Returning to his Immortal Cave, Han Xuanji sat on the bed in his cultivation chamber and fell into deep thought. He already knew that he was being targeted by some people.
It wasn't for any other reason but his existence, which gave certain people an excuse.
Perhaps Hun Qianling hadn't even noticed this; after all, from her perspective, it was perfectly reasonable for someone with Han Xuanji's Aptitude to receive such treatment.
But in the eyes of many, he was simply unworthy, and they could even use this to shake Hun Qianxue's position.
"I can actually mention this to Hun Qianling; perhaps I can beat them at their own game..."
Han Xuanji pondered privately, then summarized his findings and sent them to Hun Qianling. After receiving the message, she responded quickly, stating she would discuss the matter with Hun Qianxue immediately and told him not to worry.
Seeing this reply, Han Xuanji stopped overthinking and returned to his Cultivation.
Strength was the foundation; with his current strength, participating in these schemes would make him nothing more than a pawn.
"I need to hurry and condense the fourth Eternal Dao Principle, then Breakthrough to the next Realm..."
Han Xuanji finally understood why not many people in the Eternal Continent followed the Way of Laws. To Breakthrough a minor Realm now, he had to condense a brand-new Eternal Dao Principle.
Han Xuanji didn't intend to condense one randomly; he wanted to choose Laws he was familiar with and that were powerful.
Thinking of this, Han Xuanji began to exercise his privileges as an S-rank Talent to exchange his quota for resources in this area.
Since he had this authority, he was never stingy about using it.
Before long, Han Xuanji heard faint footsteps outside, accompanied by a respectful female voice:
"My Lord, the cultivation resources you exchanged for have been delivered. Please inspect them."
A flicker of anticipation flashed in Han Xuanji's eyes. He stood up and walked to the entrance of the Immortal Cave. Upon opening the door, he saw a Hun Family maid holding an ancient jade box. The box was surrounded by a faint spiritual glow, clearly meant to isolate its aura and protect the treasure within.
He took the jade box. The moment his fingertips touched it, he could vaguely sense a peculiar aura, completely different from the purity of ordinary cultivation resources, radiating an aura unique to the Law of Reincarnation.
"Thank you for your hard work."
Han Xuanji spoke indifferently and waved his hand for the maid to leave. He then closed the Immortal Cave door and quickly returned to the cultivation chamber, placing the jade box carefully on the stone table in front of him.
He took a deep breath and slowly opened the jade box. A fist-sized, dark-gray stone covered in fine patterns met his eyes.
This item was called a small samsara stone. Upon its surface, the Qi of Life and Death intertwined and coiled. A visible shimmer flowed between the patterns. Even just looking at it, one could feel a sense of vastness and weight.
Han Xuanji's fingertips lightly touched the small samsara stone. A cool yet heavy aura surged into his body through his fingertips, nourishing his Dao foundation.
Clearly, this small samsara stone was a key aid for him to condense an Eternal-level Reincarnation Dao Law.
"Not bad. So this is a specialty from the Life and Death Domain of the Eternal Continent?"
A sharp light flashed in Han Xuanji's eyes; he was very satisfied with this item.
The Eternal Continent was rumored to have Three Thousand Great Domains, each with its own unique products. This peculiar stone came from the Life and Death Domain and was suitable for Cultivators of the Way of Laws to comprehend the Reincarnation Dao Law.
"With this, condensing the Reincarnation Dao Law should be a sure thing."
Han Xuanji was in no hurry to begin his comprehension. Instead, he sealed the Immortal Cave and sent a message to Hun Qianling, stating he was entering seclusion and should not be disturbed unless it was something major.
Once the message was sent, he completely calmed his mind and threw his entire spirit into his Cultivation. A long period of seclusion began.
Time passed.
Han Xuanji remained seated on the bed, eyes closed and expression calm. His aura was steady and heavy. With every breath, massive amounts of Eternal Spiritual Qi surged into his body, nourishing his Dao foundation and refining his cultivation.
He held the small samsara stone in his palm. The stone's special power slowly seeped into his body, merging with his Divine Soul. Imperceptibly, it helped him comprehend the mysteries of the Samsara Dao Law.
One day, two days, one month, two months...
The Eternal Continent had nine suns and nine moons; a single day was very long, and spending one day here was equivalent to the Nine Heavens of the past.
On this day, the originally silent cultivation chamber suddenly experienced a faint tremor. It didn't come from the outside but from within Han Xuanji's body.
"Hum..."
Han Xuanji's seated body shook violently. The Spiritual Qi surrounding him instantly boiled, like waves stirred by a gale, frantically surging into his body. His aura also skyrocketed, climbing steadily until it reached the Peak of the third layer of the Eternal Dao Lord Realm, just one step away from a Breakthrough.
"My cultivation has reached its limit."
Han Xuanji's closed eyes slowly opened, a sharp light flashing within them. He slowly loosened his right hand; the small samsara stone in his palm had already become dull and lusterless, and the fine patterns on its surface had gradually faded. Clearly, the power contained within had been completely drained by him.
"The peculiar power within this small samsara stone has been completely absorbed by me..."
Han Xuanji pondered silently. With a movement of his Divine Thought, he clearly perceived the passage of time. A look of realization crossed his eyes.
"And without realizing it, ten years have passed."
Ten years was but a blink of an eye in the Eternal Continent.
Han Xuanji took a moment to check the messages from Hun Qianling. There was nothing urgent; it seemed someone had tried to impeach him, but it had already been suppressed.
"Never mind that, Breakthrough first."
Han Xuanji felt the surging power within him. With just a slight sense, he discovered that both his cultivation and his comprehension of the Reincarnation Dao Law had reached a certain limit.
"I can now begin to condense the Reincarnation Dao Law again."
(T/N: I'll now be using Samsara in place of Reincarnation)
"This time, failure is absolutely impossible."
With a thought, Han Xuanji slowly adjusted his breathing. His aura gradually stabilized but became even more condensed. He focused his mind, preparing to mobilize all the power in his body to condense the Samsara Dao Law.