Ailsa felt her heart clench when she saw Ryu. Though they seemed to have been taking things lightly, there was no doubt in either of their minds how important this matter was. If Ryu lost, not only would he lose Ailsa, but he might very well lose his life.
He didn't know the process or what it was entail to separate Ailsa's Fate from his own, but as the wielder of the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth Pupils, Ryu had a comprehension of Fate most didn't have.
If the Cultus Clan wanted to save Ailsa, it would require one of them to sacrifice. And, the choice for who was obvious.
The best case scenario after such a separation would be Ryu losing his talent and ability to cultivate. The worst case scenario would be him losing his life entirely.
To Ryu, though, both of these scenarios were a death sentence to him.
So, as much as he smiled, as much as he called them little nephew, as much as he wouldn't harm them for the sake of Ailsa… Ryu was fighting for his life. He was fighting for the right to keep his woman by his side, to be able to keep control of his own life, to claim the right to battle for his family's safety in the future.
So Ryu didn't hold back.
He didn't hesitate to begin churning out Primordial Chaos Lightning Qi. He didn't care about the damage it caused to his body, nor did he care about the potential harm it would cause to his soul.
Ryu knew how crazy he was being. He was well aware that he looked no different from a madman.
How could he not be? His body was in such a bad state that he had to use the stone of the Mountain Barbarians just to stop his soul from dissipating.
But, this wouldn't be where he took a step back. He most definitely wouldn't fall here.
Ryu roared, wild bolts of black lightning overwhelming the blue. They fused into one, slicing apart the air and turning the ground beneath Ryu's feet to dust.
An ancient cherry blossom tree appeared above Ryu. Its canopy stretched far, its trunk being short but wide and sturdy.
It began to flicker, its white petals, gently falling from above like snow flakes, slowly solidifying.
The third stage of the [Immortal Sakura]. The Cherry Petal Stage.
The white petals shattered, forming back to create a gentle pink hue.
The aura of the Immortal Sakura tree grew to a new level. It felt as though the ancient tree had finally been rebirthed, its presence suffocating even the skies above.
The ceiling of the mountain range shattered into a rain of rock and rubble. The setting sun that hung over the horizon reflected the lights of the pretty pink petals.
It was the kind of dazzling view one might only see in their dreams, a gorgeous sight that clung to the hearts of all those who saw it.
Yet, the man who stood in the middle of it all seemed to be completely out of place. He roared into the skies, his body surrounded by an endless torrent of arching black-blue lightning.
A vicious cold wind spread, wrapping the bark and branches of the Immortal Sakura in a thick layer of ice. Each gorgeous pink petal that fell seemed encased in a delicate box of crystal, fluttering to the ground around Ryu.
Ryu shot forward, his body turning into a massive arc of black lightning as he tore through space, appearing before the two little nephews in the blink of an eye.
Rollaith and Sanreth's pupils constricted. Was this really the strength of a Connecting Heaven Realm expert? Who was this monster?
Ryu's blades swung down without the slightest hint of mercy, his once sapphire gaze filled with an inky blackness.
In one breath, the Primordial Chaos Lightning Qi destroyed his body thoroughly. But, in the next, his Spirit Body would absorb it, strengthening and healing itself. The vicious cycle was enough to make anyone collapse.
Ryu wasn't roaring into the skies to assert his dominance. Rather, he was just in far too much pain.
Ryu blades collided with their fists. But, this time, rather than just being coated in Rage Flames and Ice Flames, they had gained an additional flurry of black lightning that seemed intent on watching the world be burnt to ash.
This time, Ryu didn't slide backward. Despite the fact the two had used their full strength this time, their clash ended in a stalemate, their clash making space itself warp and collapse.
The ground beneath their feet shattered, the rest of the mountain range crumbling to dust.
A spherical rampage of whipping winds spread out from their collision, the sound of crackling lightning and surging energy filling the skies.
Ryu's knees sunk down, his back and arms flexing as he pulled back and unleashed a tirade of strikes. His blows were swift and his cadence was relentless. He exchanged blades and fists with the two young men, the light in his eye growing more and more furious.
Every time his heart beat, he could feel the scraping of the rock logged in his chest against its tender flesh. It seemed intent on keeping him awake, pumping his body with both blood and a level of pain he had never experienced before.
'[White Serpent's Dance: Lurking Shadow].'
Ryu's strikes became more elegant. He layered [Heavenly Flow] and [White Serpent's Dance] into one, his attacks carrying the enigma of Yin and Yang while also gaining the subtle nature of [Lurking Shadow].
Rolliath? and Sanreth hadn't had the time to take things easy. The moment Ryu attacked, they instantly began to use their Martial Arts.
Martial Arts weren't supposed to be used in battle, at least not directly. Yet, these two didn't seem to have gotten the memo. They instantly sunk into their horse stances, their fists carrying the weight of worlds as they descended.
Rolliath? was relentless and untiring. Sanreth's counter seemed laced with the genius of the heavens. Together they formed a perfect combination of approach and retreat, of attack and defense… Maybe even they themselves hadn't realized how well they worked together until just this moment.
Ryu's right blade snaked forward, countering Sanreth's passiveness with a stronger offensive. His left blade grew steadier and heavier, blocking Rallaith's endless barrage like the steady stream of a waterfall.
The density of cherry blossom in the region grew heavier and heavier. Swept up in a storm of cold wind, they flew about like a torrent of little shields, flooding the space around the three men.
Rolliath's fist smashed against one of these flower petals, expecting to crush it with ease. However, the instant he made contact, his pupils constricted.
Rolliath? roared, his Immortal Ring being released in an instant. His golden hair fluttered, his crimson eyes growing to another depth of brightness.