After Diona and Duraf, the father and daughter pair, finished off a large grilled fish, Arkz also finished a wild boar leg.
Having already eaten so much wild boar meat, and then such a large grilled fish, it was fortunate that the food Arkz prepared instantly transformed into various beneficial energies for the body the moment it was swallowed. This way, they didn't have to worry about missing out on the taste, nor did they have to worry about getting fat from eating too much.
If it weren't for the way Duraf and Diona ate, Arkz would genuinely worry that they might burst their stomachs.
After finishing the grilled fish made by Arkz, Duraf and Diona lay lazily on their chairs, unwilling to move.
This could be considered a side effect of the food Arkz prepared.
Everyone says that being full easily leads to drowsiness. After eating Arkz's food, their entire bodies felt nourished, as if they had soaked in a hot spring. Coupled with the fact that Diona and Duraf had been busy all day, it was natural for them to feel comfortable and not want to move.
Fortunately, only the therapeutic food had this effect. The food that increased stamina and assisted in combat would make the user more energetic. Otherwise, trying to eat something to recover health during a battle only to immediately fall asleep—what kind of situation would that be? Unlucky?
Helplessly, Arkz cleaned up the dining table, washed the tableware, bid farewell to the pair, and returned to his farm.
On the way, the hunting dogs of Springvale seemed to know that Arkz was not a bad person. When they saw him, they didn't bark; instead, they wagged their tails obediently. This also made Arkz breathe a sigh of relief.
If the dogs had suddenly started barking in the middle of the night and disturbed everyone's sleep, Arkz truly wouldn't know how to handle it.
It must be said that Teyvat truly lives up to its reputation as a fantasy continent possessing Elemental Power; even the dogs and cats are very intelligent and spiritual.
There are even some lucky and exceptionally talented small animals that learn to control Elemental Power, cultivating themselves into demons or immortals.
For example, the yokai Yae Miko and Ioroi in Inazuma, and the Adepti in Liyue.
By the time he returned to the farm, the night was already deep, and even the moon had climbed above the treetops.
Arkz took out the bedding and pillow he had purchased at the commercial street in Mondstadt earlier that day from his backpack. After simply sweeping the bed inside the small wooden house, he laid the bedding on top.
Although Arkz, as a Vision holder, had decent stamina, chores like cleaning a room were still quite troublesome. Arkz couldn't help but look forward to Venti quickly developing a Dendro Element version of 'Cleanse'.
Seeing that it was already dark, Arkz placed the seeds on the table and fell into a deep sleep.
It was a good thing that it was spring in Mondstadt, so the temperature wasn't too high. Otherwise, this small wooden house would have turned into a steamer, making it too hot to sleep, hindering his rest, and leaving him with no energy to work.
Of course, before sleeping, Arkz placed several wooden guards around the farm and the cabin to prevent Hilichurls from sneaking an attack on the farm in the middle of the night.
Since the farm was established far from Mondstadt city, being ambushed by Hilichurls in the wilderness was a common occurrence.
As a town with many Hunters, the most valuable things here were the various meats obtained from hunting. This meat was highly attractive to Hilichurls, but it held little appeal for the Treasure Hoarders.
In the eyes of the Treasure Hoarders, the Hunters of Springvale were fierce, highly vigilant, and possessed no valuable treasures, making them not worth the effort. After all, there were plenty of places in the wilderness to catch meat; wouldn't it be easier and less risky to just catch a wild boar themselves?
To be able to establish a foothold in the wilderness, Springvale naturally had its own unique laws of survival.
While everyone in the town slept at night, a group of people quietly put on their clothes, gently retrieved the hunting bows hanging on the wall and the quiver full of arrows from the corner, and gave a soft call to their long-waiting hunting dog companion.
This group pushed open their doors and joined the ranks of the night Patrol Team.
Compared to Springvale, Mondstadt City was surrounded by water on three sides and protected by thick city walls. At night, the Knights patrolled, allowing the residents of Mondstadt City to sleep soundly.
Although Springvale also had Knights of Favonius stationed there, these one or two Knights clearly could not be responsible for the entire safety of Springvale.
While the Knights of Favonius had many members, many Knights had their own duties, and there were many small villages in the wilderness of Mondstadt that also needed the protection of the Knights of Favonius.
Therefore, to allow the Hunters of Springvale to sleep soundly so they would have enough energy to pursue prey the next day, the residents of Springvale voluntarily formed a night Patrol Team. The captain of the Patrol Team was usually the Knight of Favonius stationed in Springvale.
Well-trained and well-equipped Knights, paired with several physically strong Hunters skilled in archery, could generally handle small-scale Hilichurl attacks with ease.
If they encountered a large-scale Hilichurl attack, they would need to call for reinforcements. The Patrol Team only needed to strike the gong, and every household that heard the sound would rush out to provide support.
As usual, the Knight of Favonius, Grey, put on his gear and led the Patrol Team to begin their work for the night.
To avoid waking the sleeping townsfolk, everyone on the Patrol Team minimized the sound of their footsteps as much as possible. Even the Patrol Team's hunting dog did not bark excitedly but quietly followed beside its master.
It wasn't until they reached a location far from the townsfolk's houses that the members of the Patrol Team stopped deliberately lowering the sound of their footsteps.
Generally, if they encountered a lone Hilichurl, making a loud noise would be enough to scare it away. This was also why Grey didn't require them to remain silent and allowed the members to chat.
Grey had walked this patrol route for over ten years; he knew how to navigate it with his eyes closed—where the tripping hazards were, where the smelly puddles lay, Grey knew everything.
The weather was not good today; dark clouds obscured the moonlight. Without the moon, the entire wilderness was pitch black, as if monsters could emerge at any moment.
Only the torch held in his hand cast a meager light.
Fortunately, with so many patrol members accompanying him, the sound of their chatter greatly lessened their inner sense of loneliness.
Grey noticed that the young man newly joined to the patrol squad was a bit nervous and spoke to comfort him: 'The Knights of Favonius clean up the monsters in this area every month. The powerful monsters and Hilichurl tribes have long been scared off and dare not approach this place.'
'What we deal with are just Hilichurls coming to steal food, which are easier to handle than wild boars.'
'Just shouting loudly from far away can scare them away.'
'But remember, don't strike that gong casually; only strike it when you encounter real danger.'
Seeing the young man's expression of partial understanding, Grey smiled and said no more.
Grey was very proud of his identity as a Knight of Favonius. In his spare time, he always polished his armor until it was spotless and meticulously maintained his sword.
He guarded Springvale every day. Although the work was monotonous, Grey never complained. Seeing the townsfolk of Springvale living peacefully here was his greatest reward.
Perhaps due to his age, Grey felt his stamina was not what it used to be. When he was young, he could charge alone into a Hilichurl tribe and chase the Hilichurls away with their tails tucked between their legs.
Grey planned to select an apprentice in Springvale. His family lived in Mondstadt City, and his son had also joined the Knights of Favonius, so he didn't need to worry about his family's livelihood.
The only thing he couldn't let go of were the townsfolk of Springvale. Perhaps soon he would be transferred away. Could the new Knight be as reliable as him? Grey wasn't sure.
However, Grey estimated that the replacement wouldn't be as capable as him. A while ago, the Grand Master went on an expedition, taking the elite troops with him. Even an old fellow like him had become a rare master, slated to be transferred back to the headquarters in Mondstadt City for duty.
Grey guessed the new Knight would likely be a young person who had just finished training, which made him uneasy.
Grey intended to cultivate a qualified apprentice before leaving. In terms of strength, the apprentice must at least be able to deal with a Mitachurl; otherwise, how could they protect Springvale?
Although Visions were rare, obtaining one wasn't the only way to become strong; ordinary people also had ways to become stronger.
As an ordinary Knight of Favonius, his current strength was largely thanks to a Three-star artifact he possessed.
By utilizing the power of the artifact, although Grey couldn't manipulate Elemental Power as freely as an allogene, he could indirectly use the artifact to absorb Elemental Power to strengthen his body.
Decades of continuous strengthening had given Grey the strength to slay a Mitachurl with a single sword strike.
Unfortunately, artifacts were too rare. Besides dangerous Domains, one could also obtain artifacts from treasure chests if lucky. Grey's Three-star artifact was discovered in a Hilichurl treasure chest.
Do you know why the Knights of Favonius and Adventurers can deal with Hilichurls, while ordinary people can only flee or beg for mercy when encountering them? It's because Hilichurls, despite their low intelligence, can use Elemental Power to strengthen their bodies.
Knights of Favonius and Adventurers are issued a Two-star artifact when they first join.
Don't underestimate this Two-star artifact; it can sell for around 100,000 Mora on the black market. Only large organizations like the official forces and the Adventurers Guild, which span the Seven Nations, can be wealthy enough to generously issue an artifact to every newcomer who joins.
Grey still needed his Three-star artifact for himself. However, although he didn't have a Three-star artifact, the merits he had accumulated over the years were enough to exchange for a Two-star artifact. He could then prepare a Two-star artifact as a welcoming gift for his future disciple.
The emotions of the young man came and went quickly. The patrol newcomer who had been somewhat frightened earlier now joined in the casual chat with his seniors.
At this moment, a sentence from the newcomer caught Grey's attention.
'Do you all know about that abandoned farm next to Springvale? That farm has a new owner, and he's a Vision holder.'
A Vision holder? An allogene? To have two allogenes gathered in this small place like Springvale—it truly was a land blessed with spiritual energy.
Grey stopped walking, turned his head, and asked in a deep voice, 'A Vision? Are you sure you didn't misread it?'