After she spoke, as if responding to their king's will, all the Geovishaps roared at Zhongli in unison, the rocks of the entire mining valley shaking violently.
The miners and Millelith soldiers trapped by the monsters covered their ears in pain, pressing against the walls to keep from falling.
Zhongli looked toward them and, seeing there were no casualties, relaxed his furrowed brow.
"Azhdaha, what is it that you want?"
"Heh..."
Upon hearing this, the girl atop the Ancient Geovishap let out a cold laugh. Rather than answering his question, she asked instead:
"Morax, do you still remember this place?"
"A thousand years ago, right here, you defeated us and suppressed us beneath that ancient tree!"
"Back then, you were the one who attacked The Chasm," Zhongli said.
"It was us, yes!"
The delicate face of the girl contorted with intense fury:
"But was the real culprit not those insatiable humans?"
"It was they who attacked the ley lines we depended on for survival, causing us immeasurable suffering!"
Suddenly, she laughed. "But you never anticipated that, although you and those Adepti sought to bind us with that tree, the thousand years that followed had already fused the Dragon-Queller Tree into our flesh and blood."
"We stretched our arms, flexed our bodies, extended our roots — the essence of the ley lines responded to our will. So I still got out, and today we meet again."
"...Yet even as you say these words, you have not harmed a single one of these humans."
Zhongli was silent for a moment, then sighed. "Azhdaha, take your kind and leave this place. Otherwise—"
The phantom of a stone spear materialized in his hand, the implication clear.
"Heh heh heh..."
The girl, barefoot, stepped across the stone armor of the Ancient Geovishap and sneered:
"Morax, compared to other gods, your power is indeed unmatched."
"If you wish, you can suppress me again. But are you certain you can protect all the humans here before you do?"
As if echoing their king's words, the Geovishaps advanced toward the trapped humans, drawing a flurry of panicked cries.
"Stop this. Everything you are doing — it is only to see him."
Zhongli shook his head. "I can bring him here."
The girl's sneer froze. A look of bewilderment crossed her face.
Her cheeks flushed red, then drained pale, before finally settling into a bitter smile.
"I cannot see him anymore."
"Morax, you must feel it too. Compared to that ignorant fool still beneath the Dragon-Queller Tree and that kindly remnant outside, although I claimed Azhdaha the Dragon King's authority, it has only accelerated the consumption of my power."
"I have long been exhausted. I will fade before either of them."
"The bond between him and me runs even deeper than yours — you, who gifted me with sight. Yet my remaining strength can no longer bear the weight of these millennia of 'wishes' to see him again."
Zhongli's words had breached her defenses, drawing out the truth of her own situation.
This ancient dragon of the earth, who had lived for countless aeons, harbored a millennia-old, sorrowful wish.
At last, she had waited for him to appear in this world once more.
Yet she had discovered with despair that she could not carry the 'wishes' tied to him — could not meet him again. Not even to say a single word of thanks.
Zhongli slowly closed his eyes and spoke softly. "Let me find a way."
---
Outside The Chasm.
By the time Ji An, Seymour, and the others arrived, the area was already heavily surrounded by the Millelith.
Among them, they also spotted many familiar faces.
The Yuheng, Keqing, was directing the overall situation; Yanfei was helping to organize personnel; Dr. Baizhu from Bubu Pharmacy had come as well, accompanied by his little herbalist assistant, Qiqi.
There were also some strange beings they had never seen before.
A large white crane and a large black crane, moving through the air; a sika deer speaking in a human tongue...
Ji An had never encountered the Adepti of Liyue before and couldn't help but stare at them curiously.
"Ohh, so these are the Liyue Adepti? Truly wondrous beings."
Seymour was even more excited than he was, pulling out a pen and scribbling furiously. "I hear the Adepti have incredibly long lifespans — some even surviving from the Archon War to the present day. If I can speak with them, they could definitely help me complete my research!"
Hearing this, Ji An couldn't help but say, "Mr. Seymour, that may be so, but they are Adepti. How could they possibly be interested in your research topic?"
"Heh, we have a saying back in the Akademiya: 'He who never tries rarely succeeds, for he never climbs.' Trying costs nothing."
Having grown familiar with Ji An during their journey, Seymour had already taken to addressing him like a brother.
He showed no sign of discouragement whatsoever. "Even if they are Adepti, don't they possess a desire to share their wisdom with others?"
"Look."
Seymour pointed toward the large white crane and lowered his voice. "I've been observing that Adeptus. Based on my experience, she seems the talkative type. So I believe she could be the best place to start."
"That does make sense," Ji An nodded.
There was no need to dampen Seymour's enthusiasm.
Xiangling and Guoba had already gone on ahead, meeting up with Keqing and Yanfei at the forward camp.
"Xiao An, let's go too!"
Pulled along by Hu Tao tugging at his sleeve, Ji An walked forward as well.
This was his first time seeing Keqing up close.
This young woman, with her hair tied in twin buns and a curiously cat-like impression, possessed a pretty face that conveyed not weakness, but a kind of heroic spirit and determination, her eyes lively and keen.
"Oh — you must be Mr. Ji An."
Seeing him, Keqing's usually composed expression softened into a gentle smile.
Ji An figured this was likely an effect of the goodwill earned from helping Xiao Jiang last time.
Though he had never interacted with Keqing before, he knew something about this Yuheng.
She came from a prestigious clan, yet did not conform to expectations — having more than once voiced doubts about Rex Lapis, and openly opposing rule by the divine.
Despite being an aristocrat, she maintained only the bare minimum of luxury befitting her station as one of the Qixing, never putting on airs.
It was said that this capable young lady of Liyue had hauled carts in The Chasm, stacked earth alongside dockworkers at the southern wharf, and even waited tables at small eateries...
She really is a remarkably unique individual, Ji An thought to himself.
Perhaps it was Keqing's unusually cordial attitude at their first meeting that put Hu Tao on alert.
"Xiao An, do you know Lady Keqing from before?"
Ji An naturally denied it. "No, this is our first meeting!"
Keqing nodded. "This is indeed our first meeting. Though, before this—" She stopped herself and shook her head. "Never mind, now is not the time."
She left the sentence half-finished, leaving Hu Tao looking thoroughly suspicious.
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