Virtual Universe, Thunder Island.
Thunder Island served as the Virtual Universe Company's Immortal Hub, the true headquarters where the organization's highest echelons convened and made decisions that shaped the destiny of countless civilizations across human-controlled space.
Within an immense temple whose crystalline walls seemed to contain captured lightning eternally frozen mid-strike, King Longyu stood in respectful silence before his master's throne.
"Your Excellency," King Longyu reported with measured formality, "Han Jue has successfully passed the tenth level of the Tongtian Bridge and is currently attempting the eleventh."
Venerable Nine Swords sat elevated upon his throne, silent and contemplative. His expression remained unreadable, though his thoughts churned with considerable interest behind that impassive facade.
Could Han Jue actually challenge the Universe-level Primal Tongtian Mountain? Venerable Nine Swords wondered, leaning forward slightly as he considered the implications.
The Universe-level Primal Tongtian Mountain corresponded to the twelfth level and beyond of the Tongtian Bridge. By comparison, the Domain Lord level began at the sixteenth level, while the World Master level started at the twentieth. Each threshold represented a dramatic escalation in required law comprehension and combat mastery.
On the surface, the World Master-level Tongtian Mountain appeared the most challenging of the three major thresholds. However, Venerable Nine Swords, who had personally witnessed countless geniuses rise and fall over countless epochs, understood the deeper truth: the Universe-level Primal Tongtian Mountain was actually the most difficult barrier to overcome.
The reasoning was straightforward, though counterintuitive to most observers.
World Masters possessed the greatest natural advantages for comprehending the fundamental laws of the universe. With lifespans extending across a thousand epochs, they could continuously and methodically deepen their understanding of cosmic principles without the same time pressures that constrained lower cultivation levels. The sheer amount of practice time available made steady progress almost inevitable for talented individuals.
Throughout humanity's long history, geniuses who had successfully conquered the Primal Tongtian Mountain at the World Master level weren't exactly common, but they appeared with sufficient regularity to be considered a known phenomenon. After all, which Universe Venerable, which Universe Master, hadn't been considered a remarkable genius during their own era? The very fact that they'd reached such elevated positions proved their exceptional talent.
At the Universe level, however, the speed of comprehending fundamental laws was drastically inferior compared to World Masters. The limitations were physiological, mental, and metaphysical, representing fundamental barriers that talent alone couldn't easily overcome.
Achieving a level of law understanding that surpassed ordinary Immortals while still at the Universe level was extraordinarily difficult, a feat that required not just exceptional talent, but also perfect opportunities, ideal resources, and perhaps most importantly, the right temperament and mental state to maximize every moment of cultivation.
Those rare individuals who successfully conquered the Primal Tongtian Mountain at the Universe level would, barring catastrophic accidents or truly bizarre circumstances, also inevitably conquer the Tongtian Mountains at both the Domain Lord and World Master levels when they eventually reached those cultivation stages. The foundation established at Universe level proved that profound.
Kedi, once hailed as a genius who appeared only once in a million epochs, had famously conquered the Primal Tongtian Mountains at the Universe, Domain Lord, and World Master levels, a triple achievement that had marked him as destined for Universe Master status from the very beginning of his career.
"I truly underestimated Han Jue," Venerable Nine Swords murmured, shaking his head with something approaching self-reproach.
While Han Jue had certainly performed impressively during the Genius Battle, demonstrating remarkable combat prowess and law comprehension for his age, even that stunning display had never shocked Venerable Nine Swords to the degree this current achievement did. The gap between exceeding expectations and shattering all conventional understanding was vast.
This... this was different. This suggested potential that transcended normal genius and entered the realm of the truly legendary.
"Let's go," Venerable Nine Swords said decisively, rising from his throne with fluid grace. "Only three months remain in their training period. It's time to travel to the Beginning Universe and escort them back."
"Yes, Your Excellency," King Longyu replied with a deep bow, already preparing for the journey.
The difficulty spike at the eleventh level of the Tongtian Bridge proved insurmountable, at least for now.
Despite his best efforts and multiple attempts at different tactical approaches, Han Jue couldn't overcome the guardian. The gap between the tenth and eleventh levels represented a qualitative leap that his current comprehension couldn't quite bridge, no matter how creatively he applied his techniques.
After his final attempt ended in defeat, Han Jue materialized back in the Tongtian Bridge plane's observation area, breathing heavily from the exertion but far from discouraged. He'd pushed himself to his absolute limit and learned valuable lessons from each failed exchange.
"Master," Rimuru said, his slime form appearing beside Han Jue with obvious excitement, "Venerable Lianyi has sent you an email. She requests that you come to the Ice and Snow Temple to meet with her as soon as convenient."
"Senior Sister is looking for me?" Han Jue blinked in mild surprise, then nodded. "Of course. I'll go immediately."
Ignoring the cluster of other geniuses who were approaching, clearly wanting to congratulate him on clearing the tenth level and ask questions about his techniques, Han Jue teleported directly to the Ice and Snow Temple without ceremony. Some conversations could wait, but when a Universe Overlord requested your presence, you didn't delay.
"Senior Sister, Senior Brother Lingji," Han Jue greeted warmly as he entered the crystalline chamber.
The Ice and Snow Temple maintained its characteristic atmosphere of serene cold, though somehow the temperature never felt uncomfortable to invited guests. Upon materializing in the main hall, Han Jue immediately spotted both Venerable Lianyi and Venerable Lingji seated at an elegant table carved from what appeared to be a single massive ice crystal.
He approached respectfully and took the seat they'd clearly prepared for him, settling in with genuine appreciation for their hospitality.
"Here, try this," Venerable Lianyi said with a warm smile, pouring a steaming cup of light green liquid and sliding it across the crystalline table toward her youngest martial brother.
Han Jue accepted the cup and took a careful sip, his enhanced senses immediately analyzing the beverage's composition and properties.
"Is this... tea?" Han Jue asked with obvious surprise, recognizing the distinctive flavor profile despite the exquisite quality far surpassing anything he'd tasted on Earth.
"Yes, this is a tea drink produced on your Earth," Venerable Lianyi confirmed, her heroic features displaying obvious satisfaction with his reaction. "This particular blend comes from a company called Pinghai, founded by your fellow countryman and friend, Luo Feng's wife, Xu Xin, if I'm not mistaken. I tried it recently and found it quite pleasant."
Han Jue took another thoughtful sip, savoring the complex flavors carefully. The tea possessed layers of subtlety that revealed themselves gradually, notes of sweetness, gentle bitterness, and an almost indefinable essence that seemed to resonate with something deeper than mere taste.
Compared to other specialized drinks available throughout the universe, beverages that could actively enhance one's understanding of the fundamental laws, induce controlled states of intoxication for meditation purposes, or provide various other supernatural benefits, tea appeared deceptively simple. Yet it possessed a unique charm that those more powerful concoctions lacked.
The act of drinking tea seemed to help stabilize one's mental state, creating a sense of tranquil focus that enhanced clarity without forcing it. There was wisdom in simplicity, it seemed.
"Junior Brother," Venerable Lingji interjected, his massive crystalline form somehow managing to convey gentle urgency, "you'll be departing from Primal Chaos City in just three months. You should use your remaining observation opportunities to comprehend the Chaos Monument as intensively as possible."
He paused, then continued with obvious satisfaction. "Regarding your Star-Eating Grass, when you return to Earth this time, you can begin preparing for its breakthrough to the World Master level. According to the optimal cultivation plan I've arranged, you'll be able to develop it into a Thousand-Vine configuration when it advances. I can have the necessary resources delivered to Earth ahead of your arrival, ensuring everything is ready."
"Thank you, Senior Brother Lingji!" Han Jue expressed his gratitude with genuine warmth, bowing slightly from his seated position. "Your generosity continues to exceed anything I could have hoped for."
The cost savings were staggering, resources that would have consumed his entire fortune and left him desperately poor were being provided without hesitation by his senior martial brother. The bonds of their lineage ran deep.
"Junior Brother," Venerable Lianyi said with a mysterious smile that immediately captured his attention, "I have a surprise waiting for you on Earth during this trip."
"What surprise?" Han Jue asked eagerly, leaning forward with obvious curiosity.
"You'll discover it when you arrive," Venerable Lianyi replied cryptically, clearly enjoying his anticipation. She deliberately changed the subject before he could press for details. "By the way, you'll soon be eligible to accept Universe-level training missions. There's something important I need to tell you about one particular assignment."
Her expression grew more serious, her tone shifting from playful to genuinely instructive.
"Among the Universe-level training missions available through the company, there's one called the Demon Sound Mountain mission. You must accept it and journey specifically to the Ice Mountain region within that territory," Venerable Lianyi said with careful emphasis. "Hidden there lies an opportunity that aligns particularly well with our Ice Peak lineage's cultivation methods. I cannot elaborate on the specific details, partly because I'm bound by certain restrictions, and partly because the opportunity itself adapts to each individual who encounters it. Success will depend heavily on your own fortune and comprehension."
In truth, even without Venerable Lianyi's cryptic explanation, Han Jue already possessed a strong suspicion about what awaited him there.
Demon Sound Mountain was a peculiar location, a two-sided territory that could be conceptually divided into Demon Sound Mountain proper and Ice Mountain, each region possessing drastically different environmental conditions and opportunities.
Demon Sound Mountain held the inheritance of the Demon Sound God General, one of the legendary beings whose techniques and comprehensions had shaped entire cultivation lineages!
If that was true, then Ice Mountain almost certainly contained a corresponding legacy, most likely the inheritance of the Ice God General, creating a thematic balance between the two regions.
The opportunity Venerable Lianyi referred to was almost certainly this hidden inheritance, though she apparently couldn't speak of it directly due to oath restrictions or lineage protocols.
"Thank you, Senior Sister, for the guidance!" Han Jue said with another respectful bow, filing this critical information away for future reference. "I'll definitely prioritize that mission when the time comes."
"No need for excessive formalities between martial siblings," Venerable Lianyi said, waving away his thanks with easy familiarity. "I'm traveling to Primal Chaos City now to personally oversee some administrative matters. Once your training period concludes, we'll depart directly for Earth together. I'm looking forward to seeing your homeworld firsthand."
"It's unfortunate that I'm far too busy to meet you in person, Junior Brother," Venerable Lingji said with obvious regret, his crystalline features somehow conveying genuine disappointment. "My administrative responsibilities keep me perpetually occupied with tedious but necessary work."
Venerable Lingji served in a quasi-governmental capacity for the Ice Peak lineage, handling various affairs on behalf of the Virtual Universe Company and managing a portion of that vast organization's immense power structure. While prestigious, the position demanded constant attention and left little time for personal pursuits.
"Don't worry, Senior Brother," Han Jue assured him warmly. "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Time means something different at our level, or at least, at your level," he added with a self-deprecating smile.
"Indeed! When you reach the Domain Lord level and receive your foreign assignment, Lan Song and Xingyu will probably also be returning from their current missions," Venerable Lingji said enthusiastically, his mood brightening. "I'll organize a proper gathering then and bring everyone together to celebrate your advancement!"
The prospect of meeting his other senior martial brothers, the legendary Venerable Lan Song and Venerable Xingyu, filled Han Jue with anticipation. Their reputations within the Ice Peak lineage were formidable, and learning from their experiences would undoubtedly prove invaluable.
During the remaining three months in Primal Chaos City, Han Jue devoted himself to comprehending the Chaos Monument with single-minded intensity, making the absolute most of his final observation opportunities.
While his insights into the fourth diagram weren't as profound as he'd hoped, the complexity increased exponentially at this level, he still gained considerable understanding. Progress was progress, no matter the pace, and each small advancement built upon the foundation he'd already established.
At least I'm moving forward, Han Jue thought with determined optimism.
The fourth diagram carved into the Ice Peak Chaos Monument was known as the Sword Diagram, representing a fundamental shift in the monument's teachings.
This diagram contained the complete Origin Law of Water in its entirety, all seventy-two fundamental essences fully expressed and integrated. Additionally, it encompassed all 108 essences comprising the Origin Law of Space, creating a comprehensive foundation that few cultivators ever fully grasped.
From the fourth diagram onward, the Ice Peak Chaos Monument began exploring the fusion of Origin Laws themselves, combining separate fundamental forces into unified systems that transcended their individual components!
The fusion of Water and Space Laws represented one of the most challenging paths in cultivation. If these two laws could be fully integrated and harmonized, the practitioner could potentially ascend to Universe Master status, achieving a level of power that placed them among the absolute elite of any civilization.
Those who wished to truly pursue this exalted path would need to progress to the seventh diagram of the Ice Peak Chaos Monument, where the teachings aligned with what was commonly known as the Beast God's Way, a legendary cultivation method that had produced some of history's most fearsome warriors.
The three central images dominating the middle section of the Ice Peak Chaos Monument depicted three distinct weapons: the blade, the sword, and the spear. Each weapon embodied different principles and applications of law fusion.
The blade image focused primarily on the fundamental laws of space, using cutting force and spatial manipulation as its core principles.
Meanwhile, the sword and spear images represented the true integration of laws, where Water and Space merged into techniques that transcended either individual element, creating attacks of devastating power and sublime elegance.
According to the corresponding secret techniques detailed in the Ice Peak Prologue, there existed a total of 108 distinct blade techniques that could be systematically studied to aid comprehension of the fourth image. Han Jue was currently learning and refining the eightieth technique, which corresponded directly to the eightieth essence of the Origin Law of Space.
Mastering the physical techniques of wielding blade, sword, or spear had ceased being particularly difficult at his current level. His body amplitude of 2-fold, combined with his extensive combat experience, meant the mechanics of weapon handling came naturally.
The true challenge lay in understanding the application and integration of laws within those techniques, perceiving how cosmic principles manifested through physical movements and how to optimize that manifestation for maximum effect.
The Six Eyes' innate secret technique [Analysis] could help Han Jue comprehend individual law essences with unprecedented speed and clarity, breaking down complex principles into digestible components. However, it didn't seem capable of directly facilitating full comprehension of complete Origin Laws, nor could it automatically achieve law fusion, those represented qualitative leaps that required personal insight and cultivation breakthrough.
Fortunately, Han Jue's natural talent for law comprehension had been elevated to a remarkable level through the Six Eyes' evolution, combined with the blessing of numerous treasures he'd consumed over the years and the recognition he'd received from the Origin of Water itself!
His progress might be slower than simply delving into individual law essences in isolation, but it remained extraordinarily rapid compared to conventional cultivation methods.
For Han Jue, fully comprehending the Origin Laws and eventually achieving their fusion was merely a matter of time and persistent effort. The destination was certain; only the duration of the journey remained in question.
Moreover...
The Six Eyes would continue evolving.
What changes will the Domain Lord-level Six Eyes undergo? Han Jue wondered with genuine excitement. What transformations await at the World Master level? What about Immortality and beyond?
The anticipation filled him with almost childlike enthusiasm. Each cultivation breakthrough had brought dramatic enhancements to his bloodline abilities, what miracles might future advancements unlock?
Of course, he couldn't completely rule out the possibility that the Six Eyes had already reached their evolutionary peak upon becoming a true peak bloodline. Perhaps there were no further transformations waiting, and this was the final form his abilities would take.
After all, the Six Eyes described in Jujutsu Kaisen, the original source of inspiration for his bloodline's name, though obviously far less developed than his current abilities, were far less powerful and versatile than what Han Jue now possessed. The gap between fiction and reality was vast.
But even if the Six Eyes never evolved beyond their current state, Han Jue remained absolutely confident in his ability to climb to greater heights. The foundation he'd built, the techniques he'd mastered, the connections he'd forged, all of these would carry him forward regardless of whether his bloodline continued improving.
His destiny wasn't determined solely by the gifts he'd been born with. His choices, his dedication, his willingness to face any challenge, these qualities would define his ultimate achievement far more than any innate advantage.
The path ahead was long, but Han Jue had never been one to shy away from a difficult journey. If anything, the challenge only made the destination more appealing.
Three months of intensive cultivation passed in what felt like mere moments, and before he knew it, the time had come to leave Primal Chaos City and return to Earth.
The next chapter of his journey was about to begin.