This is actually normal.
There are countless geniuses in the world, and even villains aren't stupid; it's always better to have one more friend than one more enemy.
Unless there is Undying hatred between the two sides, negotiations are possible.
Suppressing prodigies brings them no benefit whatsoever; on the contrary, it only invites trouble.
The two passed through the side gate of the training ground and entered a quiet corridor.
The long corridor is lined with bamboo, whose leaves rustle in the breeze, filling the air with a faint fragrance.
Compared to the hustle and bustle of the outside world, this place feels like another world altogether.
He Guanshan walked ahead, hands behind his back, his steps leisurely.
He didn't speak, and Han Xuanji didn't speak either. The two walked silently, one in front of the other.
After walking for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, He Guanshan suddenly spoke.
Aren't you curious why I canceled the third level?
Han Xuanji shook his head slightly:
"I'm curious, but since the legion commander has done this, he must have his reasons."
He Guanshan chuckled, a hint of relief in his voice:
"You certainly know how to talk."
He stopped and turned to look at Han Xuanji, his gaze much gentler than it had been on the training ground.
"My original plan for the third challenge was for you to fight against a hundred-man battle formation of the Tiger and Panther Legion."
It's not a battle of attrition; it's facing a hundred people simultaneously.
Those hundred men were not ordinary soldiers, but elite troops of my Tiger and Panther Legion, skilled in combined attacks and with perfect teamwork. Even if the Eternal True Lord were trapped among them, he would have difficulty escaping."
Han Xuanji listened quietly without interrupting.
He Guanshan continued, "But after thinking about it later, I felt it was unnecessary."
Your battle with Zhou Lie has already shown me your strength.
He paused, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes:
"To be honest, I regret it a little."
Han Xuanji raised an eyebrow slightly:
"Regret?"
I regret not discovering you sooner.
He Guanshan sighed and said:
"If you were in the Tiger and Panther Legion, I would do everything in my power to train you. My He Household is also Aristocratic Clan Sage, much stronger than the current Soul Household, and even three times stronger than the Soul Household at its peak."
Han Xuanji remained silent for a moment, naturally understanding He Guanshan's intention to recruit him.
The implication was simple: the He Household had Sage in charge, making them far stronger than the Soul Household. If Han Xuanji was interested, he could recommend them.
Han Xuanji gain access to better resources, and he will also be more valued by his Lineage's patriarch for recommending such a talented person.
It's a win-win situation.
But Han Xuanji couldn't just move to a different place for no reason. The Soul Household had treated him well, so he didn't need to move for the time being.
"I appreciate the commander's kindness, and the Soul Household has treated me well; I will not defect to another faction."
He Guanshan waved his hand:
I know that, so I didn't insist.
I'm just... a little disappointed.
He turned around and continued walking forward, saying as he went:
"I believe in the concept of 'fate' in everything I do."
It is fate that we met in Thousand Souls City.
If I help you today, maybe you'll be able to help me in the future.
On the path of spiritual practice, who can say for sure?
Han Xuanji understood the deeper meaning in his words.
He Guanshan is building good relationships, not making a deal.
Such people are far more terrifying, and also far more respectable, than those who are petty and calculating.
After all, his meaning was simple: he didn't care if Han Xuanji didn't become successful in the future, but he could help him if he did.
"I will remember your kindness today, Commander."
Han Xuanji said solemnly.
He Guanshan laughed heartily and waved his hand:
"It's not a favor, it's just going with the flow."
If you don't have the ability, I can't help you even if I wanted to.
Alright, enough of that, we've arrived at the Creation Platform.
He stopped and pointed ahead.
Han Xuanji looked in the direction he was pointing, and her pupils contracted slightly.
At the end of the long corridor, the view suddenly opens up.
Han Xuanji stopped in his tracks, and what he could see was a high platform suspended in mid-air.
The platform is entirely bluish-gray, made of some unknown type of stone, with a smooth, mirror-like surface that reflects the clouds in the sky.
Around the high platform, huge stone pillars soared into the sky, their surfaces engraved with dense Dao patterns. These Dao patterns were not static, but rather slowly flowing, as if they were alive, radiating a pale golden light.
But what truly shocked Han Xuanji was not the scale of the platform, but the overwhelming Daoist aura emanating from it.
It was as if a majestic giant sat there, overlooking all things in heaven and earth.
That Daoist aura contained both the vibrant life force of creation and the cold ruthlessness of looking down upon all living beings.
Two completely opposite auras intertwined, yet blended seamlessly without the slightest conflict.
"You felt it?"
He Guanshan stood to the side with his hands behind his back, watching Han Xuanji's reaction, a slight smile playing on his lips:
" The Creation Platform is actually the place of enlightenment for a close friend of one of my He Household's ancestors."
Han Xuanji nodded, his gaze still fixed on the high platform.
He could sense that the Dao here was much purer and more profound than that of the Five Elements Altar.
Thinking about it this way, this Sage's spiritual attainment might be even more powerful than he imagined.
After all, even among Sage, there are differences in strength.
"But."
He Guanshan changed the subject, smiling as he said:
"There's something outsiders don't know, and even the Soul Household's intelligence probably hasn't mentioned it."
Han Xuanji turned her head and looked at him.
He Guanshan extended a finger, pointed to the high platform, and a meaningful glint flashed in his eyes:
"That ancestor cultivated more than just the Dao of Creation. He..."
They also mastered the Dao of Destruction.
Creation and destruction are merged into one in his hands, inseparable.
That kid Zhou Lie only grasped the basics.
The true core of this legacy lies hidden deep within the Creation Platform, and no one has been able to access it to this day.
Han Xuanji was startled.
Although Zhou Lie also mastered both Dao Principles, his fusion was too crude; it was merely a superficial superposition rather than a true integration.
"Your battle with Zhou Lie has shown me your potential."
He Guanshan looked at Han Xuanji with a serious expression:
"Most people who go into this Creation Platform are lucky if they can grasp even a little bit of its secrets."
But you are different. If you can gain some insight on the Creation Platform, you might be able to touch upon the core inheritance of that ancestor."
He paused, then added:
"Of course, whether you can grasp it or not depends on your own destiny. I've done more than enough to help you."
Just as Han Xuanji was about to express his gratitude, a system notification sounded in his mind.
[Detected the " Creation Platform," a ten-star sign-in location. Sign in now? (Each sign-in costs forty Eternal Point Count, up to fifty sign-ins)]