Chapter Summaries

Xiu Yuan accepted the five Yakshas as Liyue’s Guardian Yakshas and gave them a residence on Mt. Tianheng. Seeing that they were unsettled by having nothing to do, he assigned them a simple task and left them with strict limits.

• Xiu Yuan told Bosacius and the other Yakshas to prove their sincerity, but they vowed to follow him and protect Liyue.
• Xiu Yuan accepted them, named them Liyue’s Guardian Yakshas, and heard each of their names, including Golden Roc, who was later known as Xiao.
• Xiu Yuan explained Liyue’s situation and created a separate residence for the five Yakshas on Mt. Tianheng.
• Bosacius and then Menogias asked Xiu Yuan for work, and Xiu Yuan recognized that the Yakshas were uneasy with their sudden peace.
• Xiu Yuan ordered the five Yakshas to walk to a stream northwest of Mt. Tianheng and catch fish and shrimp with their bare hands, without weapons or elemental power.

Xiu Yuan sent the five Yakshas to catch fish by hand, giving them a chance to relax together at Small Creek. Golden Roc smiled and cried for the first time after a hundred years of captivity, as his companions encouraged him to embrace the light and trust Xiu Yuan.

• Xiu Yuan sent Bosacius, Indarias, Bonanus, Menogias, and Golden Roc to catch fish and told them to return before sunset.
• The Yakshas discussed Xiu Yuan’s calm nature as they walked to Small Creek.
• The Yakshas struggled to catch fish without weapons or elemental power until Golden Roc caught the first one.
• Bosacius challenged Golden Roc to a fishing contest, and the others teased him until everyone laughed.
• Golden Roc saw his companions laughing, smiled for the first time in a hundred years, and wept as they urged him to leave the darkness behind and support Xiu Yuan.

The Yakshas returned to Mt. Tianheng after staying out past sunset while fishing, fearing Xiu Yuan would punish them for disobeying his instructions. Xiu Yuan forgave their mistake and invited them to share the fish, leaving the Yakshas stunned by his kindness.

• Bosacius and the other Yakshas realized they had lost track of time and missed Xiu Yuan’s sunset deadline.
• The Yakshas returned to Mt. Tianheng at a normal pace, ashamed and afraid of punishment.
• Xiu Yuan told the Yakshas to sit by the campfire and began roasting their fish.
• Bosacius admitted that they had failed to return before sunset and asked Xiu Yuan to punish them.
• Xiu Yuan patted Bosacius’s shoulder, forgave the Yakshas, and asked them to bring over the fish.

Xiu Yuan reassured the Yakshas that their late return was no serious failure, helping them relax and enjoy their time in Liyue. As they grilled fish and joked around the campfire, the group shared a cheerful evening together.

• Bosacius asked whether Xiu Yuan was angry that the Yakshas had returned late, and Xiu Yuan told them not to worry about a delay that had caused no harm.
• Xiu Yuan offered the Yakshas grilled fish, and Bosacius admitted he liked it after all.
• Bosacius bragged that he had caught thirty-two fish, while Indarias teased him about Golden Roc catching the first one.
• Bosacius challenged Golden Roc to a fishing contest and offered his recognition as the prize, prompting Golden Roc to turn away and the others to laugh.
• Indarias, Bonanus, Menogias, and Golden Roc bantered around the campfire as Xiu Yuan enjoyed their relaxed, cheerful company.

After half a year of peace, Xiu Yuan and the five Yakshas learned that Rex Lapis had returned to Liyue with the Thousand Rock Corps and the Adepti. The Yakshas became eager to test themselves against Morax, and Xiu Yuan agreed to arrange a sparring match later.

• Under the four Yakshas' guidance, Golden Roc grew more talkative and cheerful, and the five Yakshas became friends with Guizhong and Marchosius.
• Six months later, messengers announced that Rex Lapis had returned with the Thousand Rock Corps and the Adepti, prompting Liyue's people to rush to the Guili Plains.
• Bosacius asked whether the five Yakshas could withstand Rex Lapis in a fight, and Xiu Yuan estimated they might last fewer than fifteen moves if Morax took the match seriously.
• The Yakshas asked Xiu Yuan to arrange a sparring match with Morax, and he agreed to put in a word when the time was right.

Morax honored the 1,420 Thousand Rock Corps warriors who died in the war by raising a memorial and promising that Liyue would remember and compensate the fallen. After returning to Xiu Yuan, Morax met the five Yakshas, whom Xiu Yuan had kept in Liyue after driving away their master.

• Morax recounted the Thousand Rock Corps’ losses and raised a memorial platform with more than a thousand gravestones near Mt. Tianheng.
• Morax vowed to honor his contracts with the fallen, and the people of Liyue answered by pledging that Liyue would always be with them.
• Liyue mourned the dead as surviving warriors reunited with their families, while Morax reflected on the suffering he had witnessed and how the war had changed him.
• Xiu Yuan welcomed Morax back and introduced Bosacius, Bonanus, Indarias, Menogias, and Golden Roc as Yakshas he had kept in Liyue.

Xiu Yuan arranged for the five Yakshas to help Morax compensate the families of fallen soldiers and reward the survivors, while Ganyu assisted with the extensive records. As Liyue’s leaders settled into their roles, Xiu Yuan taught the Adepti mechanism arts and considered further plans for the city’s future.

• Morax agreed to let Xiu Yuan handle gathering information about fallen soldiers’ families and said he would visit Guizhong and the others at Guili Plains.
• Xiu Yuan gave the five Yakshas the list and assigned them to gather information while learning about Liyue’s situation.
• The five Yakshas cleared up a misunderstanding with the Thousand Rock Corps, then submitted their findings to Morax and helped him with administrative work.
• Ganyu joined Morax and the Yakshas to help process information about more than a thousand soldiers and their families.
• Morax grew closer to the Yakshas as they assisted him, while Xiu Yuan led the Adepti in studying his more powerful mechanism arts.
• Xiu Yuan reflected on how the Yakshas, Ganyu, the Adepti, and the future Liyue Qixing could share administrative and combat responsibilities, and considered reinforcing the Chasm for Azhdaha.

Xiu Yuan arranged a spar between Morax and the five Yakshas at Cuijue Slope to see what they could do. Their coordinated elemental attacks shattered Morax’s shield, leaving the match at a tense turning point.

• Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, and Skybracer discussed how long the Yakshas might last against Morax as the spectators gathered at Cuijue Slope.
• Xiu Yuan started the spar after Bosacius and Morax confirmed they were ready.
• Bosacius vanished while Indarias sent a Great Flame Serpent at Morax, and Menogias followed by trapping and launching him with the Thorny Rock Tree.
• Bonanus summoned the Azure Sea Demon Dragon, and Golden Roc attacked Morax from below with the Piercing Killing Spear.
• Bonanus and Golden Roc's combined assault shattered Morax's shield, and Indarias began a Great Heavenly Thunderstorm.

Morax tested the five Yakshas, praised their strength, and learned how the Dream Demon God had controlled them. As Morax prepared to hunt the Dream Demon God, Xiu Yuan froze after unseen voices announced they had captured the Abyss and planned to seize his body and destroy the continent.

• Morax dispersed the Yakshas’ combined thunderstorm attack and praised them for their strength.
• Morax fought all five Yakshas and defeated them after twelve moves.
• Morax asked how the Dream Demon God had controlled such powerful Yakshas, and they explained how its dream manipulation and isolation broke their trust.
• Morax asked Xiu Yuan for permission to confront the Dream Demon God, and Xiu Yuan agreed, saying it had gone west.
• Xiu Yuan suddenly froze as unseen voices revealed they had captured the Abyss and intended to take over his body and destroy the continent.

Xiu Yuan took control of the karmic debt threatening to consume him, then left to investigate the force pulling him toward Qingce Village. He made Morax promise not to search for him and said he would return before the Archon War ended.

• The karmic debts overwhelmed Xiu Yuan, and a powerful pull from Qingce Village accompanied his fading consciousness.
• Xiu Yuan used the Good-and-Evil Mask to control the karmic debt, changing the mask and regaining his reason.
• Xiu Yuan told Morax he had to leave and asked him to protect Liyue while he was gone.
• Xiu Yuan invoked Morax's remaining wager condition, telling him not to look for him, then vanished.

After being separated from Morax, Xiu Yuan settled in Qingce Village, where he learned the karmic debt had deliberately eased its assault to make him use the mask. A chipped teacup stirred his fading memories, and as the Archon War neared its end, he suddenly remembered the truth of his Ninth Lifetime.

• Morax watched helplessly as Xiu Yuan disappeared, leaving the others in Liyue without knowing where he had gone.
• In Qingce Village, Xiu Yuan heard the karmic debt explain that it was slowly eroding his mind to force him to use the mask and strengthen it through the backlash.
• Xiu Yuan decided to avoid using the mask and settled into a quiet life in Qingce Village, where the karmic debt's invasion eased.
• When Xiu Yuan dropped and chipped his teacup, the damage awakened memories of his past reincarnations and renewed his resolve to go back.
• Xiu Yuan checked the passing years, realized the Archon War was almost over, and suddenly remembered everything about his Ninth Lifetime.

Xiu Yuan struggled to choose between risking the mask’s power to protect Guizhong and Marchosius or waiting safely for the Archon War to end so he could return. The chapter left him overwhelmed and silent, with his hair turned white.

• Xiu Yuan debated using the mask’s power, fearing its karmic backlash could make him lose control.
• Xiu Yuan considered whether dying would complete or fail his mission to participate in the Archon War, and concluded he likely had to survive until the war ended.
• Xiu Yuan worried that Guizhong and Marchosius would face judgment after the war, while Guizhong’s death could cause Morax severe erosion.
• Xiu Yuan weighed his longing to return and marry Shenhe against the danger to his friends and the grief Morax would suffer.
• Xiu Yuan’s hair turned white, and he sat silently, staring blankly.

Xiu Yuan used the Evil Spirit's power to break open the Underworld around Qingce Village, transforming the region into a lifeless realm filled with wandering souls. He realized he had succeeded in opening its gates, leaving him surrounded by souls who seemed to recognize him as their king.

• Xiu Yuan chose to risk everything and activated his mask to draw on the Evil Spirit's power.
• Xiu Yuan gathered the evil power into a black sphere and hurled it into the void.
• Cracks spread through the void and shattered it, turning the landscape around Qingce Village into a barren realm beneath an eerie green sky.
• Xiu Yuan sensed countless souls gathering around him and realized they were willing to submit to him.
• Xiu Yuan understood that his power had opened the Underworld in the place of extreme yin.

Xiu Yuan killed Marchosius and Guizhong in Liyue, then slew the Great Serpent and armored invaders on Watatsumi Island before searching for Havria’s soul. As he searched the dead for souls to reincarnate, the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, Ruler of Death, appeared before him.

• Xiu Yuan appeared in the Guili Plains and killed Marchosius in front of the humans he had been preparing dinner for.
• Guizhong confronted Xiu Yuan, sensed she had met him before, and he killed her as well.
• Xiu Yuan crossed into Inazuma and killed the Great Serpent and the armored humans on Watatsumi Island while sparing ordinary people.
• Xiu Yuan returned to Qingce Village and searched among the dead for Havria’s soul so he could reincarnate her and the others as humans.
• The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles, Ruler of Death, appeared behind Xiu Yuan as he searched.

Xiu Yuan fought the Ruler of Death above the sealed section of the Underworld while battling the karmic debt overwhelming his mind. He wounded her with his Abyss-infused blade, but she unleashed a blast and hurled deadly crimson spheres at him.

• The Ruler of Death sealed the torn-open section of the Underworld, trapping the souls inside as karmic debt drove Xiu Yuan toward attacking her.
• Xiu Yuan unleashed his evil spirit power and struck the Ruler of Death, who barely blocked the blow with a shield.
• Xiu Yuan and the Ruler of Death clashed at high speed, and he cut her arm and sent evil spirit power and the Abyss corroding her body.
• The Ruler of Death erupted with dark purple energy, stopping Xiu Yuan's charge and throwing two deep crimson spheres at him.
• Xiu Yuan narrowly dodged the spheres, one of which rapidly rotted a piece of dried wood into dust.

Xiu Yuan fought the Ruler of Death, then confronted the other rulers and the Heavenly Principles, accusing them of engineering the Demon God war to secure control of Teyvat. After summoning five Torch Dragons and five Planet Befall meteors, he removed his mask and asked the Heavenly Principles whether the little bird still sang in hell.

• Xiu Yuan exploited the Ruler of Death's Abyssal corruption to wound her, but an immense force blasted him into a crater.
• The Rulers of Life, Death, Time, and Space appeared alongside the Heavenly Principles.
• Xiu Yuan summoned five Planet Befall meteors and five Torch Dragons as he prepared to fight the rulers.
• Xiu Yuan accused the Heavenly Principles of creating the Demon God war to select powerful servants, eliminate other Demon Gods, and prevent rival forces from taking Teyvat.
• Xiu Yuan removed his mask, revealing his restored face, and softly asked the Heavenly Principles, “Does the little bird still sing in hell?”

Xiu Yuan unleashed five enormous, dragon-breath-infused Planet Befall meteors against the Heavenly Principles and the four rulers, believing his final gamble had failed when they survived. He revealed a delayed second explosion timed for when they lowered their defenses, then detonated the meteors and challenged the Heavenly Principles to die with him.

• Xiu Yuan sent five colossal Planet Befall meteors crashing down, each wreathed in Torch Dragon breath.
• The Ruler of Space and the Ruler of Death strengthened the barriers while the Heavenly Principles, Time, and Life shielded themselves from the attack.
• The meteors shattered the innermost barrier but left the women unharmed, and they dismissed Xiu Yuan's attack as insufficient.
• Golden light began shining from chains on the meteors, and the Heavenly Principles realized Xiu Yuan had waited for their Protective Barrier to fall before triggering a second explosion.
• Xiu Yuan mocked the frightened Heavenly Principles, clenched his hand, and detonated all five meteors.

After the five largest Planet Befall meteors devastated the battlefield, Xiu Yuan faced the wounded Heavenly Principles and revealed that he knew why the Archon War had been started. He named himself the Lord of the Underworld and prepared to fight her after answering her question about how he learned the truth.

• The five largest Planet Befall meteors shattered the second and third Barriers, but a new golden Barrier contained the explosion and left countless souls drifting outside the physical world.
• Xiu Yuan teased the wounded Heavenly Principles, who sensed that he had changed and asked who he was.
• The Heavenly Principles wondered how Xiu Yuan knew that she and humanity came from beyond the world and understood the reasons behind the Archon War.
• Xiu Yuan named himself the Lord of the Underworld and offered the Heavenly Principles one question before challenging her strength.
• The Heavenly Principles asked Xiu Yuan how he had learned all of this.

The Lord of the Underworld revealed that the karmic debts had manipulated Xiu Yuan for centuries to create a chance to kill the Heavenly Principles. After absorbing the Underworld’s souls, he destroyed her and was left feeling empty.

• The Lord of the Underworld told the Heavenly Principles that Xiu Yuan had long suspected her identity and that his account of the Archon War had been speculation.
• The Lord of the Underworld explained that the karmic debts had spent eight lifetimes trying to break Xiu Yuan and had manipulated him in the ninth to keep the Heavenly Principles unaware of him.
• The Lord of the Underworld gathered the Underworld’s souls to fuel their revenge, while Guizhong and Marchosius received physical bodies and the Great Serpent chose to join him.
• The Lord of the Underworld absorbed the Great Serpent and the other souls, then vanished before the Heavenly Principles could attack.
• The Lord of the Underworld touched the Heavenly Principles’ face and dissolved her into particles, then gazed at the sky and wondered whether revenge felt empty.

Bosacius heard repeated claims that Guizhong and Marchosius had been killed, but he and the other Adepti dismissed them as rumors. Curious despite their disbelief, Bosacius and Cloud Retainer headed to the Guili Plains to check on them.

• A Thousand Rock Corps member reported that a man claimed Guizhong and Marchosius had been killed, and Bosacius ordered him locked up.
• A second man pleaded with Bosacius to save Guizhong and Marchosius, saying he had found them covered in blood with wounds in their bodies.
• Bosacius questioned the man, but concluded he could not help and allowed the Thousand Rock Corps to take him away.
• Bosacius told the Adepti and Yakshas about the two men, and they scoffed at the claims because none had sensed an invasion.
• Cloud Retainer decided to visit Guizhong, and Bosacius joined her so he could enjoy Marchosius's cooking.