Wang Lin's words hit Hun Hao's sore spot, and he instantly snapped back to his senses:
"Me, afraid? What do I have to be afraid of! He hasn't even crossed the thousandth step, what's there to be so arrogant about?
The Five Elements Heavenly Ladder gets harder the further up you go. He looks relaxed now, but once he reaches the thousandth step, he'll definitely be unable to hold on! Wang Lin, stop gloating. I definitely won't lose today's bet!"
Though his words were tough, the humiliated rage on his face was hard to conceal.
At this moment, someone nearby whispered:
"Seven hundred steps... I remember before, the Hun Family also sent a Prodigy, and the best result was only eight hundred steps..."
"Shh, stop talking. Senior Brother Hun Hao's expression is already very bad..."
"But I'm just stating facts..."
Hun Hao's expression was incredibly ugly; he also knew that even if Han Xuanji stopped now, he had already proven his talent wasn't lacking.
"Oh? Is that so?"
Wang Lin raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone remaining calm:
"Then let's wait and see just how far this S-Rank Prodigy from the Hun Family can actually go. I actually think he might create a miracle, reach the top of the ladder, and slap some people in the face."
Hun Hao could only stare fixedly at Han Xuanji's figure, secretly praying in his heart—praying that Han Xuanji would soon be unable to hold on, praying that he could win the bet—but he also knew that his prayers were nothing more than self-deception.
Han Xuanji's composure was by no means a facade; his strength truly far exceeded his expectations.
Soon, Han Xuanji had already crossed the thousandth step.
The moment Han Xuanji stepped onto the thousandth step, the entire plaza at the foot of the ladder fell completely silent.
Everyone held their breath, eyes wide, watching that still unhurried figure.
One thousand steps.
This height had already surpassed half of the Core Disciples of the Five Elements Tower.
And Han Xuanji didn't even seem to be exerting himself yet.
"He... he doesn't look like someone who's here for the first time at all?"
An Elder of the Five Elements Tower couldn't help but ask in a low voice, his tone full of confusion.
"His understanding of the Five Elements Dao is so deep that I'd believe it if you said he was an old Disciple who had cultivated in the Five Elements Tower for tens of thousands of years..."
Another Elder shook his head with a bitter smile:
"It seems we all misjudged him. This boy is definitely not someone who has a hollow reputation. The Hun Family truly lives up to being a Family that has produced a Saint; their foundation is indeed profound, and none of their S-Rank Prodigies are simple characters."
Fang Xuanhe stood at the very front. Listening to the exclamations and discussions of the Disciples behind him, a smile slowly appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He looked up at the figure on the ladder, his eyes full of gratification and praise.
"Good lad..."
Fang Xuanhe murmured to himself, his tone carrying a hint of emotion:
"I really didn't misjudge him."
Initially, several Elders in the tower had some complaints about this, thinking it was somewhat against the rules to grant an outsider the qualification for the Five Elements Altar.
But now, Han Xuanji had used his performance to prove it. He was worthy of this qualification.
"That Family Head of the Hun Family is indeed not someone who can be easily fooled."
Fang Xuanhe stroked his beard, a flash of realization crossing his eyes:
"How could someone capable of becoming an S-Rank Prodigy be an ordinary person?"
He couldn't help but think of the previous rumors and gossip regarding Han Xuanji.
"Entering through the back door," "unworthy of the name," "relying entirely on luck"—thinking about it now, it all seemed incredibly ridiculous.
Those who said Han Xuanji had no real ability were probably all speechless now, weren't they? Fang Xuanhe shook his head, his gaze falling back on Han Xuanji, his eyes now holding a bit more expectation.
Meanwhile, Han Xuanji's pace remained steady, with five-colored spiritual light flashing around him, reflecting the Five Elements dao rhyme of the ladder.
His expression was as calm as water, showing no sign of fatigue, as if this ladder that made countless prodigies shrink back was just a small step on his path of cultivation.
Before long, Han Xuanji had already stepped onto the 1,510th step.
Even though he was almost halfway, his pace was still composed and his expression calm. The cycle of the five Dao Laws was becoming smoother and smoother, perfectly blending with the pressure of the ladder's Dao Laws, even allowing him to use the ladder's dao rhyme to accelerate the digestion of his remaining Five Elements insights.
With every step he took, his understanding of the Five Elements Dao Laws deepened by another point. The sounds of wonder rose again. Everyone was completely shocked by Han Xuanji's performance; the gaze they directed at him now held only awe, with no trace of contempt or doubt left.
Hun Hao's face had turned pale, his lips trembling slightly, no longer able to say a single stubborn word.
And at the peak of that ladder, the black-clothed youth's gaze became serious. He had originally only glanced casually, thinking Han Xuanji was no different from other Cultivators who braved the ladder.
They would either give up halfway or barely hold on, eventually retreating in a pathetic state.
But Han Xuanji's current performance forced him to devote some attention to observing seriously. Such a composed pace was definitely not something an ordinary Prodigy could possess. Even if he were to brave the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder himself, he might not be able to do it so easily.
He didn't make a sound, just watched quietly, the curve of his mouth gradually fading as he thought to himself: This Han Xuanji is much more interesting than I imagined. Perhaps he really can become an opponent worth my attention.
Beside him, Uncle Wang's gaze also fell on Han Xuanji. His expression became thoughtful, his brow furrowing slightly as a flash of doubt crossed his eyes.
His cultivation was profound and his experience vast; he had seen all kinds of prodigies. But Han Xuanji gave him a strange feeling.
Clearly, Han Xuanji's cultivation was only at the third level of Eternal Dao Lord, which wasn't considered very high, and he didn't look particularly unusual. Yet, he could somehow sense an indescribable aura on Han Xuanji that he couldn't see through or pin down.
This feeling had no basis; it was more like an intuition, a sharp intuition originating from a powerful expert.
"Maybe I'm overthinking..."
...
Han Xuanji was completely unaware of the gazes from the Five Elements Altar. All his thoughts were currently focused on the comprehension of the Five Elements Dao Laws and climbing the ladder.
Without realizing it, Han Xuanji had already stepped onto the 1,800th step, murmuring in his heart:
"The ninth portion has also been completely absorbed."
If absorbing the Five Elements insights was a bit tiring for Han Xuanji at the beginning, then by now, absorbing these insights had become an instinct.
In reality, those twelve portions of insights were not just an infusion of knowledge, but a Legacy of 'experience'. The paths taken, the pitfalls encountered, and the moments of Epiphany by twelve predecessors were now all integrated into Han Xuanji's heart, turning into his own understanding of the Five Elements.
"Almost two thousand steps!"
At the foot of the ladder, someone shouted, their voice carrying a hint of trembling.
Two thousand steps.
This height had already surpassed over seventy percent of the Core Disciples of the Five Elements Tower.
"Is he... is he really going to reach the top?"
A Five Elements Tower Disciple swallowed hard, his voice shaking slightly. No one answered him, because everyone was considering the same question.
Fang Xuanhe looked up at that figure getting higher and higher. Besides gratification, his eyes held even more expectation.
Hun Hao stood among the crowd as if all his strength had been drained, his legs feeling slightly weak.
The heart that was hanging has finally stopped.