After walking for an unknown amount of time, Yae Miko gradually came back to her senses.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on her lips.
She stretched lazily and took a deep breath.
Despite having walked for so long, they had only covered about half the distance.
After all, Qiuqian had been stopping and going the entire way.
Some time later, Qiuqian suddenly stopped and looked toward a direction not far away.
"What's wrong?" Yae Miko asked, puzzled.
"That battle back then was truly terrifying," Qiuqian said calmly, gazing into the distance. "Even now, the remnants of Abyssal power still linger."
The battle he referred to was the clash between the Primordial One, Phanes, and the Dragon King Nibelung, who had obtained power from beyond the world.
It was Nibelung who had brought Abyssal power into Teyvat.
"What battle?" Yae Miko frowned slightly. "And… Abyssal power…"
She seemed to recall something.
"What level of Abyssal power is it?" she asked.
"…Not particularly strong," Qiuqian replied after a moment. "At most, it can affect a small section of the ley lines."
Yae Miko fell silent, deep in thought.
The Sacred Sakura's roots were connected to the ley lines, allowing it to absorb and purify impurities, keeping their flow stable.
Whether it was the pollution of Tatarigami or Abyssal power, it could all be contained within a certain range—even rendered harmless.
So… with the Sacred Sakura present, why would there still be an area contaminated by the Abyss?
"Let's go take a look," Qiuqian said, walking toward that direction.
Yae Miko followed.
After a short while, they arrived at the entrance of a cave.
The aura emanating from within made Yae Miko visibly uncomfortable, causing her brows to knit tightly.
Even so, her violet eyes remained fixed on the cave's interior.
Seeing this, Qiuqian gently waved his hand, and a white aura brushed over her like a soft breeze.
"…Ah." Yae Miko exhaled softly. "Thank you~ That feels much better."
Qiuqian chuckled lightly before stepping inside.
Inside the cave, Yae Miko quickly took in the scene.
A white mist formed from Abyssal power spread across the ground.
More than a dozen Rift Hounds, along with seven Mitachurls formed entirely from Abyssal energy, wandered aimlessly within the fog.
These creatures, born directly from the Abyss, were far stronger than ordinary monsters of Teyvat.
Yae Miko immediately summoned lightning around her, preparing to strike—but Qiuqian stopped her.
"Even if you destroy them, it's pointless if the root of the ley line corruption isn't resolved," he said, shaking his head slightly. "Let me handle it. If you're injured by Abyssal power, it won't feel pleasant."
"…Alright, I'll leave it to you," Yae Miko replied with a smile, obediently stepping behind him.
She watched intently, curious to see how this mysterious ancient god would deal with the situation.
Qiuqian nodded and stepped forward.
The moment his foot touched the ground, a white aura streaked with faint crimson rippled outward, instantly dispersing the fog.
The Rift Hounds and Mitachurls caught in its path froze in place.
Not frozen—but afraid.
Yes, even creatures born from the Abyss could feel fear.
They were so terrified that they couldn't even move or make a sound.
It was as if their minds had been wiped clean in an instant.
The white aura existed on the same level as their Abyssal power.
Yet despite being on the same level, the difference between them was like a mountain and an ant.
And those faint crimson strands… seemed to share the same origin as Abyssal power.
Though minimal, their level was higher, exerting a natural suppression over the creatures.
Within their blank consciousness, a single thought of confusion flickered.
Their bodies began to disintegrate under the lingering white and crimson aura.
In less than a second, they dissolved into motes of light and vanished.
Yae Miko stood there, completely stunned.
She had expected to see how Qiuqian would deal with these Abyssal monsters.
Even for a god, cleansing ley line corruption caused by the Abyss wouldn't be this effortless.
And yet…
"Did he even… make a move?" she wondered blankly. "He just took one step, and they were erased like that?"
Qiuqian, however, did not stop.
He rested his chin on his hand and looked down at the ground.
His gaze seemed to pierce through the earth itself.
After observing for a moment, he smiled faintly, then crouched down and placed his palm against the ground.
White energy laced with crimson surged from his hand.
With a gentle press, white light burst from the cracks in the earth.
When the light faded, Qiuqian stood up.
"It's done," he said casually as he walked back to Yae Miko. "The Abyssal power contaminating these ley lines has been eliminated."
"…Eliminated?" Yae Miko blinked, still dazed. "You mean… not absorbed or purified, but eliminated?"
It was the first time she had ever heard of Abyssal power being directly erased.
"Yes. It's not difficult for me," Qiuqian replied with a faint smile. "Simply put, I used a force of the same level as the Abyss—greater in magnitude and opposite in nature—to cancel it out. After removing it, I repaired the damaged ley lines as well."
Yae Miko stared at him, completely bewildered.
What did he mean by a power of the same level as the Abyss, but greater and opposite?
What did he mean by canceling it out and repairing the ley lines?
…Was this even Teyvat's language?
Why did she feel like she couldn't understand a single word?
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