Before The Journey

 "Rargh," a sorrowful growl escaped the peak Tier 1 bear beast, a spear piercing it's heart.

 "You put up a good fight. Sadly, I can't let you roam this place," Ryker said to the dying beast, his qi covering him and stopping the blood of the beast from staining his clothes.

 Unfortunately, while he did not mind letting the beast roamed around, there are nearby villages that will be destroyed if even Tier 1 Genesis Beast remain loose.

 After all, the villagers are just mortals, with no experience against cultivators, even against the weakest one.

 They will be slaughtered if he let the beast remained, so he had to cull them down. Thankfully, the number of beast that manage to cultivate is only at the triple digits, with peak Tier being only the bear, while there are only 3 beast equivalent to the 9th Stage of Genesis Gathering.

 Ryker had remained in the mountain for 12 weeks, consolidating his cultivation base as well as raising his cultivation realm.

 He is currently at the 6th Stage of Genesis Gathering Realm, more than strong enough to kill the peak Tier 1 bear with ease. 

 While he never met a Genesis Formation expert, against the first three minor realm of the next major realm, he likely able to win, though killing them is a different story.

 Above that, he likely needed to run for his life, less it end right there and then. 

 "The bear should be the last one," Ryker said though he did unleash his Soul Sense just to be sure. After 10 minutes if sensing the presence of another Genesis Beast, he sighed in relief.

 "That's the last of them, but patrolling the area would not hurt,"

-x-

 It took him the whole day, arriving in the home when the sun starting to dip beneath the horizon, to finish.

 Thankfully, his siblings know where he is going, so they did not make a fuss, though they did surround him and asked for stories of how he fight against the 'scary monster'.

 As an older brother, he humored the little ones, of course.

 "The giant bear was about to claw at me, but I jump above it, and with the spear in my hand, I pierce it's hard, killing the mighty beast," he spin the tale as dramatically possible.

 The truth is less impressive though. While the different between them in term of cultivation realm is three minor realm, to the bear's advantage, his real strength is far superior to it, making the fight ended quickly in his favor.

 Though for the sake of the little one, he embelished and make it more interesting, the bear putting up more fight in the story than in real life.

 While the others, especially the younger 9 looked at him in awe, the 4 eldest merely nodded. They had been inaculated with stories of his feat since they were young, so they are used to it.

 Though one do find hearing such story exciting even when he only less than a year to become a cultivator.

 "You're amazing big brother. When I become cultivator, I want to become as strong as you," Ezekiel, the oldest after him and Ilina proclaimed.

 Ryker shook his head, amused by the white-haired boy enthusiasm. Unfortunately for the later, his idea was brutally shattered by another one of their siblings.

 "You do realize big brother did some kind of ritual at the cost of his previous cultivation to become stronger than he ever could be if he spent lifetime cultivating right.

Not to mention whether or not you can take the same path, now that our parents are not around to help set up the formation," Esran exclaimed brutally, being the logical and smart one of the 4 despite being the fourth eldest.

 Thankfully for Ezekiel, the youngest of the four and the fifth eldest is by his side.

 "Maybe not as strong as big brother, but Ezzy could always be the strongest after him," Sheena, the white-haired girl proclaimed, looking at his bespectacled black-haired brother, daring him to refute her words.

 Wisely, Esran decides to not reply, knowing Sheena will do her best to annoy him, which to the book-loving boy, a torture than only the most heinous could come up with. So, Sheena fit the bill of most heinous for Esran.

 Before Sheena could proclaim her victory, she get a flick on her forehead, courtesy of her eldest sister, who gave her a pointed look.

 The fifth child went silent, less she earn the ire of the older of the serious duo. As for the oldest, he merely shook his head at the interaction between his siblings, hint of mirth and amusement in his eyes.

 "Big brother, are we moving tomorrow?" Esran suddenly asked, the others turning towards Ryker after he asked the question.

 "Yes, we are moving, or to be exact, I will travel around while you remain inside the Hidden Ancient Mansion," he told them.

 Immediately, protest were sounded,

 "What?! No fair!"

 "I want to see the outside world as well!"

 "Come on big brother, don't do this," 

 Ryker merely raised his hand, prompting the others to shut their mouth.

 "This is not a fun trip," he reminded them with a stern voice. "This is a journey that will likely force me to face off against powerful factions, terrifying beast, and I will likely go to dangerous area to gain strength. 

 Bringing all of you will make it impossible for me to protect you," the younger siblings look downtrodden, even Esran.

 "However," they look up with a hint of hope in their face when he said that, "I can bring you there with me, just not outside," 

 The younger siblings looked at their older brother in confusion.

 "How?" the most curious if the lot, Esran asked.

 "Let just say, our parents methods are beyond my understanding but I can bring you with me. Just that you have to stay where I told you, understood," 

 The younger nodded their heads so fast Ryker fears their heads will fall off.

 "Alright, go to sleep now. It's already late," Ryker reminded them. The children nodded, but this time only once as they raced towards their room. 

 Esran gave his older brother a glance before following the other, intending to make sure the others sleep.

-x-

 "Tomorrow I will start my journey, Father, Mother," Ryker said in front of the makeshift grave slash shrine. It is a way for him to feel close to the two of the most important people in his life.

 "Please give me the strength necessary to protecty younger siblings," Ryker did not know whether his mind is playing tricks on him or not, but the grave seemed to light up for a moment.