Reaching the edge of the staircase, the cold here threatened even those at the second and third levels of World Master.
With a flicker of concentration, Han Jue released his boundless energy, actively absorbing the surrounding glacial energy into his body.
Within his dantian, the Water-Sky Holy Flame burned continuously, refining impurities and slowly optimizing his cells at the molecular level.
Within each cell, a minuscule trace of the Holy Flame was infused. Accumulating drop by drop, this energy would eventually become a terrifying force.
Whoosh!
A vortex of frozen air materialized, white mist swirling in a funnel hundreds of meters in diameter. The temperature it emanated could freeze most peak-level Domain Lords to death. The glacial energy gathered in spiraling patterns, pouring directly into Han Jue's body.
Following the cultivation method of the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body, Han Jue swiftly channeled this cold energy to his dantian, passing it through the Water-Sky Holy Flame. The purification process instantly reduced the originally vast volume to one-third of its size.
While seemingly pure, this glacial energy still carried microscopic impurities. Using it directly for body refinement could have catastrophic consequences over time.
After purification, that was all that remained usable.
The cold energy here was endless, though.
Han Jue didn't care about consuming it freely, using the purified essence to cultivate the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body without restraint.
It didn't take long.
The first hell, completed!
His body didn't change dramatically in appearance, but the special properties of the Ice Derivative Body were overshadowed by the superior Ice Peak Nine Hells Body. Han Jue now possessed a force amplitude of 1,457 times, and his natural limit was estimated around 1,480 times. After cultivating the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body to completion, his ceiling should reach 1,500 times, not much of an improvement relative to his current strength.
However, in this inheritance temple, there was no time limit.
Han Jue could continue cultivating, reaching the second hell and even the third hell if his comprehension allowed it.
Even without the natural advantages his children possessed with their [Analysis] ability, Han Jue had a genuine chance of claiming the preliminary reward through his own capabilities.
Without rushing to continue training immediately, Han Jue chose to climb higher.
When he reached a point close to his current limit, he would stop and absorb the glacial energy to refine his body further.
Han Jue discovered that as he absorbed more frigid energy, his resistance to it gradually increased, a fascinating adaptive response.
Was this a characteristic of the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body?
Recalling the detailed description of the cultivation method, Han Jue couldn't help but frown thoughtfully.
With each level of the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body, the practitioner's physique adapted to a different extreme purgatory environment found throughout the universe.
Of course, this was just theoretical framework.
In reality, the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body could actively adapt to its surroundings, whether extreme cold, extreme heat, the crushing gravity at the center of a black hole, or any number of unique environments within the cosmos and within secret realms.
This adaptability, however, also meant that cultivating the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body through extreme environments was extraordinarily difficult.
At minimum, nine distinct extreme environments were required to cultivate the first nine levels of the Ice Peak Nine Hells Body, hence the name Nine Hells.
The first level presented few obstacles and could be completed relatively quickly.
Han Jue estimated that using this glacial energy to cultivate the second level would already push his limits, and reaching the third level would be nearly impossible without additional resources or insights.
Would the second level be sufficient to claim the preliminary candidate's reward?
Han Jue was deeply skeptical about that possibility.
"Teacher!"
On Earth, Venerable Lianyi's true form had descended personally.
Han Huan and Han Xi, the siblings, now stood respectfully before Venerable Lianyi, bowing with perfect form and genuine reverence.
"Yes." Venerable Lianyi regarded them with approval, nodding slightly. "Come along. Follow me to Primal Chaos City."
Before Han Huan and Han Xi inherited the Six Eyes bloodline, they were already considered key targets of human protection due to their connection to Han Jue. As their teacher, and with no urgent matters requiring her attention elsewhere, it was perfectly natural for Venerable Lianyi to personally escort them.
Of course, once the Six Eyes bloodline developed further and evolved into a powerful ethnic group comparable to the Manka or Special Lifeforms, they would no longer need Virtual Universe Company personnel for protection. Their own strength would be sufficient deterrent.
The Ice and Snow Temple, a structure spanning a million kilometers in diameter, materialized out of thin air above Earth, a sight beyond imagination for anyone still residing on the planet's surface.
It had been only forty-some years since the mass exodus of Earth's inhabitants to the Ganwu Universe Kingdom.
Today, Earth's welfare benefits allowed every human to become an apprentice-level warrior as their baseline, and the ratio of Planetary-level warriors had risen to an impressive 20:1, a proportion that continued climbing steadily.
While this exceptional welfare significantly reduced the overall birth rate, the elite training methodology strengthened the minds and bodies of each successive generation.
It wouldn't be long before Earth transformed into a true sacred ground for humanity.
"Han Huan, Han Xi, the lineage has discussed your situation," Venerable Lianyi said with an encouraging smile as they stood within the Ice and Snow Temple. "If you two can pass the fourth level of the Tongtian Bridge within your first thirty years in Primal Chaos City, you'll be able to join the Virtual Universe Company directly and become members of the Primal Secret Realm."
The third and fourth levels of the Tongtian Bridge were considered a critical watershed.
Of the top one thousand geniuses in any Genius Battle, only a handful managed to reach the third level within their first thirty years of training.
The fourth level was exponentially more difficult, requiring not just comprehension but battle wisdom, technique mastery, and tactical brilliance working in perfect harmony.
Although Han Huan and Han Xi were both at the ninth level of Universe Rank, if they could pass the fourth level, they would stand equal to the Universe-level geniuses of the Primal Secret Realm recruited through the Genius Battle itself.
"The fourth level of the Tongtian Bridge? Don't worry, Teacher. I'm confident," Han Huan said firmly, his pale blue eyes reflecting absolute determination.
"Well, I'm not worried about you," Venerable Lianyi acknowledged with a satisfied nod. "You have genuine potential to reach the fifth or even sixth level given your comprehension speed and analytical abilities."
Her expression grew more thoughtful as she continued. "I'm more concerned about Han Xi. Her talent seems more naturally inclined toward the Origin Law of Water specifically. Strictly speaking, she doesn't quite fit perfectly with the Ice Peak Chaos Monument's primary focus."
The first six diagrams of the Ice Peak Chaos Monument depicted the fusion of water and space, while the final three diagrams illustrated the profound mysteries of time and space together.
Even within those first six diagrams, though, the primary emphasis remained on the Origin Law of Space, with water serving as a complementary element to enhance spatial techniques.
It was precisely this imperfect alignment that had led Venerable Lianyi to accept Han Xi only as a nominal disciple rather than a direct personal disciple like her brother.
"Teacher..." Han Xi's voice trailed off uncertainly, her confidence wavering.
"Don't be afraid," Venerable Lianyi soothed, reaching out to gently pat Han Xi's shoulder. "Even if you ultimately choose the Universe Chaos Monument instead, I can still teach you the fundamentals. If that path doesn't suit you either, you can seek guidance from Uncle Lingji, who also specializes in the Origin Law of Water at a profound level."
She leaned forward slightly, meeting Han Xi's eyes directly. "The Chaos Monument is merely a path to becoming stronger, not something that truly determines your ultimate destiny. Your talent, dedication, and choices will matter far more than which monument you select."
"Yes! I understand, Teacher!" Han Xi nodded vigorously, the shadow of doubt vanishing from her face, replaced by a brilliant smile.
Venerable Lianyi affectionately rubbed Han Xi's head, her expression warm. "That's the spirit!"
"By the way, Teacher, I haven't been able to contact my father for the past few years," Han Xi said, worry creeping back into her voice. "Did something happen to him?"
Although Han Huan remained silent, the concern in his eyes was equally obvious.
"Your father?" Venerable Lianyi's eyes narrowed slightly, her expression becoming more serious.
"Don't worry. He's accepting an important inheritance and won't be able to emerge in the short term," she explained carefully. "The opportunity he's pursuing is extremely valuable but requires complete isolation during the comprehension period."
Her expression softened into an encouraging smile. "You should focus on breaking through the Tongtian Bridge as quickly as possible and entering the core layer of the Virtual Universe Company. That will give him a wonderful surprise when he finally emerges!"