Grand Ancestral Bloodlines

These words alone told Ryu more than he could have ever expected. It somehow left him in a state of anticipation and yet apprehension at the same time. He couldn't quite understand how he felt about this. 

"… Is it really the same?" He asked. 

"It makes no difference." Sarriel replied coldly. 

"I don't really believe you. I'm pretty good at telling when people are lying and when they're telling the truth, and the one thing I'm certain about is that you were very much serious about re-forming your family."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night." 

"Ah, you know me so well. Helping you rebuild your Clan from the ground up would, indeed, help me sleep very well at night. You won't find a man better than me anyway."

"You overestimate yourself. Trash like you litters all of Existence. And, I think I've already made my stance clear. It makes no difference."

Ryu chuckled. She might have said this, but Ryu could very clearly remember the look of relief she had on her face when she realized that her womb and ovaries were unharmed. 

She had obviously not been protecting them for Ryu. From the very beginning, reviving her Fey Clan had been at the forefront of her mind, and without a womb, it would always be impossible. She might sound selfish, but she had goals of her own. 

If she wanted to revive the Fey Clan, not only did she need to become as strong as possible, but her husband also needed to be the strongest man possible. About the only thing she was serious about in her words of deflection was that Ryu might be the best there was here… But that was all. 

These sort of words didn't disappoint Ryu. In fact, they made him feel tingly on the inside, as though something was awakening within him. 

Even when he was a cripple, no one had ever looked down on him for his talent. Even when he fought enemies who hated him to the bone, they always acknowledged his talent. Even as he stepped into higher and higher stages of cultivation, he could simply not find anyone who could possibly match him. 

But now, for the past several days now, he had had several people warn him of his lack of it. He almost couldn't control the grin spreading across his face. 

This feeling… He kind of liked it. 

"Last thing, Sarriel. Don't you think you should tell me where your bubbly and shy self went? When'd you become so cold and distant?"

"I'm leaving now." Sarriel replied stiffly. 

"Ah, don't do that. We still haven't decided what to do about Shrine Mountain. Be serious. I don't really have any other goal but to wreak havoc and kill Martial Gods. But, if there's something better to go for, I'm all for it so long as they suffer more."

The goal was obviously to control the gates of the Immortal Plane. Controlling Shrine Mountain didn't only mean claiming the most energy dense region, but it also represented owning the Immortal Paths. That was invaluable in such a large scale war. 

Plus, there were only two of these entrances to control since Ryu's mother had sealed the Shrine Plane. 

Ryu wanted to know what it was Sarriel wanted to do. 

"… In the future, having claim on a Plane will be invaluable. Even if all the other worlds of Sacrum fall, the Shrine World will still stand tall because it is the core. So long as at least one Plane is protected, there will always be a chance."

Ryu remained silent for a moment before a wild grin spread across his face. 

"So…"

"Kill everything in sight."

"Kill everything in sight."

They both spoke at the same time and hung up at the exact same time. There wasn't even an ounce of deviation. 

Ryu's figure flickered once more. This time when he reappeared, the sounds of battle seemed to be right by him, and that it was. 

The Shrine Mountain of the Pedestal Plane wasn't surrounded by a Clan, Sect or power like the Blossom Plane was. Given Patriarch Ember's disposition, he was mostly worried about not offending anyone he shouldn't so he had left it as neutral ground… Or so it seemed. 

Ryu could tell at a glance that there was a hidden Sect in this area. And, with another glance, he could find their secret tunnels and passage ways. Clearly, there had been a hidden ruler of the Pedestal Plane all this time, and it was no surprise that it was that woman. 

'Night Terror Sect? I see.'

Ryu had met the Throne of the Night Terror Sect again just before entering his grandmother's Legacy World and she was just as unimpressive as ever. That sort of façade made the Night Terror Sect seem completely worthless, but maybe that was what Sarriel wanted. 

Knowing that arrogant woman, she probably didn't feel like she needed anyone else. To her, they were probably for convenience and nothing else. 

Ryu had definitely learned a lot more about Sarriel in the time they exchanged blows than the several months he had spent with her before. But, that was just how things were. 

Ryu lost himself in his thoughts for a moment, his reactions so nonchalant that one would never think that there was a war going on below him. 

Ancestral Beasts, Martial Gods, humans… They all clashed in the surroundings, making it difficult to tell just who was on what side and even who was winning. 

Ryu's appearance went unnoticed for a moment, but it wasn't for long. The sight of singular young man dressed in robes of white and unblemished by the world was too stunning to miss. It felt as though he himself was his own blinding sun. 

In that moment, a bird of black soared into the air. It had beautiful black feathers that reflected as though they were coated by crystals, but they would sometimes dance and distort as though they were really made of flames instead. 

Its long, proud neck led its path through the skies, its arrogance and deathly aura practically reaching a palpable level…

A Dark Phoenix had appeared. 

"Human scum, why do I smell the scent of a Phoenix on you?"

The cries resounded through the air, the battle cries of countless bird creatures trembling the skies.