Genshin Impact: The Story of Azhdaha and Zhongli

Friend. Should the day ever come that we are not together, you will continue to shine like gold in my memories.

This is his farewell to an old friend. Azhdaha was originally the guardian of Liyue. A thousand years of erosion made him forget why he suffered in this world. The people he once protected have now become the greatest source of his pain.

The origin of Azhdaha, the Dragon King

Azhdaha, the Dragon King, originally was just a spiritual stone. Zhongli brought it from the underground and carved this massive stone into a giant dragon, giving it eyes. Azhdaha and Zhongli made an agreement that he would coexist with the people on the surface, and if the agreement was violated, Azhdaha would return underground.

The Beginning of Azhdaha's Corruption

A certain power is gradually devouring the memories of Azhdaha, and this power is called erosion. Erosion has made Azhdaha irritable and restless, ultimately leading to his attack on the Chasm. Zhongli once tried to stop the force of erosion but in vain. Erosion is part of the natural order, beyond one's control.In Genshin Impact merchandise featuring the Azhdaha plush cushion and pendant, its eyes are a menacing red, indicating the erosion inflicted upon Azhdaha. In the end, Azhdaha and Zhongli engaged in a fierce battle, fighting all the way to Nantianmen. Ultimately, Azhdaha was defeated, sealed underground. Despite his defeat, it wasn't a matter of lacking skill, but rather a heart still holding affection for Morax, for Liyue, and even for life on the surface. He willingly accepted his confinement.

In the millennia that followed, people gradually forgot the assistance Azhdaha once provided to the land of Liyue. Blind exploitation and continuous destruction of rock layers led to Azhdaha's resurgence. He used the embodiment of his evil thoughts to manipulate the workers in the mining area and to break the seal left by Zhongli for himself. However, at this moment, a strand of thought he had not noticed also left the seal. It was the last remnant of Azhdaha's benevolent thoughts, too weak and only remembering one thing – to find Zhongli, even though the reason was unclear.

In the end of the story, both benevolent and malevolent thoughts faded away together. Azhdaha once again fell into an endless slumber. Before his benevolent thoughts collapsed, he had asked the Geo Archon, Rex Lapis, whether the Archon would come if he fell into tyranny again. In this, there was the hope of reuniting with an old friend and dissatisfaction with being sealed again, as the fault was not originally his. The Geo Archon made a promise to him that he would not intervene again, for he knew that when Azhdaha revived once more, this land, the only place in the mortal realm without divine rule, could withstand any storm.