As the first rays of the rising sun awakened Lu Feng, they caressed his face with golden light. The radiance filtered through the emerald canopy above, casting dappled shadows upon his resting form.

  Descending from the treetop, where he had spent the night in contemplative solitude, Lu Feng strolled over to the stream, his footsteps quiet on the dewy grass. The gurgling water seemed to harmonize with his footsteps, creating a natural rhythm that welcomed the new day.

  The morning air carried the sweet fragrance of wild flowers and the earthy scent of moss, filling his lungs with each breath. Nearby, azure-winged butterflies danced above the stream's surface, their movements mirroring the flowing water beneath.

  Undressing before dipping into the refreshing water, Lu Feng took a moment to thoroughly examine his body, his eyes scanning his limbs and torso with a critical gaze, searching for imperfections or signs of weakness. A slight smile played on his lips as he thought to himself, 'No cause for disappointment down there.' The cool water enveloped him, soothing his muscles and calming his mind.

  "And I have a very good physique," he murmured, observing how the morning light gleamed off the taut muscles of his arms and chest. The currents of the stream moved around him, adapting to his presence.

  After a leisurely soak, Lu Feng grabbed a porous rock from the stream's bank and used it to scrub himself. The stone's natural abrasiveness removed the accumulated grime, leaving his skin tingling with renewed vitality. After thoroughly cleansing himself, Lu Feng grabbed a plush towel from his ring and began to pat himself dry, the luxurious fabric feeling soft against his skin.

  His gaze then fell upon the contents of the wardrobe, where a series of glass vials containing a rainbow of colored liquids intrigued him. Each vial seemed to capture a different essence of nature—crimson like sunset, azure like deep waters, amber like autumn leaves. Opening the first vial released a musky aroma, with hints of pine and mandarins. 'Perfume! And a good one too!' he thought, his eyes lighting up with appreciation.

  While he intended to explore the other vials, Lu Feng couldn't smell them, his nose having become desensitized, possibly due to the overly big whiff he had taken. 'Whatever, the first one's pretty good,' he thought, applying a small amount to his body.

  "A cultivator should present himself with dignity," he whispered to himself.

  Careful not to overdo it, he proceeded to choose a matching pair of white and grey robes from the seemingly endless combinations available, the fabric smooth and silky to the touch. The garments flowed like liquid silver in his hands, adorned with subtle patterns that shifted with each movement. While dressing, Lu Feng noticed the unusually large size of the space ring and the presence of an intricate array carved into the floor. The array's lines glowed with a faint, pulsating light, responding to his presence.

  Though not entirely familiar with the standards of storage items in this world, common sense suggested that creating a ring with such vast space would be a very difficult and costly task. The complexity of the array wasn't simple either, with interconnected formations that spiraled and overlapped in mysterious patterns.

  "Perhaps a formation to stabilize spiritual energy? Or maybe even a mechanism to alter the flow of time within this space?" he pondered, tracing the intricate patterns with his gaze. "Such craftsmanship speaks of a master's hand."

  Making a mental note to thoroughly explore the ring's secrets at a later time, he selected a pair of white shoes, donned them, and swiftly took off on his sword, flying toward the distant silhouette of the city at full speed. As he flew, the landscape unfolded before him, with the forest giving way to rolling hills and valleys, each painted in vibrant shades of green and gold.

  The sword hummed beneath his feet, responding to the subtle fluctuations of his spiritual energy as he guided it through the vast expanse of the morning sky. Clouds parted before him, their misty forms curling in his wake.

  Five hours later, when the obscuring barrier was just ahead of him, Lu Feng slowed down, his senses on high alert as he approached the unknown. The barrier shimmered in the distance like a veil of translucent silk, distorting the view beyond it. As he inched towards the barrier, he looked back in the direction he came from—a vast expanse of forest stretched as far as the eye could see, its undulating canopy swaying with the rhythm of an unseen breeze.

  Before crossing the barrier, Lu Feng circulated Spirit energy with all his might and sharpened his focus, sensing everything around him with his keen perception. He could feel the pulsating energy of the barrier, testing his resolve with each subtle fluctuation.

  "Whatever lies beyond, I am prepared," he whispered to himself, a mantra that had carried him through countless trials across multiple lifetimes.

  A bright light filled his vision, overwhelming him. Lu Feng felt strong resistance from the barrier, pushing him back. The pressure built around him, compressing his spiritual energy and threatening to halt his advance entirely. But he soon overpowered the resistance, his Spirit energy surging forward like a river breaking through a dam. A moment later, the pressure on him disappeared, and he came to a halt, hovering in the air.

  After a few moments, Lu Feng's vision recovered, revealing a large sprawling city ahead. The metropolis gleamed in the distance, its architecture a blend of grandeur and elegance, with towering spires and expansive courtyards. Scanning the area, Lu Feng spotted a river some distance from the city, with rice fields lining the riverbank, and small villages and towns scattered between.

  "Finally! Civilization, here I come," Lu Feng exclaimed, his heart filled with excitement and anticipation. The prospect of interaction, information, and advancement all beckoned to him.

  When he glanced back, he was taken aback. The barrier he had crossed just moments ago had vanished. Where once stood a shimmering veil of energy now existed only uninterrupted space, as if the barrier had been a mere illusion. The vast expanse of the forest, the stream running through it and merging into the river—all were still present, but the barrier was nowhere to be seen.

  As Lu Feng pondered this mystery, another surprise greeted him. The density of spiritual energy outside the barrier was nearly three times higher than within. Each breath he took filled him with a rush of spiritual energy. The air seemed charged with power that tingled against his skin and resonated with his core.

  "Curious," he murmured, his brow furrowed in contemplation. "A place that conceals its boundaries and diminishes spiritual energy within... What is its purpose? Protection? Isolation? Or perhaps imprisonment?"

  Although tempted to investigate the barrier by returning, he hesitated, unsure if he was powerful enough to handle any unexpected occurrences that might trap him inside. 'Whatever, I'm out... I should head to the city,' he decided, and resumed his course, the city's towering walls and manned entry gate looming larger with each passing moment.

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  After half an hour of flight, covering seven miles, Lu Feng approached the city. The towering walls, constructed of massive stone blocks that gleamed with embedded formations, rose majestically before him, their surfaces etched with ancient symbols of protection and prosperity. The manned entry gate loomed into view, its massive wooden doors reinforced with strips of mysterious metal that pulsed with contained power. Guards in ornate armor patrolled the battlements, their vigilant gazes scanning the horizon.

  Deciding against flying over, a decision born of respect for local customs rather than necessity, he descended to the ground, stowing his sword back into his ring with a fluid gesture. As he walked toward the gate, Lu Feng observed several cultivators descending from the sky and joining the procession toward the city entrance. Their robes billowed in the gentle breeze, a kaleidoscope of colors representing countless sects and factions.

  The road leading to the gate was well-maintained, its surface smooth and free of debris. Merchants with heavily laden carts trudged alongside pilgrims seeking enlightenment, while messenger birds occasionally darted overhead, carrying missives to unknown destinations.

  Approaching the gate, he noticed a large golden plaque hanging prominently. "Brightmoon City, Gate 4," it read, the words shining in the sunlight, each character masterfully crafted. The gate featured two separate entrances: one bustling with carts laden with vegetables, chickens, and various goods, likely for mortals and merchant caravans. The other entrance, less crowded but no less imposing, seemed reserved for cultivators and officials of importance.

  Joining the sparse line for cultivators, Lu Feng patiently waited his turn, observing the interactions between the guards and those seeking entry. Some were greeted with deference, others with suspicion, the treatment seemingly dependent on some hierarchy invisible to the untrained eye.

  "The subtle politics of power," Lu Feng mused to himself, "always present, regardless of the realm."

  Ten minutes later, it was finally Lu Feng's turn. The guard, a burly man with a scar that ran from his left temple to his chin, scrutinized him briefly, his eyes narrowing as they assessed Lu Feng's cultivation level. Confirming that he was indeed a cultivator, the guard's demeanor shifted slightly, becoming marginally more respectful as he presented Lu Feng with a price list for various city tokens.

  The parchment, yellowed with age but immaculately preserved, listed four options:

  Visitor Token - 500 Spirit Stones - 1 Visit.

  Resident Token - 10 Spirit Crystals - 6 Months.

  Citizen Token - 1000 Spirit Crystals - 10 Years.

  Brightmoon Token - 5000 Spirit Crystals - Indefinite.

  Each option was accompanied by a small illustration—a simple design for the Visitor Token, progressively more elaborate patterns for the higher tiers, culminating in the intricate moon-and-stars motif of the Brightmoon Token.

  Glancing at the guard, Lu Feng inquired, "What's the difference?" His voice carried no arrogance, merely curiosity.

  The guard chuckled, his serious demeanor cracking slightly. "If you're just visiting, the visitor token will suffice. It's valid for a single visit or two weeks, whichever ends earlier. With it, you can stay at any inn or hotel, but you can't rent or buy property." He gestured to the first line on the parchment.

  "A resident token allows you to rent property and set up a stall in the markets," he continued, his voice adopting a practiced cadence. "The citizen token is long-term, allowing you to buy property or establish a permanent business, with the option to renew after the decade has passed."

  The guard's eyes gleamed with a hint of reverence as he pointed to the final option. "The Brightmoon token is a permanent citizen token, granting you the ability to buy, rent, or lease property, and start a business of any size or scale. Immediate family members are covered, but additional members require registration for an extra cost."

  Lu Feng nodded thoughtfully, weighing his options.

  The guard glanced around to ensure no one was nearby and gestured for Lu Feng to come closer. The man's breath carried the faint scent of rice wine as he leaned in, his voice dropping to a near-whisper. With a smirk that transformed his scarred face, the guard continued, "You're a handsome young man. If you find yourself a fancy miss from the big clans and have babies, they'll be Brightmoon citizens by birth, and you'll be granted a Brightmoon token too..."

  Lu Feng looked at the guard with an incredulous expression, momentarily speechless at the unexpected suggestion. The guard responded with an exaggerated wink and threw a thumbs-up sign.

  'So that's how some manage to circumvent the costs,' Lu Feng thought, filing away this nugget of information for future reference.

  Chuckling at the guard's candor, Lu Feng requested the Brightmoon token, his decision made with confidence. The guard's eyes widened momentarily, surprise evident in his weathered features as he gave Lu Feng a once-over.

  The luxurious robes that draped Lu Feng's form, the elaborately embellished ring that adorned his finger, and the heavenly fragrance wafting from the youth told him this young man was definitely not poor—perhaps even the scion of some powerful clan or sect .

  With a nod, the guard presented a jade box. The container, crafted from pure white jade with gold inlays forming complex patterns along its surface, seemed to emit a subtle glow of its own.

  "Please deposit the money here," he said.

  As soon as Lu Feng drew 5000 spirit crystals from his ring—a fortune that would make even an elder of a small sect weep—they were immediately swallowed up by the jade box, which began to glow with increasing intensity. The crystals dissolved into pure energy, absorbed by the box's internal formations.

  With a nod of satisfaction, the guard asked for further details. "Name and Cultivation?" The question was simple, yet laden with significance, for in this world, one's name and power defined their place in the grand hierarchy of existence.

  Lu Feng replied with measured confidence, "Lu Feng, Origin Level Cultivation."

  The guard nodded approvingly. "Very impressive, young man. You're pretty gifted. Continue to work hard." There was genuine admiration in his voice, perhaps even a tinge of envy for the youth's obvious talent.

  After registering Lu Feng's details in a ledger bound in dragon-scale leather, the guard handed over a white porcelain token. The round token was pure white with golden letters on the face reading 'Brightmoon', each character seemingly floating just beneath the surface. On the other side, in red letters that appeared to shimmer, the name 'Lu Feng' was spelled out.

  As Lu Feng was about to walk into the city, his mind already racing with plans and possibilities, the guard called out to him. "Cultivators with a citizen token and above can fly within the city. They can also fly in and out of the city without stopping at the gate. The token serves as both identification and permission."

  Lu Feng acknowledged the advice with a grateful smile. With a practiced motion, he drew his sword from the ring, its blade catching the sunlight, and took off on it. The sword's ascent was graceful yet powerful, a testament to both the quality of the weapon and the skill of its wielder.

  The guard sighed as he watched Lu Feng's diminishing figure, a mixture of resignation and admiration in his weathered features. "Ah, these young heroes... Well, I guess it's past our time." His words carried the weight of countless years of witnessing the rise of new talents while his own path had plateaued.

  Another guard arrived at the gate, his uniform markings indicating a junior rank. "What are you talking about, Captain? If even people like you with Empyrean cultivation say such things, what about the rest of us?" The junior guard's voice held respect, yet there was genuine confusion in his question.

  Looking around to ensure there wasn't any trouble, the newly arrived guard cautiously asked, "And why are you manning the gate, Captain? Are we expecting any trouble?" His question revealed the unusual nature of finding a cultivator of Empyrean level—a realm far beyond the reach of most—performing such a mundane task.

  The captain replied with a casual wave of his hand, dismissing the concern. "No need for caution, I was just bored. I met some interesting people today..." A knowing smile played across his scarred face, suggesting there was more to his presence than mere boredom. "Alright, I'm going back..."

  With those cryptic words, the captain turned and walked away, leaving his subordinate to ponder the significance of his actions and the identity of the "interesting people" who had caught the attention of an Empyrean cultivator. In the distance, Lu Feng's flying sword continued its journey deeper into Brightmoon City.