The next second, the two appeared in another teleportation array. The spatial power around them gradually dissipated, and an aura completely different from that of Tianxuan Myriad Realms City rushed towards them.
The two walked out of the teleportation hall without attracting much attention.
What came into view was a city that was equally magnificent but more down-to-earth, with bustling streets and a constant stream of cultivators.
Hun Qianling took a deep breath, a joyful smile spreading across her face, and introduced to Han Xuanji:
"This is Nine Mysteries City in Nine Mysteries Prefecture of the Sacred Radiance Domain, and also the fiefdom of the newly Holy Lord, the Nine Mysteries Holy Lord."
" Nine Mysteries Holy Lord?"
Han Xuanji nodded slightly.
The Eternal Saint Realm is divided into three major realms. The Holy Lord Realm is the second major realm in the Saint Realm. It is much stronger than the Eternal Sage. Even among supreme forces, it is a powerful figure with a much higher status.
After all, for a powerhouse of this caliber, joining any faction would be an easy task.
Hun Qianling paused for a moment, then continued:
"On the Eternal Continent, the three thousand Dao Domains are vast and boundless. Each domain is further divided into numerous Dao Provinces, and powerful individuals in the Eternal Saint Realm can possess a province as their fiefdom."
"Our Soul Household governs a large city within the Nine Mysteries Prefecture — Thousand Souls City."
Hun Qianling also explained some more detailed things to Han Xuanji.
In the Eternal Continent, strength is paramount.
Your status is determined by your abilities!
A powerful being at the Eternal Sage Realm is one in a billion, capable of managing a large city, enough to support a large Lineage, and holding the power of life and death over hundreds of billions or even trillions of lives in that city.
As for those below the Eternal Sage Realm, such as the Eternal True God Realm, their paths differ. Some remain in large cities, serving as core managers and overseeing affairs in their respective areas.
Alternatively, one could travel to a small or medium-sized city, become its lord, control the city's order, and enjoy its offerings.
Cultivators at the Eternal Dao Master Realm hold a certain status in the Eternal Continent and generally possess a skill to support themselves, such as weapon crafting, array formation, animal husbandry, or even the catering industry.
As Hun Qianling walked, she spoke:
"We'll rest in Nine Mysteries City for a while, replenish our supplies, and then head to Thousand Soul Household Thousand Souls City via the Thousand Spirits. We shouldn't be there for long."
Her previous communication device was damaged, so she planned to go to one of the Soul Household's properties in Nine Mysteries City to inquire about the situation.
Han Xuanji followed behind Hun Qianling, his gaze sweeping over the scenery of Nine Mysteries City, his mind churning with thoughts.
"For me, right now I need to be careful and play it safe, make myself stronger, and then think about other things."
When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue; when successful, one should benefit all under heaven.
Han Xuanji was well aware of this; he had no intention of running around until he reached the Eternal Saint Realm.
This was one of the reasons he didn't choose to join the Black Rock Fleet. He didn't want to expose his still weak self to a wider audience, after all, he didn't know if those Eternal Holy Lord or even Saint King were capable of detecting the system's existence.
Following her memory, Hun Qianling strode towards a stronghold of the Soul Household in Nine Mysteries City.
It was a courtyard hidden deep in the alley, with an inconspicuous plaque hanging at the entrance. In reality, it was a place where cultivators of the Soul Household would rest and exchange messages.
But when Hun Qianling pushed open the courtyard gate, the joy on her face instantly froze. The courtyard was overgrown with weeds and covered in dust, clearly indicating that it had been uninhabited for a long time and was now deserted.
"How so?"
Hun Qianling's voice carried a hint of panic as she strode into the courtyard, searching the surroundings. However, she found no trace of any Soul Household cultivators, nor any information left behind. It seemed that they hadn't left suddenly, but rather with prior planning.
Why is this place empty?
Han Xuanji followed behind her, looking at the empty courtyard. He wasn't surprised, but he didn't say anything.
Hun Qianling suppressed her unease and gritted her teeth:
"They might have temporarily moved. Let's check out the next location."
The two went to two different Soul Household strongholds. One was locked up and no one answered after knocking for a long time. The other had changed owners.
With each new place they went, Hun Qianling's panic grew, and her steps became increasingly hurried.
"Only one left..."
Hun Qianling murmured softly, a hint of hope in her voice, as she led Han Xuanji toward a shop in the west of Nine Mysteries City.
This shop sells crystals and is also one of the Soul Household's properties in Nine Mysteries City.
Pushing open the door, the shop was dimly lit. A cultivator in a gray robe sat behind the counter, solemnly wiping the crystals in his hands. Hearing the noise, he looked up sharply, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes. Only when he saw Hun Qianling's appearance did he suddenly breathe a sigh of relief and quickly step forward.
"Are you Miss Qianling? You're back?"
Upon seeing the familiar face, Hun Qianling's tense nerves instantly relaxed, and she asked eagerly:
" Uncle Lin, what happened at home? My communicator broke, and I can't contact home. All the other outposts are empty. What's going on?"
The cultivator addressed as Uncle Lin showed a trace of sorrow on his face, sighed, and then slowly spoke, his tone heavy:
"Miss, you don't know, something terrible has happened at home, and it's a huge problem."
Hun Qianling's heart sank, and she clenched her fists.
Uncle Lin's eyes were filled with grief:
"That's right. A thousand years ago, the Sage was ordered to participate in the Sacred Court's exploration of the Desolate Domain. He entered the depths of the Desolate Domain with an entire exploration team from the Sacred Court, but since then, he has been completely lost and has never returned."
The Sacred Court sent people to investigate multiple times, but found no trace of them. In the end, they could only conclude that the Sage Lord and his entire army had perished.
"Boom--"
These words struck Hun Qianling like a thunderbolt. Her body went limp, and she nearly collapsed. The color drained from her face instantly, and her eyes were filled with disbelief.
"Impossible... Father was so strong, how could he... how could he have perished?"
Han Xuanji quickly reached out to support her, gently patting her back to signal her to calm down.
Although he had some idea of what was going on, he never expected that the Soul Household Sage would meet such an end. The dangers of the Desolate Domain were far more terrifying than he had imagined. Even experts of this level could be wiped out so easily, and there was more than one of them.
Uncle Lin sighed and continued, "With the Sage Master gone missing, the Soul Household was leaderless and immediately descended into chaos. They fought fiercely for the position of family head, resulting in internal strife and many casualties among the clansmen. As a result, the Soul Household's strength was greatly weakened."
"And then what happened?"
Hun Qianling suppressed her grief and asked in a hoarse voice.
"Later, the eldest son stepped forward, quelled the internal strife, and successfully ascended to the position of family head, barely stabilizing the situation of the Soul Household."
Uncle Lin's tone softened slightly, and then he said:
" The Sacred Court, considering that the Sage Lord sacrificed himself for the Sacred Court, did not strip the Soul Household of their power to control Thousand Souls City and even secretly provided some support. However, the Soul Household has already suffered heavy losses after this battle, and their strength is far less than before. Now, they are beset by internal and external troubles and are in a difficult situation."
He paused, then added:
"After the patriarch ascended to the throne, he ordered the recall of all clansmen who were training outside. This was partly to stabilize the situation within the clan and partly to concentrate resources to deal with the crisis facing the Soul Household."
The clansmen from other strongholds have already been ordered to return to Thousand Souls City. The reason I'm still staying here is because I'm too lazy to move, and I want to provide a place for the Soul Household disciples who come to Nine Mysteries City to rest."
After hearing this, Hun Qianling felt a mix of grief and helplessness.
After years of wandering, she longed to return to the Soul Household, only to be met with such devastating news.
With her father gone, internal strife within the Lineage, weakened power, and beset by internal and external troubles, the Soul Household was no longer the stable and powerful Lineage she remembered.
Han Xuanji stood to the side, silent, a sense of melancholy creeping into her heart.
It seems that even on the Eternal Continent, the cycle of rise and fall is inevitable.
Even Eternal Sage is far from being truly "eternal".