Mia took Yue Man and the warriors of the Fernandez and moved along the narrow trail in the middle of a marsh at a normal pace. Yue Man relaxed. He didn't need to use his energy to trace the opponents anymore.
As Haig was giving them directions from time to time, he was free. Haig's Soul Consciousness could cover a larger area faster and more precisely than Yue Man can track with his energy. Thus, he didn't need to waste his energy.
Their speed wasn't so fast. Mia asked them not to hurry. They should consider recovering their energy first.
Mia clearly knew that Phelps and Haig were also heading towards Shi Yan. Comparing the distances, her team was closer. If nothing unexpected happened, they would encounter Shi Yan's team first.
But it wasn't what Mia wanted to see.
Mia assumed that Mo Fou, Wu Feng, and the others were in a dead corner. Haig's arrival had decided their fate. They had been backed into a deadly situation. If her team met them first, as the situation didn't go well, the others would risk their lives, which would possibly bring her team significant losses.
She had brought the warriors of her family to this ancient continent with the primary purpose of entering the Center. Before it was unsealed, she didn't want to lose many experts from her family.
She wanted her people to slow down because she hoped they could get to the opponent's gathering point relatively at the same time as Phelps and Heig, which could reduce the efforts to clear up Mo Fou, Wu Feng, and the others.
Her precise plan had to change all of a sudden because of Haig's instant message...
"There's a couple in front of you guys by the lake. They didn't leave with the others. They are staying by the lake now." Haig sent her the message. "I've checked that man. He must be the one you asked me to focus on, the one who cultivates Space power Upanishad."
"He is staying there with a woman?" Mia's voice was getting colder.
"Yeah, they're staying by the lake... haha, I guess they seized the time to do something," sneered Haig.
Mia's beautiful eyes flared with cold light. She replied nonchalantly, "Understood. I'll get there quickly." She cut off their communication and called out. "Guys, speed up!"
Yue Man was surprised.
"The guy that has robbed the Brilliant Star Fruit Tree and our Seven-colored Demonic Flower is isolated. We need to arrange well and try our best to kill him before Haig and Phelps come!" explained Mia.
Yue Man's eyes brightened up. He nodded as he understood. Together with the warriors of the Fernandez family, they accelerated.
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The lake was like a flawless mirror that was illuminated by the stars above. Their reflections twinkled in silver light on the lake surface.
Sitting on a green-brown rock, Shi Yan lifted his head and watched the stars twinkling in the sky. He squinted and stayed quiet.
The clear and cold starlight sprinkled from the sky, congregating above his head as if there was a funnel that led to his brain. It gave him a fresh, pure air that wouldn't leave any dregs.
The ancient continent moved around different big star areas. It wouldn't stop for a second as it was brutally crushing all the asteroids or dead stars standing in its way. The horizon of the ancient continent had deep blue halos that covered the entire sky. However, those halos were transparent and they allowed the light of the sun, moon, and stars to get through.
Sitting on the rock, Shi Yan didn't think about anything. He quieted down his mind and he didn't even gather the earth and heaven energy proactively.
Under that circumstance, he felt like he was getting close to this ancient continent. He felt like he had merged with the swamp and became a component of this ancient continent. The co-soul that was developed from the Origin of Grace Mainland was taking in the aura like a small tornado. Slowly, earth and heaven energy gathered and poured into the Ethereal Extent inside Shi Yan's soul altar.
Starlight sprinkled and disappeared into the Ethereal Extent, entering a brilliant star in there.
With the marvelous power of the Brilliant Star Fruit Tree, Shi Yan had reached Second Sky of Ethereal God Realm and his understanding of Star power Upanishad had made new progress. And many different abilities of the Star power Upanishad was still hovering in the tier of powers Upanishad. He just needed to sink his mind into the soul altar to touch the truth of Star power.
Mia's team hadn't arrived yet. He still had time, so he had to not waste it. Shi Yan began to understand the new Essence and ability of Stars.
His empty eyes looked at the horizon where the stars twinkling brightly. He suddenly hallucinated that he could reach the stars unlimitedly. It felt like if he reached out his hand, he could touch the stars in the sky. The brilliant, vast galaxy with countless stars moving around seemed to have something resonate with him...
The dome of the sky of the ancient continent was covered by an icy blue halo, but it didn't prevent the starlight. The star energy reaching him was clear and swift.
He said quietly, feeling his body get refreshed and cooled. His bones and veins became crystal-like and started to sparkle after they were filled with star power.
He stood calmly to comprehend the essence of the Stars.
"Splash!"
A charming, graceful shadow emerged from the lake behind him. Cecilia appeared, her wet hair draping behind her shoulder. She smiled brightly, "I've completed the preparation. When will Mia arrive?"
Shi Yan was sinking into his own world. A long time later, he woke up, a little absent-minded. He didn't turn around and tried to sense for a while. His brows knitted together as he retrieved his Soul Consciousness. He pulled himself together and said in a low-pitched voice, "Two hours at most. They have accelerated much faster!"
At their previous speed, Mia's team would need half a day to approach this area. However, after his recent sensing, he found that Mia's team was really close to them.
Apparently, Mia's team had sped up several times. They were rushing to this area.
"That fast?" Cecilia was astounded. Her long eyelashes twitched. She parted her lips into a seductive smile. "There are so many barriers and restrictions outside the lake. If we sit by the lake like this, they will have doubts... I think we should hide."
"What do you suggest?" Shi Yan nodded and asked. He also knew that it was suspicious if they kept sitting on the rock like this when Mia came. Thus, he asked Cecilia for her opinion.
"You and I will get under the lake to hide. At least we have to make sure that they won't see us. They would think that we are cultivating in the lake or doing something..." Cecilia's charming face blushed. Her curvy body shivered slightly but it was almost unrecognizable. "Well, we should deceive them and make them think that we don't recognize their arrival because we are too busy with our work. They will buy it and slowly creep in."
Shi Yan was moved. He knew that her idea wasn't bad. He nodded, "Okay."
As he hadn't finished talking, starlight twirled around him. He moved like a beautiful meteor, drawing a marvelous curve in the air and falling into the center of the lake where Cecilia was floating.
Seeing Shi Yan flying over, Cecilia's mesmerizing eyes glinted with joy. Her graceful body swayed a little. A massive bubble arose under her body and covered her entirely. Her jade-like hand made a cut and the bubble had a narrow slit. She waved her hand. "Get in."
This transparent bubble wasn't very different from the invisible light cage that Shi Yan had. It was spacious if Cecilia stood alone, but if Shi Yan got in, it would be a little tight.
Shi Yan couldn't help but frown.
"There are layers of restrictions down there. If you dive alone and touch them, you will waste my labor of preparing them." Cecilia understood his hesitation. She chuckled, "What are you afraid of? I won't bite! Moreover, you used to tell me that I have to stay close to you. I'm doing what I'm told."
Shi Yan didn't say more. He swayed through the narrow slit of the bubble, standing shoulder by shoulder with Cecilia inside the bubble.
This five-colored glinting transparent bubble was half an air balloon. The two of them stood inside it while it slowly sank to the bottom of the lake. The water surface closed above their heads. This bubble had a fresh scent of water and the sweet aroma from Cecilia's body that could make people sink into it.
As the bubble lowered down, Shi Yan observed his surroundings. He was frightened at first sight.
After they've reached the depth of one hundred meters, Shi Yan saw so many transparent bubbles of various sizes. They were moving around in some trajectory and they didn't float up to the surface. There were hundreds of them. Each bubble contained fierce energy fluctuations.
Those energy fluctuations had resonated with the water in the lake. When the bubble moved, they could hide their energy fluctuations. If Shi Yan wasn't underwater, he wouldn't be able to find these strange commotions.
He couldn't help but release his Soul Consciousness to observe more...
Discolored, Shi Yan took a deep breath. He turned to Cecilia and said, "I think I can't run away if you want to kill me here." The dense bubbles in the lake were like terrifying energy bombs that Cecilia controlled.
If those bubbles exploded at once, the explosive power could burst off his body.
His eyes drilled at Cecilia. He suddenly felt cold inwardly. He urged his powers and prepared himself. If Cecilia showed a little action, he would use the Space power Upanishad to run away immediately. He would never let Cecilia control his life.
"Why would I have to trick you?" Cecilia smiled like a blooming flower." Her beautiful eyes could sink into people's souls. She burst out laughing and said naturally, "You are too vigilant. Why do you think everyone else is your enemy?"
"Being careful isn't a bad thing," Shi Yan's face was still severe. His nerves were tense as he had always put up guard.