Chapter 9
Chapter 9: Teleportation Formation
The next day, Hu Qing stood among the massive wedding convoy, freshly dressed from head to toe—and in a foul mood.
She hadn’t gained a single advantage in the kitchen. Ingredients and tools were controlled by dedicated staff; she couldn’t even pocket a feather. She hadn’t even been allowed to keep her own clothes.
It turned out Tenth Princess had separate teams for everything: food, clothing, daily needs, travel. Food alone had eighteen people.
The person in charge wore an arrogant expression and sneered at Hu Qing’s outfit as “rustic” and “shabby.” They tossed her a new set, then stood over her while she burned her old clothes in the stove, claiming it was to “cleanse bad luck.”
Hu Qing nearly blew up. Her clothes weren’t even that bad!
But—
They were about to enter a teleportation formation.
A teleportation formation.
Hu Qing’s excitement burned through her irritation. Her face flushed as she craned her neck and tried to see.
Tenth Princess’s dowry party numbered five hundred people and five hundred carriages. The escort party was smaller, but still over three hundred. Luxurious carriages rolled like a river. Flying beasts and running beasts filled the skies and roads. Immortal music drifted, petals scattered, attendants swarmed.
The bridal carriage rode at the front. Hu Qing was stuck at the very back, so far away that fluttering ribbons blocked her view.
How big was the teleportation formation? How many people could it send at once? Did it take full loads, or did it send people as soon as they stepped in?
Hu Qing rubbed her hands together, vibrating with curiosity like a country bumpkin.
The coworkers ahead ignored her. The guards behind acted like she didn’t exist. These Demon Clan were just like the Demon Clan in Little Li Realm—looking down on humans as if it were breathing.
Juan Bu’s voice cut in dryly. “Put your hands down. You look ridiculous.”
Hu Qing didn’t care. “I’ve never been on a ‘stage’ in my life. And it’s a teleportation formation! You can go anywhere you want!”
“In your dreams,” Juan Bu said. “Where a teleportation formation can take you depends on where its spatial passage leads. If that passage breaks, you go nowhere.”
“Spit, spit, spit. Don’t jinx it.” Hu Qing leaned in, eyes bright. “Hey, how much does it cost to build one?”
Juan Bu made a small sound of disdain and refused to answer.
Hu Qing clicked her tongue. “It has to be expensive. I’ll work hard and earn money.”
Juan Bu choked on his own silence. Are you actually planning to build one at home?
Hu Qing’s expression said: why not?
After half a day, the end of the line finally reached the platform.
A cloud terrace rose ahead, fenced with white jade railings. The ground was carved with intricate, mysterious patterns that glowed with gold. People stepped onto it and vanished instantly, like entering a secret realm.
Hu Qing’s heart pounded. Her feet felt light and unsteady.
She followed the person in front and stepped into the formation—
And immediately pitched forward, head spinning.
A faint, amused snicker came from somewhere nearby.
Hu Qing scrambled up, face burning. First time. First time. Like flying for the first time—you had to get used to it.
Inside the spatial passage, everything felt like a corridor. Everyone stood still, so she stood still too. The walls were black, but the place was bright anyway, as if light leaked in from nowhere.
She looked down and couldn’t tell what she was standing on.
Every so often, a sharp flash swept through. By the time she reacted, it was already gone.
She looked up. The darkness above felt deeper the longer she stared, impossible to tell whether it was real or an illusion.
They stood like that for nearly half an hour before the group ahead began moving again. Hu Qing followed.
They passed through an unseen barrier and emerged into another teleportation formation platform on the other end—also in the clouds.
Everyone lined up in the sea of clouds once more.
Hu Qing turned her head slightly, listening. Among the many overlapping voices, she caught Third Highness and Tenth Princess talking. The timing was perfect, they said. They could take their time going to Changdao Sect and arrive unhurried for the ceremony.
After subduing Scorching Sun Blaze, Hu Qing’s five senses were sharper than before.
Third Highness led the escort. Tenth Princess’s parents hadn’t come to see her off—either because that wasn’t the custom, or because a hundred-year contract marriage didn’t count as a real marriage in the usual sense.
Juan Bu had explained it earlier: refining emotions and testing the heart were common methods of cultivation in the Immortal Realm.
Mortals cultivated spiritual energy. Immortals cultivated the soul. From immortal to god, what mattered most wasn’t hoarding energy—it was strengthening the soul.
And what drove soul breakthroughs?
Insight.
There were countless paths to insight, but the easiest to touch was emotion.
Emotion was vague and hard to grasp, but falling in love, getting married—those were simple, weren’t they?
When Juan Bu said that, Hu Qing had shot back, “How is that simple? Can something beautiful just be done with anyone?”
Juan Bu had asked calmly, “How is it beautiful?”
Hu Qing had choked on her own words.
“This idea came from Human Clan,” Juan Bu had said afterward. “Among the many clans, only Human Clan has hearts that are truly complex and changeable. Only Human Clan has emotions that are difficult to unravel. Human Clan has the greatest talent for cultivating the soul.”
Hu Qing hadn’t thought endless romantic entanglement was much of a talent. “You have no idea how annoying love can be.”
“I remember the one before me saying this,” Juan Bu had replied with a sigh. “Human Clan emotions are rich. Humans make unexpected choices because of feeling. That’s something other races can’t replicate.”
Hu Qing had only shrugged. “I don’t get it.”
“I don’t either,” Juan Bu had said. “But he claimed this is Human Clan’s strength. No one else can love and hate as swiftly as humans do. Maybe that’s why Human Clan soul cultivation is stronger. And that’s why refining emotions and testing the heart exist—why other clans enter Human Clan territory to experience emotional trials.”
He’d ended with one blunt line: “Everything is for cultivation.”
Hu Qing had scoffed. “Life could be simple. Why go looking for trouble?”
Now, watching petals and immortal music drift around the wedding convoy, Hu Qing felt none of the joy weddings were supposed to carry. Everyone seemed to understand this contract was cultivation, nothing more.
Honestly, she still cared more about the teleportation formation.
She glanced back once, reluctantly. A tall line of guards stood behind them, each holding a long ceremonial staff. One of them flicked a cold look her way.
Hu Qing immediately tucked her chin and faced forward again.
Sigh. She was too weak.
They traveled for more than a day without stopping. At last, in a clear morning light, Hu Qing saw Changdao Sect’s welcoming party ahead.
The most striking figure stood atop a phoenix beast.
Hu Qing stared at the phoenix beast first—those beautiful feathers—
Then she finally looked at the man standing on it. She registered a handsome face, an impressive presence, and then, oddly, felt nothing at all.
It seemed the Immortal Realm was overflowing with beautiful men and women. Whether they dressed loudly or quietly, everything was elegant robes and flawless features. After a while, it all blurred into the same glittering perfection.
In short: the groom was handsome.
Hu Qing couldn’t help glancing toward Tenth Princess’s carriage. Did the princess feel anything at all when she saw him?
Tenth Princess stayed inside. Third Highness stepped forward to greet the other side, and from the way they spoke, it was obvious he was familiar with them.
They talked for a long time.
Everyone waited.
Bored, Hu Qing scanned the welcoming party.
Her eyesight was sharp enough now that she could pick out small details at a distance. There were over twenty people, all smiling, all handsome young men.
And some of them kept sneaking glances toward the opposite convoy.
Tenth Princess had brought plenty of maids—every one of them a beauty.
Hu Qing scratched the side of her neck and thought, well, young people like romance. If refining emotions and testing the heart were this common, maybe they were hoping to learn something from the bride and groom.
Juan Bu’s voice cut in at once, utterly unimpressed. “You can’t.”
Hu Qing blinked. “What?”
“Don’t even think about it,” Juan Bu said. “At your age, you’re still a child in the Immortal Realm.”
Hu Qing: “…”