Chapter 32: The Sorrow of the Great Dragon

In Chen’s eyes, wind, as an intangible and formless entity, is remarkably versatile in actual combat. It can be utilized to augment speed and agility (support); it can be used to disperse or gather enemies through wind fields and vortices (crowd control); and it can be compressed into high-intensity bursts to inflict explosive damage, or accelerated to its limit to deliver cutting strikes against swarms of foes (offense). In short, the applications of Anemo power are diverse, and whether one can fully unleash its formidable might depends entirely on the wielder's ability to integrate their own unique traits and tap into the element’s greater potential and possibilities.

On the other side, after a brief moment of shock, Venti quickly regained his composure and transmitted his voice to the traveler from another world: "Traveler, strike the venomous blood crystal on its back. That is its greatest weakness right now."

Chen, who was locked in battle with the Stormterror, heard this voice and instantly fixed his gaze upon the purple-black crystalline mass on the dragon’s back. In truth, Chen had already sensed that there was something peculiar about it; the ominous aura it radiated was identical to that of the dragon tear he had stumbled upon in the forest earlier. This sparked a sense of unease in his heart, leaving him to wonder what exactly it was. However, despite his internal doubts, this was clearly not the time to dwell on such matters.

Upon learning of the Stormterror’s weakness, Chen rapidly gathered the surging power of the Anemo Archon within himself and, without hesitation, charged toward the dragon once more. Within the city of Mondstadt, various factions were closely monitoring the fierce battle. Under the gaze of countless eyes, the traveler and the dragon were locked in a desperate struggle once again.

The intense battle dragged on for more than half an hour. Finally, after narrowly dodging a sharp wind blade swept out by the dragon's claws, Chen’s eyes sharpened as he seized a fleeting opportunity. As he passed by the dragon, he hurled the high-pressure wind orb he had been charging for some time—a projectile compressed to its absolute limit.

The wind orb, containing immensely violent Anemo energy, spun like a high-speed miniature storm. It tore through the air with a whistling roar, hurtling toward the Stormterror with lightning speed like an arrow released from its bow. It shredded the mist in its path, carving a long trajectory through the air before striking the largest venomous blood crystal on the dragon’s torso with a thunderous impact.

"Bang!"
"ROAR!!!"

The venomous blood crystal shattered upon impact, and the ensuing agony caused the maddened dragon to emit a piercing, mournful shriek. The cry tore through the sky, clearly reaching the ears of every citizen in Mondstadt; the pain contained within that sound was far more intense than any previous strike had ever caused.

The sheer agony caused the dragon’s massive body to sway violently in the high altitude, plunging dozens of meters downward uncontrollably before it could barely stabilize itself with a desperate beat of its wings. The immense momentum from the fall triggered a powerful shockwave beneath the dragon, rippling outward.

"Hoo... hoo..."

The cyan dragon hovered in mid-air, breathing heavily through its nose and mouth; clearly, this blow had caused it significant injury. Below, the citizens watching the battle witnessed this scene and were instantly emboldened. Cheers erupted like a surging tide, resounding through the entire city of Mondstadt. Every resident looked up at the mysterious and powerful youth in the sky with anticipation, their hearts ignited with hope, praying that he would press the attack and slay the evil dragon that had brought them endless suffering and disaster these past few days.

However, after landing the hit, the youth in the sky stopped. He hovered at a great height, quietly observing the dragon below in its immense agony, his expression unreadable.

He hesitated.

Perhaps, if he pressed his advantage now, there was a high probability he could slay the dragon right here. Doing so would satisfy the will of the Mondstadt populace and likely earn him the friendship of the city’s official organizations, which would be helpful for gathering the information he sought later.

But...

During his direct confrontation with the dragon, he had felt the pain, sorrow, and struggle within its eyes at close range. Looking down at the city, Chen vaguely sensed that everything happening before him was not the dragon’s true intent. Behind this dragon disaster plaguing Mondstadt, there seemed to be many hidden truths unknown to the public.

So, did he really want to kill the Stormterror right here?

Chen was conflicted. Lacking the full picture, he was uncertain if doing so would lead to a good or bad outcome for himself and the people below who were screaming for him to slay the beast.

As for the Stormterror, while Chen’s charged attack had inflicted great pain, the intensity of that agony and the shattering of the large piece of corrupted blood had inadvertently allowed the dragon, previously lost in madness, to regain a modicum of clarity.

The terrifying crimson in the dragon’s eyes faded, replaced by the pure, ethereal glow representing the element of Anemo.

"Barbatos..."

With vision still somewhat blurred, the dragon sensed the familiar power of the Anemo Archon upon the youth who had struck him down. In a daze, he mistook the youth for another, murmuring the name weakly. Then, as if realizing what he had done, the dragon turned his gaze toward the chaotic city of Mondstadt below.

True sorrow welled up in the dragon’s eyes. Had he really destroyed everything he once swore to protect with his own hands?

Hearing the rallying cries and the fervent, unified shouts of the citizens, the dragon could no longer contain his grief. He let out a desolate howl toward the sky, then struggled to control his massive frame, beating his wings with all his might to fly away from Mondstadt. He knew Barbatos would not kill him, but he was afraid—afraid that if he lingered any longer, he would lose control once more and continue to destroy the city he had once died to defend.

Seeing this, Chen hesitated, wondering whether he should pursue. But at that moment, he felt the Anemo power he had been imbued with beginning to fade. Simultaneously, the gentle voice from earlier resonated in his ears once more:

"Stranger, thank you for your help, but please, let him go. Dvalin... he is also just a poor, unfortunate child."

Hearing this, Chen let out a long breath and said nothing more. The words confirmed his suspicions. In that case, there was no need to take further action.

He shook his head, channeled his own Anemo power to control his wind glider, and began to drift down toward the square below.