The dull sounds of footsteps and rustling leaves punctuated the otherwise stale silent air. The owner of the footsteps took a brief pause at the sight of the burning village in front of him and sighed.
He's too late.
From the clues left behind it was apparent that this village had been attacked at least hours before he arrived. Houses were wrecked, blood flowed and stained the land, the burning fire was already dying down. Even the skies looked gloomier than usual as if lamenting the loss of lives. Not a single living soul was in sight.
Corpses littered the place, fear and despair were the expressions on their faces he could read from their last moments. Most of these corpses were missing a body part or two and it was not hard to figure out the reason why.
Monsters. Monsters had hunted the village down.
This sight wasn't the first nor will it be the last that he will see in this cycle. In fact, he hadn't met a single living soul in the past month ever since he woke up and found himself in a new cycle. As such, he couldn't verify the exact place and time period that he had been inserted to although he does have his own suspicions based on his past experiences.
He heard the disgusting squelch of chewing meat and he silently made his way over to the source. Three monsters belonging to a species that he had never seen before were gathered around a half-eaten corpse, still unaware of his presence. A white flash later, the monsters were sliced into two and fell by his blade of ice. He may have been late but the least he could do was to allow this victim to die a dignified death instead of being reduced to mere nourishments for the monsters.
"Rest in peace," he whispered as he knelt down towards the corpse and gently used his hand to close the eyes of the dead man shut. He could only imagine how painful it was to be eaten alive, knowing only fear and pain in his last moments until death finally claimed him in an act of mercy. He looked back, seeing the numerous corpses littered around this small village that had once been so full of life, and made the decision to burn this village down to prevent wild monsters or animals from feasting on their dead bodies.
A ball of fire bloomed in his hand upon his command. He was about to set the entire village ablaze when the sound of a baby crying could suddenly be heard. He froze, not expecting nor had he sensed another living soul until now, but quickly ran towards what was perhaps the last living reminder of this village. He dug through the rubble and finally found a baby in swaddling clothes, hidden under the corpse of his mother who had used her own body to shield her child from harm and also to hide him.
The power of parental love moved him slightly as he slowly and gently took the crying baby in his arms. He took another look at the woman, making a silent vow to himself to try his best to ensure that her child would live. He found a decently sized spare length of cloth to allow him to tie and secure the baby at the front of his chest and used his large black cloak to hide the baby from view. Like this, he would be able to better protect the child while not hampering his own mobility.
He embarked on his journey once more after scavenging whatever usable supplies he could get his hands upon, burning the village down in a blaze of fire as the last act of kindness he could afford to them. In the next two weeks that followed he only encountered one other village but similar to all the previous ones that he visited, they were either already deserted or had been on the receiving end of a monster assault. There were no survivors.
Such is the brutality of this era of conflict where life is cheaper than dirt. By this point he's nearly convinced that he had been transported into the era of the Archon War although he's still not entirely certain which part of Teyvat his current location might be. He strongly suspected it to be Liyue, but until somebody could give him a concrete answer his suspicion would forever remain unverified.
Even for him it was tough trying to ensure his own survival in this trying time, and he is someone with considerable skill in martial arts and who wields the power to control all seven elements. Imagine how difficult it will be for the common folk who could only try to defend their homes and families using sharpened wooden sticks and rocks. Smithing is an art that is not yet prevalent in the smaller settlements as far as he's aware based on his understanding of the history of Liyue in his previous cycle. Such small villages would not have access to knowledge of such a sophisticated craft to create better weapons to defend their homes.
It was why they became food for the monsters.
He's beginning to run out of supplies. They weren't much to begin with and he also had to ensure that the baby wouldn't starve. He managed to get by using crushed apples to feed the baby but apples wouldn't provide the necessary nutrients for the baby to grow up healthily. He was hoping that he would run across a village with living humans and who have mothers who are able to help breastfeed the child, but from what he's seeing even mere thoughts of it were starting to feel like a luxury.
Experiencing the harsh brutality of the Archon War made him wonder how the nations that he had lived through in his previous cycles managed to get to where they were in the present. He's glad that the baby that he secured to the front of his chest and hid underneath his cloak is a heavy sleeper and had not attracted any enemies with incessant crying.
With no map to rely on and the grey clouds covering the skies being a near permanent phenomenon, he could only wander with no aim in mind and hoping to run into a human settlement in a stroke of good luck. He continued walking and walking, making sure to hide the baby from view so that monsters would not spot it. He's not afraid of mindless beasts, but hostile monsters with some level of intelligence or worse, possessing sapience, would be able to identify the baby at the front of his chest as his weakness if he ever fought them in combat. With that worry in mind, he's glad that his cloak was loose enough to conceal his figure such that it's not easy to identify that there was a baby underneath it.
The sharp whistling of an object cutting through air warned him of impending danger and he immediately ducked. He narrowed his eyes underneath the cover of his hood when a humanoid monster with four arms and purplish skin appeared. This is obviously a monster with sapience and such monsters are the hardest to deal with.
"Found you, intruder!"
The sound of booming thunder was the only warning he received before the four-arm monster crashed upon his previous location with lightning coating its entire body, its muscular frame tattooed with images of thunderclouds and lightning. The monster roared, the power exuding from it growing monstrously larger by the second as the ground beneath it cracked and groaned in an outward ripple. The Descender immediately created a blade of frost in his right hand and a lance of water in his left. The four-arm monster was so fast that he nearly wasn't able to evade that blow earlier. Just a split second slower and he would have been crushed to paste.
He crouched down, spear pointing forward, and lunged.
Guhua Style– Life Ender
A quick series of blows were exchanged and the Descender frowned when he realised that the weapons he conjured through the power of elements wasn't able to leave anything on the monster's skin beyond small cuts. The difference in the power wielded by them on the virtue of the species they were born in is too large a gap to be bridged by skills alone.
Something sharper is needed.
The power pulsing within him condensed into the sword he wielded, now a sword of water instead of a sword of ice. He threw a small metallic pin at the monster and closed the distance between them in a flash with a burst of electro, blinking to the pin's location in a fraction of a second.
Raincutter
Countless hydro blades abided his command and he slashed, eventually skidding to a stop, the unexpected power behind such a quick and unexpected attack clearly catching the four-arm monster by surprise as a spray of blood burst forth from its chest. It's the greatest wound he managed to inflict on the monster in their short fight thus far, but still far from being able to bring it down.
His instincts were suddenly screaming at him and he instinctively ducked, just in time to avoid sharp water blades from cleaving him into several chunks. He looked up, sporting a feminine figure that's obviously not human looking down at him from where it was floating in the sky. She has horns on her head and the outward appearance of a petite young girl, but the huge claws she has in place of normal human hands clearly indicated that she's not human despite looking very much like one.
"You got careless, brother."
"Ahaha!" A loud booming laughter rang out from the male four-arm purplish monster and the Descender immediately leapt aside to keep his distance. A small bubble of water visibly healed the wounds of the monster that the female monster referred to as her brother and the Descender resisted the urge to sigh. Trying to fight and defeat one monster of such power and skill is still within his means, but two? That's too much, even for him.
Witnessing how its wounds visibly healed before his eyes in a wisp of steam made a very depressing sight too. How is he going to kill a tenacious monster like that?
"This rat is rather skilled, wonder which faction he belongs to?" The older monster mused aloud before shoving his thoughts aside. He could appreciate the intruder's skills as a fellow warrior, but he has his own duties to follow through and that precedes everything else. His personal feelings should not get in the way.
"Hey," the four-arm monster called out as one of his hands swiped across his face and an ominous devilish mask appeared out of thin air to cover his face as he did that, the earth shaking as if it was crying in pain from the sudden surge in his power. "I'm going to end this now. Don't worry, I, Marshal Vritras, will grant you a swift and merciful death!"
It's the least he could do for the human whose skills and courage he acknowledged and respected. Enemy or not, this is the first time he encountered a human who was bold enough to not only take him on alone, but also manage to inflict such an injury on him.
It's too bad he belongs to an enemy faction. Judging from his expertise in wielding the power of hydro, this man is most likely a follower of the Overlord of Vortex. What a shame.
The Descender's eyes widened in shock but did not hesitate to implement a countermeasure. A huge fire bloomed in his hands as it took on the form of a large blade and he swung it with all his might. A huge fiery phoenix burst forth and the force behind the attack was sufficient in halting the monster's charge to a forceful stop and in fact, succeeded in getting him to skid backwards a little. By the time the bird of fire disappeared, the man was already trying to make his getaway.
"You won't escape!"
The female monster with large claws for hands conjured countless hydro blades and the Descender immediately froze them all with a Frostgnaw he secretly learnt by witnessing how Kaeya had harnessed the power of Cryo to create his own unique skill in his fourth cycle. The monster dashed at him and slashed with her large claws and he ducked, making sure to turn his body such that the baby tied to the front of his chest was safe from harm. Unfortunately, the price to protect the baby was to suffer a nasty gash on his left arm.
The female monster lunged once more, arm outstretched and claws grasping in his direction, determined to rip the heart out of the man whom she viewed as an intruder and enemy.
"Wait! Sister, stop! He's holding a baby!"
The female monster visibly hesitated and even the Descender was a little confused, but that did not stop him as he used this opportunity to turn and try to make his escape when the female monster's hesitation gave him enough time to widen the distance between them. A purple blur overtook him and blocked his only exit, but where the muscular male purple monster was full of killing intent earlier it was nowhere to be seen now.
"Whoa whoa whoa! Calm down, ceasefire! I believe we have a misunderstanding!" The male monster raised his arms out in a placating motion although it looked comically frantic more than anything else. The Descender was still highly wary and it will be a cold day in hell before he puts his weapon away soon, but at least these two do not seem to be hostile to him now.
The purple monster made the mask over his face vanish with a swipe of his hand before properly introducing himself.
"Warrior, my name is Fushe of the Yakshas. You might also know me by the name of Bosacius, Marshal Vritras and an adeptus of the God of Contracts. Please, state your name and affiliation."
The Descender's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't heard of any Marshal Vritras during his stint as the Yuheng Secretary but he sure knew what the word Yaksha meant. His suspicion was right, this land is indeed ancient Liyue.
"You can call me Xun. No affiliation," Xun replied after a brief moment of silence to contemplate which identity he should introduce himself to them as and slowly removed the hood to show his face as a sign of goodwill. Did he just fight two yakshas earlier?
Huh, how is he not dead yet.
"You are not a follower of Osial?" The female who he assumed to be a yaksha as well narrowed her eyes at him as if trying to determine if he's lying or not.
"Why would you think so?"
"Our factions had been warring with each other for nearly a century," Fushe explained, "and we received word that he had sent his followers to infiltrate this part of our territory which was why my sister and I were tasked to patrol the area. Osial's followers tend to have a high mastery over the hydro element, which you do too."
"Speaking about that, how are you able to use four elements?" The female yaksha questioned, her guard not yet fully lowered. The Descender did not give them a proper answer, he's not too worried about getting into their good books or not.
"I've always been an oddball," Xun cryptically replied. "If it's not too much trouble, would your people be able to take this baby in? I've picked him up from a village in my travels whose inhabitants were all slaughtered by monsters. It's been difficult trying to source food for the baby, especially milk."
The look in both yakshas' eyes softened a little at the mention of the baby. Like Xun had expected, the followers of the future Geo Archon are all honourable people who he could reasonably trust. They are the Yakshas, and while he only remembered one living Yaksha that's still alive by the time the age of humans came about, the fact that they were still revered by modern Liyue was proof of their dedication to the Geo Archon's cause in protecting humanity.
"Come with me," Fushe eventually spoke and turned around to lead the way. "Sister, heal his wounds."
A small ball of water came into contact with the nasty gash on Xun's left arm. A warm feeling spreaded through his arm upon contact and the wound disappeared like it was never there.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it," the female hydro yaksha shook her head before a look of guilt crossed her face. "Sorry for hurting you, but well…"
"I understand," Xun nodded his head in understanding. This is the Archon War, nobody could afford to be careless even for just a moment. Better to be cautious and kill on sight than to risk being overly merciful and give your enemies the chance to slaughter the people you are trying to protect.
Fushe eventually led him through the vast plain and reached an area where humans were seemingly under the instructions of a beautiful looking woman dressed in silk robes to plough and cultivate this large plot of land. She's obviously someone of high importance and the fact that she's dressed in silk in these harsh times was an indication of her power, status, and also wealth in this era where resources are scarce.
Furthermore, she exuded a presence that Xun suspected to be beyond the realms of mortals, surpassing even Fushe himself. She could be a very powerful adeptus, or she could even be a God.
"Lady Guizhong," Fushe respectfully greeted the lady before inching closer to whisper into her ear, presumably informing her about Xun and his circumstances. Xun had expected many possibilities, but meeting the revered God of Dust who was said to be heavily involved in the building of Liyue was certainly not one of those possibilities.
The eyes of the goddess named Guizhong gazed at Xun for a short moment before returning to Fushe.
"I understand," the lady with a gentle aura whose presence could calm the angriest of beasts but yet also command full respect from her people answered Fushe before turning to Xun. "I am Guizhong, the God of Dust. I am one of the Gods overseeing the Guili Assembly. Fushe has informed me of your request and also spoke highly of you. We will accept your request to take the baby in and promise that he shall be cared for and grow up under the shelter of the assembly."
"Thank you," Xun replied, feeling a sense of relief for having a huge burden taken off his shoulders. Soon, a woman arrived at Guizhong's request to take the baby from his arms, which Xun allowed her to. As someone who had read Liyue's history he is aware that the Guili Assembly was the preceding form that Liyue Harbour took before Morax moved his people down south past Mt Tianheng to build Liyue Harbour. It is a land where Morax formed a contract with his people to promise them peace and prosperity and as such, he's not worried that Guizhong will go back on her words. If she promised that the baby will be cared for, then he will be cared for.
At the very least, the baby will be able to safely grow up in conditions that he will not be able to provide.
"Fushe also has high praise for your skills. Would you consider joining us?" Guizhong extended an offer Xun wasn't quite expecting but on second thought, was also within the realms of reason. He possesses the skills to briefly fight a yaksha as an equal and has shown the usage of four different elements. Skilled warriors are a scarce resource in this time of war and someone like him could easily secure himself a position of high standing no matter where he went.
On one hand, Xun was a little reluctant to be tied down to one place. On the other hand, having a place with a roof over his head with a stable supply of food and water seemed to be a worthy tradeoff in exchange for some of his freedom. Furthermore, his foreknowledge already promised that the Guili Assembly will be the final victor of the Archon War under the leadership of the God of Contracts although he still isn't quite sure if he's in the time period where he would be able to witness that final victory. For all he knew that victory could take place thousands of years later. He's still a little unsure about the exact time period of the Archon War that he had fallen into.
It wasn't hard to come to a decision on which path would be the most favourable for him, but he does want to know the terms and conditions before joining.
"What would I have to do if I join?"
"For someone of your calibre, we would require you to fight for us in any war we have against the other Gods who might or will attack our homes. Rest assured, we will not ask of you to fight against Gods, that will be left to the Gods and adepti in the assembly. Your main task will be to assist in fighting against the followers of the factions that our assembly is in a hostile relationship with."
"Doable," Xun readily agreed. Fighting's all he ever knew anyway, he's in his element.
"I'm sure you will come to love this place as your home," Guizhong replied with a sincere warm smile. It was at this moment that a messenger came running in frantically at the most inopportune timing.
"Lady Guizhong! Enemy attack, enemy attack! It's Osial!"
A frown appeared on Guizhong's face but she only took a second to digest the news and give out her orders.
"Evacuate the non-combatants. Everyone else, take up arms and get ready to fight. Send a message back to the assembly to ask for reinforcements. Fushe, Fanan," she turned to the two yakshas who immediately lowered their heads in respect and in preparation for the next orders that they will receive.
"I'm counting on the both of you."
The two yakshas vanished in swift blurs after acknowledging their orders. Xun hesitated on what to do for a brief moment before he decided to just turn on his heels and headed in the same direction the two yakshas had disappeared to.
"Xun, where are you going?"
"Reporting to my first day at work," was his somewhat sassy reply to the goddess before he vanished in a bolt of lightning via Stellar Restoration. He caught up to the yakshas soon enough, who were lying in wait to spring an ambush together with the soldiers of the assembly.
"You are helping us?" The female yaksha named Fanan asked as if she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw him lying in wait together with them.
"Is that something so unbelievable?"
"No, but… you only just joined."
"The faster we end this, the faster I can find somewhere to crash," Xun said somewhat tiredly while hiding a yawn. The months and weeks of endless journey and taking care of a baby while keeping a constant vigil for any threats all at the same time took a heavy toll on his psyche. He's already looking forward to a nice long sleep once this skirmish ends and he's able to sleep peacefully for once under the protection of the Guili Assembly.
"Don't push yourself too hard later if it gets tough, especially since you just came out from a fight with me. That blow you inflicted on me seemed to have taken out a lot from you earlier," Fushe commented before patting his back with a hearty laugh. "Don't worry, if it gets tough just leave things to me and Fanan! We are the yakshas after all!"
And once again, Xun cannot help but be reminded about the difference between their species. Fushe had taken a huge slash on his chest and had already recovered looking no different than before, while he's already exhausted even before the ambush began.
He's a little jealous– no, very jealous.
"Do you not have a weapon?" Fanan asked, spotting no visible weapons on Xun and recalling that he created his own weapons using water and ice in their fight earlier when they had a misunderstanding.
"I didn't come across anything in my travels that would serve as a good weapon."
Fanan turned to the soldiers behind her, asking if anyone had a weapon to spare. Someone offered up a spare sword which Xun gratefully accepted. He's surprised at the weight of the sword. He knew for a fact that a majority of the milleliths in future Liyue wouldn't be able to lift such a sword, much less swing it, yet these soldiers here were all equipped with at least one of such swords and a lance of similar design. It's obvious that these are standard issued equipment much like the halberds and white tassels that the millelith of the future will use.
The ancient milleliths really are a force to be reckoned with.
They did not have to wait long to spring their ambush. Aquatic monsters that Xun had never seen before until today started to flood towards the direction of the assembly and he finally got to witness how Liyue's ancestors ferociously fought off the monsters in this warring era that he used to only be able to hear the tales of from Yun Jin's operas. One part of him felt that the soldiers of modern milleliths should be ashamed of themselves, the other part of him felt that Liyue's ancestors who wished and fought for a better future for their descendents had definitely succeeded because Liyue never needed to fight against such atrocities in the far future.
"I'd never seen such monsters before."
"They are Osial's cronies," Fushe explained while crushing the skull of one such monster with his bare hands. "We had been warring against them for very long, the enmity our factions had towards each other had reached the point where none of us could tolerate the other. Either they perish, or we die."
"The aura they emitted disgusts me," Xun admitted as he beheaded another of such monsters. These monsters were soaked in so much negative energy that it greatly irked him. He also had to clean up Osial's legacy in modern Liyue when he was the secretary of Yuheng in his fifth cycle and it wasn't fun, to say the least.
He would gladly join in if it meant eradicating the tentacle abomination in this cycle.
"You are pretty good with a blade," one of the assembly soldiers praised with a boisterous laugh while thrusting his spear deep down the throat of another monster, forcing it to gurgle in its own blood before its body quickly stilled. "Are you the new guy that Lady Guizhong recruited? Join us! We could always use someone like you in our ranks!"
"Your archon promised me board and room, so I guess I'm in," Xun agreed. There's no other place he could realistically go to and personally, he's also a little curious about ancient Liyue and also the God of Contracts, Morax, who will one day rise to the throne of the Geo Archon.
"You are just in time for our annual trial! Who knows, you might be able to be promoted to a leadership position if you are good enough!"
"Trial? What trial?"
"It's an annual tournament of sorts held among the brigade to decide who's the strongest fighter among them for the year. People who performed well in this tournament would usually be rewarded. It could be monetary rewards, or maybe Lady Guizhong or Rex Lapis would present a gift, or they could receive a promotion. This trial is also very popular among those who seek the thrill of combat," Fanan explained while casually ripping monsters apart with her huge claws as if this was just another normal day for her, which it probably is.
"The adepti also like to observe the trial every year because it's one of the most anticipated and also entertaining events in the assembly," Fushe added and gave Xun an encouraging slap on the back. "And hey, I think you can do well in that. Not many in the assembly have the level of skill and power that you displayed."
That was how Xun found himself signed up for the trial. He didn't really care for the prestige or the rewards but when he turned back and saw the expectant looks from the fellow soldiers that he had fought alongside with several times and also from the two yakshas who were half the reason why he's now a member of the assembly, he simply gave in with a defeated sigh.
With the way they were looking at him, it would feel like a crime if he disappointed them with subpar performance.
"Who is that participant? One does not recall having such a figure within our ranks."
"He's a human that just joined the assembly," Guizhong helpfully explained from where the gods and adepti were seated at a specially demarcated section of the audience seats observing the tournament being held on the stage below. "His name is Xun, and he has an intriguing ability to manipulate several elements."
"That's unheard of for humans."
"I know. His presence had greatly reduced the casualty count of our soldiers ever since he joined us. He is an asset to the assembly," Guizhong added and Cloud Retainer nodded her head to show that she understood Guizhong's point.
"An unknown and skilled individual suddenly popping up from nowhere? Could he be a spy sent in by our enemies?" Mountain Shaper voiced his opinions, reminding them that one can never be too careful in times of war.
"I don't think he's anybody's spy, but even if he is, there's nothing he can possibly do with us around," the strongest and also the leader of the assembly, Rex Lapis, finally spoke and this topic of conversation finally ended. Rex Lapis was right, there's nothing a mere human can do under the watchful gaze of the God of Contracts.
Xun became the ultimate winner of the tournament, much to the delight of the soldiers and the two yakshas that he had been fighting alongside since his addition to the assembly. He was awarded with a promotion to lead a small squad and given some monetary rewards, life continued to pass without much fanfare, until one day he was called into Lady Guizhong's office.
"I need you to take your squad and head for the north immediately. We have an encampment at Dihua Marsh and I will need you and your team to deliver essential supplies to our comrades there. They also requested for additional reinforcements and I will arrange to send these reinforcements out right after you leave, but the reinforcements that we will be sending out would not be able to travel as quickly as your squad, so please inform our comrades there to expect some delays and hang on until the main body arrives."
"Who do I look for over there? Who's in charge?"
"You can look for the adeptus Marchosius. If he's uncontactable, look for the yaksha of flames, Yingda, also known as Indarias, or you might have known her by her epithet General Musatas. They are the commanders of that encampment holding off the assault conducted by Chi of Qingce."
Xun set off without delay. Living in an era of strife during the archon war was far from pleasant but he guessed he had already lucked out by being able to join the Guili Assembly. His squad loyally followed after him as he led the way forward, dutifully escorting the essential supplies that their comrades at the north would need to hold out against Chi's relentless attack against the borders of the assembly's northern territory.
Unbeknown to them, several adepti were seeing them off from the top of a nearby cliff.
"Will he be able to take on this responsibility?"
"We shall see. This is also a good opportunity to test his allegiance and see if he's a spy working for anybody else. If he passes this trial, we will then view him as one of our own and place our trust in him. A talent like him is rare to come by," Morax intoned. "Cloud Retainer, please follow after the squad in secret and look out for them without alerting them. However, you may intervene if you deem necessary."
"Understood, Rex Lapis," Cloud Retainer respectfully bowed her head before vanishing in a brief swirl of gentle wind. She secretly tailed after the squad throughout their journey and was surprised at how Xun's squad was able to reach their destination in record time without excessively tiring out his subordinates.
"Just in time," Yingda visibly heaved a sigh of relief when word reached her that the supplies which her soldiers were desperately pining for had finally arrived. That solved their most pressing problem since they were running out of food and weapons. The newly arrived delivery squad passed on the message that reinforcements were expected to arrive within the next few days and she's confident that they would be able to hold out until then.
"Thank you for your assistance, Captain Xun. That said, I don't think I saw your face before?" Marchosius inquired and Xun had difficulty trying to reconcile the image of this adeptus who's standing right in front of him in human form with the short, pudgy, and goofy image of Guoba from his previous cycles.
"I only just joined the assembly a few months ago," Xun explained while trying to get rid of the mental image of Guoba from his mind. "My men are also ready to assist and fight at the frontlines if needed, so feel free to mobilise us if you deem it necessary. Until then, is there a place where my squad can rest?"
"Yes, there is. Let me show you the way," Yingda volunteered as she exited the tent with Xun and his men following behind. She's a little curious about the human that had caught both Fushe's and Fanan's attention in the correspondence they had via adepti arts. A human capable of harnessing the power of multiple elements and fighting the both of them to a temporary standstill? That's not something that any of them had heard or seen of until Xun appeared.
Unfortunately, they hadn't reached the place that Yingda wanted to show him to when the war drums were frantically beaten.
"ATTACK! ENEMY ATTACK!"
Yingda had immediately leapt into action and vanished in a fiery ball of flames, instantly charging to the frontlines and leaving Xun behind. Xun turned back and met the determined gaze of the men who followed after him from the assembly. They were all exhausted from trying to escort the needed supplies and making their way here as fast as they could, but their fighting spirit burned brightly and every single one of them would willingly lay down their lives to defend their homes and people at any time.
"We are ready, captain."
"Just don't die on me," Xun gave them only a single instruction before he unsheathed his sword and led the charge. His men followed after him from the back, breaking out into a sprint while yelling their war cries at the top of their lungs. They were merely a twenty men squad but they collapsed upon their foes like hungry wolves who finally found their prey, swinging their weapons and painting the battlefield red with the blood of their foes.
Their enemies this time were serpentine creatures that had the weird look of snakes with mild draconic traits. These should be the subordinates of Chi of Qingce that held hostility to the assembly. It still impressed Xun sometimes, that the people of old faced down such monsters on a near daily basis and viewed it as nothing but mere inconveniences.
Electro sparked around his blade and Xun decided to clear out as many of these monsters as swiftly as he could. Phantom images dotted around the battlefield as he cut down the serpentine monsters with deadly efficiency, his sword cutting down his enemies under the movements of Yunlai Swordsmanship. One of such creatures attempted to swallow him whole but he blasted its body apart with a powerful pulse of electro before flickering away from view to cut down another serpent in the next second. The monsters quickly recognised him as one of the greatest threats on the battlefield and swiftly moved to surround him in a collective attempt to take him down.
Xun was contemplating if he should unleash some of his more powerful techniques when wind suddenly swirled protectively around him.
"Jump!"
He didn't hesitate to do as instructed when an unknown voice whispered into his ears. He was pleasantly surprised that he was able to reach new heights with a single powerful leap that he definitely wasn't capable of doing. He barely caught a glimpse of the silhouette of a crane crashing down onto where he was previously at as the blast of anemo obliterated the serpentine creatures in an instant.
Is that… an adeptus?
Xun quickly used this opportunity to reposition himself with Stellar Restoration, blinking from one enemy to the next to cut down his foes. Their enemies seemed to be neverending with how they could swamp out from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Xun had no idea just how bad the enmity is between Morax and Chi but it seems to him that Chi really wants to see them gone.
Xun fearlessly forged ahead, carving out a path with a sword in hand and a spear in another. The Guhua arts that should only appear centuries in the far future were prematurely revived under his hands. Even Cloud Retainer was briefly stunned at the mesmerising combination display of swordsmanship and polearm techniques as human and adeptus fought side by side as equals at the forefront. Anemo conjured by the crane would accelerate his speed like the unforgiving wind and his hydro swords would decimate their foes like merciless rain from the passing of a storm. Progress was unbelievably smooth, and none of them even realised that they were so swift in clearing out their foes that they had already left most of their allies behind with how quick they were in their advances.
Explosions of dendro consumed the serpents when Xun casted Nahida's techniques at the opportune moment. Xun's sword was already chipped in many places, unable to handle the stress of his devastating techniques. The polearm which he's using was taken from one of the fallen assembly soldiers and it's also not in a good shape. His techniques are too powerful for ordinary weapons to properly endure.
That was a problem that Cloud Retainer had also observed and she made a mental note to address it after they returned victorious from this battle. If she had any doubts about Xun's allegiance earlier, they had disappeared in this battle. He had many opportunities to betray the assembly starting from the time he was tasked to deliver essential supplies to one of their most important encampments. If he wanted to betray the assembly as an undercover spy, he would have done it a long time ago.
However, not only did he not do that, he fought valiantly and also equally fiercely against Chi's forces. A human of such skill, grit, and calibre is extremely rare to come by and he is a talent that the assembly must cherish and groom for the sake of their future.
"Captain Xun, are you able to keep up? Make a tactical retreat if you have to, one is capable of cleaning up these unsightly snakes and plucking out their fangs."
"That's the problem with you adeptus. Sometimes, you underestimate us humans too much even if it's not your intention," Xun rebuked and had already blinked ahead with a burst of electro without waiting for Cloud Retainer's reply. Another electrical explosion tore through the serpents ahead and Cloud Retainer had to withhold a sigh before being forced to keep up with Xun's tempo.
Xun had also regretted saying what he did almost immediately, but Keqing's opinions about the adepti had heavily influenced him in his fifth cycle and is not something that he could easily forget even after so long.
He settled for trying to forget about his transgression like an ostrich by killing as many serpents as he could. Maybe if he impressed Cloud Retainer enough, she would let bygones be bygones?
They had unknowingly cut through a bloodied path and only realised that they had advanced too far ahead when they somehow found themselves at the foot of Mt Qingce where Chi was said to have made its nest. Personally, Xun blamed Cloud Retainer's powers for that. Her mastery over anemo allowed them to traverse unbelievably large distances in the blink of an eye and he made a mental note to one day ask her if she's willing to teach him her techniques.
He also idly wondered if he were to pit Junjou and Cloud Retainer against each other in a race, who would win?
Chi is a serpent god and powerful Xun may be as a human, there is no way he could go against a god. Cloud Retainer had already made her decision and was about to send the valiant captain away with a burst of anemo when the unexpected happened.
The earth beneath them groaned in pain. The land cracked and crumbled as the enormous serpentine body of Chi emerged in its full glory that made the mountains quake and the sky scream. Chi opened its maws to hiss at them in anger and Cloud Retainer clicked her tongue in annoyance. Even she could not claim to be able to match a god's power, and now she has to also find a way to send Xun out of here.
"So this is an ancient god of the Archon War," Xun's soft muttering was heard by Cloud Retainer's keen ears. Surprisingly, there wasn't any fear present on his face, almost as if he had faced worse odds before.
"We have to retreat," Cloud Retainer advised Xun but the option was not theirs to make. Chi had already made its move and vented its anger on them, upturning the earth and flooding the land with contaminated waters. Xun zipped erratically to avoid its strikes before nailing his attack at the bottom of Chi's jaws, but his attack did nothing because it failed to pierce through its thick hide.
Cloud Retainer had immediately intervened. Bursts of anemo fired at Chi's head blinded the serpent god for a split second and allowed Xun to make his retreat. The pair slowly made their retreat during the course of the battle with Chi, who was hellbent on pursuing them, and the situation only got a little better when Yingda and Marchosius finally caught up to them, their unrelenting flames providing the firepower they needed to deter the serpent god from advancing any further.
The timely assistance from Yingda and Marchosius granted Xun the time he needed to unleash his more powerful techniques. He's still not very proficient with the technique he copied over in his previous cycle but he wouldn't deny the unholy power it could grant him if he could use it well. The battered spear in his left hand suddenly was lit alight in flames and he swung it like a deadly scythe from hell, surprising everyone when he managed to somehow shaved off the point of one of Chi's venomous fangs. Granted, it's just a small injury to the serpent god, but none of them had ever witnessed a mortal holding power great enough to actually injure a god.
Transfixed
Another powerful swing left a nasty burn on the Chi's scaly body as Xun invoked the signature technique of the Fourth of the Fatui Harbinger. He had never been that proficient in the pyro element but he would never argue with the claim that pyro is one of, if not the most destructive element among the seven. Thorns of fire sprouted and attempted to skewer the serpent god, a single wing of flame sprouted out of Xun's back as he tried his best to control the violent power of the person whom he once called Father, the warmth of the hearth fuelling his depleting power and igniting it into a fiery inferno howling to consume all in his path.
Xun's sudden power up looked puny in the face of gods, yet the unexpected retaliation that occurred was just what was needed to stun Chi long enough for the adepti to converge and suppress the serpent with their own power. Thorns of red flames criss-crossed across the battlefield and a crimson moon rose, calling upon the power that should have only flowed through the veins of a lost civilisation that would only be lost thousands of years later.
Chi was wisely cautious of the strange flames. Xun's hands were already starting to darken like burnt charcoal. Father had once told him that the power of the Balemoon Bloodfire is both a blessing and a curse and he should take great care when using her techniques with his unexplainable power lest he end up like her.
However, Xun had nothing to lose, so he did not fear the consequence of overusing the power of this bloodfire that hailed from an enigmatic dynasty. With this power he had achieved the impossible by becoming a main player of this game as a human, a game where only gods and adepti should qualify at the playing table.
A huge lance of stone fell from the heavens and pierced through the enormous serpentine body of the Chi. Brave men and women of the assembly cheered when Rex Lapis arrived. They had held on long enough for their omnipotent god to reach them and save the day.
"There will be order."
Rex Lapis had decreed as such, and thus order was restored to the Bishui Plain that day.
"Morning, General Pingtian!"
Salutes were respectfully given by the soldiers of the Millelith Brigade when the revered General Pingtian passed by. The general returned their greetings with a nod of his head. Gossips were excitedly exchanged among the people of the assembly. There's nobody who has never heard of the legendary tales of General Pingtian (平天大将), the General of Heralding Peace, within their territory.
It was said that he played a pivotal role in assisting Rex Lapis and the adepti in the sealing of Chi of Qingce a decade ago. He was then conferred the title of General Pingtian by Rex Lapis himself. He participated in many battles in the decade that followed, his heroic deeds and unparalleled martial skills placing him as an equal among the likes of adepti and gods, an unprecedented achievement that no other mortal had ever matched till date. He was held in great respect and admiration among the soldiers of the assembly for his leadership qualities and unrivalled valour, and was subsequently appointed as the first commander of the newly reformed Millelith Brigade. Rex Lapis and Lord Azhdaha gifted him the legendary sword Summit Shaper (斫峰之刃) and also the legendary spear Heavenly Judgement (天罚) respectively in recognition of his skills and many contributions to the Guili Assembly.
It was also rumoured that even Lady Guizhong would oftentimes ask for his opinions on many matters and he was also taught the adepti arts from prominent adeptus like Cloud Retainer and Mountain Shaper. He's close friends with the adepti and also the yakshas, whom he often fought alongside against hostile gods and monsters that threatened their homes and peace. Such a legendary figure was revered by many people of the Guili Assembly and many young ladies had hinted their affection and longing for him over the decade but he rejected their advances each and every time, claiming that he already had a lover that nobody could ever seem to identify.
Someone eventually felt bold enough to ask General Pingtian about the identity of his mysterious lover. This question was never asked by anyone ever again when the answer received from the general himself was that his lover was no longer in this world.
"Osial is making a move?"
That was the latest topic of discussion among the leaders of the Guili Assembly. The enmity between the Guili Assembly and Osial was known far and wide across this land. Both factions had been warring with each other for so long that oftentimes it's easy to forget for what reason they had warred with each other.
However, this time, there were many signs indicating that Osial was going to unleash a huge assault on the assembly like none before. They have to be prepared for anything and everything.
Plans were hashed out, discussed, revised, and finally executed within the tent. Roles and responsibilities were issued, orders were given, and after several days of meticulous planning Rex Lapis departed with a huge contingent of soldiers, leaving Guizhong, Xun, and several other adepti to hold the fort while they were gone.
All was well initially. News repeatedly came in from the warfront that their forces were making good progress in the war under the leadership of Rex Lapis and the adept who followed his leadi. All was well until the most unexpected guest arrived at the assembly.
"Beisht… I can't believe that we failed to account for her intervention."
"Who?"
"She's Osial's wife," Guizhong succinctly explained to Xun as the both of them placed themselves at the forefront to defend the assembly behind them. The remaining adepti and brave soldiers of the Millelith Brigade were doing all they could to evacuate their people away from the danger zone. Nobody had any idea how Beisht managed to give everyone the slip and arrived here at their doorstep undetected, but she is an existence rivalling those of a god and her powers are not to be underestimated. She could easily level the Guili Assembly if it wasn't for Guizhong and Xun stepping up to stop her in her tracks in the nick of time.
"Gods marry each other?" Xun found himself asking this question in puzzlement even if the situation for doing so was inappropriate. Morax and Guizhong do seem to have a thing for each other based on his observations, maybe… would they…?
His spear deflected a strike from one of Beisht's many heads and the power of cryo bloomed under his darkened hands. He had never healed from his self-inflicted injury in the battle he had against Chi a decade ago but that had never affected his combat abilities in the slightest. A powerful arrow of ice struck true at that moment, giving Guizhong a window of opportunity to deal a powerful blow on the vengeful Beisht.
"Keep going, Ganyu!" Guizhong shouted her encouragement to the young adeptus that Cloud Retainer took in as her student. The Liutian Archery that Ganyu had mastered under Cloud Retainer's tutelage was the support fire that they needed as Xun invoked the adeptus art that he was taught by the adepti to quickly place a sealing array around the area.
Beisht roared in fury when she found her powers restricted by the adepti sealing arts and she made sure that her enemies knew of her displeasure. Raging torrents of water that eclipsed even the mountains were summoned upon her call, threatening to wash over their homes in an instant. Guizhong's lips were pressed into a thin line as her brilliant mind tried to come up with a solution to halt the tidal wave in its tracks. There were still many people behind their backs who had not yet evacuated, too many lives would be lost if nothing was done but her powers were not suited to do what needed to be done at this moment.
Cloud Retainer's young student frantically fired her ice arrows in a desperate gambit to try freezing the waters. She probably could do so if she had an extra century of time to hone her powers but unfortunately that wasn't the case now.
"Ganyu, keep firing!"
Xun flew into the air with the blessings of anemo and attempted to spread the frost with the elemental reaction between anemo and cryo. He covered his weapons with a layer of frost as well while Guizhong commanded the earth to rise in an attempt to slow the raging waters long enough for Ganyu and Xun to finish what they set out to complete.
Somehow or another, they managed to achieve the impossible.
A vacuum of air was unleashed and grinded against Beisht's heads, a gift that Xun left behind for Osial's wife before he made his tactical retreat. The strange fire of the baleful moon that he had only used once a decade ago in the battle against Chi reignited once again in this battle. Guizhong's worry deepened, because for Xun to decide to tap into his techniques that he deemed as forbidden was an indication of how dire this battle was.
Thankfully, Xun did manage to pick up a few new tricks in the ten years he had joined the assembly.
"Solidify!"
The jade shield that he casted could not be compared to the original, yet it was enough to get things done and provide sufficient protection for their cause. Rex Lapis had generously taught Xun how to manipulate the geo element when he asked for his guidance and the adepti was also equally curious how Xun was able to mysteriously copy elemental based techniques after observing them several times. Whether he could execute these copied techniques on the same level of power as the original was another issue entirely, but his power was an ability that none of the adeptus had seen before in another.
Black dust began to spew and choke the heavens, thousands of rocks splintered as the rage of the Avenger of the Vortex began to press down onto the land below. The beautiful glaze lilies that filled these grassy plains were mercilessly uprooted and crushed under Beisht's might as she summoned her contaminated power in her attempt to flood the Guili Plains again and again. Together, Xun, Guizhong and Ganyu worked to repel Beisht's repeated attempts to destroy the assembly but they all knew that it was simply a matter of time before they could no longer summon the strength to match Beisht's seemingly endless well of power. None of them could outlast her in a battle of attrition.
The yakshas finally arrived to reinforce them but neither of them were fast enough to prevent the inevitable. A powerful blast of water pierced through the body of the God of Dust when she realised that Beisht's target was Ganyu, managing to push her aside at the last second but in the process, also took the fatal attack that was meant for the young adeptus.
"LADY GUIZHONG!"
Ganyu's horrific scream further fuelled the yakshas' rage and they quickly took over the battle. Xun had immediately tried to suppress the extent of Guizhong's injury from spreading any further with the element of cryo but no matter how one looked at it, this injury was fatally lethal.
The God of Dust does not have much longer left to live.
"I'm… sorry, I don't think I am capable of… continuing this journey. Ganyu… are you alright?"
"I… I… Lady Guizhong, please… You will be fine… I…"
"It's alright," Guizhong comforted the young adeptus with a gentle smile. "I will entrust the safety of our people to your good hands until Morax returns victorious so… smile for me, okay?"
"Why are you speaking as if these are your last words?" Xun interrupted without an ounce of tact, his hand still placed atop the area where Guizhong was pierced by Beisht's attack and trying to halt its spread with the element of cryo. "You are not dying here, our people still need your wisdom to guide them forward to the far future. I know you are the God of Dust but you will not disappear into the dust, not on my watch."
"Xun–"
"Not on my watch."
The very first time he truly tested the extent of his power was in the eighth cycle where he brought the entirety of Fontaine back to life, but he had the power of the oratrice to fuel him to achieve such a feat. Now, he's significantly more powerful than he was when he first met Furina and aided her in her quest to defy fate. As it is now, he definitely couldn't turn back time for an entire nation, but to reverse time just for Guizhong alone? To a state where she had not yet been fatally wounded by Beisht?
That should still be doable. The only question to ask would be the price that he would have to pay for doing so since he no longer had an external source of power to fuel his fate-defying abilities.
A bright glow burst forth from his charred hands. That was the sight that greeted Morax when he hurriedly made his return to the assembly when he received word that the Guili Assembly was under attack by Beisht. Guizhong walked out of that glow as pristine and untouched as he remembered her to be when they first met in the field of glaze lilies. She looked a little confused, but perfectly fine.
Morax released a sigh of relief he never knew he held before refocusing his rage on Beisht.
The wrath of the rock descended soon after and order was restored.
Uncontrollable muffled coughing could be heard before they were quickly suppressed. The revered General Pingtian quickly looked around to check that nobody heard him before resuming to pack what he needed for his last journey.
Beisht was defeated and sealed with Rex Lapis' return, but the massive flood that she brought along still swept through Dihua Marsh and the Guili Plains, effectively destroying the Guili Assembly which they called their home for so long. That land is no longer inhabitable but fortunately, the adepti and the Millelith Brigade had evacuated everyone in time and thereafter, the inhabitants of the assembly were then ordered by Rex Lapis to be relocated to the south with the help of the adepti. To the south of Mt Tianheng will be where their new home would be built.
Xun knew that their new home would soon be what will be known as Liyue Harbour in the far future. However, ever since that battle with Beisht he started to understand a little better about the price of meddling with time. His body was already in shambles for invoking the power of the Balemoon Bloodfire a second time and using it for such a prolonged period, and reversing time on Guizhong's body had weakened him to the extent that he couldn't even hold his weapons with steady hands.
He innately understood that his end for this cycle is near. If so, he wants to make the most out of it before he inevitably departs for the next cycle.
He silently checked his surroundings and after making sure that nobody spotted him, quietly slipped out and left the convoy with nothing but a sword on his right, a spear on his left, and the armour he had donned for countless battles as General Pingtian of the Millelith Brigade. The convoy are on their journey to where Rex Lapis said they will build their new home. He will not be present to witness the rise of their new home and civilisation but he had already seen what it will grow into in his previous cycles. He's content, he won't ask for more.
He just has to finish his very last task as General Pingtian, the General of Heralding Peace, before he disappears.
His disappearance was soon noticed early next morning. The people and the adepti quickly searched for him but they only found an envelope that he carefully left behind for them.
To my gods, friends, brave soldiers of the Millelith, and people
No words could express how thankful I am to have met you. Unfortunately, my body is reaching its limit after the battle with Beisht. I would not live long enough to make the journey to our new home, I would not be able to see what our new home would be like.
As such, I decided to embark on one last self-imposed task as General Pingtian. If you truly think of me as a friend, do not stop me, do not search for me, and do not seek vengeance for me. There is no need to weep for me nor feel sorry or guilty about my departure. Be happy for me because to someone like me, death is but the next great adventure.
If we could meet again – allow me to harbour that greedy hope as I make my last march to battle– I hope that I will be able to once again share a drink with all of you at the same table, to once again reminisce about the times where we fought alongside each other against the evils of the world to defend our home and people.
Although I will never be able to participate in the building of our new home, I am certain that I will one day be able to witness its full glory in the far future. I always believed that this age of gods and demons will one day pass and we shall one day enter the age of humans, where there will be no distinctions between adepti and humans, where there shall be no differences regardless of the blood which we inherited from our ancestry, where we only have one shared identity, that we are simply Liyuens of Liyue
To my gods, thank you for sharing with me your wisdom
To my friends, thank you for sharing with me your moments of joy and sadness
To my brave and valiant soldiers, I am honoured to have led and fought alongside you
To my people, to those who felt that things looked bleak after the destruction of our homes, heed my advice: Have faith, have hope. Things will get better.
Where the Millelith stands guard, evil shall never prevail.
Xun
–Tales of a Hundred Cycles, Vol XIII
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Resounding applause could be heard after Yun Jin ended her performance. Songs and tales of how brave men and women fought against evil gods alongside Rex Lapis and the adepti during the archon war were highly popular in Liyue. Of which, the heroic tales of the fabled General Pingtian were stories that every Liyuen would know as a child.
"What do you think of this performance, Mr Zhongli?" The Eleventh Fatui Harbinger asked for the opinion of the famed consultant of Wangsheng Funeral Parlour while clapping his hands. The consultant merely nodded his head once as he clapped along with the other audiences.
"Very wonderful. I hadn't heard and seen such fine performances in a long while."
"General Pingtian… Hah, it truly is a pity that we aren't born in the same era. I would have loved to fight him," Childe remarked with a wistful sigh. Certain words were on the tip of Zhongli's tongue but ultimately, he resisted the urge to say them out loud and managed to keep his opinions to himself.
From an objective standpoint, Xun would absolutely crush the Fatui Harbinger without question.
"It's been a nice day. Unfortunately, I have to take my leave, my wife is expecting me," Zhongli politely excused himself and Childe saw him off with a wave of his hand. The learned consultant walked down the bustling streets of Liyue, reminiscing about times long past and the comrades which he had buried with his own hands. His line of thoughts were broken when he spotted the beautiful woman patiently waiting for him at the end of the road with a bouquet of glaze lilies in hand.
"Thinking about old times again?" She asked as her hand slipped into his and their fingers interlocked with each other. He answered with a nod and the couple slowly walked out of Liyue Harbour in a slow stroll. They eventually reached the top of Mt Tianheng where they had created a tomb for one of their comrades from the archon war. They never did manage to find his body and he's but a mere mortal, the story of his life only spanned across a single decade before he departed the world, but the legacy he left behind left a lasting impact on Liyue and her people.
In fact, the very last self-imposed task he embarked on when he disappeared was inflicting a lasting scar on Osial so grievous that it was the main factor why Morax could finally seal that oversized octopus at Guyun Stone Forest just a month after Xun's death.
Here lies General Pingtian, the Man of Heralding Peace. He will forever be remembered for his bravery, valour, and contributions to Liyue.
"We are here to visit you again," Guizhong said as she knelt down to lay the bouquet upon his grave. "Liyue Harbour is prospering but it's time for it to slowly leave the influence of the adepti and enter the age of humans. It really is just as you said it would be in your final letter, you were proof that humans can take charge of their own destiny so… look over Liyue, okay? Just like how you did when you were still around."
The only answer they received was the soft breeze at the top of the mountain.
"The Rite of Descension will happen soon. This year's rite will be exceptionally… interesting."
"That's putting it nicely."
"And whose fault would that be?" Guizhong questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Zhongli wisely kept his peace.