The following day.
Fang Hao arrived at a massive open plain atop the mountain. As he gazed ahead, the area was shrouded in mist, and he guessed it was another type of array. He waited patiently.
''So, you must be the master's son. Your father has mentioned us to you before,'' a voice spoke.
A young man in his early 20s, with a youthful face framed by long black hair and dressed in a white robe, approached him. In his hand, he held a token that seemed to open a path.
"That's me. Who are you?" Hao inquired.
"I'm your father's third disciple, Yang Jun," he winked at Hao, gesturing for him to follow.
"Yang Jun? I've never heard of you. How long have you been cultivating under my father?" Confused, he asked, following along as he felt this was a safe environment.
''A long time, maybe 1000 years?'' He shook his head, uncertain.
''Did you say 1000 years?'' Hao's eye twitched, not accustomed to dealing with such large numbers in terms of years.
''Yeah, your sister also met us when she was 10,'' Yang Jun added.
Hao nodded in understanding and asked, ''Us? How many are there? Also, why do you still consider yourself a disciple?'' The man paused, looking at him with a smile.
''Fang Hao, I have two elder brothers; they are outside the city at the moment. As for why...'' he pondered for a moment before responding, ''A master is like a father. You may not fully grasp this yet, but as you grow older, your mortal family members will pass away due to old age, leaving you alone.'' making a small pause he continued.
''I struggle to even remember their faces, meanwhile, your master remains the closest person to you, spending more time with you. So, it's not wrong to call him a father,'' he explained with a thoughtful and sad expression.
''Of course, this is not apply for you. Your family are cultivators. Enough of that, you can call me Elder Brother Jun if you wish. It's a pleasure to meet you,'' he said and continued, leading them through the mist.
Hao looked at his back and pondered his words. An ancient being of a thousand years was asking to be addressed as an elder brother; it was a strange notion.
Shaking his head, Hao inspected the mist as his hand passed through it, unable to see or feel his fingers.
''Elder Brother Jun, what is this array called?'' he inquired, sensing the enchantment as he couldn't see beyond his own hands.
''This is called a formation, Ethereal Mist Veil Formation. Its purpose is to misdirect you, causing you to lose your way and never reach the centre,'' he answered with a smile, continuing to address some of Hao's questions.
''Arrays are what can be set up quickly and are movable, typically used by one person. Formations, on the other hand, are stationary, like this one installed here, and multiple people can use it, making it stronger.''
''It's powered by formation flags, utilizing spirit stones as a medium. It can also be fueled with your spiritual power, like this,'' Yang Jun decided to demonstrate and released a small amount of aura.
The mist thickened significantly, and Hao, being close to him, was thrown back, falling to the ground and spitting out some blood. He panted with a pale face, feeling dizzy as if someone had just punched him.
Seeing this, Jun stopped instantly and dashed to Hao, producing a pill from the space ring and feeding it to him.
''Sorry, I forgot about your realm. It's been a long time since I was with... mortals,'' Jun had an upset expression as he realized his mistake.
Hao was slowly recovering, and colour returned to his face. The pill Jun gave him had helped and healed his minor wounds.
Frowning, Hao looked at Jun who was close to him before getting up. ''It's fine, let's go.'' Though not entirely happy about being attacked, even if unintentionally, he followed behind with various thoughts.
If Jun were an enemy, Hao would have been dead without realizing it. The aura Jun released had wounded him, and it was not even focused on him.
They walked in silence, Hao clearly annoyed by what had happened and not wanting to comment. Jun also seemed a bit lost in thought but guided him to an open space where the mist ended.
Looking around, Hao noticed that he was in a giant circular area. His eyes couldn't cover the entire place at once, with many peculiar stones surrounding the formation.
''This is... wow,'' Hao was left speechless, his voice filled with awe as he looked at the numerous thick stone pillars of various sizes, each adorned with scars and cuts from weapons.
''This is the training area to test your strength. Depending on the colour of the pillar, the darker it is, the stronger it is. The one in the middle is for people at your father's realm; it's made extremely strong, even I can't make a chip on it,'' Yun added, breaking the ice.
''The ones here at the outskirts are for your realm. Closer to the middle, they get stronger,'' he gestured to one nearby.
Hao walked over and touched it, feeling a cold sensation as his fingers traced the marks of ages on its surface. ''Can I?'' he asked excitedly.
''Sure, everyone feels that way,'' Jun laughed, understanding the enthusiasm as he had felt the same when he first arrived.
Hao mentally prepared himself, but he realized something was missing – he had no weapon. Feeling a bit awkward, he turned to Jun, who looked at him with confusion.
''Is there something wrong?'' Jun looked at Hao curiously.
''Can you lend me a sword? Please?'' Hao asked, feeling a bit awkward as Jun gave him a puzzled look.
''Oh, this... sure?'' Jun threw a sword at him, and it stuck into the ground beside Hao. Jun noticed that Hao didn't wear a space ring, which struck him as odd. 'Weird, Fang Xiao, his sister, had one at his age,' he thought.
As Hao struggled to lift the sword from the ground, Jun realized his mistake. ''I am an idiot,'' he muttered, understanding the situation.
''Hao, we can test the pillars after, let's go meet your father. He's waiting in the middle,'' Jun said, his eye twitching slightly as he summoned the sword back, making it fly into his hand.
''I am sorry I didn't have a lighter blade,'' he added, looking at Hao with a neutral expression.
'Is this guy flexing at me? First, he pushed me with his realm, and now he watched me struggle to pick up a heavy sword that I can't move it?' Hao's annoyance grew as time passed, his irritation towards 'Elder Brother' Jun deepening even further.
''Are you ready?'' Jun asked Hao.
''Yes?'' Hao felt a sense of unease wash over him suddenly. Wait, ready for what?
Jun began to channel spiritual energy, lifting Hao off the ground and carrying him beside him. In a single step, they shot forward at an astonishing speed. Hao couldn't help but let out a scream as images rushed past him in a blur. ''F.f..fuck you, Jun!'' he shouted, struggling to catch his breath.
Jun stopped in the air and looked at Hao, clearly bewildered. ''What was that?'' he asked.
Gasping and feeling sick, Hao stared at Jun, gritting his teeth. 'What is wrong with this PERSON?!' Hao raged inside, but he managed to calm down before speaking. ''Can you use some barrier or something to protect me from the air?'' Hao asked, his voice tinged with frustration and tears. 'Is it so hard to understand?!'
''Oh sure.'' Jun quickly covered him with a blue-like barrier, and they continued speeding along. This time, it was much better, as Hao could finally take in the surroundings. The area was massive, stretching far beyond his sight, filled with lakes, smaller mountains, and an awe-inspiring landscape. As they soared through the sky toward the centre, Hao couldn't help but be captivated by the breathtaking view.
Suddenly, a wave of fear washed over Hao, and he froze in place. What if he wanted to return home? Would this person fly him back? He started to shiver, his eyes wide as he looked at Jun beside him. 'This guy is a demon,' Hao thought with a mix of apprehension and dread.