Chapter 624 - 624: The Legendary Teleportation Array?

The two soldiers looked at each other, clearly confused by Jiang Xinghai's question.

They confirmed, "Mr. Sun Zhen has been cultivating in seclusion inside the room. We've been guarding the door the whole time. No one has gone in or out."

Jiang Xinghai's brow furrowed. He pushed open the door and walked straight in.

Sure enough, the room was empty. All that remained were some traces left behind from cultivation.

He carefully inspected every corner of the room, including the windows, trying to find a single clue.

'How is this possible?'

Jiang Xinghai was alarmed. 'How could Sun Zhen just disappear? His cultivation hasn't reached the point where he should be coming out of seclusion. Could he have run into some kind of danger? No, even if he left because of danger, he would have had to go through the door or the window...'

He immediately took out his phone and dialed Cao Qing's number.

"Prince of the East, I have a situation here. Sun Zhen was cultivating in seclusion at my place, but now he's suddenly vanished. I need you to help me investigate all the surveillance footage from inside and outside this hotel for the past three days, starting from when I left Shanghai," Jiang Xinghai said.

"Something like that happened? Alright, I'm on it."

Cao Qing was also startled on the other end of the line. He immediately agreed to help investigate and said he would get back to him as soon as possible.

After hanging up, Jiang Xinghai felt a growing sense of unease.

'Does Sun Zhen's disappearance mean some unknown crisis is approaching?'

He decided to stay at the hotel for the time being and wait for the results of the surveillance review.

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the traces left from the cultivation.

Those traces seemed different from normal cultivation, carrying a strange fluctuation of energy.

He moved closer to observe them carefully and discovered that the traces faintly revealed a runic pattern he had never seen before.

'Could this be...'

A thought struck Jiang Xinghai. He guessed that these runes might be related to Sun Zhen's disappearance.

He immediately entered a meditative state, recalling the Martial Arts knowledge he had learned from Yao Gu and searching for information about this type of rune.

「Half an hour later.」

He discovered that this rune was related to an ancient Teleportation Array, capable of instantly sending a person to a distant location.

'A Teleportation Array?'

'Aren't those things from legends?'

Jiang Xinghai was inwardly horrified. 'If that's true, Sun Zhen was most likely teleported away.'

'But who set up this Teleportation Array? Why would they take Sun Zhen? Even if someone entered the hotel without the soldiers at the door noticing, they must have come through the window...' Jiang Xinghai fell deep into thought.

These questions swirled in his mind, strengthening his resolve to find the truth.

Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a call from Cao Qing.

"Young Master Jiang, I've checked all the surveillance footage from inside and outside the hotel. There's nothing unusual."

"However, I did find something interesting. On the night you left Shanghai, some mysterious energy fluctuations appeared around the hotel. That's all I have." Cao Qing sounded troubled as he said this.

After hearing this, Jiang Xinghai's expression grew even more solemn.

He realized that Sun Zhen's disappearance was no accident, but a meticulously planned operation.

It seemed he would have to carefully study the setup and conditions for this kind of Array.

Only by investigating this thoroughly could he ensure the people he cared about were safe.

Otherwise, if what happened to Sun Zhen happened again to his parents or his friends, it would be a disaster.

"Prince of the East, I'll continue to investigate this matter."

Jiang Xinghai sighed softly and added, "But, how is that matter I entrusted to you last night coming along?"

Cao Qing assured him, "Rest assured, Young Master Jiang. Of the thirty-six medicinal herbs you need, we have already gathered twenty-seven. We'll have news on the final nine within half an hour."

"Very good. I'll head to your home now." Jiang Xinghai had promised to help treat Cao Qing's great-grandson, Cao Can, for his heart condition, and he couldn't delay any longer.

「Half an hour later.」

Jiang Xinghai arrived at the Cao Family residence, home of the Prince of the East.

Cao Qing was waiting at the entrance with a grave expression. "Young Master Jiang, of the final nine herbs, there are two that we simply cannot find. At least, not in Shanghai. If they exist at all, our only hope is to try our luck at the Medical Arts headquarters in the Imperial City."

With that, he recited the names of the final two herbs: Purple Demon Grass and Thousand-Mile Fragrance.

"Those two herbs are indeed rare. Even the Jasper Pool of Kunlun doesn't have them. It's not your fault."

Jiang Xinghai's heart sank. It seemed his only option was to go to the Medical Arts headquarters in the Imperial City and try his luck.

These thirty-six herbs were needed to break his father's Dantian Seal. Not a single one could be missing!

But this meant he would have to break the promise he made to his father to undo the Dantian Seal tonight.

"Prince of the East, please book me a flight to the Imperial City for tonight."

After speaking, Jiang Xinghai started toward the Cao Family's main courtyard. "Where is your great-grandson? I'll treat him now."

"He... he's passed out again." Cao Qing's expression became even heavier.