Yaksha Archer#

The bow's stark snap doth kindle fright, The arrow's tip doth chaos incite. Blind eyes traded for an enlightened heart, Fate's ear deaf to a beneficent start.

In the past, the Yaksha King was betrayed by the celestial beings, leading to the massacre of the royal family and the downfall of the Yaksha Kingdom. After the kingdom's collapse, the yakshas were forced into exile. The ceremonial archers, who once guarded the royal entourage, clung to their former glory and refused to shed their ornate armor. Despite their exceptional archery skills, their slow shooting speed and lack of close combat prowess made their exile particularly harsh.

Due to their inadequate strength, they resorted to ambushes from the shadows. The abbot assigned them to the Pagoda Realm for rigorous training. They endured daily torment there, especially when the Mani Wheel played its beguiling chants, driving everyone mad. During these times, the Blade Monks would seize the opportunity to behead the archers with their large blades, leaving the yaksha archers desperate for a way to fight back.

They sought guidance from various sources and frequently challenged the Blade Monks, only to be defeated repeatedly. One day, some blind monks came to oversee the Pagoda Realm. They had blinded themselves to pursue the path to ultimate bliss, yet their martial arts were incredibly refined. The yaksha archers asked for their advice, and the monks replied, "Aim too carefully and you will lose the initiative. Learn from me; gouge out your eyes, and you will shoot from the heart, never missing your mark."

With the only other option available to them being annihilation, the archers adopted this drastic measure, gouging out their eyes. After this, the Blade Monks rarely targeted them. When asked why, a Blade Monk replied, "Who would want to go up against a madman? It's safer to just find another opponent."