Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Within the skyship, Tao manned the helm while leisurely piloting it across the skies. At the edge of the skyship, Yan Zaizen wielded a bow in hand and arrow nocked. He aimed it outwards towards the fast moving surroundings, steadily focusing his concentration and breathing.

It’s been two weeks since their escape from Grux. During this time, Tao recovered to his peak state and reclaimed his half-step Origin Core Cultivation, while Yan Zaizen had been practicing archery without pause. He was pleasantly surprised when he found a high-grade bow and a few arrows in the Ying Clan’s spatial ring. With these, he could practice the basics on a bow that wasn’t Pinaka.

The Rudra’s Archery of Pralaya was a Conceptual Law Cultivation Method that instructed how to connect and develop the Archery of Pure Destruction. It focused on sheer offensive power and speed to the absolute maximum. Most archery styles would focus on accuracy or tricks such as curving, spinning or rapid fire, but this conceptual law focused on the concept of ’One Arrow, Annihilate All.’

His body was turned sideways, legs spread apart, the arrow fully nocked into a half-moon shape, his hand held the bowstring and arrow in a mongolian draw, his head facing the arrow’s point, and his breathing steady. For the last three days, Yan Zaizen has been in this position. The cultivation method is all about stimulating the string of the bow, increasing its draw weight, infusing one’s qi into the arrow, and when released the speed and power of the arrow would be highly dependant on the individual’s strength. The qi infused would contain traces of the conceptual law thereby giving it even greater destructive abilities.

This undoubtedly required a strong bow and body to execute. If the bow was too weak, it would collapse due to the stimulation, but if your body was too weak then the task of holding it at its peak would be far too straining. So without both, you may be able to execute the style of archery, but it wouldn’t be at its peak.

One thing that Yan Zaizen found especially annoying about this was that accuracy is dependant on individual skill. This requires constant practice, not to mention the establishment of the correct form. As for comprehending the law of Archery, it was likely the easiest for him. As time passed over the two weeks, he had already come into contact with the Archery of Pure Destruction.

The law of Archery was only a mortal law, but it was still impressive to learn it within ten days. Earlier, when he comprehended it, he couldn’t help but marvel at his own personal genius. His ability to comprehend laws was astoundingly high. The law of life, death, space, and now archery.

It’s unfortunate the Yan Clan didn’t test one’s law comprehension talent. If they did, wouldn’t they have discovered his talents long ago?

A small rocky mountain appeared in the distance. On the skyship, the surroundings may be moving fast, but with Yan Zaizen’s spiritual sense, he could scan for tens of li in distance, let alone perceive properly in a vessel.

He softly breathed in, and then out.

RELEASE!

The arrow was let loose from the bow, firing at incomprehensible speeds to the point where it looked like a line shadow as it cut through the air. The arrow was creating a meteoric reaction as if piercing through the atmosphere, it formed a visible air-cap that seemed to be slightly brimming with destructive light. However, before the arrow could reach the mountain, it suffered an ablation and disintegrated into dust.

The residual destructive force continued unabated and collided with the mountain, causing a huge explosion that penetrated a hole from end to end. When Yan Zaizen witnessed this, he couldn’t help but sigh.

"Pinaka was right." He couldn’t help but say dejectedly despite the obvious power of his arrow. Originally, when he was practicing, Pinaka didn’t have any issues to bring up, but when he comprehended the conceptual law as well as used the method of cultivation, she informed him that the arrow would be unable to hold up to the physical force. His vital energies were at the late-Qi Unification Realm, but in terms of his physical attributes, even Tao could only handle a few blows of his.

"With my physique being able to rival the Origin Core Realm, the strain from the destructive qi that could be withstood at peak release is too high. The bow and arrow cannot handle it." He looked at the bow and saw a myriad of cracks on its surface. Initially, Yan Zaizen could fire fairly consistently without much damage, but now, he would be lucky if he could get two shots off. What’s worse, if he incorporated his dao to amplify its effects, the bow would collapse right then and there.

He believed, at peak strength, he could kill a group of initial-Origin Core Cultivators with a single arrow.

However, the bow’s resistance wasn’t the only issue. It was the accumulation of weight and power. Currently, his cultivation was at the peak-Essence Formation Realm, so to accumulate enough weight and power required too much time to be effective in practical battle. If it wasn’t for his foundational realms — Dantian Refinement & Pathway Expansion — being at the peak-stage, it’s unlikely for him to be able to even reach peak power.

If he had a higher cultivation, he could reach peak power quicker. He couldn’t help but sigh.

Tao looked back at the commotion, seeing Yan Zaizen have issues people could only dream about, he couldn’t help but chuckle. "You know, to solve your problem, just increase your qi-cultivation." He couldn’t help but remark casually. He then added, "Or use Pinaka, didn’t she say you wouldn’t have this issue with her?"

Pinaka was a spirit-rank bow that could produce arrows from essence in the surroundings at incomprehensible speeds, solidify it to a crystal state, and thus there would be a lot less strain as its resilience would be top-notch. However, The Archery of Pralaya required qi to increase the draw weight of the bow in accordance with the conceptual law as well as into the arrow for maximum speed and power. Even with Pinaka, he still would be slow due to his lackluster qi cultivation base.

This was an aspect of a majority of laws and why qi cultivation was the most effective way to bring out its strength. Laws originate from the heavens, and the world within the heavens produces essence, to cultivate qi, you convert this essence into your own for usage. Due to this, the energy source that’s most efficient and effective with laws was qi.

This was true for all laws. However, laws like the Unyielding Flame of Life that consumes a source to produce another force or any type of flame-based law, wouldn’t have this particular weakness. They’re capable of siphoning from all sources of its wielder’s energy, including vital energy, and producing an equal effect regardless.

Dejected, Yan Zaizen stored away the near-collapsed bow and made way towards the helm. "I know. However, the Ying Clan’s resources are finite. With powering the skyship, we don’t have much essence left. A majority of its wealth are items, armaments, or raw materials which aren’t beneficial for cultivation." He stated, detailing his dilemma.

The Ying Clan’s resources were abundant but put into use for qi cultivation, they weren’t sufficient after the skyship and Tao’s full recovery. "We need to sell off some of these materials for liquid essence." Yan Zaizen said with a hint of impatience. Ever since he realized that his qi cultivation base was his issue, he couldn’t help but feel irritated.

Tao chuckled, "Xiāo City is only a day away. We’ll be able to unload your materials for essence and buy some pills for cultivation as well. Not to mention, it has a spatial platform we could use."

Xiāo City was similar to Sky Titan City of the Earthly Titan Territory, it was a hotpot of many different forces but the most notable difference was that it focused on alchemy, armaments, and essence exchange. It was the most suitable location for purchasing a variety of pills, elixirs, or essence. In the entire Grux Country, Xiāo City was the capital for cultivation purchases by the upper-echelon.

It’s even rumored that it has a True Essence Cultivator by the name of Xiāo that governs the city. It’s due to this that the city is incomparable to Sky Titan City. Earthly Titan Sect may be a first-tier force, but if you asked if they had a True Essence cultivator, they would have none. Only Imperial-tier forces would have True Essence Realm experts that neared four or five.

It was due to this that Tao felt quite relaxed after knowing Yan Zaizen’s soul cultivation. When Yan Zaizen was at the Initial Aurora Soul Realm, he was a powerhouse of the entire continent. Now, his soul cultivation reached the Advanced Aurora Soul Realm, essentially making him a peak power among the entire continent. What should he be wary of? Not to mention, Yan Zaizen had his own dao!

Who did he have to fear?! They could walk sideways and everyone could only applause.