This news was naturally spread by him first.
He paid a considerable price to purchase this information from someone who had just come out of the Life and Death Ravine, and had some people "inadvertently" bring it up in public circles.
Word spread from one person to ten, then to a hundred; the rumors were like a snowball, growing larger and more outrageous as they rolled on. The effect was even better than he had anticipated.
Now, whenever Han Xuanji was mentioned in the city, the opinions were mixed.
Meanwhile, the battle record of him, Zhou Lie, single-handedly slaying a True Lord-level desolate beast, was spread at just the right time. When compared, the difference was immediately clear.
"Once I build up a bit more fame, the title of 'Number One Prodigy' will be mine again."
A smile curled the corners of Zhou Lie's lips, and he drained the wine in his cup in one gulp. To gain both fame and fortune, isn't that wonderful?
To be honest, Zhou Lie didn't want to resort to such low-level tactics.
However, when he had previously challenged Han Xuanji to a duel, the other party had completely ignored him.
He couldn't just storm the Hun Family just because the other party refused, could he?
In Qianhun City, although the Huben Legion he belonged to was powerful, it was still inferior to the Hun Family, who held the authority of the City Lord.
As for why he pursued this fame and fortune, on one hand, the Zhou Family he came from was not a major Family. The elders in the clan valued him, so he could only repay the Family in this way.
On the other hand, relying on this reputation, in the past, the Prodigies from the various major forces in the city would have to respectfully call him "Senior Brother Zhou" whenever they saw him. Of course, in reality, whether it was cultivation, combat power, or battle records, he did indeed firmly surpass everyone else of his age.
Back then, he was the ceiling of Qianhun City.
Until Han Xuanji appeared.
He reached the summit of the Five Elements Heavenly Ladder, shook Qianhun City with his fame, and even the Master of the Five Elements Tower personally spoke up, wanting to take him as a disciple.
Later, he displayed astonishing willpower, subduing Baili Qianchi.
In the teahouses and taverns of the city, everyone was talking about "Young Master Han," and no one mentioned Zhou Lie anymore.
Even more ridiculous was that, at some unknown point in time, someone behind his back started calling him the "Second Prodigy of Qianhun City."
Second.
These two words were like a thorn stuck in his heart, impossible to pull out.
While Zhou Lie was still thinking about this, he suddenly received a message.
After he finished reading it, the corners of his mouth immediately curled up, and he was overjoyed.
"Good, good, good!"
"I also walk the Way of Laws, and I have already condensed the tenth Eternal Dao Principle. I will let you know who the real 'Genius' is!"
...
On the other side.
Han Xuanji had already told Hun Qianxue about his desire to go to the Creation Platform.
Hun Qianxue's reply came extremely quickly, and he had no objections despite Han Xuanji's lightning-fast exit from the Life and Death Ravine last time.
"Leave this matter to me. I will immediately send someone to negotiate with the Huben Legion that manages the Creation Platform, though it will take some time."
Hun Qianxue was not only not dissatisfied but instead began to comfort Han Xuanji.
"By the way, Xuanji, do not pay attention to the rumors outside. I will handle them."
Seeing the reply, Han Xuanji was a bit puzzled.
"What rumors?"
"It is nothing. Just focus on your Cultivation."
Seeing that Han Xuanji seemed to really not know, Hun Qianxue understood.
He figured that this person was truly in secluded cultivation and had completely ignored the situation outside.
This was also in line with Han Xuanji's consistent style.
Thinking of this, Hun Qianxue did not say anything more, indicating that he would fully support Han Xuanji and that there was no need to overthink things.
Although Han Xuanji was a bit confused, he hung up the communication after expressing his thanks.
"Could someone be stirring up trouble again?"
Han Xuanji took out another private communication token and glanced at the messages.
Wang Ping had sent him a few messages.
After Han Xuanji finished reading them, his brows furrowed slightly.
"Rumors targeting me?"
When Hun Qianxue had asked him "not to pay attention to the rumors outside" just now, he had felt something was not right.
He just hadn't asked in detail at the time, but now Wang Ping's words had made the truth clear to him.
However, he was not angry, and he didn't even have any emotional fluctuations.
Rumors, to put it differently, were essentially just someone who couldn't stand to see him doing well.
He just couldn't figure one thing out.
"I thought I had always kept a low profile; those who had grudges against me should all be dead by now."
Han Xuanji leaned back in his chair and calculated silently in his heart.
Third Young Master Hun Qianchen and Hun Cangfeng had already been executed, the people of the Tianwu Sect had been mostly wiped out by the Hun Family, and those within the Hun Family who had once been hostile toward him had long since quieted down after Ling Feng's apology last time, not daring to act up again.
Who else would go to such great lengths to smear him?
"Could it be the remnants of the Tianwu Sect? Or someone else?"
Han Xuanji pondered for a moment.
Because his actions actually deviated from his behavior in the simulation, it would inevitably lead to changes in the future.
However, major events should not be affected.
He had no leads, and he couldn't be bothered to investigate.
Since Hun Qianxue already knew about this, he would definitely get to the bottom of it.
The Hun Family's secret guards were not just for show; in this territory of Qianhun City, nothing could be hidden from the Hun Family's eyes.
Forget it, no need to think so much.
Besides, it makes no difference to me.
Han Xuanji placed the jade talisman aside and closed his eyes. To be honest, these kinds of rumors were not only harmless to him, but might even be beneficial.
He had never wanted to be too much in the limelight; he understood the principle that a tall tree catches the wind better than anyone.
On the Eternal Continent, he was just a "newcomer" who had just arrived. His Foundation was still shallow, and his strength was still weak. Being exposed in the spotlight would only bring more unnecessary trouble.
Hun Qianxue helped him block most of it, but he could block it for a while, not for a lifetime.
Now that someone was helping him "cool down," letting him fall from the pedestal of a "peerless Prodigy" and becoming someone with a "mixed reputation," this might not be a bad thing.
"May the years be peaceful; it is good to just pass through this development period quietly."
Han Xuanji's lips curled up slightly.
He had the System by his side; as long as he was given enough time, his future would be limitless. By then, any gossip, any empty fame or floating profit, would not be worth mentioning. He took a deep breath and continued to consolidate his Cultivation.
The door of the cultivation chamber was tightly closed, with only the indistinct Restrictions running constantly all around.
The hustle and bustle of the outside world had nothing to do with him.
...
Hun Qianxue put down the communication jade talisman, the smile on his face gradually fading, replaced by a touch of solemnity.
Han Xuanji had not taken those idle gossips to heart, and he didn't even know that someone was badmouthing him behind his back.
This Heart-Nature was truly rare.
But precisely because of this, Hun Qianxue felt even more that he could not let him be wronged.
"How is the investigation with the secret guards going?"
Hun Qianxue asked in a deep voice.
In the shadows of the hall, a figure appeared silently.
The person was shrouded in a black robe, their face mostly covered by a hood, revealing only a pair of sharp eyes.
"Reporting to the Patriarch, it has been investigated clearly."
The black-robed person's voice was hoarse and low:
"The source of the news that spread first is a Loose Cultivator named Wu Daoyuan. After this person came out of the Life and Death Ravine, he sold the news of Young Master Han leaving the Secret Realm early to many people."