"I am the remnant of Azhdaha's benevolent nature."
"I represent the will of contracts, a noble heart…"
"And the desire for peaceful coexistence with humanity."
Kun Jun spoke calmly to the sealed Azhdaha.
"I am Azhdaha, born of elemental crystallization!"
"I bear the power and memories of the earth—enduring as long as mountains and seas!"
"I am no ally of mere insects!"
Azhdaha roared in defiance.
"Morax is no insect."
Kun Jun replied evenly.
"The god of insects is still but an insect!"
Azhdaha retorted.
[LMAO he didn't even deny humans are insects—just said Morax isn't]
[Kun Jun is stating facts, Azhdaha is just being stubborn tsundere]
[Two Rex Lapis fans fighting, one normal, one twisted]
[Is Rex Lapis' charisma really this insane? Guixu too, Azhdaha too]
[Guixu: I'm the only one who can still talk to him]
[Zhongli looks kinda sad the whole time]
[Of course he does—Qiu Nian too. They're all old friends]
"It is you who has forgotten too much."
"The one who acknowledged Morax the most… was you. And me."
Kun Jun crossed his arms.
"What you have forgotten…"
"I carry within me."
"If you are the memory of the earth…"
"Then I am the memory of coexistence with humanity."
"Heaven moves all things, mountains and seas take form…"
Kun Jun raised his hand.
White energy surged into the barrier—
Flowing into Azhdaha's body.
"…From barren lands, stars are born… shining like… a blazing sun…"
Azhdaha lowered his head, murmuring as if recalling something.
[Those lines… are they from when Zhongli and Azhdaha fought side by side in the Archon War?]
[Even after erosion, it's engraved in his soul… I'm crying]
"…"
Zhongli sighed softly, his brows tightening.
"…What is this feeling?"
"These… these are…"
Azhdaha looked confused as he felt the white energy.
"You have already exhausted your strength."
"You will fade before I do."
"But before that…"
"I will share these with you."
"Snow falls upon a spring field—"
"And melts in an instant."
"Even if it leaves no trace within you…"
"Even if this is the last time."
Kun Jun spoke, his voice heavy with emotion.
At that moment—
Qiu Nian stepped forward.
White-and-crimson divine power surged around him.
He raised his hand—
And his power flowed into Azhdaha within the seal.
Azhdaha seemed to sense something.
He looked at Qiu Nian, his expression shifting.
"Even if you are but a fragment on the verge of fading…"
"As Azhdaha…"
"You must not lose these memories."
"Azhdaha… we shall meet again someday."
Qiu Nian smiled faintly.
He had suppressed the erosion imposed by the Heavenly Principles—
And preserved the remnants of Kun Jun's benevolence within Azhdaha's memories and emotions.
He was not omnipotent.
Azhdaha's erosion could not be undone by anyone—
Only by himself.
And the day Azhdaha overcomes it—
Will be the day they meet again.
And that day…
Would not be far.
"…Guixu…"
Azhdaha's eyes grew clearer.
His voice trembled as he spoke the name.
"How could this be…"
"Why…"
"I do not accept this as fate…"
"Morax…"
After uttering that name—
His strength finally gave out.
He dissipated.
[Guixu is so gentle…]
[What did he just do?]
[Even at the end, he still called their names…]
[Zhongli looks so sad]
[This hit too hard (crying)]
[When he said their names… that wasn't hatred anymore, right?]
"…Perhaps not fate."
"But… a destined calamity."
Kun Jun sighed.
"The little girl… she's completely gone…"
Paimon murmured.
"…Erosion…"
"…Is this the fate of all things?"
Lumine's expression was heavy.
Even a being as ancient as Azhdaha—
Could not escape it.
"Azhdaha… are you satisfied?"
Zhongli asked quietly.
"This is merely cleaning up my own mess."
"There is no satisfaction in it."
"Morax… your name now is Zhongli, correct?"
Kun Jun asked.
Zhongli nodded.
"No… I still prefer calling you Morax."
Kun Jun smiled.
"As you wish."
Zhongli replied.
[You two… what is going on?]
[I ship this so hard!]
[Traveler is just a third wheel now]
[Qiu Nian, Zhongli, Azhdaha… this is a love triangle (facepalm)]
"I have not forgotten the matter of giving me sight."
Kun Jun said.
"A trivial matter. No need to dwell on it."
Zhongli shook his head.
"You, with your clear vision, cannot understand the yearning of a blind dragon for sunlight."
"But the day Morax granted Azhdaha sight…"
"I will never forget it."
Kun Jun said softly.
"…Ugh…"
Suddenly—
Kun Jun's expression twisted in pain.
"Your strength is fading."
Zhongli sighed.
"As sharp as ever."
Kun Jun smiled faintly.
"Guixu… thank you."
He turned to Qiu Nian.
"Such words make us seem distant."
"In the end… it depends on whether you can overcome your own inner turmoil."
"You bear the power and memories of the earth…"
"You can draw from the ley lines…"
"But your memories and emotions are also pulled away in return."
"What I can do…"
"Is only this much."
Qiu Nian chuckled softly.
"It is enough."
Kun Jun nodded.
[They're all so in sync… so gentle…]
[Old friends… even at parting, they can still speak so calmly]
"My two old friends…"
"Shall we take a walk outside?"
Zhongli suggested.
"Shouldn't we first tend to the miners outside the seal?"
Kun Jun asked, confused.
[LMAO someone even more stone-headed than Zhongli]
[So unromantic (facepalm)]
[Zhongli wants to walk you out for the last time!]
['Two old friends'—what about Traveler? Full third wheel hahaha]
[Honestly what difference does Traveler even make here]
[Zhongli has lost so many old friends to time… now even Azhdaha is fading… only Guixu remains]
[Yeah… but at least Guixu is still by his side]
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