Hu Tao Is Monetizing My Existence. [47]

At the highest level of the inn, a young man stood by the railing, a fearsome Yaksha mask hanging from his waist. A teal diamond-shaped marking was etched on his forehead.

His gaze was directed at them, falling specifically on her.

Hu Tao's eyes lit up. Completely ignoring Jiang Bai—the clueless fool—she set down her teacup and, in one swift movement, grabbed onto the railing and vaulted up.

"Aiya, Aiya! Conqueror of Demons, long time no see! I haven't run into you the past few times I came by."

"I wasn't here," the young man replied. He wasn't surprised by her sudden approach, but his face remained as impassive as ever, as cold and unyielding as ice.

"What do you want?" He crossed his arms, speaking softly. Though he stood right in front of her, it felt as if there was an immeasurable distance between them.

Hu Tao didn't mind the distance—she was used to it by now. With a bright grin, she leaned in, warmly extending an invitation.

"Oh, nothing much! Want to eat with us? I ordered almond tofu."

"No. Getting too close to me isn't good for you. The karma I carry will affect you." The young man took a step back, increasing the space between them.

"Oh, come on! It's just a meal! It's not like we're ordinary people or anything! Besides, I specially ordered almond tofu just for you!"

Seizing the moment when he was off guard, Hu Tao grabbed his arm and shook it slightly, putting on a pitiful expression.

"Just one meal! Please? Pretty please?"

This tactic—she had learned it from Jiang Bai. When it came to wearing people down, she admitted Jiang Bai was the true master.

Hu Tao was only fifteen. When she pulled this kind of pitiful act, even someone as composed as Zhongli couldn't help but soften and give in.

For the first time, a flicker of hesitation appeared on the young man's face. He glanced at the hand gripping his arm—shrugging it off felt wrong, but leaving it there also felt strange.

He wasn't used to physical contact, and no one had ever dared to treat him with such familiarity.

But no matter how many times he told her to show respect to an adeptus, Hu Tao never changed. She was always too warm, too persistent.

He had known her for a long time. He acknowledged her ability to purify evil spirits, but no matter how many times they met, he never quite knew how to handle her boundless energy and enthusiasm.

At that moment, Jiang Bai had also climbed up, catching sight of his boss fawning over someone. His mouth fell open in shock.

No way! No way!

Is our Director Hu… about to be taken?!

"Director Hu, who is this?"

His astonished expression caught Hu Tao's attention, and it also drew the young man's gaze.

Xiao looked at Jiang Bai, and in an instant, he recalled the oddly trimmed bushes at the statue in Lisha. His expression turned indescribable.

Hu Tao finally let go of Xiao's hand, straightened her posture, and proudly introduced him.

"This is the Conqueror of Demons—one of the Yaksha adepti who has protected Liyue for over two thousand years!"

"I don't wish to appear before mortals," Xiao muttered, preparing to disappear.

Luckily, Hu Tao's reflexes were quick—she grabbed the hem of his cloak.

If it weren't for maintaining her dignity in front of her subordinate, she would've clung to him like an octopus to keep him from slipping away.

"Aiya, it's just one meal! One meal won't kill you! Besides, neither of us are ordinary people, we'll be fine!"

She pointed at Jiang Bai's Vision as proof, continuing her relentless persuasion.

Under her persistent mental assault, the Conqueror of Demons finally relented.

"…Just this once," he said, his tone filled with resignation.

This girl—aside from their first meeting when she had been a little more reverent—had become utterly impossible for him to deal with. She had far too many tricks up her sleeve.

"Hehe, don't worry! I know my limits!" Hu Tao grinned smugly.

As for whether there would be a next time?

Well, they could cross that bridge when they got there!

Jiang Bai, meanwhile, had climbed up in a daze and climbed back down just as dazed, leaving with only one conclusion—that young man is an adeptus.

Fortunately, Hu Tao was still somewhat reliable and took the initiative to introduce him properly.

"This is Jiang Bai. You've probably heard about him—the guy who came back from the dead."

"Oh? Returned from the dead?" For the first time, the young adeptus showed a trace of interest.

"That's not entirely accurate," Hu Tao corrected. "Basically, I thought he was dead, but then he turned out to be alive. And when he woke up, he had no memories. Now he's staying with me at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor."

"…That is rare," Xiao murmured, stroking his chin. Clearly, even he didn't often encounter something like this.

Hu Tao then turned to Jiang Bai.

"This is the Conqueror of Demons, like I just said. He's one of the adepti who protects Liyue. Show some respect, got it?"

Hearing Hu Tao say that, Jiang Bai rolled his eyes internally.

Yeah, as if you show him much respect yourself.

"You may call me Xiao," the adeptus interjected. He much preferred people he knew to call him by his name rather than his title.

"Conqueror of De— Oh, wait, Xiao!" Jiang Bai caught himself mid-sentence and corrected the title. "Have we met before?"

He had caught Xiao's subtle expression just now—that fleeting what-the-hell-is-this look.

Even though Xiao was an adeptus and had an intimidating presence, his youthful appearance made it hard for Jiang Bai to feel any real fear. Plus, with Hu Tao beside him, he felt even less pressure.

So, when speaking to Xiao, Jiang Bai simply treated him like any other person. He didn't humble himself excessively just because he was talking to an adeptus.

Xiao actually appreciated that. He disliked it when mortals acted overly submissive toward him or treated him as some kind of savior.

Aside from his own circumstances, the way mortals viewed him was another reason he distanced himself from the world.

"We have. I passed by Tianheng Mountain once and sensed someone at the statue in Lisha, so I stopped to take a look."

Jiang Bai suddenly understood. "Ah! So that explains why I felt like someone was watching me back then—it was you!"

"…Your pruning of the bushes left a lasting impression." Xiao finally settled on a way to phrase it.

Not because he was trying to be polite—those bushes truly were unforgettable.

"Ah, I was just trimming them randomly. If you like, I can tidy up the plants around this inn too." Jiang Bai immediately tried to push his luck.

"…No need."

Xiao paused for a moment before giving a curt, indifferent reply.

He realized something.

This guy… was just as much trouble as Hu Tao.

"Xiao, do you always stay at Wangshu Inn?" Jiang Bai was intrigued by this young-looking adeptus.

Two thousand years might not seem long to an immortal, but in human terms, it was an eternity.

An era long enough for dynasties to rise and fall, for the seas to turn into mulberry fields.

This adeptus had spent all those years guarding Liyue—how many of his stories were still remembered? How many had been forgotten by the world?

"I rest here occasionally."

"What do you do most of the time?"

"I purge evil, cleanse the remnants of the fallen gods, and slay the filth born from their remains…"

To Jiang Bai's surprise, despite Xiao's cold demeanor, he was actually quite willing to answer his questions.

At the very least, he wasn't ignoring him.