The weight of the wooden box felt heavy in Riu Xian's hands as he flew towards his chambers on Azure Radiance Peak. The setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and purple, a stark contrast to the turmoil of emotions within him. He landed softly on his balcony, the familiar scent of incense and old parchment greeting him. Despite the urgency of his mission, he knew he needed rest. A tired mind was a liability, especially in the face of the unknown.
He placed the box on his meditation mat and, after a simple meal, settled into a meditative posture. He focused on his breathing, calming the whirlwind of thoughts and anxieties that threatened to overwhelm him. Sleep, when it finally came, was deep and dreamless.
The first rays of dawn woke him. He felt refreshed, his mind clear and focused. The task ahead was daunting, but he felt a sense of purpose, a resolve that had solidified overnight. He rose, stretched, and then retrieved a blank transmission talisman from his spatial ring. Channeling his spiritual energy, he formed the words in his mind: "Master, I am ready. Please teleport me to the nearest village to the secret realm." He sent the message soaring, a tiny spark of light disappearing into the vast morning sky.
The reply came swiftly. Xiao Ming's voice, though still tinged with worry, held a note of approval. "Come to the main hall immediately."
Riu Xian quickly gathered his few belongings, securing the wooden box containing the map and journal within his spatial ring. He took one last look around his chambers, a sense of anticipation mixed with apprehension filling him. Then, mounting his crimson sword, he flew towards the main hall.
Xiao Ming was waiting for him, her expression a mixture of concern and determination. Without a word, she gestured for him to follow, and together they flew towards the heart of the Azure Cloud Sect, a sprawling complex of buildings that housed the sect's core functions. They landed before the grandest structure of all, the residence of the Sect Leader, a building that radiated an aura of ancient power and authority.
"The teleportation array is within," Xiao Ming explained, her voice low. "It's an ancient artifact, passed down through generations of Sect Leaders. It's rarely used, reserved for matters of utmost importance."
They entered the building, the air within noticeably cooler and charged with a subtle energy that hummed against Riu Xian's skin. Xiao Ming led him through a series of corridors, each adorned with intricate carvings and ancient murals depicting the sect's history. Finally, they reached a large, circular chamber. In the center, etched into the floor, was a complex array of runes and symbols, glowing with a faint, ethereal light. This was the teleportation array.
Xiao Ming stepped towards the array, her movements precise and deliberate. "This array," she began, her voice echoing slightly in the chamber, "is unlike others you may have encountered. It doesn't require high-grade or even mid-grade spirit stones for its activation. A few low-grade spirit stones are sufficient to power it." She began to distribute several low-grade spirit stones in a specific pattern around the periphery of the array, each stone placed with meticulous care.
As she worked, she continued, "However, you must have the high-grade spirit stone I gave you in your hand during the teleportation. The process is... complex, but in essence, the array folds space, bringing the departure point and the destination closer together, like two points on a piece of paper being folded to meet."
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Riu Xian nodded, his hand instinctively going to his spatial ring where he had initially stored the precious stone.
Xiao Ming held up her hand, gesturing towards the array. "During the teleportation, the array creates a temporary passage, a 'tunnel' through the folded space, by making a 'hole' between the two points. The high-grade spirit stone acts as a stabilizer for this 'tunnel,' preventing it from collapsing prematurely. The stone's energy will be completely drained during the process, absorbed to maintain the integrity of the passage as you travel through."
"So basically, if you want to visualize how teleportation works, you can use this analogy," Xiao Ming continued, picking up a piece of parchment from a nearby table and folding it in half. "Imagine this paper represents the fabric of space. This point here," she indicated one end of the folded paper, "is our current location, Azure Cloud Sect. And this point," she pointed to the other end, "is the village nearest to the secret realm."
She then took a small, sharp awl from the table and carefully pierced the folded paper, creating a small hole that went through both layers. "The array," she explained, "folds space like this, bringing the two points close together. Then, it creates a temporary passage, a tunnel, like this hole, allowing for instantaneous travel between them."
She wiggled the awl slightly, widening the hole a bit. "The high-grade spirit stone provides the energy needed to stabilize this tunnel, to keep it open just long enough for you to pass through. Without it, the tunnel would collapse before you could reach the other side, and you'd be lost in the void between spaces."
Riu Xian stared at the folded paper, the simple demonstration suddenly making the complex concept of teleportation far more understandable. He could almost visualize the fabric of space folding, the temporary tunnel being created, and the crucial role of the high-grade spirit stone in maintaining its stability. It was a delicate, powerful process, and for the first time, he truly appreciated the intricate mechanics behind this seemingly magical form of travel.
Finishing the arrangement of the low-grade spirit stones, Xiao Ming straightened up. "Now," she said, "retrieve the stone, and step into the center of the array. Focus your mind on the destination. The village elder there will be expecting you. He's an old acquaintance of the sect and will provide what assistance he can."
Riu Xian retrieved the high-grade spirit stone from his spatial ring, its brilliance pulsing in his palm. He took a deep breath and stepped into the center of the array, the cool stone beneath his feet sending a slight shiver up his spine. The runes around him seemed to glow brighter, their ethereal light intensifying. He closed his eyes, clutching the stone tightly, and focused on the location of the village on the map he had studied. He pictured the layout, the surrounding terrain, the nearby river - every detail he could recall.
He could hear Xiao Ming's voice, calm and steady, as she began to chant, her hands weaving intricate seals in the air, activating the ancient array. The air around him crackled with energy, and the runes beneath his feet flared with a blinding light. He felt a strange sensation, a feeling of being simultaneously compressed and stretched, as if the very fabric of space was being manipulated around him. He braced himself, his grip tightening on the stone, a wave of nausea washing over him, a faint echo of the agonizing teleportation he had experienced with the dragon's yellow talisman. Then, with a final surge of power, the teleportation began. He focused on his destination, feeling the high-grade spirit stone grow steadily lighter in his hand as its energy was drained rapidly, fueling the journey through the folded space, maintaining the stability of the tunnel that carried him towards his goal.