One flower, One sword

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As predicted - a few hours after the tea was fed - the curse completely faded. However, there were zero signs of Aether waking up. Previously it was a suspicion, but now they could be sure. Aether's consciousness was locked in that cursed blade that disappeared.

Well, this was annoying, but nothing can be done about it. A day before the ritual, Lumine told them about the cursed blade. Maledictio.

This blade possessed the ability to 'steal' its victim's consciousness. Not the soul - which made Maledictio's ability quite complicated.

When Maledictio enters its victim's body it goes into a 'locked' state, during its locked state Maledictio attempts to taint the victim's soul, which is always unsuccessful because Maledictio's power is far too weak to taint the soul itself. However, because its spiritual attack is unsuccessful it pulls out its trump card - violently breaking out of the locked state.

When Maledictio's locked state is interrupted, it automatically 'steals' its victim's consciousness, a defensive act one could say. After the consciousness is stolen, it's permanently stuck in Maledictio's physical body until Maledictio steals another soul and is forced to release the other one.

And that is what exactly happened to Aether. To get Aether's consciousness back they needed to find the sword first, which was who knows where. Fortunately, they had a way to find it. According to Lumine, the sword possessed an immensely strong aura of darkness so following its traces will be quite easy.

Zhongli previously said that when he comes back from being a consultant at the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor for the day, he and Xiao would discuss their next move.

And so the time came. Zhongli was done with his work for the day and came back to decide his and Xiao's next move. Both of them were sitting by a table, hot tea poured into clay cups.

"I remember Lumine saying that Maledictio has a bright black aura that leaves its traces just about anywhere. We could try following the aura and see where it leads," Xiao suggested picking up his cup.

"Yes, I was also thinking about that and that will be our main course of action. I know adept arts that could help us with that," Zhongli drank a mouthful and began explaining.

Somehow Zhongli managed to turn his explanation into a story of sorts. But to briefly summarise he said that while he was taking a walk through Liyue Harbor he remembered a spell to call upon one's soul's traces and that it could be helpful to their case.

Little into the story, Xiao recognized what art Zhongli was talking about and so the latter didn't have the need to finish his telling. To perform this spell one had to cut a lock of the subject's hair and place it in a Lotuss-filled water.

Then one had to chant a spell and the strongest aura surrounding the soul could be seen. Honestly speaking Zhongli wasn't entirely sure if this was what they needed but it was better to try something than do nothing at all.

Xiao stated that he would go fetch the materials and disappeared, leaving his tea unfinished. After Zhongli took his time finishing his tea he went to grab a pair of scissors and cut a piece of Aether's hair and tied it together with a string.

Sometime later Zhongli went out into the yard and noticed that the lotuses were spread on the ground and concluded that Xiao must have left them.

Since the water had to be taken from Mt. Aocang Xiao still wasn't done with the preparations on his side. Once he was he placed the bowl filled with water on a table Zhongli had prepared and carefully laid out the lotuses in a specific pattern.

Then Zhongli came with Aether's hair and left the chanting part to Xiao. Truthfully speaking there was a catch to this spell, one Xiao didn't know but Zhongli did. And because of this catch, Zhongli judged that it was better to let Xiao call upon Aether's soul.