NOVEL NEXT Chapter 238: Five-Year Crisis
The dim glow of the Moonlight Stone slowly illuminated the underground hall, casting an ethereal light upon the entire Teleportation Array.
It also cast shadows of the few individuals present, as the testing of the Spatial Jade was not a trivial matter.
After all, it involved space, and although ancient texts recorded no other issues, for the Ye Family, this was still an experiment.
With experimentation there is risk, and as the head of the family, one must always be vigilant of such risks.
The Profound Turtle entered again, no longer just basin-sized as before.
Instead, it had grown to the size of a temple, occupying half of the underground hall.
Its eyes appeared somewhat cold and cautious; meanwhile, Ye Xuecang drew out an umbrella-shaped Magical Treasure which flew into the air.
The Profound Turtle and the umbrella Magical Treasure were both for preventing accidents at critical moments. After preparing these, Ye Xuecang looked towards Ye Haiyu and Ye Haifei.
Their eyes were filled with exhaustion, yet there was also a hint of excitement.
They had learned about Teleportation Arrays from ancient texts, but it was their first time experiencing it.
This was also a step forward for them; if done well, their path in the Array would be much smoother in the future.
Each of them cast a Spirit Seal.
A part of the center of the Teleportation Array was struck by the Spirit Seals, instantly bursting forth with blinding Spiritual Aura.
This Spiritual Aura was extremely violent, emitting Spiritual Light, and seemed to cast shadows of some islands, causing the entire underground hall to shake as astonishing Spiritual Power brewed within the confined space.
At the same time, the entire body of the Teleportation Array began to shimmer.
It emitted a rhythmic vibration.
However, this vibration ceased completely after five breaths.
In the Spiritual Shadow within the Spatial Jade, it seemed as though a sea had appeared.
Seeing this, Ye Haiyu and Ye Haifei were overjoyed.
This indicated that the Spatial Jade had successfully connected.
"However, the other materials of this Teleportation Array seem to have been shaken and damaged!" Ye Haifei observed other parts of the Teleportation Array with some concern.
Middle Grade Spirit Stones had yet to be used, and only a projection of the Spatial Jade had been activated.
When it is truly activated, there's no guarantee that the Teleportation Array won't suddenly fracture.
"Let's first test it with the Five Poison Bees!" At this moment, Ye Jingcheng proactively produced five Five Poison Bees.
One Five Poison Bee might be too few; he had plenty in reserve, and there was no need to be frugal at this juncture.
Moreover, it wouldn't be just one or two cultivators using the Ye Family's Teleportation Array; five Five Poison Bees would be a suitable number for testing.
The five Five Poison Bees quickly landed at the very center of the Teleportation Array, forming a circle.
Ye Xuecang released five Teleportation Talismans, which drifted down beneath the Five Poison Bees' feet, prompting them to lay on top.
Because these Five Poison Bees had consumed some Spirit Transformation Pill powder, they began gradually infusing a wisp of Spiritual Energy into the Teleportation Talismans.
Meanwhile, Ye Haifei took out dozens of Middle Grade Spirit Stones and placed them into the Spirit Slots of the Teleportation Array.
The size of the Teleportation Array could be gauged by the number of Spirit Slots; this one was a small array, capable of transmitting a maximum of ten people, thus it only had two slots.
Legend has it that Great Teleportation Arrays have hundreds of Spirit Slots, capable of transporting tens of thousands of people.
In each Spirit Slot, Ye Haifei placed twenty Middle Grade Spirit Stones.
With the Spirit Stones in place, Ye Haifei cast another Spirit Technique.
Once this Spirit Technique lit up, dazzling light first emanated from the Spirit Slots, illuminating all the Spirit Patterns of the Teleportation Array, weaving into a net of light.
The net of light began to contract, swiftly enveloping the five Five Poison Bees.
Amid the vibrating white light, the pressure of the void surged forth again, but fortunately, this pressure seemed more absorbed into the void than during the Spatial Jade test.
The light soon dissipated, leaving nothing above the Teleportation Array, as some Spirit Patterns slowly dimmed, akin to a Pill Furnace being tempered and cooled, gradually coming to a halt.
The few of them exhaled deeply, but noticing one corner of the Teleportation Array still pulsing with significant vibrations and slight cracks, Ye Haiyu and Ye Haifei became somewhat anxious.
Ye Xuecang's expression also seemed a bit grim.
The Teleportation Array had been successfully activated, but for the Ye Family, it appeared incomplete, possibly due to being forcibly severed and removed, or perhaps it was originally flawed.
"Second Granduncle, there's no issue with the Five Poison Bees. They've been transported over and were likely slain by Fifteenth Uncle and the others!" At this moment, Ye Jingcheng spoke, breaking the silence among them.
Ye Xuecang nodded; the significance of the Teleportation Array was immense, and the Ye Family naturally hoped it would remain steadfast.
An accident elsewhere might not pose a significant loss to the Ye Family, but this Teleportation Array was assuredly for the Ye Family's Inner Hall members.
"This Teleportation Array likely requires Cloud Silver Iron Crystal, but for now, we can only use Profound Cloud Iron, although one is a Tier Three Material, and the other is a Tier Two Material, so it must be repaired after each operation, and can transmit no more than four people at a time!" Ye Haifei remarked.
Ye Xuecang nodded, understanding that there was no other option. The Ye Family couldn't occupy the Mo Family's Cyan Willow Mountain, necessitating an immediate displacement of the Teleportation Array, given their lack of rightful claim.
The Mo Family held a not-insignificant power within the Taiyi Sect's influence; from their mere sale of a restaurant, consolidation of their clan's territory, and joint ventures with several Purple Mansion Clans in Taichang Commandery for Spirit Mountain mining, it was evident that the Mo Family had not yet declined.
Or, it might be said, the Taiyi Sect had not allowed the Mo Family to decline.
The Teleportation Array did not immediately light up again, and Ye Haifei and Ye Haiyu could not instantly repair it.
They needed to wait for the other party to teleport over, understand some of their circumstances, before setting about repairs.
Otherwise, issues might arise when the Array is subsequently activated.
This wait spanned an hour before the Teleportation Array radiated dazzling white light, filling their eyes with hope.
Soon, three cultivators in black Spirit-Blocking Robes appeared within.
These cultivators were adorned with numerous Storage Bags and Spirit Beast Bags at their waists.
Among them, Ye Jingcheng recognized the figure of his Fifteenth Uncle, Ye Xingyu.
Seeing Ye Jingcheng and the others, the three of them also visibly relaxed, lowering their hands that rested on their Spirit Beast Bags.
"Second Uncle, all went smoothly!" stated the other Spirit-Blocking Robe cultivator, whose face Ye Jingcheng could not discern, nor could he recognize his voice.
Evidently, he too was a hidden Hidden Peak Cultivator of the Ye Family.
"Good, what's the situation over there in the East Sea?" asked Ye Xuecang.
"Well, it's all proceeding smoothly," the Spirit-Blocking Robe cultivator replied, his face obscured from Ye Jingcheng's view.
"It's clearly a hidden presence of our family from Hidden Peak," Ye Jingcheng thought to himself as the conversation continued:
"The good news is that it belongs to the Cyan Cloud Sea Domain, being an outer sea domain, it's extremely chaotic, primarily populated by Cultivation Clans without Major Sects or Nascent Soul Cultivators. There's only the Cyan Cloud Alliance, formed by all the families and sects within the Cyan Cloud Sea Domain, but it holds very little binding power."
"The bad news is that the Cultivators of the region, when facing the frequent chaotic Beast Tides of the Cyan Cloud Sea Domain, have to retreat to the Celestial Horse Sea Domain near the coast of the East Sea, living under the eaves of others, so while there's an abundance of cultivators, mortals are extremely rare."
The situation at the Cyan Cloud Sea Domain is surprisingly similar to that of the Taihang Commandery on this side.
Except the difference is that at least the Taihang Commandery has the Great Demons, while the major sect East Heaven Sect is located inland, and as for sea affairs, they're almost akin to nurturing Gu.
For the Ye Family, this situation is a mix of blessing and challenge.
On the one hand, the sea domain offers greater opportunities for the family's expansion, but on the other, a mass migration will be extremely arduous.
"Fourth Uncle's strategy is to proceed slowly; for now, we're in contact with the Cyan Cloud Alliance, and at the same time, we're clearing out the remnants of the Mo Family. Over in the Yan Kingdom, Mo Family's Mo Hongyuan cannot be left; the family's Soul Search has revealed that he is the connection to the Cyan Cloud Sea's remaining informants!"
"Moreover, it's best to complete this within five years, beyond which, if the East Sea side remains without Nascent Soul cultivators from the major sect East Heaven Sect, almost everything related to the sea domain will be like raising Gu."
Thus, for the Ye Family, it is both a blessing and a significant challenge.
The good is that the sea domain offers the Ye Family greater opportunities for development, while the downside is that relocating the entire family there will be exceedingly difficult.
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