"Crash!"
Invisible soul ripples swept across, scattering the gravel on the ground. The originally formless soul seemed to have gained substance, directly affecting the material world.
"Ugh..."
As this wave swept over Xingqiu and Chongyun, the most direct manifestation was that both of them immediately got spiral eyes.
Both felt as if their consciousness had been shattered by something, their minds autonomously dispersing, unable to form any coherent thoughts.
Merely affected by the aftershock, Xingqiu and Chongyun were reduced to such a state, let alone the grievances that were directly hit by the soul arrow.
The Ruin Guard and Geovishap Hatchlings, formed by condensed grievances, struggled for a few moments after being struck by the soul arrow.
However, judging by their appearance, it was less a struggle for survival and more as if something inside them was causing them to bulge a few times.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
After trembling a few times, the Ruin Guard and Geovishap Hatchlings suddenly exploded, turning into specks of white light.
But upon closer inspection, a hint of wriggling black mist was mixed within the white.
"No wonder Zhongli didn't bother with them," Ember said, extending a hand. The scattered light in the air flew back into his body.
After all, the soul arrow was formed from his own soul; even if it was a bit dirty now, he couldn't just discard it, could he?
Besides, being dirty didn't matter; he could burn it clean and still use it.
He looked down at the clean clearing in front, which had been cleared by the soul storm earlier.
"This..., the power hasn't diminished with age," Ember scratched his head with his staff. To be honest, this was the gesture he used most often when casting spells.
Ember's magical proficiency came later. Before, whenever he got a magic scroll, he would have to scratch his head thousands of times before he could cast the spell.
Over time, Ember developed a habit: whenever he held his staff and encountered a problem, he liked to scratch his head.
He would scratch and scratch, and perhaps an idea would pop out like magic.
"Hmm..., Senior, have the evil beings been dealt with?" Chongyun rubbed his temples, using his secret breathing technique to stabilize the turbulent consciousness in his mind.
Xingqiu, however, was not as composed as Chongyun. He swayed left and right, like a drunkard—he was completely enduring it.
"They're dealt with, a bit... unexpected?" Ember lowered his hand. It seemed that soul magic had an exceptional effect on grievances and evil beings.
Did that mean he was half an Exorcist?
Ember couldn't help but think this. He still had many tricks he hadn't used!
For example, Farron Flashsword, Great Farron Flashsword, Great Soul Arrow, Soul Greatsword, Great Soul Greatsword... and so on.
Besides exorcism, judging by the situation, the destructive effect of this soul magic was not just on the physical body, but more so on the soul.
It made sense; arrows crystallized from the soul would naturally be able to attack the soul.
As for why Ember hadn't discovered this before? That was because previously, he had only used magic to clear out mindless Hollows.
Hollows had no independent consciousness, and the principle by which magic dealt with them was to eliminate them physically.
As for the rare normal people, whether in Lordran or The Lands Between, those with consciousness were top-tier powerhouses. Using soul arrows on them? That would merely be like a massage.
But now it was good; soul arrows no longer had to clear out small fry. Now they could create small fry.
One soul arrow, and even if they didn't die, they'd at least become an idiot.
"Eek—" Ember shivered. This soul magic seemed a bit too cruel, turning people into idiots? Ember couldn't do something like that.
The lives before him usually only existed in two states: living and dead.
"Is it over? Phew..., it truly was a powerful evil being!" Chongyun looked at the messy ground and exclaimed.
Then he crouched down and began writing furiously.
"Cuijue Slope... grand formation... Senior's assistance... great evil being vanquished..."
Chongyun crouched on the ground, able to clearly see the words in the 'the family record of demonic oddities' without any illumination—because the Yang Fire had flared up on his head again.
"What are you drawing?" Ember pointed at the scribbles on the book, which looked like ghost talismans, and asked, puzzled.
"A Ruin Hunter possessed by an evil being!" Chongyun's eyes gleamed with excitement. He was finally drawing based on something other than his own imagination!
With something in his mind, drawing was so much faster!
"..."
Ember silently looked at the messy black blob on the blank page, feeling that Chongyun seemed to have given too much weight to the grievance.
However, Ember had no intention of pointing it out, as his own drawing skills were quite abysmal.
Ember vaguely remembered that when he pulled Gael from the end of time, he couldn't resist the urge, so he directly struck Gael with a blade and began painting the world with his blood.
Later, the Demoiselle, as the true Painter, after seeing it, left a remark, "Actually, the Age of Deep Sea wasn't that terrifying," and then worked overtime to create a new painted world.
This was quite a blow to Ember.
But he was never one to be easily defeated. So he took another painting to the Fire Keeper, who said nothing but smiled as she burned the painting.
Since then, Ember officially put down his brush and withdrew from the art world.
"You two, come here quickly! Look what I've found!" Just as Chongyun was engrossed in his drawing and Ember was engrossed in observing, Xingqiu's voice came from afar.
Judging by his tone, he seemed to have made a surprising discovery.
Ember and Chongyun heard him, stood up from the ground, and walked towards Xingqiu's voice.
In the depths of the underground cave, a strikingly bright orange-yellow light suddenly shone, standing out vividly in the dimness.
And before the bright light, there was a gesticulating figure, which appeared to be Xingqiu.
Walking over quickly, what greeted Ember's eyes was a golden glow and two magnificent treasure chests.
Between the two treasure chests, an ancient stone tablet stood, its inscriptions clearly visible, as if they had just been carved.
Chongyun stepped forward, looking at the inscriptions on the stone tablet and reading them out word by word: "Greed, attachment, gaze, jealousy, wrath, evil desires, self-importance, contention, turmoil..."
"These nine mortal desires, while capable of aiding the world, can also plunge it into chaos. They do not fade, nor do they perish, but rather persist endlessly... Therefore, nine pillars were erected to pacify the world, suppressing its turmoil here."
"Should later generations breach the Nine Pillars of Pacification and enter, the world shall surely erupt in conflict once more."
"How did such a huge accusation get placed on us?" Ember couldn't help but complain upon hearing this sentence.
According to the stone pillar, it seemed as if the ensuing turmoil would all be caused by them.
"There's more below," Chongyun paused and explained.
"Alright, you read it," Ember stopped speaking.
"Let me see..., 'He who reads this tablet may claim the world's treasures and guard the eight directions of Liyue,'" Chongyun read out the last sentence.
"Does this mean all these things are ours?" Xingqiu poked his head out, looking eager to try.
"It can be, but that means we have to guard Liyue," Chongyun emphasized.
"Aren't you two already doing that?" Ember said, tapping their heads when he saw them in deep thought.
One fights for justice, the other slays demons and banishes evil. Isn't that what guarding Liyue is all about?
"Oh, right!" Xingqiu clapped his hands, instantly shedding any psychological burden. He stepped forward and reached out to touch the treasure chest, which was about waist-high.
A shimmer of light flashed across the magnificent treasure chest, and before Xingqiu could exert any force, it opened on its own.
Xingqiu was stunned for a moment, but quickly reacted. Since this place was originally sealed by a powerful individual, it was only natural for some means to be left on the secret treasures.
That shimmer of light earlier was probably testing whether the one touching the secret treasure truly had the ambition to protect Liyue.
It seemed Xingqiu had passed the test.
The lid of the treasure chest opened, followed by a blinding golden light.
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