Chapter 460: Two Realms City

Along the way, the group of four encountered several more waves of monster attacks, but they were all easily resolved.

Lu Ye and Lan Ziyi's impressive performance slightly surprised Xia Qianqian. It was rare for cultivators at the Cloud River Second Stage to display such strength; indeed, she herself had been significantly weaker than them at that level. It became clear to her that these two must have been prominent figures in the Spirit Stream Realm, likely top-ranked cultivators on the Spirit Stream List.

Half a day later, Two Worlds City appeared in the distance.

It was a city so vast its edges were barely visible. Its surrounding walls were majestic and towered over twenty *zhang* high. A faint light shimmered on the wall surfaces, clearly indicating they were reinforced with various spells to enhance their sturdiness and ability to withstand powerful impacts. This was the last and largest stronghold for humanity in the Myriad Beast Domain. Over half of the surviving human population in the entire domain had gathered here, and those who hadn't yet were still making their way to this great city. Should this city fall, there would be no refuge left for humanity in the Myriad Beast Domain, and their extinction would be imminent.

As the group of four arrived, a figure on the city wall immediately soared into the air, gazed down, and called out, "Who goes there?" The figure wore gleaming armor with a long saber at their waist and had a dignified expression. Residual bloodstains on the armor suggested a recent fierce battle, and their simmering murderous aura had not yet completely subsided. Below the city walls, numerous monster corpses were piled high, and cultivators were using spells to incinerate them. The pungent smell could be detected from several miles away.

Lu Ye replied loudly, "Ye Liu of the Myriad Beast Sect, here by order!"

"The Myriad Beast Sect!" The figure's expression stiffened as they scrutinized Lu Ye. "What is your relation to Ye Wushuang?"

Ye Wushuang... the Myriad Beast Sect Master!

A piece of information surfaced in Lu Ye's mind, and he replied, biting the bullet, "He is my father!"

"Ah, the Young Sect Master of the Myriad Beast Sect has arrived." The figure clasped their fist and bowed in greeting. Despite its current ruin, it was still the largest and strongest sect in the Myriad Beast Domain, and its prestige remained.

"How fares your sect now?" the figure inquired further.

Lu Ye assumed a sorrowful expression and slowly shook his head, conveying everything without words.

"Young Sect Master, please accept my condolences." The figure sighed, asked no further questions, and gestured, "Young Sect Master, please enter the city."

"Thank you!"

Lu Ye led Shen Xiaomao and the others as they flew into the city. Many cultivators were soaring through the air, but what struck them most was the sheer overcrowding within Two Worlds City. Everywhere they looked, there were throngs of people. With nowhere proper to stay, the displaced mortals who had sought refuge here were resting along the streets, each one uprooted from their homes, disheveled and weary. While cultivators retained some power to resist such a great catastrophe, mortals caught in these events were essentially left to be slaughtered. The mortals who managed to escape to Two Worlds City for refuge were undoubtedly the fortunate ones. Far more common were those who had no chance to flee. In the current Myriad Beast Domain, it was no exaggeration to say that corpses piled up like mountains and blood flowed freely.

Though he knew this was merely a secret realm, truly immersing himself in this vast environment still brought forth a profound sense of helplessness for the weak. The entire world was teetering on the brink of ruin.

"What should we do now?" Shen Xiaomao asked.

Lu Ye pondered for a moment before saying, "Let's exchange our battle imprints, then we'll split up. Fellow Daoist Xia, please accompany me to the City Lord's Mansion, while Fellow Daoist Shen and Fellow Daoist Lan can gather some information."

No one had any objections. They immediately exchanged their battle imprints and split up.

Lu Ye led Xia Qianqian towards the City Lord's Mansion. "It seems you've sensed it," Xia Qianqian remarked.

"What are you referring to, Fellow Daoist Xia?"

"That you, as the Young Master of the Myriad Beast Sect, aren't given much importance. Otherwise, why would you need me to accompany you to the City Lord's Mansion?"

"So Fellow Daoist Xia has sensed it too."

"If you were truly valued, someone of consequence from Two Worlds City should be here to receive you right now, especially as the Young Master of what was once the strongest sect in this world. But the people of Two Worlds City merely let you in and then ignored you. Their attitude is quite clear."

"That's normal. As the saying goes, 'when the person leaves, the tea gets cold.' The Myriad Beast Sect is no more, so what influence do I, as its young master, wield? Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, the relationship between Two Worlds City and the Myriad Beast Sect was never particularly harmonious to begin with."

"Oh? How so?"

"If these two factions had been truly harmonious, the Myriad Beast Sect members would have come to Two Worlds City long ago, instead of their sect being destroyed by monsters. While beast-taming arts are prominent in this world, that doesn't mean other schools of cultivation are without merit. The Myriad Beast Sect was the strongest representative of beast-taming arts, while Two Worlds City likely represents the pinnacle of other cultivation schools. That's why, after the monsters went rampant, Two Worlds City became the last gathering place for cultivators."

Xia Qianqian mused, nodding slightly. "What you said makes sense. I hadn't considered that. It seems you're not merely lucky; your mind is quite flexible as well. No wonder Tianji chose to bestow such a high status upon you."

Lu Ye truly wanted to say that he was simply lucky, and his luck had been consistently good ever since Tianji's blessing.

"So, we might have to rely on Senior Sister Xia later. We haven't simply come to Two Worlds City for refuge; we're also here to contribute our strength to the continuation of humanity."

Xia Qianqian chuckled, "Hearing you say that, I suddenly feel a heavy weight on my shoulders."

As they spoke, the two had already flown to the front of a grand hall in the very center of Two Worlds City. Before they even landed, someone below shouted, "No flying over the City Lord's Mansion!" While flying was not prohibited within the city, one rule was strictly enforced: no flying directly over the City Lord's Mansion. This was a matter of Two Worlds City's prestige, especially since the City Lord resided within.

Lu Ye and Xia Qianqian landed in front of the hall, observing many anxious-looking cultivators gathered there, all waiting nervously.

"What do you want?" The cultivator who had just shouted at them approached, asking impatiently.

Lu Ye clasped his fist. "Ye Liu of the Myriad Beast Sect, here by order to seek an audience with the City Lord. Please announce us."

"See the City Lord?" The figure's face remained cold. "Everyone here is waiting to see the City Lord. Queue up and wait." They seemed to have entirely ignored the mention of "Myriad Beast Sect." The figure was about to leave after speaking when Xia Qianqian suddenly unleashed her spiritual power. The person's expression immediately stiffened. They scrutinized Xia Qianqian, somewhat uncertainly asking, "Cloud River Ninth Stage?"

Compared to Kyushu, the Myriad Beast Domain was not large, at most the size of a Spirit Stream Battlefield. Due to the world's limited capacity, the highest cultivation level attainable by cultivators in the Myriad Beast Domain was the Cloud River Ninth Stage. Both the City Lord of Two Worlds City and the Sect Master of the Myriad Beast Sect shared this cultivation level. In Kyushu, cultivating to the Ninth Stage of the Cloud River Realm was not overly difficult, provided one had sufficient cultivation resources. However, this was not the case in the Myriad Beast Domain. Once cultivators reached the Cloud River Realm, advancing even a single stage became exceedingly difficult. Across the entire world, the number of Cloud River Ninth Stage cultivators was quite limited; each one was a top-tier powerhouse of this realm.

Thus, the moment Xia Qianqian revealed her cultivation, it immediately drew the attention of everyone nearby. At such a critical juncture for humanity, the appearance of a Cloud River Ninth Stage cultivator undoubtedly brought a surge of reassurance and a sense of security to those around them.

Xia Qianqian stated calmly, "Would you mind relaying a message? Please inform the City Lord that the Young Master of the Myriad Beast Sect has come to visit."

Only then did the figure nod. "Wait a moment!" With that, they turned and hurried into the hall. The Myriad Beast Sect was destroyed, so he could disregard its Young Master, but he absolutely could not ignore a Cloud River Ninth Stage cultivator.

Lu Ye subtly gave Xia Qianqian a thumbs-up, understanding then why Tianji would have arranged a Cloud River Ninth Stage cultivator to serve as his attendant. Having Xia Qianqian, a top-tier powerhouse of this world, by his side certainly made certain matters more convenient.

After a brief wait, the figure returned, their demeanor significantly more polite. They clasped their fist at Lu Ye and announced, "Young Master Ye, the City Lord requests your presence."

Lu Ye nodded and led Xia Qianqian as he stepped into the hall.

A short while later, they entered a side hall and met the City Lord of Two Worlds City. He was an elderly man with white hair, quite advanced in years, and emanating a somewhat decaying aura. He sat on a chair, holding a cup of tea, and calmly gazed at Lu Ye.

Lu Ye led Xia Qianqian forward, stopping a short distance from the elder. He clasped his fist and announced, "Ye Liu greets the City Lord!"

The elder nodded slightly, his gaze subtly sweeping over Xia Qianqian standing behind Lu Ye. Stroking his beard, he said, "How time flies! The last time I saw you, you were just a child, and in a blink, you've grown so much. I've heard about the Myriad Beast Sect's fate. The departed are gone; you needn't grieve excessively. Your father and I have been friends for many years, and I'm very pleased that you've come to seek refuge with me. Since you're here, settle down and rest assured. However, Two Worlds City is currently overcrowded, and conditions are not comparable to those of your Myriad Beast Sect, so please bear with us."

"Everything will be as the City Lord arranges," Lu Ye said, removing the jade thumb ring from his thumb and placing it on the table beside the elder. "Before I came, my father instructed me to deliver this item to the City Lord!"

The elder reached out and picked up the jade thumb ring. A sharp glint flashed in his otherwise dim eyes, and he nodded slightly. "You are thoughtful." He then raised a hand and called out, "A'Si!"

"My Lord." From the shadows, a figure emerged: a slender man whose exposed skin was covered in colorful, highly unusual patterns.

"Take them and see them properly settled."

"Yes, My Lord!" A'Si replied, then turned to Lu Ye and said, "Please follow me."

Following A'Si out of the City Lord's Mansion, the man soared into the sky, leading Lu Ye and Xia Qianqian directly to an area on the outskirts of Two Worlds City before descending.

Moments later, the group appeared outside a courtyard. A'Si pointed to the courtyard gate and said, "You two will temporarily reside here."

"Thank you for your trouble!"

After pointing out the location to Lu Ye, A'Si once again soared into the sky and swiftly departed.

Lu Ye and Xia Qianqian exchanged a glance, then pushed open the courtyard gate. A quaint, charming courtyard immediately appeared before them.