He changed Tiwat

Jiang Xue described everything about her senior brother in great detail: that mysterious senior brother, that powerful senior brother, that senior brother who never ages.

Han Fulai suddenly felt like a priest listening to a believer's confession in a confessional—except that the believer did not actually believe that the priest could enlighten him, nor did he feel that speaking out would make him feel better.

He just needs an audience.

Therefore, Han Fulai never interrupted his narration, but simply listened quietly.

It wasn't until Jiang Xue suddenly sat up and asked him those three questions that he finally understood.

“...My senior brother asked me three questions back then, and now, Brother Fulai, I’d like to hear your answers.”

"Okay," Han Fulai replied solemnly.

He knew that Jiang Xue had actually wanted to ask him these three questions from the very beginning.

"Are all demons in this world born evil?" Jiang Xue asked her first question.

Han Fulai answered almost without hesitation: "No."

Jiang Xue then asked a second question: "Are immortals and mortals born inherently good?"

"No," Han Fulai replied instantly.

"Does upholding justice in the world mean judging right and wrong solely by one's own standards?" Jiang Xue asked her final question.

"No." Han Fulai replied without hesitation.

Jiang Xue paused, then asked, "Did you... think carefully before you answered?"

"Of course," Han Fulai replied without hesitation.

Jiang Xue raised an eyebrow. "Then, what's your reasoning for that answer?"

"We've already seen that reason, haven't we?"

Han Fulai pointed southeast, towards the direction of that ancient civilization site.

He and Jiang Xue met Dainesreb and the Kanreia people in the ancient ruins.

Hilichurls are monsters, but they weren't born as Hilichurls. They were originally human, just like Han Fulai, Jiang Xue, and everyone else living on the continent of Teyvat.

"If it is said that humans are born evil, then it is said that all humans are born evil."

"Since you deny that humans are born evil, then why do you deny that humans are born good in the second question? Isn't that a contradiction?" Jiang Xue pressed on.

“It’s not contradictory, because good and evil are defined by people.” Han Fulai smiled. “For example, during the Lantern Festival, I saw many aristocratic families posting couplets in front of their gates on the Jade Capital Terrace… Since you come from a family of scholars and swordsmen, you must have written couplets as well. Can you guess what the most common couplet I saw was?”

“Heh, you’ve come to the right person. Back when I was still in Liyue Harbor, people would ask me for my calligraphy every year.” Jiang Xue laughed as well. “The words they liked the most… well, ‘A sunny family enjoys eternal spring, a virtuous family enjoys abundant blessings.’”

"If we were to invite Old Tu and the other miners over now and ask them whether those 'families of accumulating virtue' living on Yujing Terrace are truly virtuous or not, what do you think their answers would be?" Han Fulai asked again.

"Hmm... if we kill them all, there will probably be a few innocent people..." Jiang Xue stroked her chin.

Han Fulai shrugged. "But leaving half will definitely result in a large number of fish escaping the net."

The two exchanged a knowing smile, their understanding unspoken.

"Speaking of the Lantern Festival... what couplets did you put up on your door?" Jiang Xue suddenly asked curiously.

"Plum blossoms rejoice in the snow-covered sky, the jade sky clears away the dust for ten thousand miles," Han Fulai replied.

Jiang Xue was greatly surprised: "Oh, I didn't realize you had such lofty ambitions to cleanse the world? But doesn't this couplet you posted seem a bit lacking in festive atmosphere?"

Han Fulai said matter-of-factly, “I think this is a perfect place to put up at the entrance of Yuehai Pavilion.”

"Moon Sea Pavilion...wait, Brother Fulai, where do you live?"

"...Uh, I'll be staying temporarily in Lord Gan Yu's office."

Jiang Xue paused for a moment, then patted Han Fulai on the shoulder, "Take care of your health, don't overwork yourself when you're young."

Han Fulai chuckled dryly. People are very adaptable. Once you get used to working overtime, you feel uncomfortable if you don't. Of course, his trip to the Layered Rock Abyss can't really be considered overtime, since he was actually doing it for his own benefit.

This banter lightened the previously somber atmosphere considerably, and Jiang Xue's eyes regained some of their sparkle.

Jiang Xue continued, "There's a third question. What's your reasoning?"

"Actually... I've answered the same question before, so the answer is very clear in my mind. I have a sworn brother named Xingqiu, who is the second young master of the Feiyun Chamber of Commerce..."

“Oh, the second…second son of the Yun family, I know him.” Jiang Xue clapped her hands, acting as if she knew Xing Qiu very well, which surprised Han Fulai. But then he thought about it, and their Xing family was originally a family of forging masters, so it wasn’t surprising that they had been friends with the Yun family for generations. Maybe Xing Qiu would even have to call Jiang Xue uncle or something.

"What happened between you and Xingqiu again?" Jiang Xue's tone inexplicably carried a hint of gossip.

"Well, it was a small matter. When I first met Xingqiu, we went to Qingce Manor together to find Master Chang, a collector of ancient books, hoping to borrow a book from him. However, we encountered Lu Hu, a servant of Maocai Gong, who was abusing his power and colluding with the foolish people of Zhidong Kingdom to carry out forced buying and selling..."

"...Upholding justice for Master Chang might affect the tax revenue of Baishui Hall, offend the network of wealthy merchants, and even potentially expose the Seven Stars behind Maocai Gong, creating a huge hole in Liyue. And all that cost would get in return is a batch of amber sold at market price, and justice for a Master Chang who is ignored by everyone. Then I asked Brother Xingqiu what he wanted to choose."

“Oh, that’s interesting.” Jiang Xue stroked her chin. “I can roughly guess how this will turn out, but I’d love to hear what Xing Qiu has to say.”

He said, "Even if it really causes a huge problem in Liyue, I want to give Master Chang justice."

The young knight's bold words still seem to echo in my ears.

To do something knowing it's impossible, even if it means facing thousands of enemies, that is truly what it means to be a "knight-errant".

Han Fulai couldn't help but smile as he recalled the scene. In this world where black and white were never clearly defined, Xingqiu's chivalry was like a glimmer of light illuminating the world—and light travels through people's hearts.

Just like what he said to Yelan when he chose to help the Ninth Company.

—Do what is right, and you will be a hero.

"The line between good and evil is inherently blurred, just like good and evil, it varies from person to person. In some people's eyes I am a good person, but in other people's eyes I may be an absolute villain... I think it is the same for you. The key... I think it is that word 'Tao'."

"The Dao?" Jiang Xue raised an eyebrow.

"The 'path' in 'the Way'," Han Fulai said, tapping his heart. "'Defending the Way in the world' means protecting the path in our hearts. I used to be inflexible, and frankly, I suffered a lot because of it. But Gan Yu... Lady Gan Yu taught me a lesson through her actions: 'Techniques may be righteous or evil, but the Way is one.'"

"Techniques may be righteous or evil, but the Way is one..."

Jiang Xue murmured the same sentence repeatedly, her eyes suddenly gleaming.

"I see!"

He suddenly jumped off the cot, clasped his hands together, and bowed deeply to Han Fulai.

Han Fulai hurriedly tried to stop her, but he couldn't stop Jiang Xue's actions at all.

After Jiang Xue performed the grand salute, she straightened up, her brows now showing none of her former disheveled appearance.

“I’m reminded of a line of poetry,” he said.

"Which sentence?" Han Fulai asked.

"The tide rises over the Qiantang River, and only today do I realize who I truly am," Jiang Xue replied.

Chapter 259 As Absurd as I Am [4k]

"The tide rises over the Qiantang River, and only today do I realize who I am." This is a Buddhist verse recited by Lu Zhishen before his death.

The first two lines of this Buddhist verse are: "Suddenly the golden rope is broken, and the jade lock is torn apart."

Taken together, it naturally means "sudden enlightenment".

Zhongli and Guhua had a long history of copying literature and knew many poems and allusions. The Liyue Xing clan had accompanied the Emperor in battles for a long time and passed down their knowledge of books and swords, so it was not surprising that they could recite these poems and allusions.

In fact, the pseudonym Jiang Xue is taken from the poem "Jiang Xue" by Liu Zongyuan of the Tang Dynasty. And the line Jiang Xue recited when she slashed the "Relic Hunter" with her sword, "When I first rose to dance with my sword, three feet of starlight shone," is from the poem "Du Shaoling's Gift to Wei Ba, a Recluse, in Farewell to Bingguo" by Yu Shi of the Song Dynasty. These lines are also recorded in the book "Ancient Poetry" by the Gu Hua School.

Seeing Jiang Xue's relaxed and enlightened expression, it seemed that he had figured out the question that had troubled him for a long time, and Han Fulai was very happy for him.

But despite the joy, Jiang Xue's story is not yet over.

Although it might spoil the atmosphere, Han Fulai still mustered up the courage to ask, "Senior Jiang Xue, could you tell me what that 'mistake' you mentioned is?"

Jiang Xue patted his shoulder hard and said, "Don't call me senior, brother Fulai. There's an old saying in Liyue: 'Those who are accomplished come first.' In terms of mental cultivation, you're probably even above me. If you don't mind, you can just call me brother from now on."

Han Fulai did not refuse and immediately called out "Brother".

Jiang Xue laughed and pulled him down to sit again.

Han Fulai's original intention for this trip was to cultivate a good relationship with Jiang Xue, the star of Yao Guang. Today's conversation was an unexpected bonus in bringing them closer, and Han Fulai naturally took the opportunity to climb up the social ladder.

Jiang Xue had risen through the ranks in the Qianyan Army step by step, and had even served as the chief instructor. Many of the current sergeants in the Qianyan Army were his old comrades-in-arms. As men, "fighting alongside each other" meant a bond forged in life-or-death situations.

The military is all about factions and seniority, and it's a system where people usually ask which officer you served under. Who you served under determines your status, and you're stuck with that label for life. Even the worst-performing soldiers he trained back then were at least company commanders. Even if Jiang Xue really retired, his influence in the military wouldn't be underestimated, especially since he's still actually in service.

If Jiang Xue were to return to Liyue Harbor and regain control of the Thousand Rock Army, his influence would be a tremendous boost to Han Fulai's bid for supreme power in Liyue.

After Jiang Xue sat down, she took out the Eye of God from her bosom once again.

"It all started with how I obtained this Eye of God." Jiang Xue gently tapped the golden pendant with her fingers. "It sounds absurd, but I still don't understand where this Eye of God came from."

Han Fulai couldn't help but ask in confusion, "Eh? Didn't you obtain the Eye of God after undergoing trials?"

Jiang Xue shook her head. "If that's really the case, then I won't be confused anymore..."

He tilted his head slightly and began to reminisce.

Back then, Ye Mingxiang asked Jiang Xue those three questions, but the young Jiang Xue was unable to answer them. So Ye Mingxiang said she would take him to find the answers.

The two walked through the mountains, going deeper and deeper.

Jiang Xue had made various guesses. He thought that his senior brother might take him into some immortal realm or help him complete some difficult challenge. In any case, he was mentally prepared to face hardships.

But he never expected that Ye Mingxiang would lead him into a Hilichurl tribe.

Jiang Xue thought this was Ye Mingxiang's challenge to him, asking him to single-handedly clear out this Hilichurl tribe.

Although Jiang Xue was only sixteen years old at the time, with his strength from practicing the "Thousand Rock Technique" since childhood, he could have easily defeated this Hilichurl tribe without taking any damage. Moreover, he could also use the "Wind-Slaying Sword" at that time. Although his sword techniques were not yet fully refined, he could already release sword energy outwards. Using it to deal with these ordinary Hilichurls was simply using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

Just as he raised his greatsword, ready to charge into the Hilichurl's domed wooden hut, Ye Mingxiang stopped him.

“From today onwards, you will live with them.” That’s what Ye Mingxiang said at the time.

"Huh? Living together? With Hilichurls?" Even though Han Fulai had developed a deep understanding of things through his work at Moonsea Pavilion, he couldn't help but be surprised upon hearing this.

Even from the perspective of Genshin Impact players, they have never seen humans and Hilichurls living together in the game.

Although he knew that Hilichurls were originally human, they lost their intelligence after becoming Hilichurls. Hilichurls basically only react to humans with aggression.

Of course, there are linguists in Mondstadt who attempt to learn the Hilichurls' language and communicate with them in the game's quests, but most of the time it ends with them being attacked by the Hilichurls. In short, for anyone, "living with Hilichurls" is a rather unfunny joke.

"Ha, what you said is exactly what I said back then?" Jiang Xue laughed. "I reacted just like you back then. Who would live with demons? Besides, my Liyue Xing Clan has always had the responsibility of eliminating demons and protecting the righteous path, and we are sworn enemies with demons. But do you know what I saw?"

"...Ye Mingxiang can communicate with Hilichurls?" Han Fulai recalled some things.

For example, Jiang Xue once said, "I am very familiar with monsters and their logic, so I can guess what they are."

If Jiang Xue was able to say these words because he had lived with monsters before, then it would be understandable that he was able to predict the actions of Hilichurls.

Because he might be able to understand the language of the Hilichurls.

Jiang Xue was not surprised at all; he had a deep appreciation for Han Fulai's sharp thinking.

“That’s right. I saw it with my own eyes. When the Hilichurls saw him, they danced around him like they were seeing a family member, and he shared the food he brought with them. Although I couldn’t see the expressions under the Hilichurls’ masks, I guess those Hilichurls must have been laughing at the time… Anyway, it seems that my senior brother reached some kind of agreement with that group of Hilichurls, and then we stayed in that Hilichurl’s camp.”

"How should I put it, it was a truly strange experience..." Jiang Xue recalled the experience with some emotion. "I originally cultivated diligently to eliminate the demons in the world, and I craved the Eye of God in order to obtain the qualification to eliminate demons and protect the righteous path... But I ended up living with my mortal enemies. We hunted together, ate together, made a fire together, and even danced strange dances together... If others had seen this, they probably would have thought I was a savage or a madman."

"During that time, I discovered that the monsters in the world are not inherently evil. I used to think that monsters wreaked havoc on the world, harmed the innocent, and were extremely wicked, and should be wiped out completely, but... that's not the case. In a way, those Hilichurls are just humans with lower intelligence and who are not good at communicating. Many battles with Hilichurls can actually be avoided."

"For example, Hilichurls don't attack just anyone they see. If you're just passing by, their usual reaction is to be wary and ask what your purpose is..."

"Ah..." Han Fulai recalled that when he fought the Hilichurls in Dihua Island, the Hilichurls seemed to have shouted some words in Hilichurl.

“What does ‘Ika yaya’ mean?” he asked.

“‘Are you enemies?’” Jiang Xue translated. “In this situation, answering ‘Mimi tomo’ or ‘We are friends’ will usually get the Hilichurls to lay down their weapons.”

Uh… I should have studied the Qiuqiu language before I transmigrated. Han Fulai suddenly regretted that his previous research on the original language was not in-depth enough.

Of course, he didn't know he would time travel, and learning Hilichurl wouldn't necessarily make him luckier at gacha pulls...

"Then... what does 'Nimesila' mean?" Han Fulai recalled the roar that the Water Abyss Mage had made back then.

"Hmm..." Jiang Xue gave a strange smile, "It means to greet your mother."

"Oh." Han Fulai nodded, knowing that killing that abyss mage was definitely the right thing to do.

"In short, during that time, I discovered that those monsters possessed a language, and as long as you learned their language, you could actually communicate and avoid disputes. Moreover, they knew how to work, could make simple tools, build simple wooden houses and tents, and also knew how to use fire, and even bathe... Many of their daily activities, such as dancing around the campfire, were actually very similar to normal humans."

"Of course we now know that they were all once human beings."

Han Fulai fell silent. He recalled Jiang Xue once asking him what he would do if he found his hands stained with blood one day. If you consider demons as human beings... he could imagine the shock Jiang Xue must have felt when she realized this.

Jiang Xue stroked the Eye of God in her hand and slowly said, "I'm wavering. I've begun to question my ideals of exorcising demons and protecting the righteous path, and I'm questioning the way my family has existed for thousands of years... These demons can speak, are skilled in crafts, and also have joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness. Apart from their appearance, they are no different from humans. Are we 'exorcising demons'... killing people?"

"Are demons born evil? Are humans born good? What is the meaning of my fighting demons and protecting the righteous path? I am becoming more and more confused."

“My senior brother saw my confusion. He told me that demons have never been eradicated in the world. With the power of mortals, how long can we ever cleanse the world? This is a vain pursuit. Even if I obtain the Eye of God, can I really eliminate all demons in the world? Since the Heavenly Dao has given birth to these demons, there must be a reason for their existence.”