It was said that not far from here, at the White Cloud Peak, there lay a staircase that reached into the sky. If one could walk that path, they would arrive at the mysterious Sky City...
Sounds poetic, doesn't it?
But in reality…
"To be honest, I'm seriously starting to suspect this whole thing is just a scam to rip people off."
Looking at the bustling town at the foot of the mountain, Duanmu Huai couldn't help but complain.
And you couldn't blame him. Just look at the signs everywhere:
"Sky City Staircase Tour Group", "Exhibition of Relics from the Mysterious Sky City", "108 Secrets You Didn't Know About the Sky City"...
If it weren't for triggering the [Sky City] quest while gathering intel at the tavern, Duanmu Huai would've thought this whole thing was nothing more than a money-grabbing tourist trap.
Just like going on a trip to Flame Mountain and being offered a "Classic Water Curtain Cave Tour Route"—what the hell?
The problem is, the Water Curtain Cave isn't even in Flame Mountain!
"…Whatever, let's just go have a look."
With nothing better to do anyway, Duanmu Huai took Olgis and entered the Sky City Relics Exhibition museum in the town, curious to see what this Sky City supposedly had to offer.
However...
"This sword supposedly fell from the sky one day! It came down so fast it pierced straight through an unlucky guy's head!"
That's just high-altitude littering, isn't it?! Why isn't anyone investigating the murderer?!
"It's said this cup was once used by the inhabitants of Sky City. They regularly toss down blessings like this from the sky, and collecting them is our duty!"
That's just a regular cup, isn't it? Also, what's with chucking trash from the sky—is that seriously a thing? If it is, then these Sky City folks really lack basic decency.
After forcing himself to go through the whole exhibit, Duanmu Huai concluded that it was basically just a garbage expo.
The fact that they didn't put a fossilized turd on display was probably the only sign of restraint.
"Forget it, let's just head straight up the mountain."
Although the satellite scan didn't show any sign of a Sky City, since the system had triggered the quest, that meant there definitely was one here.
Of course, the town also offered Sky City Staircase Day Tours, but those involved horseback riding—and with Duanmu Huai's build, there was no way he was getting on a horse. So, he simply took Olgis and began walking up the mountain path step by step. He didn't even bother hiring a guide—those guys who spewed nonsense for a living likely wouldn't be able to provide any useful intel anyway.
Fortunately, there was only one path up the mountain, so Duanmu Huai wasn't worried about getting lost.
Naturally, he wasn't the only one heading up. Along the way, he saw plenty of others dressed in armor, long swords on their backs, styled like knights. Some rode horses, others traveled on foot. Clearly, they were all here in search of the legendary "Sky City."
"So, all of you are here to find Sky City? Is it part of your trials or something?"
As he walked, Duanmu Huai casually struck up a conversation with a nearby mounted knight—just killing time, like chatting during a hike up Mount Tai or Huangshan.
"Of course, outsider."
The knight was surprisingly talkative. Although Duanmu Huai, in full armor and helmet, looked rather intimidating, with so many people around, the knight didn't worry much about him suddenly turning violent. So, the conversation continued.
"It's said that the Sky City is a sacred place only righteous knights can enter. If we manage to reach it and receive its blessing, we can then demonstrate our power and glory!"
"Has anyone actually succeeded before?"
Duanmu Huai asked curiously. Rumors like this usually had some kind of origin—it couldn't all be made up out of thin air, right?
"It's said that the Green Knight, the guardian of Bretonnia, once journeyed to the Sky City under the guidance of the Lady of the Lake. His armor and weapons are said to have come from that very city!"
"Oh, I see…"
Now Duanmu Huai finally understood why all these knights looked so hyped. Turns out, every single one of them was here to try and become the second Green Knight.
But seriously—of all things to aspire to, that? Green from head to toe, who knows how many times he got cucked to turn out like that… If it were up to Duanmu Huai, he'd never sign up for that gig even if you beat him to death.
Before long, everyone reached the mountaintop area. The crowd scattered, searching for clues—clearly, they weren't stupid. The sky above was clear and cloudless, not a damn thing up there. But folks in a fantasy world had strong imaginations, and it was obvious that the Sky City probably existed in some other realm. What they were now looking for was a way to enter that world.
Gotta admit, they weren't dumb.
Unfortunately, they also probably weren't going to find it.
Duanmu Huai didn't mingle with the others. He glanced around, and then a glimmer flashed in his eyes.
Activate—Soul Resonance!
In the next instant, the world before him shifted. Everything around him became hazy and surreal. Soon after, Duanmu Huai raised his head and looked toward the mountaintop—at that sharp peak barely large enough for one person to stand on, a slender staircase extended straight into the heavens, leading to a pure BC-class city floating above the mountain range.
Found you.
Seeing this, a faint smile curled on Duanmu Huai's lips. He let Olgis sit on his shoulder, walked to the front, reached out, grabbed a rock, and began climbing the craggy surface.
Naturally, his actions drew attention from the others, but they didn't think much of it. After all, there was only a one-person-wide platform at the summit, and they'd already examined it—there was nothing up there. They simply assumed this burly, black-armored guy just wanted to enjoy the view. Some even worried whether he might break the platform with his sheer weight—that thing definitely couldn't handle much from someone like him!
However, just as everyone resumed their search for clues, a startled voice suddenly rang out.
"Hey? Where's that black knight?!"
Startled by the shout, the crowd quickly looked up, only to see the mountaintop platform lying empty—no one in sight. That towering, massive black knight had vanished without a trace!
Where did he go? Don't tell me he fell off the mountain?!
Of course, Duanmu Huai hadn't fallen. In fact, he was now walking among the clouds.
"Phew… this place is a nightmare for anyone with a fear of heights."
As he stepped along the staircase and glanced around, Duanmu Huai couldn't help but mutter to himself. The staircase was about three people wide, and entirely transparent like glass. Walking on it reminded him of those tourist trap glass skywalks built into cliff faces at scenic spots. Worse still, there weren't even handrails. One misstep and you'd slip right off… straight into the abyss.
This place really wasn't meant for normal people.
Good thing those knights hadn't found the path, or a few of them probably would've fallen to their deaths.
With that thought, Duanmu Huai looked up again toward the Sky City ahead.
Calling it a city was a stretch—this was more like a floating mountain suspended in the sky. Its front half had been hollowed out to build a massive fortress, complete with semicircular walls and a platform. Deep within, nestled against the mountain itself, stood a tall, pure white structure. The entire Sky City radiated a strange allure—an aura that spoke of some ancient, mysterious civilization.
Not Old One architecture. Where the hell did this thing come from?
As he studied the Sky City, Duanmu Huai couldn't help but feel puzzled. In fact, long ago, some Soulwalker players had noticed that many of the scenes within soul fragments had no corresponding records in the real world. It was as if the worlds contained in those fragments had never existed in reality at all.
Because of this, some players put forward a theory: that this planet may have been destroyed more than once. Before the Old Ones ever set foot here, perhaps an entirely different, advanced civilization once thrived. But for some reason, it was wiped out, and only after that did the Old Ones arrive and create the elves, dwarves, humans, and other species…
Gotta say, that theory had some traction.
As for the truth… best find out for yourself.
At that moment, Duanmu Huai stepped onto the final stair and arrived at the great gates of the Sky City.
(End of Chapter)