âSo, youâre Fellow Daoist Lu Qing? Not bad, not bad.
The entrance fee is one hundred low-grade spirit stones per person, or a single mid-grade spirit stone.
These two spirit pets of yours are at the Demon Core stageâthey also need to pay.
Are you paying with low-grade stones or mid-grade?â
The slightly plump old man smiled as he spoke.
Yet he didnât press further about the name of Lu Qingâs native world, nor did he ask his reason for coming to the Tianyuan Great World.
âThis junior will pay with mid-grade spirit stones.â
Just hearing the entrance fee required three mid-grade spirit stones made Lu Qingâs heart ache.
After such a long and arduous journey, he had very few spirit stones left.
His low-grade spirit stones were long gone, and only a handful of mid-grade ones remained.
He hadnât expected even entering the city would cost him three mid-grade spirit stones.
Still, despite the pain in his heart, Lu Qing said nothing. He respectfully took out three spirit stones and handed them over.
âNo need to feel so distressed. If you wish to enter the Xiao Cang Realm, youâll have to use the teleportation array.
A single teleportation consumes quite a lot.
Charging you only one mid-grade spirit stone is already very cheap.â
The plump old man smiled as he skillfully pocketed the spirit stones, then took out three jade talismans.
âThese jade talismans are your proof of entry and teleportation. The teleportation array is in the center of the city.
Remember, no fighting is allowed inside the city.
As for what happens after entering the Xiao Cang Realmâthatâs none of my business.â
The Xiao Cang Realm was the name of the small world Lu Qing intended to enter.
âThank you, Senior.â
Lu Qing respectfully received the jade talismans, bowed again to the old man, and only then led Xiaoli and Wuxing into the city.
As he watched Lu Qingâs retreating figure, a strange glint flickered in the old manâs eyes.
âA seemingly ordinary mid-grade Golden Core, third transformation, yet heâs accompanied by two Demon Core stage spirit beasts.
And those two spirit beasts seem to be carrying concealment treasures that mask their aura.
Their cultivation isnât as simple as first-transformation, low-rank Demon Core stage.
This young manâcould he be the direct heir of some aristocratic clan from another great world, or perhaps the bloodline descendant of a Nascent Soul powerhouse, out tempering himself?â âĂ ÆĂàžżÎê©
He pondered for a moment, then shook his head and ceased his speculation.
His role now was merely that of a gatekeeper.
As long as the newcomers werenât those demonic brats from the other side, he wouldnât pry into their backgrounds.
Whether Lu Qing was a disciple of an Immortal Sect from another great world, or the direct descendant of some Nascent Soul cultivator...
Even if he were a wanted criminal from some world...
None of that had anything to do with him.
After all, a mere Golden Core cultivator couldnât stir up much trouble.
If something really happened, someone else would deal with it.
His only duty was to guard the city gate and collect the entrance fee.
Everything else? Let others worry about it.
He didnât have many years left anyway. Better to enjoy the rest of them.
...
âLooks like even a Nascent Soul cultivator has difficulty seeing through my disguise.â
On the other side, within the city, Lu Qing finally let out a breath of relief.
He had naturally made thorough preparations before entering.
First was concealing his cultivation level.
His Perfect Golden Core was far too mysterious. If it were discovered, who could say what might happen?
So before arriving, he had already activated the innate ability of his Perfect Golden Coreâformless, formless, endlessly changing.
He suppressed the might of his Golden Core to appear as only a mid-grade one.
Meanwhile, he had drawn a talisman each on Xiaoli and Wuxingâs demon cores.
These talismans were his own creation, inspired by the ever-changing nature of his Perfect Golden Core.
They too could disguise cultivation and alter auras.
Now it was clearâwhat he had comprehended from the Perfect Golden Core truly was extraordinary.
Even a Nascent Soul powerhouse had difficulty seeing through it.
Of course, that was partly because the old man had only used spiritual sense to probe their auras.
If he had directly used spiritual force to invade their bodies and examine the Golden Core and Demon Core withinâ
Other than Lu Qing himself, Xiaoli and Wuxingâs high-grade Demon Cores wouldâve been instantly exposed.
But then again, directly probing someoneâs core with spiritual force was a major taboo.
No cultivator would tolerate such an invasive act.
The Tianyuan Great World certainly wouldnât violate such customs.
Otherwise, offending an ordinary cultivator was one thing.
But what if one day, they happened to insult a disciple from another great worldâor even a Nascent Soul powerhouse?
That would be inviting calamity for no reason.
It was precisely because Lu Qing understood this, that he dared to mark Xiaoli and Wuxingâs cores with concealment talismans.
Even if the old man sensed something unusual, he likely wouldnât dare inspect them too closely.
After all, among cultivators, many preferred to keep a low profile and hide their strength.
As long as they werenât demonic cultivators sneaking in, it wasnât a big issue.
Things turned out just as Lu Qing had expected. Though the old man noticed something, he still let them pass without trouble.
âThe first trial is passed. Next is entering the small world through the teleportation array.â
Lu Qing played with the jade talisman in his hand.
This talisman was not only proof of entry but also a pass to the Xiao Cang Realm.
Starry Sky City was magnificent beyond compare, but Lu Qing didnât linger long.
After entering, he brought Xiaoli and Wuxing straight to the center of the city.
It wasnât long before they reached it.
There, a massive jade platform stood, engraved with arcane runes forming a vast formation.
Before the jade platform, more than a dozen people were already waiting, all exuding impressive auras.
Apart from a few younger cultivators seemingly here to gain experience under their eldersâ guidance,
Most were at least Golden Core cultivators.
Lu Qing even spotted a middle-aged man whose presence was as deep as a mountain and vast as an abyssâhe gave off an intense sense of danger.
Lu Qingâs heart tightened. This man must also be a Nascent Soul powerhouse.
Naturally, Lu Qingâs arrival caught the attention of the others.
At first, seeing that he was only a third-transformation, mid-grade Golden Core cultivator, they didnât pay him much mind.
But when they noticed the small Xiaoli in his arms and Wuxing resting on his shoulder, their expressions shifted slightly.
After all, spirit pets at the Golden Core stage were rare.
Especially for someone whose cultivation didnât seem high, yet was able to carry two Golden Core spirit beastsâclearly, he had an extraordinary background.
Even so, no one said much. After sizing him up, they went back to their own business.
It was the youth standing atop the jade platform, clad in ornate armor and also a Golden Core cultivator, who called out,
âYouâre also here to enter the Xiao Cang Realm? Youâll have to wait a while longer. The array only activates when thirty people are gathered.â
After asking around, Lu Qing learned thatâ
This teleportation array in Starry Sky City wasnât activated at will.
At minimum, it required thirty people to gather before it would be used once.
Lu Qing understood and accepted this arrangement.
The teleportation array consumed a great deal of energy each time it was activated, so it naturally wouldnât be triggered for just one or two people.
If it did, then the mid-grade spirit stone they paid probably wouldnât even cover the array's operating cost.
This suited Lu Qing perfectlyâhe had been looking for an excuse to linger a little longer.
So after thanking the armored youth, he found a quiet corner, sat cross-legged, and silently began regulating his breath while waiting.
Xiaoli burrowed into his arms, while Wuxing curled up in the hood of his robe.
In this manner, after a long while of quiet, sensing that no one was paying him any attention, Lu Qing quietly opened his eyes.
A trace of excitement flickered within them as he looked toward the teleportation jade platform.
Of course, he wasnât staring at the platform itself, but rather at the incredibly arcane runic array carved upon its surface.
From the very first glance at the runes on the teleportation platform, his spirit had trembled.
It was only because there were too many powerful cultivators present that he restrained himself.
He had been wondering how to find a reason to carefully study the array.
To think that the teleportation array required a full group to activateâthis was a tremendous opportunity for him.
âTeleportation formation...â
Lu Qing's heart burned with excitement as he silently activated his ability, gazing at those mysterious runes.
In no time, a rich violet light of his special ability emerged from the teleportation platform, and several lines of text floated into view.
ăTeleportation Jade Platform: Imbued with a teleportation formation, a mystical artifact capable of spatial transport.ă
ăTeleportation formations involve the Laws of Space; without profound knowledge of formations, it is difficult to comprehend.ă
ăThis teleportation platform is a directional artifact, able to transmit only to a fixed destination.ă
ăThis teleportation platform is a short-range transmission artifact, with limited transmission range.ă
ăInheritance detectedâwould you like to initiate download and simulation?ă
...
Upon seeing the final line, a subtle smile appeared on Lu Qingâs face.
He immediately selected [Download].
ăDownloading⊠Current progress: 1%... 98%... 99%... 100%.ă
ăDownload complete. Would you like to simulate?ă
Lu Qing selected [Simulate].
ăSimulating⊠Current progress: 1%... 98%... 99%... 100%.ă
ăSimulation complete. Would you like to begin learning?ă
Lu Qing glanced around and saw no one paying him any attention.
He gently stroked Xiaoliâs head and sent a soul-transmission message: âXiaoli, help me keep watch. Stay alert to the surroundings.â
Xiaoliâs ears twitched slightly. After so many years of shared experience, it understood at onceâAh Qing was about to enter a state of deep comprehension.
It didnât move, simply gave a soft âMmâ in response through soul transmission to indicate its acknowledgment.
Only then did Lu Qing select [Learn] and close his eyes.
In the next instant, a flood of insight surged into the depths of his mind.
Lu Qing skillfully received and processed the information, quickly entering a profound state of cultivation.
Half an hour later, Lu Qing opened his eyes, filled with awe.
âThis teleportation formation⊠it's truly marvelous! To think it could invoke the Laws of Space through the power of formation, thereby achieving spatial transmission.â
Lu Qing was inwardly astonished.
One had to understandâthe Dao of Space was unfathomably profound. Even Nascent Soul cultivators required great depth and years of accumulation to begin comprehending its laws.
But this teleportation formation circumvented such difficulties.
As long as one could accurately arrange the formation and use runes to link with the Laws of Space, one could channel spatial force to achieve teleportation.
âThe Void Flying Boat does possess the ability to traverse the void, but over half of that comes from its unique material composition.
Its internal formations are secondary.
But this teleportation formationâits transmission power comes entirely from the formation itself.
If I can fully comprehend it, my attainments in runic formations will undoubtedly deepen tremendously.
I might even formally reach the Intermediate Yang Talisman stage in soul-based talismans!â
Lu Qing was elated.
He had originally thought he would have to formally enter the Tianyuan Great World before encountering such advanced legacies.
He hadnât expected to reap such gains even before stepping into the Xiao Cang Realm.
This only solidified Lu Qingâs determination to enter the Tianyuan Great World.
With his unique ability, that vast world, teeming with encounters and fortune, was truly the ultimate sacred land for him!
After a while, Lu Qing calmed his mind and closed his eyes once more to delve deeper into his study.
This teleportation formation was extraordinarily profoundâwhat he had gained earlier was only a shallow comprehension.
He was still far from truly mastering it.
Since he didnât know how much longer it would take to gather the required number of people to activate the teleportation array, he might as well take full advantage of this time to cultivate and study.
âWhat did Ah Qing just comprehend to be so pleased?â
Curled in Lu Qingâs arms, Xiaoli was curious as it noticed him slipping back into a meditative state.
Though Lu Qing had masked his emotional fluctuation well, Xiaoliâso close and blessed with sharp intuitionâcouldnât be fooled.
From its understanding of Lu Qing, he had clearly just comprehended something incredible.
Otherwise, he wouldnât have been this happy.
...
Time passed quietly as Lu Qing continued his silent comprehension.
During that period, more cultivators gradually gathered around the teleportation platform.
Some approached with the intent to strike up conversation or make connections, but after Lu Qing declined twice with polite refusal, the rest sensibly stayed away.
In this way, several days passed, and finally, the number of people around the jade platform reached thirty.
âEveryone, weâve reached thirty people. The teleportation array can now be activated. Please step into the center of the platform.â
The armored youth waited another half-day, and seeing no more arrivals, he addressed the group.
Upon hearing this, the surrounding cultivators rose one after another and made their way to the platform's center.
During this process, those unfamiliar with each other kept a deliberate distance.
Fortunately, the teleportation platform was large enough to accommodate thirty people while still allowing space between them.
Lu Qing opened his eyes and stepped forward as well.
He was faintly delighted within.
Over these few days, his comprehension of the teleportation formation had deepened considerably.
Once he gathered enough materials, he should be able to lay one himself.
âEveryone, spatial force is immensely powerful. Even with the protection of the formation, the transmission process may still cause discomfort. Please be prepared.â
The armored youth gave a reminder before retrieving a command token.
As his spiritual power surged into it, the token began to emit strange ripples.
The entire teleportation platform began to radiate waves of light.
In the next moment, Lu Qing felt a surge of powerful spatial force.
A spatial vortex formed abruptlyâthen swallowed all of them whole.