Ever since Version 2.7 came out, Genshin Impact players have been breaking their heads over the Yakshas. What are Yakshas? Who are the five Yakshas? Why do Yakshas exist? And wait a minute… Xiao is a Yaksha?
True, the Yaksha storyline can be a little confusing. There’s Alatus, Bosacius, and something with Zhongli. It’s important to the story of the Adepti though, and vital if you wish to understand the history of Liyue. To answer every question you might have about the Genshin Impact Yakshas, here’s the full story explained. Oh, and of course: spoilers for Version 2.7 ahead!
Who are the Genshin Impact Yakshas?
Throughout the Genshin Impact storyline, we’ve received little bits and pieces of information on the identity of the Yakshas. The latest Archon Quest in Genshin Impact 2.7, Perilous Trail, tells us a lot more about their identity.
Yakshas are a race of Illuminated Beasts: extremely powerful creatures with supernatural abilities. They’re counted among the Adepti, they’re great at combat, and they live extremely long lives. While their true form is that of an animal, they can often take on a humanoid form.
In the game’s lore, Yakshas are described as aggressive, warmongering creatures. They have a great sense of duty, and spare no means to fulfill it.
Yakshas, Morax, and the Archon War
After the Archon War broke out, Morax (also known as Rex Lapis, the Lord of Geo, or our good old friend Zhongli) tried to defend his people in Liyue from the gods’ malevolence. Although he managed to kill some of the gods, this resulted in a new threat spawning from the impaled bodies: demons. Morax realized he needed some backup against these vile creatures, and so he called upon the Yakshas.
Although the Yakshas were the perfect demon-fighters, they eventually became corrupted by the darkness they were battling. They built up a “karmic debt,” which tarnished their souls and caused them to descend into madness. Some Yakshas perished as a result of this madness, others turned on each other. Only one Yaksha managed to survive: Alatus, the Conqueror of Demons. Also known as Xiao.
The Five Yaksha’s Names and Lore
That brings us to the story of the five Yakshas, the most powerful members of the Yaksha race. All except one (Xiao) perished a long time ago. Thanks to the cutscene in Genshin Impact Version 2.7, we now know their identities, Elements, and what they looked like.
- Alatus (Anemo, male). Better known as Xiao. These days, the only remaining Yaksha enjoys being a bit of an edgelord and hanging out at Wangshu Inn.
- Bosacius (Electro, male). The one with the purple clothes and four arms. Was the leader of the Five Yakshas. He survived the battle against the demons and was the last Yaksha to die, leaving only Xiao alive. However, after seeing so many of his kin succumb to karmic debt, he abandoned his duties and eventually became mad.
Bosacius played a heroic role in the cataclysm, when monsters from Khaenri’ah tried to invade Liyue through The Chasm. Although he didn’t remember his own name, Bosacius was attracted to the bloodshed and joined in the fight against the monsters.
He helped form a plan involving the Fantastic Compass, a catalyst that could manipulate time and space, to seal away the monsters. The energy needed to charge the Fantastic Compass had to come from an Adeptus and a human. Bosacius volunteered to be the Adeptus, thus trapping himself in chaos.
In the legends, he became known as the Nameless Yaksha who saved Liyue.
Just before he died, Bosacius remembered his past. - Bonanus (Hydro, female). This blue, horned Yaksha and her colleague Menogias are said to have killed each other in battle, as a result of their karmic debt-related madness.
- Menogias (Geo, male). A long-haired Yaksha dressed in gold/brownish colors. He and Bonanus are said to have killed each other.
- Indarias (Pyro, female). The red-haired Yaksha that looks like she’s on fire. She is thought to have gone mad with fear before she perished during the Archon War, also as a result of karmic debt.
The Yaksha Legacy: The Story of Xiao and Zhongli
As the sole survivor of the Yaksha race, it’s clear that Xiao is highly resistant to corruption. He once came very close to succumbing, but was saved when he heard music played by Venti, the Anemo Archon.
As a result of the Yakshas tainted history and his own karmic debt, Xiao keeps his distance from others, such as his pupil Ganyu. It seems that Xiao used to be close to the other Yakshas before the corruption set in, but if he comes close to other people now, it is possible he could taint them with his karmic debt. If you ever wondered why Xiao is such a loner, now you know.
While they don’t seem to hang out all the time, the Conqueror of Demons has a lot of respect for Zhongli, as he once freed Xiao from a malevolent god. As a result, Xiao doesn’t want to hear anyone speak ill of the Lord of Geo. The bond goes both ways; Zhongli is the one who gave Xiao his name and also prepares him medicine to make the pain of the karmic debt more bearable.
As for the Yakshas legacy? Although much has been forgotten, they do live on in Liyue’s folklore. And at the top of Wangshu Inn of course, eating the occasional dish of almond tofu (but only we know about that, of course).
What do you think of the Yaksha story? Let us know your thoughts on this piece of Genshin Impact lore in the comments!
