Chapter 66

A sinister voice rose from beside his ear.

It exploded like thunder, and Jiang Yan suddenly flashed aside, dodging.

When he looked at the person who had spoken, he froze in place, utterly stunned.

There stood a youth with short black hair, poised above the starry sky.

His pupils were pitch black, and a playful smile played on his face.

"First meeting. I am your heart demon."

"My name is Jiang Yan!"

Gazing at the person before him who looked exactly like his past self, Jiang Yan's expression darkened.

"Why... why are you my heart demon!"

"Why?"

The 'Jiang Yan' across from him, as if hearing the funniest joke ever, suddenly burst into loud laughter.

Jiang Yan looked calmly at the youth before him.

"Hey! Jiang Yan..."

"I am you..."

"So, why can't I be your heart demon?"

The 'Jiang Yan' smiled playfully.

"You haven't answered my question directly."

Jiang Yan frowned; he truly couldn't understand.

Why would he himself become his own heart demon.

"I asked what reason caused you to become my heart demon."

"Heh, why indeed..."

The 'Jiang Yan' tapped his chin, feigning deep thought.

Suddenly, he turned and asked Jiang Yan:

"Hey, Jiang Yan, do you know how many years you have lived in Teyvat?"

Hearing the question from the 'Jiang Yan' across from him, Jiang Yan paused in surprise.

How many years... have I lived in Teyvat...

"It should be... over twenty years, I suppose..."

"Yes, over twenty years..."

The 'Jiang Yan' said it lightly.

He lifted his foot, and in almost an instant, arrived before Jiang Yan.

"Then, can you still remember"

"your past self?"

Jiang Yan was bewildered by the heart demon's question.

"What kind of question is that? I certainly... remember..."

Confusion grew deeper in Jiang Yan's eyes.

Remember?

It seemed that in his memory, his memories of his past life were becoming increasingly blurred...

Gazing at the familiar black-haired youth before him, Jiang Yan's frown deepened further.

"It seems you have realized it by now..."

The 'Jiang Yan' stared at Jiang Yan's furrowed brow, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

"Specifically, when did it start?"

"Ah... it should have been when you began wanting to protect the people here... or rather, the moment you truly integrated into Teyvat, I was already born."

"Twenty years, what a long twenty years..."

"You only lived for twenty years in your past life as well."

"Memories gradually covering over, causing your memories of your past life to begin fading."

"You should have realized this long ago."

"This is the 'erosion' between you and me..."

Erosion is the constraint the Heavenly Principles impose upon the Seven Archons.

But Jiang Yan is not one of the Seven Archons, nor does he possess the status of an Archon.

"So... what do you intend to do?"

Jiang Yan stared at the heart demon before him and said.

The 'Jiang Yan' looked at Jiang Yan before him, gazing for a long time.

Suddenly, he smiled.

"You have grown."

He said, "You, who have lived two lives, possess a will far stronger than any of your peers."

Having finished speaking, he extended his hand.

Jiang Yan said nothing, merely staring silently at the 'Jiang Yan' before him.

The 'Jiang Yan' chuckled and explained:

"Let us two make peace."

"You are clearly my heart demon, yet you do not think of how to kill me?"

Jiang Yan was now truly somewhat puzzled.

The actions of the heart demon before him were not the kind of heart demon he knew.

By all rights, shouldn't there be a struggle first, followed by a victory or defeat?

'Jiang Yan' seemed to know what Jiang Yan was thinking, smiling and shaking his head.

"If we fight here, even if we fight for a lifetime, we will never reach a conclusion."

"I am one with you; what you know, I know equally; what you realize in sudden enlightenment, I realize immediately after."

"Our minds are united; we are destined to fail to reach a conclusion."

"Such a struggle is meaningless."

Jiang Yan did not refute; he had realized this point long ago.

So he had originally thought this would be a difficult battle.

"Do you know? To be honest, when I first came into being, I was thinking about how to replace you."

'Jiang Yan' spoke softly.

"But as time passed, I gradually changed this idea."

"Why must I replace you?"

"Why can't I be one with you?"

"I am the product of your memories; logically speaking, I am you."

"My disappearance is the best outcome for both of us."

Jiang Yan looked carefully at the black-haired youth before him; suddenly, he moved his feet, reached out, and clasped his hand.

"Thank you, Jiang Yan."

"Before I disappear, will you make a vow with me?"

'Jiang Yan' said with a smile; faint lights began to appear around him, indicating his disappearance was not far off.

"What vow?"

"Teyvat is merely a world bubble about to be swallowed by the Sea of Quanta; save it!"

"I believe that you, possessing the System, can do this!"

Jiang Yan was slightly stunned, then smiled.

"Even if you didn't say it, I would do it!"

"That is good!"

'Jiang Yan' smiled, turned into points of starlight, and merged into his own body.

Suddenly, the surrounding sky shattered, and a beam of blinding light shone into Jiang Yan's eyes.

The surrounding scenery changed abruptly, and the landscape belonging to Teyvat appeared once more.