The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [362]

"Ladies and gentlemen, as you all know, Liyue is home to many Adepti. Among them, the Yaksha are the noblest, known for their unparalleled prowess in battle!"

Tian Tiezui snapped open his folding fan in front of him and continued, "Throughout Liyue’s thousands of years of history, the Yaksha have always taken to the battlefield as warriors. Across the land, many demon-subduing statues stand as testaments to their power."

After briefly introducing the Yaksha, he elaborated further.

"The records of the Yaksha in Liyue’s annals are scarce, unlike those of other Adepti. Because most of their deeds are tied to warfare, their stories are rarely passed down."

He then added, "It is said that the feathers worn by the Millelith during ceremonial occasions originally came from an unnamed Yaksha. These feathers, shed in the midst of battle against the Abyss’s minions, came to be seen as symbols of hope."

"Even now, the Millelith continue the tradition of wearing these feathers… a solemn reminder that the brave Yaksha and fearless mortals of that era now rest within the depths of the abyss…"

Onstage, Tian Tiezui narrated the tale of the Yaksha.

Xiao was one of them.

There were five Vigilant Yaksha, with countless others beneath them…

The Yaksha fought on the frontlines, following the orders of the Geo Archon, cutting down demons and malevolent beings. Yet in return, they suffered the unbearable weight of karmic debt, which eventually led to their downfall.

"Even the mighty Yaksha, blessed with great power and divine authority, could not escape their own karmic burdens. They suffered immense pain and fear—cursed to roam as starving ghosts for all eternity, never finding peace."

Of the five Vigilant Yaksha, three perished, one disappeared, and the rest were wiped out in endless war.

Only Xiao remained, still standing on the battlefield, still waging his eternal war against evil.

Listening to the story, Jia Changjiang understood—Xiao bore a weight far heavier than he could ever imagine.

"Even now, he's still protecting the Lantern Rite, isn’t he?" Jia Changjiang murmured to himself.

But what exactly was Xiao fighting against?

The demons and malevolent spirits that still roamed the land? The karmic debt that gnawed at his soul? Or… himself?

"Alright, I’ve decided."

Jia Changjiang tossed a peanut into his mouth.

"Not like I have anything better to do, anyway…"

"Besides…"

"Since Xiao is already here, there’s no reason to let him just leave." He set his wine cup down with a grin. "I’ll go ask Zhongli—he should know Xiao better than anyone. Maybe he can come up with a better idea."

"Yep! That settles it!"

With that, Jia Changjiang stood up and made his way toward Wangshu Funeral Parlor.

His original plan was to ask around for Zhongli’s whereabouts. But before he could even step inside, he spotted the man himself—

Along with… black ink smeared all over his face?

At the entrance, Zhongli was calmly trying to wipe the ink off. When he noticed Jia Changjiang approaching, he turned to face him, revealing his "decorated" face in full.

"Pu…!"

Jia Changjiang had to fight the urge to laugh.

Maybe I should get myself a camera… No, wait, in Teyvat, it’s called a photo recorder, right?

I bet if I had one, I'd capture some seriously funny moments…

"What happened to you?"

Holding back his laughter, Jia Changjiang pointed at the ink stains on Zhongli’s face. "New look? Trying out face paint?"

Zhongli sighed helplessly. "I had only dozed off for a brief moment in Wangshu Funeral Parlor. This… was the work of the current parlor master."

"Wait… Wangshu Funeral Parlor’s master did this?" Jia Changjiang was genuinely surprised.

Just from the name alone, he had always pictured the funeral parlor’s leader as some solemn, towering figure—perhaps a stern, 1.95-meter-tall man with a deep voice, holding a calligraphy brush and meticulously painting on Zhongli’s face.

"And you couldn’t handle… a kid?" Jia Changjiang rubbed his chin in thought. "What kind of kid could possibly be too much for you?"

"If it were me… the moment she drew on my face, I’d just draw right back on hers."

As he said this, his mind drifted to Lumine.

If she ever pulled a stunt like this, she’d definitely get the same treatment in return…

"Master Hu is… unique in her own way." Zhongli shook his head in resignation. After finishing cleaning off his face, he turned his gaze back to Jia Changjiang. "So then, what brings you here?"

"Well… do you have any ideas on how to keep Xiao at the Lantern Rite?"

Jia Changjiang explained, "Xiao already knows your true identity, right? Maybe you can call him over. That way, I can go about my own business, and he’ll have no choice but to stick around for the festival."

Zhongli studied him for a moment. "And what exactly do you intend to do during the Lantern Rite?"

As someone who had lived for thousands of years, Zhongli immediately sensed that Jia Changjiang had something in mind.

"I’ll do what I do best," Jia Changjiang replied casually, rubbing his nose. "Someone has to deal with the demons and malevolent spirits, right?"

"You don’t think I can handle them?"

Zhongli shook his head. "Back when we faced Osial, your power had already proven that neither a god’s resentment nor karmic debt could affect you." He gazed at Jia Changjiang thoughtfully. "Are you suggesting… taking Xiao’s place for one night?"

"Why not?" Jia Changjiang shrugged. "The contract between Xiao and you—er, I mean, the Geo Archon—is to vanquish evil, right? But it was never specified that only Xiao could carry it out."

"Besides…" He continued, "The Geo Archon who made that contract is gone. All that’s left is Zhongli."

With a grin, Jia Changjiang added, "I’d really like Xiao to experience the Lantern Rite for once."

He said it so lightly, as if it were the simplest thing in the world.

"…You dislike the Lantern Rite?" Zhongli asked, studying him.

"No, no, I like it just fine." Jia Changjiang waved a hand dismissively.

"Whether I release a lantern or not doesn’t make much of a difference. It’s not like this is my homeland’s festival." He shrugged. "I already had Lumine send up a lantern with my wishes for me."

"And as for the medicine to suppress Xiao’s karmic debt, I’ve already placed an order for it."

Jia Changjiang grinned. "There’s no way Xiao is getting out of the Lantern Rite this time!"

"Since you’re already here… why not stay and enjoy the festival?"

---

This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!