-- 3 days later, South of Verdant Twilight Gate---
The shimmering veil of iridescent light at the horizon always took his breath, no matter how often he saw it on his way back. He heard that back in the day, the veil had been almost invisible, but it became like this when the connection stabilized.
It had been almost a month since Elder Zi brought the inner disciples of their sect to the Verdant Twilight Gate. The fort acted as XiGuang Province's bridgehead on this side of the connection. Verdant, because this place was a luscious world full of life and energy.
Twilight, because this liveliness hid a lot of dangers and could easily lead to death. Travel in this world was like walking on a knife-edge. One unlucky encounter and it could be over, but this risk was worth it.
Since the situation in the province was still in an uproar, this place had become a hub for all kinds of disciples and wandering cultivators. Everyone came to trade and sell the numerous resources and natural treasures this foreign land held.
He was no different. Although he felt a little regretful that he didn't have the chance to adventure back in the province, now that sites of a yet unknown era were emerging, this place offered a stable income for a young golden core cultivator like himself.
Shen Gen was neither a genius nor did he have any great backing in the sect. So far, he was able to rely on his hard work and moderate luck to make it into the inner sect of the Quanzheen School. Although they were only a medium-sized sect, they were able to secure entry to the Verdant Twilight Gate for all inner disciples.
At the golden core stage, people like him were able to venture a little further in the vicinity of the fort, without having to worry for their lives. The faction forces of the fort took care of most monsters, although the danger of one suddenly appearing was not zero.
Still, exploring the surroundings and collecting medicinal herbs and earthly treasures was way safer and quite profitable, compared to exploring old ruins and or looting ancestral graves. The traps and challenges those old monkeys left for potential successors were nothing to scoff at and often deadly.
Shen Gen was quite happy to make steady progress in his cultivation without risking his life all the time. Right now, for example, he was carrying several medicinal herbs, some peculiar ores, and a low-tier earthly treasure that would sell for a good amount of spirit stones at the fort.
After just three days rummaging around in the wilderness with moderate risk, he had enough resources to spend the next month or two in a cultivation room at the fort. If he were lucky and gained some enlightenment, he might even advance a minor realm.
Using his specialty, the Fleeting Step, he agilely traveled across the branches of tall, grown trees, avoiding potential dangers on the ground. At this pace, it would take him an hour at most to return to the town. However, his feet stopped when he heard something other than the white noise of the forest.
"Kyaa! Get away from me!" the voice of a girl cut through the forest. Shen Gen was no chivalrous hero, but unfortunately curious. The direction and power of his steps subtly changed as he hid his Qi. Now, his movements were almost imperceptible among the rustling of leaves.
He didn't have to go far to catch the scene that drew him here. A group of 10 cultivators had driven a young woman up against a cliff. The fairy had fair features and jade-like skin. Her robe was torn in many places, rousing the lust among her pursuers.
At their helm was a tall man with a wild build. His face was... unfortunate, giving an explanation for the fairy's desperate escape. His companions were not much better off. Shen Gen was not handsome, but compared to them, he was a blessed son of heaven.
"Scream some more, Wei Chenguang. Nobody will come to save you!" the leader with the unfortunate face called out so loud, even Shen Gen could hear it with ease from his tree some distance away. True, although he didn't like what they were doing, he was not going to risk his life for a stranger. She wasn't that pretty.
However, before he could turn away, he witnessed someone with a lot less survival instinct than himself jump into the fray. Wow, now this guy was really a blessed son of heaven. Even Shen Gen looked like a potato in comparison.
"Yao Hóng! Stop right there! Truly a toad trying to eat swan meat, do you have no shame?" he barked at the leader, before turning to the lady behind him. " Sister Wei, are you okay?" he asked her righteously. She nodded, so the young hero turned back to his villain.
"Fu De, your little genius. What do you think you are doing here, playing hero?" the man called Yao Hong asked him, his voice full of malice.
"To resort to such actions, just because not even the women in the red light district would look your way for money. You are barely even human, Yao Hóng!" Fu De shouted. Shen Gen almost let out a laugh, betraying his position. he could see the amount of emotional damage that sentence caused even at this distance.
"You just keep making your jokes," Yao Hong said with a crooked smile. He tried to sound calm and unmoved, but it was obvious that he was barely holding himself back. "Get him!" He cried out, and the fight began.
Fu De seemed very young, but despite that, he was at the 9th stage of the golden core realm, far above Shen Gen. The numerous opponents started falling in the flurry of the young genius. Maybe he really stood a chance to save the damsel in distress.
"Now!" the toad shouted when Fu De began showing signs of fatigue. At this point, five opponents were already on the ground, heavily wounded, but alive. The young genius even had the leeway to spare their lives. However-
"Ugh! Sister Wei...Why?" he muttered, spitting a mouthful of blood. At the command of the toad, the swan stabbed the young genius on the back. The hidden weapon was deeply embedded in his torso. With a fountain of blood, she pulled out her dagger and took her distance.
"Why? Do you even realize how many enemies you made by hogging master's attention?" she said in derision. Those were her last words, as she was the first to fall to Fu De's enraged blade. A single strike split her in two halves.
"Do you really think this is enough to- Urgh!" he interrupted his sentence to throw up a big globule of black blood.
"Obviously, the dagger was poisoned. Sister Wei is an unexpected loss, but your journey ends here, Fu De!" Yao Hong cackled. He swung his sword, commanding the remaining 5 to attack the injured enemy.
Once again, Shen Gen watched the group locked in battle. They didn't mention what poison it was, but the young genius was severely weakened, making the fight much more balanced. Two more fell, but Fu De seemed to finally give in to fatigue. Maybe a couple more exchanges and- But Shen Gen didn't get to finish that thought.
Suddenly, the earth shook and quaked violently. The tree he sat on and those in the surrounding area cracked dangerously when he heard and terrifying tumult from the direction of the Verdant Twilight gate. A pillar of earth erupted into the sky, where the fort was supposed to be.
He was able to spot parts of buildings, walls, carts, and people among the rubble in the sky. Just what happened? Had a great immortal decided to flatten the hub? Why? Only then did he see it, the silhouette of a tree was appearing in the pillar of dust.
Before everything could fall back to the ground, the rapidly growing tree had already reached the height of the earth pillar, and everything falling was caught in the emerald green crown it unfurled. However, it didn't stop.
The branches were shooting across the sky, and its crown reached for the heavens. The sun above his head was blocked, as the tree even outgrew the iridescent horizon between worlds. From one moment to the next, the gate to the Voracious Cloud Continent was blocked by a guardian, defiantly covering the rift.
Below, the genius and his attackers were as shocked as him. No, they were even more shocked. Shen Gen smelled his opportunity. Their equipment was quite good, and they probably had more in their pouches. 3 exhausted and 1 poisoned enemy against a well-rested him? He liked those odds.
He had no great background or powerful backing in the sect. He had to care for himself. Whatever happened to the fort couldn't be changed now. He could only improve his starting point in this new race that was about to begin.