271: Chapter 269 Portable Teleportation Array

His gaze finally landed on the Teleportation Array on the right.

The scale of that Teleportation Array far exceeded the previous two, covering an area of fifty zhang. The entire Formation was a perfect circle, with formation patterns radiating outward from the center in layers. Each layer was densely packed with runes. The lines of the Formation were extremely fine, some as thin as a hair, while others were as thick as an arm. Spiritual light surged through the lines, emitting a roar like a rushing river. At the Formation Eye was a fist-sized spirit core, but its color was very strange—not the common white, red, or blue, but a deep purple, as if it contained some indescribable mysterious power.

“Large-scale Teleportation Array, effective distance—ten million li.”

When the young servant in green said the words “ten million li,” he deliberately emphasized his tone, and the smile on his face grew a bit more proud. “This Teleportation Array was personally crafted by our Pavilion Master. Within ten million li, any two points can be connected. Cross-continent or cross-sea teleportation is no problem at all. Currently, in the entire Tianyuan City, there are no more than three establishments capable of setting up a Teleportation Array of this level, and our pavilion is one of them.”

Yun Ming took a deep breath.

Ten million li. He understood what this number meant better than anyone. From the East Xuan Region to the Ximing Continent, the distance was only several tens of millions of li. In other words, with such a Teleportation Array, there was almost nowhere in the entire Profound Yellow Continent he couldn't go.

He remained silent for a moment before finally asking the question he cared about most: “So, how far can the furthest Teleportation Array span?”

Hearing this, the young servant in green scanned Yun Ming from head to toe. His gaze wasn't exactly dismissive, but it certainly wasn't warm either; it was like he was sizing up a guest who had asked an inappropriate question.

“In principle,” the servant spoke slowly, “there is no theoretical upper limit to the distance of a Teleportation Array. As long as the formation patterns are carved exquisitely enough, the energy provided by the spirit core is massive enough, and the spatial coordinates are positioned accurately enough, then theoretically, even teleporting to another realm is not impossible.”

He paused, his tone shifting: “However—”

“However?” Yun Ming pressed.

“However, theory is theory, and reality is reality.” The servant spread his hands, his tone becoming much more pragmatic. “With the current level of Formations, the quality of Materials available in Tianyuan City, and the Rank of spirit cores one can buy on the market... Fellow Daoist, I don't mean to be blunt, but the furthest Teleportation Array you can find in Tianyuan City is this ten-million-li level one on display. Further? There are none. It's not that no one wants to make them; it's that they simply cannot be made.”

Yun Ming frowned slightly but soon felt relieved. Indeed, a ten-million-li level Teleportation Array already exceeded his expectations; what right did he have to be dissatisfied?

“Then,” Yun Ming steadied himself and asked the most practical question, “what is the price of this Teleportation Array?”

The young servant in green sized up Yun Ming once more, his gaze more careful and direct than before. He evaluated everything from Yun Ming's clothing, temperament, cultivation, and demeanor to the density of the spiritual power around him.

Then, after pondering for a while, he said slowly, “The price of a Teleportation Array varies greatly depending on the deployment location. Plains, high mountains, the seabed, the Earth's core... every location has different environmental conditions and different adaptation requirements for the Formation, so the corresponding costs naturally differ.”

He held up a finger: “If we only count the basic material and labor costs, without calculating the extra expenses for terrain adaptation—the starting price for a ten-million-li level large-scale Teleportation Array is ten million High-Grade Spirit Stones.”

Ten million.

High-Grade Spirit Stones.

Yun Ming felt a buzzing in his head, as if something had exploded. He opened his mouth to say something, but found his voice blocked as if by a physical object, unable to make a sound.

What did ten million High-Grade Spirit Stones represent?

His entire net worth, if scraped together, could barely amount to ten or twenty thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones.

Ten million was five hundred times his net worth.

Five hundred times.

This figure was so large that Yun Ming didn't even feel dejected; he only felt a sense of unreality. It was like an ordinary person walking into a luxury store and seeing a ring priced at a hundred million in the display case; the first reaction wasn't 'I can't afford it,' but 'Is this price for real?'

The young servant in green was clearly used to this reaction.

With a keen eye, he had accurately judged this guest's financial situation from the subtle changes in Yun Ming's expression. However, his professional conduct was decent; he didn't show any look of disdain, but his tone became more casual, as if comforting a guest with a light purse.

“Fellow Daoist, if I may ask,” the servant said, “what do you primarily intend to use the Teleportation Array for?”

Yun Ming did not answer immediately.

He could have just stated his true thoughts, but for some reason, he swallowed the words. He instinctively felt that in such a place, before such a person, it was better not to reveal all of his cards.

“I might need to head out for a while,” Yun Ming said, weighing his words at a steady pace. “Leaving Tianyuan City to travel outside. But I don't want to be delayed for too long, so I hope to have a Teleportation Array to make it convenient for me to return at any time.”

Hearing this, the servant's eyes instantly changed.

There was more understanding in his gaze, a sense of 'so that's how it is,' and even a hint of subtle eagerness. Clearly, in his mind, the phrase 'head out for a while' was basically equivalent to 'going to explore some Secret Realm.'

And what did 'going to explore some Secret Realm' mean?

It meant that upon returning, the person would be carrying a large amount of treasures obtained within the Secret Realm.

Those treasures would need to be sold as quickly as possible, because when a Secret Realm first opens, the number of secret treasures circulating on the market is at its lowest and the prices are at their highest. Once the first and second waves of explorers return and a large volume of treasures floods the market, prices will plummet.

Therefore—if he could sell the other party a portable Teleportation Array at this juncture, allowing them to return to Tianyuan City from the Secret Realm at the first opportunity, the other party could seize the initiative and sell their treasures for the best price. For the one providing the Teleportation Array, this business became a 'win-win.'

Thinking of this, the servant's smile became significantly warmer.

“Fellow Daoist,” he leaned in closer and lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of mystery, “if that's the case, I actually have a better recommendation.”

“Oh?” Yun Ming raised an eyebrow.

The servant turned and led Yun Ming toward the other side of the grassland. They walked for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before arriving at a relatively secluded corner. Standing here was a Teleportation Array completely different from the previous three.

This Teleportation Array was very small, only the size of a palm—no, it wasn't palm-sized; the entire Formation could be folded up and stored inside a fist-sized metal sphere. The surface of the sphere was engraved with dense formation patterns that flickered with a faint blue light.

“portable Teleportation Array,” the servant introduced with a hint of pride. “This is the latest masterpiece of our Wanxiang Array Pavilion. The greatest advantage is that it can be easily deployed within any spatial Magic Treasure, ready for use whenever needed, extremely convenient.”

He paused, his tone shifting: “Of course, the disadvantages are also obvious. Firstly, the effective distance is relatively short; secondly, there is a limit on the number of uses.”

Yun Ming looked at that fist-sized metal sphere, his heart stirring slightly.

“How far can it teleport at most?” he asked. “And the price?”

The servant was well-prepared and rattled off the figures cleanly: “Maximum distance of five million li, usable thirty times, price—three million High-Grade Spirit Stones. This price is already an internal discount; Fellow Daoist can go ask elsewhere, no portable Teleportation Array of equal quality goes for less than three and a half million.”

Three million.

Thirty times.

This time, Yun Ming did not lose his composure as before. He nodded steadily, showing nothing on his face, but his teeth were slightly clenched in secret.

Three million High-Grade Spirit Stones—while he couldn't produce it right now, at least he didn't feel that sense of unreachable despair this time.

Because he did indeed have a few valuable things on him.

The mystic pattern jade seed sunflower was one.

There was also another—enlightenment tea.

If a single leaf of enlightenment tea were put up for auction, a conservative estimate would be several million High-Grade Spirit Stones. If he were willing to sell, let alone three million, even ten million wouldn't be a problem.

But as soon as this thought surfaced, Yun Ming snuffed it out himself.

Too conspicuous.

Something like enlightenment tea was a rarity in the entire cultivation world. The appearance of a single leaf would be enough to alarm Nascent Soul old monsters, and even Soul Transformation powerhouses might personally descend to fight for it. He was currently just a small Foundation Establishment Late Stage Cultivator; carrying such a treasure and daring to hawk it in a place like Tianbao Market—how was that any different from seeking death?

He couldn't sell the enlightenment tea. At least not now.

Then he could only sell the mystic pattern jade seed sunflower.

“Fellow Daoist,” Yun Ming withdrew his thoughts and looked at the young servant in green, “do you all accept spirit plants here?”

The servant was slightly taken aback, then shook his head, his tone polite but firm: “I'm sorry, our Wanxiang Array Pavilion only deals in Formations and formation tools; we do not involve ourselves in the purchase of spirit plants or Spirit Medicines. If Fellow Daoist wishes to sell spirit plants, you might as well go to Baicao Hall or Wan Yao Zhai in the eastern district of the market; they specialize in that.”

Yun Ming understood, cupped his hands in thanks, and without lingering, turned and walked out.

Walking out of the gates of the Wanxiang Array Pavilion and returning to the bustling streets of Tianbao Market, Yun Ming took a deep breath and looked up at the pale gold Formation barrier overhead.

The eastern district of the market.

He set off in that direction, calculating in his mind how many Spirit Stones the mystic pattern jade seed sunflower could fetch and whether it would be enough to fill that massive three-million-stone gap.

Or rather... should he really buy that portable Teleportation Array?

He would probably have to think carefully about that question before he found a buyer.