Chapter 3: Zhongli Becomes a Hardworking Employee
Zhongli's golden eyes flickered slightly as he turned to Aiden beside him and asked, "I wonder if I could try this power myself?"
"Do as you like." Aiden waved his hand dismissively and closed his eyes. He was preparing to deduce a cultivation technique suitable for the people of Teyvat.
"Xiao." Zhongli called out calmly, his deep voice carrying authority.
A gust of emerald wind swept past, and in an instant, a masked figure clad in green and black appeared beside them—Xiao, the last surviving Yaksha.
Seeing Zhongli, Xiao immediately bowed with respect. "I greet the Lord of Geo."
At the same time, he glanced at Aiden, curiosity evident in his sharp gaze. Who was this man? To be standing next to the Geo Archon so casually…
Zhongli acknowledged Xiao's greeting with a nod before speaking solemnly, "I summoned you here today to help you remove the karmic corruption of the fallen gods that plagues your body. It may be painful, but I ask that you endure."
Xiao's eyes widened in shock.
Could the Lord of Geo truly rid him of his karmic burden?
He had long since resigned himself to eternal suffering, believing that karmic debt was an inescapable fate for a Yaksha. But if Zhongli—Morax himself—said otherwise, then it must be possible.
Determined, Xiao immediately knelt. "I entrust myself to your will, my lord."
Zhongli placed a hand on Xiao's shoulder. A unique energy surged from his fingertips and seeped into Xiao's body.
Immediately, the corruption that had plagued Xiao for centuries—formed from the wrath and resentment of fallen gods—began to react violently.
A searing pain spread through Xiao's veins like molten lava. Even with his immense willpower, he let out a sharp, involuntary grunt. His entire body trembled, his breathing ragged, but he refused to falter.
Zhongli's brows furrowed in concern. He could feel the immense weight of karmic debt resisting purification. It was deeply entrenched, having accumulated over centuries. Removing it in one go was impossible.
He continued until he sensed that Xiao was nearing his limit. Only then did he withdraw his power and step back.
"A portion of your karmic corruption has been cleansed," Zhongli stated. "Approximately one-tenth of it has been purged. With a few more sessions, it should be completely removed."
He then turned his attention inward, focusing on the newly acquired feature of the chat group. A numerical value appeared before him—1,200 points.
"Interesting," Zhongli murmured. "It seems this effort was not without reward."
However, he also noted the immense energy cost of the purification. The power he had just expended was equivalent to what he once used to suppress Osial beneath the sea.
Xiao, still kneeling, was gasping for breath. But beyond the exhaustion, his golden eyes burned with something he had not felt in centuries—hope.
"Thank you, my lord," Xiao said, voice filled with gratitude.
For so long, he had fought alone, shouldering the burden of karmic debt with no respite. Now, for the first time, he saw a path to salvation.
He clenched his fists, determination hardening his resolve. He would serve the Lord of Geo even after his debt was cleansed.
Zhongli turned back to Aiden. "If I wish to grant Xiao this ability, what price must I pay?"
Though Zhongli had personally removed Xiao's karmic burden just now, he knew that he wouldn't always be available to perform such purifications. If Xiao himself had access to this power, it would benefit all of Liyue.
Aiden smirked. "What you're doing benefits me as well," he admitted. "I can absorb the remnants of the Abyss and demon gods' hatred, which strengthens me over time. But right now, my own foundation is weak, so the growth is slow."
He then added with a chuckle, "If you truly feel the need to repay me, just protect me until I grow strong enough. That should be fair, right?"
Xiao listened intently, his wariness toward Aiden shifting slightly.
If even the Lord of Geo acknowledged him, then who exactly was this young man?
Zhongli, without hesitation, nodded. "Protecting you is a reasonable contract."
In his eyes, placing his bet on Aiden was far wiser than relying on the Tsaritsa or even the Traveler.
The heavenly order had shifted, and this new "Heavenly Law" had the means to counteract the Abyss.
If Aiden could continue to grow, then Teyvat itself might be saved.
"I will also need your help in spreading a new cultivation technique to the people of Liyue," Aiden continued. "It will allow ordinary citizens to strengthen themselves beyond the limits of the Vision system."
He gestured to Zhongli's mind. "I've uploaded the technique to the chat group. You can download it at your leisure."
Zhongli opened the interface in his mind and noticed a new file titled "Basic Internal Strength Cultivation" uploaded by Aiden.
"...A rather straightforward name," Zhongli mused, before downloading the information.
As the knowledge settled into his mind, Zhongli quickly understood the principles behind it.
"This system is weaker than the power of the Archons or the immortals of Liyue. It does not grant elemental control like a Vision. However, it strengthens one's body significantly.
With dedication, an ordinary human could gain the ability to fight off hilichurls and monsters. For Liyue's people, this would be a tremendous advancement."
Hearing this, Xiao couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
He had fought for centuries to protect Liyue from monsters, but now… ordinary citizens might have the ability to defend themselves?
What kind of being was Aiden, to introduce such a radical change to the world?
"In that case, our contract is established," Aiden said, satisfied. With a flick of his fingers, he added Xiao to the chat group.
Xiao flinched as foreign knowledge appeared in his mind, but he quickly adapted.
Even before testing it, he could tell—this system would allow him to slowly purge his own karmic corruption without relying on Zhongli.
His lips parted slightly in astonishment.
This power… it was miraculous.
"How many individuals can you currently share this ability with?" Zhongli asked thoughtfully.
"It depends on my strength," Aiden admitted. "Right now, I can only handle about ten people at most."
He then smirked mischievously. "If you have recommendations, feel free to bring them in. I welcome more employees—ah, I mean, allies."
After just one purification, Aiden had gained a 5% increase in strength.
If this continued, he would ascend to even greater heights in no time.
And Teyvat?
Teyvat was about to change forever.