Am I the old man who's always by my apprentices' side?

Chapter 231 I'll Just Take a Look
The teleportation array in Chang'an City is only a "roof" that covers the main teleportation array; the other buildings are only on the foundation.

The roof was originally intended to be surrounded by walls, but after Zhang Chengdao inspected it, he rejected the plan and demanded that it be built as a door that could be opened completely.

After all, as the largest city under the rule of the White Stone Immortal Sect, the "capacity" of this teleportation array will definitely be huge in the future, so it is necessary to make designs and preparations in advance to facilitate the evacuation of "passengers".

When Pei Hanlin arrived near the teleportation array, there were guards, but...

"The sect leader didn't stipulate that other cultivators can't use it, did he?"

This was arguably the boldest thing Pei Hanlin had ever done in his life. His face flushed red as he argued with the soldiers guarding the formation, "Didn't you say that only non-cultivators can't use it? I am a cultivator too! I can use it! If I can use it, then I can use it!"

These words left the soldiers guarding the position speechless, and...

"My lord, you...you are truly a cultivator?"

One of the soldiers said with some skepticism, "I've never heard of any high-ranking official in the court who comes from Baishi Mountain."

Pei Hanlin hurriedly replied, "I have only recently begun to cultivate Qi, having studied three 'Immortal Dao Books' on my own to enter the Immortal Dao. I am not from White Stone Mountain. However, even so, I am now a cultivator, and of course I can use this teleportation array!"

Pei Hanlin wasn't being unreasonable, because when Zhang Chengdao chose a location not far from the imperial city of Chang'an to build the teleportation array, he had said that the teleportation array would initially be used by cultivators and would gradually be opened to ordinary mortals, thus facilitating everyone's travel...

However, there is no definitive answer yet regarding when exactly "later" will occur, or how "used by monks" will be used.

The key point is that Zhang Chengdao is still urgently formulating the specific usage methods and various rules and regulations for the teleportation array. He never expected that someone could actually become a cultivator by drawing in Qi into their body in just half a month, relying solely on three basic "Cultivation Guidebooks" that have been circulated!

Especially when the concentration of spiritual energy is so low!

It was truly a case of carelessness!

However, as the three books circulated in the market and various pirated and reprinted versions were distributed, people's understanding of the "immortal path" and the "cultivator" group deepened, and they became more and more awe-inspiring. As a result, when these soldiers heard that Pei Hanlin had actually become a cultivator, they dared not drive him away forcefully. They just kept repeating the phrases "I don't know" and "I really don't know" over and over again, trying their best not to offend Pei Hanlin and also trying not to let him in.

After a long and complicated struggle, the city lord of Chang'an (formerly the prefect of Jingzhao Prefecture), who had heard the news, finally arrived in a hurry. Upon seeing Pei Hanlin, he scrambled off his horse, wiping his sweat as he pleaded, "Young Master Pei, it's not that I'm trying to make things difficult for you, but this teleportation station hasn't officially opened yet, so I can't do you any favors!"

After Zhang Chengdao's reforms, the highest rank for each city lord was the third rank, and the lowest was the fourth rank.

Take Song, the newly appointed city lord of Chang'an, for example. He is a third-rank official, belonging to the first-level main city lords. However, compared to Pei Hanlin, a third-rank Hanlin scholar, he is still half a head lower. Not to mention that Pei Hanlin is now said to have "introduced Qi into the body" and become a "cultivator". Song, the city lord, speaks even more obsequiously.

"Whatever it is, I will apologize. However, my wife is seriously ill and urgently needs me to go to Baishi Mountain to get medicine. There is no time to lose!"

As Pei Hanlin spoke, he bowed deeply to City Lord Song, his expression earnest.

Lord Song immediately jumped forward, helped Pei Hanlin up, and said, "Young Master Pei, you flatter me! This matter! Alas! This matter is truly not up to me to decide!"

At this point, Lord Song suddenly seemed to remember something, slapped his forehead, and added, "By the way, Lord Pei, this teleportation array is no joke. Not all cultivators know how to use it. Although you have now entered the path of immortality and are a cultivator, Lord Pei... do you know how to use a teleportation array?"

Lord Song's words hit Pei Hanlin like a hammer blow, leaving him stunned.

He then remembered that the "White Stone Immortal Dao Book" did indeed mention that teleportation arrays required forming hand seals based on the spiritual seals of different target teleportation points before using spiritual power to teleport.

In other words, he neither knew the spirit seal of the teleportation array on the White Stone Mountain side, nor could he use the spirit seal, let alone... use the teleportation array!

but……

Having come this far, Pei Hanlin was unwilling to give up so easily. So he gritted his teeth and said, "How about this, Lord Song, let me go in and take a look. It's not against the law to take a look, is it?"

"Taking a look" is not illegal, of course, but the problem is that you don't look like you're just "taking a look"!

Although Lord Song had such doubts in his heart, he still put on a "I believe you" look on his face and loudly emphasized in front of all the soldiers guarding the formation: "Lord Pei, you have made it clear that you only want to take a look!"

Pei Hanlin nodded repeatedly: "I just want to take a look!"

"Alright, then I'll take you to see it..."

With that, Lord Song finally relented, leading Pei Hanlin into the teleportation array while still loudly emphasizing, "Please just take a look, don't make a move!"

Pei Hanlin nodded haphazardly, but as he entered the teleportation array, a look of joy gradually appeared on his face.

The spirit seal of White Stone Mountain is inside the teleportation array!
It turned out that, in order to standardize the teleportation arrays in the teleportation stations and make them a fixed system, Zhang Chengdao had specially erected an alloy metal plaque in front of the teleportation array. The plaque was engraved with the spirit seals of other teleportation stations and even precisely labeled with text—

[Spirit Seal of the White Stone Immortal Sect Teleportation Station]

However, since the only teleportation arrays that can be used at present are those of the White Stone Immortal Sect and Chang'an City, the metal plaque in front of the teleportation array in Chang'an City is engraved with the spirit seal of the White Stone Immortal Sect's teleportation station.

Although Lord Song didn't understand the workings of the teleportation array, nor did he know anything about "spiritual seals," he immediately sensed something was wrong when he saw Pei Hanlin staring at the "iron plaque" with a look of delight. So he quickly urged loudly, "Young Master Pei, we've already looked at it, why don't we go out?"

"No rush, no rush, I haven't seen enough yet!"

As Pei Hanlin spoke, he actually pulled out the well-worn "White Stone Immortal Dao Book" from his pocket, then quickly flipped to the pages explaining teleportation arrays based on his memory, looking at them bit by bit, trying to find out how to use teleportation arrays from these superficial and general explanations.

Ran and egg.

The book doesn't dedicate much space to explaining how to use the teleportation array; upon closer examination, it's just a few sentences:
"...Simply activate the teleportation array, then use spiritual power to trace the spiritual imprint of the target teleportation point within the array, and you can use the teleportation array..."

"...Due to their ease of use and convenient travel, teleportation arrays are the most popular mode of transportation among cultivators. Even Qi Refining stage cultivators who have just begun to cultivate Qi can use them with ease..."

"...Activating the teleportation array requires circulating spiritual energy from the array's core and channeling it into the array, which is very convenient..."

The mere three sentences that could be analyzed were enough to give Pei Hanlin a real headache.

But now that he's already stepped onto the teleportation array, and there's a complete spirit imprint of the White Stone Immortal Sect's teleportation array right in front of him, he'll succeed almost in the next moment, so how could he possibly give up?

Thus, Lord Pei, who had been immersed in the many classic books of the Hanlin Academy for many years, was now frantically squeezing his brain, thinking about how to "use" the teleportation array.

He first carefully examined the entire teleportation array—

It was enormous, almost as grand as the main hall where court assemblies were held. Under the floor were golden teleportation array patterns painted with some unknown paint, interspersed with vermilion, indigo, and gamboge patterns. In one area, just large enough for one person to stand, patterns in all three colors were painted, then covered up and circled in gold...

Could this be... the core of the formation?

Pei Hanlin calmly stepped into the "circle," which made Lord Song's heart skip a beat.

This is the very spot where he personally witnessed the sect leader standing when he left!
"Young Master Pei! That's enough! That's enough! Let's go out!"

Lord Song was so anxious that his forehead was covered in sweat, and he was almost about to grab Pei Hanlin, but Pei Hanlin seemed not to hear him and walked straight into the "circle".

Hearing Lord Song's anxious voice only confirmed his suspicions. He carefully adjusted his posture to ensure he was in the exact center of the "circle," and then tried to channel his still somewhat uncontrolled spiritual energy into the "teleportation array" beneath his feet...

Unfortunately not.

Pei Hanlin was somewhat discouraged—he simply couldn't get the spiritual energy to flow to his feet!
What if you use your hands?
Thinking of this, Pei Hanlin simply squatted down, stuck out his buttocks, and pressed his hands tightly against the "circle" that encircled him.

Although his posture was a bit strange, this time, he actually succeeded in channeling his spiritual power into the teleportation array!
Because as he channeled his spiritual power, the patterns of the teleportation arrays across the entire ground—

Bright!

"Young Master Pei! What are you doing!?"

Even though he had some suspicions in his mind, Lord Song was so frightened that his voice changed.

Pei Hanlin turned a deaf ear.

Now that the teleportation array was activated, he stood up, craned his neck to look at the spirit imprint pattern on the "iron plate," and continued to try to send spiritual power out from his fingertips, trying to control it to form a "line" shape, tracing it in the empty space in the very center of the teleportation array.

The spiritual seal pattern was not complicated, just as mentioned in the "White Stone Immortal Dao Book". In a short while, Pei Hanlin easily traced the pattern. Then, a light golden light flashed. Amidst the terrified scream of City Lord Song, Pei Hanlin felt a slight dizziness. Then, the surrounding scenery distorted and changed. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of a magnificent golden hall.

"what--"

Lord Song was still screaming, but Pei Hanlin also heard other people's voices—

"Huh? Isn't that Senior Sister Xiaoyu?"

"Didn't they say the teleportation array in Xiangwu City would be operational in the next couple of days? Is this a senior brother from Xiangwu City?"

"That can't be right. I've never seen him before. He doesn't seem to be a disciple of our White Stone Immortal Sect, does he?"

"Where else could it be? Besides our White Stone Immortal Sect, are there other cultivators?"

"Didn't our senior brother go to the Taiyue Sword Sect to teach them? Maybe he's from the Taiyue Sword Sect?"

"But, but that person looks like they're wearing official robes..."

Someone revealed Song Chengzhu's identity, and all the White Stone Immortal Sect disciples watching by the teleportation array turned their eyes like searchlights, staring at Song Chengzhu as if his clothes had been stripped off!
(End of this chapter)