The underwater scene sent chills down Aya's spine. Countless blue crystals formed a massive three-dimensional array, with a diamond-shaped core the size of a car suspended in the center, and the men in black... were all kneeling around it, their bodies already semi-crystalline!
Aya Ikegami swam desperately toward the core. Just as she was about to touch the terrifying object, something suddenly wrapped around her ankle. Turning around, she saw Mu Xiaoxiao's long hair—those strands extended dozens of meters, dancing in the water like living things!
The icy seawater rushed into her eardrums, and Aya Ikegami's moon-like eyes gleamed with an eerie purple light in the deep sea. The semi-crystalline figures in black, like sculptures frozen in time, knelt in devout worship around the massive diamond-shaped core at the center. Their skin had turned a translucent blue, and their facial expressions were frozen in a contradictory state of ecstasy and agony.
What is this...?
Aya Ikegami's heart pounded, and her breathing became rapid inside her oxygen mask. She struggled to swim forward, trying to reach the core that emitted a ghostly blue light. According to the ancient records of the Moon Demon clan, the remnant soul of the Moon Demon Queen should be imprisoned here; she could awaken it using the power of her Moon Eyes...
A sudden, sharp pain shot through her ankle! Aya Ikegami turned around abruptly and saw Mu Xiaoxiao's black hair wrapped around her diving boots as if it were alive, with tiny barbs growing from the ends of the hair, trying to penetrate the waterproof material.
"Damn it!" Aya Ikegami cursed inwardly, conjuring a purple light blade in her right hand and slashing at the strands of hair. The severed hair writhed in the seawater, a strange blue liquid seeping from the cuts, spreading towards her as if it were alive.
We have to hurry!
Ignoring the tangled strands of hair, she swam towards the core with all her might. Upon closer inspection, the surface of the rhomboid object was covered with honeycomb-like holes, and inside each hole curled up a small blue ball of light, like a sleeping embryo.
Aya Ikegami's moon-shaped eyes suddenly stung—within those orbs of light were remnant souls! They were imprisoned here, becoming nourishment to maintain this massive formation.
"How could this be..." Her lips trembled behind the mask. This was completely different from what she had learned from the crystal. Shouldn't the remnant soul of the Moon Demon Queen be sleeping here, waiting to awaken? Why were so many remnant souls imprisoned here? Which one was the Moon Demon Queen?
Just as she was filled with surprise and doubt, the core suddenly shone with a blinding blue light. Aya Ikegami felt her moon eyes uncontrollably absorbing that light, and the power within her surged wildly. A strange sense of pleasure crept up her spine, making her want to get closer, even... merge with that core.
No! This is a trap!
Aya Ikegami bit her tongue, using the pain to stay awake. She finally understood why Mu Xiaoxiao had let herself go; it was all part of her plan!
On the shore, Mu Xiaoxiao stood on the edge of the reef, the sea breeze blowing through her long hair. The strands of hair that had been underwater just moments before had now returned to their original state, showing no signs of anything amiss.
"Sir, what should we do next?" the man in black asked respectfully, his eyes glancing occasionally at the calm sea.
Mu Xiaoxiao's lips curled into a cold smile: "Wait."
"But Aya Ikegami, she..."
"She's doing what she thinks is right," Mu Xiaoxiao interrupted. "What would a Moon-Eyed Awakener do if they saw the remnant soul of their race's queen imprisoned?"
The man in black pondered for a moment: "I will try to rescue them..."
"And then become the final sacrifice." Mu Xiaoxiao's voice was as gentle as if she were discussing the weather. "The formation requires the Moon Eye to be fully activated, and I'm worried about not finding the right materials."
Cold sweat beaded on the back of the man in black. He should have realized this sooner; with Mu Xiaoxiao's cunning, how could she possibly allow Chi Shangling to "betray" her so easily?
"Are you wondering how I knew Aya Ikegami would betray me?" Mu Xiaoxiao suddenly turned her head, her dark eyes unfathomable.
"Yes...yes, sir." The man in black's voice trembled. "Your subordinate is foolish."
Mu Xiaoxiao gazed at the distant horizon: "Even if the Youjing Clan was parasitized by the Moon Demon Clan, I would know it. What's so hard about guessing about a mere Moon Pupil Awakener?" She chuckled softly, "Every step she takes is within my calculations."
Unnatural ripples suddenly appeared on the sea surface, and a whirlpool began to form at its center. Mu Xiaoxiao's eyes flashed with an eerie blue light: "Look, it's starting."
The man in black stared in shock at the ever-growing vortex: "Sir, what exactly is your target...?"
"The Nether Crystal Clan? The Moon Demon Clan?" Mu Xiaoxiao shook her head, her long hair moving without wind. "Those are just pawns. My goal is..." She suddenly stopped speaking, because the sea exploded with a deafening roar!
A purple beam of light shot into the sky, turning the night sky an eerie color. Within the beam, Aya Ikegami's figure slowly rose, her moon-like eyes turning a deep purple, and ancient patterns appearing on her skin.
But what's most chilling is that she was holding the diamond-shaped core in her arms, and all the holes on the core were open, with countless blue orbs of light surging wildly into her body!
"Perfect." Mu Xiaoxiao opened her arms wide, as if welcoming the arrival of some great being. "Star Soul Lord, can you stop it this time?"
Deep in the ocean, the semi-crystalline figures in black rose one by one, their eyes all turning the same deep blue as Mu Xiaoxiao's. The formation was complete.
On the mudflats not far away, Han Feng and his group were hiding behind the rocks. Han Feng was crouching at the front, his pupils shimmering with starlight, taking in the scene a kilometer away with crystal clarity. The purple beam of light pierced through the sky and the sea, making it appear as if it were the entrance to another world.
"Star Lord, when do we make our move?" Zhang Jingcheng asked in a low voice.
Han Feng raised his hand to signal everyone to calm down: "Let's wait until Ikegami Aya comes out before we talk."
Within the pillar of light, Aya Ikegami's figure had risen into the air. Her arms were outstretched, the rhomboid core hovering before her chest, and countless blue orbs of light surged into her body like a swarm of bees returning to their nest. Even more strangely, with each orb entering, the purple patterns on her skin brightened, gradually forming some kind of ancient totem.
"Does the Star Lord really trust that Chi Shangling that much?" Dongfang Lin couldn't help but frown. "She actively sought refuge with Mu Xiaoxiao..."
Dongfang Wantang gently tugged at her grandfather's sleeve: "Grandpa, I did a divination for the Star Lord last night." She pointed to Chi Shangling's chest, "There's a crescent-shaped halo there, which means she's not inherently bad."
Dongfang Lin looked at his granddaughter with some skepticism, then at Han Feng: "But Star Lord, what if the divination is wrong...?"
"There's no mistake." Han Feng's gaze remained fixed on the beam of light. "Ikegami Aya's Moon Eyes awakened on their own, and..." He pointed to his own eyes, "I can see the color of her soul."
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