Xiao

Biodata

Background / History

Xiao was once an innocent, carefree youth. During the Archon War, an unnamed Archon exploited his weakness and enslaved him, forcing him to murder innocents and devour the dreams of the defeated. Rex Lapis eventually rescued him and bestowed the name Xiao, but his enslavement left him with profound guilt and little knowledge beyond combat 147 228.

To contain the disasters caused by fallen gods’ lingering power and resentment, Morax summoned the Guardian Yakshas to eradicate evil throughout Liyue. Xiao undertook this duty willingly, repaying Rex Lapis’s kindness while seeking to atone for the lives and dreams he had destroyed 140 147 148.

Over thousands of years, the Yakshas’ ranks dwindled through battle, contamination, madness, and death. By the time Ellin encountered him, Xiao was Liyue’s sole remaining Guardian Yaksha. His exposure to archon residue compounded his guilt and bloodlust, creating a karmic burden that threatened to overwhelm his soul 140 147 231.

Appearance

• Youthful appearance: Described as a youth despite his thousands of years of service 140 147.
• Golden eyes: His golden pupils are noted while he watches an outbreak near Liyue Harbor 226.
• Stern expression: Usually maintains a cold, impassive demeanor, often standing with his arms crossed 144 154.
• Combat silhouette: Carries a green Primordial Jade Winged-Spear and wears a terrifying, demon-faced Nuo Mask when fighting evil 140 227.

Personality

Xiao is taciturn, distrustful, and accustomed to solitude. His enslavement and repeated encounters with people seeking favors from the adepti led him to assume that kindness concealed an ulterior motive. He regarded himself as a tool for slaughter and denied himself friendship or affection because he feared his curses would harm anyone nearby 146 149.

His devotion to Liyue overrides concern for his own survival. Even while close to losing control, he tries to protect innocent people from himself. He accepts his duty and suffering without excuses, and he cannot tolerate his behavior reflecting poorly on Rex Lapis 141 142 148.

Ellin’s enthusiasm repeatedly unsettles his composure. Although he initially finds her troublesome, fighting beside her and receiving her care gradually allow him to recognize her as a trusted companion rather than someone exploiting him. He begins accepting gratitude from those he saves, despite insisting that he seeks neither approval nor worship 148 153 154.

After his redemption, Xiao becomes more willing to visit friends and experience ordinary life. He continues vanquishing evil, but stops treating the responsibility as something he must shoulder alone or pursue beyond his limits 234.

Abilities & Skills

Anemo Combat and Spearmanship

Xiao combines expert spearwork with powerful Anemo attacks. His extensive combat experience also makes him capable of assessing and teaching another fighter’s techniques 140 143.

• Infuses his spear with Anemo to tear apart monsters and archon residue 140.
• Uses high-speed forward charges to destroy enemies along his path 227.
• Performs plunging attacks that release Anemo across a wide area upon impact 227.
• Produces a crescent-shaped shock wave powerful enough to slow one of Osial’s enormous strikes, though it cannot prevent him from being severely injured 189.
• Hurls his spear within a rapidly spinning tornado, turning it into a drill-like projectile that tears through the sea and wounds Osial 427.

Skyward Freedom Technique

An adeptal art Xiao devised through years of cultivation, the Skyward Freedom Technique circulates Anemo through his body and meridians rather than merely surrounding him with wind 145.

• Creates invisible footholds from air currents, allowing movement as though walking on level ground 145.
• Maintains balance and control during aerial combat 145 188.
• Supports exceptionally fast flight; Xiao states that few adepti can rival his speed 143.
• Requires elemental channeling for many associated moves. Xiao explains that a fighter without a Vision cannot learn much of his repertoire 143.

Responding to Calls

Xiao promises to come to Ellin’s aid if she calls his name while in Liyue 155.

• Ellin later calls him over and memorizes his soul’s aura, using her understanding of his ability to prepare for an emergency 233.
• She subsequently senses his weak call from Mondstadt and returns to help him 233.
• Feng’er’s earlier explanation involving soul signatures is speculation about the mechanism, not a confirmed account of Xiao’s technique 155.

Karmic Debt

Before his redemption, Xiao’s karmic debt combined divine resentment, curses, guilt, and the bloodlust accumulated through constant killing. It was a dangerous affliction rather than a freely usable source of strength 147 148 231.

• He normally needed to reserve at least forty percent of his strength to resist its erosion 140.
• Exhaustion could allow it to overwhelm his mental defenses and turn him into a murderous puppet 140 141.
• Overflowing debt affected nearby monsters, making them more aggressive; Xiao stayed away from Wangshu Inn to avoid endangering its residents 147.
• He could separate a tiny trace of it and place it upon Wang Ping’an as a punishment 153.
• Liyue’s collective love ultimately dispelled the debt. The continuing support of its people subsequently protected him from renewed affliction 231 234.

Equipment / Weapons / Items

• Primordial Jade Winged-Spear — Personally fashioned by Rex Lapis from jade and rock during the Archon War and bestowed upon Xiao. After thousands of years of use, it shattered while blocking an attack during the Lantern Rite battle. Ellin later gave him a replacement 143 229 233.
• Demon-quelling Nuo Mask / Yaksha Mask — Conceals his expressions and intimidates enemies. Wearing it signifies setting aside personal emotions to fight for the protection of all living beings 155 227.
• Anemo Vision — The elemental-channeling “third eye” referenced in his explanation of the Three-Eyed Five-Manifestation Immortals 143.
• A fallen female Yaksha’s mask — A keepsake left by one of the five strongest adeptal Yakshas. Xiao entrusted it to Ellin after she spent forty-eight days performing exorcism alongside him 155.

Relationships

• Ellin — Savior, combat student, and trusted comrade. Her treatment, companionship, and efforts to reconnect him with Liyue’s people lead to his redemption. Feng’er speculates that he has romantic feelings, but Ellin interprets his attachment as comradeship and gratitude 141 145 148 155 232.
• Rex Lapis / Zhongli — Rescuer and deeply respected lord. Xiao’s gratitude and contract with him are central to his service to Liyue; Zhongli is visibly moved by his suffering and eventual liberation 142 147 228 232.
• Barbatos / Venti — Previously soothed Xiao through flute music. Xiao later mistakenly identifies Ellin as Barbatos after considering her powers, weapons, and irreverent personality 141 149.
• Copper Tusk — Reunites with Xiao at Pervases’ Temple, bringing him genuine happiness. After the Lantern Rite, Copper Tusk recognizes that his debt is gone and asks what he intends to do next 151 232.
• Pervases — A remembered comrade; Xiao thinks of him and their companions while eating grilled Chi Tiger Fish 151.
• Cloud Retainer, Moon Carver, and Mountain Shaper — Fellow adepti concerned about his isolation and karmic burden. After his redemption, he visits each of them 146 234.
• Chongyun — Initially dismissed as childish for wanting to see evil spirits. Traveling together teaches Chongyun the seriousness of Xiao’s duty, and Xiao’s attitude toward him improves 219 220.
• Wang Ping’an — An adeptus impersonator whom Xiao punishes with a trace of karmic debt. Wang Ping’an’s repentance and sincere gratitude bring Xiao relief and slightly diminish his burden 153.
• Bosacius — A long-missing Yaksha companion who emerges through the ley lines to protect Xiao during the Dark Calamity. They reunite before Bosacius bids him farewell 453 457.
• The people of Liyue — Those he protected for thousands of years ultimately risk their lives to protect him. Their gratitude and love free him from his karmic debt 230 231.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Meeting Ellin and Teaching Her

After exhausting himself against an outbreak at Wuwang Hill, Xiao collapses near Dihua Marsh as his karmic debt erupts. Ellin uses the Soul-Cleansing Bell, chanting, Anemo, and Hydro to stabilize his mind and restore his strength 140 141.

Ellin invokes Rex Lapis’s name to make him acknowledge his debt to her, requesting spear and aerial-combat lessons. Xiao unsuccessfully tries to evade the arrangement. After sparring with her, he concludes that her unconventional fighting style is already effective and teaches her the Skyward Freedom Technique instead 142 143 144 145.

Despite his protests, Ellin remains beside him for forty-eight days. Reunions, rescued civilians’ thanks, and Wang Ping’an’s repentance help reduce his debt until it stops overflowing. When she leaves, Xiao gives her a fallen comrade’s mask and promises to answer her calls for help 151 153 154 155.

Defense Against Osial

Xiao joins Ellin and the other adepti in defending Liyue against Osial. A massive strike severely wounds him, but Ellin catches and heals him before he attempts to return to combat 187 188 189.

He and Madame Ping vouch for Ellin’s proposal to combine six adepti’s power. Xiao contributes his strength to her temporary breakthrough into the realm of an Archon 190.

Lantern Rite and Redemption

The approaching Lantern Rite intensifies the defeated gods’ resentment, causing Xiao’s debt to accumulate rapidly again. Ellin stabilizes him after another collapse, but he admits that his exhausted soul may no longer withstand the burden 220.

During the festival, archon residue reaches three times its usual amount. Xiao fights more than 130 battles over eighteen hours, then confronts over a hundred creatures attacking Liyue Harbor. Already depleted, he sustains repeated injuries, and his spear finally breaks 226 227 229.

As Xiao prepares to surrender his soul to karmic debt, the Millelith and ordinary citizens charge forward to protect him. Their love dispels his debt without immediately healing his wounds or restoring his strength. Once the danger passes, he falls asleep and is carried into the harbor as a hero 229 230 231 232.

A New Life

Unsure what to live for after losing his burden, Xiao asks Ellin for guidance. She urges him to witness what his sacrifices—and those of his fallen comrades—have made possible. She gives him a new spear, and he resolves to continue watching over Liyue in their memory 233.

He begins visiting fellow adepti and exploring Liyue Harbor with a calmer outlook. His protection of the nation continues as a shared responsibility supported by its people 234.

Later Appearances

• Guards Ellin alongside Zhongli and the immortals during her attempt to resurrect Guizhong 383.
• Attends Ellin’s birthday celebration, accepts cake, and later smiles privately on Wangshu Inn’s roof after another teasing exchange with her 417 418.
• Fights Osial again, piercing his back with a tornado-wreathed spear attack 427.
• Leads the defense of the Chasm during the Dark Calamity and reunites with Bosacius through the disrupted ley lines 453.
• Receives Bosacius’s farewell after the calamity, with his freedom from karmic debt acknowledged 457.

Notable Quotes

“Everything I do is part of my duty. I have never sought anyone's gratitude or worship!” 153

“In the past, I always traveled through Liyue with the intent to kill. Now, I want to try looking at Liyue again with a calmer heart and see whether I discover sights I never noticed before.” 234

Trivia

• Xiao initially dismisses human cooking as tedious and considers almond tofu the only barely palatable mortal food, but later requests Ellin’s grilled Chi Tiger Fish 148 151.
• The odor of Ellin’s Fried Fish Greatsword leaves him dizzy and nauseated during their spar, prompting him to end the session 144.
• Ellin later uses Xiao’s ultimate, Bane of All Evil, while wearing a Yaksha Mask and performing repeated plunging attacks 463.