"Why… exactly did you come to find me?"
After Paimon and the others had eaten their fill and went exploring all around Wangshu Inn, Rowan and Xiao sat facing each other on the top floor.
Xiao looked at Rowan with faint confusion.
He couldn't understand why, after dinner, Rowan still specifically wanted to talk with him.
Could it be Rowan had some other purpose, and wasn't simply treating him to a meal?
"Xiao, do you want the others to come back?"
"If you can provide something they once used, I might be able to use a special method to let them appear in this world again."
"How?"
The moment Rowan saw Xiao, a question came to his mind.
Could Heroic Spirits be summoned on the continent of Teyvat?
From what he'd seen in Natlan, it seemed possible.
The Ley Lines could preserve the memories of the dead—whether in Natlan or elsewhere across Teyvat, they had that function. Especially in Inazuma.
Kitsune Saiguu, who had been swallowed by the pitch-black calamity five hundred years ago, had reappeared on Inazuma's soil because of abnormalities in the Ley Lines.
Even if what returned was only a remnant shadow carrying part of Kitsune Saiguu's memories…
Combined with what was happening in Natlan, it should be possible to use a special method—treating those whose memories were still preserved within the Ley Lines as "Heroic Spirits," and summoning them back into the world.
Rowan simply hadn't tested it before, so he wasn't sure it would succeed.
Now, he wanted an answer from Xiao.
Mondstadt had its regrets too—but compared to Liyue, there were far fewer.
Liyue… had too many immortals and gods who had died with regrets.
The Five Yakshas. The Lord of Dust, Guizhong. The Lord of Salt, Havria.
And countless other adepti.
As the place where the Archon War had been the fiercest, Liyue carried far, far too much.
The heroes who had fallen were not just one or two—so if he asked anyone to accept this request, Liyue's side had the highest possibility.
All he needed were suitable relics, a properly carved Heroic Spirit summoning circle, and the incantation.
It should be possible to summon them.
"What?!"
"You're saying you can bring them back?!"
Xiao slammed the table and rose to his feet, staring at Rowan in disbelief.
Reason told him it was unlikely.
But Rowan was an outlander from beyond this world—perhaps he possessed power that didn't belong to Teyvat.
Bringing the departed back through summoning… might not be impossible.
Xiao was torn. For the deaths of the other adepti, he could force himself to ignore it.
As long as Rex Lapis still lived, he could endure anything.
But his own kin—his comrades, the other four Yakshas of the same tribe…
Bosacius, Bonanus, Indarias, Menogias—his brothers and sisters.
There had been a time when he, too, had been as carefree as Paimon.
But after Bonanus and Menogias were consumed by karma and killed each other…
After Indarias went mad and died…
After Bosacius lost his mind and vanished…
Xiao became the immortal he was now—expressionless, day after day keeping others at a distance.
And there was also Copper Sparrow, another of the Yaksha.
All of it was a past Xiao never wanted to bring up.
"I can't guarantee it absolutely," Rowan said, "but we can try."
Rowan took a sip of tea, as if he hadn't noticed the urgency and shock in Xiao's eyes at all—calm to the point of being almost indifferent.
Xiao was shaken for a moment, then quickly forced himself to settle down and slowly sat back down.
After all, he was a Yaksha who had survived the Archon War—his mind steadied itself fast.
He looked at Rowan and asked, "What do you need?"
"And what's the price?"
Everything had a price.
No matter who it was—even Rex Lapis paid a price when he acted.
Xiao didn't believe Rowan would help him for no reason.
"What I need is simple," Rowan said. "Something the one you want to summon once used—something most deeply connected to them. The stronger the connection, the higher the chance of success."
"As for the price—there isn't one."
"Honestly, this is an experiment for me. Whether it can even succeed is still a question."
"So I'll help you for free this time. If it works, then future summons will be charged."
"If you already have something suitable, I can test it right now."
"How about it?"
To put it plainly, Rowan was planning an experiment.
A first experiment—meaning the risk was high.
So there was no need to talk about payment. But if it succeeded, that would be different.
Xiao thought for a moment, then raised his head.
"But… I don't—"
"Not necessary. I have weapons they used. Will that do?"
Before Xiao could finish, a heavy, steady voice interrupted.
Xiao's head snapped up.
At some point, Zhongli had arrived at Wangshu Inn without anyone noticing.
In his hand was a familiar weapon—carrying that familiar aura of Hydro.
It was Bonanus's weapon.
Xiao hurriedly stood and bowed respectfully.
"Rex Lapis!"
Zhongli waved it off casually, not minding at all.
"Rise. I told you—don't keep doing all that."
"Rowan-dono, is what you said true?"
"Can you really summon them back?"
Seeing the true "principal" arrive, Rowan stood and walked up, answering with certainty.
"As long as their memories still exist within the Ley Lines, then I can summon them."
"In my memories, there is such a method."
"It can turn heroes recorded by history—those who had a tremendous impact on the world—into Heroic Spirits, and let them reappear in the present."
Even if this world didn't have Gaia or Alaya, it did have Ley Lines that preserved all memories.
In a sense, the Ley Lines were like a fusion of the two.
If he followed the steps, it should work.
"Good," Zhongli said. "If you can do it, I will reward you heavily."
"And there is also an important matter I must ask of you."
"This is the weapon of Bonanus, one of the Five Yakshas of water. Please."
Zhongli didn't waste words. He held out Bonanus's weapon to Rowan.
This weapon had accompanied Bonanus through countless campaigns—among all possible items, it held the densest trace of her aura.
Rowan accepted the weapon, then began carving lines on the floor.
A magic summoning circle slowly took shape.
Then Rowan stepped into the very center and began the summoning.
"Declaration!"
"Let your body be under my command; let my fate be placed upon your blade."
"Answer the Holy Grail's call—if you would follow this will and this truth, then respond to me!"
"Declaration!"
"Let your body be under my command; let my fate be placed upon your blade."
"Answer the Holy Grail's call—if you would follow this will and this truth, then respond to me!"
"I am one who accomplishes all the good of the world. I am one who embodies all the evil of the world."
"By the infinite binding of the three great Kotodama (Words of Power)…"
"Cross the wheel of restraint and appear—guardian of the balance!"
(End of Chapter)
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