Ryu didn't hurry to put the Tri key away. Completely unlike a person who was the subject of so many greedy gazes.
He curiously analyzed the key and put it away moments later at his own leisure. Even a fool could tell he wasn't pressured by their gazes even in the slightest.
Ryu looked toward the tall black doors of the trial. He faintly wondered how Guiot was doing, but he didn't pay these thoughts much attention. Not everyone could complete the trials as quickly as he did, staying inside for even a few months wasn't an odd occurrence. In addition, though Guiot's cultivation had approaching the pinnacle of the Divine Vessel Realm, he had done so with the use of Ryu's treasures and had yet to get used to his realm, so the trials wouldn't be easy for him.
In Ryu's mind, it was fine as long as Guiot didn't die. He didn't want that adorable little girl to cry over the loss of her brother. Though he was fond of her, he had no intention of replacing Guiot's place in her heart.
How far Guiot went would be up to his resolve. With his talent, simply by virtue of having a Soul Nature, he was already considered to be among the most talented youths in existence. He only had to grasp the opportunities he had been gifted.
As long as he grew stronger, it would be easier for Ryu to take advantage of his abilities and maybe improve his own comprehension toward the spear.
As Ryu was lost in thought, a lit tug came from his elbow, and he looked down to see Little Gem weakly biting at his robes from within Ailsa's arms.
His cold expression melted a bit when he saw this. The poor little one hardly had enough strength to accomplish even this.
"It seems Little Gem likes you far more than me. And here I thought Faeries were beloved by nature." Ailsa muttered somewhat resentfully as she passed the small bundle of white over.
Ryu smiled lightly as Little Gem snuggled in his arms, falling back into a deep sleep. Ailsa herself pouted, now finding that she had lost her place to cling to Ryu. Was she really inferior to a little beast?
"Brother Ryu!"
At that moment, a voice came to interrupt their small bit of ambience. Ryu looked up to find that it was actually Niel who he had met at the receptionist desk earlier. However, it was easy for Ryu to notice that though Niel had been respectful to him before, it was out of his polite disposition. But, the politeness he exuded now was out of a place of acknowledgement. It was subtle, but it was most definitely there.
"I heard Brother Ryu say that you'd be joining our Moonlight Blossom Sect?"
Hearing this, Ryu could only nod. It wasn't as though he had much of a choice left. He had already said so publicly, so if he went back on his word now, he would be foolishly offending the Three Pupil Eclipse Sect for next to no reason. At the very least, he couldn't change his mind so quickly.
Plus, Ailsa was right. It was a good idea for him to join anyway.
"Yes, I will be challenging one of your disciples soon." Ryu said.
At that moment, even the junior brother who following Niel like a little tail couldn't find it in him to say any words of discouragement toward Ryu any longer. In the martial world, talent was important, but there was nothing more important than strength. And, even if Ryu was still nothing compared to their elders, at the very least, he was already a monster within their generation, and that was enough for respect.
"This is great!" Niel said with a hint of happiness in his voice. "I have come here as the leading Disciple Brother of our Sect, my junior brother here will be among those you can challenge."
Niel's junior brother's expression changed, and he suddenly looked a bit gloomy.
"You don't have to give him any ideas, senior brother."
Seeing his head droop down like this, Niel laughed and slapped his junior brother's back.
"As a cultivator, even if you feel you will lose, you still need to step forward with your head held high. Don't shrink back, or your future road will be even harder. Do you understand?"
Niel's junior brother's gaze lit up as he nodded hurriedly. It was obvious that he respected this senior brother of his greatly. Even Ryu had no choice but to give him a second look.
If he was a leading Disciple Brother for something as important as The Procession, he was, at worst, a Half-Step Path Extinction Realm expert. If Ryu wanted to know for sure, he would only have to exert some pressure with his Heavenly Pupils, but he decided against it. Usually, he would be able to do so even without this much effort, but Niel was still wearing his Necromancer half mask, shielding himself. Unless he started displaying his qi, it was impossible for normal people to see through him.
That said, this wasn't enough to make Ryu change his attitude toward Niel. In fact, no one was worthy of him doing such a thing.
Seeing that there was no change in Ryu, Niel oddly became even more respectful.
"Hello."
It could only be said that anyone with the gall to interrupt a conversation between Ryu and Niel was either incredibly foolish or had actual ability. Just the act of the two of them turning their gazes over would pressure anyone into oblivion. Just now, even Niel had trouble maintaining eye contact with Ryu, but this didn't mean he didn't exert his own unwitting pressure.
It was little surprise then that the culprit was the half-masked man with a dark aura Ryu met after exiting his cultivation room. A disciple of the Nightingale Mansion.
"I would like to buy your Tri key."
"I refuse." Ryu said plainly.
"Don't be so quick to do so. I can provide you many things in return. There are many legacies that the Nightingale Mansion has that the Moonlight Blossom Sect does not. Why not reconsider?"
This young man had clearly felt Ailsa's strength before, yet still dared to do this. It could only be said that his background was most definitely not simple.
After sensing Ailsa's strength, he was apprehensive. But, knowing that Ryu intended to join another power, he concluded that Ailsa was a rogue cultivator. If that was the case, then even if she was individually powerful, she would still be helpless against a colossus like the Nightingale Mansion. There was a reason why the power founded Sects and why even those who wanted to remain unfettered would instead opt to being Thrones. Having backing was invaluable.
No one would dare claim to be invincible. If one wasn't invincible, having outside support was just too important.
Ultimately, this young man couldn't allow the Tri key to fall into the hands of the Moonlight Blossom Sect so easily. The wars of this Moon World were not a joke and were constantly being sparked and battled. Even now, all of the major powers – the Three Pupil Eclipse Sect not withstanding – were in some sort of major conflict.
This was the best opportunity to pressure Ryu, before he officially joined any powers.
'Fool. Do you think that you'll be safe after you join that Sect? Even if I don't take the key from you, the people you deem as your backers most definitely will. You're nameless, without backing, yet dare to carry such an arrogant gaze. You won't survive for long.'
It was obvious that this young man was still a bit resentful about Ailsa pressuring him with her aura earlier and Ryu's disregard. Now that he had grasped a weakness, he wouldn't let it go.
"Piss off, or I'll kill you where you stand."
Still, this young man with a dark aura could have never guessed that he would receive such an overbearing response from Ryu.
