The events of the Tatsuya Clan Heir's birthday shook the Shrine Plane. The death of a young genius and leader of the youthful generation, his loss to a mere mortal, and the fatal injury to an Old Mistress of the oldest generation… Even alone these pieces of news would cause an uproar, but together? It was enough to light the world on fire.
There were other shocking revelations even beyond this as well. The first was the news of the battle prowess of the so-called Heavenly Couple.
One had to know that when Titus and Himari were betrothed to each other, the entirety of the Shrine Plane became awashed with elation and celebration. While there were a minority of jealous and callous individuals, the vast majority were genuinely happy. It was as though these two were a match made in Heaven, a truly worthy pairing.
However, it had to be said that these two were still very young in relation to the true experts of the Shrine Plane. While they had potential, it couldn't be said that this potential had fully blossomed.
Of course, despite this, Titus and Himari still earned the title of the number one and two experts of the Shrine Plane. In fact, many believed that they were perfectly equal in battle prowess. The only reason Titus took first place was because he displayed his abilities in the public eye more often. This, also coupled with the fact that Titus took his father's mantle as Priest Saint while Himari had yet to do the same, allowed the world to reach this conclusion about their ranking.
One had to understand that these titles were meaningful, but only to a certain extent. They were passed along to members of the younger generation by the oldest because many old monsters had long since graduated from the need to take such titles for themselves. In one's youth, fighting for prestige was a matter of pride and a rite of passage, but after one passes a certain point, fighting it out with youths starts to become beneath them.
This was the way of the martial world. Or, at least it should have been until Titus and Himari shattered the notion completely! The battle prowess they displayed made it clear that whether it was the younger or elder generations, they were worthy of crushing both!
When hidden enemies learned of this truth, they became dormant. The impact of Ryu's presence on this timeline was so forceful that matters of up became down and those of left became right. Nothing made sense anymore… If they wanted to take a single step forward, they'd have to take three steps back!
Still, there was another piece of news that partially flew under the radar due to the pomp and circumstance of the first four. But, this one wasn't any less intriguing.
The appearance of Nuri shook the souls of those learned enough to understand.
Why had Gale attacked with such naked abandon? Why had Old Mistress Holy Wing not acted to stop him even knowing the rage that would ensue? Wasn't it obvious that bearing the brunt of the Tatsuya Clan's rage was not worth it if Ryu survived anyway?
It was simple. Despite their cultivations, despite their experience, none of them sensed Nuri!
How could there be such a powerful expert hidden away in the Tatsuya Clan? To even be able to hide amidst thousands of members of the oldest generation without a single one sensing her?... How?!
**
Days later, Ryu's eyes blinked open to find himself staring at a familiar ceiling. To his side, Elena laid like a small kitten, holding onto his arm tightly as though he would disappear at any moment.
Ryu couldn't help but smile, she was too adorable.
A small hint of sunlight illuminated her pink, crystal-like hair. To the side of her soft lips, a clear line of drool fell to the pillow she rested her head on. However, maybe the most alluring part was the curve of her body. Wrapped in a gauze-like fabric that showed off the perfection of her figure, she slept soundly.
Of course, immortals with cultivation as deep as Elena didn't need sleep. Even if she was required to stay awake for thousands of years, it would be an easy task. But, she had gotten into the habit of doing so because Ryu was a mortal who couldn't do such things. Every night, without fail for the last six-hundred or so years, she had slept by his side.
"Mm." Elena shifted in her sleep, stirring awake before absentmindedly wiping the drool from her face. "Hubby? You're awake!"
Elena's face lit up with elation, grabbing Ryu's face and kissing his cheek happily. With Ryu's frail body, how could he stop her from doing as she pleased?
Even after so many years, Ryu couldn't get over Elena's… Free spirit, for lack of a better term. She was jumping around so fiercely, but didn't she realize that her bountiful chest was putting him under a hypnotic spell? No matter how cold he was, wasn't he still a man? Must she subject him to such torture?
Her gown was incapable of hiding anything. Aside from the beautiful laced underwear that hid her most precious parts, her breasts were practically laid bare to Ryu. Everything from their soft elasticity, to the erect pink and healthy point that graced their center, it was all there.
Elena covered her lips with a delicate hand, giggling coquettishly. "If you stare so much, I'll blush."
Ryu coughed, looking away and rolling his eyes. The day this woman blushes is the day the world comes to an end and the sun rises no more.
"If you wanted me to be your nice, obedient little wife, you could have taken me long ago." Elena said with an adorable pout, her waist rippling upward as her arms raised above her head in a long stretch.
"What happened?" Ryu asked, trying to change the subject.
"Mother and father," Elena spoke, obviously referring to Ryu's parents, "Were very angry and taught that old lady a lesson. As for Gale, he's dead, but the Ventus Clan has been oddly silent. It seems that Priest Saint Ventus suffered a small injury in his anger."
"I see…" Ryu sighed. He had completely lost consciousness at the time, but he faintly understood what must have happened for his parents to react so violently.
"The good news is that you received a lot of goodies!"