The sight of the Raiden Shogun being blasted away left everyone dumbstruck.
Even if it had been a stalemate, it would have been acceptable.
But this?
That had been her strongest strike—and it was shattered so easily. The so-called invincible Raiden Shogun had been sent flying.
What kind of absurd development was this?
When had Teyvat birthed such a monster?
Kaedehara Kazuha sheathed his blade, guilt written across his face as he bowed to Xiao.
"Senior brother… forgive me. I failed to resolve it, and troubled you instead."
Xiao cast him a calm glance, then casually tossed him a pill.
"The First Seat already knows of your matter. That you, as a cultivator, slaughtered ordinary people—though the reasons were compelling, it was excessive."
"When you return to Mount Shu, the Hall of Discipline will issue proper punishment."
Kazuha straightened, bowed with gravity, and declared:
"This disciple accepts his fate. It was my mistake. Whatever the punishment, I will receive it willingly."
Xiao inclined his head.
"Be at ease. It was not wanton bloodlust, and the cause was dire. Punishment there will be—but it will not be unbearable."
Relief flickered through Kazuha's chest.
Anything was fine—as long as it wasn't expulsion from Mount Shu.
Having settled his junior, Xiao turned back toward the Raiden Shogun, who once more stood before him, lightning raging in her hand, eyes burning with fury.
"Yaksha of Liyue! You trespass Inazuma without cause—do you seek war?"
Yaksha? Just an adeptus of Liyue?
Nonsense!
Kujou Sara and the others stared, utterly dazed.
Since when could a mere "adeptus" so casually overwhelm the Raiden Shogun?
Had the world become some grand joke?
Xiao's expression did not waver.
Once, perhaps, he would not have seen it. But now… with a glance he knew.
The "Shogun" before him was nothing more than a puppet.
Not that it mattered. His voice was flat:
"I did not come here as an adeptus of Liyue. Here, I bear only one identity: chief disciple of the Hall of Discipline , Dragonhead Peak, Mount Shu."
"By the Sect Master's decree—even if Mount Shu disciples err, judgment rests only with Mount Shu."
"No outsider has the right to punish them!"
"Any who attempt so—are provoking Mount Shu. And Mount Shu… will annihilate those who provoke it."
"Raiden Shogun, my junior killed the Tenryou Commission's troops for reasons of his own. This matter will be judged by Mount Shu alone. It is not for Inazuma to decide."
The bluntness of it made the Shogun seethe. Without a word she drew her naginata and lunged again.
Xiao's brow furrowed.
"Stubborn!"
His spear flashed—faster, sharper. Space itself seemed to rupture beneath his thrust.
With a single force, he pressed her back, blow after blow, his spear intent domineering and ethereal, washing across the entire firmament.
The storm that had blanketed Inazuma for so long—dispelled in an instant.
Kazuha exhaled softly. He was not surprised.
Xiao wielded a spirit weapon—the Primordial Jade Cutter—personally forged by Jiang Yan as reward for his diligence.
His cultivation had reached the very peak of Refining Essence into Qi, one step from tribulation.
The Cloud-Tyrant Spear technique he'd honed to perfection, and countless other arts besides.
And Zhongli often sparred with him under the guise of Erlang Shen, sharpening his edge.
Among Refining Essence into Qi cultivators, only Ganyu might compare.
As for the Shogun—without Musou no Hitotachi, she could not even contend.
Even if she unleashed it again, Xiao would crush her still.
This was a fight she could not win.
And Xiao… was not even using his full strength.
Kazuha felt both pride and resignation. Pride in his senior—resignation at his own punishment to come.
For Mount Shu disciples, mistakes could never be hidden.
He landed lightly, swallowed the pill, and his wounds vanished instantly.
The onlookers felt their scalps numb.
Overhead, the battle was one-sided.
Never had they seen their Shogun so battered.
And judging by Xiao's relaxed posture—he wasn't even serious.
If he were, she'd have already fallen.
At last, Xiao tired of the exchange. His spear flicked—clean, decisive.
The Shogun, caught off guard, had her naginata torn from her grasp. It crashed into the sand below. She herself was hurled back, caught only by Kujou Sara's arms.
Xiao stopped where he was, suspended in the air.
Spear in hand, he stood like an undefeated god of war.
"My apologies."
He dipped his head slightly.
Silence.
All Inazuma watched, hearts collapsing.
Their invincible Shogun—defeated, disarmed, so utterly.
Sara's heart cracked.
The Shogun's eyes narrowed, voice icy.
"You… are variables. Variables are eternity's enemy!"
With a gesture, her weapon flew back to her hand.
Sara paled. She lost once already! Fight again and it'll be worse!
"General, please! Do not fight further!" she begged, kneeling.
But the Shogun ignored her, lifting her blade once more.
Xiao sighed. A puppet cannot be reasoned with.
No longer holding back, he released his divine sense.
The heavens trembled as a crushing will slammed down, forcing the true consciousness to the surface.
The Shogun's eyes flickered violet. Ei—the true Raiden—had awakened.
She looked up, astonished, memories of the battle flooding her mind.
"You… how did you become so strong?"
At once, Xiao softened, descending to the ground.
He bowed.
"Today's events were necessity, not choice. Kazuha erred, but his punishment lies with Mount Shu alone. Forgive us, Lady Raiden."
Ei stared, baffled.
"Mount Shu…? You wield no elemental power…"
"I have been taken as a disciple of Mount Shu," Xiao said simply.
Ei blinked, utterly lost.
But Xiao no longer explained. He turned to Kazuha.
"Junior brother. Return with me to Mount Shu. The First Seat will decide your punishment."
For Kazuha's crime was no small matter: the slaughter of ordinary mortals.
In all of Mount Shu's rebirth, no such case had yet arisen.
Kazuha's lips pressed thin. He whispered:
"Senior… might I remain a while longer? There are things left undone."
Xiao frowned, and Kokomi and the others froze, terrified.
They had just witnessed his overwhelming might.
If he insisted on taking Kazuha… no force in Inazuma could stop him.
But Kazuha's earnest gaze softened him.
At last, Xiao said:
"…I will petition the Sect Master."
"Sect Master?!"
Kazuha blanched.
"Senior brother, surely such a small matter needn't reach the Sect Master—"
But Xiao ignored him, drawing out his disciple's token. Reverence shone in his eyes as he lifted it high.
"Your deeds are known not only to the First Seat, but to the Sect Master himself," Xiao intoned.
"Never since Mount Shu's restoration has a cultivator wantonly slaughtered mortals. Though your cause was just, the meaning is grave."
"If we do not handle this properly, the Hall's authority and Mount Shu's prestige will falter. Mortals will learn only to fear us."
"Thus—this matter must be judged by the Sect Master."
Hearing this, Kazuha bowed his head. He no longer resisted.
In truth, he felt little regret.
Those Tenryou troops had long become the Shogun's killing machines, butchering unarmed rebels. To let it continue—he could not.
Whatever punishment came, he would bear it.
So long as he was not cast out.
The field fell utterly silent. All eyes locked on Xiao and Kazuha.
None dared interfere.
Ei was still piecing together her puppet's memories, confusion clouding her brow.
But Kujou Sara, reading the fragments, already grasped the truth:
Cultivators… were real.
Which meant—everything had changed.
The resistance could wait. Cultivation was paramount.
That novel Lady Yae had given her—she would reread it, and place it in Ei's hands.
Behind Xiao, Kazuha exhaled, only for Kokomi to approach, whispering anxiously:
"Mr. Kaedehara, perhaps you should leave first. You were dragged into this. Once your superiors cool down, you can return and admit your fault—it should be fine."
"Leave?"
Kazuha chuckled bitterly.
"Even if I wished to, where would I go? Beyond Teyvat? The Sect Master could seize me with a thought."
"Under his gaze, no escape is possible."
Kokomi faltered. They all did.
Clearly, the world had shifted beneath their feet.
And Xiao… moved.
True essence surged into his disciple token.
It rose into the sky, glowing, beams of violet spreading wide.
Xiao bowed low.
"Disciple Xiao of the Hall of Discipline has urgent matters to report. I humbly invite the Sect Master's decree."
The light shrank suddenly, the token falling back to his waist.
And then—
The world itself trembled.
A will descended.
Vaster than heaven and earth, boundless, sacred, absolute.
Words failed—no description was too grand.
Ei's face drained of color.
She, strongest among them, felt it first: the nature of the presence arriving.
Compared to this… even the Heavenly Principles, whom she had once glimpsed, were as ants beneath the sky.
To resist was blasphemy.
"What… what is this…?"
On a distant peak, Ayaka fell to her knees, staring at the unchanged sky with blank eyes.
To read 220+ future chapters, head over to Patreon:
patreon.com/WhiteDevil7554