He changed Tiwat

As Maxius, the god of the hearth, said, "After clearing away the evil spirits from his mind, we must add another layer of protection to help him resist the invasion of evil thoughts in the future... If you want to prevent food from sticking to the pan, you must first 'smooth' the pan with oil to form an oil film in the pan."

Only someone like him, who possesses both the power of an emperor and the authority of a demon god, could create such a "protective shield" here.

Han Fulai extended a hand to Xiao.

"Immortal Xiao, next, I need to place a protective layer on your soul, which requires your... complete cooperation. Are you willing to trust me?"

The spirit currently here is a soul captured by the "Dream Wandering Technique," and what Han Fulai needs to do is add a protective layer to its soul—which is, of course, a very dangerous task.

It is very difficult for the soul to recover from damage.

The reason why the "Dream Demon God" was able to bind the Yaksha clan as her subordinate demons was because she held the souls of the Yaksha in her hands.

Han Fulai needs to add a layer of protection to Xiao's soul, which also requires touching Xiao's soul.

Simply put, if Xiao wants to accept his "treatment," he will have to risk his life, and if he fails, he may be annihilated.

Just as the curse of the "Dream Demon God" is deeply rooted in Xiao's soul, the protection that Han Fulai bestows upon Xiao must also penetrate deep into Xiao's soul.

This is equivalent to performing a coronary stent procedure on a blood vessel blocked by a xiao, which is of course very risky, and the patient's consent must be signed before the procedure.

If anything goes wrong, his "treatment surgery" might turn into a "medical malpractice".

His demand for "full cooperation" from Xiao was essentially asking Xiao if he was willing to open his soul to him.

Xiao remained silent for a while.

He should certainly hesitate. Having been enslaved by the "Dream Demon," he knew all too well the indescribable agony of the soul. Even the valiant warriors of the Yaksha tribe would groan and wail in such pain. Xiao did not want to experience that suffering again.

Han Fulai wasn't a "doctor" at all; six months ago, he didn't even exist on the continent of Teyvat. Patients always tend to seek out renowned doctors, and Han Fulai was clearly a self-taught "quack" who had never received any formal medical training.

From any perspective, Xiao should reject Han Fulai's proposal.

—And before today, Xiao had never thought that the "karmic obstacles" on his body could be removed.

In this world, there is "cause and effect," "karmic obstacles," as well as "reincarnation" and "fate."

Xiao thought his fate was sealed and had accepted that he would eventually die like his people, driven mad by "karma"—just like in the epic poem Mahabharata: the Garuda King fed on poisonous dragons all his life, and at the time of his death, the poisonous dragon toxins accumulated in his body took effect. So the Garuda King set himself on fire and burned his body to ashes, leaving only his heart, which was forged into a pure blue azure pearl by the flames.

Xiao believes this is his "reincarnation," this is his "destiny."

As a "sinner," he was willing to atone for his sins with his death.

As the "last remaining Yaksha," he had lost all will to live.

As an immortal who was "extremely difficult to please," he was well aware that he was not actually welcomed by mortals. The awe mortals felt towards him was far more fear than respect. Mortals seeking the path to immortality would never consider seeking it from a yaksha.

He also intentionally distanced himself from ordinary people.

As a Yaksha, he was already used to all of this.

He only wished to die in front of the Emperor. If he could truly transform into a pure blue azure pearl after death, he would wish to serve as an ornament, forever accompanying the Emperor.

But now he realizes that... nothing is predetermined.

Otherwise, how could he have seen the long-lost "Xuanli Qianjun" sword, and how could someone have told him that he was a hero?

Perhaps he can still fight against this fate.

If he were to remain bound by "fate" as before, it would be a great disservice to the Emperor who had been kind to him, the immortal friends who had helped him, and those who believed in him.

Xiao silently reached out and grasped Han Fulai's hand.

Han Fulai's eyes shone brightly. He had now entered the realm of "half a god, half a saint, and half an immortal," mobilizing both the immortal power and the demonic power within his body.

He grasped Xiao's hand with his left, while his right hand rested on the "Suspended Li Thousand-Jun" sword, and slowly recited ancient poems:

"Of all the elements of heaven and earth, only the rock remains eternally solid."

"The essence of solid rock lies in its orthodox origin."

"Miao Xuan, the King of Rocks, has clear rules and good manners."

"Fairly judge good and evil, and purify the streams and clear the sea."

"To avert all dangers and calamities, and to suppress and destroy demons."

As a time traveler, Han Fulai had neither cultivated immortality nor learned any magic. He even learned the "Dream Travel to Various Realms" technique on the spot. He also used his power mostly through the "Ancient Poems and Lyrics" left by Gu Hua and his own contemplation.

But this method of transmitting immortal power was the one that Zhongli had taught him from the very beginning—several months ago, at the entrance of the cave of the True Lord of Qixia in the Minghai Sea.

At that time, the words "Of all the elements of heaven and earth, only the rock remains eternally solid. The essence of the rock's solidity lies in the true essence" were engraved on the door of the cave.

This is the "Jiheng Sutra," which is said to be an ancient incantation commemorating the Rock King Emperor and various immortals and yakshas. It is also one of the texts of ancient rock god worship.

It is a spell, but more importantly, it is a "power of words".

Han Fulai, as a time traveler, also possesses the power of "words of power".

"With the balance established, the torrents receded slightly."

"He then led the immortals and yakshas to the front."

"The people are brave and strong, and the ghosts are terrified."

"The emperor sculpted rocks and threw them into the ground, and they became mountains."

"With the sea demon subdued, all endeavors will be successful."

As he chanted, the "Suspended Bow" once again emitted a dazzling light, and the light energy contained in this divine weapon flowed from the bow into his body.

At the same time, golden divine light emanated from his body.

The light energy entered from his right hand, circulated within his body and merged with the divine power, then flowed to his left hand.

His body is like a bridge, a stent connecting blood vessels, transmitting the power representing "all elements of heaven and earth, only rock remains forever" to Xiao's soul.

Marcius once told him that the "Dream Demon" once tried to control the will of the Rock King, but was directly killed by the Rock King whose will was as firm as a rock. Such a will can naturally protect Xiao's soul.

"Though the demons are subdued, the souls of the dead will not rest."

"It fell into the abyss, writhing and twisting."

“Anger and ignorance, hatred and resentment.”

"Poison flows into rivers and seas, where evil spirits breed."

“Evil spirits and miasma arise from vengeful demons.”

Xiao was a man of few words, silently enduring all his suffering without ever uttering a word to anyone. Facing his revered Emperor, he felt utterly guilty, having already received a new life through the Emperor's grace, and dared not cause the Emperor any further harm because of him. Even if Zhongli wanted to help him, Xiao would likely feel guilty and dare not accept.

Perhaps when Zhongli was imparting immortal power to Han Fulai, he specifically inscribed the "Jiheng Scripture" commemorating the Emperor and the Yaksha, hoping that one day Han Fulai could do something for Xiao... It seems that Xiao did so much for him for a plate of "almond tofu" because Zhongli instructed them to have more contact...

—This retired senior leader really cared a lot for his subordinates.

As Han Fulai watched Xiao accept the power he transmitted without reservation, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

At a tea stall in Liyue Harbor, someone was singing opera, swaying their head to the music.

"The heavens are filled with yakshas, ​​four-armed and imposing."

"From afar, amidst the layered rocks, the various tribes raise their songs."

……

Just then, a customer next to him asked, "Hey, I've never heard this story before. My grandpa told me that the Yaksha used to be a great demon who ate people!"

The tea drinker who was singing opera rolled his eyes. "Tch, ignorant. Have you heard of Mr. Yun's new play, 'The Rebirth of Cinnabar'? Your grandfather wasn't even born when the Asmodians and the Thousand Rock Army fought against the calamity together! The Yakshas are the nameless heroes who protect Liyue!"

He then dragged out the melody, deliberately singing two more lines:

Have you not heard the mournful sound of the north wind in the corner, where heroes are swept away by the swirling currents?

"Unseen, the yakshas fought fiercely until dawn, leaving only a long sigh of wasted time."

“There are five guardians, whom the Rock King dispatched.”

"To exorcise evil and eliminate wickedness, to quell resentment and stop anger."

"Mountains collapsed and rocks trembled, golden light blazed wildly."

“Fierce and treacherous, one of the five is still present.”

"Golden Roc Yaksha, protecting the strong walls and ensuring safety."

As Han Fulai chanted, Xiao discovered that his transparent soul body had been coated with a layer of golden immortal power, which he was very familiar with—the immortal power of that emperor.

Moreover, this immortal power seemed to slowly condense in his chest, gradually taking shape.

Lisha Suburbs, Tongque Yaksha Temple.

This dilapidated little temple has welcomed visitors today, something it hasn't done in a long time.

The visitor was an ordinary-looking young man named Wang Ping'an.

Wang Ping'an is a native of Liyue Harbor. His grandfather was a folklorist, and he grew up listening to stories of the "Great Sage Who Subdued Demons." For children, these heroic legends are the objects of their aspirations from a young age.

Influenced by his grandfather, Wang Ping'an collected various books about Yakshas in his daily life. Until one day, he found a "Talisman of No Taboos" among his grandfather's belongings. At first, he used the "Talisman of No Taboos" to imitate the immortals in the story and pretend to be one. However, the remaining traces of immortal power in the "Talisman of No Taboos" earned him the admiration of many mortals.

So Wang Ping'an began to imitate the appearance of a Yaksha, wearing a mask, calling himself an immortal, and calling himself "the Heavenly Lord of Star-Picking and Star-Grabbing," which deceived some people and even collected some money to offer as tribute.

He might have been able to fool the ignorant mortals in Liyue Harbor without causing much trouble, but after pretending to be a celestial being for so long, he even fooled himself. He actually believed he possessed celestial power, going around performing rituals for believers to make money, and ended up fooling everyone all the way to Wangshu Inn…

Then the real "Great Sage Who Subdues Demons" appeared before him and punished him.

However, upon meeting his childhood idol, Wang Ping'an suddenly realized his mistake. He not only returned the money he had swindled, but also made a solemn vow to abandon evil and do good, never again to tarnish the reputation of the immortals. He also vowed to travel all over Liyue to collect information and to write a book to clear the name of Yaksha.

Xiao didn't care about his reputation in the mortal world; he just hoped that Wang Ping'an would realize his mistake and not go astray, harming himself and others. But Wang Ping'an was serious.

After returning to Liyue Harbor, he compiled the information his grandfather had collected and some of the tricks he used to commit fraud into a book and distributed it to the people of Liyue Harbor. This not only cleared the name of Yaksha but also taught people how to see through his scams.

The booklet he compiled really helped many people avoid being scammed. Even the General Affairs Department praised his dedication and awarded him a sum of money.

Yun Jin's "The Record of the Rebirth of Chensha" also owes some credit to the folk tales in his book.

Inspired by this, Wang Ping'an resolved to become a folklorist like his grandfather, and even more so, he wanted to compile a folkloric book for the "Guardian Yakshas" so that everyone could learn about the stories of these unsung heroes.

He came to the Bronze Sparrow Yaksha Temple today to research the legend of the Bronze Sparrow Yaksha.

This temple was originally said to have been built by the ancestors to commemorate the Yaksha "Tongque", but the dilapidated building in front of him could hardly be called a temple.

Apart from the bronze yaksha statue, there was almost nothing intact in the temple.

"Sigh, this temple is really dilapidated... The pillars are broken, the beams are broken, but thankfully the statue is not broken... Really, why has no one repaired it?" Wang Ping'an muttered to himself as he dusted off the thick layer of dust from the bronze sparrow statue and straightened the incense burner, which was still barely usable.

Then he respectfully lit an incense stick in front of the bronze sparrow statue.

"By the Bronze Sparrow Yaksha, the believer Wang Ping'an has made a vow to you to rebuild this temple. I have been taught by the 'Great Sage Who Subdues Demons' and have returned to the righteous path. Building this temple for you is my way of atoning for the wrongdoings I committed in the past."

After saying this, he put his hands together, bowed to the bronze sparrow statue, and turned back to Liyue Harbor to find workers to repair the temple.

Behind him, a blurry human figure suddenly appeared in the temple.

"Green hills and clear waters, my soul wanders freely; in this fleeting life, I find leisure to wave my fan."

"The raging waves rush into the sea to seek the dragon and tiger, and the wind and snow return to the mountain to slay the evil demon."

"Wang Ping'an, I have a favor to ask... Next time you come here, could you please bring me a serving of 'grilled tiger fish'?"

In the kitchen of Wangshu Inn, Yanxiao made another dish, "Almond Tofu".

This "almond tofu" is a dessert made from ground almonds. It has a unique, smooth, sweet taste and a rich, lingering almond aroma. It is named for its resemblance to tofu.

Originally, Yan Xiao didn't really like cooking for that "extremely difficult True Lord," but ever since Xiao praised his cooking skills in the kitchen last time, he suddenly felt that immortals weren't so hard to approach after all.

This "Almond Tofu" is exquisitely shaped and has a color like solidified cream. It is like a masterpiece crafted by a master artisan, a work of art that Yan Xiao has put her whole heart and soul into.

"Hehe, I wonder what kind of expression that immortal will make now?"

Xiao looked surprised.

Because a golden pattern appeared on his chest, composed of five overlapping rhombuses, which had a rather ancient feel.

And Han Fulai also finished his final incantation—

"From this point on, the years will continue as before."

"The immortals are those who transcend the clouds."

"The Yakshas have no end in sight."

"This sacrifice is to comfort the souls of the departed."

"With this lamp, we offer sacrifices to the Emperor."

As he finished reciting the last word, the "soul-guiding incense" in the incense burner suddenly gathered around him, and the lights of the seven "Seven Star Lamps" on the ground also rose up together, gathering at his left hand where he was clasped with Xiao, circling around once before disappearing into the back of his hand.

The same pattern of five diamonds appeared on the back of his hand.