Bai Ge's thoughts about the Chasm didn't last long.
Before his transmigration, the Chasm had only just been released, and he hadn't explored it deeply.
The only things he remembered were vague impressions—
mushrooms, black sludge, ancient ruins, underground springs, an inverted city, and the confrontation between two different powers.
Unfortunately, those were little more than keywords to him.
Knowing of them was not the same as understanding them.
These hazy guesses couldn't provide him with anything useful.
And even if he did know more, the current Bai Ge wouldn't be able to enter the Chasm anyway.
On the other side, the people participating in today's exorcism were miners to begin with—
climbing up and down mountains was second nature to them.
Before long, everyone had arrived.
"So this is the place for the exorcism?"
Looking at the crude, desolate wilderness, the leader of the miners—a middle-aged man named Shi Gan—asked suspiciously.
"Can this place really drive out evil?"
There were no ritual arrays, no talismans, no ceremonies of any kind—nothing like what he had imagined.
Shi Gan was deeply puzzled.
Even the Qixing had needed a full formation to seal the Chasm, and now this was supposed to be handled in the middle of nowhere?
"Of course it can!"
Grinning cheerfully, Hu Tao used the same explanation she did in the original story to gloss things over.
"This thing right here is the exorcism device. Just put your hands on it!"
Her tone was light and playful.
But seeing that, the miners hesitated again.
Still, the reputation of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor was well established, and no one dared to openly challenge its director—
even if she looked like a lively, harmless girl.
"Alright… I hope you're right."
Already out of options, Shi Gan sighed.
"The Chasm was sealed, and the Blackcliff Forge along with it…"
"I just hope that after my brothers recover, they'll still have somewhere to go."
Hearing this, Bai Ge felt a stir in his heart.
The situation of the Chasm miners wasn't all that different from his own world before transmigration.
A raging pandemic—
working meant danger, but not working meant starvation.
The Chasm workers faced the same dilemma, only worse.
One was a virus.
The other was indiscriminate radiation.
All in all, it seemed that poor people suffered similarly, no matter the world.
"Alright, alright, enough complaining!"
Hu Tao waved her hand.
"Everyone just touch it once—it'll be over soon!"
"With the Geo Archon here, and the Qixing here, Liyue won't abandon you!"
"And even if they do—hey, I won't! Ehe~!"
Hu Tao–style comfort was… questionable.
But the miners didn't mind too much.
They were already used to her personality, and their attention quickly focused on the words 'the Geo Archon' and 'the Qixing'.
"Geo Archon… Qixing… let's hope so."
After a brief round of shared sighs, the workers stepped forward one by one, placing their hands on the Ley Line Stone.
Finally, Hu Tao turned to Bai Ge.
Bai Ge extended his hand.
Dense Geo elemental energy gathered in his palm.
Then—
He slammed his palm against the Ley Line Stone.
The elemental power in his hand instantly changed shape.
Using a technique akin to turning elemental energy into a hook, he lifted the internal stabilizing stone slightly.
Pshhk—
A soft sound rang out—perhaps steam, perhaps machinery.
The Ley Line Stone lit up.
Dense Ley Line energy surged outward.
And then—
Something shocking happened.
Bai Ge felt a light breeze brush past him.
He tried to absorb and intercept the Ley Line energy—
but it was like throwing a basin of water into the air, dispersing into mist.
All that reached him was faint moisture and a cool sensation.
Yet after this Ley Line energy spread outward like a spray—
right beside Bai Ge, as if through spatial teleportation, a large group of Hilichurls and Hydro Slimes suddenly appeared!
Among them were even two towering shield-bearing Hilichurls, and a Hilichurl Shaman!
"…What?"
Bai Ge couldn't understand it at all.
How did they just appear out of thin air?
Was the Ley Line really just some kind of underground current?
Confused, Bai Ge frowned—
then shook his head.
Forget it.
Don't ask.
Ask once and the answer is "Ley Line congestion."
Ask twice and it's "Ley Line anomaly."
As the miners behind them cried out in alarm—
several ordinary Hilichurls spotted Bai Ge and let out shrill yells, charging forward just like in the game, torches spinning wildly.
"Perfect!"
Bai Ge summoned the Thousand Rock Greatsword.
Come to think of it, this was his first time seeing real Hilichurls up close.
With a hint of caution, Bai Ge raised the greatsword before him.
He assumed a stance from the Ancient Millelith Sword Art—
the 'Stone' Form.
Let the winds blow from all directions—
I remain unmoved.
This was the most fundamental stance of the Ancient Millelith style, a sword art that emphasized solidity and defense.
Now—
With his Peerless-level greatsword talent,
combined with Bai Ge's own Grandmaster swordsmanship—
The moment he braced the Thousand Rock Greatsword—
His entire body felt as though it had transformed into a slab of ancient stone, weathered by millennia.
Ahead of him, torches whirled.
Three Hilichurls charged forward like a spiraling flame tornado!
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