Genshin Impact's Incense Burner Of Liyue [85] (Patreon)

The twin hammers descended in unison, heavy Geo energy coalescing around the weapons and forming an enormous shell—just enough to close the gap between a human and a colossal dragon!

BOOM!

Both hammers struck the base of Azhdaha’s neck, and even that titanic form staggered under the force of Gu Sanqiu’s monstrous strength.

Rippp—

Muscles bulged across Gu Sanqiu’s body, his shirt shredding apart from the sudden expansion. Luckily, thanks to some unspoken rule of cosmic decency, his pants managed to stay intact.

"Take another one!"

Leaping onto Azhdaha’s back, Gu Sanqiu raised both hammers and pounded away, his strikes relentless and frenzied.

Facing such a massive foe, the decision to switch from a spear to twin hammers—able to fully channel his raw power—had been a calculated choice.

Against an enemy of this size, pinpoint attacks would barely make a dent. Even if he managed to pierce through the dragon's scales, unless he hit a critical point, it would feel like nothing more than a pinprick to Azhdaha.

He was certain he could penetrate the scales, but Azhdaha wasn’t some mindless beast. The moment his scales were breached, the Dragon King would retaliate with another barrage of magma projectiles.

The branches on Azhdaha's back trembled, coalescing into fiery whips that lashed toward Gu Sanqiu’s head!

"Guard!"

A shield shimmered to life, absorbing the force of the strike. Using the momentum, Gu Sanqiu surged forward, both hammers crashing down on Azhdaha's skull!

ROAR!

"Foolish mortal, DIE!"

Seeing Gu Sanqiu falling towards him, Azhdaha raised his forelegs and stomped down with an earth-shattering force!

BOOM!

Gu Sanqiu barely managed to leap clear, but his luck had run out. The shockwave wasn’t just an ordinary earthquake. Even the very air, space, and elemental energy around him thickened, trapping him like an insect caught in amber.

With a swift pivot, Azhdaha’s massive tail swung around, shattering the shield that enveloped Gu Sanqiu and sending him crashing into a nearby rock wall!

Cough, cough—"This strength... is on another level."

Gu Sanqiu coughed violently, feeling the weight of being overpowered.

If his earlier attacks had been directed at a Geo Vishap, the creature’s scales would have crumbled, and its insides would’ve been pulverized into paste.

But this... this behemoth in front of him was a whole different story. It seemed only his very first strike had left any visible damage. The others barely made a difference, as if they only served to enrage the Dragon King further.

Gu Sanqiu flexed his fingers around the twin hammers, the air vibrating with their immense weight.

The question now was: had he managed to chip away at Azhdaha's health bar at all?

This wasn’t some game with guaranteed damage on hit; if it were any other adventurer, they would’ve failed to even scratch him, let alone drain his strength.

No, to be precise, they would have been crushed in Azhdaha’s first charging attack—game over.

"Do not grow arrogant, mortal!"

With a furious bellow, Azhdaha lunged again, his massive form hurtling forward. The branches on his back glowed an icy blue, casting a frosty shield over him and releasing a storm of icicles toward Gu Sanqiu.

What looked like ice needles to Azhdaha were, to Gu Sanqiu, the size of frozen spears. A direct hit would be fatal—no shield from Zhongli could save him.

HUMMMMM—

Gu Sanqiu smashed the twin hammers together, a resonant hum shaking the ground and sending vibrations through the air.

"You dare to manipulate Geo’s energy in front of me? Fool!"

"Could you shut up when you’re charging at me? It feels like you’re spitting dirt everywhere."

With a grin, Gu Sanqiu raised his hammers high, calculating Azhdaha’s speed and trajectory. As the Dragon King barreled forward, he swung with all his might!

"Earthquake Cleaver!"

Azhdaha’s eyes glinted with disdain. Instead of continuing his charge, he abruptly halted, spinning sideways in a roll that allowed Gu Sanqiu’s blow to miss entirely, crashing into the ground!

BOOOOOM!

The earth quivered like jelly, then erupted violently. The shockwave raced outward, tearing up soil and vegetation. Invisible force surged beneath the ground like a stampede of wild beasts.

But the attack had missed. Gu Sanqiu’s arms trembled from the exertion, but what shocked him more was Azhdaha’s unexpected move.

For all the talk of overwhelming might, he had evaded like... like a cautious warrior dodging a strike.

A Dragon King... rolling away from an attack? Was this how a dignified sovereign behaved?

Despite the display’s impressive force, Azhdaha’s unyielding scales had nullified most of the damage, rendering the attack little more than a massaging pat on the back.

Gu Sanqiu glanced up at the silent Zhongli, still immersed in his work. That meant it wasn’t over yet—he still had to face this oversized, cunning lizard.

"I remember that move... Yes, I remember you, mortal."

"You, brat from the Gu Clan, are the one who dared to speak to me years ago. It’s you, isn’t it?"

"Out of respect for our past encounter, I’ll grant you the honor of dying on this land!"

Azhdaha roared and charged a third time, but Gu Sanqiu had learned his lesson. He wouldn’t be fooled by the dragon’s tricks again.

This cunning giant was nothing more than a tactical fighter—an elite player in the game of deception.

Azhdaha’s fearless words disguised his tendency to dodge whenever things got dicey.

Gu Sanqiu raised his sniper rifle, squeezing off a barrage of shots. Explosions and piercing rounds tore into Azhdaha’s form, but it wasn’t enough to halt the dragon’s relentless charge.

If both his arms were in perfect condition, Gu Sanqiu would have showcased the pinnacle of marksmanship, perhaps even breaching Azhdaha’s defenses. But right now, it was too risky.

Just as Azhdaha’s charge was about to connect, a calm voice finally broke the tension—sweeter than any melody to Gu Sanqiu’s ears.

"Solid as stone."

A radiant shield enveloped Gu Sanqiu just as Azhdaha's colossal form slammed into him. The impact sent him soaring, yet a cooling energy coursed through his veins, instantly relieving the strain on his battered limbs.

"Did... did that really just happen?!"

Gu Sanqiu twisted in mid-air, landing smoothly and locking eyes with Zhongli, who stood composed, arms folded across his chest.

Behind him, the sky morphed into a field of gold-streaked rock, and a subtle draconic hum echoed in the air. A massive boulder, coiled with an azure serpent, descended from the heavens, aimed directly at the roaring Azhdaha.

"Tectonic... Shift!"

Zhongli’s command resonated as the colossal stone struck true, hurtling towards the defiant Dragon King!