There, standing with an effortless grace, was the man who had paid one billion credits as if it were mere spare change.
Tall and composed, his presence commanded attention without any need for loud proclamations. The calmness he exuded was not laziness, it was the quiet confidence of someone who moved through countless worlds with ease.
His robes, woven from muted gold and black threads, shimmered faintly with spatial Qi. There were no emblems or clan crests to mark him. He belonged to no known faction, yet his aura was undeniable.
Two elderly men flanked him, one on either side. Both radiated immense power, their very presence warping the air around them. Yet even they seemed to defer to the traveler, standing slightly behind as if acknowledging his superior status.
The traveler himself stood as if he had walked this path a thousand times before, his posture relaxed, unbothered by the weight of so many eyes upon him.
Shen Hao narrowed his gaze. "He's not nervous. Not in the slightest."
Lingfeng, floating with a lazy spin, whispered, "Looks like he does this between breakfast and lunch."
From the far side of the array, a new figure approached. Tall and dignified, he wore deep maroon robes embroidered with silver threads that caught the fading light. This was the City Lord.
His aura was steady and refined, a man accustomed to authority but secure enough not to flaunt it.
Raising a hand, the City Lord silenced the crowd instantly.
"Today," his voice carried clearly across the mountaintop like a steady wind, "after nearly a century, the Celestial Nexus Array shall open once more."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle.
"Let it be known: the gate of time and space does not answer to fame or fortune, only price, patience, and purpose."
Shen Hao murmured under his breath, "…Also apparently gold-plated bank accounts."
Tevalk gave a sharp look. "Shhh. This part is ceremonial."
The City Lord gestured toward the traveler.
"By right of payment, by presence of path, this traveler may now pass."
The traveler nodded faintly, barely moving a muscle.
Then, without hesitation, he stepped forward.
The moment the traveler stepped beneath the lowest floating ring of the Celestial Nexus Array, a deep, vibrating hum began to ripple through the plaza. The air itself seemed to pulse with energy.
The massive rings accelerated their spin, their ancient stone surfaces glowing brighter with radiant blues and purples. Symbols flickered and ignited in a mesmerizing sequence, like the heartbeat of the universe itself.
Then, the sky above began to shift.
At first, it was subtle, a slight dimming of the blue.
Within moments, violent thunderclouds gathered overhead, crackling with bursts of lightning that danced across the darkened sky.
Without warning, the weather changed again.
Spring rain began to fall, soft and gentle, accompanied by a cool breeze that stirred cherry blossoms into the air.
Before anyone could adjust, snowflakes drifted down, cooling the ground and dusting rooftops with white.
The sun blazed suddenly, fierce and scorching, drying the ground rapidly.
Then came a sandstorm, whipping dust and grit through the plaza, blurring the edges of the gathering crowd.
Lightning flashed once more, brilliant and wild.
The cycle repeated with dizzying speed, seasons and storms alternating in a chaotic dance that seemed to defy nature itself.
Shen Hao shouted over the cacophony, "Why does it feel like I'm experiencing every season of the year in one minute?!"
Lingfeng, spinning lazily beside him, grinned. "Because we are! I think we just passed autumn and second summer again!"
Mo Han, calm and composed in Shen Hao's mind, explained softly, "This is normal."
Shen Hao blinked in surprise. "Huh?"
Mo Han's voice remained steady. "Time flows faster near the array. Within a one-hundred-kilometer radius, the flow can multiply by up to ten thousand percent."
Shen Hao shivered as a cold snowflake landed lightly on his cheek. "And that's normal?!"
Mo Han nodded. "It does not affect living beings directly. But the environment reacts. The array bends time. Time bends everything else."
The array's light flared even brighter as the traveler and his two escorts moved calmly toward the center platform.
The crowd watched, captivated by the unfolding spectacle.
But Shen Hao's eyes narrowed with sudden focus.
As the traveler passed beneath the final ring, a pulse of light swept over his neck.
For a split second, Shen Hao caught sight of a crimson mark.
It was long and curved, etched deeply into the traveler's skin as if burned in, not tattooed.
The shape was unsettling.
Familiar, but alien.
It resembled a centipede, but longer, bonier, and far more twisted, with triple the legs.
A symbol that made the skin crawl.
Lingfeng noticed too, whispering in disbelief, "…What in the actual creepy crawlers was that?"
Shen Hao frowned deeply. "I don't know. But I've never seen a centipede symbol that makes my skin itch just by looking at it."
Mo Han's voice lowered, serious and urgent. "Be silent. Do not draw attention. That mark… is not from this realm."
Shen Hao's gaze remained locked on the traveler. "Then where?"
Mo Han's reply was a quiet, "Later."
With a low rumble that seemed to shake the very stones beneath their feet, the Celestial Nexus Array opened fully.
A swirling spiral of light appeared at its core, spinning like a cosmic whirlpool, drawn from the depths of space and time itself.
The traveler stepped forward without hesitation, moving through the glowing gateway as if stepping through a familiar door.
His two escorts followed closely behind, disappearing one after the other into the portal's radiant depths.
The bright light gradually dimmed, the rings of the array slowing their rotation until they came to a gentle stop.
The chaotic weather settled.
The sky regained its calm, clear blue hue.
Around them, the crowd began to disperse slowly.
Groups of cultivators whispered in hushed tones, some shaking their heads in disbelief.
Others took to flight, disappearing silently into the skies above.
Shen Hao stood still, eyes fixed on the fading glow of the array.
Tevalk approached quietly, his expression softer now. "You alright?"
Shen Hao blinked, then smiled casually. "Yeah. Just a little weathered."
Tevalk chuckled. "You and me both. Anyway…" He raised his hand for a fist-to-fist salute. "Welcome to Hollow City. You're free to stay as long as you like. I need to get back to gate duty."
Shen Hao returned the salute. "Appreciate it. Take care."
Tevalk grinned. "And if you see any more rich guys using billion-credit portals, let me know. I'll bring popcorn."
With a small laugh, Tevalk vanished down the stone steps, leaving Shen Hao alone near the array.
The wind was still now.
The mountain stood quiet once more.
Below, the city waited.
A normal city.
Shops, streets, people, life.
Shen Hao muttered to himself, "…One hour. That's it. Just going to look around. Maybe buy something useful."
Mo Han's voice came firmly in his mind. "We do not have time for this."
Shen Hao smirked slightly. "We also didn't have time for that monster stampede. And yet, we made time."
Mo Han sighed. "Then disguise yourself."
Shen Hao was already moving toward a shadowed alleyway.
Reaching into his storage ring, he pulled out a sleek, smooth black-and-silver mask.
He slipped it on.
Lingfeng snickered nearby. "You know, one day people are going to ask why masked men keep saving the city right before dinner time."
Shen Hao smiled faintly. "Let them wonder."
He stepped back into the street,
blending seamlessly into the crowd below.