Apep panicked.
The moment it heard Ye Xi say he intended to take it back to serve as a guard dog, its dragonlord's pride shattered into pieces all over the floor.
It was a dragonlord, the former sovereign of Sumeru—and here and now, it had been reduced to such a sorry state.
"I won't go! I want to stay in my own domain!"
"Buer, Par, let me go! I won't meddle in Sumeru's affairs anymore! I won't seek revenge on you again!"
"I only want to stay in the desert!"
Yet Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata gave it no response.
They were all looking at Ye Xi—on this matter, they would defer to his opinion.
Apep had no choice but to look toward Ye Xi, pleading: "Outsider, I am already wretched enough."
"As you can see, my domain has gone from a lush oasis to this sorry state."
"My body has been corroded and tormented."
"I ask only for one last patch of pure land and eternal peace. This is my final wish."
Having said this, Apep lowered its haughty head and let out the sound of weeping.
That aggrieved appearance made both Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata sigh in spite of themselves.
Ye Xi looked all around—as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but desert.
One had to remember that, in ancient times, this place had once been a green ocean.
The Apep of old, together with its offspring, had moved through seas of fragrant grass, towering hundred-foot trees, and vines stretching a thousand li, like fish darting through water.
Until at last the vegetation withered and crumbled to dust, and countless living beings, as tiny and insignificant as grains of sand, built their own city-states upon its former land.
Still later, it beheld the scenery of the end—a boundless apocalypse.
All the people, gods, dragons, beasts, birds, and fish, all memory, wisdom, words, and hatred would be ground into colorless dust.
The light of the last bright moon would turn into a rain of white flame falling upon the desolate earth.
Over all these years, Apep had treated the depths of the sea of sand as its own grave.
When the [poison] within its body finally erupted, it would be released from its resentment.
Once it had been a sovereign; now its territory was riddled with wounds.
It had long since given up fighting, silently waiting for the Forbidden Knowledge to dissolve it.
It had intended to die bearing its inner pride, only to be saved by Ye Xi in such a manner.
This way, the suffering would only continue, and it would once again have to keep its lonely watch atop this ruined palace of a domain.
Thinking of all this, its anguish only grew deeper.
It wasn't that Ye Xi couldn't understand the Dendro Dragonlord's pain.
Think about it—someone had been living their life perfectly well, and then an Outsider suddenly appeared and stole away their homeland.
Establishing all sorts of order upon their territory.
Were it him, he naturally wouldn't have taken it lying down either.
As a result, the dragonlords had resisted by making use of Forbidden Knowledge, only for a single long nail of The Heavenly Principles to fall, turning the oasis into a sea of sand.
And because of that Forbidden Knowledge, Apep had endured endless torment and nearly died.
It was simply too tragic.
Inside the Serenitea Pot, Raiden Ei could best appreciate this feeling of desolation.
Back when she returned from Khaenri'ah, she had lost her sister and so many friends, which caused her to shut herself away for a full five hundred years.
The Dendro Dragonlord's plight was even more miserable than hers.
If she put herself in its place, it would be like returning from Khaenri'ah to find that Inazuma had been utterly destroyed, leaving only her, a single God, to keep watch over the ruins of the city-state.
Raiden Ei felt deeply sympathetic toward Apep.
At this moment, Ye Xi suddenly thought of something: "Where is that nail?"
Apep was stunned, not understanding what Ye Xi meant.
"If that nail were gone, could the desert turn back into what it once was?"
Hearing this, both Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata fell into thought.
Apep then spoke up: "It would take a very long time, but sooner or later there would come a day when it changed back."
After all, it was the Dendro Dragonlord, and the years it had lived through were far longer than even those of Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
So it could make that judgment.
Ye Xi nodded: "Good. Then let's go and get rid of that nail."
"You mustn't."
Apep shook its head: "That nail seals the passage of Forbidden Knowledge. If you let Forbidden Knowledge pour into Teyvat in great quantities, it would bring about an even more terrifying catastrophe."
This much Ye Xi naturally understood.
Back then, it was because Nibelung had opened the gate to Forbidden Knowledge that The Heavenly Principles had sent down the Nail of Judgment.
So what would happen if he removed the Nail of Judgment and replaced it with the Abyss Nail?
He couldn't absorb such a vast amount of Forbidden Knowledge, so how about temporarily blocking it with the Abyss Nail?
Thinking of this, he commanded: "Take me to find that nail."
Because of the effect of the contract, Apep had no choice but to obey the command.
Under Ye Xi's manipulation, Apep suddenly reverted to the form of that colossal dragon.
Only, the binding force of the contract still remained.
Ye Xi, bringing Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata along, stood atop the enormous dragon's head.
Apep plunged headfirst into the sea of sand, and after traveling for who knew how long, arrived at an underground cavern.
Here, a long nail stood erect.
It was unmistakably the Nail of Judgment of The Heavenly Principles.
At the very bottom of the nail, a vast, bottomless cavern was sealed away.
"This is the very place where the long nail fell."
Apep's face was full of gravity, deeply worried.
Nahida was somewhat anxious as well: "Ye Xi, what do you intend to do?"
"Deal with this nail."
"But what about the Forbidden Knowledge down below?"
Ye Xi waved his hand: "Don't worry, I can handle it."
Just now he had been quite curious, a little hesitant and indecisive.
But the system suddenly popped up a prompt window.
[Notice: The Abyss Nail can seal the passage of Forbidden Knowledge.]
With the system's prompt, what did he have to worry about?
"All of you, step aside."
Hearing Ye Xi's words, both Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata retreated a few steps.
They were very worried—what if the Nail of Judgment shattered and the Forbidden Knowledge came surging in?
At that very moment, Ye Xi used the ability of the [Abyss Nail].
All at once, a jet-black long nail appeared in the sky.
That nail was very similar to the Nail of Judgment, yet also entirely different.
The appearance of the Abyss Nail left Nahida and the others utterly astonished.
"This—this is—!"
"It's a nail too! Ye Xi actually possesses this kind of special ability as well!?"
Apep was completely dumbstruck.
Though everyone was amazed, none of them dared to make a sound, fearing they might disturb Ye Xi.
They watched as the jet-black long nail that had emerged from the void slowly came to hover above the head of the Nail of Judgment, then descended.
In an instant, the Nail of Judgment began to crumble apart, shattering into countless fragments.
The jet-black long nail landed upon the mouth of the cavern, firmly plugging the passage of Forbidden Knowledge, completely replacing the Nail of Judgment.
Seeing this scene, Apep understood.
The Ye Xi before its eyes was, without a doubt, the future new occupant of the Throne!
This kind of Authority utterly crushed the current Throne in every respect!
The same thought surfaced in the hearts of Nahida and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata as well.
Even Raiden Ei, inside the Serenitea Pot, thought the same.
Ye Xi let out a breath of relief and said: "All right, the matter's settled. Let's go up and see whether the desert has changed."
Before the words had even left his mouth.
Earth-shaking changes suddenly erupted all around the Abyss Nail.
Upon the bare ground, countless flowers suddenly bloomed, and grass surged forth visibly to the naked eye.
This empty underground cavern was, in an instant, blanketed with blossoms everywhere.
"Such rich Dendro Elemental Power!"
Even Nahida, who was herself the Dendro Archon, couldn't help but marvel.
Hope suddenly blazed up within Apep's heart.
"Could it be that there really is a chance to make the desert turn back into what it once was!"
Thinking of this, it solemnly vowed: "Outsider! If this can truly be done, then I shall submit to you!"
Ye Xi countered: "Right now, you've already submitted to me, haven't you?"
"Apep, take us back up to the surface."
At this single command, Apep lowered its head.
Once Ye Xi had brought his wives aboard and stood atop it, this enormous dragonlord pushed through layer upon layer of obstruction, heading ever upward.
After who knew how long, the Dendro Dragonlord broke through the earth and surged into the high skies.
"Phew... we're finally out!"
"Ye Xi, quick, look!"
Nahida pointed toward the distant horizon, her face full of astonishment.
...
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