Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Yan Zaizen and Tao resided in a restaurant called the Blue Lagoon. On the table, several empty bowls and wine bottles were scattered about. One could tell they've been here for hours discussing. "What do you think?" Yan Zaizen inquired Tao's opinion through soul transmission. Their discussion was held privately so that no one could overhear.

Tao had a solemn expression and his eyes flickered with traces of contemplation. After a long moment, he slightly nodded in response. "I think it'll work."

Yan Zaizen leaned back in his chair and smiled with confidence. "Then, we'll do it." He was quite confident in his devised plan.

"However," Tao said revealing a cautious gaze, "If we're discovered, it could mean the Yan Clan could be destroyed as a result, and we would become enemies of Grux."

Yan Zaizen snorted softly, "If they have the ability. Without their formations set up at the Imperial Palace, I don't fear them." Despite saying this, he was still cautious of the hidden forces of the Imperial Palace of Grux. How could he not be?

"Then, we'll need to take action immediately after they leave the city. If it works, it's likely we won't have to worry about anything for quite a while." Tao stated, his expression was no longer solemn but had a look of calm resolve instead.

Nodding in response, Yan Zaizen instructed, "Go to the Emporium, sell off the things, I'll keep watch outside the city." With that, he got up and took his leave. Tao simply nodded and took off as well.

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Several days passed since that discussion.

At the outskirts of Xiāo City was a group of eloquently dressed individuals. They gave off an aura of royalty and status.

"Prince Ren, shall I prepare the skyship?" A middle-aged woman asked respectfully. Besides her was a handsome young man with black hair, auburn eyes, an extraordinary physique filled with abundant muscles and light bronze skin. He was dressed in a black and gold martial artist robe with a gold dilong(earth dragon) circling around as if trying to climb the heavens against all odds.

This was Prince Ren, or Grux Renlong, with the name of the country to indicate his status. Typically, imperial members such as Prince/Princess/High-Ranking Members would have non-traditional clan names based on their country of origin. An example would be Lady Di, whose full name was Grux Diyi, even though she was only the daughter of the Imperial Commander. She belonged to the Imperial Clan but her family line was Yi and not Long like the Emperor.

"Prepare it." Prince Ren instructed. He took a glance beside him to see three women with different flavors. He felt a headache throughout this entire trip. Due to his status and talent, many women were attracted to him like bees to honey, and it irritated him to no end. If it wasn't for the fact that these three women have families of incomparable status within the Empire, he'd have brushed them off long ago. Unfortunately, offending them could hurt his chance of becoming Crown Prince. So, he had to grit his teeth and accept the situation.

He already had someone he loved, but her status wasn't an appropriate match, and thus he'll likely have to take her as a concubine unless he becomes Crown Prince and do well in the Xiantu Dao Trials. He didn't wish to ruin his chances of ascending or lowering his status by being engaged to someone without the appropriate status. Thus, he could only stall and focus on the Xiantu Dao Trials.

He took another glance and saw a young woman beside Lady Di, she was the handmaiden of Lady Di.

This was the woman which he loved. However, his gaze was concealed and he quickly redirected his focus elsewhere. If something slip, it's likely that her life would be in danger considering Lady Di's personality and feelings for him.

He couldn't help but inwardly sigh.

"Prince Ren, obtaining the Origin Consolidation Pill will definitely assure you victory in the Xiantu Dao Trials." A young lady said. She had short black hair, soft black eyes, a lithe figure, and dressed in an elegant robe. She was Lady Su, or Dai Suyan, the daughter of Duke Dai. Her father held an impressive dukedom and ruled with an iron fist. He was a dual cultivator of body and qi, and had a half-step True Essence Cultivation in both, allowing him to rival a True Essence Cultivator.

It was because of her father's connections with the City Lord of Xiāo that he was capable of convincing him to create an Origin Consolidating Pill. This pill was extraordinary, pretty much guaranteeing an incredibly stable breakthrough into the Origin Core Realm. Only the City Lord of Xiāo and a few recluses, who were a grand-tier alchemist, would be able to succeed in creating it.

"Even without it, you would still have extraordinary results at the trial, this only makes it more likely for your brilliance to shine." Lady Bao responded, obviously trying to downplay the significance of an Origin Consolidation Pill. Her status was the least out of all three, but only because of the authority behind her. Her father was a True Essence Cultivator allied with Grux independently. He didn't have a massive force, land, or imperial status.

She was extraordinarily beautiful with light amethyst hair, a voluptuous and sexy body that would drive many men to insanity and long legs. Similar to Dai Suyan, not possessing the Grux surname, her full name was Bai Baobao.

An elegant skyship appeared at the entrance awaiting their arrival. It was black with a golden dilong wrapped around it indicating its status as an imperial vessel, several times larger than Yan Zaizen's, and gave off an aura of imperial authority. Comparing the Ying Clan's skyship to this would be like comparing a wooden cart to a car, there was just too much of a difference.

The ship held several dozen Qi Unification Realm cultivators specifically there to upkeep the ship, while four individuals stood side by side peering at the youngsters. Within these groups of four was Elder Lu, the one who interrogated Yan Zaizen before. All four had fluctuations at the Origin Core, and none of them were at the initial-stage.

Amongst them was the middle-aged woman who spoke to Prince Ren before. She had a calm expression as she waited for Prince Ren to enter the skyship.

They all entered, continuing their bickering, compliments, and trying to outdo each in verbal combat, but Prince Ren seemed disinterested. As for Lady Di, she was unusually quiet. However, her expression was one of lofty standing, as if speaking and arguing with these two were beneath her and they were nothing more than jumping monkeys. This obviously was registered by the two girls, but they simply sneered and ignored her.

Others may be afraid of her, but were they? Acting high and mighty, yet having similar status. They couldn't help but reveal their contempt.

The skyship initiated its formations and took off, en route to the Imperial Palace.

Several hundred li away was a figure in a black faceless mask with no eyes or any other holes, he wore a black martial artist robe, had a tall and physically imposing physique, and floated in mid-air. He waited calmly as the skyship approached from a distance, when it reached a few li away, a soul transmission resounded in the minds of everyone aboard the dilong skyship.

"Come here."

This startled every last person, their eyes flickering with traces of anger at being demanded and caution for someone capable of sending a voice to them through the barriers of the ship. Prince Ren was the calmest, while the three ladies were only curious with no fear in their eyes. The four Origin Core Cultivators on board turned solemn and serious.

"Halt!" Prince Ren instructed, causing the skyship to stop immediately. He looked towards the middle-aged woman, "Elder Mei, I'll have to ask you to settle this matter." The middle-aged woman nodded immediately and executed her movement art, vanishing from everyone's sights.

She appeared several li away, her calm eyes had a hint of surprise. The man before her had his features obscured and his qi aura sealed. She couldn't assume his intention or cultivation base.

"Who are you?" She asked calmly. As a late-Origin Core Realm Cultivator, she didn't fear anyone besides the true elites of the continent, and even then she was confident in being able to escape.

"I'm looking for someone." The man asked with an odd voice, one couldn't tell if it was young or old. Elder Mei's brows furrowed, a little bit of anger suffusing into her eyes. It's been quite a while since someone dared to directly ignore her questions. She almost impulsively took action, but she calmed herself and decided to probe first.

"If I don't know who you are, how am I supposed to know who you're looking for?" She responded, but her voice was a little bit colder.

"He's my disciple." The voice responded as if ignoring her question once more.

This truly got to her, and her aura started to fluctuate strongly. Her qi cultivation base was ready to explode at a moment's notice. "Who is this disciple of yours, and why would we know where he is?" Despite this, she still continued despite her riled up emotions, displaying her experience and high tolerance.

"His name's Yan Zaizen."