No one knew how many years had passed…
Liyue Harbor
Under the leadership of the great Geo Archon—Morax, Rex Lapis—this land finally achieved victory and entered the long-awaited age of peace.
War and the stench of blood were gone.
So too were the constant fear, exhaustion, and mental and physical strain of those violent years.
What remained now were laughter and joy—children playing in the streets, adults busy with their trades, and the rich aroma of food drifting from restaurants.
The older generation enjoyed gathering for tea, listening to storytellers recount the legends of Rex Lapis—stories they never tired of hearing.
They also favored traditional opera performances. Though the younger generation often failed to appreciate them, the elders could discern the deeper meanings within.
Each opera carried a story that lingered in the heart—tales of Liyue's heroes of old.
Though, notably, not all heroes were remembered.
The name "Yaksha" was occasionally mentioned, but most discussions centered on the Conqueror of Demons—Xiao.
Xiao did not possess widespread fame among mortals. He was neither a bringer of fortune nor a benevolent guardian bestowing prosperity and health, nor was he a lofty adeptus dwelling high in Jueyun Karst.
Those who witnessed Xiao wield his divine power were inevitably people standing on the brink of death, trapped in mortal peril.
Yet in this era, within the hearts of Liyue's people, Xiao was the only surviving Adeptus Yaksha.
"Xiao" was not his true name.
It was an alias given for safety reasons by a certain individual. His real name was Alatus.
As for who that individual was—most people could guess.
Yes, it was that man who often ate without paying and shamelessly charged his tab to others.
In his youth, Xiao was naïve and vulnerable. Exploited by a god who discovered his weakness, he was enslaved and forced to serve as a great demon, committing countless brutal and bloody acts at another's command.
He accumulated endless killing karma, crushed countless dreams, and was even compelled to devour the sweet dreams of the defeated—suffering immeasurably, yet powerless to resist.
This was also why, amid countless delicacies, Xiao found only almond tofu barely palatable.
To him, its taste resembled those long-lost beautiful dreams.
Day after day of torment eventually led to a turning point.
On the battlefield of the Archon War, Morax, the Lord of Geo, encountered Xiao's former master—the Dream-Devouring Demon God.
With overwhelming power, Morax struck down that god.
Rex Lapis liberated the Yaksha, and forged with them a contract to guard Liyue for ten thousand years.
The Yaksha, ravaged by the Dream Demon God's cruelty, willingly swore allegiance to Morax and followed him into countless battles.
Among them, Alatus—once labeled a great demon—was granted a new name by Morax: Xiao.
When bestowing this name, Morax said:
"In legends of distant lands, the word 'Xiao' signifies one who has endured suffering—a demon tempered by hardship.You have endured much.From this day on, bear this name."
During the long years of war, the Yaksha followed the Geo Archon and other adepti across numerous battlefields.
Most of their kind ultimately succumbed to madness induced by karmic debt, dying tragic deaths.
Morax commanded five Guardian Yaksha, Xiao among them. Each possessed the strength to face hundreds alone—an indispensable force in large-scale warfare.
Their bond was close, akin to that of family—supporting one another, never abandoning each other.
Yet no matter how powerful they were, they could not escape the erosion of karma.
Karmic Debt
When gods perished, remnants of their power, resentment, and malice remained.
These remnants transformed into evil entities, disturbing the mortal realm and giving rise to plagues and disasters.
Thus, Rex Lapis tasked the Yaksha with exterminating these evils.Over time, however, the Yaksha themselves were corroded by the lingering power of defeated gods.
This corrosion was known as karmic debt.
Karmic debt nearly annihilated the Yaksha race.In the end, only Xiao remained, still honoring the contract to protect Liyue.
Xiao himself was once on the brink of madness—but someone saved him at a critical moment.
That savior was known as "the Flutist of Dihua Marsh."
In truth, this flutist was none other than a carefree, wine-loving bard who often shirked responsibility and cheerfully exclaimed "Ehe."
The surviving Xiao witnessed the victory of the Seven, the rise of Liyue Harbor, and the endless emergence of monsters and demons.
While guarding Liyue from the shadows, Xiao also searched tirelessly for news of his lost family.
This was because several hundred years earlier, he had encountered an elderly man—Boyang.
At the time, Boyang was near the Chasm, leaning on a cane, surrounded by Hilichurls corrupted by karmic residue.Death seemed imminent—until a powerful, youthful figure suddenly charged in and saved him.
Boyang was keenly sensitive to Yaksha. Though his eyesight had faded, he unmistakably sensed Xiao's aura.
It was the aura of a Yaksha—different in power, yet unmistakable.
Boyang called out to stop Xiao. Normally, Xiao would have ignored him and departed at once.
But a single name froze him in place.
Even after centuries, Xiao remembered the old man's words clearly:
"Do you know the Yaksha Bonanus?"
Bonanus?!
How could this elderly man—one foot already in the grave—know that name?!
Agitation replaced Xiao's usual calm as he urgently questioned Boyang.
Though hard of hearing, Boyang sensed the urgency in Xiao's voice. He nodded slightly—this young man truly knew Bonanus.
Boyang handed him a notebook.
It might contain information of great importance—perhaps about two Yaksha who could be Xiao's family.
Xiao accepted it, his pupils trembling as his gaze raced across the pages.
When he saw the familiar names Bonanus and Bosacius, his composure nearly collapsed.
But then he saw the entry, describing two masses of black mist approaching them.
Xiao frowned deeply.
Was it karmic debt?A demon?Or perhaps beasts from Khaenri'ah?
All clues pointed to one place—the Chasm.
Yet tragically, at that time, the Chasm's seal was untouchable—even for adepti.
From other sources, Xiao had already learned that his second brother Menogias had gone mad from karmic debt and perished in mutual destruction with an unknown Yaksha.
His third sister Indarias likewise succumbed to karma and ended her life in a desolate land.
The remaining two Yaksha had vanished without a trace.
These accounts were even recorded in books sold at Wanwen Bookhouse, which Xiao had once read while disguised as a mortal—yet they yielded no answers.
Xiao believed Bonanus and Bosacius were likely still alive, trapped within the Chasm.
But the black mist recorded in the notebook troubled him deeply.
No matter what, having finally obtained clues about his missing family, Xiao resolved to uncover the truth.
Just not yet.
The Chasm's seal could not be opened.
Returning the notebook to Boyang, Xiao bowed his head.
This was the first time in his life—aside from Morax himself—that Xiao expressed gratitude to a mortal.
These were clues about his family.
If even a one-in-ten-thousand chance existed, Xiao would pursue it—because how desperately he wished that, during the Lantern Rite under the full moon, he would no longer sit alone at the foot of the mountains, silently watching the lanterns and fireworks by himself…
Elsewhere, within the Chasm
[Host body fully repaired.]
[Fusion between host and body complete.]
[Initiating host awakening…]
(Author's Note: There is no precise canonical information about the Dream Demon God. Based on character lore, it was the Yaksha's former master and likely possessed mind-control abilities—though certainly with limitations.)
(TL Note: Btw, don't remember if I said this before, but anything I translate I will try to cross-check with the hoyolab wiki, and if I can't find it there, I will just be using google search, so, please pardon any mistakes.)