Chapter 36. Exploring Chasm
Lumine remembered that she hadn't displayed this ability in Liyue, so how did Futsu Mitama know?
This made her feel slightly puzzled, and soon, her gaze involuntarily shifted toward Paimon not far away.
"Ah ha ha ha~"
Being stared at by Lumine, Paimon seemed to realize something. She immediately looked off to the side, as if there were suddenly some breathtaking scenery there worth admiring.
Lumine's eyes narrowed slightly at that reaction, and she quickly understood how Futsu Mitama had learned about her ability.
So it was Paimon who had quietly leaked the information without her knowing?
But when had that happened? Why didn't she remember it at all? Could it have been during one of their previous meals?
Meanwhile, Paimon was also silently panicking, wondering if she had accidentally revealed something about the Traveler again—because, thinking about it carefully, this wasn't the first time she had done something like that.
Paimon was, unfortunately, very aware of her own tendency to let things slip.
"Mm."
Although Lumine realized the truth, she didn't dwell on it. She simply nodded slightly, indicating that she indeed possessed the ability to purify.
"You try this and see if you can purify it."
Futsu Mitama stepped aside, making space for Lumine as he gestured toward the black mud beneath their feet, clearly intending for her to test it herself.
If it worked, then Lumine would likely end up purifying these Oozing Concretions one by one without rest.
And if it truly succeeded, then her prestige in Liyue would probably rise to a level not inferior to the Qixing.
After all, even Rex Lapis and the Adeptus found the black mud within The Chasm troublesome. If Lumine could completely resolve it, she would undoubtedly receive special attention from the Liyue Qixing.
"I'll try."
Lumine wasn't entirely certain whether she could purify the black mud before her, but she still raised her hand without hesitation.
An invisible force surged from within her body, slowly flowing into the Oozing Concretion.
"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!!"
The Oozing Concretion, which had already been weakened by Futsu Mitama, suddenly reacted violently as if provoked, beginning to churn and boil, its surface writhing as it regained activity.
"This?! It's revived?!"
Paimon's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the scene in front of her.
How could the Traveler's power actually revive this disgusting black mud? Could it be that their powers shared the same origin?
"No, this is a dying struggle."
Futsu Mitama, however, saw through it immediately. His gaze remained calm as he explained, noticing that the black mud had sensed danger and was desperately resisting Lumine's purification.
Lumine also felt the resistance from the black mud, and without hesitation, she increased the output of her power.
Under that steady pressure, the pitch-black Oozing Concretion began to dissolve at a visible speed. The black mud that even the Adeptus and Rex Lapis found troublesome now appeared fragile in front of Lumine, as if the two were natural opposites.
Her power didn't merely suppress it—it eradicated it completely.
The commotion quickly drew the attention of those nearby.
Yelan walked over, her gaze landing on the disappearing black mud, and a trace of undisguised shock flashed across her eyes.
No one understood better than her just how difficult this substance was to deal with.
Before the Chasm project had begun, Liyue had already prepared multiple countermeasures—sealing techniques, specialized elemental weapons, and even deploying powerful individuals to forcibly suppress it.
But all of those methods could only treat the symptoms, never the root cause. Yet now, this black mud was being completely purified by an Honorary Knight from Mondstadt.
It was truly astonishing.
Yelan's gaze subtly shifted toward Futsu Mitama, a thought surfacing unbidden in her mind—
Why were there always so many extraordinary individuals gathered around him?
Xiao also appeared nearby, his eyes lingering on Lumine for a brief moment, a hint of surprise flashing within them.
Clearly, he hadn't expected that this outsider—someone not native to Teyvat—would possess such an ability.
"How's the consumption?"
Futsu Mitama didn't appear particularly surprised. Instead, he focused on the more practical concern, looking directly at Lumine as he asked.
Lumine withdrew her hand slightly, exhaling as she assessed her condition.
"The consumption is quite high. If I continuously purify seven or eight Oozing Concretions, I'll probably lose my combat ability."
Her answer caused Yelan's brows to knit together slightly. Even without seeing the exact size of the one just purified, she already knew the scale of the problem.
Deep within The Chasm, there were hundreds of such Oozing Concretions.
And the further one went, the larger they became.
Relying on Lumine alone to resolve them all would take an unimaginable amount of time. Not to mention the possibility that as purification progressed, the black mud might react violently, producing even more Oozing Concretions.
Just imagining that scenario was enough to give Yelan a headache.
"Understood."
Futsu Mitama nodded slightly, already reaching into his inventory and retrieving a small bottle filled with an unfamiliar liquid.
"Where's the nearest Oozing Concretion that has lost its vitality?"
"Here."
Tartaglia stepped forward, still holding his bow in a relaxed manner. The bow was the weapon he was least proficient with—something he used when he wasn't taking things seriously.
However, at this moment, his curiosity had clearly been piqued.
Through Fatui intelligence, he had already learned that this black mud was suspected to be a degraded form of Abyssal energy—essentially, a weakened Abyssal curse.
Even in that state, it was notoriously difficult to eliminate.
So how exactly did Lumine and Futsu Mitama intend to deal with it?
That was something he very much wanted to see for himself.
Led by Tartaglia, Lumine and Futsu Mitama arrived in front of an Oozing Concretion that had temporarily lost its vitality and was no longer spewing black mud.
Through the Chat Group, Lumine also understood that the small bottle of unknown liquid in Futsu Mitama's hand was a high-quality imitation created based on a sign-in item.
Although it was unclear whether it would be effective against the black mud in The Chasm, there was no harm in trying. What if it led to a new discovery?
Thinking this, Futsu Mitama opened the small bottle and poured the transparent liquid inside.
"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!"
Intense fluctuations erupted within the Oozing Concretion, as if clear water had been poured into a pan of boiling oil. The entire mass churned violently, and black mud once again began to spew outward.
Lumine seized the moment. She immediately released her unique purification ability, directing that invisible power into both the black mud and the Oozing Concretion itself.
With the cooperation of the fake purified water, the Oozing Concretion was quickly purified.
"How's the situation?" Yelan asked proactively, her tone carrying a faint trace of impatience.
This matter was extremely important to Liyue. The Chasm contained a vast amount of precious and rare ores, and if it could be continuously developed, it would greatly boost Liyue's economy.
"The consumption has significantly decreased."
Lumine delivered the good news. She looked at everyone and continued, "I can probably solve over fifty Oozing Concretions like this in a day."
"However—this thing is truly amazing."
At this moment, Lumine herself felt quite surprised. She hadn't expected that after using the fake purified water, her energy consumption for eliminating Oozing Concretions would decrease so drastically.
If it were real purification water, would a single drop be enough to completely resolve an Oozing Concretion?
Albedo had mentioned in the group that this fake purified water possessed about seventy percent of the original purification water's effect.
However, that was only theoretical. There was too little genuine purification water left—Venti had used it until only a dozen drops remained—and Albedo did not dare to conduct further experiments.
"Normal. You'll see more amazing things in the future."
Futsu Mitama, however, found this entirely expected. In his view, anything produced by Albedo could be considered a masterpiece.
Albedo, known as the Kreideprinz, was arguably the strongest alchemist on the continent of Teyvat. Even ancient gods like Zhongli, who had lived for thousands of years, would not claim superiority over him in this field.
At the same time, Futsu Mitama couldn't help but feel fortunate that such an exceptional alchemist had joined the Chat Group from the very beginning. It was truly a blessing.
"Then, let's continue!"
Xiao spoke up at this moment, his gaze turning toward the dark energy not far away as he said calmly, "Let's quickly clear this area. We'll establish a base as a foothold, and then proceed to explore The Chasm."
What lay in the depths of The Chasm—even Xiao did not know. After all, his last involvement here had been five hundred years ago.
He only vaguely remembered that traces of the Nameless Yaksha existed somewhere deep within.
If he had been alone, Xiao would have already vanished from the spot and headed straight for the depths.
However, Rex Lapis had made it clear—after entering The Chasm, everything should follow Futsu Mitama's commands—and Xiao had no objections.
Not only had Futsu Mitama inherited Rex Lapis's power, but he had also worked together with him to revive Guizhong, the God of Dust, who had perished during the Archon War.
Rex Lapis had even stated that Futsu Mitama might one day be able to revive the Nameless Yaksha.
Because of this, Xiao was willing to fully cooperate. If Futsu Mitama said one, he would never say two, nor would he interfere due to personal motives.
"Good."
Futsu Mitama naturally agreed. He looked at Lumine and said, "Let's first deal with the Oozing Concretions around the entrance. Once those are cleared, we'll gradually move deeper."
"And we should also check if there are any Millelith or Fatui who failed to retreat and are still inside The Chasm. If they hear the sounds of battle, they should come toward us. When that happens, the area we've cleared will become their sanctuary—at least somewhere they can be relatively safe."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded without objection.
A hint of surprise flashed through Tartaglia's eyes.
He hadn't expected Futsu Mitama to even consider the Fatui. In truth, Tartaglia himself understood that it would be perfectly normal for Futsu Mitama to resent them, given everything the Fatui had done.
There were actions that even Tartaglia couldn't approve of, let alone someone like Futsu Mitama who had personally been affected.
The events in Inazuma alone—Scaramouche's interference, Dottore seizing the Electro Gnosis from Yae Miko—were enough.
If Tartaglia had been in Futsu Mitama's position, he certainly wouldn't forgive the Fatui. Even if he didn't go out of his way to kill them, ignoring them would be the bare minimum.
Yet here Futsu Mitama was, letting bygones be bygones—and even planning to rescue them.
That realization caused a subtle stir in Tartaglia's heart.
It felt almost ironic. While he himself had been thinking about how to manipulate Futsu Mitama and the others, they were, in turn, willing to extend help to his side.
Anyone with even a shred of conscience would feel something at that.
"I need to be more serious."
Tartaglia took a deep breath. This time, he no longer idly held his bow. Instead, Hydro condensed in his hands, forming twin blades as he stepped forward to join the fight in earnest.
—
The battle intensified. The sounds of combat echoed outward, spreading through The Chasm.
Soon, half an hour passed.
Centered around the lift, all monsters and Oozing Concretions within the surrounding area were completely cleared.
Lumine finally sat down to rest on the spot. Among everyone present, her stamina had been the most heavily drained—after all, she had been responsible for eliminating the Oozing Concretions, and the energy required for that task was far beyond what ordinary people could endure.
The other powerful individuals began expanding their clearing efforts outward, and this was where Yelan's advantage became apparent. She had brought a map of The Chasm. Although the terrain had undergone significant changes and the map might not be entirely accurate, the majority of locations still corresponded well enough.
With so many strong individuals present, eliminating the monsters corrupted by the black mud became a straightforward task rather than a struggle.
The real difficulty lay elsewhere.
Several semi-evolved Geovishaps had appeared.
These creatures existed deep within The Chasm, their forms clearly the result of forced evolution through Snezhnaya's experimental devices. Parts of their bodies already resembled those of a Primo Geovishap, and even without completing the transformation, their size and strength had increased dramatically.
If such creatures had appeared on the surface, the Millelith would have needed to form coordinated battle formations, paying a tangible cost to bring them down.
But here, the situation was entirely different.
Everyone present was powerful. Even the weakest among them—Kuki Shinobu and Paimon—were far from ordinary. Kuki Shinobu herself had previously defeated Geovishaps that had not fully evolved.
Tartaglia's expression gradually turned both solemn and complicated. The presence of these failed-evolution Geovishaps within The Chasm could only mean one thing—
The Abyss Order was active below.
What were they planning? Had they set their sights on Azhdaha, the ancient being who had once fought Morax?
The possibility was far from absurd.
According to intelligence provided by the Lady, the Abyss Order had previously targeted Stormterror Dvalin, one of Mondstadt's Four Winds. They had also pursued Primo Geovishaps before, even going so far as to clash with Futsu Mitama, the Fatui, and the Millelith in the process.
Now that they had appeared within The Chasm, it was almost certain they were pursuing another objective. Judging by their past behavior, they were consistently seeking powerful war beasts—entities capable of overwhelming the battlefield.
Tartaglia's heart tightened.
He felt a growing urgency to break away from the group, to personally investigate the Abyss Order's intentions or even to locate the sealed resting place of Azhdaha ahead of time.
But reality restrained him.
Bound by the terms of the contract, he could only remain where he was, following behind Futsu Mitama and the others, continuing to clear the path forward.
Time passed.
After one or two hours, a group of figures appeared in the distance—around a dozen individuals, their appearances disheveled and worn.
Shenhe was the first to notice them.
The moment those people saw her, they froze slightly, their expressions shifting as a certain legend surfaced in their minds—
The White-haired Immortal of Mt. Aocang.
Shenhe observed the group, her gaze passing over the weapons they held. Her brows knit slightly as she asked in a calm tone, "Are you from the Millelith?"
"Yes. May I ask—are you the White-haired Immortal of Mt. Aocang?" one of the soldiers stepped forward, his clothes tattered, his voice carrying a trace of excitement.
He was a Millelith officer, responsible for hundreds of men scattered throughout various sections of The Chasm.
When the upheaval had occurred deep underground, black mud erupted on a massive scale, and dark energy spread rapidly in all directions. He should have led his men in a full evacuation, but due to unforeseen circumstances, he and a portion of his forces were left behind.
Although most personnel had managed to withdraw, they had remained trapped here for far too long.
Liyue had organized multiple rescue operations. Yet time and again, they either failed to locate them or were forced back by the overwhelming density of the dark energy below. Even exorcists with centuries of lineage, vision bearers, and Adeptus descendants had taken part in these attempts.
Many had been rescued.
But not all.
These dozen Millelith soldiers were among those left behind.
"No."
Shenhe shook her head slightly. She no longer reacted to being mistaken for an Adeptus. Looking at the exhausted soldiers before her, she spoke in a steady, composed voice,
"My name is Shenhe. My master is Cloud Retainer. I am here to take you home. You are safe now. Please follow me."
The simplicity of her words struck deeper than any elaborate reassurance. The eyes of the soldiers reddened almost instantly, and tears welled up uncontrollably.
For two years, they had endured life in this sunless abyss. If not for the knowledge that the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Qixing had never abandoned them, they might have collapsed long ago. Supplies dwindled day by day, while monsters remained endless.
This kind of prolonged despair was not something ordinary people could endure.
And yet— they had endured it.
Now, at last, reinforcements had arrived.
Shenhe turned and began leading them toward a secured area.
Along the way, the soldiers remained alert, but their expressions were filled with disbelief. The suffocating dark aura that had always surrounded them before— was gone.
Completely gone.
Having survived here for two years, they knew better than anyone that the ominous energy was omnipresent. Only a handful of isolated locations could temporarily block it, and even those places were incapable of sustaining life.
They had once had more companions.
But as supplies ran out, repeated expeditions for food and necessities became unavoidable. Those journeys often ended in encounters with corrupted monsters—violent, bloodthirsty creatures.
Each battle cost them lives.
One by one, their comrades had fallen.
Deeper still, there were even more terrifying entities—beings that resembled warriors emerging from the Abyss, their movements accompanied by an eerie "clack-clack" sound.
Fortunately, those entities rarely approached their area. Otherwise—survival would have been impossible.
But now—
The soldiers looked around at the clean air, at the complete absence of dark aura, at the disappearance of the ever-present mud vents.
Shock turned into realization.
Then into overwhelming joy.
Didn't this mean—The Chasm might finally reopen?
If that were true, then everyone still trapped within it could be saved. They were not the only survivors. There were Fatui forces, civilian miners, and other Millelith units still scattered throughout The Chasm.
Just as hope surged within them, several figures appeared ahead.
Futsu Mitama and Yelan had arrived.
"Are you Li Ming?" Yelan's gaze settled on the man at the front. She recognized him immediately.
He was the only Millelith officer still listed as missing within The Chasm—the one who had stayed behind during the evacuation to rescue others.
"Yes." Li Ming saluted, his posture straight despite his worn condition. "And you are?"
"I am from the Ministry of Civil Affairs," Yelan replied calmly. Her gaze shifted to the others behind him. "You are safe—but not completely safe yet."
"We are currently carrying out a classified mission. This area has been secured for the time being. You can rest here. We've brought food and supplies—enough to sustain you."
"However, we will soon move deeper into The Chasm. You have a choice: leave via the elevator, or remain here and guard this position."
Li Ming understood immediately. Their safety existed only because this group was still present. Once they departed, danger could return at any time.
He inhaled deeply, then turned to his men. "Does anyone want to leave?"
No one answered.
Each of them tightened their grip on their worn halberds. Because the implication was clear—
If they stayed, they would be holding the line.
The dark energy had been cleared, and this place could become the forward base for reclaiming The Chasm.
"We're not leaving!" Li Ming declared firmly. "All of us will stay and defend this position! Even if powerful enemies come, unless we all fall, this ground will not be lost!"
"The Millelith are unyielding, their resolve unshaken!"
The voices overlapped, echoing with unwavering determination. Yelan watched them, a complex expression flickering in her eyes.
If circumstances allowed, she would have stayed. But she understood her role. What lay ahead—deep within The Chasm—was far more critical.
"There's no need to be so pessimistic."
Futsu Mitama's voice broke the tension.
"We haven't officially begun our operation yet, Yelan. Use the elevator—inform those above to send reinforcements. Our time is limited, but not that tight."
Yelan blinked slightly, then nodded. Her figure dissolved into a streak of blue light as she departed.
Futsu Mitama then pointed out the location of the supplies, instructing the soldiers to recover their strength.
A battle was likely approaching.
After they left, Shenhe turned toward him.
"Aren't we leaving yet?"
Her tone was calm, but her meaning was clear. Why delay?
"We're not there yet," Futsu Mitama replied, shaking his head. "Neither the Serenity Box nor the daily sign-in has reset. I have a feeling the Chat Group is about to level up. When that happens, if Aila activates the Box, Black Aila will definitely be pulled over."
"But it's already been four or five days since the last activation."
A trace of concern surfaced in his voice.
They were blind.
Without more information, rushing in blindly would be reckless.
"I understand."
Shenhe nodded slightly, accepting his reasoning without further question.
"In that case—there is still time before a new day begins. I will continue clearing the surroundings."
With that, she vanished into the distance. Not long after—
"Um… Futsu Mitama…"
Tartaglia approached, rubbing his hands awkwardly, his expression unusually restrained. After everything he had just witnessed, even he found it difficult to maintain his usual composure.
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Tartaglia like this, Futsu Mitama couldn't help but let out a faint chuckle, a trace of amusement flickering across his eyes. The other party's behavior was far too obvious—hesitation, awkwardness, even that rare hint of restraint—all of it clearly revealed that he had something he wanted to ask.
And as for what that "something" was, Futsu Mitama didn't need to think deeply to understand it.
Tartaglia wanted to search for traces of Azhdaha.
Unfortunately, his direction was wrong. The intelligence wasn't false—Azhdaha's last known traces did indeed point toward The Chasm. But that was all it was: traces. No one had ever confirmed that Azhdaha himself had been sealed within this place.
A subtle misinterpretation—yet one that could lead someone completely off course.
"I want to go look for the soldiers in The Chasm."
Tartaglia scratched his head, his usual boldness nowhere to be seen as he spoke with an uncharacteristic hint of embarrassment. His tone carried a deliberate casualness, as if trying to make his intentions sound simple and harmless.
"I'll deal with some enemies along the way."
He paused briefly, then added, his gaze shifting ever so slightly, "And I'll check if there are any Millelith or Liyue civilians. If I find anyone, I'll leave you coordinates."
There was a short hesitation before he continued, almost as if bracing himself.
"If you don't believe me—"
Before he could finish, Futsu Mitama raised his hand, cutting him off without the slightest hesitation.
"Go ahead."
His voice was calm, almost indifferent, as if this decision required no deliberation at all.
"Just remember to be back within two to three hours."
There was no suspicion in his tone, no probing, no warning laced with hidden meaning—only a simple statement of fact, delivered with quiet certainty.
"Because in two or three hours, we'll be officially departing."
A faint pause followed, and then his gaze settled on Tartaglia with a subtle weight.
"If you delay—"
He didn't finish the sentence.
He didn't need to.
Tartaglia's eyes lit up almost instantly. What he felt in that moment, however, wasn't relief.
It was guilt.
A strange, unfamiliar heaviness pressed against his chest, far more intense than he had anticipated. Because the permission he had just received wasn't born from negotiation, nor from compromise—
It was trust. Pure, unguarded trust.
Futsu Mitama hadn't questioned him. Hadn't doubted him. Hadn't even bothered to set conditions beyond a simple time limit.
It was as if he fully believed that Tartaglia would not do anything out of line. And that was precisely what made it so heavy.
If Futsu Mitama had treated him the way Yelan did—guarded, wary, constantly watching for the slightest misstep—Tartaglia wouldn't have cared in the slightest. He might have even taken advantage of that tension, searching for opportunities to probe deeper into The Chasm's secrets or even investigate Azhdaha's possible sealing grounds without restraint.
That would have been easy.
Natural, even.
But this?
This quiet, unquestioning trust—It bound him far more tightly than suspicion ever could.
For the first time in a long while, Tartaglia found himself hesitating—not because he was restricted, but because he no longer wanted to betray that expectation.
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