Chapter Fifty-Two: The Teleportation Array

At the top floor of the Alchemy Tower, Heinz was listening intently to Gong Hao’s account. His deeply furrowed brow gradually relaxed. “I must say you are fortunate, child. Not many have managed to escape the clutches of a demon dragon—you have astonished me with your daring.”

“Yes, Master. Whenever I think back on it, I tremble all over. I’m truly amazed at how I managed it. What possessed me to venture into the central region is still beyond belief.”

“A philosopher once said, ‘Anyone who dares to explore the future with their life is a genius.’ You possess both madness and talent for alchemy. If given time, perhaps you will become another Electra—perhaps that is not so strange after all. Now tell me, child, what did you discover before that door? I mean, what method did you find Electra used to bind the escaping energies so they could permanently maintain the spatial passage?”

“In fact, it was an exceedingly clever method. Electra achieved all this with a single magic array. The array itself is not so difficult to decipher—I understood it almost at a glance. It is a power-drawing array.”

“A power-drawing array?” Heinz was astonished. “That isn’t a particularly difficult array to craft. He used that to maintain the spatial passage?”

“Yes. Electra’s intellect is truly formidable. He made me realize that the right method is always the most effective. Rather than using brute force to resist spatial energy, he did precisely the opposite, confining the energy with the power-drawing array. The array absorbs the energy, and in turn, uses it to trap its own escape. It seems as if some immense external force is restraining the energies, but in truth, they are confined by their own power.”

“How brilliant!” Heinz exclaimed. “They are essentially trapped by themselves.”

“Exactly, Master. That is the technique Electra employed. Of course, the drawing array he used was far more subtle, intricate, and complex than an ordinary one. Even crafting such an array would demand tremendous effort and time to research.”

Heinz glanced at Gong Hao. “So you plan to use this method to overcome the obstacles of spatial magic energy?”

“No.” Unexpectedly, Gong Hao shook his head. “While the power-drawing array is excellent, it clearly fails to address another issue—the wild rampage of energy storms within the spatial channel. For research into teleportation arrays and spatial rings, this is obviously unsuitable. I suspect Electra deliberately adopted this method, so he wouldn’t have to worry about just anyone coming and going as they please.”

“That makes sense,” Heinz nodded repeatedly. “If that’s the case, it’s all the more important not to let others approach that door easily. Perhaps one day, Electra himself will return from there. For an alchemist, nothing could be more exhilarating than meeting such a great figure.”

Gong Hao hadn’t expected Heinz to say this. It was clear Heinz harbored a fanatical admiration for Electra—so strong that he would disregard everything else, even if Electra’s return could spell catastrophe for the world.

He could now somewhat understand why Heinz was so obsessed with conducting experiments with human lives. He was a true alchemical madman—nothing mattered to him but his craft.

“Master, do you believe Electra is still alive? After all, three centuries have passed.”

“I do not know if he survived such a long span. But if someone told me he was indeed still alive, I would not be the least surprised. For someone as extraordinary as him, even inventing a way to render himself ageless would not be inconceivable.”

At this, Heinz continued, “Well then, child, tell me now—what method do you intend to use for your current research? Since you’re not adopting Electra’s approach, do you have something even better?”

“Yes, Master. Electra made me realize many things. He showed me that energy is like flowing water—it is not formless, but substantial. It can be harnessed, and by utilizing it, we can achieve what was once impossible. This is the essence of energy; once you understand this, many things cease to be difficult.”

“Be more specific.”

“I intend to use energy circulation,” Gong Hao replied.

“Energy circulation?” Heinz repeated the unfamiliar term in surprise.

What was energy circulation? He had never heard of it.

“Yes, Master. I coined the term energy circulation myself. I heard there is a beautiful fountain in Wenlington, with one thousand three hundred and forty-two jets, spraying over thirty thousand liters of water into the air each day, forming splendid patterns. May I ask, Master, where does the fountain get so much water to lavish in this way?”

“Oh.” Heinz waved his hand. “That was a craftsman’s remarkable invention. I heard he devised a special mechanism that collects the sprayed water back into the pool and then propels it out again. Thus, the fountain’s water consumption is actually quite low. It’s like a line of soldiers—when the first group passes, the second advances; then the third and fourth. By the time the fifth group marches on, the first has already returned by another route. This creates a sense of endless continuity. Some military commanders use this trick in battle, sending a small detachment to feign as the main force to deceive the enemy.”

At this point, Heinz frowned. “Grael, what are you trying to tell me?”

“It’s like this, Master. During my observation of the Gate of Space, I noticed that when energy breaches the spatial barrier, it forms a tremendous vortex within the channel. This vortex maintains a consistent shape inside the passage, but as soon as it enters open space, it dissipates. In truth, it does not dissipate, but escapes—just like a jet of water, which, once it leaves the pipe and enters the open, quickly breaks into countless drops and vanishes.”

“Oh, you mean to say you plan to collect the escaped energy by some method and channel it back through another passage. That way, a single input of energy to breach the spatial barrier would be enough to set up a perpetual flow, keeping the passage perpetually open. Thus, we could maintain an independent space or channel indefinitely.”

“Exactly, Master. Moreover, the energy circulation method minimizes energy loss, for it does not require an excessively powerful energy supply, thus avoiding the formation of energy storms. In this way, humanity could construct teleportation arrays for free passage, and even create spatial rings by the same principle.”

Heinz narrowed his eyes. After the profound excitement just now, he was clearly prepared for this answer in his heart.

After pondering it, he nodded. “An intriguing idea, Grael. You always seem to solve problems with a craftsman’s mindset.”

“I come from the common folk, Master. There is no magic among the people.”

“Quite right. So, are you certain this method will succeed?”

“In fact, I’ve researched records of past storage items and teleportation arrays. I discovered that during the golden age of alchemy, all items capable of sealing independent spaces shared a common trait.”

“What trait?”

“They are round.”

Gong Hao crouched and drew a large circle on the ground. “The property of a circle is that its origin is also its endpoint. What begins at one point returns to it, in an endless cycle. From the initial burst of energy breaking through the barrier, to the method that causes this energy to flow in a loop, it all stems from this concept. Rings are round, bracelets are round, and they have no seams—when energy is released from a point on the circle, it travels along the object’s path until it returns to the origin. This is why all storage items are rings, bracelets, and other circular forms. Whether binding or circulating energy, both methods transcend the need for continuous, endless energy input. Many things may seem costly, but with a clever technique, the true cost may not be so high after all.”

This explanation left Heinz thoroughly astonished. He stood, pacing back and forth, then gripped Gong Hao’s shoulders. “My child, you truly are a genius. You’re absolutely right—this is entirely possible. I never questioned why storage items of the past were always rings or bracelets—we could have used other items, but I always assumed it was for convenience. Yet you have shown me another reason. Precisely, the circle, the cycle—my God, child, you have solved the most crucial problem of sustained energy supply! History has proven this is correct—we simply never realized it! You are a genius, Xiu Yi!”

By the end, Heinz was practically shouting.

Gong Hao remained composed. “Master, I’m afraid it isn’t that simple. This is theoretical success; actually controlling the flow of energy is still no easy task.”

“That’s just a technical hurdle. Do you have confidence you can accomplish it?”

“Yes, Master.”

Receiving Gong Hao’s affirmative answer, Heinz nodded with satisfaction.

After a moment’s thought, he hesitated, then said, “Grael, when you spoke with that demon dragon, did she tell you anything else?”

“I’m not sure what you mean, Master?”

“The spirit seed.”

Gong Hao lowered his head in thought, then shook it. “If you mean the thing Lord Lancelot once sought, I’m afraid I received no information about it. You must know, dealing with such a powerful creature is terrifying. I was petrified—had the dragon not needed my help, she would have killed me. Even so, I wanted only to escape from her as quickly as possible. Heaven knows how I found the courage to converse with her, or even to observe that door. Now I realize it was driven by my hunger for knowledge. But as for the spirit seed, I had no intention of investigating, and she clearly did not wish to share more with me.”

Heinz nodded. “Then I hope you won’t take such risks in the future. It isn’t worth it, Xiu Yi. I don’t want anything to happen to you. Please understand that.”

“Yes, Master, I understand completely. And the demon dragon expressly told me she did not wish to be disturbed again. If I go to her next time without good news, she’ll eat me without hesitation.”

Gong Hao’s reply was resolute.

There was no doubt that Heinz was using this as a veiled warning: if you already know the secret of the spirit seed, then you should understand that honesty is your only path to survival. If not, then take this as my concern for you.

Gong Hao’s response was just as ambiguous.

Returning from the top floor, Gong Hao felt a cold sweat break out.

He had taken a tremendous risk this time, but had no other choice—there was no way to hide his journey to the Gate of Space from Heinz. He could only gamble and confess.

It was a gamble—not on Heinz’s intelligence to spot the truth, but on whether Heinz would choose to believe him.

This was a subtle psychological shift; as long as the feverish alchemical blood in Heinz’s veins continued to rule him, he would persuade himself to believe everything Gong Hao said.

This was a classic case of self-deception, driven only by the allure Gong Hao offered—so overwhelming that Heinz was willing to risk it all for a chance.

Just as there are many charlatans whose tricks are hardly sophisticated, but whose temptations are so enticing that people are willing to risk being duped, simply to try their luck.

Of course, the most important reason was that, up to now, Heinz still believed the spirit seed resided within him—he had no right to resist.

———

From that day on, Heinz unhesitatingly granted Gong Hao full authority, entrusting him with all experimental work in the field of spatial magic. He was also given unrestricted access to all materials in the castle.

With Gong Hao’s growing contributions, his status, authority, and skills continued to rise. Even Andrew treated him with newfound respect.

Gong Hao lived up to Heinz’s trust. In the shortest possible time, he completed the data testing of spatial energy, then set about devising solutions.

To be fair, this was a colossal undertaking—impossible to achieve from scratch. But with the foundation laid by his predecessors, and ample support, Gong Hao carried out experiments with near-maniacal fervor, conducting trials almost every three days. This frequency rapidly depleted the vast stores of materials accumulated in the Alchemical Castle over two decades. From then on, the Free Spirit made monthly trips to Purgatory Island, delivering large quantities of energy crystals for Gong Hao’s use.

Yet neither Heinz nor Streik VI considered this wasteful. On the contrary, it was good news.

For as the experiments grew more frequent, Gong Hao’s progress accelerated. In just six months, his research into spatial magical alchemy had surpassed that of any alchemist in the Windhowl Continent.

The most evident breakthrough came in long-distance communication, which had entered its final testing phase. Transmitting information required far less energy than physical objects, making it the first to near success.

When Streik VI in distant Wenlington and Heinz managed a twelve-second conversation, the Wenlington Palace erupted in celebration. Only Avril, who hurried to the palace upon hearing the news, was left furious—she hadn’t even managed to speak to Gong Hao before the transmission ended.

To ensure Gong Hao’s research went undisturbed, Streik VI issued a direct order forbidding his daughter from traveling to Purgatory Island.

A year later, Gong Hao finally achieved a tremendous breakthrough in energy circulation. By this point, he had spent three and a half years on Purgatory Island.

A month later, at Gong Hao’s insistence, the first teleportation array experiment was conducted, spanning from the seventh floor of the castle’s alchemical tower to the small lake by Lancelot’s side.

After successfully transporting three dire wolves and confirming their safety, tradition demanded that Gong Hao, as the inventor, be the first to enter the array—bearing the risk or glory alone.

A vast quantity of energy crystals was poured into the teleportation array etched on the floor. As the last of the crystals were reduced to powder, the eye of the array blazed with a fiery red light.

A mighty crimson vortex surged up from the center, whirling violently before subsiding in an instant.

The red glow was as smooth as a mirror, flickering with strange arcs of light.

In the next moment, Gong Hao was to step onto the heart of the array, to be transported to the designated destination.

“Do you realize, Master, that with this step, the history of humanity on Windhowl Continent may be utterly rewritten?” Just before stepping onto the teleportation array, Gong Hao said to Heinz.

“That is what we hope for as well,” Heinz and Andrew replied.

“So, I may either be lost forever in the space between worlds, or complete this glorious endeavor.”

Smiling faintly, Gong Hao stepped into the iridescent red light at the heart of the array.

The array was activated.

With a boom, Gong Hao vanished into thin air.