Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Yan Zaizen didn’t fly using the realmship. Instead, he flew with his soul energy surrounding him. Lang Xue followed suit with her true-essence surrounding her body. Earlier, she had warned Yan Zaizen that the lack of atmospheric essence meant it was impossible to recover true-essence which could affect trials, so he used his soul energy instead.

He also learned that no one fights in the world because of this peculiar environment. If they viciously fought, they had no means to recover. Many were using their true-essence or vital energy to resist the gravity on the planet so consumption was even greater.

Moreover, no one was here to fight and be killed. They were here for inheritances and lucky chances. However, on the moons and worldships, fighting and competition were insanely fierce. After all, resources weren’t unlimited.

As he looked about, Yan Zaizen was shocked to see the racial diversity. There were those in the Draku, Gigantus, Lycah, and Houyi race. Draku was black-scaled, purple-skinned race of humanoids. They had strong bodies and incredible levels of defense provided to them by their scales. They looked like ancient dragons in human form.

The Gigantus race was normal in appearance, but their bloodline was a dominant trait so all of them had it as their origin source. With this bloodline, they can increase their body in size using Gigantus Transformation Art. Not only that, the insides of their bodies can store several times more true-essence or vital energy than normal. In battles of endurance, they were kings.

The Houyi race had a unique dual bloodline, they can harness, store, and expel solar light with their bodies and souls. It’s said they could even create and become suns that can scorch the earth and rend the sky.

Not only that, there were a few minor races such as the Gunyu race or those from neighboring realms desiring to earn an inheritance or lucky chance.

Besides humanoid races, they had divine beasts in spades. They were essentially as widespread as the three greatest humanoid races. The most prominent of divine beasts were wolves, coyotes, and foxes. They essentially dominated three of the Nine Earthly Moons.

He saw quite a few hybrids and pure divine beasts. Some were even in their beast form, traveling casually. To Yan Zaizen who grew in the Xiantu Realm of Presba, this was a strange sight to him, but much welcomed. However, everyone was quite isolated. They seemed to have a mission and was unwilling to engage with strangers. Shockingly, Lang Xue was often given odd gazes, some even contained contempt and disdain.

Despite her unreasonable assets and stellar beauty, she was still treated as such. He started to question if this was reality. Doesn’t the world love beauty? Not to mention, these gazes originated from weaker individuals too. As if they had no fear or respect towards her.

Lang Xue, however, puffed her grand chest out proudly and indifference in her eyes. Whenever she saw these people with weaker cultivation bases reveal their disdain, she would sneer and laugh with blatant contempt. This obviously caused quite a few to get enraged, but they didn’t dare to take action.

Yan Zaizen chuckled at this. He kind of wished that he had done that when he was in his clan. Unfortunately, the past was the past.

"Is this it?" After walking for who knows how long, Yan Zaizen arrived at a wide, red platform. On this red platform was a single object - a Warhammer. It was gold and silver with odd inscriptions littering the shaft and hammer head.

The hammer was one-side flat with a ripple pattern on its surface. The other side was a curved spike. This spike was longer than most, nearing half a meter. On the platform, the hammer laid horizontal on a wide bench. The bench was made of unique jade and radiated a profound grey light that seemed to constrict the heart.

"This?" Lang Xue was shocked seeing Yan Zaizen stop at a red platform, not to mention this particular platform. A red platform was something many just avoided. After all, difficulty didn’t relate to worth, simply the danger involved in the trial. However, this one was notoriously famous.

"What is it?" He could feel Lang Xue’s surprise and couldn’t stifle his curiosity.

"It’s an unnamed warhammer. No one knows which inheritance it belongs to, but the trial is simplistic yet beyond difficult." With that explanation, she suggested they move elsewhere.

However, Yan Zaizen’s curiosity increased. There was no one at this platform, but there were popular inheritances nearby. The crowd in a hundred li numbered more than ten thousand. Despite that, no one was even looking this way.

"What’s the trial requirement?"

"...Lift up the warhammer." Lang Xue said with a sigh.

Indeed!

That did seem overly simplistic. However, how could a red trial be so simple? What about the danger? Even if you failed, it’s not like you’ll die.

"If I wanted, I could lift this warhammer. After all, my physical strength is extraordinary and my cultivation is sufficient to do so. However, it’s what happens after you get accepted. Everyone, regardless of the person or cultivation, who completes the initial test never returns after." She explained further.

His heart shook. "Never return?"

"En. If you succeed, you get transported to the trial grounds. This is common in inheritance trials. When I entered the sub-realm, there were a trial grounds within to obtain the treasures. To take a saber key, I had to comprehend a specific conceptual law to a certain point, that was the entry trial only." She explained.

Nodding in understanding, Yan Zaizen looked towards the warhammer. For some reason, he felt oddly close to the warhammer. Looking at it deeply, his mind shook. "Herculean inscriptions?"

During the Herculean Avatar Art, Yan Zaizen’s body creates mystic inscriptions. These inscriptions were profound and Yan Zaizen didn’t understand them. His theory was that they were a unique formation set up using Herculean laws.

The Herculean law, concept, or race went against heavenly standards and wasn’t a part of the heavenly law. A law created that had similarities to True Spirits, like Pinaka. They can exist and be cultivated beneath the heavens but weren’t supported by it. They may even suffer retaliation.

If this warhammer had relations to the herculeans, then perhaps he should attempt the trial. Pinaka’s voice interjected, "from what Lang Xue said, this trial is a never-to-return type. Is it wise?" She could already feel Yan Zaizen’s desire emanate heavily from his soul.

Without hesitation, Yan Zaizen responded, "of course." With that, he took a step forward. This step carried him onto the platform before the jade bench. Lang Xue’s eyes widened. Fear and panic started to suffuse in her eyes as she reached out as if wanting to stop Yan Zaizen.

Yan Zaizen turned his eyes towards Lang Xue with an inquisitive brow which caused her to halt suddenly. Her grand chest bounced with a springy set of bounces. The eyes of many darted over after noticing Yan Zaizen movements. Quite a few eyes drew to Lang Xue. Some had disdain and others had lust. The females in the crowd were pretty much indifferent as if her existence wasn’t worth acknowledging.

With furrowed brows, he had his suspicions towards Lang Xue. For one, why did she seem to care for him so much? His step was sudden, but he had other intentions with it. He wanted to see her reaction.

It was far too intense for their current relationship.

His eyes flickered with an unfathomable light. He felt that this woman had other ideas towards him. It wasn’t relationship-based either, at least, he couldn’t sense an ounce of heartwarming emotion of love. Instead, it was more of a staying close to a cherished object.

Also, the looks of others seemed to tell a story he didn’t understand.

Lang Xue stopped herself, realizing from Yan Zaizen’s eyes that he had heavy suspicions. She immediately deduced that this was likely a test. Internally, she was panicking, but outwardly, she looked shocked and revealed warm worry.

"No one returns from this! Don’t throw your life away!"

Yan Zaizen expression flickered subtly. This girl is scheming! He had the instinct from the beginning, but now he was certain of it. Her worry may be seen as an emotion you looked at a savior, but this girl was not soft-hearted. She was filled with ambition and intelligence. He did not believe a little bit of strength, good looks, and a single act was enough to establish him in her good books.

"You can go," he coldly spat. Lang Xue seemed shocked and she seemed to want to say something, but Yan Zaizen’s eyes turned colder. She halted her words as it did. She stayed silent, but she didn’t leave. Instead, her warm worry vanished like it never existed and she had a calm expression.

"Hmph!" Yan Zaizen snorted at this. It seems she needed him for something and not just a ride home. After all, Heavenly Genesis experts can rip apart space and traverse through it at high speeds. What reason did she need a realmship in her own realm? She was her own realmship!

"She wants or needs me for something, but she’s unwilling to tell me what. It’s probably dangerous or something I’ll likely refuse..." Speculating, Yan Zaizen felt a severe headache. He decided to place this matter in the back of his mind. When he returns, he’ll get more information from her.

He ignored the crowd’s comments at his idiocy, act of courting death, or sly jokes. To him, this was juvenile and irrelevant.

Gripping the shaft of the warhammer, he made a wrenching motion. At the moment, his immense strength originating from his fleshly body displayed itself in full. The warhammer was lifted up with ease just on physique power only.

A golden light erupted and shrouded Yan Zaizen. He could feel the transmitting energy erupt. However, his eyes widened in shock. He seemed to want to say something. In the next second, he vanished before he could.