222: The Great Rock Abyss

Lan Yan, a descendant of the "Spiritual Official of the Myriad Phenomena and Wind Horns" of Liyue's Eight Wonders, had mastered various Fangshu techniques, one of which happened to be the detection of Elemental Power throughout Liyue.

In Teyvat, everything is inseparable from Elemental Power; even the essence of Adepti Arts is a form of Elemental Power. People sensitive to it can easily resonate with various phenomena in Teyvat.

This is evident from the ridiculous plot developments where Lumine frequently faints, sees the past, and even enters others' inner worlds.

Since creating his Grand Thaumaturgy—the Teyvat version of the throne of heroes—Huo Xi had maintained a mindset of brute-forcing his way through. This was especially true now that the Gate of Babylon had unlocked its A-rank limit; after all, based purely on written ratings, the Gáe Bulg of Shishou and the "Great Dog" was only B-rank.

But in Teyvat, Elemental Power is the actual underlying code.

With the boost from the Authority of Geo, Huo Xi did indeed sense traces of restlessness beneath The Chasm. However, this restlessness didn't come from the rocks themselves, but from certain "things" beneath The Chasm, echoing through the stones like bone conduction.

Lan Yan had followed Huo Xi precisely because she sensed this restlessness directly through her Fangshu.

Hu Tao had once met Lan Yan by chance at a funeral. As descendants of the Eight Wonders, they quickly got to know each other and confirmed their identities. Lan Yan's sudden arrival this time also caught Hu Tao's attention.

"Beneath The Chasm was once the site where many Millelith blocked the monsters of the Abyss. Although the power that once polluted the Dragon King was almost entirely absorbed by him, there's no guarantee that a portion hasn't seeped beneath The Chasm," Hu Tao analyzed seriously.

It was just as Hu Tao said. Because The Chasm borders Sumeru, Liyue's shrinking border meant The Chasm had entered Sumeru territory, making it likely the first place to be polluted.

Huo Xi looked at Hu Tao and saw her serious expression: "What, you're going too?"

Hu Tao stood up abruptly, her chest almost pressing against Huo Xi's: "Of course I'm going! There are countless souls down there who might not have been guided to the afterlife. Even if I can't do much, I have to ensure the stability of both realms."

Huo Xi pressed her shoulders and made her sit back down: "It's dangerous there."

Hu Tao tilted her chin up: "Won't you protect me? Could there possibly be an accident?"

Oh? Reverse psychology, but it was effective! With Hu Tao and Lan Yan joining the team, The Chasm exploration party grew to fourteen members.

Seeing Hu Tao trust Huo Xi so much, Lan Yan felt curious.

She leaned close to Hu Tao and whispered, "Is there something going on between you and this Huo Xi guy? Or is it just because he's strong?"

Hu Tao crossed her arms: "Aiya, some things are better left unsaid, just keep guessing! But you're right, he is very strong."

Lan Yan blinked her large eyes: "No matter how strong he is, can he be stronger than the Red-Clothed Immortal? Haven't you met the Red-Clothed Immortal before? And I heard the returning Yakshas are all heading out this time. Could we ask the Red-Clothed Immortal to come along? If so, this incident might be resolved in an instant!"

Hu Tao looked at Lan Yan with some surprise: "Do you... like the Red-Clothed Immortal that much? And are you the type who likes to trouble others?"

"Of course I like him! He just saved Liyue Harbor; he's like the Eight Wonders and the Lord of Geo to us!" Lan Yan pulled several Giant Spider vine dolls from her small basket: "Look, I wove these myself~ Aren't they cute?"

Hu Tao glanced at Huo Xi, who was talking to Yelan, then at the vine-woven Giant Spider, and nodded: "Cu... cute."

"Hee-hee! I knew it." Lan Yan shook the Giant Spider vine doll: "Besides, I heard from Gaming that the Red-Clothed Immortal Lord is approachable, understanding, and very helpful! Although I don't know if it's appropriate to trouble someone so suddenly, since Liyue is in trouble, I think it's necessary to try."

Lumine suddenly looked up: "Huh? What 'approaching with billions' and 'good at undoing clothes'? Who are you talking about?"

Hu Tao opened her mouth, but ultimately just patted Lumine's shoulder: "Nothing, nothing. Just eat your food."

..."The Chasm has been sealed by the Qixing?"

Huo Xi was momentarily stunned upon hearing Yelan's words.

Yanfei chimed in from the side: "It's been sealed for a while. Abnormal movements were detected beneath The Chasm earlier. Suspecting that Abyss pollution might be leaking out, the Qixing immediately sealed the entrance. You must have just entered your cocoon then."

"That was a long time ago then." Huo Xi suddenly remembered that in The Chasm world quest, there seemed to be a group of Fatui left down there.

Huo Xi hadn't paid much attention to the quest text back then. Now that he thought about it, could it be that they went down to help solve the problem during the alliance period, but because Childe was causing trouble in secret and was discovered by the Qixing, the alliance naturally collapsed, and they were abandoned down there by both sides?

That would mean those Fatui went down as heroes of Liyue, expecting to be cheered by the people upon their return, only to be sealed down there as enemies of Liyue... No wonder.

How unpredictable the world is.

Yakoda suddenly rushed over: "The Chasm is sealed?! Then, what about Sister Shijiu? She wasn't sealed down there, was she?"

"No, of course not. The Qixing ensured no Liyue citizens were inside before sealing it," Yanfei said, patting Yakoda's back to calm her down.

Huo Xi looked at Yelan: "So what are the Qixing's intentions this time?"

"It's simple. This isn't a private operation for just a few of us anymore." Yelan pulled out a commission form: "This is an official operation initiated by the Tianquan Star and the Yuheng Star. It's a joint operation involving the former Millelith unit stationed at The Chasm, The Chasm mining team, the Liyue branch of the Adventurers Guild, the Sumeru Akademiya's delegation in Liyue, and other organizations."

Yelan handed the commission form to Huo Xi: "And the few of us will be the primary leaders of this operation, appointed directly by the Qixing. We have full authority over all organizational work beneath The Chasm. We can make arrangements based on our own ideas and the actual situation, and the Qixing will bear all consequences."

"That's quite supportive." Huo Xi felt that the Qixing's delegation of power was sufficient. In fact, they could have just pretended not to know and taken over after his side secretly solved the problem; that way, no one would have to take responsibility if something went wrong.

This might also be Liyue's way of showing trust in them.

Yelan sat in front of Huo Xi, crossing his long legs: "So, Lord Heavenly Spider Sovereign, do you have any requirements for this operation?"

Huo Xi nodded: "I have only one requirement. When we go deep into The Chasm—"},{

"Everyone else is only allowed to stay in the shallowest areas to facilitate a quick evacuation at any time. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee their safety."

And this brings up a request from Zhongli—a request that wasn't hard to fulfill but might summon a Skyfrost Nail for Liyue.