In the next second, the two appeared within another teleportation Formation. The spatial energy around them gradually dissipated, and an aura completely different from the Polaris Myriad Worlds City washed over them.
The two walked out of the teleportation hall without attracting much attention.
What met their eyes was a city that was equally magnificent but more bustling with the atmosphere of everyday life. The streets were filled with heavy traffic, and Cultivators came and went in an endless stream.
Hun Qianling took a deep breath, a joyful smile appearing on her face as she introduced the place to Han Xuanji:
"This is Jiuxuan City of Jiuxuan Province in the Shenghui Domain. It is also the fief of the newly appointed Saint Lord, the Saint Lord of Jiuxuan."
"Saint Lord of Jiuxuan?"
Han Xuanji nodded slightly.
The Eternal Saint Realm is divided into three major Realms. The Saint Lord Realm is already the second major Realm within the Saint Realm. It is unknown how much more powerful it is compared to an Eternal Saint. Even within supreme factions, such a person is a Powerful Expert of their own region, with a much higher status.
After all, a Powerful Expert of this level could easily join any faction they desired.
Hun Qianling paused and continued:
"On the Eternal Continent, the three thousand Great Domains are vast and boundless. A single Domain is further divided into many Grandmist Provinces. Powerful Experts in the Eternal Saint Realm can possess a province's worth of land as their fief."
"Our Hun Family manages a large city within Jiuxuan Province—Qianhun City."
Hun Qianling also explained some more detailed matters to Han Xuanji.
On the Eternal Continent, strength is similarly respected above all else.
Your status is determined by your strength!
A Powerful Expert at the Eternal Saint Realm, a one-in-a-billion existence, can manage a large city. This is entirely sufficient to support a large Family and hold the power of life and death over the tens of billions of living beings in that city.
As for those below the Eternal Saint Realm, such as Powerful Experts in the eternal true god realm, their paths vary. They either stay in large cities as core managers, overseeing regional affairs.
Or they head to medium and small cities to become a City Lord, controlling the order of the entire city and enjoying the offerings of the region.
Cultivators in the Eternal Dao Master Realm also have a certain status on the Eternal Continent. Generally, they have their own specialized skills to support themselves, such as Artifact Refining, setting up Formations, ranching, or even the catering industry.
Hun Qianling spoke as she walked:
"We'll rest for a moment in Jiuxuan City to replenish some necessities, then take the thousand spirits vessel to Qianhun City. It won't be long before we reach the Hun Family."
Her previous communication device had been damaged, so she planned to go to a Hun Family property in Jiuxuan City to ask about the situation. Han Xuanji followed behind Hun Qianling, his gaze sweeping over the sights of Jiuxuan City, his thoughts churning.
"For me, the priority is still to carefully stay low and make myself stronger before considering anything else."
In poverty, one focuses on self-improvement; in prosperity, one helps the world.
Han Xuanji understood this very well. Until he reached the Eternal Saint Realm, he didn't want to run around everywhere at all.
One reason he chose not to join the Heiyan Fleet was this: he didn't want to expose his still-weak self to a larger stage. After all, he didn't know if those Eternal Saint Lords or even Saint Kings had the ability to detect the System's existence.
Following her memory, Hun Qianling walked quickly toward a Hun Family outpost in Jiuxuan City. It was a courtyard hidden deep in the alleys, with an inconspicuous plaque hanging over the door. In reality, it was a place for Hun Family Cultivators to rest and pass on 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, it had been uninhabited for a long time; the people were long gone.
"How could this be?"
Hun Qianling's voice carried a hint of panic. She hurried into the courtyard and searched around, but found no trace of any Hun Family Cultivators, nor any left-behind information. It seemed they hadn't left suddenly, but had a planned departure.
"Why is this place empty?"
Han Xuanji followed behind her. Seeing the empty courtyard, he wasn't surprised, but he didn't say much.
Hun Qianling suppressed the unease in her heart and gritted her teeth:
"Maybe they moved temporarily. Let's go check the next outpost."
The two went to two more Hun Family outposts in succession. One had its doors tightly shut, and no one answered despite long knocking; the other had already changed owners. With each additional place they visited, the panic on Hun Qianling's face grew, and her pace became more hurried.
"There's only one last place left..."
Hun Qianling murmured in a low voice, her tone carrying a hint of hope. She led Han Xuanji toward a shop in the west of Jiuxuan City.
This shop dealt in spirit crystals and was also a property of the Hun Family in Jiuxuan City.
Pushing open the door, the light inside the shop was somewhat dim. A Cultivator dressed in gray robes sat behind the counter, solemnly wiping a spirit crystal in his hand. Hearing the noise, he looked up sharply, a flash of alertness in his eyes. When he saw Hun Qianling's appearance, he suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and hurried forward to greet her:
"Are you Young Miss Qianling? You've returned?"
Seeing a familiar face, Hun Qianling's tense nerves instantly relaxed. She asked urgently:
"Uncle Lin, what exactly happened at home? My previous communication device was broken, and I couldn't contact the Family. The other outposts are all empty. What's going on?"
The Cultivator called Uncle Lin showed a trace of sorrow on his face. He sighed and then spoke slowly, his tone heavy:
"Young Miss, you don't know. Something happened at home, and it's a monumental disaster."
Hun Qianling's heart sank, and she clenched her fists.
Uncle Lin's eyes were full of grief:
"That's right. Just a thousand years ago, the Saint Master was ordered to participate in the Desolate Domain exploration mission organized by the Holy Court. He entered the depths of the Desolate Domain with an entire exploration unit from the Holy Court. But since then, all contact was lost, and he never returned. The Holy Court sent people to investigate many times but found no trace. In the end, they could only judge that the Saint Master and the entire unit had all perished."
"Boom—"
These words were like a thunderclap exploding in Hun Qianling's ears. Her body went limp, and she nearly fell. The color drained from her face, 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 and gently patted her back, signaling her to stay calm.
Although he had some premonition, he hadn't expected the Hun Family Saint to meet such an end. The dangers of the Desolate Domain were far more terrifying than he had imagined; even a Powerful Expert of this level could vanish just like that, and more than one of them.
Uncle Lin sighed and continued: "With the Saint Master missing, the Hun Family was left without a leader. Chaos immediately broke out internally. For the position of Family Head, they fought incessantly, and internal strife erupted. Many clansmen were injured or killed because of it, and the Hun Family's strength declined significantly."
"And then what happened?"
Hun Qianling endured her grief and asked in a hoarse voice.
"Later, the Eldest Young Master stepped forward, settled the internal strife, and successfully ascended to the position of Family Head, barely stabilizing the Hun Family's situation."
Uncle Lin's tone softened slightly, then he said:
"The Holy Court, seeing that the Saint Master sacrificed himself for the Holy Court, did not revoke the Hun Family's authority to govern Qianhun City and even secretly provided some support. However, after this ordeal, the Hun Family's Origin Qi has long been severely damaged, and its strength is no longer what it once was. Now, it faces both internal and external troubles, and its situation is difficult."
He paused and added:
"After the Family Head succeeded the position, he ordered the recall of all clansmen training outside. Firstly, to stabilize the internal situation, and secondly, to concentrate strength to face the crises confronting the Hun Family. The clansmen from other outposts have already returned to Qianhun City as ordered. I'm still here simply because I didn't feel like moving, and to provide a resting place for Hun Family disciples who come to Jiuxuan City."
After hearing all this, grief and helplessness intertwined in Hun Qianling's heart.
She had been wandering outside for many years, full of joy at the thought of returning to the Hun Family, but she never expected that such bad news would be waiting for her.
Her father had perished, the Family was in internal strife, its strength had declined, and it faced troubles from both within and without. The Hun Family was no longer the stable and powerful Family in her memories.
Han Xuanji stood to the side, remaining silent, his heart also filled with a bit of melancholy.
It seemed that on the Eternal Continent, one still couldn't escape the cycle of prosperity and decline. Even an Eternal Saint was far from being truly "eternal."