Chapter 1997: Time Stop

Xia De still didn't know exactly how huge Princess Lei Qianya's "small business" was. He only knew that she had private fleets and merchant groups under her command, involving military supplies, grain, and scarce medicines. As for that batch of special steel, it was just one link in all the businesses. It would be a small matter if that batch of goods was lost, but if the business in the Moon Bay region was affected from now on, that would be a big matter.

Knowing the small trouble Princess Lei Qianya encountered, Xia De didn't want to leave immediately. Last night, he obtained the brand-new miracle 【Adele's Time Stop】, and he wanted to try the effect. This miracle was named after the Great Witch of Time herself, which meant that it was a miracle she had improved or even created herself.

Xia De explained the idea of wanting to test the miracle, and both princesses agreed to cooperate with him.

However, Princess Lei Qianya still had some questions:

"But miracles like time stop, even for time-gifted people, should only be learned and mastered after the 12th tier."

"My situation here is a bit special, and this is not a range-based time stop, it can only be aimed at a single object. As for spellcasting, it requires the assistance of a pocket watch."

This refers to Miss Adele Isabella's pocket watch. Even for Xia De, this miracle was a bit too difficult. The pocket watch was not necessary, it was just used to reduce the spellcasting requirements. When Xia De met the spellcasting conditions, he could actually do without the pocket watch.

"Time stop..."

Ajielina, who had the least experience, sighed softly, first feeling that she still had a long way to go from Xia De, and then blushing for some reason.

"Princess Lei Qianya, let me try it on you first."

Xia De suggested, and the red-haired princess nodded with a smile:

"Okay."

She stood up and waited for Xia De to cast the spell, but waited for a long time without seeing Xia De take any action:

"What's wrong?"

Xia De blinked:

"It's already over. You didn't feel anything?"

Xia De had already consumed two-thirds of his spirit at this time, and Ajielina on the side also nodded:

"Yes, just now you were motionless for two or three seconds, as if you had become a statue. It wasn't that you were deliberately keeping still, I couldn't see your breathing, couldn't hear your heartbeat, and your hair was frozen in the air, your expression was completely stiff."

"Is that so? I really didn't have any experience."

Princess Lei Qianya said while recalling, and then saw Xia De take out the pink perfume bottle and take a sip.

Ajielina still wanted to evaluate this miracle, and then suddenly saw her sister move instantly, sitting beside Xia De, and the thing in Xia De's hand, who was holding the perfume bottle just now, turned into a teacup.

The little princess was stunned for a moment:

"I was also... really didn't feel anything."

"You were frozen for fourteen seconds."

Princess Lei Qianya said, and Xia De felt that he had consumed two-thirds of his spirit again. Princess Lei Qianya was a 6th-tier Ringed Shushi and a quarter Chosen One, and the difference between the two was easy to understand. However, although the consumption was huge, in battle, this "time stop" that relied purely on eyes to activate was simply the best control means.

This kind of control did not have the possibility of breaking free. Either you can withstand it or you can't. But time resistance is not so easy to obtain.

"Let me try again!"

Ajielina picked up an apple from the plate on the coffee table with great interest, walked a few steps toward the door, and then threw the apple toward Xia De with a smile:

"Be careful!"

The apple flew above the coffee table and stopped abruptly there. Princess Lei Qianya reached out to touch it, not expecting that she actually took it into her hand:

"Can external forces affect frozen items?"

She said curiously, and after letting go, she saw the apple floating in the air again:

"Will frozen items affected by external forces return to their original state after the external force disappears?"

She held the apple again and took a bite, then found that she really took a bite and successfully swallowed it. Xia De, who felt that his spirit consumption was not much this time, also understood that the consumption of "Adele's Time Stop" for dead objects was much less than for living objects.

"External forces can affect frozen items, it's just that once my spell effect ends, it will return to its original state. Princess Lei Qianya, hold the apple tight, be careful."

He warned, and then Princess Lei Qianya felt the apple in her hand wanted to move forward, fortunately she held it tight.

The red-haired princess touched her stomach:

"Really interesting, the apple body wants to continue moving, but the bite of apple I ate is completely normal."

"The power of time is always so fascinating and dangerous. This miracle should be used very cautiously, I shouldn't use it often."

This is also to prevent being recognized by the witches. This miracle is likely the signature miracle of that Great Witch of Time. Things in the past life era cannot be easily revealed, Xia De must hide it well.

Both princesses had many ideas about Xia De's new skills, and even put forward topics worth thinking about, such as how to know if one is being time-stopped. And the joke Xia De told about the target whose time was stopped being moved up and down the stairs, to the point of thinking that he was trapped in a "circular staircase", also made them feel interesting.

However, Xia De didn't stay in the Yodel Palace for long. After saying goodbye to Princess Lei Qianya and Ajielina, he originally wanted to go to Old John's pawnshop immediately to get the relic 【Sudden Fate】 to his home. But after getting on the carriage, he asked the coachman to turn to the Dawn Church. Xia De was still a bit worried about Priest Augustus's situation.

On Wednesday morning, the Dawn Church located at Dawn Square was as lively as usual. Priest Augustus didn't ask for leave today, and Xia De successfully met him in the church.

The priest was preparing for the "Holy Prayer Festival" next month, and he didn't seem to have any problems when talking to Xia De. He claimed that Dr. Schneider's psychological counseling was quite useful, and told Xia De that he could also try it when he had time.

But Xia De still felt that things were not that simple. He said goodbye to Priest Augustus on the surface, but actually went to find Bishop Owen of the church.

Bishop Owen knew that Xia De had a good relationship with Priest Augustus, and was willing to answer his questions:

"Lat has indeed been a bit wrong recently, often feeling low, and always saying some very disappointing things. No, this doesn't mean Lat doesn't understand other people's thoughts. I mean, as long as he participates in the conversation, it will always be guided in a very pessimistic direction."

The old bishop received the visiting detective behind his desk:

"In the past few days, he looks okay on the surface, but I can see that his psychological state is still not right. I have not seen this kind of situation, those young priests and fathers, if they listen to too many... indescribable things in the prayer room in a short time, they may indeed feel low for a while. But Lat is at such an age... I will pay attention to him."

"Besides feeling low, does the priest have any other manifestations when speaking?"

Xia De asked worriedly again, and Bishop Owen shook his head:

"That's not it."

So the priest's situation should be observed for a while longer. At least before discovering the disorder of elements on him, this is a controllable matter.

Next, Xia De went to the pawnshop to borrow the relic according to the original plan. Old John also told Xia De to be steady, accurate, and ruthless when taking action.

However, Xia De didn't leave immediately, but took the cat to lunch first. After lunch, he said goodbye to the cat who was preparing to take a nap on the windowsill, and then entered the basement with the metal rod.

"A new adventure is about to begin."

【Don't forget, you still have a normal time key that hasn't been used.】

"She" sounded like she wanted to laugh, Xia De just took it as an illusion:

"Yes, yes, tonight or tomorrow morning. I hope the scenery of Moon Bay is also fascinating enough."

Without bringing 【Sudden Fate】 into the space labyrinth, Xia De hesitated beside the statue of the Old God, and then hit his head hard with the metal rod.

Although his physical strength was high enough now, Xia De's strength was also high enough. In order to prevent accidents and waste the "Bai Shi Crystal" obtained from Megan, Xia De gave himself a solid hit.

"Oh!"

After hitting, although he didn't see stars, he almost knocked himself down:

"Next time, I must find a relic without such a big 'side effect'."

Putting the heavy metal rod against the wall for the time being, Xia De reached out to touch the statue:

"May the original crack protect me in the infinite space."

White fog surged, swallowing Xia De who was touching his forehead.

【Outsider, you have stepped into the 'Space Labyrinth'.】

【A message from the Old God 'Original Crack':】

【Existing space landmarks: 9.】

Thick white fog dispersed around, and only a small path appeared in the thin fog not far away, with nine old wooden road signs on the path.

Xia De didn't waste time, and directly held up the white stone crystal in the fog:

"Offer sacrifices to the space labyrinth."

The crystal melted into the fog, and at the same time "she" prompted:

【Obtained new information: can search for new space landmarks. Please choose a direction.】

"Southwest."

As the words fell, the small path in the thick fog extended a distance toward the distance. In the new area of the small path, a rotten old road sign that seemed to have been ravaged by time for a hundred years appeared little by little.

Xia De walked over, passed the road signs leading to Cold Water Port, Midhillburg, Huntington, Great Swamp, Randel Valley, and Green Lake region, and placed his hand on the final target.

【The Original Crack will guide you in the direction.】

The white fog dispersed, and the statue of the Space Old God and the familiar circular space appeared in front of Xia De. It's just that there were no items belonging to him by the wall. Similar to the situation in the basement of the Green Lake hotel, it was so clean that there was no dust, which meant that Xia De didn't get unknown clues and investigation tasks just after arriving in a new city.

It's not that no one else could discover these hidden spaces except Xia De. Predecessors of the 【Light-Guiding Cultivation Society】, Thomas Granger of Randel Valley, etc., had discovered hidden spaces, but these people had long since disappeared in this era:

"Where will the exit this time lead to?"

The life ring appeared, the 【Space-Time】 spirit rune emitted spirit light, causing the wall pointed to by the statue to "melt", revealing a hidden passage. There was no light outside, and the smell couldn't drift in here.

Xia De took a deep breath and got ready, then walked toward the outside along the passage. ===== CHAPTER 1998 =====