Li Tiantong couldn't help but ask Hun Jiuge,
"What kind of person is Young Master Han, exactly?"
"What kind of person?"
Hun Jiuge took a deep breath and quickly said,
"Brother Li, let me tell you, Young Master Han is truly incredible!"
"You didn't see it with your own eyes, but back when he reached the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder, he climbed all three thousand six hundred and fifty steps without stopping once or resting even for a moment! The eyes of those Five Elements Tower Elders almost popped out of their heads!"
His speech grew faster and faster, his eyes shining with light.
Li Tiantong held his teacup, listening quietly, his curiosity growing stronger.
The way Hun Jiuge looked when talking about Han Xuanji was like a Mortal from the Lower Realm discussing the immortals in the heavens, filled with heartfelt worship.
This wasn't an act; he was truly and utterly impressed.
He thought to himself: Just who is this Han Xuanji?
To have these high-and-mighty scions of great families hold him in such high esteem?
"The biggest pity is that I've never had the chance to see Young Master Han in person."
Hun Jiuge sighed, his tone full of regret.
"He's too busy, either in seclusion or on his way to a mission. Many people in the clan want to see him but can't.
This time, Young Master Han asked for someone to handle a matter, and I was the first to sign up. I had a hard time snatching this task from others."
When he mentioned "snatching," he even made a gesture as if he had actually fought someone for it. Li Tiantong was somewhat amused by his appearance, but felt more of a sense of wonder.
Hun Jiuge was a member of the Hun Family, and a direct Disciple at that, with no low status. In this Qianhun City, he was also an existence that ordinary Cultivators looked up to.
Yet such a person was this excited just because he could run an errand for Han Xuanji.
Han Xuanji's weight in the Hun Family was much heavier than he had imagined.
...
Upon arriving at the Hun Family, the beast carriage passed through the streets. The further they went inside, the more serene the surrounding scenery became.
Pedestrians became fewer, green trees provided shade, and occasionally, a few grand residences could be seen hidden among the woods.
"We're here."
Hun Jiuge lifted the carriage curtain and pointed ahead.
"That is the Purple Soul Grotto-Heaven, the place where Young Master Han cultivates."
Li Tiantong looked in the direction he pointed and saw a towering mountain gate standing in the twilight. The four large characters "Purple Soul Grotto-Heaven" were written with sharp strokes, faintly exuding dao rhyme.
Beyond the mountain gate, spiritual mist swirled, and pavilions and towers could be seen indistinctly, like a fairyland.
The beast carriage stopped in front of the mountain gate.
Hun Jiuge jumped off the carriage, respectfully handed a token to the guard at the gate, and whispered a few words.
The guard's gaze swept over Li Tiantong and Hun Jiuge, then he nodded and stepped aside.
The main Immortal Cave was where Han Xuanji was in seclusion, and the servants sent by the Hun Family took care of the outside.
As the two arrived at the entrance of the main Immortal Cave, golden light flashed ahead as the Immortal Cave's Restriction was lifted.
"Young Master Han is inside."
Hun Jiuge stopped his pace, his voice unconsciously lowering a few notches as if he were on a pilgrimage.
"Brother Li, please go in. I... I will wait outside."
He rubbed his hands, his eyes filled with both expectation and a bit of nervousness.
Li Tiantong nodded and walked in.
The Immortal Cave was very spacious, completely on a different level from where he lived.
Deep inside the Immortal Cave was a courtyard, not large, but arranged very elegantly. A pond, several stalks of spiritual bamboo, and koi swimming leisurely in the pond, with the water reflecting the sunset glow of the sky.
At this time, there was a stone table and two stone chairs in the courtyard. A pot of clear tea sat on the table, its fragrance curling upwards.
Han Xuanji sat on one of the stone chairs, holding a bamboo scroll in his hand. Seeing him enter, he put down the scroll and stood up.
"Hello, Senior Tongtian."
At the same time, Han Xuanji also took a look at the other person using his inspection function.
[Li Tiantong (Tongtian Dao Venerable): Fifth Layer Eternal Dao Lord, Chaos Transcendent, transcended with the Dao Ancestor many years ago, carrying Chaos Luck, arrived at the Eternal Continent after a narrow escape, obtained a Legacy by chance, and drifted to Qianhun City after separating from the Dao Ancestor.]
When these words reached Li Tiantong's ears, he was instantly shocked.
He stared blankly at the young man before him, countless images flashing rapidly through his mind, yet he couldn't grasp any of them.
"You... You are..."
"My name is Han Xuanji."
Han Xuanji smiled and gestured for him to sit, specifically using the Immortal Realm language to say:
"I come from the Immortal Realm, so I can be considered a fellow countryman of Senior."
Immortal Realm.
The familiar language and the familiar name were like a key, opening the tightly closed door in Li Tiantong's heart.
"You are a being from the Immortal Realm?"
Li Tiantong never dreamed that Han Xuanji would actually be from the Immortal Realm, and even call him Senior.
This one word, "Senior," made Li Tiantong feel a mix of emotions.
When he was in the Lower Realm, he was the high-and-mighty Tongtian Dao Venerable, worshipped by all living beings; being called "Senior" was just a daily occurrence.
But in the Eternal Continent, over these countless years, he had grown accustomed to the foul language of others. Who else would address him as "Senior"?
Han Xuanji nodded and poured him a cup of tea.
"Senior, please sit and talk. There is no rush."
Li Tiantong took a deep breath and sat down on the stone chair, holding the cup of hot tea in both hands, remaining silent for a long time.
Afterward, Han Xuanji also explained his origins to the other party, mentioning that he had also coincidentally obtained the Legacy of the Three Dao Venerables in the Immortal Realm.
"So that's how it is."
This explanation caused Li Tiantong to let down his guard.
These things couldn't possibly have been fabricated by Han Xuanji.
"You are truly incredible."
Li Tiantong sincerely admired Han Xuanji. The other party had been in the Eternal Continent for a few hundred years at most, yet had achieved such accomplishments, putting him, the Senior, to shame.
"I was also lucky and avoided many detours."
Han Xuanji shook his head, having no intention of boasting.
He was also somewhat curious about what the other party had experienced over the years.
"Senior, how have you been getting by in the Eternal Continent all these years?"
"It's a long story."
Li Tiantong put down his teacup, his gaze falling on the koi swimming in the pond, as if recalling a very distant past.
"Back then, the Dao Ancestor and I sensed the existence of the will of chaos within the Chaos. That thing was too strong, so strong that we couldn't even fathom the idea of resisting it. Moreover, staying in the Chaos meant there would never be the possibility of a Breakthrough.
Transcendence was our only way out."
Han Xuanji nodded.
He naturally knew about the matter of the will of chaos.
For the living beings of the Chaos, the actions of the will of chaos blocked their Breakthroughs, which for Cultivators was an irreconcilable enmity.