Meanwhile, above Seven-star Lake, a giant shield suddenly opened a gap, and a small black flying vehicle slipped through it, heading toward an island in the middle of the lake.
Once the flying vehicle had passed, the shield closed up again, and a shimmering light flashed, restoring the area to its original appearance.
If anyone had looked from outside at that moment, they could have seen only the vast and clear expanse of the lake, with the beautiful, intermittently visible island no longer in sight.
This black flying vehicle was what Xiao Shun and his companions referred to as the Anti-gravity Car.
Inside the vehicle, the group watched the scenery outside with rapt attention, thoroughly captivated by the holographic flight mode, which gave them the impression that they never wanted to drive a regular car again in their lives.
"Is this the same lake we visited last time? I can’t believe it’s so beautiful. And judging by the size, I’d believe it if you told me it was the Mediterranean."
Yang Yangyang, sitting in the passenger seat, leaned back in his chair, contemplating the view below and expressing his amazement.
Beside him, Xiao Shun was half-turned, with his head fixed in the direction they had come from, continuously staring at the sky behind them.
"What are you doing?" Yang Yangyang asked him curiously.
Without turning his head, Xiao Shun said, "I’m watching the place we just entered from. Haven’t you guys noticed? The shield we passed through seems to cover the entire lake."
Yang Yangyang thought about the scene he had just witnessed, then nodded and said,
"That seems about right, that shield appears to have the ability to become invisible. I remember not seeing any islands on the lake before entering; the islands only became visible afterward."
His attention was focused on the beautiful scenery around him, and he didn’t pay much mind to the shield.
With a clap of his hands, Xiao Shun said, "Exactly! Just look at that shield! And it’s not just any shield—it’s an invisible one! Do you know what that means?"
"What does it mean?" Yang Yangyang asked.
Xiao Shun, excitedly, replied, "It means that the Star Alliance possesses technology far beyond our imagination. With the current level of human technology, it would be impossible to create something ."
"And given the shield’s enormity, the energy and computational power needed for its operation are so massive they exceed our current capabilities by several orders of magnitude. This is not just a simple shield; it’s a comprehensive representation of an array of technologies that are ahead of their time—simply unimaginable!"
Yang Yangyang, seeing his enthusiasm, couldn’t help but ask in surprise, "I thought you studied medicine, Shunzi. When did you become interested in this stuff?"
Beside them, Hu Peng chimed in, "Ha-ha, we all know what he’s like. His family owns so many hospitals, it’s only natural that his old man pushed him to study medicine. But honestly, with his medical skills, I don’t think there are many people who would dare let him treat them."
Yang Yangyang nodded earnestly at Hu Peng’s words, then turned to look at the usually talkative Xun You, who had been silent, and asked curiously,
"Dog, what are you doing there? Why so quiet? It’s not really like you. You’re not afraid of heights, are you?"
Xun You looked up at him, then raised a small piece of paper in his hand and said, "I’m memorizing this. Have you all memorized it yet? Brother Man said we need to recite it together before the Awakening."
Yang Yangyang saw the item in his hand and managed to calm down from his excitement, but his eyes now held an even stronger sense of anticipation.
"Are you talking about the oath we have to recite for joining the Star Alliance? I’ve memorized that thing so well I could say it in my sleep. I just need to perform it on the spot now. To be honest, I can hardly wait... Hold on, don’t tell me you still can’t recite it?"
Xun You shook his head, "No, it’s just that the time feels like it’s getting closer, and I’m a bit nervous, so I thought I’d review it a bit more."
The two others, hearing his words, also felt as though they might have forgotten something and quickly took out their little pieces of paper with the oath written on them, preparing to reinforce their memory.
The Star Alliance oath they were talking about was actually something Zhang Xiaoman had added into the awakening package under his mother’s guidance. He had even created the content himself, mainly to add grandeur and a sense of ceremony. Of course, the long-term effects this would have were not to be overlooked either.
Just as they were getting ready to review the oath again, prompted by Xun You, they noticed that the anti-gravity car began to descend. Looking down, they realized that they had already arrived at their destination.
"This is... the Final Gate! I remember its name! Brother Man mentioned it to us before!"
Yang Yangyang pointed to the area surrounded by three massive stone walls.
Xiao Shun and Hu Peng were here for the first time, and they both curiously surveyed the surroundings.
Finally, the car came to a steady stop, and the four of them got out one after another.
Looking at the environment around them, not only the two newcomers but even Yang Yangyang and Xun You felt a bit unfamiliar with the place at this moment.
The surroundings were still the same open space, but far off, what used to be bare ruins were now overgrown with lush green plants, some of which had grown to almost one meter tall saplings.
If the place had previously given off the impression of a desert ruin, it now seemed to be transforming into the remains of a forest.
After delivering them to their destination, the anti-gravity car turned around to pick up the next batch of passengers, leaving the four standing there, unsure of what to do next.
"Uh, where do we go now? Or should we just wait here?" Hu Peng asked.
Yang Yangyang thought for a moment, about to mention the underground palace they encountered last time, but so much time had passed, and the environment had changed so much, that he couldn’t quite remember where exactly that place was anymore.
Just as they looked around helplessly, they saw a distortion in the space next to a huge rock inscribed with "Original Realm," followed by the appearance of a person clad in green.
The newcomer was an elderly man whose unusual attire didn’t seem the least bit awkward on him; in fact, it added to the imposing and weathered aura that Xiao Shun and the others sensed from him.
The old man’s sudden appearance out of thin air certainly startled the young men, and words like "teleport," "instant teleportation," and "space magic" involuntarily popped into their heads.
"Please, may I ask if you are a senior member of the Star Alliance... "
Yang Yangyang, being the closest, instinctively started to ask, but under the influence of the unintentional display of authority from the other person, he realized his way of speaking had somewhat changed.
No sooner had he finished his question than the space around them rippled again, and another figure clothed in the same style appeared.