High above the jagged cliffs of the Echoing Mountain Realm, Shen Hao flew through thin clouds with quiet ease.
The sky here stretched wide, glowing faintly green as if the air itself carried Qi. Far below, rivers of light flowed through canyons like threads of power. Floating islands drifted lazily in the distance, wrapped in mist. It was strange, vast, and beautiful — the kind of place cultivators dreamed about.
And Shen Hao had finally caught a break.
No bandits chasing him. No traps exploding under his feet. No mysterious artifacts trying to rewrite his bones.
Just clean air and silence.
"Alright, not bad," Lingfeng said, spinning beside him in lazy loops. "Nobody's bleeding. The sky's not on fire. I give this day a solid eight out of ten."
"You're unusually generous," Shen Hao replied, scanning the horizon.
"I'm in a good mood. Probably because we haven't exploded in like, three hours."
Shen Hao chuckled softly, then paused mid-air. Something shimmered on the far edge of a valley — nestled between two steep cliffs was a dome of faint light.
He angled downward and approached slowly.
As he drew closer, the shape came into focus: a city, old but alive. Black-stone walls curled around tall towers and floating platforms. Elegant bridges of polished crystal connected suspended walkways. A gentle blue dome wrapped the entire structure like a protective shell.
And above the main gate, a large arch floated — its surface etched with glowing alien runes.
Shen Hao descended, landing lightly on the smooth obsidian path leading up to the gate.
He looked up.
"…I can't read that."
"It says 'Void Gate City,'" Mo Han's voice said calmly in his mind. "Neutral territory. Combat is forbidden here."
Shen Hao blinked. "Wait—no fighting? In the Echoing Mountain Realm?"
"Correct. Void Gate is a recognized trade city under the Universal Accord. No combat. No spiritual pressure. And definitely no elemental explosions."
"So basically," Lingfeng added, "no fun."
Shen Hao sighed. "Great. A city where I can't even glare too hard."
To the left of the gate, a black stone tablet hovered in the air, slowly scrolling with glowing text.
"Don't tell me. More rules?"
"Naturally," Mo Han replied. "Let's begin."
The hovering black tablet flickered as lines of alien script flowed down its surface. Shen Hao tilted his head, hoping the symbols would magically start making sense.
They didn't.
"Allow me," Mo Han said smoothly. "These are the core laws of Void Gate City."
He began reading them off one by one:
"Rule One: No combat of any kind within city boundaries.
Rule Two: Spiritual techniques and pressure must be suppressed at all times.
Rule Three: Weapons must remain sealed unless authorized for trade.
Rule Four: Disputes are handled through arbitration only — no personal duels.
Rule Five: Violation of any of the above may result in immediate detainment… or removal via unstable rift portal."
"…What's a rift portal?" Shen Hao asked, slowly stepping back.
"Basically a one-way ticket to a random spot in the universe," Lingfeng said. "Could be a peaceful flower field. Could be a volcano filled with screaming ghosts."
"Void Gate doesn't mess around," Mo Han added.
Shen Hao adjusted his robe and muttered, "I liked it better when cities just threw rotten vegetables at criminals."
A soft pulse of light ran over his body as he approached the gate.
Suddenly—two guards appeared in front of him. Not teleporting, just phasing into view from the space around the entrance.
The one on the left was tall, lean, with eyes sharp as blades and not a single crease in his silver-and-black uniform. The other was shorter, bulkier, and chewing on something that looked like dried space-seaweed. It smelled like regret and spicy mushrooms.
"State your name," the tall guard said.
"Planet of origin and galaxy," the other added, still chewing.
Shen Hao hesitated, then straightened up.
"My name is Shen Hao. From planet Earth. Milky Way galaxy."
The short guard blinked. "Milky what?"
"Milky Way."
The two looked at each other.
"…You makin' that up?" the short one asked.
"No, it's real," Mo Han said calmly in Shen Hao's mind. "Tell them to check their registry."
The tall guard sighed and pulled up a small crystal slate from his wrist. A soft blue screen hovered in the air. He tapped a few times, then raised an eyebrow.
"Earth… Earth… Category-6 primitive system. Observation-only access. Barely registered."
Shen Hao's eye twitched. "Primitive?!"
"You have cities, right?" the short guard asked. "Electricity? Or is it still sticks and rocks?"
"We have cities," Shen Hao said flatly. "And spaceships. And… well, not very good ones, but we have them."
The taller one gave a polite cough. "And… do you have a UID?"
Shen Hao blinked. "A what?"
"Universal Identification," the guard said. "Standard protocol for all non-native travelers. You need one to enter trade zones, register for auctions, open spatial bank accounts, and pretty much… exist."
"…Master?"
"You do not have one," Mo Han replied calmly. "We'll need to create one eventually."
Shen Hao stared into the air. "You didn't think to mention that?"
"You never asked."
"Ohh," Lingfeng laughed. "That's classic Master Mo Han. Surprise rules 101."
The guards exchanged glances.
"No UID means no access to the inner city," the tall one said.
"You can get a visitor tag for now," the short one added, handing Shen Hao a small hex-shaped badge. "One day only. No purchases, no trades, no rentals. Just walk around. Try not to touch anything."
"Do I at least get a map?"
"No."
"…A snack?"
The short guard squinted. "Do you want to be thrown into a rift?"
Shen Hao took the badge.
"…Thank you for your hospitality."
Shen Hao clipped the hexagonal visitor badge to his chest with a sigh.
"So I'm officially a galactic tourist now," he muttered. "What's next? Guided walking tours and alien souvenir stands?"
"I hear the 'I survived the Void Gate bureaucracy' shirt sells well," Lingfeng quipped.
Inside the outer gate, Void Gate City came to life.
The streets were a mix of elegant and strange. Floating stalls hovered above ground level, supported by spinning rune circles. Vendors called out in languages Shen Hao couldn't understand, their voices auto-translating through a strange echo in his ears. Some wore robes. Others wore armor. A few didn't seem to have faces at all.
Qi flowed peacefully here—soft, contained, disciplined. Everyone was either shopping, bargaining, meditating, or quietly showing off their latest spirit treasures like status badges.
No fighting. No tension. Just trade and spectacle.
"I'll be honest," Lingfeng said, drifting beside Shen Hao's shoulder. "This place gives off a weird vibe. Like a library and a black market had a baby."
"Yeah," Shen Hao murmured. "Feels too calm."
Then, something changed.
The air shifted—barely noticeable at first. A hush rolled through the streets like an invisible wave.
Alien birds stopped mid-flight. Floating platforms paused. Even the city's background hum seemed to lower its pitch.
Shen Hao turned.
Above the city, the sky split open.
Not with thunder. Not with a roar. It cracked like glass under pressure, glowing lines spreading across the horizon. A spiral of light tore through the split—a circular tear that warped space around it like the edge of a portal.
Everyone near the gates froze.
Even the guards stepped forward, faces serious now.
"...That's not normal, right?" Shen Hao asked.
"Definitely not," Mo Han said. "Get ready. Something high-tier is arriving."
A shape emerged from the rift—a massive, sleek starship.
Its surface was black, matte, and perfectly smooth. Glowing silver veins ran down the hull like it was alive. Dozens of rune arrays pulsed along its sides. It didn't fly in. It hovered through the tear like a blade cutting silk.
And when it came to a stop, silence followed.
A long, slow hiss escaped as a landing platform descended from the ship's underside. Six armored guards marched out—identical in uniform, faces hidden behind reflective masks.
Then, a single figure stepped onto the ramp.
He wore deep violet robes with silver embroidery that shifted like water. His posture was calm, controlled, effortless. His hands were gloved. His face was shadowed by a low hood, but the faint glow of pale silver eyes shimmered beneath it.
He didn't speak.
He didn't need to.
Everyone near the gate—including the guards—lowered their gaze.
Shen Hao, still standing there with a tired expression, blinked.
"So… should I salute too or just pretend I'm part of the ground?"
"Do. Not. Move," Mo Han said flatly.
"I didn't even breathe yet!"
Lingfeng floated down to hover low.
"Master… I think we just watched the realm's boss character enter the arena."
The figure stepped off the ramp. His personal guards followed, quiet and still. He passed through the outer gate like it wasn't even there. Not even the protective barrier flickered.
Everyone around the entrance dropped into a respectful stance — fists cupped in palms, heads lowered slightly. The air felt heavier, like it was waiting for permission to move.
Except for one person.
Shen Hao stood frozen, still holding his temporary visitor badge, completely unsure of what was happening. He hadn't lowered his gaze. He just… stood there like a statue with absolutely no clue how formal galactic respect worked.
Then the man looked at him.
Not past him — at him.
Their eyes met. Shen Hao felt his breath catch, like someone had pressed a finger against his core. The man's pale silver eyes didn't glow brightly… but they held weight. Awareness. Curiosity.
And then, he started walking toward him.
Each step was calm. Controlled. No pressure was released, no threat lingered in his stride — just a faint, mysterious smile playing on his lips as if he already knew something Shen Hao didn't.
"He's walking this way," Shen Hao whispered.
"He's walking this way," Lingfeng echoed, suddenly very still.
"Do not panic," Mo Han said firmly in his mind. "Remain still. Let him act."
Shen Hao's fingers curled slightly around his badge. His legs refused to move. Everyone else stayed respectful and silent — and here he was, standing like the last clueless person at a wedding who missed the cue to clap.
The man stopped just a few steps in front of him.
Still silent. Still smiling.