Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Xiāo City was truly beautiful. At its center was an emerald mountain that touched the clouds, around this mountain was a myriad of different palaces that seemed like residences of immortals, and at its peak was a white-gold palace that seemed grander than them all. Atop this grand palace was a large character (魈) that meant mountain spirit. It softly throbbed like a heart, and gave the entire mountain a sensation of living.

Around the mountain were numerous buildings of varying heights, small and large courtyards, many different shops, and a vast number of people. It truly gave one to an understanding of a lively city with picturesque scenery.

"Xiāo City truly lives up to its name. It feels like the mountain is alive." Yan Zaizen commented. Tao flew towards the city at a slower speed, making way towards its entrance. Unlike Sky Titan City, Xiāo City had no large gates or walls to defend it, but rather small ones that only risen about ten meters. Despite this, no one would underestimate this city's defenses. Atop that mountain likely lived a True Essence Cultivator.

"In more ways than one," Tao said with reverence clear in his gaze. "The mountain actually has a spirit. The entire mountain is a sky-rank armament!" Tao added.

"What?!" Yan Zaizen was startled. A sky-rank armament meant it possessed a spirit form, and in many ways truly did indicate that the mountain had a spirit. However, how could an armament be a mountain?! This shocked him into an eye-opening reality. His horizons were truly widened today.

"Do you know what it can it do?" He asked curiously.

"It's not truly a secret. It's primarily a defensive armament that can erect a shield, but it can also release a tremor like sound wave that could affect the soul of others." Tao explained. After contemplating for a bit, he added, "But, even if it was used against you, it's unlikely to affect you."

Yan Zaizen nodded lightly in response.

They swiftly arrived at the gate, where the skyship was promptly stored, and they made their way towards the gates. Surprisingly, it didn't have an intricate system to gain access, unlike Sky Titan City. One simply needed to pay a small fee before entering. It seems the city didn't need to screen people closely due to the sheer deterrence factor a mountain armament and True Essence expert brings.

"Are you familiar with the city?" Yan Zaizen turned to Tao who seemed to be overly excited, looking about with his signature pearly white smile.

"Familiar? Of course! Xiāo City is far too famous, and anyone who've attempted to breakthrough into the Qi Unification Realm would come here for additional support. Well, if they can. I came here about five hundred years ago, and it still looks great, no, even better!" Tao explained. Yan Zaizen recalled that Tao was about 700 years old, and couldn't help but think he's a little too old.

As if he saw through Yan Zaizen's thoughts, he said with a little scoff, "You're just a monster, an oddity, a freak! I'll have you know, I'm rather young for my cultivation. The average lifespan of a Qi Unification Cultivator is about twelve hundred years, let alone an Origin Core Realm Cultivator. I reached the Qi Unification Realm at two hundred and did it from the bottom." His explanation was greatly defensive as if insulting his age insulted his whole life of cultivation.

Yan Zaizen chuckled softly in response. However, he knew what Tao said was the truth. Even Yan Jinzen was only at the initial-Essence Formation Realm at 16, so was Ya Qinqan, and they could be classified as top-grade amongst second tier forces. The only reason his cultivation exploded was due to him using an essence crystal, the conversion rate for qi-essence was reduced considerably as it wasn't even needed with crystals. Even he didn't expect his cultivation to rise so quickly till he discovered its effects.

Now, he was 19 years old, and Yan Jinzen was the same. If you calculated him entering the Soaring Cloud Sect with his talent and possibly becoming an inner court disciple, then he'll likely be at the mid-Essence Formation Realm. If it was a first-tier force while being the top-rated disciple, then it's likely they would be at the late/peak-Essence Formation Realm. As for grand or imperial-tier force? Even he wasn't sure. Perhaps Qi Unification Realm.

The reason he couldn't calculate it was due to the Foundational Realms and the time spent there by each individual cultivator was different.

"So, where do we go?" Yan Zaizen asked, trying to change the subject.

"To the Xiāo Emporium! With my cultivation, it wouldn't be hard to enter. There, they sell all types of things, from armaments to pills, to arts! It's also the fairest when you sell amongst the many shops, but it's also incredibly difficult to enter." Tao said, pointing towards a tall, rectangular building that seemed to have seven floors and outfitted greatly. It was vast, and even Yan Zaizen could see it from the entrance.

It reminded him of the Great Serpentine Emporium in Xuanwu City. Thinking up to here, he took out his Anima Syndicate Medallion. Surprisingly, Xiāo City had a headquarters here. Does this mean that if one hid in the Xiāo City, they would be protected by its True Essence expert? Could it be the True Essence expert was apart of the Anima Syndicate?

These thoughts fluttered about, but he soon put them away and stored away the medallion. He became lost in thought as he remembered Wu Yuanxu.

"What did you say?" Tao asked someone who was casually talking with a friend of theirs in the street. The person was a middle-aged man with a late-Essence Formation cultivation, so when he saw Tao's attire and cultivation he couldn't see through, he immediately took a respectful stance.

"Sir, I said that Prince Ren was at the Xiāo Emporium." This middle-aged man answered.

Tao flicked his sleeve causing the middle-aged man to jump in fright, "No! Not that, the other thing!"

"Uh...that Lady Su, Lady Di, and Lady Bao was accompanying him." The man was shaking. Tao's aura leaked due to his impatience and revealed he was at the half-step Origin Core. With this cultivation, a palm slap can turn him to mush. How could he not be scared?

Yan Zaizen didn't mind Tao's escapades until 'Lady Di' was mentioned. His eyes flickered with a murderous light as he turned towards the middle-aged man. However, Tao gave him a look of to remain calm and then continued to question the middle-aged man.

"Why are they here?"

"Uh...Prince Ren is purchasing an Origin Consolidation Pill at the Xiāo Emporium. The others are accompanying him for their own reasons, but I don't know what for." The movements and actions of people of high status were hard to keep silent, especially when everyone and anyone will recognize you.

Tao motioned for him to leave with a bottle of low-grade essence drops softly landing on his chest. Typically, for high-ranking cultivators, whenever they ask lower-level cultivators for something, they would reward them if they do their jobs satisfactory. It was one of those unofficial rules of cultivation. It was because of this that many cultivators hope to be stopped by stronger cultivators for help or questions.

This was something even Yan Zaizen knew of. It was like a general rule of cultivation that was never said but always followed. Only those who were dirt poor or stingy beyond compare would ask for something and give nothing in return.

Tao's expression was solemn. "An Origin Consolidation Pill is a pill that pretty much guarantees one a breakthrough into the Origin Core Realm if they're in the half-step." He explained, but continued, "Lady Di is the daughter of the Imperial Commander of Grux, while the others statuses are somewhat similar. What do you think?"

Yan Zaizen's wore a cold grin and his eyes suffused with killing intent, "It seems the heavens are helping me! Hahahaha!!!" He couldn't help but laugh loudly, but to all those who heard it, they felt a chill run through their spines.