Xiao was the first character banner of Genshin Impact version 1.3 and the second anemo five-star. He is a DPS character who uses a polearm to attack his enemies quickly. His unique elemental burst drains his health while increasing his attack power, giving him an interesting playstyle.
Through cutscenes, you can tell that Xiao isn't one for idle conversation, so without pulling him, it can be hard to learn much about this stoic character. However, it's worth looking for the knowledge as Xiao carries a large part of Liyue's history with him. He may be one of the most heartbreaking characters added in the game due to his dark past and ties to constant war.
Updated on October 14, 2021, by Jessica Thomas: Xiao is one of the most popular characters in Genshin Impact for several reasons. The first being that his ultimate turns him into a destructive pogo stick. Xiao is known for being one of the characters least willing to have fun in the game, as he tries to keep up a hardened appearance. As most fans now know though, with just a bit of encouragement and some almond tofu, Xiao becomes a much softer character. This, combined with the interesting history of Liyue's Yaksha, makes him a character worth really diving into, especially if you are a fan of Genshin fan theories.
12 Xiao's A Tsundere
Xiao is known for his hardened personality, but those around him know that he has a kind heart. Xiao is highly protective over the Traveler, to the point that they only need to speak his name to have him appear in front of them.
He also has a soft spot for Ganyu and takes time out of his day to train her. This is despite the fact that it seems like Xiao doesn't have any strong feelings towards her. He is even more than happy to help Xiangling with her cooking when asked.
11 Xiao is Curious About Humans
Despite the fact that the Traveler pretty much had to drag Xiao to the Lantern Rite festival, he did go out of curiosity. The game shows that Xiao is breath taken by the human event, despite the fact he constantly claimed that he had no interest in festivals.
Xiao also mentions wandering about the city with the Traveler in his housing companion lines. Of course, he still claims that he has no interest in learning about mortals.
10 Xiao's True Name Is Atalus
It's not exactly an uncommon thing in the world of Teyvat for characters to hide or change their name. After all, Tartaglia's real name is Ajax, and Fischl's birth name is Amy.
Xiao was originally called by another name, as well, but this is incredibly far in the past and now all but forgotten. His true name is Alatus, but he will likely not admit this to many of the humans around him. Since Alatus is his adepti name, it's safe to assume that Ganyu, Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, and Moon Carver are all aware of his real name.
9 He's Thousands Of Years Old
Xiao, like Ganyu and Zhongli, has been around since the Archon War which makes them all thousands of years old. Originally Xiao was actually serving another god but was treated cruelly by him.
It wasn't until Zhongli intervened that Xiao was set free from his grasp. Since being freed, Xiao has vowed to serve Zhongli and protect the people of Liyue from danger. Given his age and life experience, his stoic exterior is starting to make sense.
8 He Is The Only Yaksha Left
Originally, there were five Yaksha who all used different elements to fight against their enemies. This isn't an uncommon theme to find in video games, as it stems from real-world legends and myths. The other four Yaksha were named Bosacius, Indarias, and Menogias.
Sadly, three of these yakshas were killed, and Bosacius is considered to be missing in action. The other Yaksha possess the powers of geo, pyro, hydro, and electro. Being the last of his kind would not only be a huge burden but probably left a big void in his soul.
7 He Is Bound To Fighting
Xiao doesn't exactly have the best job in the world as he is eternally bound to an endless cycle of fighting. Since Liyue is a region where evil gods are imprisoned beneath the service, monsters normally appear. That means that Xiao is sent to get rid of them before they hurt the citizens of Liyue.
Since the gods can't fully be subdued, this cycle will continue to happen for all eternity. Talk about a crappy job placement, huh? Xiao and Hades from Greek myth would probably be fast friends.
6 Wangshu Inn Exists To Support Him
Wangshu Inn is seen as a great place to take a vacation in Teyvat. In reality, it is actually a front put up by the Qixing. An agent of the Qixing, Verr Goblet, runs the Wangshu Inn and is there to support Xiao.
It provides him a place to rest when it is needed and, while he doesn't say it, Xiao greatly appreciates this. This is the reason that Xiao can be found at the location during the main story quest in Liyue.
5 He Loves Almond Tofu
![Xiao-Genshin-Impact-Cropped[1]](https://static1.thegamerimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Xiao-Genshin-Impact-Cropped1.jpg?q=50&fit=crop&w=740&dpr=1.5)
Xiao is a bit hard to talk to, but it is noted in his story that he loves almond tofu. In fact, when he goes to the Wangshu Inn to rest, he is greeted with a bowl of the delicious dish. The innkeeper goes as far as noting that when he is eating it, he has a huge smile on his face.
This seems to be one of the few things left in the world that is able to make Xiao truly happy again. Hard same Xiao, hard same.
4 Xiao's Greatest Enemy is Himself
Xiao has constantly been fighting against the enemies of Liyue for thousands of years. Before that, he was forced to kill when he was imprisoned by an evil god. Due to this, Xiao has seen many violent acts throughout his life and is still haunted from his time before meeting Zhongli.
Xiao often wrestles with himself and is in great pain over some of the destruction he has caused. Even if he is ultimately fighting for good, it can't feel good wreaking all that havoc.
3 Venti Saved Xiao
The Yaksha are fated to succumb to the hate and malice they had taken in from years of war. Xiao was on his way from a battle when his karma started to overtake him. Just as he was about to give up, he heard the sound of Venti playing his flute in the distance. That night Venti saved Xiao's life, whether the windborne bard realizes it or not.
The song Venti played was peaceful enough to soothe the Yaksha and push back the hatred from consuming him. While it doesn't seem like the two have met yet, Xiao still seems to listen to the sound of Venti play on occasion. Perhaps there is hope for quelling the hate permanently?
2 He Has A Sweet Side
While Xiao may not seem like it, he has a sweet side. He is more than happy to protect those he cares for and is extremely happy when someone remembers to thank him. He even admits to the Traveler that he wants to get to know them better and seems happy to travel.
Xiao has a kind heart that seeks to be loved, despite the fact he is in an endless cycle of battling enemies. That makes the sweet moments all better and more impactful.
1 Xiao Loves Zhongli
Xiao will be one of the first people to spring to Zhongli's defense. He has unwavering respect and loyalty towards Zhongli for renaming him and saving him from his imprisonment. He won't tolerate those who speak badly of him and is happy to serve the people of Liyue in return for his freedom. This was shown when he protected Liyue from Osial, despite the fact that he believed the Geo Archon to be dead.
Xiao would likely fight in an Archon War again if Zhongli ever decided to take back his Geo Gnosis. Imagine the difficult inner tension Xiao would feel then. Sadly, another war would likely kill Xiao as his karma build-up would be too much to bear.