Chapter 34. The Abyss is coming
At the entrance of The Chasm, Ganyu took out the Qixing's token. It was not merely a symbol of authority, but also a one-time seal-breaking tool.
She had already handed one to Futsu Mitama earlier for their return—but now, she would personally open the path.
"Buzz—!!!"
A stream of golden light surged forth. The seal at the entrance reacted instantly, as if recognizing the authority behind it, and rapidly dissipated.
This opening, however, was temporary. Once the energy within the token was exhausted, the seal would reform.
As the barrier vanished, strands of visible dark aura began to spill outward from within The Chasm.
It was an ominous presence.
The source of this energy was unclear—perhaps the Abyss, perhaps a lingering divine curse. The black mud left behind by over-corroded Hilichurls was known to emit such energy, gradually spreading it into the surrounding environment.
Left unchecked, it would continue to expand.
This was precisely why The Chasm had been sealed in the first place.
"Sizzle—!!"
Before the energy could spread further, Futsu Mitama moved.
He drew his blade without hesitation. Violet lightning flickered in his eyes as the authority of the Electro Archon surged through him. A single slash cut through the air, carrying overwhelming force.
The dark energy was instantly torn apart.
Electro itself possessed purifying properties—and with Raiden Ei's authority infused within the strike, its effect was absolute.
"I'll go in first and take a look. Follow after."
His voice was calm. As the strongest present—even Xiao now unable to defeat him—this role naturally fell to him.
The next moment, he stepped forward and leapt directly into The Chasm.
A sheer drop.
Deep. Unfathomably deep.
Ganyu instinctively reached out, intending to stop him.
Descending like that was far too reckless. Normally, they would take the lift—slower, but far safer.
But before she could speak, he was already gone. She could only sigh.
"I'll go as well."
Xiao's tone was steady. In the next instant, he vanished with a soft sound, following after. The others exchanged glances, some clearly tempted to do the same.
"Please follow me."
Yelan stepped in at that moment, guiding them toward the proper route. There was no need to imitate such methods.
After a brief pause, the group complied.
With Futsu Mitama and Xiao already ahead—two individuals capable of contending with Archon-level threats—there was little risk in proceeding more carefully.
Unless something truly extraordinary awaited below.
Which seemed unlikely.
With that assumption, they descended using the lift.
Meanwhile—
Futsu Mitama reached the depths swiftly.
The environment was suffocating. Black mist clung to the air, thick and oppressive, carrying an unsettling presence that seemed to seep into the senses.
He frowned.
Without a word, he drew Seven Thunder of Retribution: Narukami.
Divine lightning answered.
"Boom—!!!!"
Thunder roared through The Chasm, tearing across the darkness. The black mist recoiled, unraveling under the sheer force of the strike.
Wave after wave of lightning descended, cleansing everything in its path. In mere moments, a large portion of the surrounding miasma had been obliterated.
Though—
He could already sense it. The mist would return. Slowly, steadily.
But that didn't matter. Knowing that it could be destroyed was enough and with that certainty, Futsu Mitama no longer held back.
Purple lightning flickered continuously within The Chasm, and the low rumble of thunder spread outward through the underground passages. Whether it was the Millelith stationed below or the Fatui forces operating in the depths, all of them heard that oppressive sound.
At the same time, in places where light could not reach, certain hidden presences quietly sensed that something had entered their domain.
"Bang!"
Futsu Mitama descended from above and landed heavily on the ground. The moment his feet touched the surface, he raised his head and looked around. The black mist that filled the surroundings seemed to have been disturbed, slowly surging toward him from every direction, as if it had a will of its own.
A faint trace of disgust flashed across his eyes, followed immediately by the flicker of purple lightning.
"Swish—!!!"
A dazzling blade light swept out in an instant. Wherever it passed, the black mist was forcibly dispersed, leaving behind a temporarily clear space.
Futsu Mitama did not stop. He had already raised his blade again, intending to continue suppressing the surrounding environment.
But at that moment—his expression changed slightly.
Almost instinctively, his body moved first. He abandoned the attack and retreated without hesitation.
"You actually found me."
A voice sounded from not far away. It was calm, but carried a faint trace of complexity that was difficult to describe.
From the shadows, a blond young man wearing foreign attire slowly walked out.
He looked at Futsu Mitama and spoke again.
"In less than a year, your strength has already reached this level. In a sense, your potential is indeed very high."
Futsu Mitama's gaze locked onto him.
Aether.
The moment he confirmed the other party's identity, every muscle in his body tensed. A sense of danger that he had never felt before surged up uncontrollably, making even his scalp feel numb.
This was not an opponent that could be tested. This was an existence that had once directly clashed with the Shades of Heavenly Principles.
An existence whose full strength was comparable to the Seven Archons.
There was no hesitation.
Purple lightning erupted instantly.
Musou no Hitotachi—!!!
At the same time, the Chat Group was directly activated.
[Futsu Mitama: "@Lumine, your brother is in front of me, come quickly!"]
[Lumine: "!!!"]
[Paimon: "Eh?!!!"]
[Kuki Shinobu: "What?!!!"]
[Sangonomiya Kokomi: "Oh no! Futsu Mitama is in danger!!!"]
The lightning blade fell straight toward Aether.
Aether did not dodge.
He merely gave a soft "Hmm," as if acknowledging something that should have happened.
A longsword condensed in his hand, ancient and simple in appearance. A faint golden light coated across its surface.
He raised it and swung once.
There was no collision.
The Musou no Hitotachi shattered directly in midair, as if it had never been complete to begin with. The aftermath did not even reach him, nor did it force him to take a single step back.
"If it is only at this level," Aether said calmly, "it is not enough."
Futsu Mitama's expression did not change.
"Planet Befall."
A massive meteor condensed above and smashed down violently.
Aether glanced upward slightly.
"Morax uses this move much better than you."
He lifted his sword again. This time, a faint flash of five different elemental lights passed across the blade.
Then, with another simple motion, he swung. The descending meteor split cleanly into two halves.
What was even more abnormal was that the shattered Planet Befall did not explode, nor did it release petrifying force. The two halves fell to the ground like ordinary rocks, scattering to either side.
Futsu Mitama's pupils contracted slightly. His body instinctively shifted, attempting to withdraw and open distance, while at the same time preparing to use spatial means.
"Didn't the Raiden Shogun teach you," Aether's voice suddenly sounded beside him, "that when you encounter an enemy you cannot fight with, you should run?"
Futsu Mitama's gaze tightened.
Aether had already appeared at his side.
There was no fluctuation in space.
No distortion.
This was not teleportation.
Almost at the same moment, Futsu Mitama's Chakra Desiderata operated instinctively, scanning the surrounding space—but it detected nothing abnormal.
His eyes shifted slightly.
Behind Aether, if one looked carefully, there seemed to be a pair of nearly transparent wings, faintly visible.
"I know what you want to do," Aether continued calmly, "and I also know your strength. If I let you fully display it, it would be somewhat troublesome."
"But now—"
Before he finished speaking, Aether directly reached out and grabbed Futsu Mitama.
An invisible force surged into his body.
"?!"
In an instant, Futsu Mitama felt all strength in his body collapse. His limbs lost resistance, and even the flow of elemental power within him seemed to be forcibly interrupted.
It was not suppression by brute force. It was precise interference, as if every path he could use had already been seen through in advance.
However—
The Seed of Skandha within him had not dissipated. The power he had just learned began to quietly react at this moment.
"This is not a place suitable for conversation," Aether said. "Come with me—"
Halfway through his words, he suddenly frowned slightly. As if he had sensed something. Without any hesitation, he grabbed Futsu Mitama and disappeared from the spot.
"Swish—!!"
A streak of green light descended.
Xiao appeared, holding the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear. At this moment, a mask had already formed on his face, and his aura surged violently, carrying a pressure close to that of an Archon.
"Yaksha."
Aether's figure reappeared at a distance. His expression remained calm, as if Xiao's arrival was not unexpected.
"Let him go."
Xiao's voice was extremely cold. His grip on the spear tightened slightly.
He had already judged the situation. He was not the opponent's match. But that did not matter.
If Futsu Mitama had not been restrained, he would have already attacked without hesitation, even at the cost of his own life.
"I have something to ask him," Aether said calmly. "I will not kill him. I have a contract with Morax. Within Liyue's borders, I do not take lives arbitrarily. And if I want to leave, you cannot stop me."
As he spoke, a portal slowly opened behind him.
"Yaksha, remain here. After I finish questioning him, I will naturally release him."
He turned slightly, preparing to step into the portal.
"Brother!!!!"
A voice suddenly came from above.
Lumine.
"Wait!!! Don't go!!! I have something to ask you!!!"
Aether's body paused for a brief moment.
But in the end—He still stepped into the portal. His figure disappeared instantly.
"Bang! Bang! Bang—!!"
Several figures landed in succession.
Aila, Shenhe, and Lumine were the first to arrive.
They looked around quickly. But there was no trace of anyone.
"He's gone."
Lumine's voice trembled slightly. She had clearly called out to him and he had clearly heard her.
But he still chose to leave.
"Don't worry." At this moment, Shenhe spoke calmly. "Futsu Mitama has started a group live stream."
"…!"
Lumine's eyes lit up instantly. She quickly entered the live stream.
At the same time, everyone within the Chat Group also joined, wanting to confirm Futsu Mitama's situation.
The scene shifted.
Futsu Mitama and Aether had already appeared within a different space.
Aether looked at Futsu Mitama, who had lost his ability to resist, his expression calm.
"Although there is not much time," he said slowly, "I still want to confirm one thing."
He paused slightly. Then looked directly at him.
"Are you in love with my sister?"
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