Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue.

Gu Sanqiu was stunned, then glanced toward the kitchen.

"Xiao is eating in there?"

"No, he's watching Yanxiao cook."

?

Gu Sanqiu cleared his throat and pulled out a spear.

"I'll go say hi."

I have a sneaking suspicion that the person inside isn't the real Xiao—and I have evidence!

"Xiao."

Arms crossed, Xiao turned his head toward the voice.

"It's late. What brings you here?"

"Oh, nothing much. I just got my freedom back and wanted some fresh air."

Gu Sanqiu muttered a complaint under his breath. However, seeing Xiao's familiar expressionless demeanor, he confirmed it was indeed the real Xiao.

"By the way, what made you decide to watch Yanxiao cook all of a sudden?"

Nearby, Yanxiao was drenched in sweat. Hearing Gu Sanqiu's question, he couldn't help but nod in agreement.

His sweat wasn't from the kitchen's heat but from the oppressive presence of the Adeptus beside him, staring unblinkingly at every move he made. It was as if Xiao suspected he might poison the food.

The sheer pressure was overwhelming. Yanxiao felt that not burning the food under such scrutiny was an achievement worthy of boasting about for years.

"Hmm, I was suddenly interested," Xiao said with a nod. "If I have the chance, I might try cooking simple meals myself someday."

"Before now, I thought of food only as a means to replenish energy. I saw no need to complicate it or invest too much effort," he explained.

"But since last time, I've come to realize the subtleties of food go beyond that. As an old friend once said, food has the power to bring happiness."

"Perhaps, in the past, the truth was obscured by the nature of my existence."

Xiao raised his left hand, where the tattoo on his arm emitted a gentle golden glow.

"It's not a bad feeling."

Yanxiao felt tears threatening to spill. Can't you two have this conversation somewhere else? The pressure of being watched by an Adeptus is too much for a humble chef like me!

Noticing the turmoil brewing in Yanxiao's mind, Gu Sanqiu led Xiao up to the rooftop of the inn.

"The old friend you mentioned... that must be Marchosius, right? That does sound like something he'd say."

"Yes, it was him," Xiao confirmed. "I believe he noticed certain issues with the Yaksha long ago. It's a shame we couldn't understand him at the time."

Gu Sanqiu hesitated for a moment before speaking. "There's something about this that doesn't sit right with me, Xiao."

"Go on."

"You're saying Marchosius noticed the limitations of Yaksha power. So why didn't he just explain it clearly to you? Or lay it all out in detail?"

"Was it some kind of mysterious 'you'll understand when the time comes' thing? If it was for your own good, shouldn't he have been straightforward?"

Xiao considered the question carefully. "Your reasoning isn't wrong. But that's you—not us."

"Eh?"

"Marchosius was the God of the Stove, presiding over fire and livelihood. It was natural for him to perceive the issues with the Yaksha. That insight was within his domain," Xiao explained.

"But for the Guardian Yaksha, our domain lies elsewhere. If he had been direct, it might have provoked resistance—or even subconscious rejection—on our part."

"Think of it as similar to how some mortals find their values clashing with those of their teachers or peers. There's no easy resolution. Subtle guidance was the only option Marchosius had."

"Even with great strength, the burdens of karma clouded our vision. These were problems rooted in our nature—or in the very existence of the Yaksha."

Man, that sounds complicated.

Scratching his head, Gu Sanqiu sighed. Then again, it made sense. The Yaksha existed to destroy evil, embodying the essence of slaughter. That they didn't lose themselves entirely to karmic debt was impressive enough—there was likely little time or energy left to contemplate other matters.

It was like someone working themselves to exhaustion, only to collapse into bed at the end of the day. Who had the energy to think about self-improvement or fitness routines?

Or, to put it simply: a young professional juggling multiple jobs might have the disposable income to buy a highly-rated game, but they'd lack the time to play it.

"Well, any change is a good thing, right?"

Gu Sanqiu chuckled. "Cooking that brings happiness... I wonder if there's an actual recipe for that. I'd be very interested."

Whether "happiness cuisine" referred to specific recipes or the emotional satisfaction conveyed through food, it was likely an invaluable skill—perhaps even a divine specialty.

Xiao glanced at him.

"Whatever it is, it's definitely not from those bizarre recipes your ancestors came up with."

"Those dishes shouldn't have existed in the first place."

...

Do you have to roast me like that?!

Alright, it was true, but he couldn't shake the feeling he'd just been subtly insulted.

Sighing, Gu Sanqiu turned to Xiao.

"By the way, Xiao, the incense effigy I made for you was meant to help you rest. But you're still running around hunting down malevolent spirits."

On his way here, he hadn't sensed any lingering spirits. There was no need to ask who had eliminated them—it was clearly the person in front of him. No one else had such an efficient "map-clearing" ability.

But this wasn't what Gu Sanqiu had in mind.

I help you solve your problems so you can rest more, and you use the extra time to work harder? Isn't that completely backwards?!

"Balancing work and rest is important. One must be responsible for their duties," Xiao replied.

"More importantly... what happened to you? You're injured."

"How can you all tell...?"

Gu Sanqiu sighed. "First the Medicine Furnace Elder, then Qiqi—they both saw right through me. Is this some kind of Adeptus sixth sense?"

Though his wounds had been healed by the regenerative flames, he felt as if he were an open book to them.

"The physical injuries are gone, but your energy is still unstable. It's only natural we'd notice," Xiao said. "Did you face a powerful foe? Why didn't you call me for help?"

...

It wasn't like Xiao could hop on a high-speed train and instantly reach Inazuma.

Besides, if Xiao had shown up, it might have been misconstrued as the Geo Archon interfering in Raiden Shogun's governance—something he absolutely wanted to avoid.

"Well, here's what happened..."

After explaining, Gu Sanqiu mentioned his house arrest and looked at Xiao expectantly.

"So, Xiao, don't you think it's unreasonable for me to be grounded? I didn't even do anything wrong—just took a bold risk. Right? You agree, don't you?"

"In your family's history, only a rare few could compete with you in this regard," Xiao replied with a sigh.

Such a reaction would have been unthinkable for Xiao in the past. But times had changed.

"I wouldn't put you under house arrest," Xiao admitted.

Gu Sanqiu's eyes lit up.

"I'd seal you in the leylines to clear your head—just like the Dragon King once did to your ancestors."

---

T/N: pokemon got nuked :D

"..."

- Gardevoir

(End of Chapter—Support the translator at [patreon.com/WiseTL]!)