The two Adepti sat atop the highest roof of Wangshu Inn at Dihua Marsh, admiring the natural beauty of the sky above and the lively, lantern-lit atmosphere below.
For some reason, despite Wangshu Inn being so vibrant and bustling, an unusual stillness had settled around these two.
Bonanus gazed at these otherworldly landscapes, a faint smile gracing her lips. It truly was beautiful—this was the world she had once yearned for.
In her past life, she had dreamed of traveling to another world to explore its mysteries. At the time, she thought it was nothing more than a fantasy. Now, it seemed that dream had come true.
"A view I've never seen before."
Bonanus looked down at everything below. In this moment, she seemed to forget that she was sitting at a height capable of killing tens of thousands of witchers should she fall.
Unconsciously, a faint blush crept across her face. It wasn't from shyness, but from joy—a sense of contentment and happiness.
And this "scene"—Xiao, seated beside her, saw it all.
Seeing Bonanus's smile, the corner of Xiao's mouth curved up ever so slightly. It was clear he, too, felt happiness.
He was glad Bonanus could witness this. He had once thought that, among the five great Yakshas, only he would ever see these prosperous, beautiful sights. But now, it seemed otherwise.
Speaking of this, Xiao couldn't help but recall memories of the past.
He remembered a long time ago—so long ago—when Bonanus and Indarias had once discussed a topic. At the time, Indarias, Bosacius, and himself were all present.
The two female Yakshas' topic was: "When peace finally comes, what beautiful sights will there be here? I truly wish to see it with my own eyes!"
Such a topic inevitably evoked memories of that war.
During the Archon War, the gods fought time and again for the seven seats of Celestia.
As the storytellers said: "Great demons plagued the seas, and vile dragons lurked in the mountains."
The seas back then were a playground for the gods. With a mere gesture, they could raise towering waves—an utter catastrophe for mortals.
To protect his people, the God of Geo raised mountain after mountain, defending them from disaster while subduing those gods.
This also brought rich mineral resources to the older generations of Liyue. In those days, most people mined for a living, and every household was considered well-off.
But wealth meant nothing if you weren't alive to spend it. Though the powerful God of Geo stood guard and the Adepti watched over them, death was still unavoidable.
When Khaenri'ah's beasts invaded, countless Millelith soldiers marched to battlefields far and wide.
The very air reeked of death. True peace was still a distant dream.
The battle at the Chasm was the most unforgettable. Countless Millelith soldiers, fearless of death, held the line against those beasts along two hundred li of frontlines.
When they finally returned home... only one-quarter of those who had marched came back. Their once pristine armor was stained with countless bloodstains and claw marks.
The returning soldiers had bandages wrapped around their heads, arms, and thighs. Some had even lost limbs, carried back on stretchers.
Their weapons were worn and damaged. Blood seeped through the bandages, painfully vivid. Some soldiers' wounds had even begun to fester.
High fevers refused to break. The soldiers suffered in agony.
The heroes' eyes were devoid of light. No joy of victory. No happiness at returning home. Only the pain of losing their comrades and the fear of facing death.
No one is unafraid of death, especially since most of those sent to war were young.
That war claimed not only mortal lives, but also the Adepti and Yakshas—beings far stronger than mortals.
Of the five great Yakshas, only Xiao was saved. The others had either perished or vanished without a trace.
For Xiao, survival was both a blessing and an immense burden of pain. There is something more terrifying than death itself—it is continuing to live, burdened by agonizing memories.
He had guarded Liyue for over a century, never leaving his post. He had witnessed the Archon lead Liyue to peace and had seen landscapes he had never known.
The younger generation's faces held no fear. Children no longer wept for lost family. Their faces bore only smiles.
But his family was gone...
They had once discussed together: when peace finally came, where should they go? What should they do? What delicacies should they taste? What sights should they see?
But in the end, it all became mere fantasy—a fantasy that existed only in memory.
Xiao could still hear his family's anguished cries. He had even experienced hallucinations; once, he nearly lost his mind to them.
If not for the Archon's intervention, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
Years of pain. It was only with Bonanus and Bosacius's return that Xiao had gradually begun to recover from this anguish. And the fantasies of memory seemed, in this moment, to shatter at last.
Thinking of this, Xiao couldn't help but smile. He sat beside someone he cared for, quietly gazing at the stars above.
He exhaled deeply, then turned his head to look at Bonanus beside him. Bonanus was looking back at him with curious eyes.
"Alatus? I felt your emotions suddenly dip just now. Did you remember something?"
Bonanus asked with concern. She had always been sensitive to such emotions, especially with Xiao, who never concealed his feelings from her.
Hearing this, Xiao gave a bitter shake of his head. He didn't want to recall those memories. But the more you try not to think about something, the clearer it becomes in your mind.
"I can't help but think of the past..." He paused, exhaling deeply before continuing.
"Enough of that. Sister Bonanus, would you indulge me today?" Xiao asked with a smile, seeking her permission.
At this question, a question mark practically appeared over Bonanus's little head. 'Indulge him? In what?'
'Indulge you in eating Almond Tofu?'
She had to admit, Bonanus felt a bit foolish at this moment. Her social intelligence had suddenly plummeted. She hadn't been like this before. Who knows what had gotten into her.
"Sister Bonanus's silence, I'll take as consent!" Xiao's smile grew more pronounced. He said this, but he was still waiting for her actual agreement.
"Ah? Alright, fine." Though she didn't know what Xiao was getting at, Bonanus figured his request for indulgence probably wouldn't be too excessive. So she went along with it.
No sooner had this thought and agreement passed than Xiao, seated beside her, reached out and took both of her hands resting on her knees.
He slowly raised them, then gently reclined onto the tiled roof of Wangshu Inn, resting his head upon Bonanus's soft lap.
As for Bonanus's hands, Xiao had arranged them quite clearly: the left hand for stroking his head, the right hand to serve as a plush pillow.
Seeing this scene, Bonanus couldn't help but feel surprised. 'How did Xiao suddenly seem like a poor little thing begging for a hug? Pleading for the affection of an elder?'
Though surprised, after experiencing the princess carry, Bonanus's courage had grown significantly. She no longer blushed as easily as before.
On the contrary, Bonanus was quite enjoying this atmosphere, and also greatly liked the soft sensation of her large hand stroking his head. It felt comforting.
She gazed tenderly at Xiao, who rested his head on her lap while holding her right hand. With a soft laugh, she spoke.
"Over two thousand years old, and still acting like a child?"
Hearing this, Xiao merely closed his eyes slightly, responding in a relaxed tone.
"I remember in the old days, Sister Bonanus used to treat me like this too. So many years have passed... I wanted to experience it again."
"Very well. Today, you get your wish."
The two exchanged a glance. Xiao quietly closed his eyes. They gently breathed in the aromas wafting up from below the inn, and listened to the poets reciting verse after beautiful verse.
And that poet—he was reciting poems about the Yakshas. In these verses, there was no emphasis on the Yakshas' achievements or contributions.
Instead, the poems mostly depicted scenes from long ago—ordinary, peaceful moments when the Yakshas and mortals simply spent time together.
In this moment, the cool night breeze was so refreshing. It gently brushed past their faces, softly stirring their hair.
Xiao's eyes were peacefully closed. In several hundred years, this was the only moment he had felt true relaxation, and that sense of safety—free from fear of any danger.
At some point, Xiao slowly drifted into sleep. He seemed to be sleeping deeply, his breathing even, his face devoid of its usual tension and vigilance.
Bonanus did not disturb him. They remained in this position, savoring this moment—a moment that was theirs alone...