I'm in Genshin Impact, and I started by teaming up with Luna.

They were just here to rest and buy some food. Wangshu Inn was probably the only place with food nearby, otherwise they wouldn't have risked coming here.

"Gentlemen, are you looking for a hotel?"

Phil, the owner of Wangshu Inn (his name is too long, so I'll just use the first two characters).

She greeted them politely, but paused when she saw their faces before smiling and saying, "Oh, it's you, the wanted criminals who killed the Thousand Rock Army."

"Wow!"

Paimon immediately exclaimed in alarm, and everyone retreated, turning to run away. But at this moment, Phil covered his mouth and chuckled, "Don't be nervous, I won't do anything to you, nor will I tell the Thousand Rock Army."

Everyone was taken aback, but they weren't stupid. Feng Shan Jueyun spoke directly, "Why should we believe you! Besides, how did you recognize us, and how did you know about this so recently?"

Phil wasn't nervous at all. He looked at the group and said, "The Thousand Rock Army soldier you killed isn't just hated by you outsiders. We Liyue people, at least I hate people like that."

"From what I understand, you are innocent. As for how I recognized you, the short-haired blonde, the two sleazy men, and the two floating mascots—weren't you all the victims?"

......................................................

"Pervert!"

"I can be just like him!"

The first line came from Wu Qiu, and the second from Fengshan Jueyun. Paimeng and Wuxiang Fengzai exclaimed in unison, "We are not mascots!"

"Alright, alright, I understand. But you don't need to be surprised, after all, rumors travel faster than you do, and your story has probably already reached Liyue Harbor."

Phil smiled. Wu Qiu and the others exchanged glances, and finally Ying spoke up, "We can't completely trust you. But could you please buy us some food? I apologize for our doubts, and we're willing to pay extra."

“It’s possible, but are you really sure?” Phil said, looking down. Everyone looked down and saw a group of about twenty Thousand Rock Army soldiers who had arrived at Wangshu Inn. After checking the area below, they had already gone upstairs.

"They're here! What do we do? Should we run?"

Paimon clutched his head and spoke. Ying shook her head, "No, we'll be found out."

"So, do you want to trust me or not?" Phil opened a sliding door and stepped aside to let them in. He smiled, as if to say, "I'm not forcing you; the choice is yours."

After thinking for a while, and seeing that the Thousand Rock Army was about to arrive, Ying finally led everyone into the Nala Gate. She had decided that if the owner of Wangshu Inn really wanted to harm them, it wouldn't be too late to fight their way out then.

Soon, the Thousand Rock Army arrived, just a door away from them. The owner of Wangshu Inn remained calm, returning to his seat after closing the door, his demeanor amiable and devoid of any other emotion.

Through the crack in the door, Wu Qiu saw Qian Yanjun take out their wanted posters. The posters clearly depicted their portraits, including not only Wu Qiuying and Fengshan Jueyun, but also Paimeng and Wuxiang Fengzai.

However, just as Fengshan Jueyun said, there are very few corrupt officials in the Thousand Rock Army, and they are very easygoing with the people of Liyue, without any sense of forcefulness or threat.

After a friendly conversation with Phil, the captain of the Thousand Rock Army seemed to tell her to be careful before leaving.

Seeing this, Wu Qiu breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid of having to fight the Qianyan Army here. Although he was sure he couldn't win, he really wanted to avoid fighting if possible.

Once everything was back to normal, Wu Qiu and his group came out. They expressed their sincere gratitude to the owner of Wangshu Inn and apologized for their earlier suspicions.

No need to thank me. Actually, I helped you not only because I understand you. After all, you are wanted criminals, which is definitely still very dangerous for you. So, there is someone else who is helping you.

Everyone was taken aback, then asked, "Who? Do we know this person?"

Phil shook his head. "I don't know if you know him, but that person, to be precise, isn't human."

Chapter 157: The Demon

"Not human? Could it be...!"

Paimon covered his mouth, and Fengshan Jueyun's eyes widened in surprise, "Ghost!"

Then he turned to look at the others and asked, "No one of you has any ill-fated relationships left, right?"

Ying went up and raised her hand, slapping Fengshan Jueyun on the head with a big, round slap. "Don't talk nonsense."

Then, looking at the shopkeeper, they asked, "If this person is from Liyue, we don't know anyone from Liyue. So... could this person really be a ghost?"

Finally, even Ying asked out of curiosity. But before Phil could answer, a calm voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

"I asked the boss to help you."

Upon hearing that voice, Wu Qiu was jolted awake, for it was all too familiar. It belonged to that person, the man he had missed, the man he could never have again.

Yes, it's a man. Handsome appearance, a cold personality, and immense strength. His handsomeness is evident in every movement, his strength in every jump, and his height… well, let's not go into that.

Turning his head, Wu Qiu saw a figure in blue. A familiar face, a familiar expression, and calm, unwavering eyes that scanned everyone before finally settling on Wu Qiu.

"elf."

Wu Qiu spoke, somewhat absentmindedly. This Xiao, just standing there, exuded an aura that could make one feel suffocated.

He did nothing, just stood there, yet the aura he exuded overwhelmed everyone. His eyes were calm and devoid of much emotion, but every glance he cast sent a chill down everyone's spine.

"Who are you!"

Ying was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on; her mind immediately became highly focused, and the hairs on her body stood on end. She summoned Wind Trace and looked at Xiao, her wind and rock attributes flowing slowly around her.

This person gives Ying a very dangerous feeling. Just now, for a moment, Ying felt as if she had died once. That feeling of death was not an illusion, but real. It made Ying realize that if the other party made a move, they would die a terrible death.

Xiao continued to stare at Wu Qiu, his eyes holding a strange expression. It was as if he were scrutinizing her, or perhaps trying to ascertain something.

"You're Xiao, right?"

Wu Qiu asked. Judging from his attire, he should be a Xiao, but Wu Qiu wanted to confirm because he was about 1.7 meters tall, not exactly short.

"Ah."

Xiao nodded noncommittally. Paimon breathed a sigh of relief. "So she's Xiao Qiuzi's friend."

Ying and the others breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. Fengshan Jueyun even stepped forward and patted Xiao on the shoulder, saying, "Hey bro, we're all brothers, no need to be so serious, and no need to be so scary next time, okay?"

Xiao slowly turned his head, glancing at him sideways. "You'd better stay away from me. Even though I don't make a move, humans can't withstand the power of my body. Getting too close will also cause injury."

"Huh?" Fengshan Jueyun was taken aback, and then felt that this guy was too pretentious. Getting hurt just by getting close, who does he think he is?

"Jueyun," Wu Qiu called out. Jueyun turned around. "What's wrong?"

"return."

Wu Qiu looked at him intently. But Feng Shan Jueyun didn't see it, and looked at Wu Qiu, asking, "What's wrong? Is your friend short-tempered? It's okay, I'm magnanimous, I won't give you any advice."

If Wu Qiu weren't having trouble walking, he would have definitely kicked this guy to death. But now was not the time to be angry. Taking a deep breath, Wu Qiu said, "He's not my friend. We don't know each other. To be precise, he doesn't know me."

"Ok?"

This statement stunned everyone present. Wu Qiu continued, "Jueyun, have you read the 'Record of the Guardian Immortals and Yakshas'?"

Fengshan Jueyun thought for a moment and said, "I've read it before; it's a very old book. But the content is too ordinary and uninteresting."

Feng Shan Jueyun waved his hand. Wu Qiu smiled wryly, "The Yaksha inside is the one in front of you. The Great Demon-Slaying Sage Xiao, is a three-eyed, five-manifested immortal!"

The last word, "immortal," was forced out by Wu Qiu through gritted teeth. It contained a hint of warning, but more so, it was a sign of fear.

If Xiao were to make a move, Wu Qiu and the others would have no chance to resist. Wu Qiu was very frustrated; he really hadn't expected Xiao to interfere in this matter, since Xiao was clearly not supposed to meddle in the affairs of mortals in the original story.

However, would the death of just one Thousand Rock Army member really alarm a sage? Especially Xiao, the strongest sage besides Zhongli.

"An immortal! An immortal!"

Paimon stared at Xiao in disbelief. Fengshan Jueyun stood there dumbfounded for a long time before he reacted, stiffly turning his head to look at Xiao, then at his own still-unremoved pig's trotter.

"Hehehe, well, I was just kidding. Hey! Your shoulder is dirty, let me wipe it for you."

After saying that, he wiped Xiao's shoulder and then dashed back in a flash, shouting in a high-pitched voice, "We're doomed! Even the immortals are here, we might as well just commit suicide!"

"What should we do? Should we call?"

Paimon clutched his head, looking completely helpless. Wu Qiu, however, spoke up, "We can't make a move. Xiao's fighting strength is no weaker than Bivalin's. Making a move would be suicide."

"But the problem is, we're going to die anyway if we don't fight! We're doomed this time. I should have ordered a package from the Rebirth Hall; I heard they're giving away a coffin lid with every order!!!!"

Wu Qiu ignored Feng Shan Jueyun, who looked as if his entire family had died. He struggled to his feet and stepped out from behind Ying, who was blocking his way.

“I want to know why you are here. If it’s just because I killed that Thousand Rock Army soldier, there’s no need for you to take action.”

Xiao stared at Wu Qiu, staring intently. Finally, he sighed, as if giving up on something, and looked up at Wu Qiu, asking, "Are you human, or a demon?"

Wu Qiu was stunned by the question. Xiao continued, "I sensed the aura of a demon when you approached Wangshu Inn. However, as you drew closer, I felt that you were different from demons."

"I'm helping you only to prevent humans from coming into contact with demons. Once I'm sure it's a demon, I'll eliminate it; if not, I won't bother with it too much."

“But,” Xiao said, his gaze toward Wu Qiu becoming somewhat strange, “the aura emanates from you, but I can’t tell. You have a very dangerous aura about you, like a demon, yet you seem to be human.”

Wu Qiu understood. Xiao was helping him only because he was afraid that he was a demon and that he would harm mortals. But since he couldn't tell right away, he asked the owner of Wangshu Inn for help.

Even now, Xiao still hasn't figured it out, which is why we're in this situation now.

As for the demon Xiao mentioned, it might be Wu Qiu's uncontrolled other half of consciousness. That dangerous aura could easily be mistaken for a demon.

However, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Wasn't he looking for a sage? Now, a ready-made one has appeared—it's like a pillow being delivered when you're sleepy.

Chapter 158: The Target, Jueyun Pavilion

"I... I feel I can explain, but will you really believe me?"

Wu Qiu looked at Xiao. Xiao, still with his arms crossed, said, "Just tell me what you need, and I will judge for myself. If it is truly something beyond worldly fame and fortune, I will not stand by and watch someone die."

His meaning was very simple. If you truly need help, and it's not for worldly fame or gain, then as an immortal, he will help with whatever is within his power.

This excited Wu Qiu, and he admired Xiao even more. Although he had only been attracted to Xiao's good looks in his previous life, after truly getting to know him, he realized that this aloof immortal was not so difficult to approach.

"Of course, if I discover that you have been deceiving me, then I will also kill you as a monster."

Finally, Xiao added. Wu Qiu nodded, "I know. So, is it convenient to find a quiet place?"

Wu Qiu didn't want too many people to know. As for Ying and the others, it didn't matter, but Wu Qiu, the owner of Wangshu Inn, didn't want her to know.

"Understood, don't worry, I won't bother you."

Phil left with a smile. She wasn't angry; in fact, she had already planned to leave when Xiao appeared. She wasn't curious about what was happening here, nor did she want to know too much.

"So, may I speak now?"

Xiao looked at Wu Qiu, his eyes still filled with doubt. Wu Qiu then spoke up and recounted everything the system had told him.

Of course, the modification and system were omitted; instead, the confusion of another aspect of consciousness was triggered by Dvalin's poisonous blood. The general meaning remained the same, and Wu Qiu wasn't exactly lying, since his current physical condition was quite clear.

"Is that so..."

Xiao stood to one side, chin in hand, seemingly deep in thought, or perhaps trying to ascertain the credibility of Wu Qiu's words. Meanwhile, Ying grabbed Wu Qiu's ear, pulling him angrily, and demanded, "Little Qiu! Why didn't you tell me!"

From her tone and expression, Wu Qiu knew she was really angry, but the blame in her eyes came more from concern.

"Sister Ying, I just found out myself, and I don't want you to worry."

Stared at by Ying's angry eyes, Wu Qiu immediately cowered. Ying raised her hand as if to hit him, but seeing the look in Wu Qiu's eyes that seemed to say, "Baby knows he was wrong," she sighed and let him go.