Chapter 309: Teleportation Array

More than ten days later.

The explorer ship landed in the ocean; after activating its camouflage, it appeared no different from a solitary island in the sea.

Fang Xing sat on a sofa inside the cabin, a pile of jade slips before him.

These were intelligence reports he had purchased from major sea markets using his Golden Core true cultivator status.

"Has the Yuan Shen Sword Sect truly been wiped out?"

"Not only that—it's said they perished alongside the Ancient Demon, their sect grounds sinking into the sea, their great array's seals undergoing unknown changes, making entry impossible… Even the surrounding waters are now teeming with demonic beasts born from the contamination of the Ancient Demon's blood, many of them fourth-rank horrors…"

"At the time, disciples of the Yuan Shen Sword Sect who were outside the sect had gathered in numbers, hoping to rebuild it—but for some reason, they suffered great calamities, one after another falling in battle… Sects tied to the Yuan Shen Sword Sect were similarly devastated."

"Now, only two or three disciples of the Yuan Shen Sword Sect remain—and even they dare not admit their identity…"

Fang Xing rubbed his chin.

This was precisely the case of an innocent man bearing a treasure that invites death.

Without the protection of a Divine Transformation sect, those disciples, if they had been arrogant in daily life, were asking for death.

Even if they were kind to others, the secret treasures, sect techniques, and cultivation methods they carried were objects of covet for countless cultivators.

Previously, they dared not act rashly out of fear of the Yuan Shen Sword Sect's backing.

But now…

They were nothing but tender meat!

Even Fang Xing wanted to take a bite.

After all, rejoining the Yuan Shen Sword Sect was merely his own wishful thinking—and branch disciples might not receive much attention or be granted the sect's Divine Transformation cultivation methods.

Moreover, what he sought was not Divine Transformation cultivation, but the legacy beyond Divine Transformation!

"So it seems the downfall of the Yuan Shen Sword Sect isn't so bad… It might even make it easier for me to seize the legacy?"

Fang Xing pondered: "Since the time of Zi Zai Old Man, my Tian Gu Jian Sect has had no real connection to the Yuan Shen Sword Sect…"

The collapse of the Inner Sea holy site triggered subtle reactions from the other two holy sites.

Though they did not kick a man when he was down, they stood by and watched.

This led Fang Xing to suspect the Yuan Shen Sword Sect had poor relations with the Piao Miao Immortal Palace and Wu Ji Palace.

After all, sword cultivators… were known for their unyielding pride and disdain for others.

"It seems I can't use the Yuan Shen Sword Sect's branch banner—I'll remain a lone cultivator for now…"

"That Ancient Demon—who attacked the Yuan Shen Sword Sect—was he seeking revenge, or some treasure?"

Fang Xing thought of another critical question.

Unfortunately, information at this level was beyond his current reach.

At this moment, he turned his thoughts to his next cultivation issue.

Accumulating Nascent Soul-level spiritual energy was already slow; without a fourth-rank spiritual vein, it would be even slower.

He tapped a jade slip in his hand, recalling the intelligence he had gathered, his expression grave.

"The Hanhai Immortal Realm is vast and boundless, with countless spiritual veins and abundant cultivation resources… There are already hundreds of Nascent Soul factions alone…"

"Most are clustered in the Inner Sea… only a few reside in the Outer Sea."

"Currently, the Inner Sea holds two fifth-rank spiritual veins, serving as holy sites…"

These two fifth-rank spiritual veins were not originally in the Inner Sea—they were seized from Outer Sea demonic beasts by the ancestors of the holy sites, who used supreme divine arts to forcibly relocate them.

A fifth-rank spiritual vein qualifies as a holy site; cultivating one from nothing or upgrading a top-tier fourth-rank vein is extraordinarily difficult.

Seizing an existing fifth-rank vein and relocating it, however, is relatively easier.

"Of course… I likely cannot enter either of these two holy sites to cultivate—I might consider… joining or seizing a fourth-rank spiritual vein instead?"

"The key question is… should I go to the Inner Sea, or cultivate in the Outer Sea?"

Fang Xing considered: the Inner Sea offered rich spiritual resources, while the Outer Sea held abundant sea beast resources.

More crucially, the Inner Sea housed fifth-rank holy sects—and possibly remnants of the Yuan Shen Sword Sect—making it ideal for scheming to obtain the legacy beyond Divine Transformation.

He immediately decided: he would go to the Inner Sea.

"To reach the Inner Sea from the Outer Sea, one can either slowly fly for years… or take a teleportation array."

Thinking of this, Fang Xing nearly teared up.

Arriving in this higher-tier immortal realm, he had finally gained insight: long-distance travel need not mean exhausting journeys—he could now ride teleportation arrays.

He bitterly regretted that the Great Desert Immortal Realm had not a single ancient teleportation array; otherwise, he would not have suffered so much from endless travel.

"If I take the teleportation array, the explorer ship must remain here… or, I could set it to patrol continuously, shuttling between the Great Desert and Hanhai Immortal Realms, trading goods—that could be a profitable venture?"

…

Several days later.

Nan Li Island.

This island housed a fourth-rank spiritual vein, belonging to the Nan Huo Men.

Nan Huo Men was a Nascent Soul powerhouse, with three Nascent Soul true lords stationed within, striking fear across the region.

Precisely because of this, they controlled the teleportation array business and held one array linking to the Inner Sea.

From this array, the "Nan Li Sea Market" had emerged, its scale far surpassing ordinary treasure-ship sea markets.

Fang Xing still maintained his Golden Core-level spiritual energy and strode boldly into the Nan Li Sea Market, heading straight for the teleportation array.

Nan Huo Men ran its teleportation business with transparency: pay, and you're sent off.

"Esteemed cultivator, wishing to go to the Inner Sea?" The teleportation hall was entirely cast in bronze, its walls covered in swirling spiritual light, clearly brimming with powerful seals.

A late-stage Golden Core cultivator, clad in Nan Huo Men's crimson robes, smiled faintly at Fang Xing: "Our sect's array connects to the Inner Sea's Peng Mo Island. Do you have any objections?"

This was a kind warning: if a teleporting cultivator had enemies on Peng Mo Island, they might be detained upon arrival, damaging the sect's reputation.

"Of course not."

Fang Xing had nothing to hide; in the Hanhai Immortal Realm, he likely had no enemies yet.

"Good. The fee is one superior-grade spiritual stone per trip. Each array activation carries ten passengers—please wait a moment…"

The late-stage Golden Core cultivator took the superior-grade spiritual stone and spoke slowly.

Fang Xing glanced to the other side of the hall and saw a dozen yellow cushions; five or six cultivators already sat upon them, mostly Golden Core, with only one a late-stage Foundation Establishment, many concealing their faces and forms.

He walked over, sat cross-legged, and studied the teleportation array at the hall's center.

The array was shrouded in spiritual light and seals, its base a gray-white array foundation, surrounded by silver ancient seal script.

At each corner of the array stood a gray-white stone pillar, covered in intricate patterns.

"Teleportation arrays… must involve space itself… This space-travel technology, even the Blue Star Federation hasn't mastered yet."

Seeing this, Fang Xing inwardly marveled: "Immortal cultivators' technology isn't without merit."

After waiting about half an hour, the ten teleportation slots were finally filled.

"Good. Please stand upon the array… You may feel some discomfort during teleportation, but Foundation Establishment cultivators will suffer no serious effects…"

The late-stage Golden Core cultivator from Nan Huo Men smiled, drawing a token and waving it lightly.

Plop!

Like a soap bubble bursting, the spiritual light shielding the array vanished instantly.

"About one hour per activation, ten superior-grade spiritual stones in revenue… This business is truly profitable."

Fang Xing nodded, preparing to step onto the array, when suddenly his brow furrowed, glancing outside the hall.

"Wait!"

A few breaths later, a deep voice rang out.

Then, several Golden Core-level spiritual lights streaked in from outside the bronze hall; their leader was a bearded giant, eyes sharp as lightning, naturally imposing: "A major incident has just occurred within Nan Huo Men—the sect master orders: seal the market, no teleportation allowed!"

Upon hearing this, the Golden Core cultivator guarding the array immediately flicked his token.

The glowing light spreading across the array instantly dimmed.

"Isn't that Brother Miao? I'm Ming Xu of Qing Song Guan…"

A Daoist in robes stepped forward: "What has happened at Nan Huo Men?"

"Nothing serious—just a petty thief sneaked in and stole an important item."

The Miao cultivator summoned a treasure mirror; a beam of light swept across the hall: "This is our sect's treasured artifact—the True Illusion Mirror, most adept at detecting disguise, deception, and cultivation levels. You may leave—but you must pass under the True Illusion Mirror first."

"Hmph! Overbearing!"

A black-robed cultivator beside Fang Xing snorted: "Nan Huo Men never had such a rule before."

He was also late-stage Golden Core, and spoke with confidence.

"The rule… has changed now."

The Miao cultivator snorted, refusing to yield an inch.

After all, this was Nan Li Island, guarded by three Nascent Soul true lords—who could they possibly fear?

"Fine…"

The black-robed cultivator sighed, shedding his disguise to reveal a Confucian scholar.

"Ah, it's Master Miao Bi Sheng!"

The Miao cultivator realized: "I heard you once angered the 'Long Yang Old Demon' by writing strange tales—so you're heading to the Inner Sea to hide?"

"Cough… How can a scholar's actions be called hiding? I'm merely visiting friends."

Miao Bi Sheng's face darkened, embarrassed.

"Hehe…"

The Miao cultivator smiled silently.

Fang Xing recalled—he had read something about this "Long Yang Old Demon," a demonic true lord who delighted in the practice of sexual cultivation.

When he looked at this Master Miaobisheng again, his eyes held a touch of sympathy.

"Even so, the procedure must still be followed."

The Miao cultivator struck a cultivation technique; a flash of brilliant light surged across the True-Illusion Mirror, locking onto Miaobisheng: "Indeed a fellow Daoist—no disguise… Hm?"

At that moment, the late Foundation Establishment cultivator suddenly hurled a pitch-black thunder pearl.

Within the pitch-black thunder pearl, a thread of flame blazed fiercely, then exploded with a deafening roar!

Terrifying lightning and fire instantly swept through the entire bronze hall.

The late Foundation Establishment cultivator's spiritual energy surged past Golden Core, then he bit down hard on his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of essence blood.

He instantly transformed into a crimson aura of flight, aiming to burst out of the hall and vanish.

"Hmph? Think you can escape?"

The late Golden Core cultivator guarding the teleportation array snorted; countless seals within the bronze hall interwove like a vast prison.

The crimson aura struck the seals and emitted a muffled cry—its voice clear and melodic—revealing it to be a female cultivator!

(End of Chapter)