Before Ryen could answer, Venti rolled his eyes.
"Although I've complained many times, old man, you really trust me too much. That's Azhdaha! He may not carry the title of Archon, but which Archon wouldn't fear him?"
Hearing this, Jean and the others became a bit curious.
They had always heard mentions of Azhdaha, and every time Venti brought him up, he seemed a little hesitant.
At first, when they didn't understand, Jean and the others assumed Azhdaha was some kind of adeptus.
Later, they realized that Azhdaha wasn't an adeptus at all—he was a pure Geo-elemental life form.
But still…
Venti was one of the original Archons, and the Cryo Archon was one of the most powerful among them. It seemed strange that he would be so afraid of Azhdaha.
Fortunately, Keqing noticed the curiosity on Ningguang and the others' faces and gently explained.
"Azhdaha, is an ancient dragon as long-lived as the mountains. In the long ages before the original Archon War, he stood side by side with the Archon."
"Azhdaha bears the power and memory of the earth, a Geo-elemental life form. After the Archon discovered him, he enlightened Azhdaha's eyes and formed a contract with him."
"He followed the Archon into the battles of the Archon War."
"Azhdaha can draw water, fire, ice, and lightning from the ley lines, combined with his inherent Geo manifestation."
"Azhdaha commands five elemental forces, each comparable in quality to those of a true Archon."
"Rooted in the earth, Azhdaha is unmatched; the land is him, and he is the land."
As Keqing finished, Zhongli quietly sighed and spoke slowly, "Let me explain… Tomorrow, you can come watch with us. Azhdaha is one of our trump cards, and you should understand him."
He paused, his gaze distant.
"In the past, Azhdaha slept beneath Nantianmen, merging with the mountains. Even a slight movement could bring cataclysm."
"I discovered him, granted him sight of the light, and made three agreements with him. He followed me onto the Archon War battlefields."
"Azhdaha has no Archon title, yet he has slain no fewer than ten Archons."
"Among them were even the mighty ancient dragons, top-tier Archons, all subdued with me by Azhdaha."
"Azhdaha never sought the position of Archon; otherwise, he would have been my most formidable enemy and could have been an Archon of one of the Seven Nations today."
"During the Archon War, Azhdaha's fame resounded across Teyvat; every Archon feared him."
"But later… erosion shattered his reason. Coupled with human expansion pressuring the ley lines, Azhdaha lost his mind and turned on Liyue."
Zhongli's eyes slightly lowered, as if reflecting the flames of that day.
But one must understand: at that time, Azhdaha was consumed by erosion, left with no battle consciousness—only instinct.
Even so, that battle placed as much pressure on Zhongli as facing four Archons attacking simultaneously.
Azhdaha was overwhelmingly strong…
The ley lines were his power source; as long as they flowed, his strength would never fade.
"Azhdaha attacked the Chasm…"
"Being a ley line life form, he was nearly impossible to kill. I had no choice but to seal him."
"I commanded Mountain Shaper, and other adepti to combine efforts and form a cavern sanctuary, and then I personally confronted Azhdaha in battle."
"Back then, the fires of war were such that Lishui and the others couldn't really take part; even the aftermath left many of the adepts grievously wounded and unable to keep fighting.
Azhdaha and I fought from the Chasm all the way to the Nantianmen; in the end, at the cost of grievous injuries, we sealed him inside a cavern sanctuary—only then was his rampage quelled.
But the battle utterly destroyed the former glory of Tianqiu Valley… it was left a ruin.
Azhdaha was defeated, but it wasn't because he was weaker in skill.
I know that, in his heart, he was still struggling against erosion; he still had thoughts of me and of Liyue.
He accepted being sealed.
Yet now, erosion has completely eroded away Azhdaha's last traces of reason.
He's gone utterly mad—if one day he were to break free, he would without hesitation lay waste to Liyue.
Fortunately, after being sealed and tormented by erosion for so long, Azhdaha's power has fallen far from its peak.
So now I can kill him…
" Zhongli paused, then added, "But you must also understand: even with his diminished strength, his power remains at the level of a top-tier archon-grade being.
He is not comparable to Osial.
If Osial could not continuously recover from the sea, Azhdaha could utterly subdue him within ten strikes.
Azhdaha, who commands five elements and the force of the earth, is the ultimate life this world can give birth to.
I suspect Azhdaha's strength is not much weaker than those ancient seven-element dragons of old."
Everyone's jaws dropped at that. But more than shock, there was relief.
If Azhdaha's erosion can be resolved, he would immediately recover to his peak.
Then… the lineup opposing Celestia would suddenly include Zhongli and Azhdaha—two absurd, incalculable forces.
The odds would improve dramatically.
"So!" Venti spread his hands with a beguiling look, "think about it, old man—don't make me go."
Zhongli gave Venti a sidelong glance and said evenly, "Hm… I have considered it."
"No."
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