A Party of Four

None of them wanted to wait any longer to depart. Before long, Meng Jiangchu issued a succession of orders. Deep in the mountains of the domain's boundary realm, a circular platform spanning a full hundred zhang slowly rose high into the sky! Around the platform stood eighteen golden pillars soaring toward the heavens. The pillars were completely golden, carved with countless intricate array runes. However, the entire platform was covered in dust, making it obvious that it had not been used for a very long time. When Li Guanqi and the others saw this colossal teleportation array, they were struck dumb with awe. They had never imagined a teleportation array could be so massive! Back when Li Guanqi had traveled from Qingyun Continent in the Great Xia Domain to the spirit ruins, he had thought that teleportation array was enormous enough. And the cross-domain teleportation array he had taken from Xuanfeng Palace on Lingxu Continent paled in comparison to this one as well. Thinking of that, he could not help but recall how, on his way to the Taiqing Domain, the cross-domain transit passage had been sabotaged, nearly costing him his life on the spot. When an opportunity arose, he fully intended to return and settle that score. "Uh… Father-in-law, the transit passage of our teleportation array won't be damaged by an external attack, right?" Meng Jiangchu rolled his eyes at him and said bluntly, "Not unless someone can breach straight into the boundary of the Shenbao Domain and kill me." Li Guanqi considered it, cocking his head. "An expert at Uncle Long's level?" Meng Jiangchu retorted testily, "If a person like that truly moved against you, you wouldn't be able to stop them even if you were with me. "All right, stand back." With that, the man took to the air, hovering above the array platform. He tossed out a jade shard, which looked like a fragment from a circular jade pendant, merely one-sixth of the whole. The shard burst with rays of golden light, and countless radiant golden threads shot into the pillars. In an instant, the entire platform trembled faintly as terrifying spatial ripples threw the void into chaos. Golden lines slowly surfaced across the platform, and the glowing array runes spread across its entire surface in the blink of an eye! Boom! A violent surge of spatial energy erupted from the tops of the eighteen golden stone pillars. Immediately afterward, a void rift a full hundred zhang across snapped open! Retracting the jade shard, Meng Jiangchu looked at them with a conflicted gaze and said, "Since you're going to rescue someone, don't be afraid to make a scene. "If anything happens that you can't handle, let me know. I'll bring our people over." Li Guanqi smiled faintly at his words. Meng Jiangchu was in no position to openly meddle in the affairs of an outside domain. What was more, this involved the Xuanmen Domain's Southern Heavenly King, who held equally formidable status. Yet he could feel the man's deep love and indulgence for Meng Wanshu. If something truly happened… He had no doubt Meng Jiangchu would personally come to the Xuanmen Domain! Xiao Chen was brimming with excitement, and Ye Feng looked at him impassively, unable to resist saying, "Why the hell are you stomping your feet like that? Is it really that exciting?" Xiao Chen beamed and said animatedly, "Aiya, you don't understand. "This is my first time crossing domains to pick a fight somewhere else. It's exhilarating!" At that, Ye Feng felt rather speechless. He had no idea how Xiao Chen had spent all these years. How had the guy seemingly never experienced anything thrilling? "By the way, don't you need to let your family know?" Xiao Chen paused for a moment. "Right, right, right. I should tell my old man." He pulled out a jade slip and spoke into it: "Old Xiao, I'm heading to the Xuanmen Domain to beat up the Southern Heavenly King. If I get caught, remember to come save me." Then, ignoring the jade slip as it flashed repeatedly with replies, he tossed it straight into his storage ring and said with a grin, "All right, all right, let's hurry and get going!" Li Guanqi brought Meng Wanshu before the man and bowed respectfully. With a dark scowl, Meng Jiangchu warned, "Brat, you'd better take good care of Wanshu. If anything happens to her, I'll hold you solely responsible." Li Guanqi grinned, patting his chest in assurance. "Father-in-law, put your heart at ease. Wanshu is my beloved, after all. I will definitely protect her." With that, the party of four stepped into the teleportation array, leaving behind only the roaring formation, which continued to emanate terrifying spatial fluctuations. "Sigh… Changqing." Whoosh! An elderly man suddenly appeared behind him. Meng Jiangchu said softly, "Keep watch over the array. Not a single mishap can be permitted." Standing beside the array platform, Li Changqing replied softly, "Rest assured, Domain Lord. I will remain here and guard it at all times." As the man turned away, he muttered under his breath, "I should head down the mountain to buy some pullets. Should I buy two more pigs for Guilan while I'm at it? "Hmm, or maybe just do what that brat suggested… go back to the Great Xia Domain and bring over those widows from the village?" These were all ideas Li Guanqi had come up with for him, and he thought they made some sense. Still, bringing people over was off the table for now. He planned to make a quick trip down the mountain and return right away. Once everything was settled… he was going to make a trip to the legendary Seventh Domain! Buzz—! The barrier of the transit passage was exceptionally solid, far sturdier than any teleportation array Li Guanqi had ever ridden. With primal energy enveloping them in protection, Li Guanqi murmured, "I wonder how long it will take to reach the Xuanmen Domain." Meng Wanshu thought for a moment and said softly, "I think two days should be enough." Ye Feng nearly leaped out of his skin at her words. "What?! Two days?! "When I went from the Great Xia Domain to the Taiqing Domain back then, it took a whole two months!" Meng Wanshu blinked in surprise, asking in disbelief, "It can be that slow?" Ye Feng echoed, "It can be that fast?!" Meng Wanshu gave a gentle smile. With a wave of her hand, light flashed, and a cloud shuttle merely ten zhang long appeared before them. "Board the cloud shuttle. We can go a bit faster." Once inside the cloud shuttle, Ye Feng and Xiao Chen wasted no time. Both still needed to stabilize their internal cultivation and aura. As for the treasure in Li Guanqi's possession, he did not dare let Ye Feng refine it right now—it was simply too dangerous. After the two entered their meditative states, Li Guanqi recounted the story of Cao Yan to Meng Wanshu. Meng Wanshu listened intently, feeling sympathy and indignation over Cao Yan's plight. After pondering with furrowed brows for a while, she said softly, "If I remember correctly, the current Southern Heavenly King of the Xuanmen Domain… seems to share the surname Cao as well?" Li Guanqi nodded and said quietly, "Cao Yan took his mother's surname. And the current Southern Heavenly King of the Xuanmen Domain, Cao Zhennan… is his biological uncle!" "What?! His biological uncle?" "Didn't they say Cao Zhennan…" As the moments slipped away, time flew past. Li Guanqi suddenly snapped his eyes open and exhaled a breath of turbid air. In the distance ahead of the icy-blue cloud shuttle, a faint glimmer of light was already visible. Carrying the sword coffin on his back, Li Guanqi stood at the fore and murmured under his breath, "The Southern Heavenly King, is it? Hmph. "I hope Cao Yan is all right… But if anything has happened to him… I won't hesitate to start a massacre!"