Jiang Xiaofeng decided to try out every skill and weapon.
First up were the Hayabusa Gauntlets.
Hmm... did the Hilichurls explode more spectacularly now?
Acceptance... the attack range hadn't changed much. It was just easier to swing.
The other weapons with cutting abilities felt pretty much the same.
He hadn't noticed anything wrong when parrying with the two shields.
Jiang Xiaofeng tested everything, and nearly all the Hilichurls were dead.
Hmm, the improvement wasn't obvious. Nothing worth celebrating.
Jiang Xiaofeng shook his head.
Leaving this place and continuing to collect cells was still the more practical choice.
Mm.
Jiang Xiaofeng spread his dragon wings and flew into the sky.
Then he set his sights on Zhongli's Statue of the Seven.
Jiang Xiaofeng flew up to the statue.
He tried pressing his hand against it, but there was no reaction.
"Tch, boring."
Just as Jiang Xiaofeng was about to leave, a green spear flew toward him without warning!
"Hmm?"
Jiang Xiaofeng sidestepped, dodging the thrust of the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear.
He turned and discovered that it was the youthful adeptus wearing a yaksha mask: Xiao.
"Hmm? You're actually still conscious?"
Jiang Xiaofeng wasn't surprised that Xiao had found him.
After all, hardly any normal person could have stayed in that camp after what he'd done there while killing Hilichurls. Xiao was bound to notice it and track him down.
"Xiao, I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Jiang Xiaofeng spoke.
He had to put on a bit of an act, no matter what...
Xiao frowned.
So he wasn't a monster?
Then he must have been plagued by karmic debt.
The killing intent emanating from Jiang Xiaofeng kept provoking Xiao.
Just then, Jiang Xiaofeng suddenly flashed in front of Xiao.
Startled, Xiao leveled his spear to stab Jiang Xiaofeng, only for Jiang Xiaofeng to grab the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear, leaving him unable to pull it free.
"I'm here to help you."
Jiang Xiaofeng spoke, feeling a little helpless.
Why did everyone try to fight me the moment they met me?
If I couldn't beat them, wouldn't I be screwed?!
Jiang Xiaofeng took out the Cursed Sword.
Xiao took a closer look, then abandoned even the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear and immediately retreated.
Speechless, Jiang Xiaofeng tossed the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear back to Xiao and said, "Your karmic debt is painful, isn't it?"
Xiao had caught the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear and was still watching Jiang Xiaofeng's movements warily, but stopped when he heard his words.
"How did you know..."
Jiang Xiaofeng waved a hand.
"All you need to know is that I don't want to fight you."
Jiang Xiaofeng hadn't forgotten that defeating "special humans" like Vision holders would also yield cells. This time, he'd sought Xiao out to remove his karmic debt and earn some favor.
After all, he most likely wouldn't be earning any favor with Venti, so he could only try a different direction.
Jiang Xiaofeng raised the Cursed Blade and tossed it to Xiao.
"Stick the tip of this sword into your arm. It'll be done in a little while."
In fact, the Cursed Sword only needed to be pressed against Xiao's body to absorb his karmic debt.
But Jiang Xiaofeng wanted to see whether Xiao trusted him now.
With that thought, Jiang Xiaofeng spoke again. "Don't worry. Rex Lapis is still in Liyue. I have no reason to attack you."
Jiang Xiaofeng wasn't afraid of Zhongli, but he was afraid of Zhongli sealing him away.
After all, he didn't know exactly how powerful the Cursed Sword was now. He only knew that it could absorb any kind of negative energy...
Hearing Jiang Xiaofeng mention Rex Lapis, Xiao still didn't believe him, but he wasn't quite as wary anymore.
Then Xiao tossed the Cursed Sword back to Jiang Xiaofeng.
Jiang Xiaofeng caught the Cursed Sword and looked at Xiao in confusion.
"There is no need to worry about my karmic debt. It is a burden I must bear."
Jiang Xiaofeng: "..."
Why were you being so stubborn?!
Jiang Xiaofeng immediately lashed out with Valmont's Whip and bound Xiao.
Xiao immediately activated Bane of All Evil, escaping the restraints of Valmont's Whip.
Jiang Xiaofeng flicked his hand toward the sky, and a green beam struck Xiao, who had leaped into the air.
Xiao took the hit head-on and immediately thrust toward Jiang Xiaofeng with Lemniscatic Wind Cycling!
Jiang Xiaofeng gathered a mass of cold air in his right hand and sent it out together with Frost Blast, while an electric current flashed through his left hand.
Xiao had intended to swirl the cold air to attack Jiang Xiaofeng, but he hadn't expected Frost Blast to freeze its target directly. He was frozen in midair and fell.
Jiang Xiaofeng jumped up and caught Xiao.
Then he took out the Cursed Blade and said, "I'm not asking for your opinion now."
Then he pressed the Cursed Sword against Xiao's head.
Xiao, who had been struggling to break out of the ice, immediately stopped.
Jiang Xiaofeng landed and tossed Xiao onto the ground.
The layer of ice covering Xiao shattered from the impact.
The Cursed Sword remained firmly pressed against Xiao's forehead, devouring the karmic debt within him.
Seeing that it was still early, Jiang Xiaofeng decided to wait here for a while.
Who would have thought that the wait would last until night?
Jiang Xiaofeng kicked over the fire he'd built and stood up.
Then he picked Xiao up, spread his dragon wings, and flew toward Wangshu Inn.
At Wangshu Inn, Verr Goldet was still listening to her innkeeper describe the hellish scene in the Hilichurl camp below when she suddenly saw the culprit enter the inn carrying Xiao.
Verr Goldet: "..."
Huai'an, the innkeeper: "..."
Jiang Xiaofeng ignored them and carried Xiao toward his room.
As soon as he entered the room, Jiang Xiaofeng tossed Xiao onto the floor.
"Tch, what a pain."
Jiang Xiaofeng watched in frustration as black vapor kept rising from Xiao's body and flowing into the Cursed Sword.
He couldn't use the Cursed Sword now, though he did have other weapons...
Jiang Xiaofeng drew the Blood Sword.
These weapons couldn't grow stronger by absorbing things like blood. Killing monsters only yielded cells...
Some things were hard to give up once you'd tasted the benefits.
Jiang Xiaofeng was used to heading out with the Cursed Sword. After killing monsters, he could just toss it over and let it absorb to its heart's content...
Wait, why did this behavior seem so familiar?
Jiang Xiaofeng thought it over carefully, but couldn't remember where he'd seen this sort of behavior before, so he gave up thinking about it.
Jiang Xiaofeng walked out and headed toward the kitchen.
He wondered whether Jiangxue was there. If he was, having a fight with him would work too...
But what he should do now was get a serving of almond tofu...
Jiang Xiaofeng arrived at the kitchen.
Yanxiao was busily stir-frying dishes, with several ordinary-looking kitchen hands helping him.
Of course. An inn wasn't a family-run restaurant like Wanmin Restaurant. It was bound to have a few hired hands.
Two people running an entire restaurant, like Xiangling and her father Master Mao, were ultimately a rarity.
Jiang Xiaofeng frowned as he watched Yanxiao slowly stir-frying and called out, "Chef Yanxiao, have a moment?"
Yanxiao immediately shuddered, nearly dropping his spatula on the floor.
Jiang Xiaofeng walked over, looked at his visibly troubled expression, and asked, "What's wrong with him?"
Seeing that Jiang Xiaofeng was asking him, a nearby kitchen hand could only say, "The head chef said he saw something strange, but we haven't seen any ghosts here at all."
"As time went on, the head chef started getting jumpy."
Hey, this kid sure was honest. Ask him something, and he'd tell you everything.