Chapter 86: Stab It In, and the Power Will Surge
"Such a pity, such a pity—just missed it again."
Deep within the desolate Wuwang Hill, a young girl appeared with a look of regret on her face. She was carrying a shovel, casually swinging it back and forth as she strolled over from a short distance away. The blade of the shovel was still coated with traces of dirt.
Despite the eerie surroundings, she showed no trace of fear. She skipped along as she walked, occasionally kicking at the grass blades along the path or swatting at protruding dead branches with her shovel.
Her movements with the shovel seemed random, but they carried an air of practiced technique, as if hidden patterns were concealed in her seemingly casual swings.
She was entirely out of place in the gloomy atmosphere around her, like a burst of color in an otherwise monochrome scene.
"Eh?"
After walking for a while, she suddenly slowed her pace, sensing something unusual ahead. Tiptoeing cautiously, she crept closer to investigate.
She dropped to the ground without a second thought, paying no mind to whether her clothes might get dirty, and crawled forward inch by inch.
"Zhongli?"
Standing in the open, flat area ahead was a man she recognized—Zhongli, one of Wangsheng Funeral Parlor's consultants. He was the man who seemed to know everything, apart from perhaps how to run out of Mora.
As for the other person present, she had never seen him before. Despite wandering Liyue Harbor for years, this was her first time encountering such a figure. He was pale and clean-cut, not the sort you'd immediately label as dangerous.
"Mr. Zhongli, might I propose another contract?"
"Speak your terms."
"Could you refrain from sharing what happens next with anyone else?"
"That can be arranged."
Perhaps it was her stealth skills, or perhaps Zhongli had no energy to spare for distractions, but the mysterious black-clad man seemed unaware of her presence.
Zhongli, however, cast a quick glance in her direction, yet chose not to expose her.
With Zhongli's agreement, the black-clad man visibly relaxed. He reached for the mask hanging at his waist and placed it over his face.
At first, Zhongli assumed Bai Luo was merely asking for help concealing his identity as a member of the Fatui while staying in Liyue for a time.
But when Bai Luo lowered his hands, both Zhongli and the girl couldn't hide their astonishment.
The plain white mask on Bai Luo's face had transformed into a bizarre feline mask. Even his black coat morphed into a red kimono characteristic of Inazuma's style.
In an instant, it was as though he had become a completely different person. His entire demeanor shifted dramatically.
Previously, he exuded an aura of death and mystery, like someone who could fade into the shadows at any moment to stab you in the back. Now, he resembled a sheathed sword—calm, poised, but brimming with latent danger.
"Lord Zhongli, forgive my impudence."
Not only had his demeanor changed, but even his tone of voice carried a subtle difference.
Drawing a katana from its scabbard, Bai Luo's intentions finally became clear to Zhongli.
The blade he unsheathed was a reversed-edged sword.
Using a weapon like this was highly unconventional—pointing the sharp edge toward oneself was never a wise choice. Against a strong opponent, such a blade could not only fail to harm the enemy but could even injure its wielder.
It was not a weapon designed for prolonged combat.
After unsheathing the Reverse Blade Sword, Bai Luo gently ran his left hand along its cold steel, savoring its icy sensation.
This true reverse-edged sword was far superior to the one he had previously bound himself to. Having made up his mind, Bai Luo flipped the blade around and plunged it into his own body.
Zhongli: "???"
The girl: "… A potential client. Must take notes, must take notes!"
Extending his hand, Bai Luo stopped Zhongli from approaching. After pulling out the blade, a strained smile appeared on his pale face.
"Mr. Zhongli, if stabbing you counts as one move, then stabbing myself shouldn't count toward those three moves, right?"
Does it hurt? Of course it does. A blade piercing in white and coming out red—how could it not? Though the Reverse Blade Sword had the effect of not dealing lethal damage with normal attacks, the pain was still very real.
"There's no explicit clause in the contract regarding this... but very well, I'll allow it," Zhongli responded.
He could tell that Bai Luo was using some kind of special technique—perhaps one that required blood as a medium or stabbing oneself as a catalyst.
However, seeing Bai Luo's deathly pale complexion, Zhongli decided not to reject his request, sighing lightly as he agreed.
"Thank you," Bai Luo said.
He glanced at the skill icon for Kuzu-Ryu-Sen in his mind, which still hadn't changed.
So, he once again raised the bloodied Reverse Blade Sword and stabbed it into his abdomen.
Once, twice, three times…
When Bai Luo pulled out the Reverse Blade Sword for the third time, something clicked.
Perhaps it triggered a critical hit, for the previously faint blue Kuzu-Ryu-Sen icon turned into a fiery red, signifying Amakakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki.
The moment Bai Luo obtained the true Reverse Blade Sword, he had thought of this unorthodox way to borrow strength.
Since stabbing himself counted as a normal attack, it wouldn't kill him. Even more ingenious was that the sword's inherent powers would protect him from dying due to excessive blood loss or organ failure.
So...
"Lord Zhongli, I'm ready."
After sheathing the bloodstained Reverse Blade Sword, Bai Luo gave Zhongli a heads-up and slowly lowered his body, assuming the stance of a draw technique.
The pose was undeniably stylish, but the blood he coughed up made his condition look anything but glamorous.
"A draw technique?"
Zhongli, one of the oldest deities, had encountered Inazuma's former rulers long ago. He had even seen the predecessor to the Raiden Shogun herself, back when she was just a shadow following Makoto.
But this wasn't the same as the draw techniques used by the Ei.
As Bai Luo assumed his stance, Zhongli immediately sensed its uniqueness and raised his hand to cast a Jade Shield over himself.
Just as the shield formed, an unusual force suddenly affected Zhongli. The hands he had raised moments ago were now frozen in place, unable to move.
Moreover, this strange power restrained him entirely, rendering him unable to make any further movements.
"How is this possible?"
Zhongli stared in astonishment at Bai Luo, whose upper body was now nearly pressed against the ground. For a moment, even he experienced the same illusion the Shogun might have—that Bai Luo was someone from their era.
Or perhaps... a demon god.
In their collective memory, only demon gods possessed such overwhelming power. However, Zhongli quickly composed himself. He was genuinely curious to see what kind of strike Bai Luo would unleash.
Though Bai Luo appeared to prepare just a single slash, he had secretly activated Sou-Ryu-Sen. This meant that when he executed Amakakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki, the two slashes from Sou-Ryu-Sen would also layer onto it, resulting in an explosive burst of damage.
After sufficiently charging up, Bai Luo moved.
The essence of Amakakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki was to suppress the opponent in an instant, then close the distance with incredible speed before delivering a decisive slash.
With the speed boost granted by Sou-Ryu-Sen, Bai Luo transformed into a streak of red lightning.
"Amakakeru-Ryu-No-Hirameki!"
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