Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Yan Zaizen's feelings were rather complex at the moment. For most cultivators, they should feel ecstatic for being chosen as a disciple of an Origin Core Realm cultivator; however, he didn't feel happy. If anything, he felt more so helpless. Happy that his little life was safe for the moment, sad that he was essentially being kidnapped and threatened, while scared if this dirty old man would see through his fortune, albeit not obtainable by him, and rob him of it. So complex that his nerves were essentially being chopped to pieces with each random chuckle or flashed smile from this dirty old man.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"Home." Han Genji replied.

Home? Where was this home?

Another helpless sigh resounded as he recalled that his home was getting further and further away.

Han Genji's brow perked up, as he looked to the east. He directly pressed some of his Qi into Yan Zaizen's body which directly and deliberately made him lose consciousness. Since his life and death were in Han Ganji's hands, Yan Zaizen didn't even feel his consciousness being silenced.

"You talk too much." Han Ganji muttered while frowning. Han Genji ceased his high-speed flight and maintained his status in mid-air. He silently waited, only moving Yan Zaizen's position from being dragged around by his claw-hand to putting him over his shoulder like a sack of sand. He looked indifferent to the fact that Yan Zaizen was drenched in fresh blood which still dripped towards the ground below.

A while later, a figure radiating a faint trace of fiendish black light appeared from the eastern horizon. The speed of this figure was astonishing, only taking it a few seconds before directly appearing in front of Han Genji.

The figure was revealed to be a fiendishly handsome man looking no less than 25-26 years of age. He wore violet robes, had short black hair, violet pupils, and had a familiar shade of pale. If one looked rather closely, despite the violet pupils, the rest of this man's facial features were slightly reminiscent of Han Genji's. His aura, however, felt more akin to a demon who escaped hell. It was very difficult to feel safe around someone emitting such a demonic aura.

"Elder Brother." Han Genji's words were sharp and carried a hint of indifference. From this, one could tell their relationship weren't friendly. However, in regards to this tone, it seemed that this older brother - Han Zhenji - didn't take it to heart.

He only replied lightly with, "Did you obtain it?"

Han Genji and his brother, Han Zhenji, stared at each other for quite some time. The tensions between them gradually started intensifying, and one could definitely see a hidden story between them.

"What do you think?" Han Genji countered. His words caused Han Zhenji's eyes to light up with excitement. Seeing this, Han Genji couldn't help but sneer in contempt. He waved a hand producing a sleek black box. The box was small, small enough to fit only a ring, but it radiated a powerful pulsating aura of the world's essence. A quick toss sent it flying to Han Zhenji, whereby he prompted received it. His eyes looked towards it with traces of elation and, if one looked very closely, anticipation.

The box vanished in a flash, stored properly within his spatial ring. "Haha, little brother, I must thank you." It was only after obtaining what he desired that he turned to look at the bloodied figure being hauled by Han Genji like a sack of sand. "This is?" He inquired.

"My disciple." Han Genji's tone started growing cold. Sensing this, Han Zhenji inquired nothing else but smiled lightly, radiating an aura of a friendly elder brother with good intentions. "Advanced Nascent Soul, it seems like my little brother has found quite a talented one this time. Haha, I must give you my congratulations!"

"..."

Still not perturbed by his brother's attitude, his dantian lit up with the shadow of an Origin Core, but one which radiated an aura even greater than Han Genji's. Han Genji's eyes grew even colder in response, his Origin Core's shadow revealed itself, radiating pure energy, and resplendent black light faintly surrounded him.

Whoosh!

Han Zhenji turned around and departed quicker than he arrived.

"..."

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About one thousand li away from Meteorite City was a location called the Eight Calamity Range. It was named such because it was surrounded by disaster beasts and eight tall mountains. Therefore, it was beyond dangerous. It was considered to be within the top three of danger zones in the entire country of Presba, situated firmly at number three in the rankings. The main reason for that was because there was a multitude of rank five and six disaster beasts that considered it their home.

Disaster beasts were ranked from one to nine, with one and two being equivalent to Qi Revolving Cultivators, three and four equivalent to Essence Formation Cultivators, five and six being equivalent to Qi Unification Cultivators, and seven through nine being equivalent to Origin Core Cultivators. This meant there were beasts that could rival even the Yan Clan's upper echelon in Meteorite City, and thus the danger could be imagined.

There are even rumors of there being a rank seven disaster beast ruling over the entire Eight Calamity Range.

Han Genji flew towards the 3rd mountain to the left, disregarding the myriad of different roars resounding beneath him. For others, this may be considered a danger zone, but to Han Genji - someone in the Origin Core Realm - this was his safe haven, his home. It was his home back when he was still in the Qi Unification Realm, let alone now.

The mountain range stood roughly 3 li high and was pointed with rough edges like a jagged blade. One could tell that battles had taken place around and even atop this mountain. It was called Kaija Mountain. It was named after a disaster beast that once lived there, but long met its demise.

Han Genji arrived at a particular spot on the mountainside that seemed ordinary. As he walked towards the mountain, his body seemed like it was entering a body of water, and he vanished from the world. A slight ripple appeared at that spot, the only evidence that something unnatural occurred. Even that only lasted several seconds before returning to calm.

Perfectly concealed in the mountain was his home. The walls were wide with all sorts of ornaments and pillars. The entire inside didn't seem like a carved cave, but more like a palace hall. The floor was flat and smooth, and there was a soft rug line that laid at the entrance of the cavern to a large black door. Almost as if it was welcoming its owner back, and bringing him to his room.

The cave itself was incredibly spacious. It had to be about three hundred meters wide, and twenty meters tall. The walls were adorned with a multitude of similar black doors - simply smaller in size, and even the atmospheric essence in this room was incredibly dense. The doors themselves weren't lined up linearly, some were even atop other doors as if it there was a second floor, and a third, and a fourth. One's first impression, if unfamiliar, would think this was a maze of doors.

When he arrived, two doors from both sides opened revealing two youths - a male and female. The male wore a smile that seemed ever present as he yelled in greeting, "Welcome back, Master!" The female followed behind to give her greeting but in an indifferent and cold voice.

"Your Ninth Brother is here. Take him to the Earthly Wood Spring." Han Genji said, his mood obviously not at its best. He chucked Yan Zaizen towards the male as if chucking a piece of garbage. The youthful male reacted quite quickly, using his Qi to stabilize Yan Zaizen's body to retrieve him. "Yes, Master."

"I'm going into seclusion. Inform me when he wakes up." After saying those few words, he walked straight towards the largest door and entered. The male looked towards the female only to receive not even a glance as she returned back to her quarters. Looking at the mangled and broken Yan Zaizen in his hands, his eyes glinted sharply with suspicion. However, he was diligent in his duties and immediately departed without delay.