A blinding white light burst forth, followed by an earth-shaking explosion that echoed across all of Liyue.
When the dust settled, a massive crater had formed where the attack landed, and Azhdaha stood there completely petrified.
"Friend, it's your turn."
Morax turned to look at Qiu Bai.
"Alright."
Qiu Bai didn't waste any time. In an instant, he teleported right in front of Azhdaha and began channeling an immense amount of Yang energy into the dragon's body.
But just a moment later, he frowned.
"Tch, this isn't enough… I'll have to burn my own essence!"
Gritting his teeth, Qiu Bai forcefully injected his very own life force his Origin Yang Energy into Azhdaha.
A blinding radiance erupted from within, illuminating the land as if it were daytime at its peak.
The once barren, battle-scarred wasteland created by the meteor impact suddenly flourished with life. Flowers and trees sprouted at an astonishing speed, covering the land in a vast, lush forest.
Morax eyes widened.
"Qiu Bai, what are you doing?!"
The other Adepti finally realized what was happening.
"No! The Immortal Lord is sacrificing his own essence!"
Morax expression turned even more complicated. He hadn't expected his friend to go this far just to save Azhdaha.
This wasn't just a simple thousand-year slumber, Qiu Bai very cognition would deteriorate from the loss.
Nearby, Guoba blinked innocently.
"Lululu! (^▽^)"
But what they didn't know was Qiu Bai had a system.
Qiu Bai turned to Morax, smiling faintly.
"Morax, I may sleep for a long time..."
"But I don't regret calling you my friend. When I wake up, let's share a cup of tea together..."
As he spoke, his eyelids grew heavy, and his body began to fall forward.
"Qiu Bai!"
Before he could hit the ground, Morax caught him, his expression filled with guilt, surprise, and sorrow.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Very well. When that time comes, I will make sure we drink a fine pot of tea together."
He gazed at his now-slumbering friend, his emotions a tangled mess.
The gathered Adepti also looked on in silence.
Ganyu covered her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes.
"This can't be real..."
Meanwhile, Cloud Retainer stepped forward.
"Leave Qiu Bai to me. Before he lost consciousness, he told me to seal him within his abode during his slumber."
As she spoke, she transformed into her human form—a graceful woman with flowing white hair, dressed in a white Daoist robe. A crane-shaped mark adorned her forehead. (T/N: I know it's not xianyun we know, this fanfic actually quite old so bear with me)
Even with her serene aura, her exquisite curves could not be concealed.
Morax hesitated for a moment before solemnly handing Qiu Bai over to her.
Cloud Retainer gently cradled Qiu Bai in her arms, looking at his face with an unreadable expression.
Then, without another word, she took off into the sky, heading toward Jueyun Karst.
Morax silently watched her go, his gaze lingering until her silhouette disappeared beyond the horizon.
If Qiu Bai were awake right now, he would probably be screaming internally.
"Holy crap, she's stunning! Sorry, Ganyu, but Cloud Retainer, I'm coming for you!"
Nearby, Azhdaha petrified body suddenly began to crack.
The layers of stone and rock shattered, revealing a towering figure beneath.
Before their eyes, the once-mighty dragon transformed—becoming a middle-aged man with dragon horns, his eyes filled with confusion.
"Morax… Where is this place? Why am I here?"
Azhdaha looked around in bewilderment.
Morax met his gaze, his expression heavy.
"Azhdaha, allow me to explain everything that has transpired."
As he listened to Morax's explanation, Azhdaha face grew increasingly complicated...
"I never expected that after hundreds of years apart, you would already have new friends."
Azhdaha sighed with emotion.
"I also never thought that even I would be unknowingly tainted by this so-called 'Black Calamity'. You should go check on that place, Morax. If there's no solution, seal it. The people of Liyue must not set foot there."
Morax fell into deep thought.
"The Black Calamity... To think such a thing exists in Liyue. Azhdaha, I will go investigate shortly. You should return and focus on your recovery."
After conversing for a while longer, Morax and Azhdaha parted ways, and the Adepti returned to their respective abodes.
Seasons passed, and time flowed like a river. Five hundred years went by.
A calamity born from Khaenri'ah—a tide of darkness—had swept across all of Teyvat, attacking the Seven Nations.
It was not just demonic beasts wreaking havoc, powerful dark entities that had long lurked in the shadows of the world had emerged as well. These beings, once followers of the defeated gods, had been waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Their hatred burned strongest for Morax, the one who had slain their gods during the Archon War. Now, they sought vengeance—not against mortals, but against the Adepti who served under him.
The Millelith, under the command of the Geo Archon, formed defensive formations to resist the invasion.
"The Yaksha shall defend Liyue with their lives! Not a single beast shall set foot within the harbor!"
"Has Morax gone to deal with the problem? No matter—as long as I still stand, no beast shall invade Liyue!"
Azhdaha reverted to his true colossal form, towering like a mountain as he took up position in Guyun Stone Forest.
The tide of darkness crashed against Azhdaha, but their claws and fangs were no more than mere tickles to the ancient dragon.
With a single stomp, he crushed thousands.
With a single roar, he shattered the eardrums of tens of thousands, killing them instantly.
He summoned giant constructs of rock and hurled them into the horde. He froze the ocean itself with elemental energy, yet even with such power, the tide of darkness seemed endless.
Meanwhile, General Alatus—Xiao led the Millelith forces in Jueyun Karst, fighting desperately to hold the frontline.
Across Liyue, the Adepti stood their ground.
The sky was covered in black clouds.
The tide of darkness surged like a vast ocean, consuming everything in its path.
Houses collapsed. Soldiers fell. The battle between gods and demons had begun.
The war raged for half a month.
One by one, the Yaksha fell, their minds shattered by Karmic debt.
"Hold the line two hundred miles from The Chasm! Do not retreat!"
A Yaksha named Bosacius drew away a massive portion of the dark tide, sacrificing himself to seal them within The Chasm.
Yet because Azhdaha had joined the battle, Liyue was not completely devastated. The harbor and most of its people were saved.
As the war neared its end, in a remote part of Liyue
A young girl, out collecting herbs, lost her footing and fell down a cliff.
She landed in an ancient hidden realm, injuring her leg in the process.
Panicked, she crawled into a cave to tend to her wounds.
Before she could finish bandaging herself, she heard something strange, something unnatural.
The girl had unknowingly wandered into the battlefield of gods and demons.
The immense energies radiating from their battle were far beyond what a mortal body could withstand.
Her body began to fail. She could no longer move.
And yet, at that moment, she saw him.
A beautiful young man, lying on a piece of Cor Lapis, his robes untouched by the dust of battle.
She wanted to call out for help, but her wounds were too severe.
The cave entrance had also collapsed, sealing her inside.
Outside, the battle raged on, making it impossible to escape.
Unless a miracle occurred, she would die.
As her consciousness faded, she muttered her last wish:
"If only time could stop... If only I could go back to before this happened..."
A tear rolled down her cheek.
She wanted time to stop.
She wanted to return to life before all this pain.
It was her strongest desire.
Perhaps it was her fear of death.
Perhaps it was her desperate longing to live.
Or perhaps it was her deep yearning for the loved ones she would never see again.
And then... a shining Vision appeared beside her.
Cryo had answered her wish the power of freezing and preservation.
But for a girl already at death's door, even a Vision could not pull her back from the grasp of death.