Xiao, of course, had no idea what Mu Yang was thinking.
If he did, their brotherhood would truly be over.
Unlike Mu Yang, who had foresight,
Xiao was treading on thin ice with every step.
If he faltered, everyone on the formation would die.
According to the original plan, Xiao only needed to reverse the Fantastic Compass,
bringing the formation as close to the seal as possible, then Mu Yang would slash it open.
Everyone would be saved.
At most, they'd lose the Fantastic Compass.
But no one expected so many obstacles along the way.
First, swarms of vengeful spirits.
Then, massive hands and Rifthound Whelps formed from the space's obsession…
Everything was trying to stop them from leaving.
Though Xiao hadn't fought directly, he was undoubtedly the most exhausted.
The tug-of-war with those giant hands drained most of his strength.
Now, Mu Yang had used two strikes to slay the Rifthound Whelps and clear the path, turning into that God-like form.
He could no longer break the seal for them.
The only silver lining was that Mu Yang was still alive.
But Xiao might have to stay behind…
Xiao knew clearly that to escape now,
he had to fully reverse the Fantastic Compass and open the seal.
Only then could he send the others out.
But back then, Boyang and Bosacius had poured everything into the seal to prevent the beasts from escaping.
To fully reverse the Fantastic Compass now, Xiao would have to expend all his Yaksha power.
Xiao didn't hesitate for a moment.
When the plan was proposed, he had already considered sacrificing himself.
At this critical juncture, there was no room for hesitation.
The formation was cracking, unable to hold much longer.
The Yaksha mask on Xiao's face had mostly shattered.
Crack—
The mask broke apart.
"If you keep going, your power will…"
Xiao panted heavily, no longer able to maintain the formation…
But this distance was enough.
In that instant, he burned all his Yaksha power, pouring it into the Fantastic Compass.
A pale blue light enveloped everyone else on the platform.
Lumine and Yelan were the first to realize something was wrong,
but their accumulated fatigue slowed their reactions significantly.
Yelan reached out to grab Xiao, who was closest to her, but she, along with the others, was teleported out.
The formation shattered, and Xiao, his strength exhausted, plummeted into the abyss.
His face was expressionless, as if he had found release, and he closed his eyes…
[Here we go again? Mihoyo, you've got some serious issues!]
[I need oxygen, stat!]
[Xiao doesn't seem to have a backup plan like Mu Yang, does he?]
[This kid didn't even get a final word…]
[You could tell during the arguments—he was already prepared to sacrifice himself.]
[Airline: What's with the commotion? Another wave heading to Mondstadt?]
[I'm crying my eyes out, treasure!]
[Xiao's been in the banner before. If they're going to kill him off… it's not impossible.]
Thankfully, Xiao's fall didn't last long.
Otherwise, some players might've actually shown up at Mihoyo's doorstep.
Just as Xiao calmly accepted his fate, a dazzling golden light pierced the darkness, and a familiar power enveloped him.
When Xiao opened his eyes again, he was back with the group…
In the players' view, a figure turned and left from a distant mountaintop.
The fleeting glimpse of that coat's edge was so reassuring.
[Mihoyo, you dog of a planner, be grateful Rex Lapis saved your sorry hide!]
[The weight of Geo, so reassuring!]
[Let's all make a habit of reporting our whereabouts when we head out!]
[Say it with me: Thank you, Rex Lapis!]
[Steadfast as stone!!!!]
[Rex Lapis: You applied for a leave, not a death leave!]
[Zhongli: Good kid, requesting leave and thinking about retirement already? ()]
Far off, Yelan found the shattered Fantastic Compass.
Just as she reached to pick it up, a gust of wind blew it into dust.
It was likely formed from the space's obsession and couldn't be taken out.
But pondering that now was meaningless.
As long as everyone was safe…
Yanfei and the others helped Xiao up, checking his injuries.
"That was way too close! I thought Xiao was going to be stuck in there… Thank goodness you're okay. You scared me to death…"
Xiao merely let out a soft "hm," unwilling to say more.
Aside from him, Lumine, and the black bird, no one else noticed Zhongli's presence.
Yelan frowned, "I know what you're thinking, but…"
Seeing Xiao's exhausted face, she swallowed her words.
"Forget it. Some ideas aren't formed in a day and can't be swayed with a few words."
"Thank you for saving us all."
Xiao looked at Yelan, then turned to take in everyone present.
"No, it wasn't my effort alone."
Lumine stepped in to lighten the mood, "And thank you, Yelan."
She didn't want to see them arguing now.
"No need to be polite. Everyone looks uninjured, just overly drained. Rest up, no need to rush out of here."
"I'll check the surroundings for any other anomalies."
With that, Yelan turned and left.
As an employee of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, ensuring the area's safety was her duty.
"She's gone. I wanted to say a few more thanks," someone remarked.
The group chatted for a bit longer.
Having hovered on the edge of death, Xiao had come to some realizations.
He said he'd consider the team's opinions next time—a small but significant step forward.
Everyone was safe… or were they?
Lumine looked at the raven on her shoulder.
The raven tilted its head, meeting her gaze, slowly forming a '?'.
"Why hasn't Mu Yang recovered yet?"
Lumine directed her question at Xiao, as he might be the only one able to answer.
But Xiao couldn't provide a clear explanation.
Though he had guarded Dihua Marsh for years, his interactions with Mu Yang were recent.
He could only offer a guess:
Mu Yang's power was heavily depleted and might need time to reform.
[As long as he wakes up, that's enough. That was terrifying!]
[This plot segment was an emotional rollercoaster.]
[Sigh, disappointed. Not a single one bit the dust!]
[Kick the guy above out!]
Mu Yang, invisible nearby, thought to himself: Good brother, you really came through.
All that effort setting the stage for you wasn't in vain.
Lumine didn't press further. Since the raven wasn't leaving her, she'd have to leave it at that for now.
She'd ask Zhongli about it back in Liyue Harbor.
He was clearly nearby just moments ago, but now his Geo presence had completely vanished.
"Phew—! That was a great nap!"
Everyone turned to see Arataki Itto stretching.
"Uh… huh? Why are you all looking at me like that?"
The group bombarded him with questions: "Are you feeling okay anywhere?"
"Your head, how's your head? Did you knock it too hard?"
"You weren't exactly a genius to begin with. If you damaged your brain…"
Itto was bewildered, especially with Paimon going on about his brain, leaving him speechless.
"What's all this about? Your boss is doing great. After that solid nap, I'm full of energy!"
Seeing he was fine, everyone sighed in relief.
They then explained everything to him in detail…