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ArabicGenshin Impact: A Guide to the Unofficial History of Teyvat — Chapter 31
Chapter 31: The Guardian Yaksha’s Troubles: Karmic Debt is Less Scary Than Insomnia
[Book Title]: The Guardian Yaksha’s Troubles: Karmic Debt is Less Scary Than Insomnia
[Author]: Li Xin
[Main Text]:
Everyone in Liyue knows that our great nation boasts a guardian Adeptus, a mighty Yaksha serving under Lord Rex Lapis. He bears the honorary title Conqueror of Demons, though he is most commonly known by the name Xiao.
This Yaksha is fiercely brave and unmatched in battle. Despite being plagued by Karmic Debt for over a thousand years, he still stands tall and unyielding, serving as the ultimate shield of Liyue. Truly, his existence is our greatest fortune.
(Author’s Note: What exactly is Karmic Debt? For the sake of this discussion, just think of it as a very stubborn, very painful chronic illness.)
However, an enthusiastic citizen who wishes to remain strictly anonymous recently came forward with a shocking revelation. They claim that the greatest suffering endured by the Conqueror of Demons is not, in fact, the bone-eroding, heart-scorching agony of Karmic Debt.
Why make such a bold claim?
Look toward the silver-grass banks of Dihua Marsh. Often, in the absolute dead of night, a dark green figure can be seen darting across the water like lightning, ruthlessly exterminating demons while staying wide awake until dawn.
He does this for one day. He does this for ten days. He has done this for hundreds and thousands of years.
According to an extremely accidental, incredibly risky close-up observation, the dark circles under the Conqueror of Demons’ eyes are particularly striking. If one looks closely enough at that perpetually cold face, a fleeting trace of desperate longing for a peaceful night of sleep occasionally flashes by.
Our insider added that they personally witnessed him leaning against a high treetop at the crack of dawn, finally closing his eyes, only to jolt awake with a start less than three breaths later.
Once, an early-rising fisherman casting his nets even vaguely heard a very soft, utterly exhausted sigh drifting from the direction of the Adeptus.
‘…Another night.’
Through simple yet deep analysis of these tragic events, an devastating conclusion has been reached. The great Guardian Yaksha likely suffers from a severe, persistent, and incurable case of…
In! Som! Nia!
Imagine the scene. The long night is vast, the world is silent, and it is the absolute perfect time to bury yourself under a warm quilt and catch up on sleep.
Yet, the famous Conqueror of Demons either tosses and turns endlessly or sits withered on a solitary treetop, counting thousands of stars while listening to the wind howl from all directions. His eyes remain wide as copper bells, practically vibrating with fake energy. He simply cannot take a single step into the sweet land of dreams.
What causes this tragedy? Let us examine the evidence.
First, the disturbance of his residence.
The Conqueror of Demons often stays on the top floor of [Ink Smudge], a location boasting a wide field of vision that makes it exceptionally easy to monitor monster activity across the plains.
However, it is incredibly lonely and freezing at the top, especially at night. The salty sea breeze blowing in from Liyue Harbor and the damp lake breeze rising from Dihua Marsh violently clash right at this specific altitude. They conduct nightly combat drills against the architecture, rattling the wooden windows until they clatter like war drums. Ordinary people would find the racket unbearable, let alone a Yaksha blessed with exceptionally keen Adeptal hearing.
Every single night, the howling wind, the shaking shutters, and even the slight groaning of the building’s timber shifting from temperature changes are all magnified. To him, it must sound like a chaotic battlefield, shattering whatever meager sleepiness the Conqueror of Demons manages to scrape together.
Second, the clamor of nature.
If the howling wind is a disturbance from the heavens, then the creatures of the night provide the clamor of the earth.
The poetic chorus of frogs and the gentle chirping of birds that scholars love to write about during the day are no different from psychological torture to someone trying to sleep at two in the morning.
The Conqueror of Demons possesses extraordinary senses. To him, this natural noise pollution is amplified tenfold. To successfully block out the croaking and chirping, he would likely need to actively divert a portion of his Adeptal power, which requires focus, thereby making peaceful relaxation even more impossible.
Third, the disturbance of the palate.
An Adeptus has an extremely sharp sense of smell. In the quiet of the night, whenever the inn’s kitchen experiments with novel dishes, those rich scents scramble directly up the balconies and drill right into the Conqueror of Demons’ nose.
Fresh, savory aromas are a source of immense happiness for ordinary mortals, but for an ascetic immortal trying to rest, they are a groundless interference.
This is especially true when the sweet, delicate fragrance of Almond Tofu wafts up in the middle of the night.
Although the Conqueror of Demons favors this specific dish, suddenly smelling its sugary sweetness in the dead of night evokes ancient memories and hidden longings, tugging at his tightly wound heartstrings. How can he possibly remain still?
Even if he does not require mortal food to fill his stomach, that familiar scent lingering at the tip of his nose is more than enough to make his already fragile drowsiness vanish into thin air.
Fourth, uninvited guests.
This is the biggest variable and undoubtedly the source of the immortal’s greatest headaches.
That illustrious Traveler and their floating best partner seem to lack any fundamental comprehension of the phrases ‘dead of night’or’do not disturb’. The sheer randomness of their visits and the utter absurdity of their reasons remain entirely unmatched across all of Teyvat.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
The Conqueror of Demons’window is urgently hammered on, accompanied by a loud, excited shout.’Xiao! Look! Check out the new signature weapon I just pulled from the wish system!’Or, in the pitch-black hours of midnight, a desperate wail echoes across the marsh.’Immortal Xiao! Help! I can’t beat the Golden Wolflord! It’s floating too high!’Or, without any warning whatsoever, they materialize on his balcony with a sudden swish of wind, casually holding a single glowing flower.’Hey, I picked this Qingxin while passing by a cliff. You don’t look too good, want to brew some tea with it?’
Although the Traveler generally has good intentions, they possess a cursed talent for striking at the exact critical moment when the Yaksha is finally about to fall asleep or enter a deep meditation.
Fifth, the agonizing cycle of Karmic Debt.
Regarding Karmic Debt, the mortal world says it erodes the bones, scorches the heart, and delivers extreme, unimaginable pain. This is entirely true.
However, even this horrific pain has followed him like a shadow for over a millennium. The Conqueror of Demons has grown entirely accustomed to it, perhaps even numb.
Karmic Debt ravages his body and erodes his spirit. But insomnia directly robs the Conqueror of Demons of his absolute last safe harbor to temporarily escape those violent waves—deep sleep.
Over time, even the brief period of mental chaos following a Karmic Debt flare-up has mutated into a torment of continuous, forced wakefulness simply because he cannot sleep peacefully afterward.
Long-term insomnia causes his Karmic Debt flare-ups to become increasingly severe, creating a brutal cycle. The deeper the insomnia, the heavier the Karmic Debt. The heavier the Karmic Debt, the deeper the insomnia. This intensifies endlessly until it becomes an unsolvable, suffocating loop.
Even an immortal body forged by a thousand years of cultivation cannot withstand this kind of day-after-day wear and tear.
What is worse, after enduring the agonizing pain brought by the Karmic Debt, the Conqueror of Demons does not rest. He immediately throws himself right back into the next violent confrontation with the long night.
Karmic Debt might be able to slowly wear down an Adeptus’s form and spirit, but this centuries-long, irresistible insomnia might actually drive an immortal straight to the absolute limit of their sanity.
To sum it all up, bone-eroding Karmic Debt can still be countered with iron willpower and a thousand years of pure cultivation. But this day-and-night, omnipresent torture of insomnia quietly chips away at the immortal’s spirit. It traps the Conqueror of Demons firmly in the barren wasteland of wakefulness, making a single peaceful night unattainable.
Therefore, the truth is clear. Karmic Debt is scary, but insomnia is vastly more terrifying!
How does one relieve such deep sorrow? Only by eliminating demons.
Thus, the demons, monsters, and evil spirits of Liyue found themselves in massive trouble.
One night, a group of Treasure Hoarders was just about to commit a lucrative crime when they encountered that dark green Adeptal figure three times in a row. The final time, the Adeptus did absolutely nothing but stand silently under the moonlight and deliver a single, freezing glare. The terrified thieves scrambled over each other, crawling all the way to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to turn themselves in.
The nighttime peace of Liyue is undeniably thanks to the Conqueror of Demons’ chronic lack of sleep.
But everything has pros and cons.
This kind of long-term, high-intensity sleep deprivation, while highly beneficial to the great cause of exorcising evil, inevitably leaves some very specific marks on the body and mind.
Everyone knows that if a growing child does not get enough sleep, it is very hard for them to grow tall.
Thinking of the Conqueror of Demons’ upright posture that has not changed a single inch in a thousand years, and that… cough, rather delicate figure that feels slightly inconsistent with the grand, imposing title of an Adeptus…
Combined with his horrific years of insomnia… isn’t the hidden reason behind his stature quite thought-provoking?
One day, after a particularly exhausting night of exorcising demons, the Conqueror of Demons suddenly froze while staring at his own reflection in the marsh water.
Why, after a thousand years of endless battles, did he still maintain the exact same youthful figure?
He silently raised his hand, leveling it with the top of his head to compare himself with the tall reeds growing beside the bank. He slowly lowered his hand, falling into a much deeper, darker silence.
So… one day, the Conqueror of Demons finally broke down and asked Lord Rex Lapis a burning question.
‘Lord Rex Lapis, do Yakshas… never grow taller?’Lord Rex Lapis, who was peacefully brewing a pot of tea at the time, paused. His golden gaze slowly swept over the stubborn cowlick sticking up on the very top of Xiao’s head.’Growth requires quiet rest and peaceful sleep. Have you been resting well lately?’Xiao immediately stiffened his back, his tone defensive.’I have never slacked in my duties!’
After all, he hadn’t slept a single wink, so how could he possibly be slacking?
Karmic Debt devouring his body? He can endure it easily.
Demons howling in the dark? He can stand it without flinching.
But the permanent growth stagnation caused by insomnia? That is simply a public execution of his pride.
Not long after this realization, the eccentric Director Hu of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor actually appeared in person before the Conqueror of Demons.
With a face full of bright smiles, she held out a beautifully carved wooden box—the latest Sleep Aid and Growth Deluxe Package launched by her parlor. She enthusiastically promoted it to the exhausted Adeptus.
‘Immortal Xiao! You simply must try this! Crafted from selected Liyue ancient wood, featuring a built-in soothing Silkflower scent! I guarantee it will make you fall into a deep sleep the exact second you lie down inside, and you’ll wake up completely refreshed. Who knows, stretching out in there might even help you grow a few inches taller!’
The Conqueror of Demons gripped his Primordial Jade Winged-Spear, his knuckles turning white as he endured her pitch again and again. Finally, his patience snapped. The glowing green tip of the spear swished through the air, stopping a mere hair’s breadth right in front of the Director’s nose.
Hu Tao merely blinked, not afraid in the slightest. Instead, her grin widened as she added cheerfully, ‘Oh, getting anxious, are we? This just proves that deep down in your subconscious, you really do want to grow taller!’Following these events, a rather cheeky saying began to circulate among the common folk of Liyue.’That Adeptus… when he leaps up onto the roof beams, you can’t see him when you look up. And when he jumps back down to the ground, he gets completely buried in the fog because he’s too short… so you can’t see him when you look down, either!’
Therefore, it has been privately suggested by certain bold citizens that Immortal Xiao should be granted a brand new, highly elegant title: True Lord Look-Down-to-See.
How incredibly appropriate! How vividly accurate!
It is rumored that even a certain distinguished Consultant of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, who firmly wished to remain anonymous, took a slow sip of hot tea and smiled slightly upon hearing this new title.
Ultimately, although Karmic Debt is fierce and destructive, it is an external demon.
The true terror of insomnia is the internal disturbance.
Karmic Debt truly is not as scary as insomnia!
[Author’s Final Warning: The above text is entirely based on hearsay, rumors, and idle tavern talk. If you happen to actually meet that specific Adeptus while wandering through Dihua Marsh, please, for the love of the Archons, do not mention the words ‘height’or’insomnia’to his face. And absolutely do not call him’True Lord Look-Down-to-See’—remember this well. Otherwise, you will bear the painful consequences yourself, though the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor’s thirty percent discount eagerly awaits your patronage.]
[Elysian’s Note: “True Lord Look-Down-to-See” is a playful adaptation of the raw text’s joke regarding Xiao’s height. The original Chinese text plays on the idea that he is so short he is hidden in the fog on the ground, meaning you literally have to “look down” just to spot him.]