The family chatted together, enjoying a warm and happy time.
"Father, I think you should move to Lintian City."
Han Xuanji offered his suggestion, then explained:
"The Devil Cultivators from Northern Nether Province have begun invading Great Xia. Times are dangerous. If any Devil Cultivators pass through and start fighting, you could get caught up in it."
Lintian City was located closer to the Divine Profound Sect and was a renowned immortal city in Yong Province. A great many cultivators had gathered there, so it was naturally safer.
Nearly all its residents were cultivators and their families.
"Since even Xuanji says so, we really should consider seeking the main family's protection."
Han Yaotian nodded, his expression turning serious.
He had heard some rumors himself. Some of the city's major clans had already begun to move away. Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix, but sometimes safety was the most important thing.
"The Han Household?"
Only then did Han Xuanji learn that the Han Household was in Lintian City.
He had originally planned to ask Zhang Xiuyuan to make arrangements and had even intended to invent an identity for himself. He had not expected this connection.
Seeing how excited Han Yaotian was, Han Xuanji understood how he felt.
Returning to the main family was probably a wish shared by those in the branch families. It would bring honor to their ancestors.
Han Xuanji said there was no time to lose and that they could leave that very night.
The others now looked to Han Xuanji as their pillar of support, so naturally, they had no objections.
Father Han was quite decisive as well. He dismissed a large number of the household staff and gave them generous compensation, in recognition of their time together as master and servants.
Many servants wanted to follow them, but they were all turned down.
After all, they were going to seek refuge with the main family. It would hardly be proper to bring servants along.
That night.
Father and Mother Han packed their belongings, and the family gathered around Han Xuanji.
With everyone watching, Han Xuanji took out an emerald-green leaf. It was crystal clear, as though carved from a piece of fine green crystal.
"This is a flying Law Artifact commonly used by cultivators. With it, we'll reach Lintian City in no time."
Han Xuanji introduced it with a smile.
"How can something so small take us there?"
Han Wanrou asked in confusion.
Hearing this, Han Xuanji flicked his hand and tossed the green leaf into the sky. In an instant, it transformed into a uniquely shaped flying boat.
The flying boat had plenty of room inside, enough to carry more than a dozen people. There was naturally more than enough space for the four of them.
Seeing the exquisite decorations inside,
Han Wanrou could not help exclaiming:
"Wow, that's amazing!"
"Brother, this flying boat must have cost a lot, right?"
Han Xuanji chuckled.
"It's nothing special. Truly powerful cultivators travel in much grander style, in treasure ships with carved towers that can carry thousands of people."
Han Wanrou nodded thoughtfully.
In fact, the flying boat looked unremarkable, but it was a genuine fourth-tier flying boat.
Its defense and speed were both first-rate, and its interior was extremely comfortable. Sitting inside was far more pleasant than traveling under one's own power.
Han Xuanji activated it with a strand of spiritual power and set the coordinates. The flying boat carried them into the clouds and sped through the air.
Time slowly passed.
The next day arrived.
Han Xuanji could see spiritual light spilling into the distance, with the illusory forms of enormous beasts circling overhead.
Such a phenomenon meant that the place was home to many cultivation forces, a union of favorable terrain and the fortune of its people.
A place like this most likely has a site with Dao resonance too.
Han Xuanji thought.
But he did not particularly want to waste a precious check-in opportunity on a place like this.
Outside the city.
Countless flying boats and treasure ships lined the sky, their colors dazzling, making Han Xuanji's little flying boat look quite inconspicuous.
The roads on the ground were also extremely wide and divided into lanes. On the widest road, he could see a form of transportation distinctive to the cultivation world-Demon Beast mounts.
Enormous Demon Beasts walked along the road, carrying cultivators on their backs.
They were more imposing than cultivators riding in treasure carriages or flying boats.
Han Xuanji rarely saw such displays at the Divine Profound Sect, so he could not help taking another look.
Having a majestic mount seems to give someone more of an expert's bearing.
Han Xuanji could not help thinking.
Streaks of light were also constantly flashing across the horizon. After reaching the city entrance, some cultivators quickly put away their flying Law Artifacts and obediently landed to continue on foot.
Most cultivation cities had rules prohibiting flight to make them easier to manage.
Even flying mounts had to obediently walk on the ground.
With the Divine Profound Sect backing Lintian City, it was naturally managed in an orderly fashion. People came and went, and no one dared break the rules.
Han Xuanji called for everyone to disembark as well. Then he waved his hand, and the flying boat turned into a leaf and disappeared into his storage ring.
Members of major forces could fly straight in aboard their flying boats if they had a travel permit. Otherwise, they still had to undergo inspection.
But Han Xuanji was an outer sect disciple of the Divine Profound Sect, so passing inspection was easy.
They entered the city.
Han Xuanji could see treasure pavilions and immortal towers everywhere, magnificent and beautiful. Compared with the concrete jungle of his previous life, they offered a distinct sight.
Pills, Law Artifacts, spiritual meals, cultivation methods, pets...
As Han Xuanji walked along the street, he saw all manner of strange and wondrous things for sale.
Before long, they rode the flying boat close to the ground and arrived at the Han Household's location.
There were several cultivation clans in Lintian City. The strongest were the four great Nascent Soul clans, each of which had more than one Nascent Soul Cultivator holding down the fort.
The Han Household was a Golden Core clan. It had produced a Nascent Soul Cultivator in the past, so its foundations were still fairly solid, and it occupied a decent location.
Soon,
Han Xuanji revealed his identity. He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, after all, a status that held considerable standing even in a Golden Core clan.
Not to mention that he was also a disciple of the Divine Profound Sect.
The clan would not overlook him.
An elder of the Han Household came out to welcome him. Upon sensing his cultivation, the elder's eyes lit up, and he nodded in satisfaction.
"I didn't expect our Han Household to have produced another Foundation Establishment cultivator. This is truly a happy occasion."
The elder was quite pleased.
The Foundation Establishment Realm might be unremarkable in the Divine Profound Sect,
but in the Han Household, such a person carried considerable weight and had a say in clan affairs.
Someone like Han Xuanji, who had reached Foundation Establishment in a little over twenty years, could be considered to have good prospects and was worthy of attention.
After learning why Han Xuanji had come, the elder promised on the spot to set aside a good place for Father and Mother Han to live and guarantee their safety.
The elder was also a senior of Father Han's branch, and the two soon began catching up.
Han Xuanji, meanwhile, wandered around the Han Household. He drew quite a bit of attention along the way.
Some people who did not know him looked surprised when they learned he was an outer sect disciple of the Divine Profound Sect.
They were even more impressed when they learned that Han Xuanji was from a collateral branch and had joined the Divine Profound Sect alone, working his way up from a menial servant to an outer sect disciple.
In a major sect like the Divine Profound Sect, geniuses gathered like clouds, and it was no easy feat to stand out.
Reaching Foundation Establishment in a little over twenty years meant he had done fairly well for himself.
Quite a few Han family members at the Qi Refinement Stage also came over to chat.
Han Xuanji did not turn them away. Instead, he kept drawing information out of them.
Before long, he had learned quite a few things from them.
The Han Household had been terribly unlucky in recent years.
The clan had originally had several Golden Core cultivators, but in recent years, the devil path had invaded. The Heavenly Devil Cult had already established numerous strongholds in Yong Province and would come out to cause trouble from time to time.
The local cultivation clans could not stand aloof either. Every clan had to send a certain number of cultivators to take part in eliminating the devils, or be driven out.
The Han Household had no choice but to send two Golden Core cultivators and twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators.
But during a major battle, they were ambushed by Devil Cultivators. Both Golden Core cultivators fell, and only a few of the cultivators returned, all gravely wounded.
With two fewer Golden Core cultivators holding down the fort, the Han Household's strength had naturally suffered a severe blow.
Now only the clan leader, who had just entered the Golden Core Realm, and a Han Household patriarch in seclusion remained.
Some time ago, word had spread that the patriarch had failed to break through and did not have long to live, leaving the clan in a panic while enemies outside watched them like tigers eyeing their prey.