As soon as the Pearl of the Sea was set in place, countless bubbles began forming within the ring of water. The Professor stepped back out of its range and stopped. Soon, more and more bubbles appeared, and both the Pearl of the Sea and the crystals of the Crown began to glow. The light grew steadily stronger until it shone with dazzling brilliance. The entire temple shuddered, and countless stone blocks began retracting from the bridge that had connected the platform to the passageway. The platform began rising.
"It's... it's opening!" Suddenly, Wing noticed the light overhead brighten. Looking up, he saw the previously sealed space spiral open like flower petals, gradually revealing the blue sky outside.
As the temple shuddered, ripples spread across the surrounding sea. White lines of water swept outward in every direction from the temple. Although those waves could not reach Liu Qing and the others in the air, the energy brewing within the temple made Liu Qing's expression turn exceptionally grave.
"They've already gotten their way!" Caitlin's languid voice rang out, but her expression had grown unusually serious.
"Then we fight!" A Hen's simple declaration was firm and forceful.
"No, they haven't succeeded yet. We must stop them as quickly as possible!" Cynthia knew the most about the temple. After sensing it with her power of overcoming, she addressed Liu Qing and the other two solemnly.
"May..." Max watched the temple undergo its enormous transformation, filled with worry.
Clack, clack, clack, clack! Sounds like turning machinery rang out. The once magnificent temple had now opened completely from the inside out, spreading flat across the sea. The platform that had held the Crown of the Sea stood high above it. Brilliant, sacred light illuminated the world, painting even the blue sky in rainbow colors amid