However, someone soon stepped out to pour cold water on the situation:
"Don't get too excited yet. Hun Qianxue wouldn't act like this without being prepared. If that Han Xuanji truly possesses some genuine skill, and we rashly make a move, we might end up with a reputation for being jealous of talent, which would be counterproductive."
As soon as these words were spoken, the commotion in the hall instantly subsided. The joy on Hun Qianchen's face also faded slightly, and he turned to look at the speaker—it was Elder Hun Cangfeng.
"Then Elder, what do you suggest we do?"
Elder Hun Cangfeng tapped his fingertips lightly against the tabletop. The black metal finger guards collided with the wooden surface, emitting a soft "tap-tap" sound. A glint of light flickered in his eyes as he pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, his tone sinister:
"One wrong step leads to another; we cannot act rashly. Hun Qianxue's Foundation is not yet stable, yet he dares to act this way. Either that Han Xuanji truly possesses Heaven-Defying talent, or he is intentionally using this to demonstrate his sincerity in seeking talent and to solidify his own prestige. What we need to do is not to launch a rash attack, but to first probe the truth of the situation."
"Elder, how should we probe it then?" a trusted aide quickly asked.
Elder Hun Cangfeng hooked the corner of his mouth into a calculating smile and said slowly:
"For an S-Rank Talent like this, we naturally must try to win him over. Qianchen, you should personally send someone to the Purple Hun Cave Heaven, take a generous gift to meet him, express our sincerity, and invite him to defect to our side. Promise him that if he is willing to assist, when you ascend to power in the future, you will provide him with even better treatment than he has now. Do not be stingy with the conditions."
"If he readily agrees, it means this youth is greedy for vanity, and even if he has some talent, he is nothing to fear. At that point, we can secretly stir up trouble, let Hun Qianxue know about this, sow discord between the two, and use Hun Qianxue's hand to eliminate this hidden threat. If he politely refuses, it means this youth either has integrity or is demanding more, and we will make other plans and continue to observe. More importantly, we must figure out exactly how much substance the other party has and whether he can live up to this title of S-Rank Talent."
Upon hearing this, Hun Qianchen nodded thoughtfully and said:
"Then what if he really is this S-Rank Talent and refuses to listen to us?"
"Hmm... then we will have to accept our defeat. It would be best to probe his background and see if there are any issues," Elder Hun Cangfeng said calmly.
"If he is not what he claims to be and is just a person with a hollow reputation, that will be our best Opportunity. We can use this to manipulate him into standing on our side. When the next Family council comes, we will launch an attack in public, accusing Hun Qianxue of abusing his power and wasting Family resources, thereby shaking his prestige within the Family. At that point, you will step forward and, in the name of fairness, propose a re-evaluation of Han Xuanji. This will both showcase your stature and dampen Hun Qianxue's arrogance."
Elder Hun Cangfeng's line of thought was incredibly clear, and he had considered everything quite thoroughly for Hun Qianchen. The others also looked at this Family Elder with admiration, chiming in one after another to praise Elder Hun Cangfeng's thorough planning. Hun Qianchen had decent strength, but lacked cunning and had insufficient Family prestige; having this Elder by his side could completely make up for that.
"Many thanks for your guidance, Elder Cangfeng!"
Upon hearing this, a glint of light flashed in Hun Qianchen's eyes, and he quickly nodded:
"Rest assured, Elder, I will go make arrangements right now and will definitely uncover Han Xuanji's true nature!"
He was secretly excited in his heart; as long as he could grasp this flaw of Hun Qianxue, he could seize the Opportunity to rise, bringing him one step closer to the position of Clan Chief. At this moment, there was no longer any distance in the expression with which Hun Qianchen looked at Hun Cangfeng.
Back in the day, this Elder was also one of the top Prodigies of the Hun Family, competing for the position of Clan Chief with the previous Clan Chief, Hun Wanli. Both had comparable talent and similar strength, but in the end, he was just one move behind.
In the end, the Family chose to fully support Hun Wanli, giving him massive amounts of resources and Opportunities to help him successfully breakthrough to the Eternal Saint Realm, while he, due to insufficient resources and no one to help him, failed to breakthrough to the Saint Realm. Not only did his Cultivation stagnate at the Eternal True God level, but his status also plummeted, turning him from a Prodigy admired by all into a suppressed Elder.
Initially, Hun Qianchen had been somewhat wary of him, but he had gradually begun to trust him. The enemy of an enemy is a friend, and besides, there was no enmity whatsoever between him and Hun Cangfeng.
"Hun Wanli, everything you took from me back then, I will now take back one by one from your son."
Hun Cangfeng whispered secretly in his heart, the ferocious aura in his eyes growing increasingly intense.
For all these years, he had been biding his time, waiting for an Opportunity, and that Opportunity had now arrived.
...
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
During these few days, Han Xuanji Cultivated wholeheartedly; other than chatting with Hun Qianling, he had no other activities. The System hadn't had much movement anyway, so it should still need some time.
And tonight, he was to accept the invitation of Hun Qianxue to attend the Hun Family banquet. This banquet was, firstly, to celebrate the safe return of Hun Qianling, and secondly, for him, the S-Rank Talent, to make his debut. Han Xuanji could not refuse to go; after all, he had received so many benefits from them, and the other protagonist of the banquet was Hun Qianling.
Han Xuanji sat on the ten-thousand-year-old Soul Wood bed in the Cultivation area, thinking to himself:
"The System's functions are just barely enough."
In the last upgrade, the System's ability to conceal his aura was sufficient to deal with the prying of any Cultivator below the Eternal Saint level. In other words, the current powerhouses of the Hun Family at the Eternal True God level, including Hun Qianxue, could not see through his true talent and the depth of his Cultivation.
Soon, it was time for the banquet, and Han Xuanji arrived at the scene early. Before the banquet had even begun, the place was already brightly lit and bustling with noise. The core members of the Hun Family, Elders of various branches, and the Family's younger generation were all gathered together, and the atmosphere was warm and grand.
Han Xuanji walked into the great hall slowly beside Hun Qianling, instantly attracting everyone's gaze. He was dressed in green robes with a calm expression, and his whole body only exuded a faint aura of an Eternal Dao Lord. He seemed unremarkable, yet because of his "S-Rank Talent" title, he was looked at differently by everyone. After all, in their eyes, Han Xuanji was the Hun Family's newly appointed S-Rank Talent, a Prodigy highly regarded by the Clan Chief, Hun Qianxue. Even if the Cultivation he displayed was merely that of an Eternal Dao Lord, no one dared to show the slightest bit of contempt.