Life on Urtha

'We're too weak!'

Just as the 4 Earthlings contemplated their shortcomings, Adhi and his teams were having different thoughts.

'This is the seed? In the end, the late elder was indeed right.'

'A seed made of steel?'

And many more different thoughts ran through their minds. But Adhi came to his senses. Now that the mission to find the 'seed' was completed, he had to assess if it was a threat. And so he did. He and his team did several experiments like light kicks just to see if the 'seed' had some hidden threats that would activate if it was attacked.

The experiments only lasted 15 minutes until Adhi decided to stop and plan for their return to camp. "Settle down. We have to go back now, we have stayed for far too long already."

Off to the side, the 4 were in a daze, they did not notice what was happening to their pod. Their minds were muddled with thoughts of how to become stronger or how to survive. Seeing these people that looked no bigger than Sel was carrying ten tons of metal with one hand and with relative ease! They were jumping from tree to tree like ninjas in the movies and also had mixed races? These were their line of thinking until Adhi somehow called their attention.

"Kuhum~ We. Are. Going back. Noooow." Adhi said slowly as he was drawing on the ground to illustrate what he and his team wanted to do. 'If these guys are the seed's guardians, they are bound to know something.'

Clay and Diesel were lost and did not catch what Adhi was talking about but Alex and Gin instantly understood. "It seems that they want to go home to their village and take the pod and us with them." Alex said.

"It is so." Gin replied.

"..." Clay stayed silent and raised his guard a notch. 'What do they want?'

"S-Should we go with them?" Diesel said in worry.

"I say we do." Gin instantly replied to Diesel.

"I think it is beneficial to follow these strong people." Alex said coldly.

"..."

"If you say so."

Just like that, Genesis and his brothers together with their pod were brought along the journey back to the settlement. Due to their weak cultivation, Adhi made 4 of his team members carry one of them each while Zack had the 'seed' on one hand. 100 km was covered in just over 2 earth days. Their speed, their strength was incomparable to the humans back on earth. It was unscientific! To add salt to the wound, they also seem to not need any sleep! What are they if not monsters in sheep's clothing?!

Each member of the party was jumping from branch to branch like they had unlimited stamina. There were times that they encountered beasts along the way but it took less than a minute to take them down. Moreover, these people eat beast meat! And they seem to enjoy it!

For the nth time, Gin's brothers felt like they were a frog in the well no, they felt like an insignificant piece of dust on the beach. Not even a piece of sand. Just how can someone be like this? Is this even possible? If it were not for their own sight, they would not believe it even if their father James Barre said it.

Meanwhile, Gin was so excited that he actually managed to annoy anyone who carried him by talking and asking questions even if he knew they could not understand anything that he said.

'Is this guy crazy?! If not for the chief I would have caved his face in!'

"What is that?"

"How did you do that?" This and that. Anything that catches his attention, Gin would inquire about it relentlessly and passionately. Even Adhi was impressed by his enthusiasm. Even though there was a language barrier, If you are smart enough, you could tell how someone was behaving.

---At the settlement entrance---

Two cultivators stand guard at the settlement's main gate. They were to trigger the alarms if they spotted any kind of trouble. One ring and all abled are to report and defend the settlement. "Aren't the main force taking too long? People are getting anxious." Guard 1.

"Stay focused on the job." Guard 2.

"You're no fu… Huh?!" Guard 1. Suddenly, he felt a familiar presence approaching. "It's Chief Adhi. They're here. Sound the alarm once." Sounding the alarm once means an arrival.

"OK!" Guard 2 swiftly pounded a large piece of log onto a copper plate to gong it once.

GONG!

The gong's sound reverberated throughout the settlement and a wave of relief enveloped everyone's heart. This gong could only mean that the Chief Adhi had come back from the late elders mission. "Hooray!"

Off to a certain distance, Adhi also heard the Gong so he signed to the others to stay on course and he would be going in first to explain the situation. As he finished his signs, he doubled his speed with some kind of footwork technique.

"You could even be faster?!" The 4 earthlings were again surprised!

---At the plaza---

"It's Chief Adhi! He's really back!" The commotion inevitably attracted attention and soon, the cultivators had gathered. So, Adhi explained the situation to everyone that was present.

Some naturally had their doubts but some also completely trusted the late elder's words. Some also relied on the reassurance that was given by their Chief Adhi.

It generally went like this. "We have located the 'seed' and have determined that it had no present threats. So, we decided to bring it here and help it grow for our benefit. We also found 4 weak human outsiders that cannot speak the common tongue."

"So that's how it is."

Everyone knew that there is little to no chance of surviving out there if they were outside the settlement. How can there be outsiders when all the survivors of the well known apocalypse of the Opus Empire 650 years ago are gathered here in this small settlement? Their interest was piqued.

---A month later---

"Chief Adhi, the 4 outsiders are now completely healed of their past injuries." Zack said indifferently.

"Good. Have them come here. I'll have to talk to them." Adhi said then went back to cultivating. He was trying to break through to the next realm. Well he was trying to for a decade now. 'Just why can't I overcome this wall?!'

---At a certain tent---

'Interface.' Gin willed the system to come out.

---

[SEED: IMBIBITION]

[Name: Genesis Barre (Human: 1000 years old)]

[Cultivation: Mortal Realm: Entry level]

[CP: 397]

{Worm}

---

[Skill] : [CPS1] : [Inventory] : [???]...

[Passive]

[Basic Breathing]

[Active]

[Odin's 13th lost eye's appraisal]

---

"Aaand, it's actually my birthday. It has been half of an earth year which is just 36 Urthanian days of constant use of the [Basic Breathing] but I still can't advance. Even Alex, who seemed to be the most talented, is hopeless. Furthermore, until now, I still don't know how to accumulate those CP." Gin was lost in his thoughts. He can use the skill passively even while asleep but still can't achieve a breakthrough, his brothers who had worked diligently also had their cultivation seemingly halt. His three brothers were working hard to concentrate on using the [Basic Breathing] skill while in a lotus position.

'Never mind that.' For the past 36 Urthanian days, he and his brothers studied the basics inside the settlement. It was kind of suffocating having all these strangers stare at them and have themselves listen to the gossiping. So, they decided to start learning the language. Luckily for them, they found out that the language was not that hard to learn and was actually easy to use. Although still not fluent, they achieved the proficiency that would let them convey their thoughts to the locals. They were the aliens here, so they ought to adjust accordingly.

Their pod which the locals called the 'seed' was placed at the very center of the settlement, just beside the plaza. Based on the talks, they seem to expect something from it. 'Although I do not know how, they somehow know that there was a seed that they needed and they thought that it was the pod. In actuality I think they were looking for either the system or me — the host of the Primordial Seed.'

Other than the occasional talks behind their backs, the Barre Brothers had actually been treated as their guests. They were given a tent that could house 10 people and they were given food according to the traditional time to eat food Which was actually every other day! How can they survive like this?! "We are gradually getting used to eating every other earth day! Damn this planet." Gin said.

The people here also tend to stay awake for 4 whole earth days and spend the next 2 days resting. This was because one day here is actually 6 earth days. "Talk about time manipulation." Gin said.

"Idiot." Alex who was cultivating heard this statement and couldn't help but blurt it out.

"Midget." For some reason, Clay also reprimanded him.

"Focus, you guys. How can we be strong if we don't cultivate?"

But Genesis let the side comment slide. He resumed going back to the things they have learned during their stay. 'Cultivation levels and concepts.'

"It starts from the Mortal realm which we're in right now. Sigh. Next is the Qi Establishment, Foundation, Core Formation, and beyond they say. Just how far can the pinnacle be?" Gin was really curious.

'Maybe it is time to use the CP I have right now. Wherever it came from I'll find out.' As the system host, Gin felt obliged to know the ins and outs of it and steeled himself to know where the CP comes from. It was a start.

'The system does not notify me when I gain CP and it also does not have the mission or quests to accomplish like the system on novels back on earth. So, I'll have to just frequently check it and start to narrow it down there. Slowly, I'll surely find out.' Gin knew deep inside that the system shop will surely help in his and his brother's cultivation. So, having a steady supply of CP was a must.

As he was lost in his own thoughts, an indifferent voice was heard from outside their tent. "Guardians, Chief Adhi requests your presence."