The Yaksha Generals

The top floor of Wangshu Inn was deserted and felt exceedingly quiet. Though the scenery here was excellent, some diners reported that whenever they went up to the top floor, they felt uncomfortable, as though someone were watching them. Yet when they looked around, they found no trace of anyone else.

Strangely, they never felt this way on the other floors. Thus, as time passed, no one bothered visiting Wangshu Inn's top floor anymore. After all, they could admire the scenery from the other floors just as well.

When Yucheng reached the top floor holding Qiqi's hand, his keen senses immediately detected that the elements here were in disarray, unlike anywhere else. He activated his Two-Tomoe Sharingan, and his scarlet eyes immediately pinpointed the source of the elemental disturbance on the roof above.

Although no trace of anyone was currently visible to the naked eye, the surging aura of karmic debt had already reached the point where it could barely be suppressed.

Yucheng placed the almond tofu he was carrying on a nearby table and sat down on the other side, looking toward the roof with the faintest hint of a smile. Qiqi sat quietly beside him, wholly absorbed in drinking her delicious coconut milk, as though the world now contained only her and the coconut milk in her hands.

This strange atmosphere lasted a full half hour, and the freshly made almond tofu had cooled completely. Then Yucheng first heard a sigh, followed by a green figure appearing before him in an instant.

A youth wearing a fearsome mask appeared before him as though he had teleported. Probably only the Body Flicker Technique could keep up with that speed. He held a green spear, though its length seemed to exceed the youth's height, creating a sense of incongruity.

Yucheng certainly did not dare voice that thought to his face, however, for fear of being charged with disrespecting an adeptus.

Seeing that he had achieved the purpose of his visit, Yucheng rose and bowed respectfully to him. "Greetings, Conqueror of Demons, Adeptus Xiao. I am Uchiha Yucheng."

"You know me? What do you want with me?" Xiao's voice carried an aloof coldness. His sharp eyes fixed on Yucheng as though he meant to pierce through him and see into his heart.

"I was merely passing through Wangshu Inn. I heard that a yaksha adeptus who has guarded Liyue for a thousand years resides here, and wished to see him for myself."

"Hmph. Your wish is fulfilled. Leave, then." With that, Xiao turned to leave, but Yucheng naturally could not let him have his way.

"Alas, I had long heard that General Alatus was the sole survivor of the five yaksha generals, but I never imagined I would find him so severely afflicted by karmic debt upon meeting him. It seems that before long, no yakshas will remain. I wonder what Rex Lapis would think of that."

Upon hearing Yucheng's words, Xiao turned and stared at him, growing agitated. It was not because Yucheng knew how deeply karmic debt had afflicted him, but because he had actually said that Xiao was the sole survivor of the five yaksha generals.

"You know about the yaksha generals?" Xiao stopped in his tracks.

"The Electro Yaksha, Marshal Vritras-Bosacius; the Pyro Yaksha, General Musatas-Indarias; the Hydro Yaksha, General Chizapus-Bonanus; the Geo Yaksha, General Kapisas-Menogias; and finally you, the Anemo Yaksha, General Alatus-Xiao.

"After the Archon War ended, Archon Residue ravaged the land of Liyue. Rex Lapis ordered the five of you to eradicate the evil and corruption. Unfortunately, the resentment of the fallen gods ran so deep that even the yakshas, adepti themselves, could not escape it. Now, four of the five have perished, and even the sole survivor is on the brink of death. How tragic and lamentable."

In truth, Xiao had already lost his composure when he heard Yucheng speak Bosacius's name. The words that followed involuntarily brought back memories of the happy times when his brothers and sisters were still around.

The five of them had been fortunate enough to survive the Archon War, yet in the years that followed, their efforts to eradicate evil had left three dead and one missing. Only he remained, living alone in this world. He, too, frequently suffered unspeakable agony from the erosion of karmic debt. How could grief not well up within him?

Yet he had never resented Rex Lapis for giving him the task of eradicating evil. Had Rex Lapis not rescued him, he would probably still have been enslaved by a god, committing countless cruel and bloody acts at its command.

The Yaksha clan was a race born for battle, skilled in destruction rather than construction. Thus, Rex Lapis's decision to have the Yaksha clan slay the evil beings and monsters within Liyue was a wise one. Protecting the Liyue that Rex Lapis had established was the only way Xiao could repay him, and it was also the contract between them.

"To think that, even now, there are humans who know of the Yaksha clan's deeds, besides the adepti living in seclusion. That is rare indeed. You just said that four of the five yaksha generals have perished. Do you know how they died?"

Xiao was clearly probing Yucheng for information, hoping to learn his elder brother Bosacius's whereabouts. The fearsome mask on Xiao's face dissipated, revealing the youthful features beneath.

"General Kapisas, Menogias, and General Chizapus, Bonanus, had their minds eroded by karmic debt. They fought each other, and both perished. General Musatas, Indarias, succumbed to karmic debt, descended into madness, and died. As for Marshal Vritras, Bosacius..."

"What happened to Bosacius?" Yucheng's deliberate pause made Xiao's tone noticeably urgent. Back then, after suffering years of erosion from karmic debt, his elder brother Bosacius had told him that he intended to live alone in seclusion in the mountains. Once he left, however, all trace of him vanished.

Though Xiao had spent all these years searching for Bosacius, he had found nothing. In his heart, he had considered the worst possible outcome, but what if? If Bosacius lived, he had to find him; if he was dead, he had to recover his body. This had already become Xiao's obsession.

"Sorry. For now, all I can tell you is that Bosacius is dead. As for where he died, I cannot say yet."

"Why? Tell me!" Xiao's tone turned distinctly stern as he seized Yucheng by the collar and demanded an answer.

Seeing someone about to lay hands on Yucheng, Qiqi actually put down her coconut milk and drew the sword at her waist, pointing it at Xiao. A moment later, just as her Cryo power was about to erupt, Yucheng stopped her.

"Qiqi, it's all right." Qiqi's intervention and Yucheng's restraint also made Xiao realize that he had gone too far. He slowly released Yucheng's collar and returned to his seat. Seeing this, Qiqi sheathed her sword, sat back down, and resumed drinking her coconut milk. This time, however, she kept her eyes fixed on Xiao, afraid he might do something again.

"What are your terms for telling me Bosacius's whereabouts? Name them. I will agree."

"Lord Xiao, the reason I cannot tell you is not that I want to gain anything from this. It is because of you. Now is not yet the time to tell you."

"Because of me?"

"If I told you Bosacius's whereabouts now, you would certainly rush there regardless of the danger. But in your current physical condition, you would be very likely to die. I do not want to be the reason Liyue's yakshas become extinct. If that happened, Rex Lapis would certainly make life difficult for me.

"Besides, do you think Morax, as Liyue's Geo Archon, truly would not know Bosacius's whereabouts? He was his Marshal Vritras, the foremost yaksha general under his command. Presumably, he has not told you for the same reason."