Xiao also understood this, so he increased his power output, hoping to escape before being surrounded. At that moment, a memory flashed in.
The scene was the rooftop of Wangshu Inn. The first figure in view was the Emperor's back, his posture as upright as a pine, his tone calm:
["…This journey may carry risks, but if you insist on going…"]
Xiao appeared behind Zhongli, head lowered, and said:
["I have guarded this place for over a hundred years, never straying from my duty."]
Perhaps because Xiao felt his actions bordered on "slacking" or "dereliction of duty," his gaze remained fixed on the ground, avoiding Zhongli's eyes.
["Only the matter of the nameless Yaksha—I beseech the Emperor's permission to pursue it."]
Zhongli glanced back but said nothing more.
Now that Xiao was in the Chasm, it seemed Zhongli had given his approval.
Readers wondered if Yanfei's sudden discovery of this "will" in an "ancient book" was arranged by the Emperor. Did he foresee this far?
It's unclear whether the Emperor had orchestrated it, but knowing he was aware of the matter gave the people of Liyue a glimmer of hope.
The memory ended. Xiao seemed to be struggling, his strength waning. The Yaksha mask on his face faded, revealing tightly furrowed brows and clenched teeth.
He was truly giving everything. This was the first time readers saw such an expression on Xiao's face, a stark contrast to his usual stoic demeanor.
By his side, his companions were fighting fiercely. Lumine's combo was fluid and graceful, practically a performance of the Conqueror of Demons' dance!
Xiao, panting heavily, paused and glanced at his companions, then looked up at the space above.
It was so close! But Xiao no longer had the strength to sustain the formation.
Without hesitation, Xiao raised his hand, summoning the last of his power—a pure Anemo energy untainted by karmic debt—to envelop his companions.
Even now, Xiao was thinking: Karmic debt is harmful to them.
[Paimon reacted, shouting, "Xiao!"]
Yelan also realized what was happening, her brows knitting into a worried frown, her face screaming "No!" as she reached out in panic to stop Xiao.
No! Not again!
Such an expression was rare for Yelan. Her panic and the stark contrast it created instantly conveyed her emotions to the readers.
But the teleportation had already begun. Xiao used his final strength, the purest Anemo energy, to send his companions out of the palace.
But what about him?
The light of the surface was just overhead, but the formation beneath Xiao's feet shattered. He could no longer hold on.
Falling from the sky, Xiao slowly closed his eyes, his furrowed brows seeming to relax for the first time.
Perhaps he was thinking, "Good. They made it out."
As mentioned before, Xiao didn't have a self-destructive tendency, but his desire to survive wasn't strong.
Having successfully sent his companions out of the palace, he could now face death with peace.
He might be at peace, but the readers weren't! Their eyes stung, unsure if tears were welling up from this scene or from staying up late reading.
Fine, even the most stubborn readers had to admit they were panicking.
Xiao might have mentally let go, but the more at peace he seemed, the less the readers could accept it!
How could he die like this? We want to see you in Liyue's daily life, at the next Lantern Rite!
The Liyue readers, in particular, were heartbroken. They couldn't accept the Conqueror of Demons meeting such an end. They wanted to reach into the book and pull Xiao out.
But Xiao kept falling, like a bird unable to fly.
The readers' hearts were sinking too. Would a miracle happen?
The light above grew smaller—that was the exit, the hope of survival—but Xiao was falling in the opposite direction.
The light faded completely, and the readers' hearts sank.
Just then, a radiant light appeared, a dazzling golden glow that shone brighter than the sun in this dark scene.
The light enveloped Xiao. Sensing something, he slowly opened his eyes.
In the next instant, Xiao was brought back to the surface, kneeling on one knee, gasping as if he'd been pulled from the depths of the sea.
The Traveler hurried to Xiao's side, patting his back to help him catch his breath.
The readers were still reeling, some not quite grasping what had happened.
But regardless, Xiao was alive!
Smiles spread across the readers' faces, tears still unwipe.
Turning the page, the scene shifted to a distant mountain peak. The figure in the image showed only a pair of legs and a hem that resembled a dragon's tail.
The readers' smiles turned to ecstasy. Some non-reader friends nearby thought their friends had gone mad.
Even the notorious skeptic Pantalone couldn't help but widen his eyes.
"Emperor—!!!" That was the cry of Liyue's people at that moment.
The people of Liyue declared: Just a glimpse of that hem, and I'm already healed.
Yanxiao: Thank goodness, someone's still eating my Almond Tofu.
The readers sighed: As expected, the Emperor is hope, the Emperor is security! Even appearing for just a moment, he's the brightest star in the scene!
Well done, Emperor! You're rewarded with more street strolls! Mengmie's bamboo shoots, sesame oil—name it, and it's yours!
Xiao did well too. Reporting to the "parent" before heading out was the right call.
Now the readers understood: Though the Emperor didn't say it outright, he was fiercely protective.
"…This journey may carry risks, but if you insist on going… I'll just follow and keep an eye on things."
Are all Geo types this reliable, this protective?
Look at the unconscious Arataki Itto. Though usually unreliable, he never drops the ball at critical moments and is genuinely protective too.
In short, the readers were thrilled. After Arataki Itto's collapse, the atmosphere had grown increasingly heavy, and some readers had almost forgotten to breathe.
All that gloom was dispelled by the Emperor's "light." Only then did they remember to breathe, though it felt like switching to "manual mode."
In reality, the group at Lucian's house let out a collective sigh of relief seeing Xiao was safe.
Even Hu Tao let out a barely noticeable breath. Others didn't catch it, but Lucian felt it.
After all, Hu Tao was right beside him—her breath was hard to miss.
But compared to Hu Tao, Furina was on another level. Her tears flowed like a torrential river, turning her into a "Furinami"!
Fortunately, everyone was engrossed in the story, so no one noticed Furina's emotional meltdown.
Lucian chuckled to himself: This is exactly what I wanted to see. I brought you here just for this moment, heh heh heh.
Don't worry, there's more to come.
He thought this while wiping Furina's tears.
Good thing Furina didn't know what the "gentle" Lucian wiping her tears was thinking, or she'd have said:
"If our roles were reversed, I'd show you what cruelty really means!"
In any case, the incident concluded safely, though Yelan wanted to give Xiao a piece of her mind.
But the words didn't come out. In the end, she sighed softly, and her words turned to gratitude.
["In the end, we couldn't align our strategies. But escaping that place was truly thanks to you. Thank you for saving everyone."]