"Young man, what did you mean earlier when you said you were going to die?"
Under the setting sun, the old man couldn't help but ask again as they walked along the road.
"Old man, I meant it literally. I'm really going to die," Yuxie replied once more. "You've asked me three times now."
"That shouldn't be the case. You look quite young. Are you facing some kind of trouble? Let me tell you, as long as you're alive, any problem can be solved. Just don't get too down. Or... do you have some incurable disease?"
"None of that. I'm just reaching the end of my lifespan."
Yes, the end of life.
Living nearly two hundred years, and then reaching the end of one's days is a pretty good conclusion.
"You're joking! You look no more than thirty!" The old man clearly didn't believe him, clicking his tongue.
"Maybe it's because I take good care of myself. In reality, I'm over a hundred. This white hair isn't a sign of worry; it just turned white as I aged," Yuxie said calmly.
The old man was momentarily taken aback; this young man didn't seem to be lying.
The look in his eyes was not that of a young man but rather akin to an elderly person who had come to terms with life after witnessing its ups and downs.
"Are you... really not lying?"
"Of course not." Yuxie smiled softly, feeling a sense of relief. "Young man, I'm glad to have met you. There are some things I've kept to myself for too long, and being able to express them now feels much lighter. Thank you for accompanying me this far, but I can continue on my own from here."
"Who are you calling 'young man'?" The old man wasn't offended; he just found it strange to be called 'young man' by someone who looked much younger than himself.
Yuxie silently smiled, coming to a stop.
"Let's part ways here, then."
They had already come quite a distance from the forest; just ahead lay Yuxie's destination.
The old man suddenly felt an indescribable sensation, as if attending a grand funeral.
This funeral had no guests, only the mountain winds, the snow on the ground, the winter sunset, and the tranquility of a departed soul.
He pulled out his pipe, rolled a cigarette, and lit it.
"Young man, my name is Zuozhe. What's yours?"
"My name is Yuxie."
"Yuxie... ancient texts say, 'Holding hands, growing old together.' Yuxie—what a lovely name."
Yuxie said nothing further, a faint smile lingering at the corners of his mouth.
But suddenly, his smile froze.
In the next moment, the sword hidden beneath his coat, Cloud Cutter, was unsheathed.
The cold gleam of the blade flashed like lightning.
With a swift motion, Yuxie dashed past.
The old man stood stunned, feeling a sharp, icy presence slice through the air beside him, as if even the wind had been cut.
A few seconds later, he slowly turned his head.
Some dark, indescribable entity lay severed in two on the snow, writhing and twisting before dissipating into mist.
"What... what is this...?" The old man was left speechless with astonishment.
"Just a remnant of a demon. I'm here to eliminate such things," Yuxie said, sheathing his sword.
Though Yuxie still had many things he wished to accomplish before his time was up, most of them were mundane matters. He knew that it was a bit too much to hope for.
However, there were a few things he absolutely had to do.
The first was to prevent Guizhong's death.
So he made a deal with Eligos; when Guizhong would inevitably face enemies alone, Eligos would intervene to help. If all went well, it should avert that tragic outcome.
The second was to eliminate the remnants of demons that would later corrupt the yaksha.
The third...
Now, the first task was completed, and the second was nearing its conclusion. As for the third, it would depend on his physical condition after the second task.
Yuxie knew that his body was not suited for battle at present, but there were some things he had to do; otherwise, he would feel that his life in this world had been in vain.
"Who... exactly are you?" The old man still hadn't fully recovered from his shock.
"Do you know about the Guili Assembly?"
"I've heard of it."
"I'm a junior officer of the Guili Assembly." Yuxie smiled, turning to leave. "Head back now, don't worry. That kind of thing won't show up again."
In the snow, Yuxie walked northward, leaving a trail of footprints.
The old man watched Yuxie's figure fade, a feeling suddenly welling up inside him.
"Young man, take care—"
The sunset cast long shadows behind Yuxie.
...
In the Guili Pavilion.
The Geo Archon summoned the immortals to gather together.
"Your Majesty, you called us here because of Yuxie, right? What exactly is going on?" Liuyun was the first to ask, her anxiety evident in her eyes.
Morax paused for a moment.
He hadn't expected this day to come so soon.
He respected Yuxie's decision, but he could no longer deceive everyone at this moment.
"Yuxie has left. He has departed from the Guili Assembly."
"What does 'departed from the Guili Assembly' mean?" Gechen couldn't help but ask.
"He won't be coming back," Morax said softly. His silence lingered, the death of a friend was indeed not easy to speak of.
"He is going to die."
Morax's voice was quiet, yet it felt like thunderclaps in the stillness.
No one spoke.
The Guili Pavilion fell into an eerie silence.
As immortals, they had witnessed too many farewells and deaths.
Yet they still could not grow accustomed to it.
Immortals have human emotions, too; they have their joys and sorrows.
Moreover, such a farewell happening to them made it all the more poignant.
A comrade who had fought alongside them for over a hundred years had simply slipped away, leaving nothing behind.
How could they remain calm?
"W-why? He didn't say anything, not even a goodbye..." After a long time, Liuyun finally spoke, disbelief filling her eyes.
"His lifespan has reached its limit. He didn't want to say goodbye; he feared attachment, and he didn't want anyone to see what he looked like at the end." Morax spoke slowly. "This was his choice."
"No, I must find him." Liuyun's expression suddenly changed, as if a fiery light was igniting in her eyes.
"If he's deliberately hiding, no one would be able to find him," Gechen said quietly.
This statement dimmed the light in Liuyun's eyes a little.
Gechen was right; if Yuxie was determined to hide, he was indeed a master at playing hide and seek.
"Even so, I must look for him. I won't let him leave like this. Your Majesty, please allow me to depart first." After a moment of silence, Liuyun said this and turned to leave the Guili Pavilion.
For the first time in many years, Liuyun showed such a lack of composure.
The others in the Guili Pavilion remained silent, the heavy atmosphere pressing down on everyone's hearts.
"There's not much going on recently. Let's give everyone some time off. You don't need to stay on standby at home. If you have anything you want to do, go ahead and do it." Morax suddenly said.
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