Grand Ancestral Bloodlines

Ryu owed his Granny Miriam more than he could express into words. Yet, she had never heard him accept her as one of his family. Despite having gained another thousand years of memories, this weighed heavily on Ryu.

The truth was that he was right to be skeptical. Hadn't he been correct about the betrayal of his elder sisters? It was just that he had hoped he would be right about this one too. But, he wasn't. In the end, the only thing he could do for his Granny Miriam was make sure she didn't die in vain.

Unfortunately, this resolve came with many problems. Firstly, despite having all the talent in the world, Ryu had no experience cultivating and no guider. When he lived on the Shrine Plane, he focused all of his attention of what he could do. Why would he waste time on cultivation techniques he could never practice?

Secondly, he was in danger. He had no doubt that the commotion his awakening had caused was resulting in severe repercussions even as he lay here relaxing. Very soon, there would be many capable individuals coming after him.

Thirdly, there was the matter of how to execute this revenge. Of course, he could wait patiently and bide his time, but he had no intention of doing so. Almost fourteen years of built up rage wasn't something he wanted to bottle up, nor did he believe they were worth him being careful.

Knowing all of these things, Ryu laid out detailed plans. With his calculations, the Tor Kingdom would be no more less than half a year after the Coronation Games ended.

Ryu stood, taking a deep breath as the memories of his life flashed by like the scenes of a movie. Not only had his talent reawakened along with his Spiritual Foundation, the treasures that he had absentmindedly stored within his Heavenly Pupils and bound to his soul had actually followed him into this life as well.

The Embryonic Origin Flame made its prowess known, boosting Ryu's memory and Mental Realm to incredible heights. Finally, he found the scenes of his life he was looking for.

Just the night before Ryu took his own life for the chance at a Second Awakening, the Origin Flame had helped him remember some of the best experiences in his life. It was because of it that he eventually resolved himself to fight against Fate for the sake of his family.

However, Ryu wasn't delving into these memories now to reminisce. He had already leapt over this barrier, he could only see a path toward the future now. Instead, what he was looking for were his early memories before he turned seven years old, the days when he learned the Martial Forms of the Tatsuya, Kunan and Phoenix Clans.

Contrary to their names, Martial Forms aren't techniques that store power. Instead, they're basic martial arts taught to children in order to lay a foundation.

Awakenings, especially for the talented children of the Immortal Planes, can be exceptionally painful. These Martial Forms prepare the body for the shock it might receive during such a ceremony. If Ryu had to compare it to something, it was similar to the Tai Chi practiced by mortals of the elder generation in order to remain healthy.

Although the truth was that these Martial Forms had limited value on the Shrine Plane, here on the mortal Planes, or even on the lower Immortal Planes, they were akin to heavenly treasures.

The Tatsuya Clan Martial Form taught stability and power. It emphasized the strength of the lower body as well as the bones. The Kunan Clan Martial Form taught speed and explosiveness. It emphasized the quick twitch of muscles, focusing on smaller groups to promote not only reaction speed, but ease of adaptation. The Ice Phoenix Clan Martial Form taught stamina and durability. It emphasized the flow of blood and the efficient use of oxygen. Finally, the Fire Phoenix Clan Martial Form taught recoverability and flexibility. It emphasized the comprehension of the human body to the most minute of details. Even a mortal who became proficient in this Martial Form would be able to accelerate the pace of their healing by diverting energy from elsewhere.

Martial Forms acted as the basis for a Clan's Core Teachings, and although Ryu never learned what these Core Teachings were, he believed that these Martial Forms would give him a solid foundation to start and grow from. At the same time, they'd train his body and prepare him for proper cultivation.

Still, Ryu remembered the words his father had spoken. It was impossible to master a Martial Form. One must practice daily and improve their foundation step by step. Once one broke away from the need for Martial Forms, one would become a true expert.

Just like this, Ryu began to train the four Martial Forms of his family in earnest. Although he had had success with them during his youth, he was far stricter with himself now than he was then. Instead of comparing his day to day improvements, Ryu constantly compared his movements to the movements of his father, mother and grandparents. Now, he wasn't simply going through the motions of the techniques, he was painstakingly imitating the perfect reflections of his past memories.

As the search radius for the Fourth Prince widened, Ryu ironically remained within a single kilometer of the Tor Kingdom outer walls. He knew very well that there was a vast expanse of harsh land between him and his next destination, so he took his time. He wouldn't take that journey until his body was ready.

Instead, he made Tor Forest his home, making use of his vastly sharpened senses to avoid detection while training everyday for just over six months.

Ryu's feet stomped the earth, sinking into the dry ground with a perfectly controlled print. His lower body flexed and his bones creaked, but he maintained the posture, rotating his core to unleash the full power of his fist.

Then, his form changed. From calm and steady as a mountain, he became like a galloping horse. His movements were fast, but deliberate and controlled. If one looked closely, it was possible to see that his actions deviated hardly a centimeter from his last attempt.

An abrupt change occurred once more. His sweat matted skin reddened as his veins became visible. The rushing sound of blood drowned out the stream nearby as Ryu's breathing was sometimes as soft as the flapping wings of butterfly, and other times as loud as hurricane force winds.

Finally, his body bent and flexed, reaching angles that should have been impossible without shattering bones. In fact, he seemed to be without bones at all, moving akin to a snake in grass or a fish in water.

It was only after this that Ryu felt like he was finally ready.