You Don't Want to Stay Here for the Rest of Your Life Either, Do You?

The carriage slowly traveled through the streets of Spirit City, its wheels rolling over smooth white jade paving stones with a faint, steady sound. Wang Dong'er lowered the window curtain, but her gaze remained fixed on the ever-changing scenery outside, the shock in her heart lingering for a long time.

So this was Spirit City from Ten Thousand Years Ago?

On both sides of the street stood rows upon rows of buildings, all constructed from pristine white stone. With soaring eaves, ornate beams, and painted rafters, everything exuded a grand and majestic air. In the open spaces between the buildings stood statues of all kinds—some Soul Masters wielding longswords, others mighty and imposing Soul Beasts. Each was lifelike, as though it might come alive the very next second.

What amazed Wang Dong'er most were the pedestrians coming and going along the streets.

There was none of the usual hurried bustle of ordinary folk, nor the cries of hawkers peddling their wares. Everywhere she looked, every passerby radiated Soul Power Fluctuations, whether strong or weak.

Every now and then, laughing children ran past. Even their tiny bodies contained power not to be underestimated—clearly, here, even children had long completed their martial soul awakenings and set foot on the path of Soul Masters.

"They're all Soul Masters..." Wang Dong'er murmured, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief.

She had been born into the Clear Sky Sect and was the young sect master of the Clear Sky Sect of Ten Thousand Years Later. She had seen countless Soul Masters, yet she had never seen a city where the density of Soul Masters reached such an extent. Here, Soul Masters were not a privilege reserved for a select few, but the norm, as though the city itself had been born for Soul Masters.

Perhaps only Shrek City, standing at the pinnacle of the Soul Master World, could be mentioned in the same breath as the Spirit City before her.

No wonder the ancient texts said that Spirit City had been the Holy Land in the hearts of all Soul Masters Ten Thousand Years Ago. This pure atmosphere of Soul Masters alone was enough to make any Soul Master yearn for it.

The carriage turned a corner, and an enormous plaza appeared ahead. At its center stood a towering stone monument that seemed to reach the clouds, densely carved with names. Beside every name were the corresponding Soul Power Level and martial soul. Many Soul Masters stood around the monument, pausing to look at it, occasionally breaking into admiration or discussion.

"What's that?"

Looking at the monument outside, Wang Dong'er asked curiously.

"I don't know."

Lu Jing, who sat opposite her, suddenly spoke. Following Wang Dong'er's gaze, he noticed that it seemed to record something. His eyes narrowed as he swept it with his spiritual power.

"It seems to be a Glory Monument!" Li Qing answered.

"A Glory Monument? What's that supposed to be?" Wang Dong'er immediately grew interested upon hearing the name and swept it with her spiritual power as well.

"If I'm not mistaken, once a Soul Master's cultivation reaches Rank 70 or above, their name is engraved on it for passing Soul Masters to admire, regardless of where they come from or whether they belong to Spirit Hall," Lu Jing explained. He had seen several familiar names on it, such as the three chief students of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Wang Dong'er nodded in realization, her understanding of Spirit Hall deepening once more. With such breadth of vision, it was no wonder it had become the continent's number one power Ten Thousand Years Ago.

But... such a glorious era had ultimately still been destroyed.

At that thought, Wang Dong'er could not help but sigh softly. The History Books of Ten Thousand Years Later contained very few records of Spirit Hall, most of them merely fragments of its conflict with Ancestor Tang San, written in a tone full of condemnation. Yet now that she had seen it with her own eyes, she realized that behind that simplified history had once stood such a dazzling civilization.

If not for that unexpected spatial turbulence, she would likely never have had the chance to witness all this herself.

"Since we're already here, don't think about it too much."

Lu Jing's voice sounded again, carrying gentle consolation. "What matters most right now is improving our strength. Only by becoming strong enough can we gain a foothold in this era and have a chance of finding a way back."

Wang Dong'er withdrew her gaze, turned her head, and looked at the child before her.

Lu Jing's face carried a calmness that did not match his age, his eyes clear and resolute. Over this period, the two of them had experienced the spatial turbulence together and arrived in this unfamiliar era together. They could be considered comrades who had shared hardship.

She blinked, her long eyelashes trembling gently, then nodded. "You're right."

Complaints and sentimentality were meaningless. If she wanted to return to her own era, she could only rely on herself.

Seeing how serious she was, Lu Jing inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. Still, to be safe and prepare for any eventuality, he felt he needed to make things clear in advance. "Besides, we're in the same boat now. We have to help each other. This era is far more complicated than we imagined. Spirit Hall, the Two Great Empires, and those hidden sects—danger is lurking everywhere. If we start fighting among ourselves, pulling something like attacking each other from behind, then we'll probably fall in this era before we even find a way back."

He paused and looked earnestly at Wang Dong'er. "You don't want to be trapped here for the rest of your life either, do you?"

Wang Dong'er's heart stirred.

She truly did not want that. Ten Thousand Years Later, she had her family, her companions, and everything familiar to her. No matter how prosperous this place was, it was not where she belonged.

"I understand."

Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Dong'er nodded seriously and agreed. "No matter what grievances we had before, we'll put them aside for now. The most important thing is joining hands to deal with the situation in front of us."

Although she and Lu Jing had not been close before, and had even shared a delicate enmity before arriving in this era—after all, she was a new student at Shrek Academy, while those pursuing Lu Jing had been from Shrek Academy.

But at this moment, in this unfamiliar world of Ten Thousand Years Ago, they truly were each other's only support.

Lu Jing smiled, relief shining in his eyes. "Good. It's a deal."

The carriage continued onward, passing through the bustling streets toward the Core Area of Spirit City. The scenery outside remained magnificent, figures of Soul Masters flashing past one after another, while the air was thick with Soul Power.

Wang Dong'er leaned against the carriage window and watched the sunlight that belonged to Ten Thousand Years Ago. The confusion in her heart was gradually replaced by determination.

No matter what she encountered in the future, she had to survive, grow stronger, and find a way home.

Whether it was Spirit Hall's glory or its destruction had nothing to do with her. She was merely a passerby who had stumbled into this place. Her goal had always been that home Ten Thousand Years Later.

The carriage finally stopped before a magnificent palace. The Coachman's voice sounded from outside. "You two, we've arrived."

Wang Dong'er took a deep breath and exchanged a glance with Lu Jing. A trace of determination flashed through both their eyes.

A new life had begun.