Once the decision was made, the red-haired woman led Chu Feng and the others away.
This time, no teleportation tunnel was opened. Instead, they rode upon a cloud, heading straight for the clear sky.
When they reached the limit, a single palm strike shattered the sealing barrier.
Beyond the barrier, they did not enter the vast starry sky but arrived in a world unto itself.
It confirmed what Chu Feng had suspected—they had indeed been inside an array world all along, one hidden within a higher realm of the Seven Realms Galaxy.
Chu Feng explained the situation to Wang Qiang and the others. Upon learning that Chu Feng intended to go to the Seven Realms Galaxy, Wang Qiang and his group wanted to follow.
But Long Zhuoyan made it clear directly—they would not be bringing them along.
Left with no choice, Wang Qiang and the others agreed to return to the Totem Galaxy first.
However, just before sending them into the teleportation array, Long Zhuoyan swept her sleeve and placed a layer of cloud beneath their feet.
That cloud would grant them an unimaginable speed once they entered the teleportation array.
As for how Chu Feng knew this—it was because Long Zhuoyan subsequently led him into the teleportation array as well, riding a cloud identical to the one given to Wang Qiang and the others.
The speed was staggering. While it couldn't compare to the teleportation power of the Nine Heavens' Mystic Grounds, it was still remarkably fast.
Chu Feng and his companions, however, were headed for the Sacred Palace of the Seven Realms.
……
At the same time, inside the Sacred Palace of the Seven Realms.
Jie Tianran moved through a secret realm that resembled an immortal paradise, his expression heavy—clearly preoccupied.
This secret realm was a restricted area of the Sacred Palace, one that only he had permission to enter.
Yet just moments ago, he had received a summons—and the summons had originated from here.
Soon, atop the sea of clouds ahead, a floating palace materialized.
When he pushed open the palace doors, seven familiar figures awaited inside.
Five of them were Sacred Elders of the Sacred Palace of the Seven Realms.
Another was Ling Sheng'er's grandfather—the head of the Ling clan.
"Palace Master."
Whether it was the Ling clan leader or the Sacred Elders, all of them immediately bowed upon seeing Jie Tianran, though their expressions appeared somewhat tense.
Because inside this grand hall, beyond the six of them, there was one other person—Jie Shanxian.
With Jie Shanxian present, even Jie Tianran, the Palace Master himself, had to defer.
Jie Shanxian was a contemporary of the Spirit King—Jie Tianran's own Master.
"Lord Shanxian?"
"How come you are…"
Seeing Jie Shanxian, Jie Tianran was genuinely surprised, but he also understood why others besides himself had been able to enter this place.
Jie Shanxian truly had the qualifications.
"How come what?"
"You were going to ask how I'm still alive?" Jie Shanxian asked.
"This junior had no such intention."
"It's only that Lord Shanxian left the Palace many years ago with no word, and there was no life tablet of yours kept within the Palace. This junior truly did not know whether the Senior was safe or not."
"This junior had assumed that you, like my Master, had long since departed to the Ninth Galaxy."
"But now that you have returned, it means you have been here all along."
"This junior wonders—where did you go all these years?"
Jie Tianran's tone was humble, but his expression remained composed—not servile, yet not defiant.
"Where I went is not something I need to report to you, is it?" Jie Shanxian asked.
Upon hearing this, Jie Tianran fell briefly silent. He sensed that Jie Shanxian's return boded ill.
Especially since these few people present were all high-ranking figures of the Sacred Palace—individuals who knew far more than most.
Why had these people been summoned here before him? Naturally, it was because Jie Shanxian had already questioned them.
So Jie Tianran offered a faint smile: "Lord Shanxian's whereabouts naturally need not be reported to this junior."
"However, it seems this junior was not the first to learn of your return. Could it be that your return this time is for a particular matter?"
"It is." Jie Shanxian did not beat around the bush and said directly: "It concerns your daughter—Jie Ranqing."
"Jie Ranqing's matter?" A playful smile appeared on Jie Tianran's face, as though he had already guessed at something. "Then perhaps Lord Shanxian should speak plainly."
"In that case, I will be direct."