Everyone in Wangshu Inn stared at them, eyes wide, frozen in disbelief.
Xiao seemed to notice the people around them then, and his usual cold expression immediately returned.
He gave Xiu Yuan a strange look, then turned his head away and said indifferently, "One bowl of Almond Tofu."
"I'll have one too," Xiu Yuan added at once.
"Tell me what you're after."
Xiao's tone was rather cold, as though he had recovered from his earlier state of complete absorption.
He had lost his composure somewhat, but there was no denying that he had seen traces of his old yaksha companions in Xiu Yuan.
A human-not only was his strength on par with Xiao's, but his stamina was so absurd that he could fight Xiao at full strength for a day and two nights.
After all, Xiao was a veteran who had fought for a thousand years, yet he still couldn't defeat a mortal.
Perhaps his frustration, coupled with that little bastard Xiu Yuan fanning the flames beside him, had clouded his judgment.
If Xiu Yuan had been an ordinary mortal, nothing he said could have made Xiao act that way.
If he had been an Adeptus, Xiao wouldn't have taken the bait either.
But Xiu Yuan just had to be a mortal with ridiculously powerful abilities. It was hard not to take notice.
"What could I possibly be after? I'm just an ordinary guy with too much time on his hands. My fate carries a lone calamity, so I stay away from mortals. That's what I can do for them."
"I learned it from someone else, actually. A unique way of dealing with the world."
"Hmm... it does get a little lonely, though."
"Your situation seemed pretty similar to mine, so I figured I'd come chat with you."
Xiu Yuan spoke about it with a nonchalant expression.
Then he craned his neck, watching as two bowls of Almond Tofu were brought over.
His eyes betrayed his eagerness.
"You like Almond Tofu too?" Xiao asked calmly when he saw his expression.
"I've never had it. I don't know."
"Never had it? Then why did you order it?"
"To get friendly with you, of course. I heard you liked this stuff, so if I eat it too, won't we have something in common to talk about?"
Xiu Yuan honestly laid out every detail of his intentions.
His frankness left even Xiao a little taken aback.
Who just brazenly announces their intentions like that...?
"Why would you want to get friendly with someone as dull as me?" Xiao asked, puzzled.
"Who knows? Maybe because we're both alone, and we both use spears. Uh... how does that saying go again...?"
"Birds of a feather flock together," Xiao supplied.
"Right, right, right! That's it! Birds of a feather flock together." Xiu Yuan clapped approvingly.
"Weirdo."
"If I'm a weird human, then you're a weird Adeptus. People love all the other Adepti. You're the only one they don't welcome."
Xiao paused at Xiu Yuan's words, then a faint smile appeared on his face.
"I never imagined someone like you existed in the mortal world." Xiao's impression of mortals seemed to have changed a little.
"There's plenty you haven't imagined."
With that reply, Xiu Yuan began tasting the unremarkable-looking Almond Tofu.
He wanted to see just how delicious the sweet dreams Xiao devoured really were.
The tofu was soft and delicate, melting in his mouth with a rich almond fragrance.
Its flavor lingered on his tongue afterward. It really did taste good.
"Turns out you've got pretty good taste," Xiu Yuan praised.
"Hmph. How pointless."
As he spoke, Xiao picked up his Almond Tofu and began eating as well.
Still.
It had been a long time since he'd shared a table with anyone.
Xiu Yuan polished off his bowl in no time, then said, "Three more bowls."
"Coming right up!" a Wangshu Inn attendant answered cheerfully.
By the time he finished, Xiu Yuan had put away ten whole bowls of Almond Tofu.
He felt as though he was about to turn into Almond Tofu himself.
"Go back where you came from. The karmic debt you must bear when purging evil spirits is far more painful than you imagine."
This was the third time Xiao had urged Xiu Yuan not to join him in killing evil spirits. He bore countless burdens of karmic debt, and he understood that pain.
The yaksha Bosacius had disappeared because he could no longer endure that mental torment.
Such suffering was certainly not something a mortal could bear.
He admired Xiu Yuan, so naturally, he didn't want him getting involved.
"Just saying it like that isn't convincing at all. It's not as if I've never killed evil spirits. I haven't felt much karmic debt causing me pain."
As always, Xiu Yuan paid no heed to Xiao's warning.
"Over the past thousand years, I have hunted down tens of thousands of vengeful souls."
"Their wails often echo in my ears. Roaring... sobbing... screaming for slaughter..."
"A mortal's life is so short. You should spend it doing things that make you happy, not seeking out suffering."
With a grave, earnest expression, Xiao explained the seriousness of the matter to Xiu Yuan.
Xiu Yuan lowered his head without saying a word.
Then he let out an "Ahh..." and yawned.
Apparently, Xiao's words were making him sleepy.
"You show no respect for an Adeptus," Xiao said irritably.
"A mere Adeptus? I could take ten."
"Hm?!" Xiao raised an eyebrow.
"Ah, kidding! I'm kidding."
"Don't worry. The suffering I've been through was no less painful than that."
"Oh, and today's meal is on you. Consider it my payment for your commission to help purge evil spirits."
"I'm going to take a nap now. I haven't slept for a day and two nights. I'm dead tired."
With that, Xiu Yuan rose and strolled outside without another thought.
Xiao: "?"
Xiao simply stood there, dumbfounded.
By the time he came to his senses, Xiu Yuan was already far away. He turned to stare at the ten empty bowls, lost in thought.
Then the corner of Xiao's mouth began twitching furiously.
In all his long life, damn it, this was the first time he'd met someone so shameless.
He had no idea how Xiu Yuan had the nerve to spout nonsense like, "This meal is on you."
We've known each other for less than two days, and he just fucking eats ten bowls of Almond Tofu and walks off???
Isn't he getting way too fucking familiar???
And what the hell does he mean by a commission?
Didn't I tell Xiu Yuan not to get involved?
How did that turn into a commission when he said it???
Is there something wrong with his brain, or his ears?
Standing there in a daze, Xiao was utterly bewildered.
He had never imagined this.
He could bear countless burdens of karmic debt and still maintain his composure.
Yet now, this mortal-who had come from who knew where, who had no idea of his own limits, and who showed no respect for an Adeptus!
Had broken his composure again and again.
Meanwhile.
After strolling out of Wangshu Inn, Xiu Yuan casually found a large tree, lay down on the grass beneath it, and fell asleep.
He really was exhausted, and his stamina was completely drained. Within seconds of lying down, he had already drifted into dreams.
Before you continue