Chapter 23: Path to Alten City
Currently, Ryker decided to have their group make a quick stop. To allow both him and Ina to both cultivate and practice. The two oldest were sparring with each other, with Ryker using a sword while Ina using a spear.
'Clang' Ina's spear fell to the ground, Ryker overpowering the girl easily. Ina slumped to the ground, catching her breath.
"That's some good practice. How is your understanding of the Limitless Spear Art?" Ryker asked. Different from Cultivation Art, which is used in absorbing and refining qi from the surroundings, Limitless Spear Art is a Battle Art, a series of Cultivation Techniques from a similar design.
The advantage of Battle Art compared to regular Cultivation Technique is that it helps one to comprehend the Dao related to the art, in this case, the Dao of Spear. The Limitless Spear Art has 4 techniques, each having stages. With one slowly learning and understanding the Limitless Spear Art, they could learn the next stage.
"I think I get the first stage of the 1000 Spear Thrust, though I'm still not able to use even the first stage to the full force," Ina replied, dusting herself as she looked at the young man.
"It took a long time to comprehend anything related to cultivation, whether Cultivation Art or Technique. The most important thing are you able to practice and use the the first stage, 10 Spear Thrust. When you become stronger, you can use the 1000 Spear Thrust with ease," Ryekr consoled her, helping her clean up.
"How about your cultivation? Do you get used to the 5th Stage?" he asked again. Because of their dual cultivation and Ina's regular cultivation, her cultivation had risen to the 5th Stage Genesis Gathering, a rather quick jump.
Of course, having her cultivation increased so quickly would lead to having a weaker foundation, hence they no longer do any dual cultivation for a while, Ina focusing on strengthening her foundation as well as getting used to fighting with her current strength.
"Yeah, I probably can handle myself in a fight now, unless the opponent is far stronger," she said, and Ryker agreed with her. With their training, she can hold her own even against 3 5th Stage experts at once, maybe even escaping from a 6th-Stage Genesis Gathering expert.
The couple talked to each other as they went back to the carriages, their training spot only a few hundred meters away from the others. The little ones couldn't protect themselves, after all, being young and having no cultivation.
After taking a bath in a nearby river, the group continued their journey, only to be stopped by a group of rough-looking men.
"Hand over everything valuables and that woman, and we will let you off," the leader, whose cultivation had reached the 5th Stage Genesis Gathering threatened them. Behind him, his gang of bandits gave Ina a perverted smile.
Ryker looked at Ina, nodding to her. The young woman smiled as she got down from her horse.
"Haha! Look like you have some brain after all. Girly, what about we-" Anything he was about to say stopped when Ina pulled her spear out of her storage ring, one Ryker gave to her during their time in the frontier town, and stabbed his heart.
The bandit leader could only gurgle nonsense, blood flowing from his mouth as he fell to the ground, never to get up anymore.
"She killed the boss! Get her!" the bandits charged at the young woman. Ina rolled her eyes, comparing them to her lover/teacher, they were the easier opponents.
"10 Spear Thrust!" she performed the first stage of 1000 Spear Thrust, killing the leading bandits before jumping back, gathering some distance from her opponents.
The bandits looked at her in fear, realizing they might bite more than they could chew, their numbers halved in just a few seconds.
The current leader looked around before spotting the carriages. "Two of you, hold her back! The rest grab the man!" Intending to use the people in the carriages as hostages, he ordered two of the stronger bandits to fight Ina before making a move at Ryker.
The two bandits reluctantly step forward, knowing a one mistake would lead to their deaths.
"Light Breeze Slash," Ina performed another technique of the Limitless Spear Art, swinging her spear so fast that the two barely see it before their heads fell to the ground.
Not bothering with them, she chased after the leader, arriving before him before using another technique, "Heavy Spear," she said, Heavy Spear is a spear thrust with a focus on power instead of continuous attacks.
The leader was barely able to do anything before he died to the spear. With another of their leader dying, the bandits lose heart, trying to escape.
"Hmmph," Ryker clenched his hands, the escaping bandits turned to red mists as he killed them with ease.
Ina walked towards him before getting back on her horse, the corpses littering them treated like mere occurrences.
In fact, this was not the first time they had to fight bandits. Having no guards around their group while only a pair of young man and woman can be seen, they were seen as just a tempting target.
They want back to their journey, the fight treated as a mere roadblock, the group continuing their travel towards Alten City.
-x-
"Ahh, that hit the spot," Ina exclaimed, washing herself in the bathroom.
While she is used to the outdoors, having a roof over their head, along with some necessities, is more than welcome. Having a bath is mostly for the sake of relaxation, the hot one especially.
"Yes, having a bath would do both of us good," Ryker said, taking a place next to her, his arms slung on her shoulder.
Ina hummed in agreement. They wouldn't think of doing their nightly activity in the bathroom, at least not in the bathroom they rented.
"How long until we reach the city again?" she asked, stroking Ryker's chest while at it.
"Around 3 more days, the 6th day of the week if nothing stopped us," he gave his estimate, before kissing the top of her head.
The young woman let out a light giggle as she nuzzled her lover, before closing her eyes, enjoying their time alone.
-x-
As Ryker said, it took only three more days, passing through some forests and plains. Of course, there were bandits blocking their way.
Most of them were killed by Ina, with the escaping ones were dealt with by Ryker to make sure they were fully exterminated. Some of the stronger ones, from having cultivation at the 6th Stage Genesis Gathering to even some at the Genesis Formation realm were dealt by Ryker.
Of course, Ryker once let Ina fight against a single 6th Stage Genesis Gathering bandits, to let her get used to fighting above her cultivation level. While she struggled at first, with his guidance and her persistence, she was able to finally kill him.
Because of that, Ryker let her fight the 6th Stage Genesis Gathering, getting her used to fighting them to the point she could defeat them in one one-on-one, killing them if they don't try to run away.
Because of the constant battles, her comprehension of the Limitless Spear Art had increased, her cultivation also rose to the 6th Stage Genesis Gathering realm.
Ryker also didn't slack off. He often hunts down Genesis Formation wild beasts, sometimes a group of them at once. During his hunt, he also gathered any spirit fruits, medicinal herbs, and helpful resources he could find.
Because of his gathering, he consumed a lot of spiritual fruits and medicinal herbs, allowing his cultivation to rise to the 5th Stage Genesis Formation.
With his cultivation at the middle stage of the Genesis Formation, along with his ability to fight and defeat enemies at the 8th Stage, even holds his own against a peak 9th Stage Genesis Formation expert.
With his current strength, he could keep his siblings and lover safe, most of the wild beasts and bandits that reach the Genesis Formation stage only reach the first three stages.
Soon, they saw the gates of Alten City, their current destination.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
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