Grand Ancestral Bloodlines

Ryu's strike was pinpoint. Under the astonished gazes of all those watching, the three eye formation crumbled, its complex gears and powerful momentum vanishing into the wind. 

Ryu retracted his hand, placing it to his back. He didn't look like he had accomplished anything particularly amazing. However, to those watching, it was as though he was a Deity on earth. Every single one of them could tell just how powerful that formation had been. But, what was the most shocking part was how Ryu had managed to destroy it. 

Maybe if Ryu had used the strength of a Sky God to shatter the array, it would have been easier to accept. But, that wasn't what happened. In fact, they could all tell that Ryu hadn't used strength surpassing the Dao Pedestal Realm even by the smallest measure. Each and every one of his attacks carried with it the same strength without the slightest deviation. Not only was it a shocking display of qi control, it made one wonder just how in the world he had managed to pull it off. 

If Ryu had come to make a point, he had most definitely made it. 

At that moment, before Ryu could even descend from the skies, a flurry of powerful auras surged out of the Three Pupil Eclipse Sect's depths. But, just when it seemed to everyone that a battle would erupt, dozens of experts fell to their knees, their apprehension suffusing the air. 

Ryu looked down indifferently, his gaze landing on a particular older man and woman at the helm. From his memory, the older woman was the Ancestor the Three Pupil Eclipse Sect and the older man was the acting Patriarch. But, it seemed that they were now of equivalent status.

It was just as Ryu thought, the upper management of the Sect was nearly identical to what he remembered. As such, there was simply no way they wouldn't recognize the Awoken Moon Sect. If there was any doubt in Ryu's mind before, it had most definitely vanished by this point. These people had touched his bottom line. 

He also found it amusing that they actually had the face to come out here only after he had destroyed their formation. It was very clear that they were testing him and such a thing only fueled his fury all the more. There was little he hated more than those that thought themselves to be capable of testing him. 

To test someone needed a superior figure. If you didn't consider yourself another's better, or at least an authority figure, how could you even begin to test someone? The fact that they waited all this time to come out when they could have closed down the formation with a thought spoke for itself. 

"Oh? So you remember yourselves now? Ancestor Three-Eye? Patriarch Three-Eye?"

Ryu couldn't' be bothered to have learned their names. Toward his words, though, the two couldn't help but tremble. 

To everyone here, they were both Ancestors. The fact that Ryu had separated them in this way left whatever lingering doubt they had had toward his identity in the shadows. Only the little boy of back then and from that family could possibly know these things. 

"Not only have you seem to have forgotten, you also had the audacity to allow your formation to attack me. You tell me, have the years filled your heads with water?"

"How dare yo—!"

A powerful cultivator who couldn't take Ryu's instigation any longer spoke out in a deafening roar. It only took a moment for Ryu to raise a finger and fill the atmosphere with his own deafening noise. 

The sound of a head imploding shook the hearts of those that kneeled on the ground. All those that had felt the slightest dissatisfaction instantly buried it deep within their hearts, their head lowering even further to the point some foreheads almost touched the ground. 

"I don't have time for bullshit. Speak it and you'll die just like that one. Speak out of turn, and you'll die. Lie, and you'll die. Skirt around the issue, and you'll die. Simple enough, right?"

Ryu's gaze swept over those kneeling before him. 

For those spectating through the shattered gate of the Three Pupil Eclipse Sect, they couldn't quite believe what they were seeing. This was the overlord of their world, a hegemon that had ruled for billions of years. No one had ever come close to usurping the Three Pupil Eclipse Sect. And yet now, all their upper echelons were kneeling at the feet of a single young man. 

They could feel the warning drums playing in their minds. It was obvious that Ryu had made no effort to hide this from them all at all. He wanted them to see, he wanted them to understand just how large the gap between himself and themselves was. He wanted them to squash any thoughts of rebellion they had before it even came into being. 

"Now. I'll make this nice and simple. Which of you ordered the oppression of the Awoken Moon Sect and which of you hounded their Matriarch to the death?"

Ryu stood in silence, waiting patiently for an answer. And yet, aside from several trembling bodies, he got nothing in return. The fear they all felt toward Ryu was great, but that was exactly why they didn't want to speak. 

"Oh? No one wants to talk? So if I wipe the Three Pupil Eclipse Sect from existence right now, you'll all be fine with that? I'm surprised by your valiance. I have to say, I thought a group of traitorous scum like you all would have jumped at the first chance to clear your names. 

"Of course, there's always the possibility that all of you are involved and are, as such, trying to cover your own ass as opposed to that of someone else. But, regardless of what the truth is, if I don't get an answer within ten seconds, I'll raze this entire palace to the ground and ensure that you can all die happily in each other's arms. 

"Ten."

Ryu could see the teeth of those here visibly clenching, their bodies trembling with a cross between hatred, humiliation and rage. But, there was absolutely nothing they could do. From now on, there wouldn't be anyone who could even think of their Three Pupil Eclipse Sect the same as they had in the past. 

"Nine."

Ryu had only better said the words when the former Patriarch, now seemingly turned Ancestor, called out. 

"Me! It was I who ordered their oppression! The Awoken Moon Sect was no longer what it had been in the past and I wanted our Three Pupil Eclipse Sect to capitalize on their resources to grow another step and finally stop being the pawn of others!"

"Oh?"

Ryu looked down. For the first time, he actually looked one of them eye to eye. The amused light in his gaze vanished, replaced by something that was far more difficult to read. 

"Your mentality is one that I might have respected, if it wasn't for the fact you've already long since forgotten your place. If you had fought to the final man like the Awoken Moon Sect had and managed to survive in the end, and then proceeded to take such actions, I wouldn't blame you in the slightest. 

"However, given the fact that you still deem it fit to try and hide your cultivation in front of my eyes, I have to ask you… who the hell do you think you are? 

"Do you believe that you can just spend countless generations benefiting from my Ice Phoenix Clan, wipe your hands clean when they're no longer of use to you, only to proceed to attack what remained of their loyal subordinates?

"Are you trying to show off your righteous indignation now?"

Patriarch Three-Eye grit his teeth, raising his head to meet Ryu's gaze. 

"Only you could say that. Trapping us in this cage of a world, not allowing us to surpass the Dao Pedestal Realm, rearing us like cattle to gather resources for you, and you believe that to be something we should be grateful for?! Just kill me and get it over with, I don't want to hear the sob story of someone who was born with everything!

"I gambled and I lost! That's the end of the story!"

Right then, Ryu chuckled dryly, something about his laugh seeming particularly dark. 

"I've heard of people fooling themselves into believing their own delusion before. But, I have to say. This is the greatest case of it I've ever laid eyes on personally. 

"I can never be bothered to explain myself, but this has nothing to do with me. Instead, it's related to the legacy of my Ice Phoenix Clan. So, rather than letting trash like you disparage our name, I'll set the record straight. 

"As much of a cage as you think you've been trapped in, the cage that has been weighing down on my Clans is far more than you could possibly imagine. The difference is that while you chose to betray those that fed you, despite the fact my Ice Phoenix Clan could have retreated to this safe haven whenever they wanted, safe from the attacks of their enemies…

"They chose to fight alongside their comrades until their final breaths!

"You, a coward who only knows how to scheme and kneel down for forgiveness, could never match up to even a single hair on their heads!"

Ryu's voice boomed. 

[Fallen Apostle ebook should be live in 2ish hours (Or whenever the 24th is for you, I think). If not, it will be some time tomorrow. Big thanks to you guys for always supporting me <3 link here >> https://linktr.ee/Awespec (10/23/22)]