Shu Ying
One day earlier
I have no idea how long we've been flying—it feels like an eternity. My caretaker is absolutely exhausted by now and just passed out. Well, let her rest. Nao Xiao is worn out too and finally fell asleep. Turns out, making bubbles of spiritual energy isn't as easy as I'd hoped. Poor Nao Xiao couldn't keep them stable, and they kept bursting. Since I was shielding her, the bubbles would fly off and explode harmlessly in the distance. Meanwhile, our poor nanny had to run around catching the unstable techniques and making sure we didn't blow anything up. Ahaha, it was fun, I'll admit… but still, the thought of the journey back makes me shudder.
I don't understand why they don't use teleportation here. It should be such a simple technology! If only I'd bothered to study the low level techniques back there, I could probably replicate it. But without a proper understanding of the core mechanics, I can't recreate it using the low-level energy available here. High-level energy just doesn't exist in this place. Even the ether here is a pitiful imitation of what I'm used to.
Sigh. Life here is such a struggle. But don't worry, Mother. When I get back, I'll make sure you regret sending me to such a backwater world!
But just as I started mentally cursing her name, I heard it—the sound of her laughter. Light as a breeze, teasing and ever so faint, like she was right behind me.
"I'm waiting eagerly, my dear… very eagerly" her voice whispered, lilting with amusement. "Ahaha…"
The sound was so vivid, so clear, it sent a shiver down my spine. No one else seemed to notice. Only me.
...
Oh, wait—looks like we're slowing down! I don't know how these mortals don't feel their own movement relative to the planet, but I can sense it perfectly. And if my instincts are right, we're definitely decelerating!
Could it be…?
I rushed over to the window, but all I could see were endless forests and a few mountains. Damn it! Our cabin doesn't even have a decent view!
Twenty seconds later, we finally began to descend!
Yes, yes, yes! Looks like we've finally arrived!
"Girls! I think we're here!" I called out, shaking the sleeping triplets awake. They looked absolutely priceless with their sleepy, confused faces, struggling to understand what was going on and where they were.
Laughing, I made a ruckus, even waking up our nanny in the process. No reason she should get to sleep when the rest of us are awake and busy!
Five minutes later, there was a knock at our door. The nanny opened it to find a servant standing there.
"Miss Yin, we've arrived. Everyone is requested to head to the exit" he said politely. The nanny put on her most serious face and announced, "Girls, let's go. We've arrived."
We all moved toward the exit. I couldn't help but be a little curious—despite only holding about thirty people, the ship we'd traveled on had been surprisingly spacious.
Once we disembarked, we stepped outside, only to be greeted by… fields, hills, and trees. Nothing else.
"Uh… are you sure we're supposed to be here?" I asked, glancing at the nanny with a raised eyebrow.
"I can't say for sure, young lady, but since we disembarked, I assume so" she replied with that annoyingly calm expression she always try to wore.
After a moment, the leader of our expedition stepped forward to address everyone.
"Representatives from the sect will be picking us up from here" he announced. Then, with a casual wave of his hand, the ship we'd arrived on began to shrink, eventually disappearing somewhere up his sleeve. Ying Jie, the Sect Leader's son—always one for dramatic flair.
"And here they come now" he added, nodding toward the horizon.
A small cloud was flying toward us with someone standing on top of it. Interesting technique, I thought. Judging by the energy fluctuations, it seemed to be a small masterpiece—probably devised by someone quite clever, since it drew most of the energy it needed from the surrounding environment. Exactly how it worked, I couldn't say… nor did I particularly care.
The man on the cloud flew up to us and stopped just beside our group.
"Honored guests from the Red Forest Mountain Palace," he greeted, his voice carrying a formal warmth "I am the Elder of the High Mist, honored to serve as your escort today," he said, his tone refined yet grand. His gaze shifted to Ying Jie, and a slight smile played at his lips. "Ah, and this must be Young Master Ying Jie. The tales hardly do justice to your presence—one would think even the poets have understated your qualities." He inclined his head with a touch of reverence.
"The Sect Leader regrets that he couldn't greet you personally, but he sends his best wishes."
Ying Jie practically puffed up at the praise, standing a little straighter, his chest all but swelling with pride. It was almost comical.
"Please, follow me" the elder continued, waving his hand to summon a large cloud big enough to accommodate all of us.
We climbed aboard, and soon we were gliding through the air. The wind ruffled through my hair, but somehow it wasn't cold or harsh. This was quite an impressive technique—effective and comfortable. I wondered if it was something they sold to outsiders. I wanted it!
The flight didn't take long, just a few minutes. It was slower than our ship but still swift. Soon we approached a building with a line of about twenty people waiting to enter. Instead of joining the queue, we descended off to the side, landing gracefully on a small platform.
"Please wait here just a moment" our guide said, and he disappeared into the building. About twenty seconds later, he returned and gestured us forward. "This way, please."
We followed him inside. The floor had an intricate pattern carved into it, most likely some kind of formation array. He motioned for us to step onto it, so we all took our places within the design.
As soon as we were all positioned, there was a brief pause, and then the elder said, "We've arrived. Please, follow me."
Wait—arrived? I hadn't felt anything at all, but apparently we'd been teleported. I still couldn't quite wrap my head around it. I didn't sense any energy shift, no disturbance in the air. This technique was astonishingly smooth. Judging by the elder's confidence, everything had gone exactly as planned.
We exited through a door on the opposite side, stepping into what appeared to be a small town. Small buildings were scattered around, and people were zipping back and forth on clouds everywhere I looked. It seemed that this cloud-riding technique was quite common here.
"Yin, I want that technique" I said, pointing at a nearby cloud gliding past, carrying people on it.
"I'll see what can be done" Yin replied, though her tone suggested she wasn't particularly inclined to pursue it.
I tilted my head, looking up and slightly away, feigning innocence. "Well, if I had that technique, I'd study it instead of those colorful bubbles…"
Yin's gaze sharpened instantly. "I'll make sure you get that technique" she said, her voice now full of determination. Ahaha, that's what proper motivation looks like!
The triplets, still a bit groggy from being woken up, didn't seem particularly impressed. Aside from the cloud technique, there wasn't much here that was different from what they'd seen recently.
I leaned over and whispered to them, "We're going to get that cloud technique" gesturing toward the floating cloud with a sly smile. They gave me three uninterested looks in return.
Lowering my voice even more, so only they could hear, I whispered, "Imagine flying on clouds that burn… launching flaming clouds at your enemies, soaring through the sky on fire and sending out burning bubbles!"
Their eyes lit up with the same excitement that filled mine. Ahaha, yes! Perfect, my little disciples. Together, we'll bring joy to the world through bubbles—and, it seems, through clouds too.
Yin started watching our whispered plotting with a suspicious look, so I quickly composed myself. Nothing to see here, nothing at all, I thought. Don't want her getting second thoughts!
We soon transferred to another cloud and flew a short distance, hovering in front of an enormous, peculiar-looking building. Our guide gestured toward it with a sweeping motion.
"This is the auction hall" he announced. "A brand-new structure, just completed recently. Tomorrow, you'll be brought to one of the VIP suites right here. For now, let me show you your accommodations in the city."
He led us a little further, and we soon arrived at the edge of town, where a row of grand villas awaited. He pointed to one of them.
"And here we are—this beautiful villa will be your residence during your stay. Each of you will be given a small medallion; these are symbols of your status and grant you the right to move freely around the city. They're already attuned to guide you back here if you need it. The villa is staffed with servant-disciples. Should you require anything, simply inform them. You're welcome to explore the town as you wish."
With a subtle gesture, he passed a spatial ring to Ying Jie.
"Tomorrow, I will come to escort you to the auction" he added, then stepped closer to Ying Jie and murmured something privately to him.
"The heads of each group can decide where they wish to go and what they'd like to do. Just make sure everyone's back at the villa by sunset" he instructed, before heading inside the villa with Elder to discuss something in private.