"The male guest is here!"
Guoba was stunned when he saw the familiar figure. He remembered that the Conqueror of Demons had been this tall a thousand years ago. How could he still be the same height after a millennium?
Xiao: What's with that look of pity?
"Marukus, long time no see..."
Xiao never expected to meet an old friend in such a setting. It seemed Marukus was playing the role of a server. What shocked Xiao even more was that the power Marukus had sacrificed was gradually recovering... This was something even the Geo Archon couldn't help with back then!
"Marukus' era is over. Liyue no longer needs the protection of the God of the Hearth. My name is Guoba now, and I'm an assistant chef at Wanmin Restaurant..." Guoba smiled. He preferred his current life to dwelling on past glories.
"Marukus... uh, Guoba, it's good to see you back to normal. Um... the Geo Archon arrived earlier, have you seen him?" Xiao found the old friend's new name a bit difficult to get used to but was trying his best to adapt!
"Morax... oh no, his name is Zhongli now. If I'm not mistaken, he should be soaking in the hot springs right now. I'll take you to him!" Guoba nodded with a smile and beckoned Xiao to follow him as he led the way.
The Geo Archon, in the guise of Zhongli, had hidden himself among mortals to enjoy a peaceful life. On this matter, Guoba and the Geo Archon shared the same sentiment.
"The men's bath is over there, you can go by yourself. I have work to do, so I'll be going now!" Guoba glanced nervously towards the women's bath and quickly made his escape before Cloud Retainer noticed him. That woman was eyeing his hard-earned pay – top-tier ice cream. Damn it! His powers hadn't fully recovered yet, and he couldn't beat that woman... He couldn't fight her, but he could avoid her!
Xiao only heard a "whoosh" and Guoba had disappeared, making him marvel at how well his old friend's powers had recovered!
"My... my Lord!"
Xiao, wrapped in a towel, approached the hot spring and softly called out to Zhongli, who was lounging in the water. Xiao was surprised to find the Geo Archon lying on his back in the water, fast asleep!
Zhongli: This hot spring water is truly comfortable, as if some magical power is repairing the wear and tear on my body... Of course, there was another important reason – boredom! Since no one came to chat with him, he had to relax alone, letting the waves rock him gently, feeling comfortable and at ease, and soon fell asleep.
"Xiao, hurry up and get in! You're thousands of years old, don't be as shy as a little girl!" Zhongli opened his eyes and waved at Xiao when he saw someone come to keep him company.
"My Lord, I... I think it's best not to?" Zhongli's direct gaze made Xiao uneasy. Although he knew the Geo Archon well, he instinctively took half a step back.
"I don't know what formula Fengyi added to this spring, but it can repair years of wear and tear. It's truly incredible!" Zhongli knew Xiao's personality well. While he appeared silent, aloof, and stern to outsiders, he was like a shy little boy when alone with him. He had rescued this unfortunate child from a fallen god back then, and Xiao, perhaps out of admiration or gratitude, had always been a bit reserved around him. Although this reserved attitude had greatly improved over the years of interaction, alas...
Zhongli then got up and pulled Xiao into the hot spring, letting him personally experience the effects of the water. The facts spoke louder than words; could he really lie to a child? Well, even a Xiao of several thousand years was still a child in his eyes!
"So... it's just as the Geo Archon said. This spring water is extraordinary, it can heal the pain of karmic burning. It's truly miraculous!" As soon as Xiao entered the water, he wanted to struggle, but the miraculous sensation the water brought made him instinctively stop thrashing.
Zhongli's familiar feeling grew stronger. To verify his conjecture, he scooped up some spring water and tasted it.
Xiao: The Geo Archon must have his reasons for doing this! He definitely... definitely does!
Xiao stood frozen, too shocked to speak.
"Phew~ As expected, my guess was correct. The ingredients Fengyi added are indeed that..." The Geo Archon let out a sigh, utterly amazed by Fengyi's extravagance.
"Geo Archon, what is this 'that thing' you speak of?" Xiao looked at Zhongli quizzically. What had Fengyi put in the water to surprise even the Geo Archon, who had lived for millennia?
"Water of Life!" The words Zhongli slowly uttered sent a jolt through Xiao.
Zhongli: Fengyi, in the end, my perspective was too narrow. Using the Water of Life for bathing, even Heaven wouldn't dare to be so extravagant! You are the first person from ancient times to present to see who doesn't regard the Water of Life as precious!
"C-could it be... the sacred artifact of the elf tribe?" Xiao looked at Zhongli in disbelief. When he saw Zhongli nod, he truly couldn't believe it.
"But... but wasn't the sacred tree of the elf tribe destroyed five hundred years ago?" Xiao murmured. As far as he knew, five hundred years ago, the elf tribe was suddenly punished by the Heavenly Principles. Many of their people perished in this calamity, and even their life-sustaining sacred tree was destroyed along with them. (Refer to the succession of the Dendro Archon in Sumeru!) It could be said that from then on, the Water of Life had become a legend of extinction. If Xiao could still understand that the surviving elves had some secret method to reawaken the sacred tree, he might accept it. But Fengyi, who had no connection to the elves, how could he possess the Water of Life of the elf tribe? What was even harder for Xiao to accept was that the incredibly precious Water of Life was being used by Fengyi for bathing. Wasn't this a terrible waste of a heavenly treasure!