"This is you, and I am you." The distorted face wriggling on the Deep's arm only existed for a moment before dissipating.
The things on him were like a plague, constantly spreading and expanding, twisting people's minds and changing their forms.
So, for ordinary people, it's best to avoid looking at the things on the Deep as much as possible.
"What was that just now…?" Durin's gaze seemed to be welded to the Deep; he had just seen another version of himself.
That dragon face was identical to his, but it seemed to be caught in some kind of madness and despair. The entire face was extremely twisted, completely different from Durin's original appearance.
"Some… unpleasant things." the Deep met Durin's gaze. He pondered for a moment, then offered this vague explanation.
"Unpleasant things?" Durin was recalling the scene from earlier, and the twisted version of himself reappeared in his mind.
Every time Durin looked at it, he would feel a chill, originating from deep within his heart, wandering in his deepest core.
It came from himself, it was himself, it could replace himself!
"Phew—thank… thank you." Durin seemed to understand why he could remain lucid. He looked at the Deep, then at Yu Jin, and thanked them.
"Heh heh, it's still a bit too early for thanks." the Deep let out a hoarse laugh, like sharp fingernails scraping marble, making people shiver.
After laughing, the Deep spread his palm again. A swirling mass of black and red smoke rose from his hand.
Residual resentment is the lighter part of human nature. Thus, it can transform into smoke, detaching from the Deep, which is formed by the heavy elements of human nature.
"These are the things you caused. They also want to go out and see, just like you," the Deep said, then pushed the black smoke forward.
The smoke churned, and human faces intertwined and vanished within it. They were staring at Durin; they wanted to replace Durin.
"I… I'm sorry!" Durin only glanced at the black and red smoke before lowering his head. He didn't dare to meet the gaze of those faces; looking at them reminded Durin of his past self.
How much despair had the beauty in his eyes created? Durin didn't want to think about it, nor did he dare to.
The hatred and malice in those human faces crossed his vision, turning into sharp thorns that constantly pricked Durin's heart.
Seeing Durin about to curl into a ball again, Yu Jin waved his hand, and the black smoke came into his grasp.
"If you feel guilty, why not try to make amends?"
"How can I make amends? I don't know anything, I can't do anything." Durin's body relaxed after hearing Yu Jin's words, but a dejected expression remained on his dragon face.
Since Durin's birth, the time truly belonging to him could be said to be almost nonexistent. Apart from the moment he was on the verge of death five hundred years ago, the only time he was truly lucid was this period with Yu Jin.
Before that, he had always been in a muddled state. Although Durin constantly spoke of "Mom," Rhinedottir was only a blurry light and shadow in his memory.
That light and shadow had called Durin out of darkness and loneliness, giving him his initial warmth and love. Because of this, Durin had an extraordinary dependence on Rhinedottir.
Now, the awakened Durin was like a child; he could stand up, but his eyes were covered.
He didn't want to move forward because his past actions had brought disaster; he didn't dare to move forward because he knew nothing of the path ahead.
"They should have seen more, but because of you, their journey ended here."
"You are a dragon; your body is large enough to carry countless eyes; your flight is high enough to let them see landscapes they couldn't otherwise."
"So, fly with them, and as for the rest, leave it to us." As he spoke, Yu Jin looked at Alex and Bayeta.
"Why… why are you looking at me?" Bayeta subtly took a step back. Her proud knowledge was already almost completely shattered.
Now, Bayeta knew she couldn't research anything. the Deep's various manifestations had exceeded her understanding.
If she truly wanted to study him, everything she had learned would probably have to be overturned and started anew, which Bayeta was unwilling to do.
"This time it shouldn't just be about machinery." Alex stroked his chin. Yu Jin putting in so much effort shouldn't be so simple.
Moreover, if it were truly just to forge a mechanical body, then the smoke in Yu Jin's hand would have nowhere to go.
"Exactly." Yu Jin nodded, and then the resentment in his hand gradually stopped churning. The twisted human faces also became serene.
"They want to see the world again, and Durin also wants to see this world." Yu Jin took a deep breath, then smiled and said to Bayeta:
"So why not try to bring them along? This is what Durin should do, and it's also an opportunity for your research and transcendence."
Yu Jin looked at Alex again and added, "Of course, the same goes for you."
...Bayeta and Alex left with Durin, leaving only Yu Jin and the Deep in the entire space.
"You really are troublesome." The gloomy version of Yu Jin suddenly dissolved, and a puddle of black sludge appeared out of nowhere in the Akasha.
"Not troublesome. I can't do everything myself. If there's a heart for atonement, then go atone. Actions speak louder than words."
Yu Jin feigned a yawn, looking with some relief in the direction Durin had departed. Durin was a good child; such profound introspection regarding his sins was the first Yu Jin had encountered since coming to this world.
For someone with such a good attitude towards confessing their sins and actively wanting to make amends, Yu Jin naturally had to create conditions for him to atone.
"Life not permitted to be born, heh heh, how dare you say that." the Deep also looked in the direction Durin had left, seemingly scoffing at the statement.
"Yes, it should be born. Preventing it would only bring greater disaster." Yu Jin also nodded in agreement upon hearing this.
The light of the First Flame will eventually extinguish. While linking the First Flame can prolong the Age of Fire, the Age of the Deep, which was supposed to arrive, was continuously postponed, and eventually, the world began to twist.
The legendary Age of Man would ultimately twist man himself.
"So, aren't you born?" Yu Jin looked at the Deep and chuckled.
"This is called being born?" the Deep indicated he didn't want to talk to Yu Jin and gave him an unseeing eye-roll.
"Don't say that. Haven't you found a companion? And don't I take you out to play from time to time?" Yu Jin waved his hand, telling the Deep not to mind these small details.
Then, Yu Jin looked at the constantly flickering Frenzied Flame and rot in the distance and shouted, "Hey—time to wrap up—"
Yu Jin's powerful shout carried far. Then, the orange-yellow and crimson in the distant Sky began to contract. The entire Sky gradually unified its tone, turning into its eternally unchanging gloomy appearance.
"Buzz~" The space around Yu Jin emitted a series of humming sounds, then the space broke open, and a bunch of non-human things emerged from it.
"Don't touch me!" As soon as rot came out, he kicked First Flame far away. As the weakest, tangible, and vulnerable rot, he feared fire the most.
Actually, he feared the concept of "flow" even more. However, apart from the Fluid Swordsman who sealed him back then, no one else could wield the power of flowing water to a degree sufficient to harm him.
But there were many who could wield the power of fire, especially when he met Yu Jin. rot didn't want to recall the specific process; in short, it was very tragic.
"Abba abba?" First Flame stumbled after being kicked by rot's protruding flesh pillar. The flames around him flickered a few times, seemingly wondering who had kicked him.
"Come, come, come, after all this time, we've finally gathered. Look what I've brought you." Yu Jin looked at the four strangely shaped guys in front of him and greeted them naturally.
As he spoke, Yu Jin pulled out a large pile of Teyvat specialties like Sunsettia and Valberry from his embrace.
"Try them!" Yu Jin stuck a Sunsettia into the Deep's sludge. The orange-red Sunsettia floated on the charred sludge, like a fresh flower stuck in cow dung.
"You…" the Deep was about to say something when he saw rot's flesh mass impale a Sweet Flower.
Further away, Yu Jin was scratching his head, considering how to stuff these edibles into First Flame and Frenzied Flame's bodies.
Seeing this, the Deep said nothing more, merely silently corroding the Sunsettia.
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