Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

After their conversation, Yan Zaizen was situated in a cultivation abode. It was a luxurious sub-dimensional space, a tiny world with a sun, moon, and cycle that could support life itself. There were trees, herbs being grown, heavenly materials being born, mortals and cultivators alike inhabiting its space and more within this miniature world. Even the sky above carried numerous stars that shone with sparkling incandescent light. They were miniature worlds in a profound formation that enabled various miraculous characteristics to be born within this world.

He stayed in a grand palace. This palace was extraordinary in design for living and cultivation. It was a location that was revered by the inhabitants and even Yan Zaizen was treated like a true king.

There were hundreds of maids, workers, and attendants to handle any and all measures he wished. He even learned that there were actual cities and cultivation sects within this miniaturized world. It fascinated him to no end! It was close to a sub-realm, but still maintained the characteristics of a sub-dimensional space.

He recalled his own sub-dimensional ethereal ring. Its total space exceeded the world before him and it could be thoroughly manipulated according to his will. The only difference was that this cultivation abode, this miniaturized world within a carved dimensional space, wasn't mobile. It was situated in a fixed location and couldn't be moved without the effort of powerful cultivators.

"Will I be able to create a world of my own one day?" He muttered silently as he washed his body in Purity Core Water. It was a water-based heavenly material that could soothe hidden injuries and relax the body, cleansing it of any external and internal impurities slowly. It reminded him of his conceptual law of the soul, but it related purely towards the body and essence.

Tao and Bai Lufeng were also nearby, soaking with him in the water. As they bathed in this rather large pool, they all had varying expressions.

They had bared witness to the entire exchange from Yan Zaizen's perspective. In truth, there were times that Tao asked questions which Yan Zaizen would relay. This was actually quite frequent. Yan Zaizen was developing his intelligence, but Zhou Xiuhei's praise was wrongly given. If it wasn't for Tao's constant nagging of questions, Yan Zaizen would've probably just asked a few of his most wanted questions and left it at that.

"The myriad realms is just the tip of the iceberg. No matter, we'll explore it all, then onto the thirty-three heavens and beyond," Tao casually commented with a thoroughly relaxed expression on his face. If someone saw this self-satisfied expression with his words, they may desire to deliver a few slaps. Bai Lufeng had the strangest of urges to do so.

Yan Zaizen decided to ignore them. His thoughts lost in his own mind, "My Essence, Soul Source, and Fiendgod cultivation base is far too underwhelming. I haven't even touched upon the Heavenly Path. If it wasn't for my Herculean cultivation base, would I be a minor character?"

"What about Ezekiel? Is that what a true genius is?" He helplessly sighed. The world had expanded to the point that he felt inconsequentially small. If it wasn't for this mysterious black hole, would he even have what he did? Would he even be alive? As he recalled all this, he lowered his head.

"You're barely two thousand years old. You've comprehended an Imperial Law, opened the first Celestial Gate in the Herculean Path, reached the Astral Soul Realm, if you're not a true genius, then who is?" Pinaka chuckled, her tone carefree and relaxed. For once in her life, her dream of becoming an actual existence was alive. All she needed to do was grasp it and wrench this opportunity, this once illusory dream, to her! She had absolute confidence in Yan Zaizen being able to do so.

Comforted by her words, he nodded slightly, "Grandpa Xiu said this token is a part of the Earthly Beginning, Heavenly End trial set up by the White Sirius Heavenly Monarch." As he said this, a token shaped like a coin appeared in his palm. This was the 'Xiuhei - Heaven' token given to him by Ma Xiuren!

Earlier, he learned about this token. It was a key for a male to enter the trial, the Heavenly End trial. Every ten thousand or so years, all the Heavenly Commanders would perform a ritual to produce four tokens. Then, they select a candidate of females and the token will be randomly selected to one of these females. Unfortunately, the candidates were in millions in number, thus it was difficult to purposefully manipulate the trial.

The female would then be able to choose three other individuals. They can either keep the female Heaven or Earth tokens. If so, they must give the other three to others. Due to an agreement, typically, those who are selected must keep the token within their possession to participate in the trial. Those of weaker forces were incapable of doing so. Those of stronger forces sent their elites quite consistently.

"Did she want me to participate in the trial?" He couldn't help but think. After all, Zhou Xiuhei explained that at the start of the trial, whoever possessed the token would be transported to the trial grounds. As long as they were within this heaven, this was something they couldn't escape. If they threw it away, the nearest eligible individual would be selected.

"Haaa…" A deep sigh later, he closed his eyes and let his worries wash away with the impurities built up within his meridians, pathways, and dantian. Slowly, he was dozing off. With each passing second, the urge to enter deep sleep was encapsulating his mind.

"Young one." A voice that seemed to originate from a warm grandpa resounded within Yan Zaizen's soul.

However, Yan Zaizen in response, only swatted the air randomly as if to rid himself of a pest. He turned slightly to his side, murmuring something indiscernible.

"Young one!" The voice resounded one more, but louder this time.

"Mphrm!" Yan Zaizen swatted both of his hands, causing both Bai Lufeng and Tao to notice and feel awkward. Yan Zaizen was a grown man, a cultivator no less, and yet he was tumbling in a state of half-sleep like a child. They assumed they were talking too loudly and started to send soul transmissions. After all, Yan Zaizen was their Young Lord and brother, if he wanted silence, they would honor it.

"YOUNG ONE!" The voice's tone this time seemed to contain a bit of impatience.

"WHAT!?!" Yan Zaizen thunderously shouted. The room trembled and both Tao and Bai Lufeng shivered. Tao almost instinctively went into the fetal position, recalling his memories within Presba. When Yan Zaizen had released an awe-inspiring aura that caused his soul to quake with inferiority. Now, as if reopening a deep scar, Tao performed a similar action.

Only when he was half-bundled up did he realize his actions. He lightly coughed, straightening himself off and exerted his cultivation base to appear more stable than before. As for Bai Lufeng, his soul had been thoroughly mended and his psyche was far too sturdy to be affected by such an old feeling; therefore, he only raised his brows at Yan Zaizen but said nothing else.

"..." Yan Zaizen was enraged, looking around with a tinge of madness in his eyes. You know how difficult it was for cultivators to go into a natural state of sleep?! Tiredness wasn't even a thing for them. In truth, by the Essence Formation Realm, sleep had already been rendered moot!

Whoosh!

A rift about his size appeared above Yan Zaizen. Startled, Yan Zaizen was about to take action before he was whisked into it without the ability to resist. He didn't even have time to scream!

Bai Lufeng and Tao watched this and started to panic. However, they realized that couldn't do anything with their current cultivations. They couldn't even exit the sub-dimensional space without external help. They were helpless; wishing only for the best for Yan Zaizen.

Half-naked and slightly frustrated, Yan Zaizen appeared in the Xiuhei Titan Hall. When he did, he saw a violet robed man, middle-aged in appearance, and dashingly handsome standing before him a mere meter away. In his eyes was calm, but the usually soft warmth had a little impatience within.

Coughing in embarrassment, Yan Zaizen got up, "Greetings, Grandpa Xiu." Inadvertently, he had called Zhou Xiuhei, the Xiuhei Sovereign of the Sirius Titan Realm, by the name he kept mentioning in his mind.

Zhou Xiuhei's brow twitched slightly, but he didn't mention it. If it was anyone else, even if they were related to him, they would likely be placed into a ten thousand year detention for addressing him as such. However, when Zhou Xiuhei looked at Yan Zaizen, he couldn't help but feel connected to him in a profoundly intricate but subtle way.

"Here," he threw a small, square-shaped, grey box towards Yan Zaizen. It hovered just mere inches from his chest. Looking at this box, Yan Zaizen was curious. He tried sending his spiritual sense and qi-sense to discover the contents of the box but was left without an answer.

"This box has a pseudo-Heavenly Dimension within. You can refine it into your dantian, it'll be able to act as a substitute heavenly shrine until you develop your own. If you merge it into your heavenly shrine, you can enlarge your personal heavenly dimension. Within this box is a pill, a high-grade heavenly pill named the Essence Heaven Heart Pill." Zhou Xiuhei explained.

Yan Zaizen was thoroughly shocked. In the cultivation world, heavenly-tier pills were divided into four grades: low, mid, high, and top. Each represented different uses, but the highest it goes, the greater its value. The Seventh State Earth Pill was only a low-grade heaven-tier pill.

Low-grade, heaven-tier pills were useful for late-True Essence Realm to Crimson Star, but only strictly for the Essence Path. For different paths, they had different effects, but essentially, they helped produce Fiendgods, vital energy practitioners who rival the Heavenly Genesis Realm and supported one's ascension to the Astral Soul Realm, such as the Seventh State Earth Pill.

Mid-grade, heaven-tier pills were useful for early-stage Heavenly Genesis cultivators, rank-one to three Fiendgods, and true Astral Soul Realm cultivators. High-grade, heaven-tier pills used for middle-stage Heavenly Genesis cultivators and rank-four to six Fiendgods. Top-grade, heaven-tier pills used for upper-stage Heavenly Genesis cultivators and rank-seven to nine Fiendgods.

The Essence Heaven Heart Pill was a high-grade, heaven-tier pill that could help stabilize their foundation, improve their cultivation by leaps and freaking bounds, and develop one's Crimson Star! If it wasn't for its uses being utilized for lower-realm practitioners, it would be ridiculously expensive. That being said, it still was insanely expensive!

"Your cultivation is hindered by the heavenly law liquid you've infused into your meridians. Because of this, your true-essence standard is far, far too high. In truth, you could be considered as having a perfect foundation in the Essence Path, but an incredibly difficult road to ascend. This should help you take that final step, reaching for the Heavenly Path in a single leap." Zhou Xiuhei patiently explained.

Yan Zaizen's eyes lit up like a sun! He knew there was a reason his cultivation was progressing too slowly, after all, his true-essence was incredibly strong, but he simply couldn't ascend. If one compared his true-essence to cultivators of his same stage, then he was hundreds, if not thousands of times greater than them. That being said, a first-floor Heavenly Genesis cultivator true-essence was still hundreds of thousands of times stronger than a peak-True Essence cultivator.

When one reaches the fourth-floor, heavenly-infused true-essence evolves once more becoming heavenly might! After reaching the Heavenly Commander level, their heavenly might is infused with genuine, heavenly essence! As they ascend to become a Heavenly Monarch, a cultivator at the Heavenly Creation Realm, their entire cultivation base is established with heavenly essence!

Zhou Xiuhei saw Yan Zaizen excited expression and the tiny bit of impatience in his eyes dissipated like a flame in cold wind, "Your first initial stipend is in there as well. Five hundred thousand heavenly drops. Your Guest Elder Token, spatial talisman devised by a seventh-floor spatial-attributed Heavenly Genesis cultivator, and an offensive talisman. If you crush it, you can unleash something equivalent to a casual blow from me." With that, he opened a rift before them.

Yan Zaizen was still marveling as he grasped the small box into his hand like a treasure. To him, he only heard 'five hundred thousand heavenly drops' and all else faded into the null. In one ear, out the other, but those words lingered forever! Before he knew it, he was sent back through the rift and reappeared in the sub-dimensional world; specifically, he was sent back to the pool.

SPLASH!

As he splashed into the water, causing Bai Lufeng and Tao to be overwhelmed by the wave, choking and wading the water away. Unfortunately, it was a heaven-grade material making it extremely difficult to resist. They were like ordinary mortals splashed with a ton of water, nearly drowning.

Yan Zaizen ignored the two as they choked and gasped for breath, his mind filled with simply two words: "I'm RICH!"

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[Author's Note]: A brief break in preparation for the future and moving forward:

After the 24th Chapter of this Week, from July 30th to August 1st, we'll be taking a very short three-day break in preparations of some changes! Our schedule for the week will also shift. Seven/Weekly, but more bonus chapters! These bonus chapters weekly may even, and oftentimes, exceed 16/Weekly.

Don't be too scared! This is almost certainly a good thing in the long run, just only a defined schedule for seven chapters - 9 AM PST.