Chapter 24: Chapter 24

As soon as Mu Yang finished saying "Yes" to the system,

He felt his consciousness detaching.

Then, he lost control of his body.

And collapsed heavily onto the bed.

When his consciousness gradually cleared,

He could feel himself falling.

The fall was agonizingly long.

After an unknown amount of time,

The descent finally stopped.

Mu Yang felt as if he had been embedded into something.

No longer able to move.

He tried to open his eyes—

But no words came out.

"What the hell is this?"

"Why the hell can't I move?"

"...I don't think I wrote an origin story."

"Did the world of Teyvat just retcon me?"

This state of being surrounded by complete darkness,

Unable to do anything,

Made Mu Yang deeply uncomfortable.

He liked small surprises and accidents—

But hated the feeling of losing control.

"System, what's my current status?"

Now things were even worse—the system wasn't responding either.

But since this was supposed to be a simulation,

It would have to end eventually.

For now, all he could do was wait.

Mu Yang realized he was slowly absorbing energy from his surroundings.

"Wait, was I born from a rock or something?"

"Can't this go any faster? Full throttle, please!"

He began imagining himself absorbing energy more rapidly.

The rate of energy absorption actually increased.

Another immeasurable amount of time passed.

The accumulated energy had finally reached a critical point.

Mu Yang considered ideas like "taking human form" or "breaking free from the earth,"

But it seemed like something was still missing.

Now, the energy absorption had slowed to a crawl—

He had nearly drained everything around him.

He sensed two powerful energy signatures approaching.

Mu Yang had never encountered energy this strong in this place before.

These two were likely experts.

Once they got close, he'd try to absorb their energy and make a breakthrough.

"Hurry up! Why are they moving so slow?"

"Even normal walking isn't this sluggish!"

Before long, the two finally arrived.

Mu Yang attempted to absorb their energy—

"What's going on? All that excitement for nothing?"

Then, he heard their voices.

A lively, playful voice spoke first:

"Looks is the source of the disaster."

The other voice was cold and elegant—

Like an icy beauty, a domineering older sister.

"Be careful. This thing is strange… and very sharp."

The playful voice sounded exasperated.

"Uh… if it wasn't strange, would it have caused all this?"

The domineering sister pouted.

"I'm just reminding you to stay safe."

Mu Yang pondered for a moment.

"Wait… am I a sword?"

"Did a signature weapon just gain sentience?!"

That seemed far more likely

Than being born from a rock.

If he was a sword, maybe he needed someone to pull him out?

Was that the missing step to taking human form?

Mu Yang desperately wanted to call out and ask these two kind souls for help.

But he couldn't speak.

The lively girl seemed to circle around him.

"This thing doesn't look like it grew from the ground."

"It probably fell from the sky."

"Obviously, sis!" Mu Yang thought.

"Since when does the ground just sprout swords?"

So that long fall at the beginning was him dropping from the sky.

The domineering sister asked:

"You know more about these things. What should we do now?"

The lively girl replied:

"How about trying to pull it out?"

"Though, you'd have to do it. No way I can."

Domineering sister: "I can't either."

The lively voice rose in pitch.

"You could always bite it with your teeth~"

Mu Yang: "Meow meow meow?"

"What kind of game are you two playing?!"

"Flirting while trying to pull out a sword? Do you not have hands?"

"Are you two Fujin and Lingyuan?!"

"Why didn't you voice this side quest?!"

"I would've recognized them immediately!"

Mu Yang was thrilled—he was finally about to emerge.

But making his debut by being bitten by Lingyuan…

He could feel Lingyuan's presence approaching.

She was really about to bite down—

The lively girl asked worriedly:

Lingyuan: "I'm fine. Guess we'll have to destroy it."

Seemed Lingyuan had a bit of a temper.

Mu Yang felt her gathering energy for an attack.

The moment her claws struck the blade—

Mu Yang poured all the energy he had collected into "taking human form."

He desperately envisioned the appearance from his character art.

He could feel limbs. A face.

Mu Yang opened his eyes.

Before him stretched an icy wasteland.

A massive blue qilin-like beast had been sent flying backward.

Next to her stood a stunned little koi fish.

Mu Yang immediately looked down at his outfit.

And sighed in relief.

"Phew… fully equipped. Only missing a Vision and jade pendant at my waist."

"At least I didn't spawn in some embarrassing scenario."

In the distance, the beast—Lingyuan—steadied herself.

And let out a furious roar.

Being repelled twice had thoroughly enraged this mountain sovereign.

Luckily, Fujin quickly stepped between them.

Only then did Lingyuan hold back.

But she was not happy.

"Why are you helping him?!"

Fujin, being the more level-headed one,

Wasn't much of a fighter—but she was sharp.

"We came to resolve the disaster, not pick a fight."

Mu Yang heard the word "disaster" again.

Everything was buried in endless white snow.

Only Lingyuan's footprints marked a path through it.

Judging by the depth, the snow reached up to his knees.

Yet right now, his body felt… strange.

Light. Floating atop the snow.

Almost like a spirit.

Mu Yang thought carefully.

"Did absorbing all the nearby energy cause this?"

Fujin cautiously asked:

"Can you understand me?"

Fujin took a step closer.

Lingyuan followed protectively,

Worried Fujin might get repelled too.

"Where did you come from? Why did you destroy this place?"

Mu Yang shook his head.

He guessed it was because he absorbed all the energy,

But he truly didn't know his origins.

"The sky? Celestia? No idea."

Fujin and Lingyuan exchanged glances.

"Then… can you restore this place?"

And looked at his "true form."

Calling it a sword wasn't quite accurate—

It was more like a crystalline fragment.

A blade without a hilt.

Mu Yang, still in spirit form, approached it.

And reached out to grasp the sword.

The surrounding snow began gathering toward the blade.

Then condensed into a flawless white hilt.

Mu Yang's right hand closed around it.

And with a single motion—

He pulled the sword free from the earth.

With a flick of his wrist, he twirled the blade.

The floating spirit state vanished.

Mu Yang's feet finally touched the ground again.