The fourth life, the Hidden Sixth Yaksha

Both of them were dumbfounded.

They had never expected Xiu Yuan to know that Zhongli was Rex Lapis.

No one in all of Liyue knew about this. Those who did could be counted on one hand!

"Xiao, who is this?" Even the normally composed Zhongli was stunned by Xiu Yuan's words.

"I'm Xiu Yuan, the Hidden Sixth Yaksha. Hehe!" Xiu Yuan declared proudly, his hands on his hips.

Zhongli: "?"

At Xiu Yuan's words, Zhongli was utterly bewildered.

How the hell did I not know there was a hidden sixth yaksha???

"Watch your tongue!" Xiao held Rex Lapis in absolute reverence.

This was the man who had brought him out of the Abyss. Even if it was Xiu Yuan, Xiao would not allow him to disrespect Zhongli.

"It was a joke. Why are you getting so worked up?" Xiu Yuan spread his hands.

"His name is Xiu Yuan. He's a mortal..."

Xiao then told Zhongli everything he knew.

Zhongli was astonished by what he heard.

A mortal?

With strength nearly equal to Xiao's?

And stamina to match?

"You don't have a Vision?" Zhongli asked curiously.

"Nope. I don't need one."

"Generally speaking, your circumstances are indeed exceedingly rare. Could you demonstrate your power?"

He had lived for thousands of years and weathered every imaginable storm, but this was the first time he had heard of a mortal with strength comparable to Xiao's.

Apart from the gods, Xiao was practically the strongest of all the adepti. How could a mortal possibly possess such power!?

He found it hard to believe. Although Xiao was also unlikely to lie to him, of the two possibilities, the former was clearly harder to accept.

"Want to have a fight?" Xiu Yuan asked Xiao.

Xiao nodded.

Then, in perfect unison, the two unleashed their full strength. Their terrifying auras crashed outward like towering waves.

"Stop. I understand now."

They had yet to fight, but their auras alone had already told Zhongli everything he needed to know.

This was unquestionably a genuine powerhouse!

"Xiao, has he been helping you slay demons at night these past few days?" Zhongli asked.

"Yes, Lord Zhongli. With his help, things have been much easier lately, and my karmic debt hasn't been as painful as before. It's all thanks to him."

Xiao was certainly very proper in front of Zhongli. He was not exactly cold, but neither did he show the warmth he did with Xiu Yuan.

To put it another way, Zhongli was like Xiao's father, while Xiu Yuan was his friend.

You could let loose around your friends, swear freely, and tease one another.

But you certainly would not behave like that in front of your father.

It was the same principle.

"I see. Thank you for becoming Xiao's friend. Do you wish to become a Guardian Yaksha as well?"

It seemed Zhongli intended to take Xiu Yuan under his command.

Zhongli's question made Xiao pause briefly before delight appeared on his face.

He looked at Xiu Yuan with an eager gaze, seemingly desperate for him to accept the offer.

If Xiu Yuan could become a Guardian Yaksha too, he would cease to be human and become an adeptus.

Then his lifespan would stretch across thousands of years, just like Xiao's!

Xiao would no longer be lonely!

But his pride kept him from expressing his feelings, so he merely watched Xiu Yuan eagerly without urging or persuading him.

How could Xiu Yuan not know what Xiao was thinking?

But how could he possibly become a yaksha and stay with him for a thousand years?

Once he completed his mission, he would leave, whether he was a mortal or an adeptus.

The power of reincarnation could bypass the laws of the world outright.

As long as the mission was complete, the system would use whatever means necessary to make him disappear from this world.

Even becoming a god would be useless.

"No thanks. I was joking earlier," Xiu Yuan refused outright.

Both Xiao and the Geo Lord froze at his words.

They had never expected...

That a human would refuse such a generous offer.

So many people dreamed of immortality. So many begged for it.

Now that opportunity lay right before Xiu Yuan. With a simple nod, he could obtain what countless people could only dream of.

Yet he had refused!?

"Are you certain? If you become an adeptus, you can live for a very long time, and your body will not age," Zhongli asked again to confirm.

"Of course. Adepti just live a little longer than mortals, that's all. I think a hundred years is long enough. There's not much point in living that long."

Xiu Yuan spread his hands as he offered his opinion.

"Very well. You do have a point. I won't force you."

Seeing how firmly Xiu Yuan had refused, Zhongli knew there was no point in saying more.

It was just...

Poor Xiao.

How could Zhongli not understand Xiao's hardships? He too wanted Xiao to have a friend, but Xiao had always shut himself away.

Yet knowing that did not mean he could do anything about it.

Xiao regarded him as his unquestionable benefactor. No matter how hard Zhongli tried, Xiao would never truly see him as a friend.

It was like a father telling his child to treat him as a friend.

But how many people could truly treat their own father as a friend?

Zhongli felt deeply for Xiao, but there had never been anything he could do. The evil spirits that appeared at night had to be eliminated. If Xiao did not do it, someone else would have to bear that karmic debt.

And how many of the other adepti could bear karmic debt that heavy?

Most likely, none.

Thus, no one besides Xiao could do this work. No one could replace him.

As time passed, Xiao grew increasingly detached and cold.

Zhongli saw it all, and his heart ached, yet he remained utterly helpless.

He could only visit Xiao occasionally for a chat, afraid that going too long without anyone speaking to him would become unbearable.

Seeing him finally have a friend, someone he was willing to talk to, filled Zhongli with joy.

Nothing would have been better than taking Xiu Yuan in as a yaksha so he could become Xiao's companion.

He had never expected Xiu Yuan to refuse without a moment's thought...

The delight on Xiao's face had not faded. Instead, it had frozen there.

He seemed unable to believe what he had heard.

He did not understand why Xiu Yuan would refuse such an offer.

"By the way, Mr. Zhongli, did you come to see Xiao about something?"

Xiu Yuan had no intention of letting the awkward atmosphere linger, so he spoke up to remind him.

Only then did Zhongli remember the important matter that had brought him here.

"Xiao, the barrier to the northwest has shown signs of weakening recently. Go and take a look. If there are any problems, come back and tell me."

At Zhongli's words, Xiao trembled slightly. He looked at Zhongli with a vacant gaze before coming back to his senses. "Oh. All right..."

Seeing Xiao like this, Zhongli sighed inwardly.

"When are we going? I'll come along too!" Xiu Yuan volunteered.

"You can go now, actually. Just come back and tell me if there are any problems."

"Yes!" Xiao answered crisply.

"Hey, hold on. We just spent the whole night clearing out evil spirits, and we're still hungry. Why don't we eat before we go?" Xiu Yuan suggested.

Zhongli nodded, finding his suggestion reasonable.

"Wangshu Inn, Almond Tofu. Let's go!"

Thank you all so much for your gifts and tips! That'll be three updates for today. Tomorrow, I'll put out four-I mean it! If I don't, I've got no balls!