Seeing that Hun Qianling was heartbroken, Uncle Lin kindly comforted her:
"It's not certain that the Sage of the Soul Household has perished. He's a lucky man, and perhaps he'll return in a few days."
Hearing these words, Hun Qianling could only nod blankly, a glimmer of hope rising in her heart.
Uncle Lin then led Hun Qianling and Han Xuanji to a room in the backyard to rest, without disturbing them.
The atmosphere suddenly became somewhat heavy.
Hun Qianling slowly raised her head, her eyes filled with deep guilt, and looked at Han Xuanji, saying in a hoarse voice:
" Xuanji, I'm sorry, I... I lied to you."
I always thought the Soul Household would remain the same as before, a safe haven for you. But I never imagined it would turn out like this. Now the Soul Household is facing troubles both inside and outside, and might even bring you more trouble."
She paused, bit her lower lip, and continued:
"If you want to leave now, I completely understand. After all, you agreed to stay with the Soul Household Soul Household because you thought they could help you. But now, the Soul Household is probably struggling to survive, let alone help you."
"Given the current situation of the Soul Household... you don't need to force yourself."
Han Xuanji looked at her guilty expression and gently shook his head:
"Actually, I also need to apologize. I knew about this a long time ago, but since I promised you that I would stay in the Soul Household for the time being, I will not go back on my word because of the changes in the Soul Household."
I don't care about the Soul Household's situation. I never expected Soul Household to offer me any assistance anyway. Having a place to stay and cultivate in peace is enough for me."
He had barely finished speaking when he changed the subject and added:
"However, there's one thing I hope you can understand."
After arriving at the Soul Household, there's no need to publicly explain my talent; I don't want to attract too much attention.
Upon hearing this, Hun Qianling's eyes flashed with a hint of doubt, and she couldn't help but ask:
"Your talent is so outstanding; if you were to reveal it, you might be able to use this opportunity to join the Sacred Court."
Han Xuanji didn't explain much, but simply said:
"I have my concerns, which I cannot elaborate on at the moment. I hope you understand."
Keeping a low profile might be a good thing for both me and the Soul Household.
He didn't want to mention the system's secrets, nor did he want to expose himself too early and attract unnecessary trouble, especially given the current internal and external troubles facing the Soul Household. Being too flamboyant would only put him in danger.
Although Hun Qianling was puzzled, seeing that Han Xuanji was unwilling to elaborate, she did not press further and quickly nodded, her tone sincere:
"I understand. Don't worry, I'll definitely cover for you. You can do whatever you want, as long as you're willing to stay."
Seeing that Hun Qianling was so insightful and didn't dwell on it, Han Xuanji felt a little more satisfied.
That's the tacit understanding he wanted. He didn't expect Hun Qianling to fully understand, he just wanted her to cooperate and act discreetly. That was enough.
This is why he did not choose to join the Black Rock Fleet.
It sounds like there's a brighter future ahead, but for him, freedom and privacy are what he values more.
At least within the Soul Household, he still holds a certain degree of influence at this point.
This could be considered Han Xuanji's comfort zone.
They have a certain status, but they don't flaunt it; they just quietly develop their abilities.
Thank you.
Han Xuanji nodded slightly, her tone carrying a hint of sincerity.
Afterwards, the two replenished their Cultivation Resources at Uncle Lin's shop.
Ten thousand Eternity Coin, several bottles of Eternal Spirit Liquid, and some one-time-use magical Law Artifact for dealing with danger.
After resting, the next day.
The two then bid farewell to Uncle Lin and left the place.
They will still use the Thousand Spirits, a naval, land, and air warship, for transportation.
The Thousand Spirits slowly started up and sped towards Thousand Souls City.
Along the way, Han Xuanji spent most of his time in the cultivation room refining spiritual liquid to improve his cultivation.
This Eternal Spirit Liquid is quite valuable; it's a weakened version of the Water of Eternity, essentially a diluted product, but it's still quite suitable for cultivation by Eternal Dao Master like him.
Han Xuanji would occasionally observe the wilderness scenery of the Eternal Continent.
He discovered that the wilderness of the Eternal Continent was far more dangerous than he had imagined.
Along the way, in the mountains and forests, one can often detect ferocious beasts with a fierce aura. Some are covered in hard scales and breathe fire; others can manipulate the energy of heaven and earth to launch powerful attacks.
These ferocious beasts were actually left behind intentionally by the powerful beings of the Eternal Continent.
Their ancestors were the primordial life forms at the beginning of the Eternal Continent, possessing unparalleled strength, with some even reaching the Eternal Saint Realm.
However, after countless generations of reproduction, their descendants have become less intelligent, possessing only instinctive bloodline talents, and their strength is far inferior to that of their ancestors.
The powerful beings of the Eternal Continent left these creatures behind for two reasons: first, to train future cultivators and allow them to improve their strength through battles with ferocious beasts; and second, to maintain the ecological balance of the continent and prevent the complete extinction of primitive life.
Although these ferocious beasts are fierce, most cultivators on the Eternal Continent possess powerful Secret Method and can use divine Law Artifact and magical artifacts. Cultivators of the same level can easily deal with these ferocious beasts that act only on instinct.
Those truly powerful beasts are actually kept by powerful forces, and the essence of their flesh and blood is a rare cultivation material, while their bones, feathers, and scales are all excellent refining materials.
Along the way, they did not encounter any particularly powerful ferocious beasts, nor did any other unexpected events occur. The airship sped smoothly toward Thousand Souls City.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
In the council hall deep within the Soul Household's mansion in Thousand Souls City, the current patriarch Hun Qianxue, sat in the main seat, listening solemnly as the clan elders reported on the clan's recent situation.
Hun Qianxue was dressed in a black brocade robe. He had a handsome face, and although there was a hint of fatigue between his brows, he still could not hide his imposing presence.
Since he quelled the internal strife and ascended to the position of clan head, he has been working day and night, stabilizing the clan's internal situation while dealing with external threats, leaving him physically and mentally exhausted.
"Patriarch, news has come from Nine Mysteries City: Miss Qianling... Miss Qianling has returned and is currently traveling towards Thousand Souls City Thousand Spirits."
A messenger monk strode into the hall, bowed, and reported with a hint of joy in his voice.
He then added:
"However, it seems there's a man with the young lady."