"Qianling!"
Hun Qianxue's voice came from outside the Immortal Cave, carrying a rare note of joy.
Hun Qianling opened her eyes, rose to greet him, and seeing Hun Qianxue's beaming face, she couldn't help but be stunned: "Big Brother, what has you so happy?"
Hun Qianxue handed her the Jade Slip in his hand and smiled: "See for yourself."
Hun Qianling took the Jade Slip with a puzzled expression and probed it with her Divine Sense. The next moment, her pupils dilated sharply, and she froze in place.
The message in the Jade Slip was concise.
"Han Xuanji reached the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder today, and at an incredible speed, arguably the fastest person to ever reach the summit. He is currently at the Five Elements Altar, receiving the supreme Legacy of the Five Elements Tower."
"This was personally conveyed to me by Elder Fang Xuanhe of the Five Elements Tower, so the news is accurate."
Hun Qianling's hand holding the Jade Slip trembled slightly. Elder Fang Xuanhe and Hun Qianxue had a good personal relationship, and it was because of this connection that Han Xuanji was able to attempt the Heavenly Ladder.
"Is... is this true? So fast?"
Hun Qianling did not doubt that Han Xuanji could succeed, but she had not expected such a shocking performance.
"Absolutely true."
Hun Qianxue nodded with a smile, "Elder Fang sent the message himself, could it be false?"
Hun Qianling took a deep breath, trying to calm the waves in her heart, but found she could not calm down at all.
Reaching the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder!
She knew all too well what this meant.
The Five Elements Heavenly Ladder had three thousand six hundred and fifty steps, and the pressure increased the higher one went. Even for the Prodigy Cultivators of the Five Elements Tower who specialized in the Dao of the Five Elements, reaching the summit was never a smooth journey.
"So amazing..."
Hun Qianling murmured, her face flushing slightly.
During these days, although she hadn't said anything, the pressure she carried in her heart was not small.
Every voice in the Family questioning Han Xuanji felt like a knife stabbing into her heart.
She could not care about what others said about her, but she could not ignore the criticism directed at Han Xuanji and her Big Brother, Hun Qianxue.
"Qianling, you truly didn't misjudge him."
Hun Qianxue patted her shoulder, his tone full of relief: "This boy Han Xuanji is indeed a talent; he has not let down my trust."
Upon hearing this, the excitement on Hun Qianling's face gradually turned into a smile, carrying a hint of teasing: "Big Brother, you were actually quite worried at first. I kept telling you not to worry, but you wouldn't believe me."
As she spoke, she lifted her chin slightly, looking as if she had "expected it all along," having completely forgotten her own worries from just a moment ago.
Hun Qianxue was caught off guard by her words, couldn't help but cough lightly, and glared at her: "When was I worried? I was just... asking you out of caution. After all, since you were speaking up for him so much, how could I not believe it?"
"Yes, yes, yes, Big Brother is the most cautious."
Hun Qianling waved her hand with a smile, not exposing him.
The siblings laughed for a while, then Hun Qianxue's expression gradually became serious: "This time, with the news of Han Xuanji reaching the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder spreading, I want to see who still dares to gossip behind his back. Those who opposed me at the Family council, I will definitely settle the score with them properly."
Hun Qianling nodded, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. She knew who her Big Brother was talking about.
During the previous Family council, it was Ling Feng who first caused trouble, questioning Han Xuanji's S-Rank Prodigy qualification.
And those behind Ling Feng had been fanning the flames quite a bit during this time.
Now that Han Xuanji had slapped everyone in the face with his strength, it was time to properly settle this account.
The news spread faster than imagined.
In less than half a day, the news of Han Xuanji reaching the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder spread throughout the entire Hun Family.
For a time, the Hun Family was buzzing with discussion, and the tide of opinion turned completely.
The negative comments surrounding Han Xuanji previously receded like a tide.
In the south of Qianhun City, inside a beautifully decorated restaurant.
This restaurant was an enterprise of the Hun Family, and those who frequented it were mostly young masters of noble families in the city. The consumption was extremely high, and ordinary Cultivators dared not enter.
It was currently peak hours, the lobby was full, and various discussions rose and fell.
"Have you heard? That Han Xuanji actually reached the top of the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder and successfully passed the ultimate test of the Five Elements Tower!"
A young Cultivator dressed in brocade robes slapped the table, his tone exaggerated, "Rumor has it that there is a supreme Legacy left by the Ancestral Master of the Five Elements Tower up there!"
"Three thousand six hundred and fifty steps?"
A side-branch disciple of the Hun Family opposite him widened his eyes, "I remember that our Hun Family has had Prodigies attempt it before, and the best result was only around eight hundred steps, right? Is this true or false?"
"My brother's friend saw it with his own eyes, could it be fake?"
The brocade-robed Cultivator said with conviction, "And it is said that he didn't stop for a single step, he just ran straight up!"
"How come I heard he flew up?"
Someone nearby interjected, "It is said that the phantom of the Five Elements Tower's Ancestral Master even manifested!"
"Whether he ran or flew, he made it up there regardless."
The side-branch disciple of the Hun Family shook his head and sighed: "No wonder the Family Head directly designated him as an S-Rank Prodigy back then; it turns out he really has the strength."
"Those people who said he didn't live up to his name must have their faces swollen from being slapped now, right?"
Amidst the discussions, Han Xuanji's reputation reversed rapidly.
Meanwhile, those who had followed the trend of mocking and questioning Han Xuanji became targets of public criticism.
"I remember it was that Ling Feng of the Hun Family who first caused trouble, taking the lead in questioning him at the Family council."
Someone lowered their voice, but it wasn't hard to hear the schadenfreude in it.
"Exactly. He hasn't stopped badmouthing Han Xuanji outside during this period. Now the case is solved; in all likelihood, Ling Feng was jealous of the other's high talent and fabricated rumors. Truly shameful."
"Now it's done. He proved himself with his strength. Let's see how Ling Feng handles this."
Everyone was chatting one after another, and the conversation was lively.
At a table in the corner of the restaurant sat a young man with delicate features, the corners of his mouth slightly upturned. He was holding a wine cup, sipping it slowly, looking completely at ease.
This person was Wang Ping of the Wang Family. Sitting beside him were two direct-line disciples of the Hun Family. One of them, named Hun Mingyuan, was a playboy in the Hun Family—the type whose talent and cultivation were not high, but whose status was not low.
"Wang Ping, you are quite composed."
Hun Mingyuan nudged his arm and lowered his voice, "So many people mocked you before, saying you were Han Xuanji's 'filial son,' defending him every day. Well, how about now? They all got slapped in the face!"
The so-called "filial son" naturally meant that Wang Ping acted like Han Xuanji's son, going up to confront anyone who badmouthed Han Xuanji, much like someone saying that scolding Han Xuanji was the same as scolding his own father.
Wang Ping put down his wine cup and leisurely swept a glance at those in the lobby who had once mocked him, the arc of his mouth widening a bit more.
"Brother Mingyuan, you say people are truly strange."
His voice was not loud, but just enough for the people at the surrounding tables to hear clearly, "When I said that Han Xuanji was a true talent, some people insisted on gossiping behind his back, saying things like 'it was just luck' or 'he doesn't live up to his name'..."
He paused, deliberately sighing, "And now? Everyone is praising him more vigorously than anyone else."
Not far away, a Cultivator who had mocked Wang Ping to his face many times turned red and lowered his head, not daring to respond.
Another Hun Family disciple who had previously followed the trend of badmouthing Han Xuanji came over with a wine cup to apologize with a smile: "Brother Wang Ping, I was blind and spoke without discretion before; please don't take it to heart. That... where is Brother Han now? Could you see if you could help introduce us? We are all decent people; it's a good thing to get to know each other."
As soon as this person spoke, several people immediately surrounded them, their faces full of smiles.
"Yes, yes, younger brother Wang Ping, you are well-acquainted with Brother Han, could you help pass on a word?"
"If we could get to know a Prodigy like Brother Han, that would be our good fortune."
"Brother Wang Ping, we are old acquaintances, you cannot favor one over the other."
Wang Ping looked at this group of people, acting haughty before and now obsequious, and found it laughable.
Among these people, how many were sincere back then? It would be good enough if they hadn't badmouthed him behind his back.