Xiao's sudden cry of pain startled everyone in the Elite Livestream Room.
Holding the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear, he knelt on one knee on the rooftop, his teeth clenched. He seemed to be in terrible pain, blue flames radiating from his entire body as though he were burning.
[Arataki Itto: Could that have been poison?] [Ganyu: This is bad. I'm heading to Wangshu Inn right away.] [Xiao: No... there's no need. This much is nothing... nothing worth making a fuss over.]
A few seconds later, purple and black fumes drifted out of his body.
They burned in the air.
Xiao clenched his fists, and the entire Wangshu Inn trembled. "Hah-!"
With his roar, the purple and black fumes burned away in the blue light.
Xiao crouched on the ground. It was over.
[Ningguang: Is it over? What happened?] [Ganyu: I have no idea. Conqueror of Demons, are you all right?] [Diluc: It looked like he expelled some toxic substance. It might be a good thing.] [Venti: That blue liquid was like pure wind. It could cleanse the impurities within his body.] [Paimon: What do you know, you tone-deaf bard? Anyone who didn't know better would think you were close with Lord Barbatos.] [Zhongli: That purple light was karmic debt left behind by the resentment and curses of demons. According to the tales of Liyue, the Guardian Yakshas protected Liyue, slaying monsters and demons for thousands of years. But the filth that arose from the demons' remains became karmic debt, afflicting their bodies and souls and subjecting them to terrible suffering.] [Ganyu: Of the five Yakshas who once followed Rex Lapis, four have already perished in their ceaseless battles.] [Noelle: Every city has people silently protecting it.] [Yoimiya: So the stories about Liyue's adepti were all true.]
Xiao stood up.
[Xiao: Over these past thousand years, I have hunted tens of thousands of vengeful spirits. If you don't want trouble, stay away from me. This is also my contract with the lord of Geo. I am merely fulfilling my duty.] [Zhongli: How do you feel? @Xiao]
Had anyone else asked, he would not have answered.
[Xiao: Very good. This liquid was like a clear spring, cleansing a great deal of the karmic debt within me. My pain has diminished by more than half.] [Ningguang: It seems this was another rare treasure. This miraculous livestream truly is incredible.]
On the livestream, Xiao nodded as well. His expression remained unchanged, but inwardly, he marveled at it.
He felt as light as he had a thousand years ago. It had not been completely cleared away, but most of it was gone.
"This episode of The Jianghu Asks Not of One's Origins has concluded its quiz." "This episode's top three in the regular livestream room:" "1: Blanche, 2 correct answers" "2: Mondstadt Katheryne, 1 correct answer" "3: Millelith, 1 correct answer"
"A sweeping victory for Mondstadt! Hahahaha, all three are from Mondstadt!"
"Millelith is with the Knights of Favonius."
"Miss Blanche owns Mondstadt's general goods shop."
"Mondstadt did great this episode."
"Millelith receives an Exquisite Favonius Sword." "Katheryne receives 300,000 Mora." "Blanche receives a Custom Solar-Powered Cargo Cart." "Katheryne has been randomly selected to speak."
The camera showed a smiling Miss Katheryne, still standing at the Adventurers' Guild reception desk. She smiled at the camera. "Ad astra abyssosque! Welcome to the Adventurers' Guild."
"This episode's unluckiest contestants:" "1: Tian Tie Zui, 2 incorrect answers" "2: Naoe Hisamasa, 2 incorrect answers" "3: Ogura Rei, 2 incorrect answers"
"Hahahaha, Tian Tie Zui, you've defended your title!"
"This Tian Tie Zui has become famous, too."
"At your age, you shouldn't push yourself so hard just to get some exercise."
"Tian Tie Zui has been randomly selected to share his thoughts."
On camera once again, Tian Tie Zui was still sprawled on the ground, his face covered in tears. "Forty laps! That's forty laps in seven days! Who else can top that?!"
Laughter rang out across all of Teyvat.
People were watching the livestream everywhere.
"The Elite Livestream Room prize draw is about to begin."
A Red Bean Bun appeared before everyone.
"Find sesame filling in your Red Bean Bun to win third prize, fruit filling to win second prize, or honey filling to win first prize. Anyone who answered incorrectly again will only find red bean filling." "This episode's third prize is a Body Vitality Potion, which restores bodily vitality and improves certain physical functions." "This episode's second prize is a Physical Strength Potion." "This episode's first prize is a Miniature Beam Cannon." [Yoimiya: Prize draw time! Prize draw time!] [Ningguang: A cannon?] [Keqing: Ningguang, have you recovered?] [Ningguang: That punishment was actually... quite pleasant.] [Jean: Quite pleasant???] [La Signora: Hmph. Just you wait, Tartaglia.] [Lisa: You all sounded so miserable when you were screaming.] [Ningguang: At the time, it was torture, more than I could bear. But afterward, my entire body relaxed. I do need a bath, though. What sort of treasure is that cannon?]
The previous first prize had been an adeptal treasure. This time...
Images of the three treasures appeared on the livestream.
[Arataki Itto: That cannon could sell for a lot, right? At least 500,000 Mora?] [Diluc: You're grossly underestimating this reward.] [Ningguang: Some things cannot be measured in Mora. If you win it and it can be sold, I'm willing to offer 5,000,000 Mora.] [Arataki Itto: Five million!!!] [Tartaglia: Northland Bank can offer more. As long as it can be sold, we can negotiate.] [Diluc: The price is negotiable.]
The moment those three financial heavyweights spoke up, Arataki Itto, who had never seen much of the world, was utterly dumbfounded.
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