"I didn't expect that even now, someone would try to revive Azhdaha."
Cloud Retainer looked at the Dragon-Queller Tree, her thoughts drifting back to a thousand years ago.
Back then, the Rex Lapis had fought the maddened Azhdaha for days and nights. In the end, Azhdaha was defeated.
Rex Lapis, together with the adepti, sealed and suppressed him beneath this very place.
"If this adeptus finds out who is behind this, I will not spare them."
Her tone carried clear anger.
Memories of that era had stirred her emotions.
"Master, let's begin," said Ganyu.
Cloud Retainer nodded and gently flapped her wings.
Golden light began to shine from her body.
Compared to Ganyu, the immortal aura around Cloud Retainer was far more pronounced.
As for Ze's so-called immortal bearing, it was just for show at the moment.
The golden light poured into the Dragon-Queller Tree, and the hidden seal gradually revealed itself.
Under the restoration of that golden glow, the seal became increasingly stable.
"So this is the power of the adepti…"
Keqing and the Millelith soldiers all fell silent, not daring to speak.
The golden light filled them with a deep sense of awe.
This was something they simply could not achieve.
"Under the guidance of the adepti like this… how long will it take before Liyue can truly move forward on its own?"
Keqing pondered silently.
Since becoming one of the Qixing, she had been working to reduce Liyue's dependence on Rex Lapis and the adepti.
She hoped that one day, the people of Liyue could stand on their own.
But witnessing the sealing process today made her feel slightly discouraged.
This kind of power was still beyond them.
"I… feel a bit hungry."
Ze stared at Cloud Retainer, his eyes flickering.
Although there was little spiritual corruption in her for him to devour, the sheer amount of power she possessed was greater than anything he had seen so far.
The previous little girl had only been a fragment leaking from Azhdaha's seal. Her strength was limited.
But Cloud Retainer carried thousands of years of cultivation.
"Gulp."
Ze swallowed.
An adeptus… should taste quite good.
The hunger within him stirred. His pupils faintly began to shift toward those of a beast.
"An adeptus is not to be eaten. To devour adepti or mortals is to fall into the demonic path."
At that moment, Shenhe's calm voice reached his ears.
Her words were like a bucket of cold water poured over him.
Ze looked at Cloud Retainer and forcibly suppressed the hunger rising within him.
"Got it, Shishu."
"Mm."
Shenhe nodded, her gaze still fixed forward, as if nothing had happened.
The two continued watching.
After a moment of silence, Ze glanced at Shenhe.
"Shishu, thanks for the reminder."
"No need. It is simply the fulfillment of our contract."
Shenhe did not even turn her head.
Ze pressed his lips together.
"Our contract is to kill each other if one falls into the demonic path… not to warn each other."
It was not just this time.
Even when he had been absorbing demonic remnants before, she had always chosen to suppress, guide, and warn him.
Not once had she shown killing intent.
Under Cloud Retainer's second reinforcement, the Dragon-Queller Tree gradually became covered in a new layer of sealing power.
But then…
"Boom!"
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from beneath the ground.
The entire area began to tremble violently.
The shaking came without warning.
Many of those near the Dragon-Queller Tree lost their footing and fell to the ground.
The surrounding rocky cliffs roared under the tremors as layers of stone began collapsing.
"Bang!"
Rocks crashed down, kicking up clouds of dust.
Cracks spread rapidly across the ground.
"Form ranks! Defensive formation!"
Caught off guard, Keqing immediately assumed a powerful enemy was attacking and quickly organized the Millelith.
"Ze!"
At the very first moment the ground shook, Ganyu turned toward her disciple.
But to her shock, the boy who had been standing beside Shenhe had vanished.
Her heart skipped a beat.
At that moment, Shenhe pointed toward a distant area that had not yet been affected by the tremors.
"He ran over there."
"Hm?"
Ganyu followed her gaze.
In the distance, a small figure was jumping up and down, waving at her.
For a moment, she did not know whether to laugh or cry.
"This child really keeps his word. When something happens, he actually runs."
Still, this was not a bad thing.
In such a dangerous situation, at least she could feel relieved.
She gave Ze a thumbs-up, signaling him to stay where he was and not come closer, then turned back.
After Ganyu turned away, Ze's expression shifted slightly.
His eyes locked onto the Dragon-Queller Tree.
He had only retreated because he was certain there was no immediate danger.
If there had been, his first instinct would have been to grab Ganyu and run together.
Pulling back now was so he could appear later as the "Mo Ying Immortal."
"But why does Azhdaha still have the strength to resist the seal?"
Ze frowned.
Previously, even with the seal already weakened, the Azhdaha beneath the earth had not been able to cause such disturbances.
So why now, when its malice and power had clearly diminished, could it still trigger such violent tremors?
"What exactly is happening here?"
His brows tightened, and faint black energy began to seep from his body.
If anything went wrong, he would immediately step in.
No matter what, he had to get his master out safely.
At the same time, the seal on the Dragon-Queller Tree grew increasingly unstable.
"Master, what is happening?!"
Ganyu called anxiously to Cloud Retainer above.
But the answer did not come from her.
"Morax!!!"
A terrifying roar, as if echoing from ancient times, burst forth from beneath the Dragon-Queller Tree.
Along with it came an even more violent quake.
"Boom!"
A surge of overwhelming force erupted from the tree.
"Ah!"
Cloud Retainer was instantly blasted away.
"Master!"
Ganyu tried to intercept her, but the speed was too fast.
The impact had already knocked Cloud Retainer into a state where she could not resist.
Her body was sent flying straight through the air.
And the direction she was flying toward...was Ze.
"Hey, hey, Shizu, don't fall toward me!"
Ze stared at the incoming Cloud Retainer, completely stunned.
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