The others exchanged brief looks, then followed Zhongli into the portal.
Their vision blurred—and when it cleared, they stood upon a massive platform.
It was like a miniature world of its own, vastly different from anything one might see in the game.
That much was understandable—this domain had been created jointly by several adepti, and afterward, Zhongli had reinforced it countless times with layers of sealing wards.
How could such a prison possibly be small?
After all, Azhdaha was an ancient dragon the size of a mountain.
If the seal were too small, it could never contain him.
The entire space shimmered with golden divine energy.
The air was thick with Geo power—so abundant that the instant Ningguang stepped in, her Vision flared so brightly it almost blinded her.
But that was not what anyone was paying attention to right now.
Before them lay a colossal creature, its form as imposing as a great mountain.
The beast sprawled across the ground, each breath it took making the very earth beneath them tremble.
Its form wasn't as regal or elegant as Zhongli's dragon form,
but it couldn't be called ugly either.
Azhdaha belonged to that rare kind of being—terrifying just to look upon.
All around them rose countless towering pillars of stone, each so thick and tall that they seemed to pierce the heavens themselves.
Dense streams of adeptal runes flowed along their surfaces, connecting from one pillar to another—forming a massive web of radiant seals.
And within that web, Azhdaha rested.
Eyes closed, motionless—as if asleep.
Yet the primordial ferocity emanating from him still sent a chill through everyone's hearts.
"So this is… the Lord of Vishaps, Azhdaha…"
Diluc's expression hardened, his voice tinged with awe.
Even sealed, every fiber of his being screamed one word—fear.
This was not an opponent he could ever hope to face.
Even armed with a master-forged staff and countless enchantments,
for Azhdaha, killing him would be as effortless as swatting a fly.
And this was Azhdaha weakened.
It was terrifying to imagine how strong he must have been in his prime.
No wonder Zhongli had paid a heavy price to subdue him back then.
Truly, Azhdaha had earned his place among the highest-tier Archon-level beings—
perhaps the only one who could rival Zhongli's might.
"From ancient times until now, the Geo Lord has sealed many beings,"
Moon Carver said tensely, his entire body glowing with flowing adeptal energy as he raised a protective barrier around the group.
"But none have required a seal this complex."
"The Dragon Lord of the Earth… his strength was not much lesser than the Geo Archon's.
In fact, upon the land—under the blessing of the ley lines—he even surpassed him slightly."
To put it simply, Zhongli was an all-rounded god.
Whether on land, in the air, or at sea, he was unmatched in every form of battle.
Even if he disliked seafood, one could not deny that he was just as invincible in naval warfare.
But Azhdaha was different.
He did not excel in the skies or seas.
Yet once his feet touched the earth—no one could challenge him.
A being born of the ley lines, beloved by the very ground itself—
and more than that, Azhdaha was the incarnation of the earth.
On solid ground, there was simply no power greater than his.
Cloud Retainer shook her head and joined the other adepti in weaving layers of adeptal defenses.
"You all need only watch," she said solemnly.
"This is not a battle you—or even we—can participate in."
"The difference between a top-tier Archon and an ordinary god is like heaven and earth," Cloud Retainer explained calmly.
"Beings such as Azhdaha, Morax, Barbatos, and the Cryo Archon — they are not the same as common gods."
"For them, a being like Osial… perhaps not something they could destroy with a mere flick of the wrist, but the difference isn't far off."
"This is the true power of the greatest gods."
Everyone silently nodded in understanding and stepped back.
They hadn't come here to fight, but to witness it —
the most magnificent battle since the war against Celestia itself.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance to broaden their horizons.
But Tartaglia looked a little frustrated.
He had wanted to join in on the fight, after all.
Scratching his head, he turned toward Cloud Retainer curiously.
"Uh, Cloud Retainer… are you sure we're not going to fight at all?"
The adeptus gave him a sidelong glance.
"With what would you fight?" she said dryly. "Setting aside the fact that you do not even possess true divine combat power —
the moment you enter that domain, the sheer turbulence of godly energy would tear you apart instantly."
"And even if your Delusion's power does originate from a god, remember this —
those dead gods were slain by the hands of Azhdaha and Morax themselves."
"If you don't wish to die, I suggest you stay put."
Tartaglia clicked his tongue in disappointment, though deep down, he understood.
Still — getting to witness a battle that could rewrite the laws of the world up close — that alone was a reward.
Tsaritsa did not join either.
Though she was a god, her strength had not yet recovered to its peak.
She and Nahida instead stayed beside Ganyu and the others, helping to stabilize the barrier.
"No way back now, old man," Venti said with a wry smile.
Beside him, Zhongli gave a small nod.
"We've come this far," he said solemnly. "There's no need for more words. Prepare yourselves."
Venti shrugged and exchanged a brief glance with the Cryo Archon.
In the next moment, torrents of divine energy surged skyward from their bodies —
teal and icy white light wrapping around them both.
When the glow faded, their divine forms were revealed.
Venti's expression turned solemn, radiant — a pair of angelic wings unfurled from his back,
millennia of flowing winds coiling around him like a sacred hymn.
The Cryo Archon's visage was cold as frost,
a crown of crystalline ice upon her head, a scepter in her right hand —
and in her left, she grasped a high-grade Frostbearer Staff, its runes glowing faintly.
From their auras alone, the two were equals in power.
But without any external weapon's blessing,
Venti — one of the original Seven who first governed the world — still held the greater strength.
And then there was Zhongli.
At some point, he had donned a hooded robe,
golden energy crystals orbiting quietly around him —
each one condensed from pure Geo divine power.
The Three Gods had manifested in full divine attire.
The oppressive might of the three ruling Archons descended all at once —
the entire realm shuddered violently in response.
Raging winds, roaring stone, piercing frost.
Three elemental powers converged upon this single battlefield.
And at last, everyone present truly understood —
the gap between mortals and the top-tier gods.
It was a chasm that could never be crossed.
Just looking upon them made one's body go weak,
crushing even the faintest spark of resistance.
"Top-tier gods…" Tartaglia murmured, eyes wide with awe as he stared at the trio — especially Venti.
That guy might act lazy and playful most of the time…
but when he got serious, he was utterly terrifying.
Clicking his tongue, Tartaglia turned toward Rosalyne with a complicated expression.
"So tell me again… how in the abyss did you ever manage to slap him?"
"He didn't go easy on you — he must've unleashed an ocean instead of mercy!"
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