Chapter 1351: Bloodied Scale
When the explosion rang out, though Yang Haoran wasn't on-site, he could infer a fair bit from the situation at hand.
The explosion must have originated from one of the numerous gift boxes. When it occurred, the other gift boxes were naturally affected, scattering across the floor, some even having their contents shattered.
One must remember that the guests attending today's wedding were all individuals of stature and influence. The congratulatory gifts they presented, even just their outer packaging, were meticulously crafted, exquisite, and sturdy.
Otherwise, judging by the powerful energy fluctuations from the recent explosion, ordinary boxes would have long since turned to dust. What Yang Haoran was seeing wouldn't just be a few shattered gift boxes; it would be a floor littered with their pulverized remains.
As for the Night Watchers sprawled across the floor, their primary duty was to guard these congratulatory gifts, not only preventing others from approaching but also to deter petty thieves. Their injuries were undoubtedly linked to the recent explosion, and that explosion was, without question, connected to the floating talisman before them.
Yang Haoran's gaze settled on the floating talisman. This talisman had no physical form; it was outlined by countless tiny golden lines, appearing somewhat similar to a Gold Talisman, yet it wasn't one, for Gold Talismans possessed substance.
If one's discernment was insufficient, they would naturally fail to perceive the true grade of this talisman, perhaps even mistakenly identifying it as a Gold Talisman or a transformation of some special talisman's power.
But Yang Haoran was different. Not only did he possess extensive knowledge, but besides being an Underworld Guardian, he held another identity: that of a Talisman Master, and a powerful Gold Talisman Master at that. Thus, he recognized the grade of this talisman at a glance.
Spirit Talismans did not have fixed colors; they could be golden, white, or various other hues, depending on the Talisman Master themselves and the specific talisman.
Furthermore, the form of a Spirit Talisman was not fixed; it could be directly outlined and condensed through pure power, or drawn onto an object. The former had no physical body, while the latter possessed one.
During the chaos of the Underworld's upheaval, Yang Haoran's understanding of Spirit Talismans was still limited. But now, his knowledge had reached a profound level. He could tell if something was a Spirit Talisman with a single glance, and he was absolutely certain the talisman before him was indeed a Spirit Talisman.
Not only did he recognize this talisman as a Spirit Talisman, but he also identified it as a Teleportation Talisman!
A Teleportation Talisman, as its name suggested, was a talisman capable of localized teleportation. It shared similarities with spatial tearing for teleportation but also had differences. The similarity lay in both being used for transport; the difference was that the former enabled fixed-point teleportation, while the latter did not.
If one were to make a comparison, ordinary teleportation arrays and Teleportation Talismans had a remarkably similar effect, though, of course, there were subtle distinctions between the two.
The primary function of a Teleportation Talisman was teleportation, hence it possessed little destructive power. Even a Spirit Talisman-grade Teleportation Talisman had quite limited destructive capabilities. At least compared to offensive talismans of the same grade, Teleportation Talismans were virtually harmless. Even if the talisman was activated and unleashed powerful energy fluctuations, this power was for teleportation, not for harming enemies.
Had it not been for this, the few Night Watchers lying on the ground would not have merely suffered some injuries; they would have long since been reduced to dust, and even the hall Yang Haoran used for his wedding would have been leveled.
The space vibrated intensely. Under the watchful eyes of Yang Haoran and the others, the immense power unleashed by the Teleportation Talisman transformed into countless fine golden lines, rapidly crisscrossing and outlining a shape above the talisman. In mere breaths, a teleportation array formed above the Teleportation Talisman.
With the teleportation array manifested, the Teleportation Talisman did not vanish. It remained suspended, motionless, in its original position, though the energy fluctuations it emitted were now more than half as weak compared to before the array's appearance.
The teleportation array cast down a golden radiance, not only enveloping the Teleportation Talisman below but also spilling onto the ground, forming a faint golden cylindrical beam of light. This faint golden light pillar stood not far in front of Yang Haoran.
Boom!
The teleportation array above whirred, emitting a rumbling sound, and an object suddenly shot out from within, transforming into a streak of white light that slammed into the ground with extreme speed.
CRASH! ! !
The ground shook violently as the white light struck the area covered by the faint golden light pillar, not far from Yang Haoran.
Crackle, crackle, crack!
The hard stone slabs shattered. Even the area where Yang Haoran stood was no exception, as the shockwave generated by the white light hitting the ground spread outwards.
Yang Haoran witnessed all of this, his body remaining perfectly still. Neither the shattering floor beneath him nor the incoming shockwave managed to budge him an inch.
At this moment, all his attention was focused on the white light within the faint golden pillar.
The white light dispersed, revealing a white scale, roughly the size of a millstone. One end of the scale was embedded in the ground, while the other protruded, with fresh red blood clearly visible.
As this scene registered in Yang Haoran's eyes, his body involuntarily trembled slightly, and his hands, at that instant, clenched into fists of their own accord.
"Heeheeheeheehee, Yang Haoran, I'm sure this scale is not unfamiliar to you. This is my wedding gift for you. Since this gift was forcibly ripped from her body, blood was unavoidable. I originally intended to wipe the blood clean and then package it nicely before delivering it to you, but time was pressing, and I was eager to get this gift into your hands quickly, fearing I'd miss the auspicious hour. So, I couldn't concern myself with such trifles. I hope you won't dislike it."
The opponent's words were like a sharp sword plunging into Yang Haoran's heart, causing an unspeakable pain, and like a massive boulder pressing down on his chest, making it impossible for him to breathe. If he could pinpoint the speaker's current location, he would undoubtedly rush over at once and tear that person limb from limb!
Yang Haoran, usually eloquent and quick-witted, now gasped for breath, unable to utter a single word. Ordinarily, he would have instantly seen through his opponent's tricks, making rational judgments while swiftly devising effective countermeasures. But now, he was utterly flustered, his mind a chaotic mess, a complete stranger to his usual self.
He didn't know who the speaker was, nor could he pinpoint their location, making it impossible to strike. Furthermore, he had no idea where Bai Xue was, whether alive or dead, leaving him at a complete loss for what to do.
Taking a deep breath, Yang Haoran tried desperately to calm himself, but it had no effect whatsoever. Instead, his heart grew even more turbulent, his mind more muddled, and the intense negative emotions even twisted his facial features into a grimace.
"Heeheeheehee, you needn't be so anxious. She's not dead yet, but. . . she's close. If you don't go save her soon, you'll lose even the chance to collect her corpse. If you wish to save her, then step into the teleportation array. I'll personally send you to her."
Upon hearing these words, Yang Haoran didn't hesitate for a second. His figure flashed, and he surged into the faint golden light pillar not far ahead.
"Boss, no!"
"Emissary, you must calm down!"
"Emissary, I'll go with you!"
Seeing this, Yang Haoran's trusted subordinates voiced their objections. In their eyes, Yang Haoran's current actions were ill-considered. The opponent was clearly setting a trap for him, and Yang Haoran was willing to jump into it. Once he teleported away from this place, a devastating blow surely awaited him.
There were also trusted aides who supported Yang Haoran's decision to go save Bai Xue via the teleportation array. In their view, even if the opponent had laid a trap, Bai Xue still had to be saved; they couldn't abandon her. However, they were unwilling to let Yang Haoran go alone.
Regardless of whether they were among the former or the latter, all of them, immediately after Yang Haoran, surged into the faint golden light pillar.
These trusted aides were the ones Yang Haoran had brought into the open today. Those hidden in the shadows, unable to be seen, though silent and motionless, were as anxious as ants on a hot pan.
Today, Yang Haoran had given them a command: due to their identities, all actions had to strictly adhere to his orders. Without his command, they dared not act rashly. Therefore, even though they desperately wanted to rush into the teleportation array, they were constrained by Yang Haoran's orders and could not do so, only able to worry anxiously in the shadows.
Neither Yang Haoran nor the trusted aides who followed him into the golden light shield were immediately teleported away after entering the faint golden light. Although the teleportation array above was still functioning, its power was not affecting Yang Haoran and the others.
"Heeheeheehee, to be teleported away, you need to hold this Teleportation Talisman. However, there's only one. This Teleportation Talisman is reserved for you, Yang Haoran, not for anyone else. Even if others were to obtain this Teleportation Talisman and use it to leave, they absolutely wouldn't be able to save Bai Xue; in fact, they would instantly cause her death. If you don't believe me, feel free to try."
The hoarse, peculiar voice sounded again, and only then did everyone realize why Yang Haoran and his trusted aides hadn't immediately been teleported away after entering the golden light pillar. It was because to be teleported, one had to grasp the floating Teleportation Talisman. Without it, the talisman's power would not act upon the teleporter, even if the teleportation array was operating.
Not all Teleportation Talismans functioned this way, but some, treated with special methods, could indeed achieve this effect.
Upon hearing these words, Yang Haoran didn't hesitate. He leaped up, ready to snatch the Teleportation Talisman hovering above. However, at that very moment, a cold voice, like a bolt of thunder, exploded in his mind.
"Yang Haoran, are you insane? !"
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