The echoes of the ancient ritual at Pearl Lake lingered. The vast power that bound the planet, the Light Tree, the Crystalline, and the Star Sea Shamans together slowly receded like a warm tide, leaving an indelible mark deep within the five people's souls. Lin Xingyun felt it most clearly. The "Ancient City Barrier Pattern" on his palm was no longer just a pattern on his skin. The tiny sparks within it seemed to come alive, resonating with the surrounding space like a faint breath. He closed his eyes, no longer seeing with his eyes alone, but attempting to "touch" the world with this newfound "spatial sense."
In his perception, the world took on a different image: the solid ground was no longer a lifeless solid, but a foundation imbued with countless subtle energy veins. The air was no longer empty, but streamed with the energy glow emanating from the Light Tree and, beyond, the invisible radiation from the binary stars. Even the seemingly empty space itself seemed woven from countless imperceptible "warps and wefts," appearing dense and solid at some points, thin and twisted at others. This perception was still vague, like seeing flowers in the fog, but it opened a whole new door for him.
"I feel... as if space has a 'texture,'" Lin Xingyun tried to describe it to his companions. "Like... like an enormous, intricately woven piece of cloth."
Ayisha seemed to have a sudden realization. She unfolded a blank batik cloth, her spiritual energy flowing through her fingertips, attempting to "reproduce" the vague sense of spatial texture onto the fabric. However, the lines twisted and dissipated as soon as they were drawn, far from any pattern she was familiar with. "It's too difficult! This 'texture' is constantly shifting, a thousand times more elusive than the most complex ancestral patterns."
Nguyen Thi Mai stood quietly by the lake, her perceptions more connected to the water. She noticed that the spatial "texture" beneath the lake was different from that on the shore, seemingly influenced by the flow of the water and the roots of the light tree, exhibiting a unique flexibility and fluidity. "Perhaps water can help us better 'feel' this change," she offered softly. Buakaw's approach was the most direct. He walked to a boulder, concentrated all his strength, and attempted to "shake" a spatial "node" he perceived with his fist. Naturally, the effort was futile; the space remained motionless, and instead, the vibrations numbed his arm. "This thing is stronger than the hardest alloy!" he muttered, but admitted that at the moment of punching, he seemed to more clearly sense the subtle resistance encountered by the invisible "warp and weft" during the transmission of power.
Dilawang sat cross-legged, with the jade Buddha resting on his knees. His method focused more on spiritual integration. He attempted to "blend" with this spatial texture with a peaceful mind, like a drop of water merging into the ocean, thereby more naturally understanding its laws of operation. "Impatientness is an obstacle to enlightenment," he said slowly. "One must observe its natural flow, just as one observes one's breathing."
Just as the five were beginning to explore the mysteries of this space in their own ways, the Crystal Child transmitted new information. The light tree stabilized after the ritual, but the purer, more powerful energy fluctuations it emanated, like a beacon in the darkness, might actually attract even more powerful "Universe Burners." They suggested that the Star Sea shamans utilize their newly acquired spatial understanding to attempt to create simple spatial mazes around Pearl Lake. These weren't powerful offensive or defensive devices, but rather subtle perturbations of spatial textures, creating visual and energy distortions, making it difficult for outsiders to pinpoint the light tree's precise location.
This was undoubtedly a perfect opportunity for practice!
The five of them immediately sprang into action. With the light tree as the centerpiece, Lin Xingyun, acting as the overall leader, utilized his clearest spatial perception to identify several key interference nodes. Aisha, under Lin Xingyun's guidance, used a specially crafted, psychic-infused pigment (derived from the sap of luminescent plants mixed with energy crystal powder) to create temporary patterns on the rocks or ground at the selected nodes, capable of subtle deflections of spatial energy. These array patterns weren't fixed patterns; instead, they constantly adjusted based on Lin Xingyun's perception of the real-time spatial textures. They were imbued with a sense of improvisation and creativity, more like the prototype of a "spatial witch pattern."
Nguyen Thi Mei was responsible for directing underground water flows and air vapor. Her dance became incredibly slow and focused, as if she were combing invisible silk threads. Using the fluid nature of the water element, she skillfully connected, amplified, and circulated the subtle spatial fluctuations generated by each node. Buakaw was responsible for "solidifying" the foundation. He used his fists to pound the rock bearing the array pattern deep into the ground to secure it. Using his powerful Qi and blood, he dispelled any small vortexes of malicious raw energy that had accidentally gathered due to spatial disturbances. Dilawang sat in the center, using the Jade Buddha to stabilize the overall mental field and prevent uncontrollable distortions in the spatial experiment.
This was an extremely exhausting process. Fine beads of sweat formed on Lin Xingyun's forehead. Maintaining this exquisite spatial perception was a tremendous test of his mental strength. Aisha's fingers trembled slightly as she drew the array pattern, requiring each stroke to be precise and accurate. Nguyen Thi Mai's dance, while beautiful, carried an indescribable heaviness.
But the effect was remarkable! When the last node was successfully connected and activated, the space around Pearl Lake seemed shrouded in a veil. From the outside, the view of the lake and the Light Tree began to blur and distort, as if separated by a layer of swaying waves. At the energy detection level, the Light Tree's once-bright energy signal became erratic, difficult to accurately capture.
"Success!" Aisha observed the changing scene before her, a look of joy on her weary face. This wasn't just a maze; it was the first time they had actively utilized and verified the power of space!
However, before they could even congratulate themselves, Dilawang suddenly frowned and gazed toward the sky. "Something's approaching at high speed! The energy reaction... is intense, bearing the markings of the 'Universe Burner'!"
Sure enough, at the edge of the sky, three black dots rapidly enlarged. They were sickle-shaped warships, even larger and more formidable than the shuttle-shaped attack ships they had encountered earlier! They had clearly received news of the reconnaissance team's loss of contact and were an elite team sent to investigate! The Scythe warship didn't charge directly into the maze area, but instead hovered at its periphery. Several deep purple scanning beams emanated from its bow, attempting to analyze the spatial anomaly before it.
"The maze can deceive ordinary detection, but I'm afraid it won't be concealed for long!" Lin Xingyun's heart sank. The power he had just gained wasn't enough to directly confront a warship of this caliber.
At this critical moment, Lin Xingyun had a sudden inspiration! He recalled the planetary consciousness he had felt during the ritual, the very veins of the land beneath his feet! He immersed his entire mind in the "Ancient City Barrier Pattern," but this time, he wasn't connecting to the "solidity" of the earth. Instead, he attempted to activate the "spatial anchoring" properties of the specific star region of the Qingai Galaxy!
He pressed his hands lightly against the ground, unleashing his newfound understanding of the "longitude and latitude" of space with all his might! This wasn't an attack, nor a defense, but a declaration, a reinforcement! He used himself as a guide, channeling the power of the light tree and the planet, attempting to temporarily "strengthen" the structural stability of the space around Pearl Lake, making it more "viscous" and difficult for external forces to tear or penetrate!
The effect was immediate! After entering the maze, the deep purple scanning beams suddenly slowed down, as if trapped in an invisible quagmire. Their energy rapidly decayed and scattered, ultimately failing to penetrate the maze and acquiring a clear signal!
The sickle warships seemed puzzled and tried several more times, with the same results. They circled the maze for several rounds, ultimately seeming to conclude that there was incomprehensible high-dimensional interference and it was not advisable to venture deeper. They turned around in frustration and disappeared into the horizon.
The crisis was temporarily averted.
The five men slumped to the ground, nearly exhausted. The continuous actions just now, especially Lin Xingyun's final spatial reinforcement, had consumed a tremendous amount of energy.
But their eyes gleamed with excitement. They had not only mastered the initial use of spatial power, but had also successfully driven back a powerful enemy ship! Though merely a trick, it was undoubtedly a crucial step on the path to becoming a powerful interstellar master.
Lin Xingyun gazed into the abyssal starry sky, sensing the subtle spatial connection within his body to the Qingai Galaxy. A thought became increasingly clear: Perhaps, the path home doesn't require searching for another stargate. When one's understanding of space is profound enough, one's own self... can become an anchor!
(End of Chapter 25)