[How truly magnificent, Elliot—or should I call you the Sovereign of the Dark Night? Look at them. You expended so much divine power to raise those mountains, yet not a single soul remembers you. Isn't that pitiful?]
[Who would've thought? With all that immense divine power, you poured so much into this, and still—no one remembers you.]
[So, what do you say? Accept us. Join us. We can grant you the power to look down upon all. Submit to us.]
[Why should you be the one to sacrifice while the Geo Emperor is the one forever praised? Wouldn't it be better to destroy everything?]
[If you side with us, we can build for you a world of absolute supremacy. Wouldn't it be wonderful to rule this world together?]
[Power, strength, beauty—whatever you desire, it can all be yours. Don't you long for such a world?]
Elliot had consumed too much divine power, and not even the Mask of Good and Evil could suppress the karmic corruption raging within him. The same voices that had once tempted him now echoed from the depths of his mind, urging his subconscious to accept their offer.
Desperately resisting, Elliot felt a piercing, unbearable pain in his head. He clutched his skull, rolling across the ground, veins bulging in agony. Even when stabbed through the body, he had never uttered a sound. The herbs that once made Morax scream in pain had only drawn a frown from him.
But this was a pain unlike any physical wound. It was his mind colliding against itself—like his brain being ground in a meat grinder and sprinkled with burning chili powder. The agony was beyond endurance.
"Calm…"
"Calm your mind…"
"Ugh…"
Elliot, who had barely managed to rise, fell again, rolling violently across the earth. His mask slipped off, revealing a twisted, tormented face.
Uncontrolled saliva dripped from his mouth, and bloodshot veins, like writhing worms, filled his eyes. His pupils were half crimson, half black. Half of his face was covered in a strange violet hue, melted into a liquid-like mark—the scars left by the Abyss's earlier corruption.
Overwhelmed by agony, Elliot instinctively shaped a sharp cone from Geo.
"Die… Let's die together!"
Completely losing his sanity, he gripped the cone and thrust it toward his own head. Just as the cone was about to pierce his brain, his half-red, half-black eyes turned completely black—and he froze.
But the cone had already broken through his skull, tearing open a bloody wound at his temple. If he had hesitated for even a second, it would have gone straight into his brain.
[Madman!! You'll regret this!]
The voice echoed in his mind once more before vanishing completely, seemingly terrified by his madness.
Thud…
Drained of strength, Elliot dropped the bloodied cone and slumped against a tree, gasping heavily for air. After a moment to steady his breath, he sat cross-legged and began chanting the Calming Mind Mantra.
But just as he began, something crossed his mind. He rose, picked up the fallen mask, brushed the dust from its surface, studied it briefly, then placed it back over his face. Only then did he resume his cross-legged posture and continue the mantra.
He remained there for two full days before finally restoring his spiritual power to its peak.
"I can't keep running. I won't always be this lucky."
Elliot seemed to come to a realization. This time, the corruption had filled him with true fear. If not for losing consciousness from pain and striking himself at that crucial moment, he would likely have been consumed by the karmic debt. And if that happened, true calamity would have descended.
He could no longer afford to rely on luck.
At first, he had cast many Gods into the sea to protect Guiliyuan. Later, a few of them had resonated with the Abyss, strengthening the karmic corruption now festering within him. If they were to drag out and devour the Abyss hidden inside him, he would be doomed.
...
When Elliot returned to Liyue, the great battle had already ended. None of the seven Gods had fallen—they had all withdrawn.
The reason lay with the God who had sent a signal from Liyue. He had intended to inspect Guiliyuan after the flood, only to see six massive mountains completely blocking the waters. Not a single soul in Liyue or Guiliyuan had perished; everyone was safe and sound.
Realizing his plan had failed, that God immediately retreated to deliver the news to the three fighting Azhdaha and the three battling Morax. Upon hearing it, the six Gods were utterly shocked.
But at this point, continuing the battle was meaningless. They had already lost many of their followers without conquering Liyue, and pressing on would only bring heavier losses. So, the seven allied Gods decided to retreat together, taking their followers with them.
Now, the people of Liyue who had sought refuge in the Guili Plains were gradually returning home.
Yet Morax and the Adepti found something strange—those returning citizens all appeared overjoyed.
Their faces shone with happiness, and in nearly every third sentence, they praised the "Geo Emperor," as if every person in Liyue was singing his name.
Morax, the Adepti, and Azhdaha soon learned the general state of each battlefield—and finally understood why Tianheng Mountain could stand in such a perilous state without ever collapsing.