Archive of Our Own

The first time they met, it was a humid, hot day.

Chongyun sighed. Not for the last time, he wished he was in Liyue Harbor already, but the effects of using his Cryo Vision to keep himself cool was making the journey back much longer than he would've liked.

He shifted the parasol on his shoulder slightly. At least its thick paper helped shade him from the worst of the sun. Chongyun couldn't imagine what mischief he would get up to if he overheated in the middle of nowhere, all by himself. 

A spindly structure by the side of the road caught his eye. A hilichurl construct.  

Chongyun sighed again. Where there were hilichurl towers, monsters couldn’t be far behind. Snapping his parasol closed, he slid it into the depths of his Vision. He pulled his silver claymore from the jewel in the same motion, squinting against the sun in search of the creatures’ leering masks.

Chongyun fruitlessly trudged through the tall grass behind the tower, finding neither hide nor hair of the hilichurls. Just as he was about to give up, he heard a loud screech from a silhouette in the distance. His eyes widened. A hilichurl battle cry—!

He shoved his sword back into the jewel at his hip, rushing to aid whoever was being attacked. As the shadow loomed larger, he placed a hand on his Vision, drawing moisture from the air in preparation to strike. Closer, closer...

The figure moved, lithe and graceful in its motions. A swift upward slash silenced the hilichurl’s howls, navy silk tails fluttering in the elegant backflip the swordsman completed. 

Chongyun paused. That wasn’t a monster.

As if hearing his thoughts, the figure turned to face him, surprise painting their features. “Oh, hello! I had not expected another traveler out this far.” A Hydro Vision pulsed faintly at the swordsman’s side as he bowed, pulling in the water dripping from his blade. “I am Xingqiu, at your service.” He gestured grandly at Chongyun. “And who might you be?”

Chongyun dipped his head in response. “My name is Chongyun. I am one of Liyue’s exorcists.”

Xingqiu raised a delicate eyebrow. “An exorcist? I see. I don’t believe I’ve met one before.” He tapped a finger to his chin in thought. “I suppose it explains your icy aura, of sorts.”

“Hmm? Ah, no, that’s my own. I... overheat easily.” Chongyun could feel his head turn fuzzier as the sun beat down on him. He exhaled, drawing on the small store of water in his Vision, and crystallized it into a thin sheet of ice around his body.

Xingqiu smiled at that, not unkindly. “I will admit, it is quite warm this afternoon! Perhaps if I had your Vision, I would do the same. May I?” he asked, drawing a thin stream of moisture from the air. “I’ve read that it is harder for Cryo-blessed to do this, so I thought I could assist you.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Chongyun swirled the ribbon of water into his Vision, layering the ice thicker around himself. 

“Fascinating...” he thought he heard Xingqiu murmur, watching the water freeze fractal by fractal.

“Did you say something?” he asked. Xingqiu flinched.

“Ah, nothing! I... simply remembered I had an errand near Wangshu Inn! A few stray slimes by its parasols, and all.” He tugged at the frills on his sleeves, cheeks tinted pink. 

Chongyun frowned. Xingqiu hadn’t previously been this affected by the heat. 

“In any case, I must be off. I wish you well on your journey, exorcist!” The swordsman bid him a hasty goodbye, retreating to the road. 

Chongyun watched him walk off. Did he say something wrong? Ah, well. He drew his parasol from his Vision once more, shading himself from the scorching rays of the sun, before returning to the dirt path. When he looked behind him on the road, Xingqiu was nowhere to be found. 

He shook his head. Many adventurers walked the plains of Liyue, and they all were just fine. There was no need to worry about their safety or about how quickly they traveled. Still, not everyone would offer to help a stranger in that way.

Chongyun sighed. He didn’t need to dwell on this further. The journey ahead would be a long one, and he simply wished to get back quickly and enjoy an actual bed in an inn instead of a cot on the ground.

Have you heard the rumors? There's a swordsman with a Hydro Vision going around slaying a bunch of monsters around the road. 

Yes, I have! I heard he's a water spirit too, since he always vanishes like morning mist.

Is he an adepti, like the Guardian Yaksha?

Maybe, but these are only rumors! There's no proof behind them, though they are interesting stories.

When Chongyun returned to the harbor later that night, whispers and voices surrounded him, each carrying a different snippet of conversation. As he strode to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, he kept an ear to the ground for new tales of the supernatural, but all they were talking about was an adepti. Or was it a swordsman who could control water? ...Had he run into the source of all those rumors on his way back? Was Xingqiu who they were calling the ‘Rain Dragon’? 

Chongyun dismissed those thoughts. He wasn’t one to participate in gossip, and stories warped as they were passed from person to person. Pushing open the door to the Ministry, he walked up to one of the clerks and handed her a folded paper containing the details of his job, along with the payment the villagers had given him for his services. 

The woman nodded at his credentials, sliding the paper under the counter before passing back his payment and an extra bag of Mora over to him. “Everything seems to be in order. Thank you for your help, exorcist.”

Chongyun dipped his head. “It was no trouble.” He accepted both small bags, dropping them into his Vision, before going outside to find a vacant inn. 

Waking up in a bed was a strange sensation after sleeping on the plains for so long. Chongyun stared blankly up at the wooden ceiling, scanning through his memories in case he had overheated during the night. 

Had he remembered to lock the door? He glanced over at it, before getting up to test the handle. It was locked. He looked around some more, but fortunately nothing in the room seemed to be out of order. 

Satisfied, Chongyun walked to the small table by the bed, picking up his Vision and pulling a fresh set of clothes from it. He would need to get ready quickly, before other adventurers picked the message board clean of quests. 

Only a few minutes passed before Chongyun was out of the inn, already scanning the bulletin board for new jobs. He quickly chose two, one involving an encampment of hilichurls on the way to the next quest, consisting of investigation into strange noises on the plains by Qingce Village. As the papers were stamped, he idly twirled his parasol on his shoulder. 

The clerk passed back his copies, bidding him a good day. Chongyun nodded, storing them in his coat before setting off on work once more.

Of course, when he reached the location of his first job, all that remained of the hilichurls were cracked masks and ash. Chongyun sighed in exasperation before shoving his claymore back into his Vision. At this rate, it would be gathering dust for the next week. 

As he turned back to the path to Qingce, he saw in the corner of his eye a familiar swordsman waltzing out of the abandoned monster hut. Chongyun whirled around, pointing an accusatory finger at Xingqiu, who idly spun his blade in a blur of motion. “You!”

“Me?” Xingqiu froze, baffled, before letting his sword swing to a stop. “Did I do something wrong?” He relaxed upon recognizing Chongyun. “Oh, hello, exorcist! Chongyun, was it?”

Chongyun glared at him. “You finished my quest.”

Xingqiu’s eyes widened, looking genuinely guilty. “Oh, I apologize! I didn’t realize. I have no need for the Mora, you may take the masks with you—”

Chongyun shook his head sharply, annoyance fading into cool determination. “No. You slew them yourself, I only just arrived. I will simply tell the Ministry that it was completed before I could take care of them.” Xingqiu opened his mouth to protest, but Chongyun pressed on. “Besides, it was good that we met here. I wanted to ask you something.”

Xingqiu furrowed his brow, curiosity spreading across his face. “Hmm? Of course, what did you wish to know?”

Chongyun exhaled. “Are you the Rain Dragon?”

“The... Rain Dragon?” The curiosity on his face morphed into polite confusion. “I don’t believe I’ve heard of that epithet...”

“Have you been clearing monsters away from the roads and saving merchants?” Chongyun interrupted. “The stories match up too perfectly with you for me to not ask.”

Xingqiu brightened. “Ah, yes! I have been helping keep the roads safe for travelers. And stories, you say?” A small smile ghosted his lips. “I have always loved them. Perhaps I should listen to what they say of me.”

“Oh, I had one other question. Many rumors claim you are an adeptus. Is this true?”

“Ah, rumors...” The swordsman shook his head, amused. “No, I am not one of the adepti. I can’t imagine why people think I am.”

Chongyun narrowed his eyes in thought, Xingqiu’s abrupt disappearance coming to mind. “Then how have you been able to vanish so quickly?”

Xingqiu paused for a moment, before responding. “...I’ve learned a way to dissolve into mist, from journals of Hydro-blessed who can become like the waves of the sea to run and swim quickly.” He spread his hands. “Interesting, is it not? It makes getting around much easier.” 

Chongyun nodded, still somewhat unconvinced.

Xingqiu continued on, tossing his sword in the air and catching it neatly. “In any case, this was an interesting conversation. I must admit, you didn’t strike me as one to place faith in rumors!”

Chongyun sighed, shaking his head. “I usually do not, but you’re on the tips of many tongues lately. I had to know the truth.”

Xingqiu hummed. “Fair enough. Well, since you’ve asked about me, tell me about yourself, mysterious exorcist!”

“Ah.” A grimace formed on Chongyun’s face. “I am... an exorcist in training, really. I may be able to do good work, but it is all due to my condition. I have never been able to truly seal a spirit away from this realm, as they all simply flee even if I am miles away.”

“Your condition? You seem healthy enough to me,” Xingqiu asked, finally storing away his weapon.

“It isn’t debilitating. I was born with overwhelmingly positive energy, and as spirits are mostly comprised of negative energy, they dislike my presence and cannot stand to be near me. My condition also leads to poor consequences when I overheat. For those reasons, my clan has named it ‘congenital positivity’.”

Xingqiu brightened. “Ah, so that was what I felt the first time we met! Interesting.”

Chongyun paused, faintly alarmed. “You... felt it? I've heard only spirits do, and they never approach, not even when I want them to.”

“It was just in the way you held yourself, I suppose. You appear to be like snow.”

The exorcist’s frown grew deeper. “...Am I that unapproachable?”

“No, no, I meant that in the best way!” Xingqiu hastened to explain. “How do I put it... Like ice, you seem quite collected and elegant.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Chongyun awkwardly looked away, pink dusting his cheeks, before he froze. The sun was already that low? A small, disappointed expression formed on his face as he turned back to Xingqiu. “Ah, I apologize for this. It's getting late, and though I wouldn’t mind speaking more, I must reach Qingce Village by nightfall.”

“I see. I won’t keep you any longer then. Farewell, Chongyun! I hope to meet you again once more.” Xingqiu stayed by the hilichurl hut, sleeve fluttering in the wind as he wished him luck.

Chongyun waved a goodbye as he walked back to the dirt path, continuing on the road to his next job. He hoped to see Xingqiu again as well.

You know that Hydro swordsman everyone’s been talking about? The Rain Dragon?

Oh, what about him?

Some adventurers claim that he’s actually a ghost! Apparently one of the people he rescued from a bunch of slimes tried to thank him, but as soon as they touched hands he disappeared.

What? Maybe he’s just an adeptus that doesn’t like being touched. Besides, I've never heard of a ghost going around slaying monsters. Most of them are the monsters.

When Chongyun returned to the harbor once more, gossip flitted around every corner, stories of the Rain Dragon on everyone’s lips. 

He narrowed his eyes as the tales passed his ears. The rumors must have been getting out of hand, to be twisting Xingqiu’s deeds like this. He had been the height of chivalry in each and every one of their meetings, something a ghost could never be.

Besides, whenever they met, Xingqiu never showed any discomfort when faced with his congenital positivity. He couldn’t be a spirit, especially since Chongyun still hadn’t been able to control his affliction.

A thought hit him, like ice trickling down his spine. Xingqiu couldn’t be a spirit. Unless, of course, he was the one exception to the rule. The one soul who could resist his condition.

Chongyun’s breath quickened, before he bolted to the nearest gossiper. “Have you heard of a swordsman who goes by the name Xingqiu? He has dark blue hair, and amber eyes—” As more and more heads shook, the dread in his mind became heavier and heavier. The fuzzy feeling of his congenital positivity crackled in the back of his head, but he pushed it aside.

Racing around Liyue Harbor, Chongyun frantically asked the same question to bystanders. “Do you know of a boy by the name of Xingqiu? With blue hair, and amber eyes...”

Finally, he resorted to pestering the Ministry clerks. “Do you know anything about a boy named Xingqiu?” But it was as if he never existed. No one had seen him in the harbor recently, which was impossible. The first time they met, Xingqiu had to have been coming from the harbor, or else he wouldn’t be traveling to Wangshu Inn.

Exhausted and nearly overheated, he barely noticed the man looming in front of him until they nearly collided. 

Chongyun flinched, freezing in his tracks. It took his sluggish mind a second to find words. “Oh, I apologize, I was distracted. I’ll be on my way—”

“Wait,” the man interrupted. As tired as his brain was, Chongyun saw he bore the crest of the Feiyun Commerce Guild. “Are you the boy who’s been asking around about Xingqiu?

Chongyun straightened, instantly alert. “Yes, I am. I’ve met him on the road many times before, and I wanted to know about him and his whereabouts.”

The guildsman hesitated. “...Ah. So you must not have heard the news.”

“What news?” Chongyun asked. A mounting sense of dread crawled up his back. 

The other man swallowed. “Xingqiu, one of the sons of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, tragically passed from this world only a few months ago.” 

Heavy silence rang out. 

“...What?” Chongyun barked out a laugh, fear creeping into his mind. “No, you must be misinformed, I—”

The guildsman interjected, cutting over the din of his panic. “Some of the Guild’s guards found his body by the road.” 

Stunned, Chongyun stared at the man, protests dying on his tongue.

Nearly a minute passed before the guildsman spoke again. “I know it may be hard to process, but I’m afraid it’s true—”

Chongyun interrupted, voice as numb as ice. “No, I understand. I apologize, but may I request to be brought to the family tomb? I wish to pay my respects.” Behind his back, his hands clenched into fists.

“Oh. Of course. I can take you there, just a moment.” The man ducked into the Guild building, retrieving a coat and pulling it on. “We can go whenever you’re ready.”

Chongyun exhaled sharply, before dipping his head, using the motion to mask the anguish in his eyes. “I’m ready now.”

The tomb was in a lovely place on the side of Mount Tianheng, the guildsman said, but it meant nothing to Chongyun and the multitude of thoughts swirling like a blizzard in his mind. The trip up the mountain was spent in silence, only the occasional crunch of a leaf or snap of a twig piercing the oppressive quiet.

It was halfway to the resting site when the guild servant finally dared to speak, words hesitant. “...Though the young master never mentioned you, you must have been the closest of friends, judging by your devotion to him.”

Chongyun could only stare emptily into the plains, face betraying none of his emotions. “I thought we could have been.”

How could a friend have hidden something so big from him? ...He wasn’t even a friend, was he? What was to say it wasn’t a malicious spirit wearing a dead boy’s face?

The spark of anger grew in his heart.

“Here we are,” the other man called, lurching him from his ruminations. Chongyun quickened his pace until he stood behind him.

The guildsman unlatched the lacquered bamboo gate, revealing a beautiful garden. They walked through its paths, passing large memorials to favored sons and elegant carvings to honored daughters.

Near the end of the garden, by a patch of Fate’s Yearning silk flowers, a simple headstone marked the place Xingqiu lay. Seeing his name carved in red sealed all of Chongyun’s doubts away, however faint they were. He crouched in front of the granite, conjuring an icy glaze lily from thin air and laying it onto the ground.

“Xingqiu, we may never have met, but I promise to you, I will find the truth and seal away the thief with your name,” Chongyun whispered to the stone, a pact heard only by him and the archons. He rose from where he knelt, an ember of cold fury smoldering in his chest. 

Chongyun thanked the guild servant as he left, walking back from the nook in the mountains to the bright lights of the harbor. Tonight, he would follow the rumors of the Rain Dragon.

Tomorrow, he would hunt a ghost.

By the time he had finished cross-referencing and double checking his stories, the ember had fanned itself into a blazing coal, no matter how much Chongyun repeated his calming mantra. How could anything, even a monster, use the form of the dead to conduct mischief? All the tales are of him saving people, not harming them, a seed of something cooler whispered, before being firmly snuffed. 

“Every spirit still in possession of their own will is incredibly powerful,” Chongyun muttered, steadying his mind. “Who knows if it is truly pure? It could be an ancient evil moonlighting as a simple swordsman, building up its reputation to draw people in and slaughter them.”

As he approached the location of one of the last known remaining monster camps, he scanned the horizon for either leering masks or the telltale flash of blue coattails. The empty hearth caught his eye as he searched the grass for any signs of enemies. 

Chongyun knelt beside it, placing a finger into its ashes. Though the wood was wet, some of the ashes were still faintly warm. The spirit had been here recently.

The tapping of footsteps sounded behind him. Chongyun stiffened, wrapping a hand around his icy Vision. 

Xingqiu approached, strolling up to him innocently. “Ah, Chongyun!” he exclaimed. “It’s good to see you again—”

Chongyun cut him off with a yell as he spun around, sweeping his claymore in an arc around himself.

The spirit leaped backward, dodging the swing and landing gracefully a few paces away. “Chongyun, relax! I’m not a monster!” 

Chongyun scoffed, heart beating wildly. “How can you say that when you’re wearing the face of an innocent?” 

Xingqiu paused. “...What?”

“I know what you are, wretched spirit.” The exorcist leveled his blade at the other boy. “It is a crime against the dead to take the form of someone you have no right to impersonate!” 

“I... I don’t understand.” 

Chongyun could see the hidden panic in the spirit's eyes and snarled, anger clouding his mind. “Don’t lie to me. You stole the name of Xingqiu from an honored son, and took his face for yourself to lure in victims with your supposed good deeds.”

Xingqiu said nothing for precious few moments. Chongyun’s eyes shuttered closed, as he prepared to send it mercifully off.

“Your silence is telling, spirit. So you admit your crimes—”

“You are wrong. I am not an imposter.” Chongyun snapped his eyes open as Xingqiu’s voice rang out across the clearing like the peal of a bell, uncharacteristically furious. “I am Xingqiu, second son to the Feiyun Commerce Guild, student of the Guhua Path of the Raincutter. I carried my own freezing body to the road so my father’s men could find me. Is that enough proof for you, exorcist?” he hissed, something breaking in his voice. How could you have thought of me as anything else, his eyes cried, a mix of sadness, confusion, and righteous anger welling in them.

Chongyun hesitated. The fire flickered for a moment, before roaring back, brighter than before. “You are still a spirit. A powerful one. As my clan would say, it would be best to sever the rot before it spreads.”

“I don’t wish to fight you!” But Chongyun was already racing toward him, spurred on by the coal in his heart. A distant part of himself sighed in resignation before being swallowed up by heat and anger. 

His silver blade sundered the air in great arcs, Xingqiu ducking and weaving around each one. “You didn’t just lie about being alive, you lied about meeting on good terms, didn’t you? Leading me on, pretending we were friends so I wouldn’t hurt you?” Each miss fanned the flame higher, transforming it into a white hot inferno.

Xingqiu responded, barely dodging Chongyun’s wild swings. “Perhaps it was because you were an exorcist that I never told you my real identity. But I truly thought of you as a friend.”

The exorcist scoffed. “If you were a friend, you would have told me why you can resist my congenital positivity! I’ve never wanted the burden of it, and you withheld your knowledge of it!”

“I didn’t know you wanted it gone... I never thought of why—” Xingqiu tried to explain.

Chongyun cut him off with a snarl. “Do I seem like I want to forget whatever I do when I get slightly warm? Does it look like I want to take the easy route and chase away any spirit I hear of with no effort of mine?” He punctuated his words with a sweep of his blade.

The errant slash grazed Xingqiu, slicing a shallow cut under his eye. He hissed in pain, dropping into a crouch. 

Finally, finally, the spirit summoned his sword from his Vision, holding it gingerly. “This must be what you’re like when you’re heated,” he muttered, coating his blade with water as he slid his palm down the fuller. “I didn’t want to fight you, but I will if I must.” 

Before Chongyun could ready his own sword, a lightning-quick slash upward grazed his clothes, enough to soak him from head to toe. He flinched at the cool touch of rainwater as Xingqiu danced backward, keeping his distance.

His reaction was not lost on the spirit. "...I see. In this state, your weakness now is..." Xingqiu lunged forward in a thrust that would never reach, water streaming from the tip of his blade to sizzle on the surface of the other's Cryo Vision. 

Even as fuzzy-headed as he was, Chongyun's eyes widened. Freezing smoke poured from the sky blue jewel; a defensive mechanism against enemy Vision users. But combined with his drenched clothing—! 

Sheets of frost crackled over his skin, chilling him to the bone. His entire body shook in the sharp cold, slowly draining his anger away.

At that, Xingqiu relaxed his shoulders, dropping his guard a fraction. "Even those with hearts of ice aren't immune to their own element," he murmured, before meeting Chongyun’s still-wild gaze with level eyes. "I assure you, I will think upon the reasons why I am able to withstand your condition. Until we meet again, dear exorcist."

By the time Chongyun managed to free himself from the ice, the spirit was long gone. A twinge of frustration coursed through him, but he hurriedly tamped it down before his affliction could flare up once more. Damn his congenital positivity! He could have learned more, but it had to kick in at the worst time. 

Chongyun could hear his pulse pounding dangerously in his ears. His mantra came to him in an instant. Heart be pure, mind be purged. Calm down, calm down. He held his breath until his lungs hurt, before exhaling and repeating the process.

He could hunt the spirit again later. For now, he deserved a soft bed in Liyue Harbor.

You asking around about the Rain Dragon? Ha, you youngsters always like to meet your heroes. I think I spotted him around Minlin a few days ago.

That Rain Dragon fought a Ruin Guard by himself right in front of me! Where? Um... He was around Cuijue when I saw him two days ago...

At Jueyunjian, there was a Lawachurl, but mister Rain Dragon slew it before I got hurt! Isn’t he super nice?

As he followed the trail of rumors from the city up north, the spirit’s deeds became more and more heroic and adventurous. Chongyun couldn’t help but roll his eyes at a couple—A Ruin Guard in Cuijue Slope? How could it have protected anyone from the machine’s powerful missiles?—but as the days grew longer, the stories other travelers told him of the spirit’s deeds were the brightest points of his hunt.

Finally, after compiling dozens of tales, the trail pointed him to Qingyun Peak, where the road west ended. The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon as he scrambled up the side of a rock wall, climbing higher and higher into the clouds. 

Chongyun hauled himself up onto a ledge, looking up to plot his route, before freezing in place. The spirit he had been tracking sat on the tip of the cliff he stood upon, back facing him. 

Instinctively, Chongyun dropped into a crouch, resting a hand on his hip as he crept forward, ready to summon his claymore from the depths of his Vision. He smoothly pulled a paper seal from the lining of his coat in preparation to strike. If it was resistant to his affliction, he would simply have to use the common method of subduing a spirit. 

His heartbeat quickened in anticipation. Finally being able to do this was refreshing; it was too bad he couldn’t use this tactic more often.

Against the orange sky, Xingqiu’s silhouette straightened. "Ah, Chongyun! You have impeccable timing, the sun is just about to set.” 

Ice ran down Chongyun’s back. It knew he was here? He hastily shoved the seal back into his coat. If it saw what he was trying to do—!

Xingqiu continued on, oblivious. “I wished to talk with you about my theories on how I can resist your condition. One of them involves how I gained my Vision."

"Your Vision?" Chongyun's eyes narrowed. Was the spirit trying to trick him? Lull him into letting it go? His hand tightened further around his own Vision, the chill comforting him. “What does that have anything to do with me, spirit?” he bit out, wary.

Xingqiu paid him no mind. "As you have heard, I was born into the Feiyun Commerce Guild. It was stifling, I must admit." Turning toward Chongyun, he gestured to his side. "But before I tell you my story, come sit with me a while. The sunset is lovely tonight."

Begrudgingly, Chongyun sat. Just far enough away that he could react in case the spirit pulled some trickery, but close enough to cause discomfort to it.

Xingqiu huffed, an airy chuckle. "So contrary. I wonder, if we had met earlier, would we be better friends?" He paused, before shaking his head. "No matter. In any case, I needed more than the small tastes of freedom I was given. I yearned to be like the chivalrous heroes in my novels, helping those I could among the way. So the Goddess of Justice granted me her gift."

Xingqiu's gaze slid from the horizon to Chongyun, meeting his eyes calmly. "Nothing has changed since then, even after my death. Perhaps the reason why your condition affects me to such a minimal degree is because of my ideals." A teasing smirk crept onto his face. “Or perhaps it is like the tales I have read! We may simply be souls destined to meet one another.” 

Ignoring Chongyun’s affronted sputters, Xingqiu continued. “Of course, these are only my theories. I'm sure you have your own, but I am afraid I must be off. Hilichurls wait for no one, not even the dead.” He uncrossed his legs and stood, turning around to flash the other boy a small, nearly fond smile. “May autumn winds bring you luck, my dear exorcist.” With that, he kicked off the ground, flipping off the cliff edge perfectly, as if sundering the rain.

Chongyun flinched, before racing to where the spirit had jumped. When he looked down, there was nothing but the faint scent of rain in the air, muddy petrichor on the breeze.

Rain Dragon... hilichurls... travelers... Stone Gate...

Foot of Mount Hulao... saved me... Abyss Mages... 

Electric Cicins... Yaoguang Shoal... the Dragon...

Rain Dragon... Rain Dragon... Rain Dragon...

After two weeks of fruitlessly searching for the spirit, Chongyun finally ran out of pocket Mora to keep himself fed. He sighed, frustrated, but he had secretly expected his hunt to be cut short by something like this. It was incredibly difficult to track Xingqiu, the slippery snake he was. Since the last time they had met, it was as if he was intentionally making it hard for Chongyun to find him—the rumors made it seem like the spirit was in five places at once, what with recent tales coming from all corners of Liyue. 

As he grabbed every spirit commission he could handle, his thoughts strayed back to Xingqiu. For all his flowery words, he seemed... lonely. Clever and oddly just, but isolated by his own heroism. 

Chongyun shook his head. What was he doing, feeling sorry for the ghost? It was a powerful spirit, who, if left unchecked, could rampage and cause harm to many. Considering how it could fight Chongyun off, it had to be skilled enough to avoid more talented exorcists if it decided to forsake its morals.

The bundle of quest papers was stamped, the clerk eyeing the tall stack as she passed them back. Chongyun ignored her suspicious look as he walked out of the Ministry building. He had people to help, and Mora to make.

The first few jobs were spent searching in vain for the spirits plaguing his clients. Chongyun sighed each time he thought he caught the wisp of something supernatural, only to find it was a lizard or a leaf in the wind. He supposed he still was unable to control his condition, which brought his thoughts back to Xingqiu. What made him so different from the others?

Of course, thinking about Xingqiu summoned the spirit himself. On one quest, Chongyun slew Abyss Mages and hilichurls who “haunted” the hills around a village, where he ran into Xingqiu, finishing off the monster archer who had been taking shots at the exorcist from afar. Chongyun glared up at the spirit, who flashed a mischievous grin before stepping off the tower into empty air.

Another time, while he challenged a chief mitachurl in its hut, Xingqiu dashed in, slashing the monster’s thick hide with swords of water just as Chongyun brought his ice-imbued claymore down on its head, freezing and shattering it to pieces. Among the ashen shards, they silently stared at each other for a moment, unable to say anything. In the end, Xingqiu cautiously backed out of the den, disappearing in a gust of rain that tousled Chongyun’s hair.

Chongyun kept seeing him everywhere he went, flashing in to take care of a slime on the edge of his vision, or quietly standing behind him, ringing his claymore with its own watery echoes. Each time Chongyun had asked why they kept meeting one another on their travels, Xingqiu laughed it off. “Liyue is a small country! Perhaps it is luck that lets us meet,” he claimed, on his fourth quest. 

“I was in the area and I heard a commotion. You were making so much noise, dearest exorcist!” was what he said on his seventh. 

“I thought I heard you yell in pain from the road, so I rushed to your aid, Chongyun! Who knew you could be that loud?” he teased on his ninth mission, before disappearing and leaving behind a roll of bandages.

Each time he answered, the same bittersweet look appeared in Xingqiu’s eyes, before he concealed it with a well-placed smile. Slowly, the ember Chongyun held cooled into only a spark.

Finally, on his last job, the exorcist turned to face Xingqiu, claymore sheathed in his Vision. “I know you’ve been lying every time you’ve answered, spirit. Will you ever tell me the reason why we keep meeting each other on these quests?”

Xingqiu gazed into the distance, lips parted. Wistfulness clouded his features as he finally spoke. “I suppose I wanted to see you more often. You seem as if you would have been a true friend had I been alive.”

As a gray cloud passed over them, Xingqiu’s silhouette vanished with it, leaving Chongyun alone with his thoughts. How could such a powerful ghost be so utterly lonely? 

How could a rain dragon seek comfort from a dragon slayer?

...Could a dragon slayer throw away his sword?

An exorcist is meant to be humankind’s bastion against evil, my son. The spirits who hurt and the spirits who trick both must be exorcised if they cause trouble. We cannot rely on the honorable adepti for everything.

What if the spirit doesn’t hurt or trick? What then?

Best to sever the rot before it spreads. Even spirits with the best of intentions can hurt, can kill if they aren’t careful. And many of them aren’t.

Alright, father. I will keep that in mind.

With enough Mora to last him another few weeks, Chongyun set out once more, armed with new knowledge. Ever since their fourth meeting on Mount Qingyun, he had a sneaking suspicion that Xingqiu had intentionally led him there. 

Knowing that, Chongyun sought out more than just the fantastical stories. From his lengthy talks with travelers from the Adventurer’s Guild and the whispers of rumors about the Rain Dragon, he had an inkling of where Xingqiu would appear next. 

Before he left the lucky red lanterns of the harbor behind, he met up with a Mondstadtian adventurer, giving her some of his precious Mora to rent her spare wind glider. The final piece he needed to intercept the spirit. 

Chongyun fastened the wings around himself as he hiked up the side of Mount Tianheng, climbing to one of its twin peaks. As he sat on the northern peak, he paused, summoning his courage. “Honored Barbatos, Rex Lapis, keep me safe on my journey through the clouds,” Chongyun whispered into the blue sky, the folded glider frames on his back yearning for freedom.

A gust of wind blew into his face. He took it as a sign, getting to his feet and jumping off the stone ledge. For one terrifying moment, he fell down, glider unresponsive, before the wings snapped open, buoying him upward. 

A rare smile spread across Chongyun’s lips as he soared over hawks circling the mountain peak, almost close enough to touch. As he glided farther away from the mountain, he looked down at the plains, dappled with green and golden-brown grass, and the clear, clear water of Luhua, before gazing up, not wanting to miss anything. His smile grew bigger. The clouds were so beautiful from where he floated, cool against his skin when he shot through them like a bird. 

All too soon, his feet grazed the ground of Guili. As he landed, the wind glider folded shut, the blessing of Barbatos spent temporarily. 

Chongyun sighed as the thrill of flight faded away, leaving only cool determination. He placed a hand on his Vision before marching to the nearest hilichurl camp. He needed to talk with Xingqiu again.

As Xingqiu materialized in the middle of the field, he frowned. This was the fourth camp that had been cleared out before he had arrived. He took a step toward the remaining hilichurl tower before freezing. Chongyun sat atop it, parasol resting on his shoulder as he polished his blade under noon’s light. 

He finally defeated me, a fond voice whispered where his heart used to beat.

As if hearing his thoughts, the exorcist glanced at Xingqiu. He snapped shut his parasol before leaping down from the tower in a swift movement. “Fight me,” he said, in lieu of greeting.

Xingqiu’s eyes widened. “Fight you? Why?”

“I... have been thinking.” Chongyun pulled on a cold mask, shading his turbulent thoughts with a face of ice. “Over these weeks, we have gotten to know each other well. Now, tell me what it is you fight for, with every swing of your blade, and I will tell you mine. If my convictions ring out over yours, I will have the right to slay you where you stand. If you win, we’ll continue this game of cat and mouse for however long you wish.”

“You know that’s not what I want, but I like those odds, dear Chongyun.” Xingqiu slid his longsword from his Vision, dropping into a ready position. “Shall we dance?”

The barest hint of a smile touched Chongyun’s lips. “May Rex Lapis bless this battle.” With that, he raced forward, claymore shining with ice.

Xingqiu danced to the side as Chongyun slammed down his blade. “Interesting move, my dear. But I’ve seen your openers.” He leaped forward, letting water extend his blade as he lunged. 

Chongyun parried the sword, freezing the liquid on it into useless shapes. His cat-slit eyes glimmered as they spotted an opening. Quick as a viper, he mirrored Xingqiu in a lunge of his own, grabbing the spirit’s blue coat and pulling him closer until Chongyun’s claymore was at his throat. 

For a moment, neither of them dared to utter a word, too caught up in the breathlessness of the short fight. 

Chongyun was the first to break the silence. “Do you yield, Xingqiu?”

“I—I yield.” The spirit let go of his sword, dropping it onto the dirt.

Chongyun relaxed slightly, releasing Xingqiu’s coat. He exhaled, steeling himself. “I wanted to ask you a question. One I need you to answer truthfully.”

“Everything I’ve said up to now has been truthful. But I digress. What would you like to know, Chongyun?” Xingqiu glanced at him, a mischievous tilt to his lips. 

Chongyun’s heart sank. He had no idea as to what the exorcist was about to ask.

From hours of poring over the Field Guide to Demons and Beasts, Chongyun knew Xingqiu was a strange spirit. Most were caught in loops, unable to understand that they were deceased. Others searched fruitlessly for lost wedding rings or items that meant much to them when alive. In comparison, Xingqiu was seemingly untethered, nothing but his own ideals spurring him ever onward. 

But all ghosts shared one trait. All of them first appeared in the form they were in the moment they died. Any other form they took was an illusion.

“Show me your true self. However much I believe what you say about who you are, I can only trust what I see.”

Xingqiu flinched, hard. He opened his mouth to protest, but closed it as he spotted the exorcist’s calm gaze. “Now?”

“Yes.”

Xingqiu looked away, unable to meet his eyes. “Are you certain?” 

The sheer reluctance in Xingqiu’s voice made Chongyun hesitate, guilt piling even higher. His grip on the claymore wavered, before he forced his fingers to curl tighter on the hilt. “I am.”

Xingqiu stared down the sword point at his throat, before sighing. For once, he let the illusion melt away. His hair became sodden in an instant, blowing in an invisible breeze. His skin paled, lips cracking as they faintly purpled. Mud streaked his fine blue robes, and hazy bloodstains ringed the white tops of his shoes. Only his eyes stayed the same, vibrant and glowing like Cor Lapis. 

Chongyun exhaled sharply. For once, Xingqiu looked like the spirit he was. Inhuman. Terrifying.

Beautiful, Chongyun’s mind whispered. He frowned darkly at the stray thought.

A wry smile pulled at Xingqiu’s chapped lips as he noticed the grimace. “Well, you can see why I dislike looking like this. I don’t seem to be as... approachable in this form. All this grime makes me unbecoming.” He plucked at his muddy coat. “I will admit, I have my vanities. I never meant to be out long enough to lose my looks, but it is what happened.”

“No—” Chongyun blurted, before stiffening. What was he saying?

“Hmm?”

Too late to back down now. “You—you’re as lovely as ever,” Chongyun let the words tumble out, pink flushing his face.

Xingqiu’s wry smile softened into something truer, shier. “Oh? Thank you for the compliment, dear Chongyun. But the both of us know it means nothing, considering the situation we’re in. After all, I suppose no matter the feelings we have, you are an exorcist and I, a spirit.”

He sighed, returning his gaze to the blade at his neck. “We made a promise, and you are nothing but loyal to them. Make it quick, if you must. Death was not swift for me, and I do so hate its chill.”

Chongyun’s hands shook, caught in a dilemma. Though he had expected to win, he hadn’t expected Xingqiu to truly give up. 

Finally, he loosened his grip on the hilt, letting the tip of his claymore graze the waving blades of grass. “...Go. If I see you again, I must banish you.”

That same bittersweet expression ghosted across Xingqiu’s face. Why did the spirit always look at him like that? Why couldn’t he simply be evil? “Alright. So be it.” In an instant, his form faded into mist, leaving behind the scent of rain.

The wind picked up, tousling Chongyun’s hair as he finally let his sword drop, dissolving into light. He let his shoulders untense as he sighed, willing himself to calm down.

A glint of light flashed in the grass. Where Xingqiu had dropped his sword, only a sapphire jewel lay. His Vision.

Furrowing his brow, Chongyun knelt to pick it up, turning it from side to side. The tassel at its end swayed with the motion.

Chongyun stared down at the innocuous gem. Xingqiu couldn’t have just abandoned it. Visions were precious things to every one of their wielders. Had... he left it behind for another reason? The exorcist’s mind churned, confused. 

In the end, he clasped it to a loop on his belt. The next time he returned to the harbor, he would have it purified.

...

He didn’t have it purified. 

The blue jewel soon became a comforting weight on his hip, emanating soft coolness to mirror the soothing chill at his other side. Occasionally, after a particularly gruelling fight, he would rest a palm on its surface, letting the sound of rain wash over him at its touch.

With the loss of the spirit’s vision, the rumors about the Rain Dragon had long since stopped. A twinge of something plucked in Chongyun’s heart as gossip flitted to juicier topics, but he turned away from the rumormongers, focusing on news of recent spirit sightings in Liyue.

He picked one of the papers from the board behind the Adventurer’s Guild, handing it to the woman standing beside it. She hummed, before stamping it with her seal and passing it back to him. 

“As per usual, exorcist,” she sighed, “bring back proof if it isn’t a spirit. We've had too many attempt to claim rewards they didn’t earn.”

Chongyun dipped his head. “Of course. Thank you.” He folded the paper into quarters, tucking it into one of his coat’s inner pockets, before setting out on the day-long journey.

Chongyun sighed, disappointed. Just an Abyss Mage mistaken for something more sinister. He stooped to collect the broken branch it used, tucking it into his coat as proof. 

The Hydro Vision on his belt flickered as a shadow crept up from behind. Still contemplating his next commission, he barely noticed anything wrong.

“Chongyun!” A familiar voice snapped him from his reverie. Chongyun whipped his head around, just in time to watch a slash of water bisect the hilichurl that had snuck up on him. As its body dissolved into ash, the blur of blue that had saved him solidified into a figure. 

The silhouette was unmistakable. “Xingqiu...” he breathed, uncomprehending. 

The other boy exhaled heavily, shoulders rising and falling, before turning around. “I’m glad I could save you in time, dear exorcist.” 

Chongyun’s eyes widened. Muddy clothing, damp hair... Xingqiu stood before him as a spirit once more.

That same bittersweet expression crumpled Xingqiu’s face again. “Ah... I apologize. I do not look my best. I will... try to pull myself together, if I may.” He began to turn back around, but Chongyun interrupted, hand reaching out uselessly. 

“No, wait! I know you hate to look like this, but why didn’t you appear in your regular form first?”

Xingqiu froze, confusion in his eyes. “I... There was no time to lose. You were in danger, were you not?”

Chongyun pressed on. He could feel himself heating up, but he needed answers. “But you didn’t have to intervene. Why did you save me? You could have let me die, and no longer have had anyone chasing you endlessly.”

“...I don’t know.” Silence rang out, both boys unable to break the fragile moment. Finally, Xingqiu sighed.

“I don’t know why I saved you, Chongyun, but I do care for you. I meant everything I said before, about you being a friend.” The bittersweet expression reappeared, this time more bitter than sweet. “Though, I suppose since I broke my promise, you... have the right to exorcise me.”

Chongyun’s fingers twitched, the mention of his work making him itch to wrap them around the hilt of his sword. “...No. I won’t.” He clenched his hand into a fist. “You saved my life, Xingqiu. How could I repay a debt with that?” 

“Oh.” A quiet sort of shock in Xingqiu’s voice mirrored the stunned look on his face. For once, he was the one dumbstruck.

“And one other thing.” Chongyun unclasped Xingqiu’s Vision from his belt, taking a second to bid farewell to its comforting depths. “I’ve... missed hearing of the Rain Dragon’s exploits.” He thrust the blue jewel into Xingqiu’s hands. “Take it. The next time we meet, we meet as friends.”

A smile blossomed on the other boy’s face, mud and rain fading from his form. “Friends... I would like that.” Xingqiu accepted the gift, refastening his Vision to his coat smoothly. It gleamed brightly, as if it sensed its true owner’s presence. “I’m glad I could save you. May we meet again, dear Chongyun,” he called as he dissolved into rain.

“May we meet again, Xingqiu. This time without strife,” Chongyun whispered into the breeze as Xingqiu faded from view.

Have you heard of the Rain Dragon’s adventures recently?

Yeah, he saved a bunch of merchants from a whopperflower!

What? Just a whopperflower? I heard he fought an entire regisvine to save a traveler who had fallen into its den!

Well, have you heard that he fought three Abyss Mages by himself? Bet you didn’t know that!

Each time Chongyun returned to the harbor, the stories became wilder and wilder. Every tale that passed his ears brought a fond smile to his lips as he pored over his next quests.

With his Vision returned, Xingqiu often visited Chongyun as he set out on his jobs, the two of them laughing and talking together before the spirit sensed someone in danger and had to bid him a hasty farewell. Secretly, Chongyun thought that in his absence, the world seemed just the tiniest bit dimmer.

Other times, Xingqiu would accompany him to the bounty boards, casually handing him his Hydro Vision as the spirit swirled unseen around Liyue. 

Once, on the road outside of the city, Chongyun asked why he couldn’t walk with him through the harbor. “I miss looking at you when you’re invisible,” he admitted. “I never know if you’re around.”

Xingqiu paused in the middle of repinning his Vision, looking up at him fondly. “Ah, you never said anything before! Truly, I do wish I could stand beside you, but the risk that I will be recognized by the Guild or the rumor mill is too high.” He finished fiddling with his coat and patted Chongyun’s head, ruffling his hair lightly. “But don’t worry! I am never too far from you, even when you don’t see me.”

Chongyun leaned into his cool touch. “That comforts me more than you could know.”

One stormy day, Xingqiu joined him on a cliff above Liyue Harbor as he gazed down at the city, letting the rain drizzle onto his clothes. They sat together in silence for a few minutes, before Chongyun spoke.

“Sometimes I think about if we had met sooner.”

Xingqiu glanced at him curiously. “Hmm? What do you mean?”

Chongyun exhaled, looking up at the sky. “You died only a few months before we met. If we had met earlier, I could have saved you.”

A flash of something unnameable ghosted Xingqiu’s face before it faded into wistfulness. “You couldn’t have saved me from freezing in the rain, dearest Chongyun.”

“But I could have been there.” His voice grew thick. “Or we could have run away from your family much more safely.”

Xingqiu paused. “...There’s no use dwelling on things that didn’t happen,” he sighed, dropping his gaze into the grass.

Instead of speaking, Chongyun clenched his hands at his sides. How could the archons have let this happen? Why did Xingqiu have to die? His nails dug into the palm of his hand.

The motion didn’t go unnoticed. Xingqiu took one of his fists, softly covering it with his own hand. “Regardless, I'm glad we met now. Better late than never.”

“Better late than never,” Chongyun echoed, letting his fingers uncurl and grasp Xingqiu’s palm.

Another time, after they had finished exploring some of Lisha’s ancient ruins, Chongyun bit his lip, uncharacteristically nervous. “Xingqiu... I wanted to show you something.” His grip tightened on the book he held behind his back.

Xingqiu looked over from where he was unpacking their picnic. “Oh, what is it?” 

Chongyun exhaled, pulling the book out from behind him. “I’ve told you about the spirit book passed down in my family, right?”

“You have— Wait. Did you—?” Xingqiu’s eyes widened, before he spun around to face him. His gaze landed on the notebook in Chongyun’s hand. “You didn’t—!”

Chongyun slowly flipped the book open to the page he had marked, before pushing it over to Xingqiu, who took it with trembling hands.

An ink drawing of the swordsman peered up from the paper, face caught in a wistful smile as he gazed into the distance. 

Xingqiu looked down at his portrait, then back up at his friend, lips parting in wonder. “I love it,” he breathed, throwing his arms around Chongyun. The exorcist froze for a second, before giving Xingqiu a small smile, shyly wrapping him into a tight hug.

“I’m glad you like it,” he whispered, burying his warm face in Xingqiu’s silk coat.

Eventually, Chongyun couldn’t imagine his life without Xingqiu.

It was on an unseasonably warm night, looking up at the constellations on the rooftops of Liyue Harbor with their legs tangled together, that Chongyun asked. “We are more than friends, Xingqiu?” 

Xingqiu smiled at that, taking his gaze away from the sky and looking into his eyes like they were the stars. “Of course. You are my cloud nine, my lover-in-arms.” He pressed something into the palm of Chongyun’s hand, gently closing his fingers around it.

Chongyun glanced down, heat rising in his face. At his expression, Xingqiu nodded, smile creeping to his eyes. 

Chongyun swallowed and slowly unfurled his grip, like a glaze lily in bloom. The depths of the sea shone in the middle of his glove. He stared at Xingqiu dumbfoundedly. “Your… your Vision?” 

Xingqiu’s smile grew impossibly wider. “You had my heart from the beginning. Now you have my soul, my dearest Chongyun.”

Chongyun gaped at him like a fish, mouth opening and closing. Impulsively, he swept Xingqiu into a tight embrace, clutching the jewel as if it was one of the gods’ gnoses. 

Xingqiu’s arms snaked around him. “Wherever you go, I will go with you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to Chongyun’s forehead. “You have my word, dear Chongyun. May Rex Lapis seal our contract together.”

They stayed together on the rooftop, arms wrapped around one another as the sky lightened from night to day.

There once was a famed exorcist, trained in the ancient arts and known for his icy aura. Wherever he went, spirits fled; all except for one, who stood by his side as a guardian (his lover, some bards insist).

Legends tell that when the time came, the two ascended to the heights of Celestia, together. Other tales claim their spirits still walk the land, protecting the people of Liyue from evil.

Either way, it is said that when you feel the kiss of soft rains upon your brow, or hear the quiet whispers of falling snow in your heart, the pair of guardians watch over you.

Occasionally, a cerulean-haired storyteller visits Liyue Harbor, always accompanied by a man with a shock of icy blue. He is a favorite of many younger children, his tales exhilarating and dynamic. But if you ask him about the famed exorcist and his guardian spirit, he tells only this short story. 

“Once upon a time, there were two boys. One, a spirit. The other, an exorcist. Through toil and trouble they stuck to one another, paying no mind to the whispers and glances brought their way. In the end, their combined efforts vanquished many of the great evils from the past, and they had faith that the many smaller ones would not go unseen by those after them.

“When the exorcist fell, the two were brought into the palaces of Celestia. But the mansions of rest offered to them was not what they wished for. Instead, they proposed a compromise to the gods, one that allowed them to return as spirits to watch over the land they had lived and died in.

“Their love for their country and each other outshined eternal paradise. Touched by their affection, the archons granted them the powers of rain and snow, so they could walk the land of Liyue once more, protecting and comforting its people in small ways.”

At the end of the story, there inevitably is a curious child who asks this question. “What happened to the two of them?”

The storyteller always laughs, leaning against the other man, who stares down at him with a fond smile. “We may not ever know. But I believe they are happy together, watching the people of Liyue prosper.”

fin.