Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

"Young Lord Zai," Tao called out as he stepped forward, arriving next to Yan Zaizen, his expression the epitome of solemnity. Bai Lufeng was nearby, but he was silent, only staying beside Tao respectfully, but his face was also filled with a solemness that could darken the skies.

When Yan Zaizen departed his parents' former ancestral graveyard, they were standing there at the gates in waiting. He could tell that they had something to say after meeting with the official ambassadors of Meteorite City. His mind drew some guesses, such as the disappearance of the Yan Clan. It didn't seem like they were killed to the last man as there was no indication of battle.

It was more like they all upped and left suddenly.

The Yan Clan wasn't the only clan that seemed to have vanished from Meteorite City. When he surveyed this area with his spiritual sense, he discovered the Ya Clan was no longer there as well.

"Tao, what is it?" He inquired, his eyes still slightly red from his cries from earlier. Despite this, Tao and Bai Lufeng showed no surprise as if expecting this result. If anything, they probably assumed the situation would be worse. Yan Zaizen's journey thus far had been filled with ill-intentions and actions drawing him further and further away from home.

It's likely anyone would breakdown when they returned, but Yan Zaizen had formulated his own Dao. If his mentality was fragile, that would be an impossible feat.

"There's been an incident," Tao informed. Yan Zaizen halted him from further explaining with a motion. Tao was originally going to continue explaining, but seeing Yan Zaizen's action, he stopped completely.

"Let's talk elsewhere." After those words were spoken, he took off. He didn't wish to stay in this city filled with memories any longer. He already had to hold himself back from killing a few people he despised when he arrived. These people were no longer worth his notice, time or effort.

They soared away like comets through the sky. They stopped several li away from Meteorite City. It was a grassy plain with small hills surrounding it. "This place. It's where I met my Master." He quietly said. Tao and Bai Lufeng examined the area in detail and discovered that there was an incredibly large formation set in place. When Yan Zaizen would travel here constantly for a retreat from his bleak reality, he never noticed the formation. Now, however, he could see it clearly in its inactive state.

"A spatial and illusionary formation combined, quite profound. It's stationary but exceptionally powerful. If you're trapped in there, fighting would be incredibly difficult." Tao soft muttered explaining its characteristics. Recalling the story of how Yan Zaizen first met his master, it made sense why he could completely obliterate a group of Qi Unification experts without them being able to react.

They settled here, the skyship appearing and landing softly on the grassy plains. Arriving on the deck, Yan Zaizen looked towards Tao with curiosity.

"The situation that occurred is a little complicated, but I'll start from the beginning." One could feel that the situation required some organizing to properly convey without confusion. Fortunately, Tao was a scholar who held incredible knowledge and ability relating to information. "Two and a half years ago, two incidents of importance happened. The first, Yan Jinzen of the Yan Clan successively joined the Soaring Cloud Sect. When he did, he comprehended a conceptual law based on the Mortal Law of the Spear. Soon afterward, he was inducted as the personal disciple of a Grand Elder of the Sect."

A Grand Elder of a first-tier sect would definitely be at the mid-Origin Core Realm at the very least. His fortune truly was exceptional to be accepted by someone of that standing, Yan Zaizen couldn't help but think. In truth, he intended to thoroughly cripple Yan Jinzen simply because of the hell he put him through. Well, his plans haven't changed, he still intended to cripple him at the first chance he gets.

"This was an extraordinary bolster to the Yan Clan, and their hegemony over Meteorite City solidified. They even possessed clout to rival upper second-tier forces. Then, a girl from the Ya Clan appeared who joined the Water Veil Sect, and similar to Yan Jinzen, she displayed an exceptional talent, but one that far surpassed Yan Jinzen. She comprehended a conceptual law based on the World Law of Water. She was immediately given the title of the Sect Leader's Disciple."

"Normally, this should've been great for the Yan Clan, considering this girl, Ya Qinqan, was married to Yan Jinzen. They were truly a pair of heavenly talents. Unfortunately, Ya Qinqan used her newfound status to propose a mutual annulment of their marriage."

"What?!" Yan Zaizen felt deeply shocked at this information. "How? Ya Qinqan and Yan Jinzen had already consummated their relations. Not to mention, why?!" His emotions started to get riled up and memories of his youth started to rise up as he gave birth to an unforgiving idea. For some odd reason, he truly wished she desired to break from Yan Jinzen due to his disappearance. However, he immediately shook his head in disbelief.

'Even if she did, she's already made her choice.'

Tao continued, "It seems that the Water Veil Sect only accepts virgins who possess their primal Yin for certain positions. I've heard of sects, who only accept men or women if they've maintained their primal energy, Yin or Yang. It can be both detrimental and beneficial to keeping it and losing it. It can help one develop certain conceptual laws, practice specific arts, or even cultivate in bodily methods to enhance one's innate talent. It seems the Water Veil Sect was this type of sect."

Yan Zaizen was speechless. He never knew. Why didn't he know? Why did no one tell him?

Tao could see Yan Zaizen's speechlessness and hurriedly explained, "You're misunderstanding. The Water Veil Sect only accepts virgins for Inner Court Disciples or higher of the sect. They still allow non-virgins into the sect if they possess sufficient talent and capabilities."

Oh? That made more sense. If it had a special cultivation method that utilizes primal Yin, it only makes sense that it was kept secret from someone like him. Then that begs the question, why did the news that Ya Qinqan and Yan Jinzen having consummated their marriage circulated? Could it have been a ploy to further push him into despair and hopelessness? To push him to the point where he had lost everything for good? Was it to force him to suicide?!

At this thought, his eyes grew ferocious. "I swear, I'll make you suffer Yan Jinzen." He declared with his very soul. Bai Lufeng had informed him of how the Yan Clan didn't even spend more than a few days to search for him. It's likely because they believed he committed suicide, but regardless, they should've searched for his body at least…

His thoughts towards the Yan Clan had already hit rock bottom, but that didn't mean he disliked everyone in there. His grandfather was on shaky grounds, but his aunt and uncle were always there for him through the bad and the good. He wouldn't just leave without giving them a warning.

"After this happened, the Ya Clan was relocated into the Water Veil Sect's territory. Normally, this wouldn't be an issue, but because of Yan Jinzen's status as the disciple of the Soaring Cloud Sect Grand Elder, this was seen as a direct insult. Long story short, they refused. Ya Qinqan and the Water Veil Sect publicly revealed the dissolution of their marriage."

"This was obviously forceful and seen as another insult towards the Soaring Cloud Sect. It seems they retaliated by capturing and imprisoning prominent members of the Ya Clan. All so that Ya Qinqan would be forced to maintain the marriage agreement. The Soaring Cloud Sect has always been domineering and this move seemed to be right up their alley. Unfortunately for them, the Sect Leader of the Water Veil Sect revealed an astonishing cultivation at the initial-True Essence Realm. This originally top-rank first-tier force directly revealed strength that put them in the middle of the grand-tier powers of Presba. They rivaled the Solitary Sword Sect and a few top clans."

"The Sect Leader, in domineering fashion, killed her way through the Soaring Cloud Sect with a group of elites, devastating the entire grounds and directly killing the Grand Elder responsible for this situation. As for Yan Jinzen, he was crippled by the Sect Leader before she departed. It took the Solitary Sword Sect to step in to de-escalate the situation."

"..."

Yan Zaizen's mind was filled with so many what-the-flying-hell feelings at the moment that his mind felt dull. So, Yan Jinzen was crippled...just like that? A first-tier power may be great, but in front of a True Essence expert, they were nothing but ants. Typically, to become a grand-tier power, one must be at the half-step True Essence Realm, but the Water Veil Sect didn't even go through that process.

They directly jumped to the mid-ranks of grand-tier force! With a single expert!

"After the Water Veil Sect rose to prominence with a single step, the Earthly Titan Sect became their subordinate power. Shocking the country even further." Tao couldn't help but pause as if this next part was sensitive, "As for the Yan Clan, several months ago, the Water Veil Sect rounded them up and took them into their territory for reasons unknown. As for their fate, that's also unknown."

"..."

Bai Lufeng wanted to step up and say something, but Tao stopped him with a pat on the shoulder. At the moment, Yan Zaizen mind was a mess and slowly digested all this information. He didn't care about the Yan Clan as a whole, but his aunt and uncle didn't deserve to be dealt with horribly. As for the rest?

The rest be damned!

"My Master? Han Genji?" After organizing his thoughts, he asked the one question he truly wanted Tao to look into. However, Tao averted his gaze slightly, obviously unwilling to deliver the news. Despite this, he mustered up his courage with a deep breath.

"He was killed one year ago by the Soaring Cloud Sect."

"..."

"..."

"I see. Do you know who's responsible?" He inquired, his face indifferent, but his eyes contained traces of flickering motes of white light. His Dao aura, which typically would erupt outwards due to his riled emotions, was no longer uncontrollable and wild. It was contained within him with a higher intensity and concentration than ever before. Even Tao and Bai Lufeng couldn't help but feel weak at the knees from his gaze, despite their profound cultivation bases.

"I do," Tao responded.

"Do you know who acted against me in Xuanwu City?"

"I do."

"Then, let's kill."