Late at night, in the Tianzi Room of Wangshu Inn, Yun Fan reclined on a rocking chair by the window, sipping the fine spring tea Verr Goldet had sent him as he gazed at the full moon in the sky.
For some reason, since arriving in Teyvat, he had developed a fondness for tea. Perhaps it was because there was no soda here. Back in his world, he couldn't live without it! Maybe he should find some time to try replicating soda?
Yun Fan suddenly thought this was a great idea. If he couldn't do it himself, he could always ask Albedo or Sucrose. They could definitely pull it off.
Whoosh—
A faint sound of something cutting through the air reached Yun Fan's ears. He turned his head in the direction of the wind and saw an "uninvited guest" suddenly appear in his room.
"Divine General," Xiao greeted respectfully.
"Mm, follow me," Yun Fan said, his figure already transforming into a streak of golden light as he shot off into the distance.
Xiao gently touched his face, and a Yaksha mask representing the Golden-Winged King covered his delicate features. In the next moment, he too transformed into a streak of green light, closely following Yun Fan.
The two streaks of light flew side by side across the sky, quickly passing over Dihua Marsh and arriving at Wuwang Hill.
After finding a suitable landing spot, the two descended. Yun Fan couldn't help but nod inwardly. The name "Yaksha" meant swiftness, and Xiao truly lived up to his title as a Yaksha general. Although Yun Fan had deliberately slowed down during the flight to ensure Xiao could keep up, Xiao's speed was still among the best in Teyvat. Aside from the Seven Archons and those adepti known for their speed, Xiao was practically unmatched.
"Let's do it here. Xiao, I must warn you—this is my first time attempting to cleanse karmic debt. There might be some unpredictable outcomes. Are you prepared?" After finding a ruin occupied by monsters, Yun Fan and Xiao quickly dealt with the Hilichurls that had taken over the area. Then, Yun Fan spoke to Xiao with a serious and solemn expression.
"I am ready, Divine General," Xiao said, retracting his Primordial Jade Winged-Spear. His eyes, hidden behind the Yaksha mask, were filled with determination.
Yun Fan didn't say anything more. He extended his right hand, holding it in a half-cupped position.
Hum—
Whether it was an illusion or not, Xiao felt a ripple in the space before him. A dazzling flower, resembling the most exquisite piece of art, appeared in Yun Fan's hand. The moment Xiao saw it, a wave of dizziness washed over him, and he lost consciousness.
After Xiao fainted, the power of the Fenghuang Down enveloped him in a golden glow, beginning to draw out the karmic debt. Of course, the malevolent spirits and demonic wills that formed the karmic debt wouldn't go down without a fight. Black mist began to swirl around Xiao's body.
In the Sea of Consciousness...
Hehehe... Hihihi... Hahaha...
Eerie laughter echoed through the space, filled with mockery, amusement, disdain, and hatred. As the space twisted, grotesque "creatures" began to materialize, launching attacks at Xiao. The power within the golden light was something they couldn't resist, but even if they were to be annihilated, they would drag Xiao down with them.
"Demon-Conquering Yaksha Dance!" Xiao once again donned the Yaksha mask that had once struck fear into the hearts of gods, demons, and spirits. The Anemo Vision on his left wrist glowed brightly as green Anemo energy surged into his Primordial Jade Winged-Spear.
Xiao charged at the demonic manifestations of the karmic debt, engaging them in a fierce battle.
"Useless!" "Futile!" "Pointless!" With each of Xiao's declarations, he leaped high into the air and came crashing down, his spear piercing through the bodies of the demons, riddling their forms with holes.
The agonized wails of the demons echoed through the Sea of Consciousness as they dissipated into black smoke, leaving no trace behind.
However, over the thousands of years, Xiao had slain countless beings, and their resentment and malice were endless. As soon as one wave of demons fell, another would take its place, filling the Sea of Consciousness with an unending tide of malevolence.
Outside the Sea of Consciousness, Yun Fan, using the Fenghuang Down, sensed the situation and decided to lend Xiao a hand. While the Fenghuang Down had the power to directly eliminate the karmic debt, it had become so deeply intertwined with Xiao over the millennia that forcibly removing it would not only severely weaken him but could even endanger his life.
Thus, Yun Fan's plan was to cleanse the demonic resentment within Xiao while preserving a portion of the purified karmic debt, allowing Xiao to gradually cleanse it over time as he recovered.
Seeing that Xiao was at a disadvantage in the Sea of Consciousness, Yun Fan frowned. He lightly tapped the Fenghuang Down, causing ripples to spread.
"Fenghuang Down, Second Output Limit—Release." Yun Fan activated the second output limit—Multiple Manifestations—and sent a fragment of his will into Xiao's Sea of Consciousness.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Xiao, battling the endless horde of demons, was completely overwhelmed. These demons were infinite, while he had his limits. When his will was exhausted, it would be his end.
"Thunder—Manifests!"
A torrent of lightning, as if shaking the heavens, swept through the demons before Xiao with overwhelming force. Thunder naturally had a strong suppressive effect on evil spirits, and the demonic resentment was no exception.
"Divine General," Xiao instinctively turned his head. Yun Fan had appeared behind him at some point.