He changed Tiwat

“I cannot refute my senior brother. I have discovered that demons are not born evil, and I know that humans are not born good... But my Xing clan followed the Emperor to cleanse the world and create a bright and just world. Is that wrong?”

"I got the answers to the first two questions, but I was still confused about the third one. I spent half a year in the Hilichurl tribe in this confused state day after day. You know, as time goes by, many things become blurry, and I almost forgot why I came to this deep forest... until that day."

"That day was...?" Han Fu looked at Jiang Xue, who raised the Eye of God in her hand.

"The day I obtained the Eye of God."

"After spending a lot of time with Hilichurls, I've learned some of their language and can understand their movements. Although most Hilichurls don't have names, I've even given them names in private. I remember the Hilichurl that went hunting in the mountains with me that day was called 'Usha' because it always shouted that word when it danced, so I called it 'Usha'. When I called its name, it would respond with dancing and seemed very happy."

“Usha is the best archer in that tribe. He has a homemade bow and arrow, and his archery skills are even comparable to the most experienced hunters in Liyue. Birds and beasts in the mountains can hardly escape his arrows. Hunting with him always yields a bountiful harvest. Because we often hunt together, Usha may have already regarded me as a partner. He calls me 'domu,' which is a term of address for family members in Hilichurls.”

"That day, after we entered the forest, we split up to search for prey. We hadn't gone far when I suddenly heard Usha scream. It was shouting 'Ya! Kucha! Kundala!', which meant that it had found a living person. When it first saw me, a Hilichurl also shouted the same thing. I rushed over, but on the way I heard a 'Biat! Ika!' followed by the roar of a strange man. When I arrived... I saw a corpse."

"It was a young man lying on the ground with an arrow between his eyebrows, still holding a short sword in his hand. Judging from his clothes and belongings, he seemed to be a visitor from Liyue Harbor. He also carried some incense for worshipping the immortals... I was unable to save him in time."

"When Usa saw me, he shouted something at me, something like, 'Bad guy, scary,' etc... But I didn't listen, or rather, I didn't want to listen. At that moment, all I could think was that a monster is a monster after all, so I raised my greatsword at Usa."

A moment of silence.

Jiang Xue recalled the dream he had a few days ago, a scene he hadn't dreamt of in a long time, but one he would never forget in his lifetime.

"Amidst the pools of blood from two corpses, this Eye of God appeared out of nowhere before my eyes and fell at my feet." Jiang Xue's lips curled into a crooked smile, revealing a look that was hard to tell whether it was self-mockery or sorrow.

"I still don't understand what the gods saw that led them to grant me this Eye of God. This isn't the first time I've killed a monster, so why didn't I receive an Eye of God before? Is the god telling me that Hilichurls aren't human, and that we should eradicate evil completely... or is the god mocking me for killing a Hilichurl 'friend'?"

"If this is a 'trial' given to me by the gods, why do I feel that this 'trial' is full of malice? Are the gods such beings? Or are the gods really such beings?"

"I got the Eye of God that I had always dreamed of, but I'm not happy at all."

“I regret it. I feel I did something wrong. But doing something wrong has earned me the favor of the gods. Don’t you think that’s absurd?”

Chapter 260: The world may look down on, despise, and call it foolish (Bonus Chapter 14/20)

Jiang Xue gripped the Eye of God tightly in her hand.

“I stood between those two corpses for a very, very long time.”

"Then my senior brother found me. He understood what had happened at a glance."

"He told me to take my Vision and go back to Liyue Harbor, and never show my face in front of him again."

“I returned to Liyue Harbor with the Eye of God and became the recognized heir of the Star Clan. I didn’t tell anyone about my encounter with my senior brother, nor did I tell anyone about those days. Although the ‘Windbreaker Sword’ is very special, people with the power of the Eye of God are always special, and no one doubted the origin of my swordsmanship. In fact, I don’t often use the ‘Windbreaker Sword’, nor have I taught this swordsmanship to anyone else.”

"I joined the Thousand Rock Army, and like my ancestors, I fought demons and protected the righteous path, pacifying evil spirits and keeping the world at bay. More than ten years have passed in the blink of an eye. Time can make people forget many things..."

The Eye of God in Jiang Xue's hand glowed slightly, like some kind of omen.

Han Fulai couldn't guess the beginning of the story, but he could guess what would happen next—

"Ye Mingxiang, he's appeared again, hasn't he?"

“He appeared again.” Jiang Xue closed her eyes. “Just when I was about to forget about these things, my senior brother appeared in front of me again.”

"That was five years ago. Uncle Tian wasn't as old as he is now, Ningguang's Jade Pavilion wasn't as big as it is now, Keqing's father still thought he was in great shape, and as for me, I was still sitting in the General Affairs Department, watching Fengyan lead the brothers in training every day."

"Of course, the General Affairs Department is very boring. When I'm not working, I go to sit on the top of Tianheng Mountain next door. It's very quiet there. You know, people in Liyue Harbor are all chasing wealth and fame, and the people in the General Affairs Department are no exception. When I listen to their footsteps, I always feel like I can hear the sound of abacus beads."

“Sometimes I think, maybe these people can really achieve what they want, fame, wealth, status... But in their long lives, have they ever been truly happy? While others are busy pursuing fame and fortune, I sit on the top of Tianheng Mountain and watch the flowers bloom and fade, the clouds roll and unroll.”

"Haha, I know you're thinking, 'You've already reached the Seven Stars level, it's easy for you to talk when you're not the one suffering'—well, that's what Shaoyuan said back then too."

"Shaoyuan is...?" Han Fu looked at Jiang Xue, another unfamiliar name.

"Jiang Shaoyuan. The best scout in the Qianyan Army. Back then, he was the captain of the scout company in our army. When I first joined the army, he was my squad leader. When I became a Yaoguang Star, he was promoted to company commander. In private, I would still call him Captain, and he would come to drink with me from time to time."

"That April, I was admiring the peach blossoms on the mountaintop when Shaoyuan came to find me, bringing a pot of wine with him."

"By the way, did you know that every April, the peach blossoms at the foot of the mountain have all faded, but the peach blossoms on the mountain are just beginning to bloom? If you have the chance, I suggest you go and see them, they are very beautiful."

“Shaoyuan came to me that day to ask me for a favor.”

"Get things done..." Han Fulai thought of what Jiang Xue had said: "Because of personal feelings, he betrayed Liyue."

Could it be that Jiang Shaoyuan asked Jiang Xue to do something that would harm the national interest, and Jiang Xue, out of their friendship, actually did it for him?

Jiang Xue shook her head at Han Fulai's expression. "It's not what you think. He came to me to ask for his early retirement."

"Retire?" This made Han Fulai even more puzzled. Helping a friend with retirement wasn't a big deal, was it? Even if the procedure wasn't entirely standard—but the Geo Archon, who was known for his adherence to procedures in Liyue, had himself taken early retirement...

"Yes, he was only in his forties that year, which is far from the age of retirement. But he was very firm in his stance, saying that he had spent most of his life in the military and should be entitled to enjoy a comfortable retirement."

"Actually, I know why he did it—to get treatment for his son. His family lives on the mountain north of Tianheng Mountain. Sometimes when I sit on the mountaintop, I can see the smoke rising from their chimney. His wife's name is Duanya, and she stays at home to take care of the children. His son's nickname is Jiang'er. He had a high fever when he was little, and he has some mental issues... He can't be without someone to take care of him."

"Doctor Bai from Bubulu also examined him and said that he could only treat him with medicine gradually, waiting for a turning point in the future—which basically meant that he couldn't be cured. Later, someone recommended that they try their luck in Xumi. I guess he had also considered moving. But medical treatment costs money, especially since it involves crossing borders, and it's very difficult for him to support himself on his salary. I also know that he does some side jobs in his spare time..."

"Side jobs?"

"Yes, as I said, he is the best scout in the army. Most of the intelligence agents under Tianquan Star were trained under Shao Yuan. For example, Huai'an, the manager of Wangshu Inn, hey, he walks silently, is particularly keen on the traces of monsters, and I have seen him use military grappling techniques when dealing with drunk and troublesome guests... I can also see some of Shao Yuan's influence in Miss Ye Lan's archery skills."

In fact, Ye Lan did learn scout skills in the Thousand Rock Army, but it had nothing to do with Ning Guang. Ye Lan enlisted directly through family connections and received training. With her disguise skills, even the soldiers who trained with her didn't know that Ye Lan was a woman, and Jiang Xue was certainly even more unaware.

“You know, Ningguang is very generous with money. I’ve also heard from my brothers that Ningguang wanted to poach him, but Shaoyuan is such a stubborn guy. He said something like ‘once you join the Qianyan Army, you’re a Qianyan Army member for life,’ and he didn’t agree to join Ningguang’s command. The brothers in the army, including myself, thought about helping him out, but he resolutely refused… But in order to earn money for his child’s medical expenses, he has taken on a lot of side jobs as a coach, and occasionally he also takes on some intelligence reconnaissance missions.”

Jiang Xue sighed.

"Sigh... I know his family situation, and I've always turned a blind eye to his side jobs. When he asked me to help him retire, I knew he was planning to move. He had no choice but to do it for his children. I agreed and even told him that he would be promoted one rank in the military and receive the pension of a battalion commander upon retirement... Well, I lied to him. I paid for it myself."

“He was very happy that day and talked a lot while we were drinking. He said he wanted to stand guard for Qianyan Army until the very end and complete his last mission. At the time, I was saddened by his departure and was only concerned with comforting him. Some of his words were forgotten as soon as they were heard, but thinking about it later, I realized that I could have noticed them... Ha, if you, Brother Fulai, had been there, this tragedy could probably have been avoided.”

Han Fulai lowered his eyes. He knew there were no "what ifs," and there were many things he couldn't change—for example, the tragedy of Pengyi's "suicide" during the Lantern Festival, which he couldn't change either.

"What is the last task?" Han Fulai asked.

Jiang Xue pursed her lips. "Clear a Hilichurl camp."

"It's a very routine mission. Usually, the Thousand Rock Army receives a request from the mountain people and sends out manpower to help clear out the monsters. There are always a few such missions every month, and it usually doesn't require my involvement. However, Shao Yuan mentioned back then that he felt like he was being watched while he was conducting reconnaissance."

"I know that scouts are always sensitive; he can be startled awake if a comrade gets up to use the restroom at night. Besides, he's done side jobs, so he might have offended some treasure-hunting groups. I just offered a few words of comfort and didn't take it to heart. After all, the treasure-hunting groups in Liyue are all talk and no action; I've never seen any treasure-hunting group dare to mess with the Thousand Rock Army..."

"...The Hilichurl camp he cleared out was..." Han Fulai had already guessed the result.

“Yes.” Jiang Xue nodded somberly. “It’s the Hilichurl camp where I used to live.”

“A few days later, I received news of Shao Yuan’s death. Shao Yuan’s body was abandoned on a mountain road, his body covered in raw, gaping wounds, indicating that he had suffered agonizing torment before his death… His wife, Duan Ya, jumped off a cliff and committed suicide, but at the time of her suicide, news of Shao Yuan’s death never reached Liyue Harbor.”

"At the same time as the news of Shaoyuan and his wife's deaths arrived on my desk, there was also an unsigned letter."

The letter contained only eight words—

"...A life for a life, that's the justice of heaven and earth."

"Actually, if you think about it, it's obvious. There are only a handful of people in the entire Liyue who could secretly keep an eye on Shaoyuan without him noticing. How could it be a petty thief from a treasure-hunting group?"

"...Did he do it?" Although it was a question, Han Fulai did not use a questioning tone.

Jiang Xue nodded.

“He did it. The fatal wound on Shao Yuan’s body came from the ‘Sword of Wind Slash’.”

"As the Star of Liyue, the commander of the Thousand Rocks Army, and Shao Yuan's comrade-in-arms and friend, I feel obligated and responsible to seek justice for him. More than ten years later, I once again stepped into that mountain."

Five years ago, Jiang Xue left Liyue Harbor alone, carrying only his greatsword.

Before he left, he left only a note for his colleague Tian Shu Xing Yun Tian, ​​which contained ten words.

"I'm looking for someone to seek justice."

When the two fellow disciples met again after many years, the first thing Jiang Xue said was these ten words.

Ye Mingxiang stood with her hands behind her back in what used to be a Hilichurl tribe.

The wooden house from back then is now a ruin, with six graves of varying sizes standing beside it.

The wooden tombstone had no inscription.

Jiang Xue remembered that when he left this Hilichurl tribe, there were seven Hilichurls living there, including Wusha.

"Is the person you're looking for me?" Ye Mingxiang stared at the blank tombstone without turning around.

“It’s you.” Jiang Xue picked up the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword.

"You want to ask me for justice?" Ye Mingxiang continued to ask.

"It's you." Jiang Xue lowered her center of gravity, maintaining a fighting stance at any moment.

"Then why haven't you made a move yet?" Ye Mingxiang's tone remained calm.

"Because I haven't asked you yet, why?" Jiang Xue asked in a deep voice.

"Heh, only four hundred years have passed." Ye Mingxiang laughed sarcastically. "So now you can become one of the Seven Stars of Liyue even if you can't read?"

“Shaoyuan is not someone who indiscriminately kills innocent people.” Jiang Xue ignored Ye Mingxiang’s sarcasm.

Ye Mingxiang raised her hand and tossed something out.

Jiang Xue reached out and caught it.

It was a tattered Hilichurl mask, with a broken iron arrowhead embedded in it.

He recognized it as Shao Yuan's arrow. Unlike standard-issue equipment, the arrows used by Shao Yuan as a scout had sharper and longer tips, making them quieter, harder to defend against, and less likely to alert the enemy.

Jiang Xue threw away the mask.

"Just because he killed a monster, you killed him, and his family too?"

“Those are my family. My last family in this world,” Ye Mingxiang growled.

"A Hilichurls...are your...family?" Jiang Xue was stunned.

He had considered that his senior brother might take him to live with these Hilichurls, perhaps because he was very familiar with them, or more likely because he had some kind of partnership with them.

Although he had only spent a little over six months with his senior, he could tell that his senior had a very close relationship with this Hilichurl tribe.

Looking back, during those six months, apart from him, his senior brother had no contact with any other human being, at least not in front of him.

—But my senior brother is clearly wearing Liyue's clothes and speaking Liyue's language.

He knew that some people kept pets, such as cats and dogs, and treated them as family members. But he never expected his senior to call them "family."

"That person killed my whole family, so I'll kill his whole family in return. Isn't that a matter of course?" Ye Mingxiang turned her head and asked Jiang Xue.

Jiang Xue then noticed that after more than a decade, her senior brother's temples had turned gray.

He clearly said he would never grow old.

Jiang Xue suddenly realized that what her senior brother said was true. After becoming a Seven Star, Jiang Xue finally learned some things about the great war five hundred years ago, and also learned some things about Kanria.

His senior brother brought him here back then so that he would realize that the demons in the world are not born evil, and that he could treat those Hilichurls as human beings.

If he had been able to give his senior that "answer" back then, his senior would have told him about it.

...And back then, he also killed one of his senior's relatives.

That's why his senior brother never wanted to see him again.

But why didn't his senior brother kill him back then?

...because Usa killed someone back then.

A life for a life—that's the justice of heaven.

This is the fairness that my senior brother believes in.

But in this world, Hilichurls are not human.

“…There must be a reason. They…they must have hurt the nearby residents…” Jiang Xue suddenly felt his mind was in chaos. He tried to find a reason to convince his senior brother, but his thirty years of life experience told him that humans do not need a reason to kill monsters.

Ye Mingxiang turned around and looked coldly at Jiang Xue.

“After you left, I have been telling them never to step out of this forest again, and to avoid humans as soon as they encounter them. They will never kill anyone, and they have not harmed anyone.”

“Over the years, I have used a little trick to scare away any immortals or mountain folk who accidentally wander into this place, ensuring that they never have any conflicts with others.”

"It's you who won't let them go."

“That person… I warned him a few days ago, and he clearly left. Why did he come back?”

"But……"

Ye Mingxiang directly interrupted Jiang Xue's feeble explanation.

"But what? But you are cruel? But you are fearful? But you are ignorant!"

"I'll ask you one more time: do you want justice from me?"

Jiang Xue's lips trembled.

He finally raised the Thousand Rocks Ancient Sword once again.