Gululu… gululu…
Moonlight poured onto the forest floor.
In a place that should have been silent, an odd sound echoed—liquid sloshing inside glass.
"Ha~"
The bottle left Snow Kui's lips.
He didn't know where he was walking.
Only that he wanted to walk.
Why drink?
Maybe because Stone had shown him the warmth in it.
Or maybe—
he wanted that hazy numbness,
wanted to stop his mind from remembering,
wanted to bury the pain.
He wiped away the wine in his mouth.
His lips pulled into a foolish smile.
Alcohol… really is something wonderful.
Gululu… gululu…
Clang!
The bottle slipped from his fingers and shattered.
The white-haired yaksha dropped to his knees, one hand on the ground, the other clutching his head.
His pupils trembled violently.
At first, his mind was numb.
Empty.
But now—
memory forced its way in.
"Hello, my name is Stone. Do you remember me?"
"Why don't you come to my house? I'll treat you to something good."
"Don't you want to know why humans would spend extra grain… just to exchange for that feeling?"
"Please. This is the only request I'll ever make in my life!"
The final scene—
Stone's faint smile, just before the ash swallowed him.
Why?
Why were these memories forcing themselves back?
"Snow Kui, remember—drinking well and drinking too much are different.
Drinking well is joyful.
Drinking too much… just hurts."
Stone's voice echoed in his ears.
Ice burst outward.
A violent surge of frost exploded from him, devouring the trees, the stream, the moonlit glade.
Within heartbeats, everything was sealed in transparent ice.
...
"What happened?"
Ruoduo stood frozen.
The child sitting before the stone tablet—
hugging one bent leg, staring at the grave—
didn't look like the Snow Kui he knew.
Snow Kui, drained of all vitality?
"Things are… complicated," Guizhong said softly.
If it were only Stone's death, Snow Kui may have sunk into grief—
but not like this.
Guizhong briefly explained the attack of the Ashen God, and Stone dying right in front of Snow Kui.
Ruoduo didn't fully grasp it,
but the dragon-beast beside him understood.
The pain of letting go of salvation with your own hands—
is the kind that destroys you.
"I told you," Morax said quietly, tone low, "don't let him get too attached to the mortal world."
Guizhong shook her head.
"He's a child who feels too deeply.
If he must face this pain eventually, it's better he learns earlier."
Morax glanced at her.
She wasn't wrong.
Ruoduo asked uncertainly:
"So… what do we do now?"
"We can't do anything," Guizhong replied.
"When someone is like this, no advice can enter their heart.
Only he can walk out of that darkness."
Even two gods with centuries of experience had nothing more to offer.
They could only watch that thin back—
small beneath the moon.
"Hey. Old man."
Morax blinked.
Snow Kui suddenly spoke, and all three gods turned toward him.
Morax—of all people—was the one addressed.
Despite being the one Snow Kui disliked most.
"Teach me," Snow Kui said, turning his head slightly,
"the rune systems you mentioned before. Your alchemy talismans."
His eyes—
The once clear, sky-blue eyes were now weighed down by storm clouds.
No warmth.
No light.
Only a cold, frightening stillness.
Morax's eyes widened a fraction.
Then they returned to calm.
Guizhong and Ruoduo both stared at him.
After a moment, Morax answered.
"…Very well."
Snow Kui turned back to the gravestone.
"…Tha—"
The word stuck in his throat.
He swallowed it, then forced it out properly.
"Thank you."
Morax froze.
He never imagined Snow Kui—arrogant, combative Snow Kui—would ever thank him.
And that the reason…
would be to ask him to teach.
Guizhong yanked Morax away by the collar the second she could.
"You. Come. With. Me."
Her voice was low.
Too low.
Which meant her killing intent was high.
Ruoduo folded his arms, expression unreadable.
Even he knew agreeing to teach Snow Kui in this state was a terrible idea.
But Morax didn't resist.
"It is better to know what he intends to do," Morax said calmly, "than to not know."
Guizhong stopped.
Ruoduo understood instantly.
Snow Kui was unstable.
In that mindset, he could do anything.
If Morax refused, Snow Kui would attempt things alone—
dangerous things—
uncontrollable things.
But if Morax said yes…
Snow Kui would remain within Morax's reach.
Guizhong's rage faded, replaced with bafflement.
"When did you become… smart?"
Morax: "…"
Did she think he ruled Liyue through pure luck?
"I don't mean you're dumb," Guizhong amended, still peering at him.
"It's just—thinking ahead for someone else?
That's new for you."
Morax closed his eyes.
Snow Kui…
had become the exact kind of yaksha Morax once wanted him to be.
A weapon.
Yet now—
seeing the result—
Morax realized something bitter.
Maybe the Snow Kui from before… was better.
"Perhaps," he murmured, "I've changed as well."
Advance Chapters available on P@treon
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