Chapter 26: Old Friends
The blinding brilliance of the massive golden array etched into the cavern floor finally began to dim. Its complex, glowing geometric lines pulsed one last time before fading into the cold stone, leaving no trace behind. High above Azhdaha's towering form, the bizarre, colossal phantom of a glowing wrench completed its final, heavy rotation. With a soft, metallic hum, it dissolved into motes of golden light that drifted downward like snow.
A deep silence reclaimed the subterranean hollow. The oppressive, suffocating malice that had choked the air for millennia vanished, replaced only by the quiet clatter of loose gravel tumbling down the scarred cavern walls.
Amidst the settling dust, the earth dragon's massive, craggy head twitched. A low, rumbling groan vibrated through the ground as Azhdaha slowly, laboriously forced his heavy eyelids open. The chaotic, bloodshot madness that had previously consumed his reptilian pupils was completely gone. In its place remained a deep, bone-deep exhaustion—but above all, clarity. His massive eyes had returned to their original, stunning amber-gold hue. They shone like the purest, unblemished Liuli glass, and perfectly mirrored within those giant golden orbs was the solitary, steady figure of Zhongli.
The rigid, statuesque posture Zhongli had maintained throughout the ordeal finally broke. The tension bleeding from his broad shoulders was subtle, but to those who knew him, it was monumental. He took a single, deliberate step forward. When he spoke, the usually unwavering, bedrock timbre of his voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible tremor of anticipation.
"Heavenly movement of all forms, mountain and sea transformation..."
Azhdaha's colossal head tilted a fraction of an inch. He stared down at the God of Contracts, the man who had guarded Liyue Harbor for thousands of years. For a long, agonizing moment, the dragon remained completely silent. The Adepti held their breath, their hearts leaping into their throats.
Then, the earth dragon opened his maw. His voice was incredibly hoarse, a deep, gravelly rumble scraping against the walls of his throat, heavy with the weight of centuries of suffering.
"Stars rise from the wasteland... shining like the blazing sun."
The moment those words echoed through the cavern, the tight line of Zhongli's lips softened. A faint, yet deeply genuine smile graced the Geo Archon's features. The perpetual, stoic frost that usually guarded his amber eyes seemed to melt away, replaced by the warmth of a thousand-year-old spring.
Azhdaha drew in a slow, ragged breath. His massive gaze shifted, locking onto the jagged half of an ancient rock—the Dragon-Queller stone—that had quietly materialized in Zhongli's gloved hand.
"Back then..." Azhdaha wheezed, a dry, rumbling chuckle vibrating in his chest. "...you used that broken stone... to trick me into signing that contract... Thousands of years have passed... and you are still... just as cunning, Morax..."
That familiar, grumbling tone! It was filled with old grievances and stubborn pride, but the blind, venomous hatred was entirely gone. To the Adepti present, that simple complaint hit like a clap of thunder, washing away their lingering fears.
"We did it! We actually succeeded, Lumine!" Paimon shrieked with pure, unadulterated joy. The little floating companion spun three rapid loops in the air, her starry cape fluttering wildly, before darting over and thrusting her tiny hand out for a high-five.
A bright, relieved smile broke across Lumine's face. The Traveler did not hesitate, raising her own hand to meet Paimon's with a crisp, echoing smack.
"Yay!" they cheered in unison.
Moon Carver exhaled a long, misty breath. The tension drained from his powerful, stag-like body, his four hooves finally relaxing their defensive stance against the cavern floor. He turned his majestic, antlered head toward Paimon, his glowing eyes filled with deep awe. "Little one... you have truly... wrought a miracle this day."
Beside him, Cloud Retainer gracefully folded her magnificent blue-and-white wings. For once, the notoriously proud crane spoke with an unusually gentle, almost maternal tone. "Such bizarre yet potent power... it is completely unheard of. Little friend, you have worked incredibly hard."
Madame Ping's eyes were rimmed with red. The elderly woman reached up, dabbing the corners of her eyes with her wide silk sleeve to catch a stray tear. "Good... very good indeed! To see an old friend return to his senses... this is a great fortune for all of Liyue! Little friend Paimon, this old one thanks you from the bottom of her heart, on Azhdaha's behalf!"
Mountain Shaper, though maintaining his characteristically aloof demeanor, visibly dropped the rigid tension in his shoulders. He dipped his avian head in a stiff but deeply respectful nod toward the floating fairy. "Hmph... a job... well done."
Zhongli lingered for a moment, watching Azhdaha calmly settle his massive bulk against the cavern floor to passively absorb the ambient elemental energy. Satisfied, the former Archon turned around. He faced Paimon directly, placed a hand over his chest, and bowed with absolute, solemn reverence.
"Paimon," Zhongli said, his voice carrying the weight of solid bedrock. "This kindness you have shown us is heavier than the mountains themselves. I, Zhongli, am deeply grateful."
Being showered with such intense, legendary gratitude was entirely too much for Paimon. Her small face flushed a brilliant shade of pink, and she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "Hehe, it was nothing, really! Just a little—"
GURRRRRRGGGGLE.
A shockingly loud, monstrously long, and utterly impossible-to-ignore rumbling sound erupted from Paimon's tiny stomach. The aggressive growl echoed off the stone walls, instantly shattering the solemn, emotional atmosphere of the quiet cavern.
"..."
Paimon's modest smile froze in place. The pink flush on her cheeks violently escalated into a burning, ripe-apple crimson.
"That... uh... that giant wrench consumed quite a bit of energy, hehe..." she stammered, her eyes darting around the cavern in sheer panic. She had just completely ruined a beautiful, thousands-of-years-in-the-making reunion between ancient gods with her stomach noises!
Lumine took one look at Paimon's mortified expression and could not hold it in anymore. A bright, musical giggle escaped the Traveler's lips, her golden eyes crinkling with absolute fondness.
"I understand, I understand," Lumine teased gently, poking Paimon's cheek. "Master Paimon, you have worked incredibly hard today! You have done Liyue a massive service! Since we went to Xinyue Kiosk last time, how about we hit up Liuli Pavilion this time? I will treat you to a massive feast! You can order whatever you want!"
"Liuli Pavilion?! A full-course meal?!" Paimon's eyes instantly transformed into sparkling Mora symbols. A literal drop of drool formed at the corner of her mouth.
But a second later, her stomach launched another violent protest. Paimon clutched her tummy, her posture slumping as she looked up at Lumine with massive, pitiful puppy-dog eyes. "Lumine... Liuli Pavilion is great and all... but let us talk about that later... Can you... can you give me something to eat right now? Just to tide me over?"
She wobbled in the air, looking genuinely dizzy. "I feel... I am so hungry I can barely float... I am actually seeing little stars spinning around my head..."
Without missing a beat, Lumine reached into her spatial backpack and pulled out the ultimate, classic emergency stamina-replenishing dish—a steaming, perfectly roasted, incredibly fragrant Sweet Madame!
"Eat up, our great hero!" Lumine laughed, tossing the whole bird over.
"YAY!" Paimon cheered. Throwing all remaining dignity out the window, she pounced on the roasted fowl like a starving wolf, tearing into the juicy meat and humming with absolute, greasy contentment.
On the other side of the cavern, Zhongli made no move to shatter the massive stone pillars binding the dragon. Instead, he walked slowly toward Azhdaha. The great earth dragon had regained his sanity, but the sheer toll of the purification had left him visibly drained.
"How do you feel, old friend?" Zhongli asked softly.
"Tired... more tired than I have ever been in my long life," Azhdaha replied. His voice remained a deep, gravelly rumble, but the manic edge was entirely gone. It was replaced by the heavy, settling peace of a survivor who had just weathered an apocalyptic storm. "My power... it feels as though the marrow has been completely drained from my bones..."
Zhongli nodded slowly, his expression sympathetic. "Purifying millennia of abyssal erosion requires a monumental toll, and your core essence has been severely damaged. I will not remove this seal just yet. Instead, I shall modify its nature."
The former Geo Archon raised his right hand. Liquid gold light began to pool and flow from his fingertips as he pressed his palm against the nearest massive rock pillar.
The harsh, jagged sealing runes carved into the cavern floor flared brightly before gradually softening. Their sharp edges melted away, reweaving themselves into a gentle, complex, and highly condensed gathering array.
"This new formation will draw in and concentrate the ambient Geo elemental power of the ley lines," Zhongli explained, stepping back to admire the glowing matrix. "It will continuously nourish your essence and accelerate your recovery. Rest here with peace of mind, Azhdaha. Once you have regained enough strength to move, we shall find a proper place to catch up."
"Hmph... as you wish, Morax..." Azhdaha grumbled weakly. The dragon allowed his heavy eyelids to slide shut, lacking the energy to even banter further.
Despite the gruff response, his colossal body visibly relaxed against the stone. His scales began to emit a faint, rhythmic pulse, instinctively drinking in the rich, soothing Geo energy that the new array was funneling directly into his battered soul.
Zhongli stood in silence for a few moments, watching the rhythmic rise and fall of his oldest friend's chest. A deep sense of relief and quiet satisfaction flashed through his amber eyes.
His duty here was finally done. Turning on his heel, Zhongli gestured toward the exit. Together with Lumine, a grease-covered Paimon, and the gathered Adepti, they began the long ascent out of the Nantianmen ruins, leaving the sleeping dragon to heal in peace.
The journey back toward Liyue Harbor was a stark contrast to their tense arrival. The oppressive weight that had hung over the group was entirely lifted, replaced by a light, breezy atmosphere. Even Xiao, the usually solitary Conqueror of Demons, uncharacteristically chose not to immediately teleport back to the roof of Wangshu Inn in Dihua Marsh. Instead, he silently trailed behind the group, tacitly agreeing to join the celebratory feast at Liuli Pavilion.
The Adepti of Jueyun Karst—Cloud Retainer, Mountain Shaper, and Moon Carver—walked alongside the humans, their divine auras dialed back to enjoy the peaceful stroll. As they traveled along the winding dirt paths, the immortals took turns expressing their sincere, heartfelt gratitude to Lumine and Paimon.
"This little one's bizarre wrench artifact possesses a truly deep power," Moon Carver mused aloud, his hooves clicking softly against the stone path. "To effortlessly cleanse a thousand years of accumulated, crystallized resentment and completely restore a corrupted mind... it defies all known logic of Teyvat."
"Indeed," Madame Ping agreed, a warm, grandmotherly smile wrinkling her face as she watched Paimon happily gnaw the last bits of meat off a chicken bone. "This old one has lived through countless eras, yet this is the very first time I have witnessed such an extraordinary, rule-breaking ability. The opportunities found in the mortal realm are wondrous beyond measure."
"Hmph. Though the underlying principles of such an artifact remain entirely unclear, the results speak for themselves," Mountain Shaper added, maintaining his strict demeanor. However, the sharp gaze he directed at the floating fairy had softened considerably. "It is, admittedly, quite unique."
Xiao and Cloud Retainer simply offered slight, silent nods of agreement. Some things did not need to be voiced aloud; the respect they now held for the Traveler and her companion was absolute.
Listening to the legendary illuminated beasts of Liyue indirectly shower her with praise, Paimon puffed out her little chest. She was immensely pleased with herself, soaking in this incredibly rare moment of absolute glory.
The rest of the walk was filled with casual, comfortable chatter. They discussed the terrifying, thrilling battle they had just survived, speculated on the timeline for Azhdaha's full recovery, and spoke with newfound optimism about the future of Liyue Harbor.
As they crested the final hill overlooking the harbor, the lingering, golden glow of the setting sun washed over the group. It bathed the heroes who had just accomplished an impossible, world-saving feat in a warm, tranquil light, promising a bright and peaceful tomorrow.
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