Han Xuanji withdrew his power, closed his eyes, and sensed the operation of the various Great Dao Principles within the Dao Fruit.
Time and space, fate, reincarnation, stars, five elements, yin and yang, life and death, the Sword Dao...
The eight Dao Principles each occupy a region, operate independently, and yet resonate with each other in the the Unseen.
The vastness of the stars, the interaction of the five elements, the balance of yin and yang, and the cycle of life and death are all intricately connected.
Everything has the five elements, everything has yin and yang, everything has life and death.
Han Xuanji vaguely sensed that the final breakthrough might be more difficult than he had imagined.
However, he didn't think about it deeply.
You have to walk one step at a time, and eat one bite at a time.
The most important thing right now is to consolidate my cultivation and completely stabilize my realm.
Thinking of this, Han Xuanji closed his eyes and immersed himself in cultivation once more.
Be fast when you need to be fast, slow when you need to be slow, and stop when you need to stop.
He understood this principle better than anyone. "On the path of spiritual cultivation, haste makes waste."
Several more months passed.
On this day, Han Xuanji finally emerged from the cultivation room.
He stood at the entrance of the cave abode, hands behind his back, gazing at the distant horizon, and exhaled a long breath.
After years of seclusion, he condensed the Dao Principle of Life and Death and broke through to the Eternal Dao Master Eighth Layer.
This speed is astonishing even on the entire Eternal Continent.
But he felt little joy, only a calm that came naturally.
"We are one step closer to the Eternal True Lord."
Han Xuanji silently plotted his next move.
The Dao Principles he needs to condense are naturally not limited to these eight.
What's next?
Han Xuanji pondered for a moment, and two words came to mind: "Fortune".
The Dao of Creation is the way of creation and evolution, the fundamental principle of the birth and development of all things.
"We'll have to trouble Hun Qianxue with the matter of the Creation Platform."
Han Xuanji pondered to himself that this place was not under the control of the Soul Household, and it would not be easy for an outsider like him to go there. He would need the Soul Household to act as a go-between for him.
Hopefully things will go smoothly, otherwise he'll have to find another way.
On the other side.
What Han Xuanji didn't know was that because some cultivators in the Life and Death Ravine were leaving one after another because they couldn't withstand the internal environment, someone leaked the news, and Han Xuanji's "cowardly act" spread like wildfire throughout the city.
Rumors are like weeds; once they take root, they can never be completely eradicated.
At first, it was just in teahouses and taverns in the neighborhood, where two or three cultivators would gather together and whisper in low voices.
"Have you heard? Han Xuanji, that S-Rank Heaven's Chosen from the Soul Household, came out of the Life and Death Ravine after only a few days."
"Impossible, right? The Life and Death Ravine is so difficult to open, how could he just go in, take a quick look, and come out?"
"It's absolutely true. It's said that he didn't even enter the core area's restrictions; when he encountered danger, he simply crushed the escape token and left."
"Tsk tsk, this is too much... I thought he was some kind of amazing person. When he climbed to the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Stairway, he bragged about it like it was nothing."
" The Dao of the Five Elements is the Dao of the Five Elements, Dao of Life and Death is the Dao of Life and Death; they are two different things. Perhaps he knew he couldn't succeed and gave up in the face of difficulty."
These discussions were initially somewhat restrained, after all, Han Xuanji was a favorite of the Soul Household, and no one wanted to offend Soul Household.
But as time went on, more and more cultivators emerged from the Life and Death Ravine, and the news was repeatedly confirmed. The rumors spread like wildfire, and could no longer be contained.
Some say he was just putting on airs, putting on airs before going in, but once inside, he obviously showed his insecurity.
Some people say that his previous ascent to the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Stairway was just due to good luck, and that when it came to truly testing his abilities, his true colors were revealed.
Later, at a banquet hosted by the city's powerful and wealthy families, the name " Han Xuanji " became a source of amusement after drinking.
After all, opportunities to criticize such a peerless genius are few and far between.
Thousand Souls City, at the Drunken Immortal Pavilion.
This building is one of the top restaurants in the city, catering exclusively to the sons of wealthy families.
The top floor was booked out today, and those present were all young talents from various forces in Thousand Souls City. After a few rounds of drinks, the conversation naturally turned to the most exciting recent event.
"Gentlemen, have you heard? That peerless prodigy of the Soul Household has utterly disgraced himself."
A young monk in brocade robes held a wine cup, his smile enigmatic.
"I've not only heard about it, but my friend saw it with his own eyes in the Life and Death Ravine. I don't know why."
"What else could it be? He chickened out."
A sinister-looking young man sneered:
"The inheritance of the Dao of Life and Death requires risking one's life to comprehend it. How could a prodigy like him, cherished by the Soul Household, be willing to risk his life?"
"That's not entirely true."
The monk in brocade robes hypocritically tried to smooth things over:
"His ascent to the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Stairway was truly a testament to his skill; it just goes to show that everyone has their own expertise. The Dao of Life and Death isn't his forte, so it's not shameful for him to back down when faced with a challenge."
"Isn't it shameful?"
The sinister-looking young man scoffed, "How many resources did the Soul Household expend to open the secret realm ahead of schedule for him?"
He went in, took a quick look around, and came out—what a waste!
In my opinion, this kind of person has been praised too much and doesn't know their own worth.
Everyone burst into laughter and raised their glasses.
Some people at the table didn't laugh.
A monk in a blue robe sitting in the corner put down his wine cup, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he could bear it, but he ultimately did not speak.
He had witnessed Han Xuanji's impressive rise to the top of the Five Elements Pavilion, and had also heard the legend of him subduing Baili Qianchi at the Shallow Dream Pavilion.
He couldn't believe that such a person would do this.
But he didn't say anything.
In this situation, speaking up for Han Xuanji would be tantamount to going against everyone present.
He can't afford to offend them.
After everyone laughed for a while, the topic shifted to another person.
"Speaking of which, Senior Brother Zhou from the Tiger and Panther Legion has been making quite a splash lately. I heard he single-handedly killed a True Master- level ferocious beast in the wilderness a few days ago?"
"That's right, that ferocious beast has thick hide and tough flesh; even ordinary True Master couldn't do anything to it. Senior Brother Zhou killed it with a single shot, clean and swift."
"This is a true prodigy, unlike some people who have impressive reputations but show weakness the moment they make a move."
"Shh, keep your voice down. They have the backing of the Soul Household. Don't talk nonsense."
"What's there to be afraid of? Can the Soul Household silence everyone?"
Everyone laughed again.
On the top floor of the Drunken Immortal Pavilion, at a table by the window, sat a man who was eight feet tall and of robust build.
He wore a dark, close-fitting outfit with the silver insignia of the Tiger and Panther Legion embroidered on the cuffs, and a short gun hung at his waist, its tip gleaming faintly.
His face was resolute, with high-set brow bones, slightly narrowed tiger eyes, and a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.
Zhou Lie, as the youngest centurion in the Tiger and Panther Legion, was also the undisputed "number one among the younger generation" in Thousand Souls City.
He picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and looked through the window at the bustling street below.
" Han Xuanji..."
He silently repeated the name in his heart, a complex light flashing in his eyes.
He had remembered this name for a long time.
Before Han Xuanji reached the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Stairway, Zhou Lie was the undisputed number one among the younger generation of Thousand Souls City.