Chapter 30 Triggering Mission: Yasha's Obsession

In the blink of an eye, you and Boyang have already spent a week at Wangshu Inn.

[The reason for your extended stay wasn't to spend more time with the girl, but to wait for a reply from Tianquan Zhongli.]

[Over the past few days, you've been learning magic from Boyang or taking walks and playing with the girl during the day. At night, the girl would sneak into your room and...]

[Due to these various activities, you didn't get enough rest, and your energy dwindled, leading Boyang to think you were being haunted by evil spirits.]

[Finally, after a week of anticipation, Tianquan Zhongli's reply arrived.]

[Zhongli's letter stated that your idea of using Wangshu Inn as a base was excellent. She also mentioned that she had sent a capable assistant to help you. However, due to the current tense situation with the war, the assistant might not be able to reach Wangshu Inn immediately.]

"I see. Zhongli's letter was a bit of a letdown," you muttered.

[With Zhongli's response, it was time for you and Boyang to continue your journey to Wuwangpo. Just as you were preparing to leave, the girl packed her belongings and insisted on accompanying you.]

[You couldn't let her take such a risk. Instead, you promised to visit her at Wangshu Inn once you resolved the situation in Wuwangpo. She reluctantly agreed and stayed behind.]

[You left Wangshu Inn and headed north. Not far from Dihua Marsh, you reached the Stone Forest. Wuwang Hill lay to the west of the Stone Forest. As soon as you entered Wuwang Hill, the chilling air made you shiver uncontrollably.]

[With your knowledge of magic, you recognized the sensation as "yin energy." In such an environment, a person with a weak constitution might succumb to illness due to this energy. However, you and Boyang had prepared for this, so the yin energy only felt a bit colder to you both.]

"Be cautious. Many people have died in Liyue over the past two years, so there are likely many wandering ghosts in Hopeless Hill," Boyang warned, pulling out several talismans and scanning the area. You also stayed alert and observed your surroundings.

[Within minutes of entering Wuwang Hill, several green flames appeared in the sky. Boyang explained that these will-o'-the-wisps are low-level ghosts without thoughts or forms of their own, moving solely by instinct. They were probably drawn to your human aura.]

[Boyang threw a talisman, causing the ghostly flames to vanish.]

[As you moved forward, you encountered other types of ghosts, some resembling adults and others looking like children. These ghosts lacked the strength to impede your progress. However, as you ventured deeper, you sensed that something was amiss...]

"Important plot has been triggered. Entering immersion mode…"

"Trigger mission: Yasha's Obsession."

"Mission content: Eliminate the remaining obsession of a Yasha in the world."

Yasha?

[The first Yasha that came to Kujo Tsumugi's mind was Xiao, known as the Great Demon Slayer of Liyue. However, she quickly dismissed the idea.]

I recall that there were several Yakshas besides Xiao, but the others perished over their long battles, leaving Xiao as the sole survivor.

So the mission involves dealing with the lingering obsession of a deceased Yaksha in Hopeless Hill? I wonder if Boyang and I are up to the task...

[Tsumugi Kujo felt a twinge of anxiety. Swordsmanship wouldn't help against these ghosts and obsessions, and she had only been practicing magic for a little over a month. While she was confident in handling ordinary ghosts, facing a Yasha's obsession was daunting.]

"Brother Boyang, I have a bad feeling about this," Kujo Tsumugi said calmly, her eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings. Since beginning her magic training, her sensitivity to danger had sharpened, nearly approaching the level of "precognition," making her quite confident in her instincts.

[The feeling of imminent danger was like a shadow hanging over her heart, and it was unsettling.]

"Really?" Boyang's expression grew serious upon hearing Tsumugi's concern.

[The stronger a person is, the more they notice small details. Boyang knew that Kujo Tsumugi was particularly sensitive to danger, so he took her premonition seriously. "In that case, let's rest at the hut ahead. I can set up a formation around it to keep the evil spirits away."]

"Okay." Kujo Tsumugi agreed, understanding the need to conserve energy for the upcoming challenges.

[They quickly reached a deserted town, found a small hut, and set up a magic circle around it. Kujo Tsumugi decided to prepare Boyang for a possible major battle, saying, "Brother Boyang, do you think there's a chance that a Yasha's obsession might be in Wuwang Hill now?"]

"Huh? How could that be—" Boyang began to refute, but he changed his mind, "No, if it's a Yasha... it might be possible."

"Wuwangpo is a junction between the Yin and Yang worlds. With the accumulation of yin energy, the imbalance between Yin and Yang could open a passage to the Yin world. Yakshas, being unique in their nature, absorb the karma of the dead during battles. They're essentially a blend of ghosts and monsters. If Yakshas have lingering attachments to the world upon their death, their ghosts could return through this opened passage…"

[Boyang's expression grew more troubled.]

"You suddenly ask me this, could it be that…"

"I suspect there might be a former Yaksha's obsession in Wuwang Hill."

[The room's atmosphere grew tense.]

"Do you think we're strong enough to handle a Yasha's obsession?" Kujo Tsumugi asked.

"It depends on how much strength the Yaksha's obsession retains," Boyang replied, shaking his head. "The spell we're using is quite effective against demons and monsters. If the Yaksha isn't too powerful, we should be able to manage."

[Kujo Tsumugi nodded.]

The mission requires us to eliminate a Yasha's obsession, which means we should be capable of fighting it, or we wouldn't be able to complete the mission.

"But that's just the worst-case scenario. Maybe we're overthinking this," Boyang said with a forced laugh to lighten the mood.

"Yes," Kujo Tsumugi agreed, returning a smile.

[After resting in the hut, the two of them set out once more towards the depths of Wuwang Hill…]