275: Ji Hui invited

Ji Hui seemed to perceive your hesitation and explained with a light chuckle:

"Senior, rest assured. Inside the secret chamber of the Tianyu Immortal Dynasty, there is a small teleportation array that connects directly to a private residence of mine at the Divine Dragon Cult's base."

"When the time comes, you can use this array to arrive directly at Tianyang Star in an instant, so there will be no delays."

You suddenly realized—no wonder she could arrive so quickly; it turned out she was relying on this kind of point-to-point fixed teleportation array.

You understood: compared to the massive teleportation arrays that spanned the Star Continent, this short-range teleportation array was on an entirely different level in terms of both construction Materials and the required energy.

A question suddenly arose in your mind: since such convenience existed, why didn't the Shattered Star Continent build a public teleportation array connecting to Tianyang Star?

Wouldn't that greatly facilitate exchanges between the two places and open up a wider world for local Cultivators?

But as soon as this thought surfaced, you couldn't help but chuckle—you yourself felt this idea was a bit naive.

The Shattered Star Continent was already lacking in resources and had thin Spiritual Qi. If a convenient channel were opened, allowing local Cultivators and talents to easily flow to the more resource-rich Tianyang Star, this place would likely truly become a wasteland suffering from a dual drain of both talent and resources.

By then, let alone development, even maintaining the current situation would be a problem—

Restricting circulation, while seemingly closed and backward, was actually a form of self-protection that this barren continent had adopted out of helplessness to maintain its own existence.

This was likely one of the deep-seated reasons why the upper echelons of the Immortal Dynasty tacitly agreed never to publicly build such a teleportation array.

However—every cause has an effect!

This might buy temporary stability, but in the long run, it would only cause this continent to be left further and further behind by the outside world in ignorance and stagnation, ultimately falling behind forever.

Of course, the rise and fall of the Shattered Star Continent was not something you should worry about, but you couldn't help but associate it with the Tianhuang Continent—

You had never thought of closing off the minds of the beings there, nor were you willing to forcibly restrict their freedom of movement.

However, if you were to completely leave it to its own devices, letting the weak and sheltered Tianhuang Continent be suddenly exposed to the vast and cruel Immortal Domain, it would be no different than pushing lambs into a pack of wolves, which would only lead to swift destruction.

Only by first eliminating hidden dangers and winning enough time and space for the Tianhuang Continent to grow, could you then let it gradually integrate into the Immortal Domain to communicate, collide, and learn with other forces.

Only by truly integrating, experiencing the storms, and witnessing the vastness of the world could the beings of the Tianhuang Continent cast off their ignorance, and could the continent itself absorb nutrients, ultimately growing up and possessing the capital to gain a foothold in the Immortal Domain.

Thinking of this, a trace of extremely profound enlightenment suddenly stirred in your heart, as if touching upon a deep-seated power related to the "Origin of the Dao"—

It was right before your eyes, seemingly within reach.

However, when you concentrated and tried to grasp it, to see it clearly, it became ethereal and uncertain.

The more eager you were, the further it retreated, and the blurrier it became.

In just an instant, that glimmer of inspiration, like morning mist meeting the rising sun, completely dissipated without a trace, leaving nothing to follow.

A strong sense of emptiness suddenly welled up in your heart, as if you were watching a "huge Opportunity" that could change your fate slip through your fingers, leaving you feeling lost.

But soon, you took a deep breath and suppressed this regret—

The mysteries of the Dao cannot be forced.

If the Opportunity has not arrived, even if you seek it a hundred times, it will be in vain.

Your expression returned to calm, and your gaze fell back onto Ji Hui, as if the inner turmoil from just a moment ago had never occurred.

"That is excellent." You nodded; this would save quite a bit of trouble.

"Also," Ji Hui turned slightly to gesture toward the old man behind her, "This is Chen Yongxiu, a Protector of my Divine Dragon Cult. If Senior has any other needs, you can find him at any time."

The Protector named Chen Yongxiu stepped forward half a pace and nodded slightly toward you.

Upon hearing the name Chen Yongxiu, you couldn't help but take a few extra looks at him—you didn't expect this old man to be Chen Yongxiu.

At the same time, a trace of doubt arose in your mind—the last time the Mysterious Immortal Palace appeared, you had not seen Ji Hui by Chen Yongxiu's side.

But thinking about it again, you felt it was normal—perhaps at that time, in order to hide her identity, Ji Hui had just disguised herself as an inconspicuous attendant behind Chen Yongxiu.

Soon, after exchanging a few pleasantries with you, Ji Hui took Chen Yongxiu and left.

The next day, at night,

The royal night banquet was held in the "Chengyun Hall"—

The grand hall was brightly lit, with an open space left in the center. Court musicians played clear music, and phantom images of rare birds and beasts, manifested from spiritual power, danced gracefully in the midst of it.

Over two hundred elegant seats were arranged in a circle within the hall. Seated there were not only civil and military officials but even the Clan Chiefs and core Elders of the major aristocratic families were present.

You scanned the entire venue; these two hundred-plus people were the highest-ranking power holders of the entire Tianyu Immortal Dynasty—

In the core area to the left and right of the main seat sat Empress Han and dozens of concubines with varying temperaments; near the core were dozens of adult princes and princesses, including Prince Ji Kang, Ji Yao, Twelfth Prince Ji Changchu, and Sixteenth Princess Ji Fu.

Below them were the civil and military officials led by Prime Minister Han, seated in order of rank; further out were the Clan Chiefs of the major aristocratic families.

These two hundred-plus people in the hall seemed to be tightly intertwined by countless invisible threads—

Behind every seat, there was a complex web of marriage alliances: Empress Han came from the Prime Minister's residence, and her sister was married to a certain general with real power; a certain concubine was from a branch of the Liu family, and her niece was betrothed to the legitimate son of the Qi family; the legitimate son of the Liu family married the legitimate daughter of the Qi family...

Accumulated over dozens of generations, the people in the hall had long since formed a massive, complex, and mutually beneficial group through Bloodline and marriage—

If one prospered, it did not necessarily mean all prospered, but pulling one hair would inevitably move the entire body.

Everyone wore a polite smile, exchanging cups and chatting happily; but beneath those smiles and pleasantries, there were countless tacit exchanges of glances.

This was not just a night banquet; it was a microcosm of the entire Tianyu Immortal Dynasty's top-level network of relationships and power structure.

And you, as the most special "guest" at tonight's power feast, were arranged in an elegant seat near the main seat with an excellent view—

Beside you was an empty seat; that was the position of Eldest Princess Ji Hui.

She had deliberately arranged for you to be by her side, and her intentions were self-evident.

No one felt it was inappropriate; after all, the affair between you and Qin Han had long since spread throughout the imperial city.

It was just that Ji Hui was not at her seat at the moment—she was inside a soundproof barrier somewhere in the back hall, discussing some urgent matter with her father, Ji Wuya.

You were also curious, so your Divine Sense quietly covered the entire palace like quicksilver, and soon, inside the soundproof barrier of a side hall, you detected the conversation between Ji Wuya and Ji Hui.