Leaving the Village

Ryker let out a breath. He had been cultivating when he sensed he hit a wall in his cultivation. Though, he had been expecting it. Because of the energy crystals' veins, a steady influx of energy crystals and energy stones made their way to him, allowing his cultivation to rise quickly.

In less than 2 weeks, he had reached the 9th Stage Genesis Gathering. He had been cultivating to reach the peak of the 9th Stage, one that he achieved today. With a breakthrough insight, he needed a secluded area to break through, less the village harmed by his action.

-x-

After clearing an area a few kilometers away from the village of wild beasts, he sat on a boulder, his eyes closed as he meditated, focusing intently on his Inner Realm.

Slowly, he absorbed the energy from the area and his supply of energy crystals and energy stones. The qi inside him slowly expanded, trying to break the wall preventing his breakthrough but failing.

Fortunately, it was something he expected, so he took out the Energy Vein Core, the energy it emitted so thick that he could feel it without absorbing it. He took a deep breath before putting it in front of him, absorbing the energy the core let out.

Slowly, the wall in his Inner Realm started to break, a sign that he was advancing to the next realm. He continued to absorb the energy from the core before he felt a great rush of power.

Looking into his Inner Realm, he could feel he had a breakthrough but he didn't reach the next realm yet.

He moved his qi, compressing it slightly. If before the mass of qi inside him was floating freely, now it was clumped, the qi slowly transforming in quality. He patiently did the process, the hardest part of any major realm breakthrough is the tedious process of transforming the qi inside. His parents had told him that failing would lead to regressing in strength or worse, a backlash that led to death.

Thankfully, he has reached the peak, so breaking through the major realm of the first Grand Realm is easy, something he had experienced. In less than 10 minutes, he had clumped the qi, containing it in a somewhat orderly form.

He smiled, he had reached the Genesis Formation realm, the 2nd major realm of the Genesis Grand Realm. To achieve it in just 4 weeks despite he needed to cultivate more energy than before, it was all thanks to the energy crystal veins.

To think something this precious was located in a remote area. Then again, very few people would go to these parts, plus no one would go to where the bandits' former hideout was located.

He looked in the village's direction, wondering what his lover was doing.

-x-

"Father, Mother, could I join them in their journey?" Ina asked her parents and the two older people looked at her with complicated looks.

While they wished for their only child to stay in the village, both she and Ryker are lovers, so forcing them to separate would be cruel. Besides, a little journey would expand her horizons, letting her experience new things and mature.

"Yes, you can go," her father said reluctantly, the only reason he even allowed it was because he knew that Ryker was strong enough to protect his only child.

"Dear, please watch over yourselves and don't do anything reckless, please?" her mother said, hugging her daughter as tears fell on her cheeks.

"Don't worry Mother, I will watch over myself," she promised, excusing herself afterward to inform her lover of her decision.

"They grow up so fast. It seems like it was yesterday when she was just a little babe, now she is a grown woman," Ina's mother said in melancholy, her father nodded in agreement.

The hardest part of being a parent is letting their children go, but they will manage.

-x-

Hearing from his lover that she could follow them makes the normally calm young man happy. Nevertheless, he told her once more the dangers they could face. Ina nodded, knowing the world was more dangerous than she could possibly thought.

After telling him, the young woman returned to her home, packing her item as Ryker checked on their transport. Thankfully, Ina could ride a horse. As they have a spare mare, it's only right that Ina rides it during their travel.

He looked at the carriages, realizing the village's craftsmen had helped improve them, replacing any worn-out wood and even creating saddles and stirrups for them.

After looking at their transports, he nodded in approval, before checking the stables. The horse would usually remain inside, though he let them graze and run outside so they wouldn't feel stressed.

He looked at his stallion, the beast already reached the 6th Stage Genesis Gathering. He stroked his mane, the horse rubbing his head on his shoulder.

"Alright buddy, we have been on each other side for quite some time now. I should give you a name. Neigh one time if you don't like it and twice if you do like it," he said, before saying his chosen name.

"Terrablitz," the horse neighs twice, showing that it likes its name.

Stroking the stallion mane once more, he left the stable, satisfied with the progress they made. He makes his way to the chief's house, both to rest for the night and to ask for any information on any other settlements nearby.

-x-

The next morning, several guards help him load their supply into one of the carriages. He estimated that it would take 5 weeks for them to finish the supply, hopefully enough before they reached the next settlement.

Thankfully, the chief has some information, both from his father and from the merchants who used the village as a pit stop. He skimmed through the info yesterday, planning to read it when they settle for the night in the wild.

Of course, before they leave, he told the chief to keep all of the energy crystals and energy stones they mined, using their half to cultivate. He also told the chief to use his part, though they needed to keep the Energy Vein Core for him.

Ina was also with them, hugging her parents as all three of them cried. He could understand it, being separated after living with them would tear her heart apart. After all, his siblings and he had gone through that.

He looked at his siblings. When they heard Ina would follow them, they had been ecstatic, the woman had wormed her way into their hearts. The only that could be said against it would be the four, though not because they hated her.

As he watched Ina hugging her parents for what could be the last time, she ran towards his side, before he helped her get on her mare. He did the same with his stallion, before letting it walk towards the dirt road leading to the next settlement.

As their heads moved, the travelers waved at the villagers watching their departure. As the village is slowly hidden from their sight, they look at their front, their journey continues, or began in the case of Ina.