ying and Paimon waved back. "Nice to meet you, Huo Huo!"

At that moment, Lao Liu returned with two large plates of grilled goby fish.

"Here you go, Master Hu—grilled goby for you both."

Hu Tao quickly took them. "Thanks! How much?"

Lao Liu waved her off. "Why are you still talking about money? You saved my life, and my business is thriving because of your internet café. It's on the house."

Seeing that Lao Liu wouldn't accept payment, Hu Tao relented. "Alright then, I'll take you up on that offer."

Ying, Paimon, and Aether ordered three more grilled goby fish and sat down to chat with Hu Tao.

Aether sat on a small stool, looking glum.

Noticing this, Hu Tao leaned toward Ying. "What's up with your brother?"

Ying sighed. "He was bewitched before. Now that he's recovered, he's just feeling down. Don't mind him, he'll be fine. Come on, let's eat—I'm starving."

Hu Tao shrugged, turned back to her plate, and picked up a large piece of fish, placing it into Huo Huo's bowl before digging into her own.

After dinner.

Hu Tao brought Huo Huo back to the Hall of Rebirth and settled her into the room that had previously belonged to Asmodeus.

Since the new internet café opened, Asmodeus had moved directly to the e-sports room on the third floor of the new café.

Hu Tao led Huo Huo inside.

"You can stay here from now on. I'll be next door. It's getting late, so you should get some rest. Tomorrow, I'll take you around Liyue and introduce you to some people."

Huo Huo nodded obediently.

Hu Tao bid her good night and stepped out, leaving Huo Huo alone in the spacious room. The furnishings were modern, a contrast to the traditional exterior. When Asmodeus lived here before, Hu Tao had planned to renovate and modernize the space. But as soon as the work was done, Asmodeus had moved out.

Huo Huo opened her suitcase, carefully taking out her clothes and hanging them in the wardrobe.

Meanwhile, Uncle Tail floated around the room, taking in his new surroundings.

"Oh my god, I've actually made it to another world this time? This is incredible! I never imagined this could happen!"

After finishing with her clothes, Huo Huo headed to the bathroom to freshen up. As always, she let Uncle Tail roam freely while she washed up.

Uncle Tail flew out of the window, surveying the quiet courtyard below.

"Why does this world feel so similar to Luofu? The architecture looks almost the same."

Sighing, he decided not to dwell on it. He floated back inside and settled onto the sofa, drifting off to sleep.

The next morning, Hu Tao and Huo Huo had a simple breakfast at home.

The cuisine of Liyue was quite similar to that of Luofu, making it easy for Huo Huo to adjust.

After finishing their meal, Hu Tao took Huo Huo out for a walk toward Chihuyan.

As they strolled through the lively streets, Huo Huo's eyes were filled with curiosity. Everything was new to her, and she eagerly took in her surroundings.

Before long, they arrived at the Wanmin Restaurant.

At the entrance, Master Mao was cleaning. Seeing Hu Tao, he greeted her warmly.

"Hey, Hu Tao, are you here to see Xiangling?"

Hu Tao grinned. "Yep, is she home?"

Master Mao gestured toward the kitchen. "She's working on a new dish. Go on in and find her."

Hu Tao nodded, then turned to Huo Huo. "Huo Huo, this is Uncle Mao, the owner of this restaurant. If you ever want a good meal, come here."

Huo Huo nodded politely.

Hu Tao then addressed Master Mao. "Uncle Mao, this is Huo Huo. If she comes by to eat, just put it on my Wangsheng Hall tab."

Master Mao chuckled. "Alright, Hu Tao. I didn't know you had such an adorable companion."

Hu Tao waved a hand dismissively. "I'm just looking after her. Thanks for your help!"

Master Mao wiped his hands with a towel and smiled at Huo Huo. "Little one, you're always welcome here. Hu Tao used to come here all the time when she was younger. I still remember the time she was losing a tooth, and I made a pot of stewed lamb legs. She chewed so much that the tooth fell out, and she had a lisp for days! Hahaha!"

Hu Tao pouted. "Uncle Mao! Stop bringing up my embarrassing past!"

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Master Mao laughed heartily. "Alright, alright. I'll finish cleaning up. Go ahead and find Xiangling."

Hu Tao rolled her eyes but led Huo Huo inside.

Huo Huo waved at Master Mao as they passed, feeling a sense of warmth from the old man's kind demeanor. He returned her wave with a broad smile.

Inside the kitchen, Xiangling was busy at the stove, experimenting with a new dish.

Hu Tao approached her curiously. "Xiangling, what are you making?"

Xiangling turned slightly. "I'm working on a stew called Baiwei Chicken. I'll let you taste it once it's done."

At the mention of food tasting, Hu Tao hesitated. "Uh... I don't think I have time. I have an appointment with Kevin to play later."

Xiangling rolled her eyes. "I didn't even tell you when it'd be ready! If you don't want to eat, just say so!"

Hu Tao immediately switched to damage control mode, placing her hands on Xiangling's shoulders and massaging them. "Oh, don't be mad, Xiangling~! Just call me when it's done, and I'll be there for sure."

She quickly changed the subject. "Oh, right! Let me introduce someone!"

Hu Tao pulled Huo Huo forward. "Xiangling, this is Huo Huo. She'll be staying at Wangsheng Hall and working with me."

Xiangling smiled warmly at Huo Huo. "Nice to meet you, Huo Huo! I'm Xiangling, and I love cooking. If you ever want to eat something delicious, just let me know!"

Huo Huo gave a small smile and nodded in response.

Xiangling then tilted her head curiously. "Huo Huo, are you from Luofu?"

Hu Tao blinked. "Xiangling, how did you know?"

Xiangling shrugged. "We don't have fox people in Liyue. I've only ever heard of them in Luofu."

Hu Tao thought about it and realized she had a point.

"Alright, well, you get back to work. I'm going to take Huo Huo for a walk."

Xiangling nodded. "Oh, and be sure to bring Huo Huo to Yuri's restaurant for dinner tonight! We're having a seafood feast."

Hu Tao raised an eyebrow. "What's the occasion?"

Xiangling chuckled. "No special occasion. Klee and the others went to Scaled Abyss to fry fish yesterday, and they brought back a huge haul."

Hu Tao's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, right! They did go fish-blasting yesterday. Alright, see you later!"

With that, Hu Tao and Huo Huo left Wanmin Restaurant and continued wandering through Liyue Harbor.

Hu Tao introduced the various shops and landmarks, helping Huo Huo familiarize herself with the city's streets and alleys.

As they walked, they spotted Ningguang inspecting the port.

Hu Tao perked up and waved enthusiastically. "Ningguang! Ningguang!"

Hearing her name, Ningguang turned and saw Hu Tao hopping excitedly on a nearby slope, gripping the railing for balance.

She gave Bai Wen a nod. "Go on ahead. I have something to take care of."

Bai Wen bowed and continued the inspection while Ningguang walked over to Hu Tao.

As she approached, she smiled. "Hu Tao, I thought you'd be at Yuri's place today."

Hu Tao gestured toward Huo Huo. "I'm taking Huo Huo on a tour of Liyue and showing her how things work at Wangsheng Hall."

Ningguang turned her gaze to Huo Huo, taking in the girl's fox ears and tail with curiosity.

A descendant of an immortal?

Ningguang had never been to Luofu, so she had never seen the fox race before. In Liyue, many of the immortals had animal-like traits, much like Ganyu and Yanfei.

With a warm smile, she greeted Huo Huo.

"Hello, Huo Huo. I'm Ningguang, the Tianquan of Liyue. It's a pleasure to meet you."