If this had been before, when Ryen said he was going to tear down the Akademiya, the others might have tried to dissuade him.
After all, the Akademiya held a special status in Suru.
But now? No one had the energy to care.
They were still reeling from the sheer shock of the Totem of Undying—compared to that, what was wrecking a re Akademiya?
If it was being destroyed, then it must have deserved it.
Ryen was simply delivering justice!
That being said, both Ganyu and Ningguang were slightly curious—who exactly was the "she" Ryen had ntioned?
Zhongli glanced at Xiao, who imdiately spoke up,
"I will go with Ryen."
Ryen had no objections.
He simply said softly,
"Xiao and I will be back soon. In the anti, Ningguang, make sure to store away everything we brought back from the Nether."
"Also, there's a crate of TNT in the basent of the manor. Bring up a batch—I'll teach you all how to make a Redstone Cannon when I return."
"We might as well take advantage of the upcoming Pillager raid to test its power."
As he spoke, Ryen handed over the important resources he was carrying—diamonds and other valuable materials—to Ningguang and the others for safekeeping.
As for the rest, he would deal with them after his return.
Seeing that Ryen and Xiao were about to leave, Ganyu gently tugged at his sleeve, her voice soft and filled with concern,
"Ryen, be careful…"
Ryen smiled, pulling her into a gentle embrace before planting a light kiss on her cheek.
"Don't worry, there's nowhere in Teyvat that can threaten ."
With that, he turned and walked away.
In that instant, his expression turned ice-cold.
Xiao spoke in a low voice,
"Ryen, aren't we heading there directly?"
"Oh, we're going."
"But first… I need to catch a few zombies."
"I've got a grand gift to deliver to those bastards."
…
Suru, the Sanctuary of Surasthana.
Nahida curled up, hugging her knees tightly as she floated alone in the air.
Around her was a barrier of erald light—one of the last remnants of power left behind by the previous Dendro Archon, the Greater Lord Rukkhadevata.
That power kept her imprisoned.
Yet, in truth, she could break free anyti she wished—after all, she was the current Dendro Archon.
But she chose not to.
In her heart, she was unworthy.
She was unloved by her people, and so she willingly remained here, allowing them to continue reminiscing about the glory of the past.
At first, it had been painful.
The darkness had been terrifying.
But over ti, she had grown used to it.
Five hundred years had passed this way—what did it matter anymore?
And yet, three days ago… for the first ti, Nahida had the urge to escape.
Because she had t soone new.
A friend.
Soone who understood her.
Soone who cared about her.
She had never experienced such warmth before.
The lingering emotions from that encounter had tornted her for days, making the surrounding darkness feel more unbearable than ever.
She missed Ryen.
They had yet to finish making their flower cart together.
Even if it was just in a dream…
But to her, dreams were her reality.
For the past two days, Nahida had stubbornly extended her consciousness through the Ley Lines, stretching all the way to Liyue.
It was a reckless act.
If that Geo Lord noticed, he would surely be furious.
But Nahida wasn't afraid.
She was only afraid that Ryen would stop looking for her.
Those who have seen the light can never bear to return to the darkness.
Nahida was no exception.
For two whole days, neither had the Geo Archon noticed her, nor had she found any trace of Ryen.
It was as if he had never existed in this world.
Nahida refused to believe that their eting was just an illusion, so…
"Still not back yet, Ryen…?"
A trace of disappointnt flickered in her heart.
She skillfully crafted a dream for herself once again.
A dream where the fields stretched out like that day, where the Sanctuary of Surasthana remained unchanged.
Even Ryen, standing there, was as gentle as before.
But Nahida knew, deep inside, that this was nothing more than a dream.
She couldn't grasp his hand. The figure before her, no matter how vivid, lacked the warmth he had given her that day.
Yet, she didn't care anymore.
Her large eyes curved into crescent moons, pure and untainted.
"Ryen! Push higher!"
Within her self-created dream, Nahida sat on a swing woven from divine energy.
She controlled the dream, summoning a soft breeze to carry her higher into the air.
Beside her, Ryen's shadow stood with a gentle smile, yet it lacked the lively spark he once had—it was nothing more than a hollow projection.
But Nahida was happy.
She had spent five hundred years entertaining herself in solitude.
At least now, in a world where only she existed, she finally had a shadow to accompany her.
"Ryen! Higher!"
"Hehe! Ryen, Ryen, shall we make the flower carriage later? I want you to guide —I want to build it myself!"
"I'll make a flower carriage big enough for both of us to ride together!"
"After that, let's go see that bamboo forest you ntioned, okay? I really, really want to see those adorable pandas…"
"Hey, hey! Ryen, I have a secret to tell you…"
"Actually, my real na is Nahida. I am the Little Lord Kusanali!"
"Ryen… I really, really miss you…"
Her dream-self never stopped smiling.
But outside the dream, Nahida curled up even tighter, resembling a wounded kitten.
…
Just as Ryen stepped out of the portal, he instinctively placed a hand over his chest.
A strange mix of emotions swirled within him—an unexplainable pull and a seething fury that refused to fade.
He knew it.
Nahida was thinking about him, waiting for him in her dream.
But Ryen despised dreams.
Behind him, Xiao was dragging along three zombies, their bodies bound in rope and their heads covered in thick black cloth to prevent them from burning in the sun.
Ryen clenched his fists, his knuckles itching with anticipation.
He couldn't wait any longer.
He had to wake Nahida up—imdiately. He had to take her away.
If the Akademiya and Suru refused to acknowledge her, then to hell with them.
Soone else could take on the burden of their miserable responsibilities—he didn't care.
"Ryen?"
Xiao could sense the growing storm within Ryen. Ever since they had returned to Teyvat, his anger had only beco more palpable.
"In the shortest ti possible, take to the Sanctuary of Surasthana in Suru. Can you do it?"
Ryen took a deep breath, suppressing the boiling rage within him.
This fire—this fury—he would unleash it upon the Akademiya.
Xiao solemnly nodded.
"Leave it to ."
A storm of erald and midnight winds erupted around them, sweeping up Ryen and the three restrained zombies.
Like a green teor streaking across the land, they soared toward Suru, traversing mountains and valleys in the blink of an eye.
With most of his karmic debt now cleared, this level of adeptal arts was effortless for Xiao.
Despite the vast distance, Xiao—second only to the Geo Archon himself—was more than capable.
In under ten minutes, they arrived in Suru.
Fierce winds swirled around them as they stood in the heart of the bustling city.
Ryen looked down upon the tropolis with cold, indifferent eyes.
People chatted and laughed, the streets teeming with life. A prosperous city of knowledge and wisdom.
"Xiao, tell —what do you see?"
His voice was eerily calm.
Xiao hesitated, unsure of how to answer. He could sense it—the sheer force of will behind Ryen's every word.
After a mont of silence, Xiao spoke softly.
"A lively city… everywhere, traces of knowledge."
"Heh…"
Ryen let out a low chuckle, his tone unreadable.
"Yes, a nation of wisdom… How ironic that such wisdom belongs to a group of overgrown infants, incapable of thinking or seeking truth on their own—forever begging the gods for answers."
"Everything they learn, everything they know, everything they desire… all of it, handed down by the gods. Tell , Xiao, what is the difference between such wisdom and the greatest form of ignorance?"
"A people who refuse to seek knowledge for themselves, yet claim to be the children of wisdom. A nation that hungers for divine knowledge but lacks the heart to respect the gods who provide it."
"Tell , do they even deserve to exist?"
Xiao's pupils shrank. He quickly said, "Ryen! Please, don't—"
"Relax. I have no intention of going on a senseless massacre."
Ryen waved a hand dismissively, speaking in a low voice.
"But I do intend to remind them—remind these ungrateful fools—exactly what allows them to survive in this world."
"They who pride themselves on being self-sufficient without gods—let's see how they stand when the world begins to tremble beneath their feet."
"They will learn, soon enough. Knowledge is built on humility and perseverance. Only destruction is born from arrogance and blind entitlent."
"This ti… I'm just here to collect so interest."
His gaze shifted toward the Akademiya.
Yes, he was furious. But not to the extent of mindless slaughter.
The Akademiya was rotten, but not every scholar was beyond salvation.
His target was clear—the Grand Sages, the so-called "God-Creation Project."
Ryen unleashed his full sensory perception.
Countless voices filled his ears.
The shouts of rchants in the marketplace, the patrols of the Matra, heated academic debates, the festivities of the Grand Bazaar…
And deep within the heart of the Akademiya—whispers that made his skin crawl with disgust.
"Found you."
A grin spread across Ryen's face, though his eyes remained cold as ice.
"Just a little force—one punch is enough. If they can't survive it, then that's their luck."
"If they do survive… well, let's see how they like becoming zombies."
He slowly clenched his fist, and in an instant, Xiao felt as though a massive stone had been placed on his chest.
A terrifying pressure weighed down on him.
Where Ryen's fingers curled, the air itself shattered, rippling outward like a violent tide—space itself seed to distort in his grip.
Lifting his fist, he carefully calculated his aim.
Ensuring no innocents would be caught in the crossfire, Ryen didn't make any exaggerated movents.
He simply… extended his fist forward.
For a brief mont, space trembled.
Like ripples in a pond, waves of energy cascaded through the air, roaring toward the depths of the Akademiya.
If anyone had looked up at that mont, they might have witnessed a breathtaking sight—
The clouds had been blasted open, leaving a gaping hole in the sky.
But in the next second, none of that mattered.
Because Suru City shook with a thunderous roar.
A deep, deafening tremor rocked the land.
And at the very heart of the Akademiya—where the Grand Sages convened, where their secret experints were conducted—
A bottomless crater had ford.
The upper floors, the council chambers, the hidden research facilities, the very core of their "God-Creation" project—
All of it, obliterated.
Many researchers and the private soldiers of the Sages were reduced to dust before they even realized what had happened.
Panic spread like wildfire throughout the Akademiya.
Lowering his fist, Ryen exhaled, feeling the last traces of his frustration fade away.
Without even bothering to check whether the Grand Sage had survived, he said lazily—
"That's enough."
"Xiao, drop the zombies in."
Xiao, seeing that Ryen's rage had finally subsided, let out a small sigh of relief.
Still, he hesitated.
"Ryen, from this height, won't the zombies—"
"The rules of this world are different."
Ryen smirked.
"I could fall from here and be fine. They'll be fine too. Just drop them in—and from this mont on, none of this is our concern."
Xiao nodded wordlessly and released the ropes.
The three zombies plumted into the crater, landing safely at the very depths of the Akademiya.
As the black cloth covering their heads unraveled, they let out guttural, bloodcurdling growls.
Ryen chuckled.
"Let's see how they fare without their gods now."
~~----------------------
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