Xiao entered the back room alone.
It was a quiet, simple space.
There were chairs, a table, and a clean small bed of unknown purpose in the center.
He stood stiffly. "Mr. Xia…"
Though he was a Yaksha, accustomed to hardship and indifferent to formality, he still felt a subtle pressure in the presence of someone on par with the Geo Archon.
Xia Zhi was lighting incense at the table. He smiled back at him. "Come, sit."
"…Alright."
Xiao sat down, the incense's gentle aroma washing over him and calming his mind.
"This scent…"
"A calming incense I crafted myself. If you like it, you're welcome to take a few pieces home."
"I appreciate the offer, but no need."
Xiao hesitated. "Mr. Xia… you really can remove karmic debt?"
"Of course. It's just karmic buildup. One shot, and it's gone."
"A shot?"
Before he could react, Xia Zhi was holding a syringe.
Karmic debt—essentially, the residue of dead gods—had taken root in Yaksha bodies over centuries, festering like a toxin.
Xia Zhi had once helped Baizhu treat a man named Jialiang at Bubu Pharmacy. The patient had a weak heart and was plagued by demonic remains. Xia Zhi had cured him with [Advanced Dispelling] and [Divine Healing].
But Xiao's case was on a whole other level.
Still, it was just a matter of casting a few more [Advanced Dispelling] spells.
And besides—Xia Zhi found the residue interesting. Rather than waste it, he figured he might as well extract it using the [Universal Syringe] and store it for later use.
He stepped forward, held up the syringe, and said in a physician's tone, "Don't worry. It won't hurt."
"Mn…"
Xiao didn't fear pain. His body had endured countless wounds.
"Please extend your arm."
"…Okay."
The needle went in.
Despite its appearance, the [Universal Syringe] didn't actually pierce flesh—it operated on a conceptual level, leaving no wounds or blood behind.
Xiao watched it sink in—there was no pain at all.
Xia Zhi began the extraction.
Like [Forbidden Knowledge], or Yelan's [Abyssal Aura], Xiao's [Karmic Debt] appeared as a thick, black fluid.
And there was a lot of it.
It took three extractions to remove it all, each one sealed into a separate [Universal Bottle].
As the process continued, Xiao's face visibly improved.
The chaotic whispers in his mind—constant and maddening—quieted.
The ever-present nightmares faded as Xia Zhi put the syringe away.
"Lord Xiao, how do you feel?"
"Much better. Thank you, Mr. Xia!"
"You're welcome. No need to rush—sit here a bit longer. I'll observe and make sure it's all truly gone."
"Alright."
Xiao nodded.
Mr. Xia… might even be better than Baizhu.
Xia Zhi sat in the chair opposite him. "Actually, that was just an excuse. I wanted to ask you more about the Yaksha."
"Of course. What would you like to know?"
"I once heard at a teahouse that the Geo Archon was protected by Five Yaksha Generals. Each of them powerful and brave beyond compare."
"The Five Yaksha Generals…"
Xiao went quiet, his expression heavy. Pain flickered in his eyes.
"It's true. Liyue once had five Yaksha Guardians. Marshal Vritras—Bosacius. General Kapisas—Menogias. General Chizapu—Bonanus. General Musatas—Indarias. And me, Golden-Winged King."
"But in the endless war, we were all tainted. Indarias went mad and perished. Menogias and Bonanus lost their minds and killed each other. Bosacius vanished without a trace. Now… I'm the only one left."
"If not for your help today, I would've soon followed them."
Xia Zhi said seriously, "I'm sorry to make you recall such pain."
"It's fine. What else would you like to know?"
"I hope it's not presumptuous… but where was Bosacius last seen?"
"I'm not sure. I've spent years searching for traces of him, but found nothing concrete."
"Did he ever go to The Chasm?"
"The Chasm?"
Xiao frowned.
"I don't think so… why do you ask?"
"Well, Miss Yelan recently returned from The Chasm. I helped treat her injuries. During our conversation, she mentioned a dark calamity that occurred there five hundred years ago. Apparently, one of her ancestors from the Yelan family and a nameless Yaksha fought side by side… then both vanished."
"Nameless Yaksha…"
"Lord Xiao?"
"Ah, forgive me. I was just… lost in thought. I don't know who that Yaksha was."
"That's alright. Just a passing curiosity."
After a little more observation, Xia Zhi nodded. "You seem fine now. The debt's fully cleared."
"Thank you again, Mr. Xia."
Xia Zhi suddenly asked, "Are you planning to go to The Chasm?"
Xiao hesitated, then nodded. "Yes. I am."
Xia Zhi smiled and handed him a string of prayer beads.
"This is…?"
"Just a little something I made a while ago. [Bodhi Beads]. They might help."
[Bodhi Beads]
Quality: Gold
Type: Auxiliary Item
Property: Meditation
Effect: Rotate the beads to calm the mind, dispel inner demons, and reduce karmic debt.
Hidden Effect: +20% damage to evil spirits.
Xiao instinctively caught them and immediately felt how perfectly suited they were for him.
"They're too precious. I can't accept—"
"Don't be so quick to refuse. I have a condition too."
"A condition?"
"If you're going to The Chasm, go with Miss Yelan. Help look after her."
"…"
Xiao gave him a long look, then silently pocketed the beads.
"…Understood, Mr. Xia."
The [Bodhi Beads] were something Xia Zhi had once pulled from a treasure chest—only to rewind time and lose it.
It was a Buddhist artifact, bearing the innate effect of "cleansing karmic debt." Useless to Xia Zhi himself, but for Xiao, it couldn't have been more fitting.
Back when Xia Zhi used to hear tales of the Yaksha while listening to storytelling at the teahouse, he'd wondered if such an item could help with their karmic burden. But at the time, he hadn't known Xiao, nor had he any reason to give such a golden-tier treasure away.
Now, things were different.
Xia Zhi was still a little worried about Miss Yelan's second trip to The Chasm. After all, she was the one he'd drawn that fateful divination for...
If an Adeptus accompanied her, she'd be much safer.
After a moment's thought, Xia Zhi added, "Please don't tell Miss Yelan what I just said."
Xiao nodded silently, sensing the relationship between Xia Zhi and Miss Yelan might be… complicated.
After all, he was just an emotionless killing machine.
"Let's go out."
"Mm."
Xia Zhi and Xiao walked out of the back room.
Everyone looked up at them.
Zhongli, Xia Ci, Xia Zhen, the two Adepti, Baizhu, Hu Tao, and Chi Yu all instantly noticed—the karmic aura around Xiao had completely vanished.
Given the precedent set by Jialiang, Baizhu and Hu Tao weren't too surprised. Back then, Xia Zhi had cleared the Demonic God Remnant from Jialiang's body in less than a minute—healing both the corruption and the man's weak heart. Taking longer for Xiao only made sense, given the difference in scale.
Chi Yu was even less surprised. That man could bring her back from the dead. What was a bit of karmic debt?
But the two Adepti were dumbfounded.
Zhongli, ever the steady one, gave Xia Zhi a nod. "Mr. Xia, your medical skills truly are remarkable."
Xia Zhi waved him off. "Eh, not worth mentioning."
Zhongli: "…"
Then Xia Zhi turned to Baizhu. "Dr. Baizhu, could I see you for a moment?"
Baizhu stood. "Of course."
They went into the back room and sat down.
Xia Zhi spoke first. "Doctor, while your vitality is strong, I've noticed you seem to have accumulated more ailments and toxins than during our last gathering."
Changsheng chimed in from his neck, "Mr. Xia is absolutely right. This guy's been out doing free clinics every day and overusing those forbidden techniques. That's how he ended up like this again."
"Dr. Baizhu truly has the heart of a healer…"
"I'd appreciate your help once more."
Xia Zhi nodded and checked his condition.
Compared to when he'd first treated Baizhu—when he was riddled with every disease imaginable—he was in far better shape now. A single [Advanced Dispelling] could clear it all.
But while that was the fastest, most thorough method, it wasn't the best one.
Baizhu was a doctor, too. Teaching a man to fish was better than handing him one.
So, just like last time, Xia Zhi decided to write him a prescription. He'd let Baizhu heal through medicine, learning from it in the process.
No one understood their own body better than themselves.
With Baizhu's expertise and insight, he'd surely gain much from the formula.
"This one's a bit trickier... I'll need to think."
Xia Zhi paused for a few dozen seconds, then pulled out pen and paper and began writing a complex prescription.
Just like last time, the entire recipe consisted of poisons.
"This is tailored to your current condition," he said, handing it over. "Take it once. But during treatment, you absolutely must not get poisoned again, or fall ill, or the whole thing will be useless."
"I understand. Thank you, Mr. Xia."
"The medication will be intense. It'll hurt. Do you still have the calming incense I gave you?"
"All used up."
"I'll give you two more, then."
Xia Zhi retrieved two pieces of [Calming Incense] from the desk drawer and handed them to him.
Baizhu paused, glanced at Changsheng, and said seriously, "Mr. Xia, I truly cannot thank you enough—"
"Please. Just a little something. Don't be so formal, Doctor. How's the microscope research coming?"
"I've been too busy with field clinics lately, so progress has been slow."
"I see."
"But with that over, I'll refocus on the research."
"Good."
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