Chapter 3: Zhongli Becomes a Hardworking Employee
The moonlight spilled over Mt. Tianheng, coating the cliffs in silver. The scent of mountain stone mixed with faint traces of amber and wind.
Zhongli's golden eyes shimmered faintly as he turned toward Kael, who was standing beside him with calm composure.
"Tell me," Zhongli said quietly, "could I test this new power of yours myself?"
Kael opened one eye, expression relaxed. "Do as you wish."
Then, as if the matter required no further explanation, he closed his eyes again, threads of divine geometry spiraling behind his lids. He was already deep in deduction, weaving the foundations of a cultivation system that could reshape Teyvat itself.
---
Zhongli lifted his hand slightly. "Xiao."
A swirl of green mist coalesced into form, and in an instant, a masked figure clad in black and emerald appeared beside them—the last Yaksha, his presence as sharp as wind-forged steel.
"Lord Morax," Xiao greeted, bowing low. His voice was respectful, steady, but the faint tremor of surprise betrayed him. His gaze darted toward Kael—this mysterious young man standing side-by-side with his master as if he were an equal.
Zhongli inclined his head. "I summoned you today for a matter of great importance," he said gravely. "It concerns the karmic corruption that torments your soul. I will attempt to cleanse it. It will be painful… but I ask that you endure."
For a heartbeat, Xiao froze. Then disbelief flickered in his amber eyes.
Could such a thing truly be possible? The karma of slaughtered gods had consumed him for centuries; he had long accepted it as eternal punishment.
If Morax himself said there was hope—then it must be true.
"I entrust myself to your will," Xiao said, dropping to one knee.
---
Zhongli extended his hand and pressed it gently to Xiao's shoulder.
Immediately, a wave of divine Geo energy surged forth, burrowing into Xiao's body. The corruption that had lain dormant for centuries writhed in fury. Black smoke oozed from beneath Xiao's skin, hissing against the golden light that tried to purge it.
Pain struck like lightning. Xiao's muscles convulsed, and even his Yaksha resilience faltered. A strangled cry escaped his lips as molten agony raced through every vein.
But he did not withdraw. He refused to.
Zhongli frowned, sweat beading faintly at his temple. The karmic debt was vast—too deep, too ancient. To remove it entirely in one stroke was impossible.
After a long, grueling minute, he lifted his hand and exhaled, releasing Xiao from the divine pressure.
"The purification is complete—for now," he said calmly. "Roughly one-tenth of your karmic burden has been erased. Continue this process several more times, and you will be freed of it entirely."
---
Zhongli closed his eyes for a moment, calling upon the Teyvat Chat Group interface Kael had shared. A soft chime rang in his consciousness.
> [Purification Complete — 1,200 Points Gained]
"Interesting…" Zhongli murmured. "It seems the act itself rewards effort."
Yet he also felt the cost—the energy he had just spent rivaled what he once used to bind Osial beneath the sea. This power demanded much… but its results were unquestionable.
Xiao remained kneeling, his breathing shallow but eyes blazing with renewed vitality. Hope—true, impossible hope—shone there for the first time in centuries.
"Thank you… my lord," he whispered. "Truly."
Zhongli regarded him with quiet pride. "Rest, Xiao. The path of redemption has opened. Walk it well."
---
Then he turned to Kael, who still stood with his hands clasped behind his back, golden light flickering faintly around him.
"If I wish to grant Xiao this ability myself," Zhongli asked, "what would it require?"
Kael smiled, faint amusement dancing in his eyes. "Nothing that costs you much. What you purify strengthens me as well—the energy flows back into the Heavenly Principles. It's mutually beneficial."
He stretched lazily, eyes half-lidded. "But if you feel indebted… then simply guard me while I grow stronger. That seems fair enough."
Xiao's brow furrowed slightly. Guard him? For a mortal to make such a request of an Archon was audacious—yet Zhongli agreed without hesitation.
"Very well," Zhongli said. "A fair contract. I will ensure your safety until your strength surpasses even the heavens."
In his mind, it was no gamble.
This young man had already proven himself as the new order incarnate. To stand beside him was to stand beside inevitability.
---
Kael nodded approvingly. "Good. I'll soon distribute a cultivation technique—something mortals can use to refine their own strength, independent of Visions."
He tapped his temple. "I've uploaded it to the chat group. You'll find it there."
Zhongli opened his consciousness and examined the new file:
> [Basic Internal Strength Cultivation – Author: Kael]
"…A rather literal title," Zhongli mused, downloading the contents.
In an instant, streams of knowledge flowed into his mind—formulas, breathing cycles, diagrams of energy pathways. His analytical gaze softened with awe.
"This system lacks elemental affinity," he said, "yet it strengthens the body remarkably. With discipline, even ordinary citizens could fend off hilichurls or beasts.
For Liyue's people, this could redefine survival itself."
Xiao's eyes widened. For centuries he had fought to protect mortals from monsters—but now, Kael was giving them the means to protect themselves.
What kind of being… could grant mortals a power once reserved for the divine?
---
Kael raised his hand, his voice firm. "Then our contract stands."
With a flick of his fingers, golden symbols appeared around Xiao and dissolved into his consciousness.
> [System Binding Complete — User: Xiao]
The Yaksha stiffened, then exhaled as warmth spread through his veins. For the first time in eons, the darkness inside him receded on its own—slowly, gently, naturally.
He stared down at his hands, disbelief giving way to awe.
This… was liberation.
---
"How many can you connect to this system at once?" Zhongli asked thoughtfully.
Kael thought for a moment. "At my current level? Perhaps ten. Any more, and the feedback might fracture my divine core."
He then smirked, mischief flickering across his face. "But feel free to recommend more candidates. I'm always looking for new—" he paused dramatically, "—employees. The more who work, the faster the boss grows, no?"
Zhongli raised an amused brow. "Employees, is it?"
Kael chuckled. "Why not? Even gods must have subordinates."
The wind rustled through the mountain peaks. Far below, Liyue Harbor shimmered like a sea of gold, unaware that the laws governing their world had just begun to shift.
After one purification, Kael's divine power had already risen by five percent.
At this pace, it would not be long before his strength rivaled even the original Heavenly Principles.
And when that day came—
Teyvat would no longer be ruled by gods of old, but by the will of a god reborn.
✨ End of Chapter 3