"Forest Dominion—Heavy Cleave!"
A colossal sword shadow descended, slashing straight toward Apep.
But the target was not the Dragon Sovereign's body—
It was the emerald Withering Storm she had summoned.
The corrupted greatsword collided head-on with the decaying tempest.
In that instant, the explosion of power was enough to turn an entire city into ashes.
Fortunately, they were fighting in the desert.
The Withering Storm—once spanning several kilometers—was forcibly torn apart by the heavy slash. Its decay energy posed no threat whatsoever to Idris.
"Break."
The green storm shattered completely.
Yet this battle decided whether Apep would become a mount. Even with her ultimate technique destroyed, she had no intention of surrendering so easily.
Her massive body twisted midair.
The colossal dragon tail whipped downward like a falling mountain.
Idris instantly summoned the Golden Profound Wood Dharma Body behind him. Its arms crossed, transforming into an immense shield that blocked the crushing blow head-on.
Then—
With a casual motion, Idris raised his hand.
A vast green magic circle formed beneath his feet.
During these months, he hadn't only been refining power—he had also spent time mastering formation control and creation.
"You still want to resist?" Idris said calmly.
"I sealed you when you were at your weakest—what makes you think I can't capture you again?"
"Heaven-Sealing Cage Formation—Dragonbinding Chains!"
From the ground erupted enormous vine-tendrils, each as thick as century-old tree trunks. Under Idris's control, they surged toward Apep.
Her previous Withering Storm had drained her heavily.
For the moment, she could no longer mobilize Dendro energy.
All she had left was her massive physical body.
And that alone was not enough.
The vine chains wrapped tightly around her, layer upon layer.
Apep struggled violently in the air, but every attempt only caused the restraints to tighten further.
"You may surrender now, Apep."
"You—!"
Glaring at Idris's utterly contemptuous expression, Apep finally stopped struggling.
Her colossal form began to shrink.
From hundreds of meters… to dozens.
Still enormous—but diminished by an entire order of magnitude.
Then, a glowing sigil emerged from her forehead.
A Dragon Seal.
Despite the resentment still written across her massive face, she had no choice.
The seal drifted forward, landing in Idris's hand before merging into his consciousness.
In that instant, Idris felt a new connection form—
A direct spiritual bond.
Apep spoke slowly.
"This is my Dragon Seal. Once absorbed, it allows me to sense your existence at all times."
"In the past… this seal was only bestowed upon those trusted by a Dragon Sovereign."
She paused.
Never had she imagined that one day, this seal would become proof of submission.
In Mondstadt, Dvalin had never truly acknowledged Barbatos as a master—only as a companion.
Yet she… had acknowledged a human.
But reality left her no choice.
The age of gods had faded.
The era of Dragon Sovereigns had passed.
In Sumeru, anything that refused to submit to Idris—be it god or dragon—faced only eternal sealing.
And so, she yielded.
After accepting the Dragon Seal, Idris smiled faintly.
At this point, every supernormal power within Sumeru had fallen under his control.
The only remaining autonomous region lay far north—the Flower Sea, domain of the flower spirits.
That matter would resolve itself through the Traveler in time.
With a wave of his hand, Idris dispelled the Dragonbinding Formation. The vines loosened and withdrew.
Nahida walked over, smiling warmly.
"Grand Sage," she said,
"you've accomplished something truly historic."
"Apep is among the oldest Dragon Sovereigns in existence… and you made her submit."
"That's incredible."
Apep snorted coldly.
"If I still possessed the full authority of the ancient dragons, I wouldn't necessarily lose to you."
"Perhaps," Idris replied indifferently.
He still had trump cards he hadn't used.
Compared to his battle against the Scarlet King, this fight had been… easier.
At that moment, a familiar system notification echoed in his mind.
[Task Complete]
You have successfully subdued the Grass Dragon Sovereign and altered her original fate.
[Rewards Granted]
– Military-grade modern transportation blueprints
– Complete iron and steel smelting technologies
A massive influx of knowledge poured into Idris's consciousness.
He couldn't help but feel relieved—thankfully, he possessed the blessing of the miniature World Tree, allowing him to store immense information.
Otherwise, his mind would have shattered long ago.
Plant grafting.
Alchemy.
Statecraft.
Formations.
Military engineering.
Smelting technology.
Even the greatest minds of his original world would pale in comparison.
Satisfied, Idris approached Apep.
"Alright. You're my mount now."
"Let me test the feel."
Apep lowered her head unwillingly.
But when she noticed Nahida bouncing over with curiosity, she immediately exhaled a burst of dragon breath, blowing Nahida several steps back.
She would submit to Idris alone.
Not the Dendro Archon.
Idris waved Nahida over.
"Fine. I'll sit on your back."
"She sits on my lap."
"No objections now, right?"
"…Hmph. As you wish, Sage."
She would never call him Master.
Calling him Sage was her final concession.
Idris mounted her back, pulling Nahida onto his lap with ease.
"Let's go."
"Back to Sumeru City."
"For you, the rainforest should feel much better than the desert."
Apep nodded.
She rose into the sky, flying swiftly toward Sumeru.
Even with Idris's composure, riding an ancient Dragon Sovereign stirred his blood.
A true Dragon Rider at last.
Notably, Apep discreetly shaped her scales and Dendro energy into a saddle-like structure—ensuring Idris wouldn't fall at high speed.
Idris chose not to comment.
Nahida nestled comfortably against him, already accustomed to his embrace.
Soon, they reached the skies above Sumeru City.
The massive dragon instantly drew countless gazes.
"What—what is that thing in the sky?!"
"That dragon's huge—will it destroy the city?!"
"Relax! We have Lord Idris—our protector!"
Then—
People noticed who was riding the dragon.
It was Idris himself.
Seated atop the azure dragon, Nahida in his arms, Idris smiled down at the city.
"My people," he declared calmly,
"there's no need to worry."
"This dragon—"
"Is my mount from this day forward."
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