[Time flowed slowly, the Soul Household grew stronger day by day, and your status within the Lineage rose accordingly, taking charge of several key Lineage businesses. On the other hand, you did not neglect your cultivation, often seeking guidance from Han Xuanji on the Dao of Principle. He didn't offer many pointers, but each time he accurately pointed out the errors in your deductions.]
[Soon, due to your outstanding performance, the Life and Death Ravine will open ahead of schedule.]
"Oh?"
Han Xuanji was somewhat curious whether he would still be able to succeed in the simulation without the system.
The lack of a check-in feature is a significant drawback for the device, to be honest...
However, he felt that a minor Dao Principle of Life and Death shouldn't be a big problem.
[You have been allocated a spot to enter the secret realm with Han Xuanji.]
[The secret realm is filled with chaotic currents of Daoist energy where life and death intertwine, making it extremely dangerous. You and Han Xuanji faced danger several times, but fortunately, you were well-prepared and quickly mastered the techniques, successfully finding the secret realm's inheritance site.]
[Time slowly passed, and you and Han Xuanji simultaneously received the inheritance.]
[Thirty years have passed. You and Han Xuanji have spent thirty years together in the secret realm, still not speaking much, but your relationship has grown closer.]
[On this day, Han Xuanji successfully condensed the Dao Principle of Life and Death, further enhancing his strength. You offer your sincere blessings, feeling both pride and a touch of inexplicable loneliness. For you have spent thirty years deducing on your own, yet haven't even touched the threshold of the Dao Principle of Life and Death.]
You know, that's the difference in talent.
[After leaving the Life and Death Ravine, you didn't give up; you still occasionally sought Han Xuanji's advice on cultivation.]
[At the same time, because your status has risen, you have gained much more power, and you can mobilize a considerable amount of resources to fulfill Han Xuanji's previous request to you: to find the Dao Ancestor and the Tongtian Dao Venerable.]
[Because the difficulty is extremely high, and you still don't have enough resources, you informed Hun Qianxue about this matter after obtaining Han Xuanji's consent.]
[ Hun Qianxue wasn't surprised; he simply nodded and said, "From that day on, the manpower and resources you can mobilize have doubled."]
[With ample resources and manpower, ten years later, you gradually acquired considerable intelligence about the Transcendent.]
[In Thousand Souls City, there are actually nine Transcendent. This isn't a large number; summon them one by one to the Soul Household so Han Xuanji can identify them.]
[The result was a pleasant surprise; we really found the right person.]
"This works?"
Han Xuanji was pleasantly surprised upon seeing this.
[It turns out that Tongtian Dao Venerable had been in Thousand Souls City for many years, using the alias Li Tiantong, and had moved between several sects, making a living by selling Eternal Dao Artifact. No one knew his true identity.]
[After Han Xuanji spoke with Li Tiantong alone, he brought Li Tiantong into the Soul Household, and you didn't ask any further questions.]
"Ah?"
Han Xuanji hadn't expected there to be so little information in the simulation.
Why don't you ask?
Han Xuanji was also somewhat curious. Now that Tongtian Dao Venerable had been found, where had the Dao Ancestor had been with him gone?
Never mind, it's not a big deal.
Han Xuanji continued reading.
In the years that followed, you would occasionally seek guidance from Han Xuanji on cultivation challenges, while his reputation in Thousand Souls City soared like a comet streaking across the night.
[After condensing the Dao Principle of Life and Death, his cultivation speed not only didn't decrease but increased, allowing him to conquer all the major secret realms of Thousand Souls City one by one, displaying his formidable talent wherever he went.]
[With the title of the number one prodigy of Thousand Souls City preceding him, and the praise of his Sage appearance following closely behind, people say that the Soul Household is like a phoenix's first roosting tree, destined to one day be unable to contain his wings. He gradually steps out of the Purple Soul Grotto-Heaven less and less, and you remain one of the few old friends he still wishes to see.]
[You're genuinely happy for him, but along with that happiness comes a complex mix of emotions. You've long since stopped trying to keep up with him. Cultivating your own path brings its own joy; forcing it only leads you astray.]
[In the days that followed, Han Xuanji entered a long period of seclusion, seemingly sorting out his own path to enlightenment, and you rarely disturbed him.]
[Time passed quickly, and a hundred years went by. A piece of news caused a stir throughout Thousand Souls City.]
The Principle Conference has been moved up!
[No one expected that this grand event would be held ahead of schedule this year.]
[A large number of prodigies gather in Thousand Souls City to discuss the Dao and compete in skill; the victor will receive a personal fortuitous opportunity bestowed by Sage- level expert.]
[Although you don't know exactly what happened, the Unseen have a feeling that this matter is inextricably linked to Han Xuanji.]
"This... is really related to me?"
Han Xuanji couldn't help but feel a little puzzled.
A person who can do this is definitely not simple.
Of all the people he knew, only one was capable of doing such a thing.
That must be Xiao Yan. Could it be that the other party couldn't wait any longer?
"That shouldn't be the case..."
Han Xuanji felt that Xiao Yan shouldn't be that kind of person; perhaps something unexpected had happened, and the other party probably couldn't do anything about it.
"I wonder what level I'm at in the simulation? Is there Eternal True Lord Realm?"
Han Xuanji felt that even without the Eternal True Lord, he should be close enough. After comprehending the Dao Principle of Life and Death, he should be able to condense the Dao Principle of Creation, and then step into the Eternal True Lord Realm with the power of the Ten Great Dao Principles.
[Three months later, in Thousand Souls City.]
[Numerous talented cultivators gathered here, all prodigies in the Dao of Principle. Due to size limitations, the Principle Conference held in Thousand Souls City is restricted to Eternal Dao Master cultivators; the highest level of participants is only at the Eternal Dao Master Perfection.]
[You stand beside Han Xuanji in the Soul Household's seats, feeling the scrutinizing gazes from all directions. You feel both proud and nervous, because you've also joined the competition.]
[ Han Xuanji remained as calm as ever, only slightly raising his eyes as he entered to glance at the imposing figures on the stage before withdrawing his gaze and closing his eyes to rest.]
[The competition went on round after round, and you were eliminated in the third round, while Han Xuanji fought her way through, winning nineteen consecutive matches, each one clean and decisive.]
[ Han Xuanji's final opponent was equally formidable, named Yan Xiao, who, like Han Xuanji, fought his way through countless obstacles to reach the very end.]
The duel between the two brought the entire Principle Conference to its climax.
The battle lasted a full hour; the light of Principle emanated from the platform like a reversed Heavenly River, while tens of thousands of cultivators below held their breath in awe.
[Finally, both of them stopped fighting.]
[It's not that the outcome is already decided as you might expect; rather, both players touched upon a breakthrough threshold during their duel, causing a stir among the crowd.]
[Simultaneous breakthrough.]
This was unprecedented at the Principle Conference; a clamor of discussion erupted from the audience, and countless gazes focused on the two figures standing side by side.
[The two simultaneously broke through to the Eternal True Lord Realm and fought a fierce battle, in which Han Xuanji ultimately emerged victorious.]
"I won?"
Han Xuanji never expected to be in the limelight again; this is quite out of character for him.
What's going on?
[You only found out later that Yan Xiao was not from the Sacred Radiance Domain.]
[He comes from the Great Sheng Sacred Dynasty, his real name is Xiao Yan, and he is also the Holy Dynasty's Divine Son. The early convening of this Principle Gathering was also due to him. After this battle, it is said that the powerful figures of the Great Sheng Sacred Dynasty also recognized Xiao Yan's aptitude and allowed him to continue cultivating the Dao of Principle. Han Xuanji was also invited to the Great Sheng Sacred Dynasty.]
"I see."
Han Xuanji also guessed the reason.