38. A Test? Well, Half Right

Ryūhei complained that it was impossible for him to face any deity with his current strength. But, Zhongli didn't say that Ryūhei needed to face the ancient god today or tomorrow.

"After seeing your talent, I believe that it won't be long until you'll stand toe to toe with the Adepti. Moreover, I still need to wait for her to agree to the contract. So you still have time to improve yourself. And according to the contract, you only need to keep my plan secret until the time is right. With that, I need you to decide whether you want to help or not."

Hearing Zhongli had high expectations of him, he was naturally elated. Though, he didn't have confidence in his current strength.

"Sigh. I already said that I like this city. Lively atmosphere, eccentric people, and more than anything else, they are my customers. If I run away after I said I want to help to overcome the crisis, that means I'm just a loser bastard who likes breaking promises. But, if things go wrong, won't you go to help?"

Ryūhei heard that Zhongli already survived the Archon War 3700 years ago. So he believed that if Zhongli decided to make a move, it would be as easy as flipping a table.

Zhongli put his hands on his back while his back was facing Ryūhei.

"It depends on your performance. The ancient god I wanted to unseal was much weaker than its prime. If I calculate from your talent, you may be able to hold it off later. There's a crisis in Inazuma as well, and I believe you will not sit idly and do nothing, right? Inazuma is your birthplace after all."

"Yeah. But my power isn't enough. Picking a fight against a deity, who could split an island in half, with my current strength is just a death wish. And I'm not a person who will fight without thinking of the consequences." Ryūhei smiled wryly. He understood his strength pretty well. And with his current strength, it would be suicide to fight against a god. Even if the god was weakened from being sealed for too long.

"You still have time before fighting this ancient god. And, do you still remember the other day when I told you about power?"

"Power is a tool with a broad flat blade and typically upturned sides, used for moving coal, earth, snow or other material." Ryūhei replied jokingly.

Zhongli turned back with his deadpan expression. Ryūhei stiffened after seeing that, so he immediately added.

"Hehe, of course I remember. And what you meant is my power to manipulate negative energy, right?"

Zhongli nodded.

"That's right. Once in a while, there is a group of monsters in the vicinity of Guili Plains or The Chasm tainted by karmic debt. If you can convert that energy to be your power, then you're not just having another source of power, but you can save a lot of people by preventing them from being inflicted by karmic debt."

Ryūhei frowned when Zhongli mentioned something he had heard only in a religious belief.

"Mr. Zhongli, what is this karmic debt you're talking about?"

"Karmic debt is a term that refers to the corruptive forces left behind by the wills and powers of the fallen ancient gods. You can say it's a lingering hatred of those gods who fell on the battlefield."

Zhongli paused for a moment. Then he continued.

"Gods can be killed, but they have strong souls so their souls can still survive without going to the afterlife. And because their souls are filled with negative emotions, their souls turn into Yin energy which targets the Yang energy of humans to grow stronger. Once they are strong enough, they can manifest into monsters. If ordinary humans come into contact with it, they can become insane. On the other hand, monsters will be stronger instead. Those with higher elemental sensitivity such as Adepti or Vision bearers have heightened resistance to the effects of karma."

Zhongli's explanation made Ryūhei's head dizzy. Still, Ryūhei more or less understood what karmic debt was.

"High elemental sensitivity, huh?" Ryūhei pondered. If it just sensed or saw elemental power, it was an easy feat for him thanks to his eyes. He didn't know how much resistance his body had against such a force. However, since could manipulate negative energy, shouldn't he be the least affected by it?

At that moment, Zhongli said to him.

"If you can manipulate that energy, then you can take advantage of it to become stronger. Even if you can't, your talent is already good enough. After all, fighting against an ancient god I unseal will give you more experience. Isn't that good enough?"

Ryūhei didn't understand why Zhongli would be willing to help him even though he just happened to be starting a business in Liyue Harbor.

"Why are you going so far to help me? This is also not part of the contract, you know."

"Yes, this is not a contract. I only hope that you can use your power for your own good and prevent yourself from being swallowed by corruption forces. After all, your power is somewhat special. To prevent you're going out of control. You need to be tested. It's not just for your safety, but for the people in Liyue as well."

In fact, Zhongli didn't really tell the truth. He certainly wanted to see if Ryūhei could manipulate such energy. However, there is a thing called Erosion.

Erosion is a term for the process of getting mentally eroded, or worn down, by a combination of factors affecting someone's life. Eventually, it will result in the loss of one's consciousness and sense of self, making them more irritable and suspect to explosive fits of rage. The more powerful and lifespan a person is, the more dangerous they become under the effects of erosion. And beings like Archons were the most prone to Erosion.

If Ryūhei's power could manipulate the Yin energy caused by the negative emotions of fallen gods, there was a possibility that his power could mitigate Erosion. Although Zhongli wasn't entirely sure, it was at least worth a try. That was why he tried to help Ryūhei as much as possible.

"I see. So it's a test, huh?" Since Ryūhei didn't know Zhongli's real intentions, he believed Zhongli's excuses as what he said were quite reasonable.

After all, he knew what Zhongli was worried about. In this world, negative energy is too risky to control because it can drive people mad. So, Zhongli wanted to make sure whether Ryūhei could be afflicted by corruption forces or he would be well instead.

"In short, you want me to find monsters tainted by karmic debt around Guili Plains or The Chasm?"Ryūhei asked to confirm. Then, Zhongli nodded while replying with two words.

"That's right."

"Alright, I'll take your suggestion, Mr. Zhongli."

— — — —

Meanwhile, to the south of the dockyard, exactly across from it. There, one could see a girl fishing in the sea using a net. While waiting for her net to be filled with fish as she relaxed under the shade of a rock mountain behind her, she read the manga he just bought from Manga Impact. There was also a panda-like creature with a combination of Pyro and Geo symbols on its back.

Those two were none other than Xiangling and Guoba.

As Xiangling continued to read the manga, her face suddenly reddened.

"That jerk. He said there's no lewd thing in this manga. But what is this? How can anyone feel sexual arousal after eating delicious food?"

Xiangling only turned a few pages after she bought the manga earlier, where the scene was a cooking competition between father and son. That was why she didn't realize the lewd thing at the end of the first chapter. Good thing the lewd scene was censored, otherwise she would definitely find Ryūhei for a beating. And not to forget that she has a companion called Guoba who can spit high-temperature flames.

Putting aside the lewd scene, she was amazed by the Roast Pork: Just Kidding made by Sōma.

"Steaming potatoes, minced and kneaded mushrooms, wreathed those in the thick slices of bacon and carefully roasted it open. With that, the bacon's fat came out and became crispy while the potatoes took all deliciousness and fat of the pork. Then, a sensual food texture is born. This idea is incredible. Is Ryūhei also a chef? I feel like I want to challenge him to cook."

Xiangling felt that the dish in the manga was the result of personal experience because the main character explained what the ingredients were and why it taste delicious.