Chapter 702: Entering the City!

Zheng Yuanshen watched the astonished expressions on everyone's faces, and the smile at the corner of his mouth deepened a bit.

A beam of Golden Light shot from his palm, striking straight at the center of the tightly shut door.

The moment the Golden Light hit the jade-like door surface, the whole door emitted a low hum, like a massive bell being struck deep in the riverbed.

The patterns on the door lit up one by one, spreading from the edge of the frame toward the center, and strands of golden Light Thread crawled along the carved lines as if they had come to life.

The radiance grew stronger and brighter, and the entire door seemed ignited, bursting into a dazzling golden glare that illuminated the cracked fissure on the river surface with crystal clarity.

Then the door opened.

No sound, no roar; the two massive doors, heavy enough to make any mortal look up in awe, opened silently inward, revealing a swath of white, hazy light behind them.

The light was not blinding, but it carried a profound depth that instinctively made people want to retreat, like a bottomless well whose rim was covered with a thin film of light, beneath which lay endless void.

A vast suction surged out from within the door.

The suction was not violent, flowing slowly yet inexorably like the rising tide in spring, spreading toward the riverbank and enveloping everyone.

The crowd on the bank, originally scattered, was cloaked in Golden Light; a thin golden aura floated on each person's skin, like a transparent film wrapping them from head to toe.

Zheng Yuanshen stood on the bank, watching the panicked faces, and his hoarse voice sounded steady and unhurried.

"Everyone need not worry; this is a boundary gate and will cause no harm to you."

His voice, wrapped in Golden Light, carried out as if imbued with a soothing power; those who had tried to break free slowed their movements, some inhaled deeply, others simply closed their eyes, allowing the suction to carry them drifting toward the gate.

Jiang Feng stood in place, offering no resistance.

He felt the Golden Light glide over his skin surface like flowing water, leaving a faint warm touch, and then the ground beneath his feet suddenly vanished.

He seemed to step into empty air for an instant before something caught him; the surroundings whirled rapidly—Golden Light, white mist, flowing shadows tangled together—giving a dizzying sensation that lasted three or four breaths, after which solid ground returned beneath his feet.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself standing on a completely unfamiliar ground.

In the distance, the mountain range's outlines were sharp, each peak capped with a thin veil of cloud, and sunlight from the side gilded the edges of the mountains in a pale gold.

The scent in the air had changed.

Jiang Feng took a slight breath, his brows twitching.

Here, the Spiritual Energy was at least thirty percent denser than Outside.

"My heavens…"

From beside him came Long Bad Dao's voice, filled with an exclamation that could no longer be held back after seeing the world.

He stood a few steps away from Jiang Feng's side, tilting his head back to stare into the distance, mouth open, his chin nearly touching his chest.

"Old Jiang, look over there!"

He stretched his hand forward, pointing; in that direction rose a massive city.

Towering buildings stretched into the clouds, spreading along the terrain; the city walls were built from massive blocks of bluish-white stone, heavy and imposing, with flags planted at regular intervals, fluttering in the wind.

At the very center of the city, the tallest tower bore a huge plaque engraved in gilt characters that read Zheng Tiancheng.

By now Long Bad Dao had recovered from his initial shock, hurried over to Jiang Feng's side, lowered his voice, and spoke rapidly.

"Jiang Ge, it looks like this is Zheng Tiancheng, where the Zheng Family resides. Before I left, I skimmed through old family records that say the Yunding Secret Realm is a gigantic Micro World, with the Three Great Families each claiming a piece of land to build their cities; Zheng Tiancheng is the Zheng Family's territory."

After speaking, he peeked again at the city's outline in the distance, clicking his tongue.

"This place is truly vast."

Jiang Feng did not respond. He gently closed his eyes, and a stream of Spiritual Power radiated from his brow, like an invisible net spreading toward Zheng Tiancheng, attempting to envelop the entire city.

Yet as his Spiritual Power just touched a certain area above the city wall, a hard, silent force rebounded from the city's center, like a copper-and-iron wall blocking his Spiritual Power outside.

That force bore no aggression but a clear, undeniable repulsion, as if a disturbed giant beast, turning over in its sleep, glanced at the intruder through a slit beneath its eyelid.

Jiang Feng withdrew his Spiritual Power and opened his eyes.

He silently calculated in his mind.

Whoever could block his Spiritual Power so cleanly must be at least of Martial Ancestor Level, and perhaps not just one.

The Zheng Family has cultivated within this Secret Realm for millennia, amassing a depth that is truly unfathomable; a Half-step Martial Ancestor is already a top-tier expert outside, but within Zheng Tiancheng the truly hidden treasures lie even deeper.

Zheng Yuanshen stood before the crowd, pointing toward the towering city gate, his face bearing the warm smile of a host.

"All of you who have traveled from afar, thank you for your hardships. Please follow this old man into the city; the Zheng Family has prepared fine wine and food to entertain you."

As he spoke, his gaze swept the crowd, pausing briefly at Jiang Feng; his smile remained, but something deep in his eyes flickered briefly before settling, indistinct.

The crowd on the bank began moving toward Zheng Tiancheng.

Duan Si Ya let out a cold snort as he passed Jiang Feng and Long Bad Dao, raising his chin high, not even glancing this way, his robe stirring a gust of wind.

Long Bad Dao, behind him, rolled his eyes at Duan Si Ya's back, made a grimace, and muttered something silently.

Jiang Feng ignored them, stepping forward with the flow toward the city gate.

The city gate stood open, with two rows of armored guards at the entrance, backs straight, eyes level, like a line of wooden stakes nailed in place, unmoving.

Those entering the city passed between them, instinctively lightening their steps, even lowering their voices a few notches.

Jiang Feng walked amid the crowd, his gaze casually scanning the buildings and streets on either side, his steps neither hurried nor slow.

Then he stopped.

His steps hesitated, and he did not continue forward.

A sharp, icy gaze shot from a direction ahead and to the side of the street, unshielded and openly hostile, like a sword already drawn, its tip hovering just above his nape—any further step forward would be pierced.

The owner of that gaze did not hide.

Jiang Feng turned his head following that line of sight, his eyes passing the sparse pedestrians, landing on a tea house's second‑floor window table.

There stood a person in a blue long robe, face stern, with a chill that seemed almost frozen between the brows.

"Jiang Feng, you really dare to come!"