Genesis Gathering Realm

Ryker performed some exercise, trying to get used to his current condition. He had fully healed, but his cultivation was gone. While he accepted it, getting used to going from the top of the world to the bottom will take some time.

Fortunately, the places where they had been sent to were not too rich with energy, just enough to allow him to take the first step of cultivation. Still, to ensure his safety, as there could be some wild beast, he used an artifact left behind by his parents to prevent any beast from entering.

After he was done with his preparation, he closed his eyes and started meditating. He circulated the Celestial Energy Art, the energy from the surroundings being absorbed at a fast pace.

However, he could tell the energy was not enough to let him reach the first step, which caught him off guard. During the first time he cultivated, he had reached the Genesis Gathering Realm with half of the energy he had taken from his current cultivation.

'Maybe it's because I expended my dantian during the ritual, so the energy needed had significantly increased,' he thought to himself.

Thankfully, he had suspected the possibility, so he threw several energy crystals on the ground. He then absorbed the energy emitted, slowly but surely filling his dantian.

He could sense some wild beast coming to his location, no doubt attracted by the abundance of energy. Not bothering with those beasts as he fully believed in the capabilities of the Beast Warding Pole, he focused on his cultivation.

Because he once reached the peak of cultivation, he was able to understand more about what happened when he reached the Genesis Gathering Realm. He could sense the dantian filled before transforming into the inner realm, as his parents called it.

He could sense in his inner realm, the gathered energy condensed and formed a cloud of energy. However different from the previous time, the cloud of energy is nearly 50 times bigger than before, no doubt the effect of using his previous cultivation to prepare his current foundation.

"No use caring about it. All I can do is move forward," he said to himself before looking at the assortment of beasts surrounding his current meditation spot.

He smiled inwardly, "To think, those beasts are kind enough to let me train myself," he said.

If those beasts could understand him, no doubt they would launch a series of abuse. In fact, they looked at him like he was the most delicious meal ever.

Looking at the gathered beasts, he could sense only 2 had reached the 2nd Stage of Genesis Gathering, while the rest were at the 1st Stage. While this group could kill any normal 1st Stage Genesis Gathering cultivator, he had a better chance with his improved foundation.

"Come and let me test my strength," he laughed maniacally, deactivating the deterrent effect of the Beast Warding Pole.

The beasts, sensing the ward disappearing, charged towards him, bumping into each other as they eager to be the first ones to claim a piece of the tasty morsel. That is, until a fist crushed the head of the first beast, turning it into mush.

The other beasts, realizing something wrong, try to slow down. However, this allows Ryker to take them by surprise, a sword in his hand quickly finding the neck of two beasts and severing it.

The beasts, soon realizing the being in front of them might be too much for them to chew, tried to run away, except, he had no intention of letting them do it. He dashed towards the furthest beast before slamming his palm at its torso, killing it immediately.

Ducking under the claw of one of the beasts, he cut its limb before thrusting his sword, the tip meets the brain of the beast, if it has any.

By now, the beast, reduced to half their numbers, realized the being in front of them might be their predator. The only exception is the 2 strongest beasts and even they feel wary of the weird creature in front of them.

The two beasts looked at each other before they split up, flanking him from both sides. Meanwhile, the other beasts took the chance to flee, not wanting to get in between the clashes of two powerful forces.

Ryker's eyebrows rose as he was taken by surprise by how smart the two beasts were. Even so, he had to desire to die so he could only kill the two. Manipulating his energy, he formed a barrier, blocking the two attacks easily.

He slashed at the beast at his right, only for it to leap backward while the beast on his left moved in to strike him. Blocking the attack, he was then forced to defend from the other side while the previously attacking beast retreated.

If he was surprised before, now he reached the point of shock. To say the best is intelligent is like saying water is a bit wet. If it is this smart while being in the 2nd Stage Genesis Gathering, if their cultivation is higher, no doubt their intelligence would be greater too.

Still, he had trained to fight multiple opponents at the same strength as his, some even at higher realm though mostly about one or two minor stages stronger. If he can't beat two beasts with only one minor stage stronger, then he better off not doing the ritual.

Deciding to stop playing around, he rushed towards the currently retreating beast, taking it by surprise. It tried to slash at him while its companion tried to save it, but Ryker was faster.

In a short moment, the head of the beast was cut off from the rest of its body. The other beast, realizing it was alone against such a powerful creature, decided living was better than being dead.

However, Ryker won't let it run away like that, so he grabs the Beast Warding Pole and throws it at the beast, the polearm piercing through its head. The beast let out a wailing sound before dying.

Looking around, Ryker removed the blood from his personal. While he wanted to take the beast's bodies for consumption, he was not sure if his younger siblings could handle the meat from the beast, as it would still have some remaining energy, even after being cooked.

Deciding to look into it later, he took out a storage ring, the most common of spatial tools before putting the beasts's bodies inside it. After he was done, he looked around to spot a small herd of horses, around 8 horses, the leader was a stallion with a brown mane.

Ryker smiled, looks like he found his future transport.

-x-

"Big brother?" Esran decided to ask while trying to ignore what was happening in front of his eyes.

"Yes?" Ryker replied.

"Why do you have 8 horses following you?" the younger boy continued, clearly simplified by the creatures' appearance.

"So we can use them as stead, or have them pulled our carriage. After all, we need a way to move, and walking will take a long time with how young some of our siblings are," Ryker clarified.

Esran couldn't help but nod at the logic. Not just the younger siblings, even the energetic duo of Ezekial and Sheena likely couldn't handle the long walk.

"So, when will we be leaving?" Esran asked another question.

"Tomorrow, if we can. I like to find some civilization and learn of our current location as soon as possible," Ryker answered, before leaving his younger sibling to head towards the kitchen.

"Well, let's get prepared then," the glasses-wearing boy mumbled.

"Big brother, why do you bring dead beasts into the kitchen?" he heard Ilina screeched.

Esran shook his head, he would deal with it later, or preferably, never.