Han Feng and Wang Hao held their breath and slowly moved backward. The glowing moss beneath their feet silently extinguished and relit itself, as rhythmically as breathing.
"Slowly retreat..." Han Feng said in a breathy voice, his fingers forming a seal in front of his chest, and the power of the stars formed a thin barrier to cover their auras.
Wang Hao nodded, carefully avoiding a clump of wriggling vines. Just as they retreated about a hundred meters, Wang Hao accidentally broke a dry branch—which then made a crisp, bell-like sound!
"Oh no!" Han Feng's expression changed.
The men in silver uniforms beside the device turned their heads simultaneously, the leader's eyes flashing blue: "Intruders! Chase them!"
Seven or eight silver figures darted out like cheetahs, their speed creating a deafening sonic boom. The glowing creatures in the forest were startled and scattered in all directions.
"Run!" Han Feng pulled Wang Hao up, channeling the power of the stars into their legs, "Southwest!"
The two shot into the dense forest like arrows released from a bow. The pursuers behind them were close behind, and the leader raised his hand and shot out an energy chain, freezing the trees wherever it passed.
"Late stage of the Great Dao Realm!" Han Feng sensed the opponent's energy level and his heart sank. Although he could easily handle it, Wang Hao beside him only had the strength of the early stage of the Great Dao Realm.
Wang Hao suddenly stumbled—the ground suddenly softened like a swamp, and countless glowing tentacles wrapped around his ankles.
"Damn it! A trap!" Han Feng slashed out with his star blade, severing the tentacles while also revealing the special fluctuations of star power.
The pursuer's leader's eyes lit up: "Capture them alive!"
More energy chains shot forth, weaving into a vast net. Han Feng had to continuously use the power of the stars to dodge, and his speed noticeably slowed down.
"Brother Feng! To the left!" Wang Hao suddenly shouted.
The trees on the left were relatively sparse, and the outline of a city could be vaguely seen in the distance. Han Feng immediately turned: "Towards the city!"
This decision caused the pursuers to hesitate for a moment. One of the soldiers shouted to their leader, "Captain! They're heading towards Rota City!"
The leader sneered: "Keep chasing! Once they reach the city lord's territory, they'll have no chance of escape!"
Hearing this conversation, alarm bells rang in Han Feng's mind. But he had no choice at the moment; the pursuers behind him were getting closer and closer, and the energy chains almost grazed his back.
"Hold on tight!" Han Feng suddenly grabbed Wang Hao's collar, his body radiating starlight. "Star Leap!"
The two instantly transformed into streaks of light, covering a distance of hundreds of meters in a flash. This spatial jump astonished the pursuers.
"Spatial abilities at the Origin Realm level?!" A hint of surprise flashed in the leader's eyes. "We must capture them!"
The chase escalated. The silver-uniformed soldiers activated some kind of device, their speed suddenly increasing by 30%. The forest blurred into a blur of color as they moved at high speed, only the outline of the city ahead became increasingly clear.
Han Feng felt the power of the stars within his body rapidly depleting. Although the Star Leap he had just used had created distance, it had also exacerbated his already weakened state.
"Look over there!" Wang Hao suddenly pointed in the direction of the city.
Several figures rose into the sky above the city, clearly having noticed the commotion. One of them possessed an exceptionally powerful aura, causing people to feel uneasy even from several kilometers away.
"Also a powerhouse at the Origin Realm..." Han Feng gritted his teeth, "Prepare to force our way in!"
The leader of the pursuers seemed to sense their intentions and suddenly accelerated forward: "Stop them!"
An energy barrier spanning hundreds of meters instantly rose, blocking the path to the city. Han Feng's pupils contracted—this was a large-scale blockade that only a cultivator at the Origin Realm could unleash!
They were attacked from both sides, and powerful figures were closing in from above. Han Feng and Wang Hao stood back to back.
At this critical moment, a long horn suddenly sounded from the direction of the city. All the silver-uniformed soldiers froze in their movements, and even the energy barrier trembled.
"Lord's order!" The leader's expression changed slightly. "All units cease attack!"
Han Feng and Wang Hao stood frozen in place, watching the pursuers quickly retreat and form ranks. The strongest aura was rapidly approaching from above, carrying a suffocating pressure.
A booming voice resounded throughout the land: "Guests from afar, Rota City welcomes all who abide by the rules."
As the light faded, an elderly man dressed in an elaborate robe floated in mid-air, his scepter inlaid with multifaceted crystals similar to those in the device.
His gaze fell on Han Feng, a meaningful smile appearing on his face: "Especially... the one favored by the stars."
Han Feng was shocked – the other party had actually seen through his original energy at a glance!
Wang Hao subtly touched the back of his hand, his eyes asking for an answer. Han Feng took a deep breath and stepped forward: "We meant no offense; we just happened to be here."
The old man tapped his staff lightly, and the energy barrier dissipated like ripples on water: "It is all fate's arrangement. Please follow me."
As he turned, the old man seemingly casually glanced at the men in silver uniforms: "Patrol, return to your posts. No records of today's events."
The leader bowed respectfully and led his team away quickly. Han Feng noticed that the leader secretly glanced at him before leaving, his eyes full of surprise and uncertainty.
On the way to the city, the old man introduced himself as Maurice, the high priest of Rota City. He chatted casually, but every word he uttered was laced with wit.
"When two moons shine together, the celestial orbits undergo wondrous changes," Morris said, gazing at the sky. "It is said that those destined to see them can foresee the future."
Morris's words were like a riddle, and Han Feng frowned slightly but did not press further. This high priest possessed an unfathomable aura, and beneath his seemingly amiable exterior lay a vast, ocean-like power.
As Han Feng passed through the energy barrier enveloping the city, he felt a slight tremor in his Star Mirror, as if responding to some kind of call. Wang Hao's mouth dropped open—the scene inside the barrier was completely different from the outside world: floating islands surrounded the central tower, streamlined vehicles drove on the streets, pedestrians were dressed in gorgeous clothes, and occasionally one could see alien races with wings or scales.
"Welcome to Rota City." Morris tapped his scepter lightly, and a staircase of light rose beneath the three of them, carrying them towards the tallest silver spire in the center. "The city lord has been waiting for a long time."
The doors to the palace at the top of the tower opened silently. The interior space was far more vast than what was visible from the outside, and the dome projected a vast star map, among which several stars shone exceptionally bright—Han Feng recognized that it was the star system where Earth was located.
At the far end of the palace, a figure stood with his back to the gate, gazing up at the star map. The mere sight of him exuded a suffocating pressure, causing Wang Hao's legs to buckle and he nearly collapsed to his knees. Han Feng secretly channeled a wisp of stellar power into him, stabilizing him.
"Lord City Lord," Morris bowed respectfully. "We've brought our distinguished guest."
"Hmm." The figure moved slightly, and the star map rotated accordingly. "Step back."
Morris respectfully stepped back and disappeared outside the portal. As the portal closed, the figure slowly turned around.
The man approached step by step, his aura as powerful as a mountain pressing down upon him. Han Feng used all his stellar power to resist and protect Wang Hao, who was on the verge of fainting.
Just three meters away, the man suddenly stopped. His burning gaze lingered on Han Feng for a moment, then he did something that left the two of them speechless—
He knelt on one knee, his right hand resting on the badge on his chest, his head bowed: "Lord Star Lord, Rota has been waiting for you for a long time."
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