After a brief silence, Yan Zaizen stretched his muscles and felt as if a mountain was no longer attached to his back, murky rivers no longer hindered his steps, and the skies were without dark clouds.
"I'm finished…" He silently muttered, his face covered with a brilliant smile. Before this one smile, the world lost its heavenly luster. Tao was stunned. During the nearly three years of their companionship, he had never witnessed Yan Zaizen produce a smile this extraordinary before. Perhaps a confident smirk, a warm smile, but never one so free and at ease.
"Tao, set a course to Presba's Capital," Yan Zaizen instructed. Tao broke free from his shocked state and softly nodded in assent. For some reason, he felt happier somehow; he felt freer than ever before.
"Do you remember what I said before?" Yan Zaizen asked ambiguously, his back facing Tao.
Tao softly chuckled, "We'll travel the vast realm, see the myriad sights it has to offer." These words were spoken to him by Yan Zaizen in the Deep Mines, when he was at his lowest, struggling to survive an additional day in a world filled with death and despair. Those very words were said when his life was at its lowest possible. He had lost his family, his clan, his future and was left with nothing but death before him.
Then, Yan Zaizen arrived.
Yan Zaizen pointed his index finger towards the sky, his eyes closed in peace. "And enjoy our lives." He finished Tao's words. These words may sound very ambiguous and wishful, but this meant the world to him. Tao was his only living friend outside of family, and in truth, likely his first true friend in this world. They've gone to hell and escaped together, they were unlikely to ever meet, but somehow they did.
A young naive boy with little knowledge of the world with very little status and an intelligent scholar whose knowledge and status was of the highest within his country. Somehow, their paths crossed on that day, at that group, and their fates were interconnected forever.
Yan Zaizen was silent for a brief moment, but continued, "What about joining me?"
Tao boisterously laughed in response, his eyes glistening with faint traces of tears. He now realized why he felt so marvelous at this moment. "I'll join you; I'll follow you anywhere, everywhere."
Yan Zaizen gently smiled, making his way to his cabin. A profound gleam suffused his eyes, and he couldn't help but feel content for the first time in his life.
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"Master." A young woman softly said. This young woman had long-flowing brunette hair with soft, clear brown eyes that seemed to ripple like water, flawless skin, a countenance that could bring down kingdoms with a glance and the aura of high status. A lithe body that could be described as perfect, a set of milky-white mounds that bounced ever so slightly with every movement of her body. It could cause any man's inner fire to flare at the sight. Her legs were supple with the excellent shape, accentuating her already perfect figure, cherry pink lips that seemed to be the epitome of softness, and thin eyebrows that perfected her attractive ensemble.
An older, more mature woman whose attractiveness slightly lost out to the young woman stood before her. They were currently aboard a sky-blue skyship that was exceptionally well-designed and constructed. In comparison to Yan Zaizen's skyship, this one was significantly greater in terms of speed, size, and defenses.
If Yan Zaizen was here, he would recognize both of these women!
Yao Wuhen.
And.
Ya Qinqan!
Yao Wuhen had used the Earthly Rejuvenation Pill to make a full recovery, maintaining her initial-True Essence Cultivation. However, her pseudo-sky rank armament was still damaged, but besides that, the entire battle garnered little losses. If anything, she obtained greater benefits by gaining an ally that could rival an entire grand-tier force alone.
In her hand was the transmission talisman given to her by Yan Zaizen. Within it was a strand of Yan Zaizen's spiritual sense, if crushed, he would not only receive the message but location of the individual who crushed it. She recognized this and felt grateful. Essentially, this was a threat. Anyone who scanned it could easily see the half-step Perfect Aurora Soul Realm signature emitted.
All she had to do was hold this out, and anyone wanting to take action against her must first consider the consequences. In truth, Yan Zaizen didn't expect her to wield it as a threat but simply a form of communication in case the Yan Clan was in danger. Segregating one's spiritual sense was a difficult thing to do, and it hurt so he wasn't too keen on doing it. For his aunt and uncle's safety, he gave her one.
"Yes." Yao Wuhen looked at this disciple of hers with pride. It was fate that they both held the same conceptual law comprehension, and her talent and will was exceptional. She didn't know the story of Yan Zaizen and Ya Qinqan, in truth, not many people did. Even Yan Jinzen only knew Yan Zaizen favored Ya Qinqan, but who didn't favor her?
She was beautiful, talented and had the potential to be extraordinary. Who wouldn't favor this? In the course of these three to four years, she'd already cultivated to the peak-Essence Formation Realm and had begun to refine her dantian to the mid-Dantian Refinement Realm. To achieve this in three years, even with a True Essence Master, was exceptional!
Of course, she didn't have Yan Zaizen's Herculean Physique or Mid-Grade essence crystal, so this could be considered extraordinary.
"Are we truly going to the Capital?" Ya Qinqan asked, her eyes suffused with a flickering light of expectation.
Yao Wuhen could read her disciple's emotions and couldn't help but lightly smile. "I've already arranged for you to meet prominent youths of your generation, so be sure to use this opportunity to advance your relations."
"Yes!" Ya Qinqan responded. From the Ya Clan, a subordinate to a second-tier force, to the disciple of a True Essence expert, someone who stood near the peak of the continent. Her rise was sudden but much appreciated. When she was younger, she always desired to join the Water Veil Sect. Now, it's likely she'll be its next Sectmaster.
She looked towards the skies with eyes filled with ambition. "It was all worth it," she silently muttered to herself. Her future was limitless.
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Several days passed since the Earthly Titan Sect's disaster.
At an expansive lake within the Earthly Titan Territory, Bai Lufeng brought a youth filled with intelligent eyes and a handsome appearance. This youth had a calm expression and eyes that carried untold hatred and fearsome will.
It was Shin Xuanji!
It only required a few days for Shin Xuanji to recover completely with the Earthly Rejuvenation Pill. It was so spectacular that his cultivation that was originally at the peak-Qi Revolving Realm had risen to the peak-Essence Formation Realm. The sheer medicinal potential that could fully restore a True Essence Realm expert was hugely beneficial to his physique and cultivation. Even his vital energies were enhanced greatly by this.
However, his eyes contained no excitement, only a chilling calm.
"Here." Bai Lufeng turned around, throwing a spatial ring, spatial bag, and spatial bracelet to Shin Xuanji. They were specially prepared by Yan Zaizen to accommodate Shin Xuanji's cultivation in the future, not to mention, it contained quite a bit of escape, defensive, and offensive talismans that could resist Qi Unification experts.
It wasn't enough to dominate the world, but enough to get him started on his next task.
Shin Xuanji caught the spatial objects and positioned them onto himself without any hesitation. His eyes never leaving Bai Lufeng's form. He had so many questions. In truth, he had very little idea what had happened. One moment, he was tied up in a dungeon of the Earthly Titan Sect, the next, he was freed receiving resources he could never dream of with a cultivation boost that seemed heaven-defying.
Bai Lufeng could see his gaze filled with questions and couldn't help but softly shake his head. He didn't know who this youth was, but he had his orders and wouldn't disobey for no reason. Not bothering with Shin Xuanji any further, he flew away like a comet through the skies. Shin Xuanji could only watch him depart.
After several minutes had passed, he looked at his violet martial outfit and spatial objects with a hint of surprise. "Yan Clan…" He whispered, but he could feel a pressure in his soul that restricted him from actively taking action against them. Gathering a deep breath, he nodded to himself. Resolve suffused his eyes, "As long as I can get my revenge, I can forgive them this once."
He picked a direction and slowly walked off.
Little did Yan Zaizen know, this Eighth Brother of his will cause a storm that'll never be forgotten among the myriad realms.