Among all the people present...
Luo Qiki was the only one whose reaction was different.
The moment the golden door appeared...
Her body suddenly felt strange.
At first, she thought it was just because of the powerful pressure released by the ancient door.
But soon...
She realized something was wrong.
A warm yet mysterious energy was flowing inside her body.
It was not attacking her.
Instead...
It felt as if it was responding to something in the distance.
A familiar feeling.
A connection.
Luo Qiki's expression slowly became serious.
"What is happening?"
She had never experienced such a feeling before.
She had never seen this door.
She had never heard about Yin-Yang City.
Then why...
Why was her body reacting to it?
At that moment—
A familiar voice suddenly appeared in her mind.
"Host..."
Luo Qiki's eyes slightly changed.
"Situ Yi?"
The system remained silent for a moment.
Then it answered.
"Yes, Host."
"Do you feel it?"
Luo Qiki frowned.
"Feel what?"
"The energy coming from that ancient door."
"It is resonating with the Yin-Yang energy inside your body."
Hearing this, Luo Qiki became even more confused.
"Yin-Yang energy?"
"Since when do I have such power?"
Situ Yi did not immediately answer.
After a few seconds, his voice sounded again.
"Host, your current understanding of your own power is still incomplete."
"Some things cannot be explained before the right time arrives."
Luo Qiki narrowed her eyes.
"You mean you know something about this door?"
There was a brief silence.
Then—
"I can only confirm one thing."
"The appearance of this door is not a coincidence."
"And the connection between you and this place started long before today."
Luo Qiki's heart trembled slightly.
"Long before today?"
She looked toward the golden door.
For the first time...
She felt that the world she thought she understood was much deeper than she imagined.
But before she could ask more...
Situ Yi's voice disappeared.
"Host, information about the Ancient Yin-Yang City is currently insufficient."
"Further investigation is required."
Luo Qiki silently looked at the golden door.
She did not know what secret was hidden behind it.
But she knew one thing...
This ancient city...
Was somehow connected to her .
Deep within the Imperial Palace of the Tian Wu Empire, there was a cultivation hall that no ordinary person was qualified to enter.
The hall was surrounded by countless ancient spirit formations, isolating it from the outside world. Rich spiritual qi flowed through the air like mist, making the entire place resemble an immortal's sanctuary.
At the center of the hall floated an enormous Spirit Lotus.
Its crystal-like petals slowly opened and closed, continuously gathering the purest spiritual qi from heaven and earth.
Seated cross-legged above the lotus was a young man dressed in black robes embroidered with golden dragons.
Jun Linyuan.
The Crown Prince of the Tian Wu Empire.
His eyes were tightly closed as streams of spiritual qi continuously entered his body. Every breath he took caused the Spirit Lotus beneath him to emit a soft golden glow before returning to its tranquil state.
His expression remained indifferent.
He looked less like a twenty-year-old prince and more like an immortal who had remained detached from worldly affairs for countless years.
Outside the cultivation hall...
Everything was just as peaceful.
Rows of Imperial Guards stood silently on both sides of the corridor, their expressions solemn and their bodies completely motionless.
No one dared to disturb the Crown Prince during cultivation.
Even the slightest mistake could cost them their lives.
At that moment—
A golden Communication Talisman hanging from the waist of the Shadow Guard Captain suddenly burst into brilliant light.
The captain's eyes narrowed immediately.
Without hesitation, he activated the talisman.
A hurried voice echoed from within.
"Urgent report!"
"Lan Mao City has encountered an unprecedented phenomenon!"
"An Ancient Golden Door has appeared above the city!"
"According to the Jiang Family, the aura released by the gate contains an ancient qi that has never appeared in this era."
"The entire city has already fallen into chaos."
As the report ended, the talisman's golden light gradually faded.
The Shadow Guard Captain remained standing in place for a brief second.
His usually calm expression had become unusually serious.
During his years serving the Imperial Family, he had handled countless urgent reports.
But never...
Had he heard the words—
"Ancient Golden Door."
Without delaying any longer, he immediately walked toward the cultivation hall.
The corridor remained as silent as ever.
Only the sound of his steady footsteps echoed faintly before disappearing into the quiet surroundings.
Stopping before the massive ancient doors, he respectfully knelt on one knee.
Just as he was about to announce himself—
A calm voice came from inside the hall.
"Come in."
The Shadow Guard's pupils contracted slightly.
He had not spoken a single word.
Yet the Crown Prince had already sensed his arrival.
Suppressing the surprise in his heart, he slowly pushed open the doors and entered.
Inside...
Jun Linyuan slowly opened his eyes.
Those deep, emotionless eyes quietly rested on the Shadow Guard.
"What happened?"
The Shadow Guard immediately lowered his head.
"Your Highness."
"An Ancient Golden Door has descended above Lan Mao City."
"The Jiang Family has already sealed the surrounding area, but news has begun spreading throughout the continent through Communication Talismans."
"Several major clans have already begun gathering their forces."
"The Imperial Intelligence Department believes this incident may be related to a forgotten civilization from the Ancient Era."
For the first time...
A faint ripple appeared in Jun Linyuan's otherwise calm eyes.
"Ancient Era..."
He repeated the words softly.
Then he slowly stood up from the Spirit Lotus.
His black robes fluttered gently as an invisible pressure spread throughout the cultivation hall.
After a moment of silence, he spoke calmly,
"Send my order."
"Summon Feng Xun, Qin Huang, and Yun Chen."
"Prepare the Imperial Spirit Airship."
"We leave for Lan Mao City immediately."
"Yes, Your Highness."
The Shadow Guard bowed deeply before disappearing like a shadow.
Jun Linyuan walked to the edge of the hall and looked toward the distant horizon.
His expression remained calm.
But somewhere deep within his heart...
He felt that this journey would change far more than just the fate of Lan Mao City. It might become the beginning of a new era for the entire cultivation world .