Hun Hao was struck by Wang Lin's words, which hit a nerve, and he instantly came to his senses:
"Scared? What do I have to be afraid of! I haven't even reached level 1000 yet, what's there to be arrogant about?"
The Five Elements Heavenly Stairway becomes increasingly difficult as you go up. It looks easy for him now, but once he reaches the thousandth level, he will definitely be unable to hold on!
Wang Lin, stop gloating! I'm determined not to lose this bet today!
Although his words were firm, he couldn't hide the anger and embarrassment on his face.
At this moment, someone whispered to themselves:
"Seven hundred levels... I remember the Soul Household also went to the Heavenly Pride Tour before, and their best result was only eight hundred steps..."
"Shh, stop talking, Senior Brother Hun Hao looks terrible..."
"But I'm telling the truth..."
Hun Hao's face was extremely ugly. He also knew that even if Han Xuanji stopped now, it would already prove that his talent was not bad.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Wang Lin raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone remaining calm:
"Then let's wait and see how far this S-Rank Heaven's Chosen from the Soul Household can go."
I think he might be able to pull off a miracle, reach the top of the ladder, and prove some people wrong.
Hun Hao could only stare intently at Han Xuanji's figure, silently praying that Han Xuanji would collapse soon and that he could win the bet. But he also knew that his prayers were nothing but self-deception.
Han Xuanji's composure was not feigned; his strength truly far exceeded his expectations.
Soon, Han Xuanji had already climbed over a thousand steps.
The moment Han Xuanji stepped onto the thousand steps, the entire plaza at the foot of the Heavenly Ladder fell completely silent.
Everyone held their breath and stared wide-eyed at the still composed figure.
Level 1000.
This height surpasses that of half of the core disciples of the Five Elements Pavilion.
Han Xuanji, on the other hand, doesn't even seem to have exerted her full strength yet.
"He... he doesn't seem like someone who's been here for the first time?"
An elder from the Five Elements Pavilion couldn't help but ask in a low voice, his tone full of confusion.
"His understanding of the Dao of the Five Elements is so profound that I would believe he was a senior disciple who had cultivated in the Five Elements Pavilion for tens of thousands of years..."
Another elder shook his head and gave a wry smile:
"It seems we've all misjudged him. This young man is no ordinary person with an undeserved reputation. The Soul Household truly lives up to its reputation as Lineage that has produced Sage; their foundation is indeed profound. Every S-Rank Heaven's Chosen is no pushover."
Fang Xuanhe stood at the very front, listening to the exclamations and discussions of the disciples behind him, a smile slowly appearing on his lips.
He looked up at the figure on the ladder to heaven, his eyes filled with satisfaction and approval.
"Good lad..."
Fang Xuanhe murmured to himself, his tone tinged with a hint of melancholy:
"I knew I hadn't misjudged him."
At first, several elders in the building had reservations about this, believing that granting an outsider the right to open the Five Elements Altar was against the rules.
But now, Han Xuanji has proven herself with her performance.
He deserves it.
"The patriarch of the Soul Household is indeed not someone who can be easily fooled."
Fang Xuanhe stroked his beard, a knowing glint in his eyes:
"Those who can become S-Rank Heaven's Chosen are certainly not ordinary beings."
He couldn't help but recall the rumors and gossip about Han Xuanji from before.
The phrases "getting in through connections," "not living up to the name," and "relying entirely on luck" all seem utterly ridiculous now.
Those who said Han Xuanji had no real skills are probably all speechless now, aren't they?
Fang Xuanhe shook his head, his gaze returning to Han Xuanji, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.
Han Xuanji's steps remained steady, his body shimmering with five-colored spiritual light, which complemented the five elements of the Heavenly Ladder.
His expression was calm and serene, showing no sign of fatigue, as if this heavenly ladder, which deterred countless geniuses, was merely a small step on his path of cultivation.
Before long, Han Xuanji had already stepped onto the 1,510th step.
Even though he was almost halfway through, he still walked with ease and remained calm. The circulation of the five Dao Principles became smoother and smoother, perfectly blending with the pressure of the Dao Principles of the Heavenly Ladder. He could even use the Dao essence of the Heavenly Ladder to accelerate the digestion of the remaining five elements' insights.
With each step he took, his understanding of the Five Elements Dao Principle deepened.
The gasps of amazement rose again. Everyone was completely stunned by Han Xuanji's performance. Their gazes toward him were filled with awe, with no trace of contempt or doubt.
Hun Hao's face had turned deathly pale, his lips trembled slightly, and he could no longer utter a single defiant word.
At the top of the Heavenly Ladder, the black-clad youth's gaze turned serious. He had initially just glanced at him casually, assuming that Han Xuanji was no different from the other cultivators attempting to ascend the Heavenly Ladder.
They either give up halfway or barely manage to keep going, ultimately exiting in a sorry state.
But Han Xuanji's behavior at this moment forced him to spare some attention to observe carefully.
Such a composed gait was something that ordinary geniuses could not possess. Even he himself might not be able to do so with such ease when climbing the Five Elements Heavenly Stairway.
He remained silent, simply watching quietly, the smile on his lips gradually fading as he pondered to himself: This Han Xuanji is far more interesting than I imagined. Perhaps he truly can become a worthy opponent for me to watch out for.
Uncle Wang, who was standing to the side, also looked at Han Xuanji. His expression became thoughtful, his brows furrowed slightly, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.
He was highly skilled and knowledgeable, having seen all kinds of geniuses, but Han Xuanji gave him a strange feeling.
Even though Han Xuanji's cultivation was only at the Eternal Dao Master Third Layer, which wasn't particularly high and he didn't seem to have anything too unusual about him, he could still sense an indescribable aura emanating from Han Xuanji that he couldn't see through or grasp.
This feeling has no basis whatsoever; it's more like an intuition, a keen intuition that comes from the strong.
"Maybe I'm overthinking it..."
Han Xuanji was completely unaware of the gazes upon the Five Elements Altar; all his thoughts were focused on comprehending the Five Elements Dao Principle and climbing the Heavenly Ladder.
Unbeknownst to him, Han Xuanji had already stepped onto the 1,800th step, and murmured to himself:
"The ninth portion has also been absorbed."
If Han Xuanji initially found absorbing the insights into the Five Elements somewhat tiring, by now, it had become an instinct.
In fact, those twelve insights were not just the indoctrination of knowledge, but also the inheritance of "experience".
The paths walked, the pitfalls encountered, and the moments of enlightenment experienced by the twelve predecessors have now been integrated into Han Xuanji's heart, transforming into his own understanding of the Five Elements.
"Almost two thousand!"
At the foot of the Heavenly Ladder, someone shouted, their voice trembling slightly.
two thousand.
This level of achievement surpasses that of over 90% of the core disciples of the Five Elements Pavilion.
Only disciples with extremely high attainments in the Five Elements Dao Principle can accomplish this. Even some elders find it difficult, because they have already broken through to the level of Eternal True Lord or Eternal True God, making it even more difficult.
To force one's way up, one either needs strength comparable to the Five Elements Pavilion Master or an extremely deep understanding of the Five Elements Dao Principle.
"He... he's not really going to reach the top, is he?"
A disciple of the Five Elements Pavilion swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly.
No one answered him, because everyone was thinking about the same question.
Fang Xuanhe looked up at the increasingly tall figure, his eyes filled with not only satisfaction but also anticipation.
Hun Hao stood in the crowd, feeling as if all his strength had been drained, his legs slightly weak.
My heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally stopped.