The Weapon Master Shall Never Die Bare-Handed in Genshin Impact [432]

“…”

Zhongli stood before Jia Changjiang.

That half-human, half-dragon figure was the fusion of Jia and Azhdaha—two wills overlapping.

“Morax,” came the voice of Azhdaha’s benevolent will from within Lumine, “back then… I chose to be sealed.”

“I watched over Liyue Harbor from its birth. Even if it’s no longer what it used to be, I still wanted to uphold our contract in my own way.”

“I did this,” he said, “as the friend of the God of Contracts… as a final act of reason and pact.”

“Azhdaha…” Zhongli looked at the fragment of will standing beside him, unable to hide the sorrow in his gaze.

“Morax…”

Jia Changjiang’s body had begun to shrink.

The crystalized rock that had formed from Azhdaha’s power was flaking away.

At the same time, Lumine could feel Azhdaha’s benevolent will slowly fading within her as well.

“Zhong… no, I still can’t get used to calling you that.” The will murmured, “Morax, can Liyue truly survive without its Geo Archon?”

“It can.”

Zhongli nodded.

“Just a few months ago, the people of Liyue stood united with the Adepti, repelling the ancient demon god that reawakened from the sea.”

“So the Adepti still stand with Liyue…” Azhdaha's will, now leaving Jia Changjiang, asked quietly.

“They’ve chosen to accept the world’s changes—and the new age has accepted them in return.” Zhongli lowered his eyes. “Liyue’s future… still has a place for the Adepti.”

“Morax… you truly are the strongest soul among us,” came Azhdaha’s voice, tinged with resignation. It was hard to tell now whether it was the kind will or Azhdaha’s true self speaking.

“No matter… our duty to Liyue has come to an end. Whether we go or stay—there is no longer right or wrong in it.”

“Zhongli… you are not alone.”

“You’re no longer the Geo Archon, and yet, you’ve changed so much…”

“In the flow of time, even bedrock shifts,” Zhongli replied.

But Azhdaha gently refuted him.

“No, it wasn’t time that changed you…”

“Morax…”

“It was you who gave me sight back then. That moment of change… is what brought about everything that followed.”

“This moment—what we’ve lived through now—I will not forget it.”

His voice began to grow faint.

“Morax, grant me a little more time.”

“A new contract…”

“Let it begin from that moment.”

...

Azhdaha departed.

Not because Zhongli sealed him.

This time—he chose to return to the depths of the earth.

Azhdaha needed time… to change.

Zhongli, Jia Changjiang, and Lumine left the sealed cavern beneath the Dragon-Queller, stepping out into the daylight to find a very exhausted Paimon waiting for them.

“Traveler! Mr. Jax! Are you two okay?” Paimon flew over in a panic, inspecting them from head to toe. “Phew… no injuries!”

“I even moved Kun Jun and the miners all to safety! Took a lot out of me!” she said, hands on her hips with pride. “Paimon’s amazing, huh?!”

Jia Changjiang looked at the long trail of drag marks on the ground, stretching from the tree’s cavern all the way to the collapsed figures nearby, and silently offered them his sympathy.

“So…” Lumine glanced toward Kun Jun lying unconscious, “that Kun Jun… isn’t really the one we knew anymore, is he?”

“No,” Zhongli confirmed with a nod.

“Kun Jun was a descendant of a master craftsman… Azhdaha’s always had a soft spot for blacksmiths,” he added.

“I mean, I do like blacksmiths too,” Jia said, pointing to himself.

Just then, Old Dai and his men came hurrying over.

“Mr. Zhongli? What in the world…?”

Seeing the slightly ruined surroundings, Old Dai couldn’t quite wrap his head around what had happened.

“It’s been resolved,” Lumine spoke up before anyone else. “Old Dai, you should take everyone back. Kun too—he’s going back to Liyue.”

“What? But why Kun too—?”

Old Dai began to ask, but Lumine quickly spun up a cover story.

“They were all possessed by remnants of a demon god—clouded their minds. That’s why they ended up here. Kun too. But don’t worry! Zhongli helped us fix it.”

“Ah, I see!” Old Dai said with dawning clarity. “Then I must thank Mr. Zhongli properly… once we’re back in Liyue, I’ll be sure to—”

He paused mid-sentence, suddenly remembering Zhongli’s "occupation."

“—to host a proper banquet to thank you for what you’ve done for my brothers!”

And with that, Old Dai gathered the unconscious miners and the true Kun Jun, and led the group away.

In the clearing beneath the Dragon-Queller, only Zhongli, Jia Changjiang, Lumine, and Paimon remained.

Standing before the stone stele at the tree’s roots, Zhongli suddenly spoke.

“When this stele was erected long ago, I had it inscribed with the title ‘Evil Dragon’—to prevent future generations from disturbing him.”

“Feels like I’ve learned a lot today,” Lumine said as she turned back to glance at Jia Changjiang.

Everything she’d seen today—both from Zhongli and from Jia—had given her a deeper understanding of them both.

“Jia Changjiang, Lumine… thank you for everything today,” Zhongli said sincerely.

“It’s nothing. I finally got to cut loose for once. You really are the War God of old… so this is what a fight with a god looks like?”

Jia grinned wide. “That was awesome!”

“…Jia Changjiang.”

Zhongli looked at him seriously now.

Jia returned the look. “What’s up?”

“As you said earlier… if one day your time comes to an end, perhaps I would see that as erosion,” Zhongli said with quiet gravity.

“But if you do not wish it so—then it shall not be.”

“I will remember you.”

“Good,” Jia said with a grin, rubbing his chin.

“Say, Zhongli… aren’t you a consultant at Wangsheng Funeral Parlor?”

“If one day I really do…”

“Then I want you to handle my funeral.”

Zhongli nodded solemnly. “Very well.”

“Jia Changjiang… you are a creator,” he said at last. “What you’ve done will be remembered by those who come after.”

“Sounds good to me!”

Jia nodded enthusiastically.

“Though I do wonder… what kind of person I’ll be in the stories they tell.”

“Eh, whatever!”

He laughed and shook his head.

“As you once said yourself, Zhongli—”

“Let history decide what was right or wrong.”

---

This is a fan translation of 武器大师在原神绝不死于徒手 by 徐人双 All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!