A stunned silence took hold of the Sect.
At that moment, it suddenly didn't matter whether or not Ryu was still hiding his cultivation level. Anyone who could become a Throne was a monster on their own level, an entity that the Moonlight Blossom Sect would be hard-pressed to handle.
The worst part of the matter was that the strength of this Sect was obviously beyond their own. This meant that Ryu's previous words weren't empty.
Sects weren't known for protecting their Throne. However, that didn't mean that in such a sensitive situation, Ryu couldn't make a deal with them.
The elders couldn't help but go on their guard. Just what kind of monster were they facing exactly?
**
"That was easier than expected." Ryu commented off handedly.
Ryu found himself strolling through the Moonlight Blossom Sect. Though, he wasn't exactly alone since Niel was following behind him, looking at his side profile as though he was gazing upon a monster.
When Niel heard Ryu's words, his lip couldn't help but twitch. He didn't even know how to respond to such a statement. But, what he didn't know was that Ryu wasn't talking to him at all.
'Too easily.' Ailsa nodded. 'They definitely have their own contingency plans. I wouldn't be surprised if they're concocting a web of schemes right now.'
'It can't be helped.' Ryu replied. 'They're probably hesitant to act without knowing which Sect I come from. I wouldn't be surprised if they believe that I'm acting for the sake of this Sect despite being a Throne.'
Ailsa giggled. 'But, how likely is it that they'll ever guess that your Throne is from their former rulers?'
Ryu's lip curled slightly, but the truth was that it wasn't impossible to find this out. It would take someone very adept at Fate and sensing and understanding it. But, it definitely wouldn't be an impossibility.
The only issue with that possibility though is that… Trying to read the Fate of someone with the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth Pupils was really no different from seeking death. Even if the Ancestor of the Moonlight Blossom Sect stepped forward personally, the best case scenario was a severe injury.
Niel cleared his throat. "Say, Ryu… Which Sect are you the Throne of?"
Ryu sent a glance over toward Niel. "Do you really expect me to answer that?"
Niel scratched the back of his head. "Well, my master is pretty strict. I had to try at least once since our relationship isn't too bad."
Ryu smiled lightly toward these words, something that caught Niel off guard. He had to remind himself that Ryu was a man before he regained his bearings. Once he realized what he was thinking, he almost felt like pinching himself. What the hell was wrong with him?
Also, when did Ryu start smiling like that? He could have sworn that the Ryu he knew was cold as ice. Just what happened during the last six months? Or, maybe that day he had met Ryu was just a bad day for him?
Niel shook his head. That couldn't be true. He had traveled with Ryu for several days, so it couldn't have just been a bad day. He had never seen a foul mood last for so long.
'Forget it…'
Niel had no idea that there was a Faerie beauty dying of laughter at his expense. If it wasn't for the fact Ryu had gotten very good at controlling his expressions after having this beauty following him for so long, he might have been scowling at the moment.
"Are Thrones really so rare?" Ryu asked a question instead of responding directly.
Niel gave Ryu a weird look. "As far as we're aware, the Moon World should only have a single Throne. And, we're pretty sure you're not him."
"Oh?"
"Are you not from the Moon World?" Niel probed. However, all he received in response was another glance.
Niel laughed. "I'm kidding. The mark of an outsider is pretty clear. Faith revolves around you too naturally for you to be from another world. But, that only makes things more curious."
Ryu smiled again, but didn't say much.
His Heavenly Pupils ensured that Faith of no world would reject him. It was an ability he never thought about because he had rarely stepped foot away from the Shrine Plane. So, of course Fate would flow naturally around him.
Usually, though, when one stepped foot onto another world, there would be some restrictions and even some oppression. It was a world's way of protecting itself…
Of course, there was another reason that the Fate of this world wouldn't reject him, and that was because he was a Throne of its former ruler. The influence of his Ice Phoenix Clan's subordinate Sect had yet to completely wane.
Seeing that Ryu wasn't giving away more, Niel shook his head.
"Ah, here we are."
Niel and Ryu finally made there way to the base of a large mountain. But, whereas one would have expected to find a large black face, there was instead a massive shut vault.
The vault was shaped into a semi sphere and had large bronze gears displayed on its surface. But, beneath the gears, there was nothing but transparent glass, showing the inner workings clearly from the outside.
Well, it was clear to Ryu, anyway. For anyone else, there was a foggy formation blocking the path.
Ryu was quite surprised to see that he didn't even need to try to see through what was before him. Usually, though he'd be able to tell that there was a formation, it would take some time to decipher it and find a hole.
Yet, for this Large Scale Peak Earth Grade Formation… it might as well have not been there at all.
Niel felt a bit of pride seeing Ryu's surprise, clearly misinterpreting what it meant.
"This is a place reserved for Core Disciples and Inheritor Disciples. As of now, our Sect only has Zulfiqar and me as Inheritor Disciples, but there are many more candidates amongst the Core Disciples.
"We have exactly 48 Core Disciples and they're all vying for position to enter the Tri Palace. There are about three confirmed candidates, so everyone is fighting for the remaining spots."
Ryu couldn't help but be amused when he saw Niel's pride, but he didn't stomp on the young man's parade.
"… So, the atmosphere is a bit tense right now. We'll probably have to try not to poke at any sleeping bears."
Niel stepped toward the formation with his badge and began to open the mechanisms.
The doors had only barely opened when a figure dashed out, their speed so quick that Niel almost couldn't react at all.
The figure came to a grinding halt, standing before Ryu. Their eyes lit up like two saucers, their breathing becoming somewhat labored.
The figure's eyes scanned Ryu up and down, gulping every so often as though they couldn't control a certain urge.
Not long later, the figure's face suddenly began to redden. It became so bad that a person from afar might have thought that this poor person would implode at any time.
"Ah…!"
The figure dashed back into the mountain's gates, leaving a trail of fragrance in their wake.
Ryu raised an eyebrow. "That was?"
Niel cleared his throat. "That was Junior Sister Sarriel. She's a bit of an odd ball, um… Don't mind her? She's among the three guaranteed to enter the Tri Palace though she isn't an Inheritor Disciple. If it wasn't for the fact we don't have any female Grand Elders or Supreme Elders, she would likely be an Inheritor Disciple already."
Niel seemed to be trying exceptionally hard to control his jealousy, but his twitching lip definitely wasn't helping him out very much.
Ailsa's giggles increased on Ryu's shoulder.
'She's a good dual cultivation partner candidate. Even if you don't like her, you can always take her in as a concubine.'
Ailsa blinked innocently, whispering into Ryu's ears.
The action made Ryu feel as though a roar was sounding from his lower belly as a beast struggled against its chains.
The Junior Sister Sarriel was indeed one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. She was lacking in comparison to Ailsa and even lacking in comparison to Elena when he last saw her, but Sarriel's cultivation was far beneath the both of them. The fact she could catch Ryu's eye at all was a testament to just how gorgeous she was.
And, maybe what drew Ryu to her even more, setting aside everything else, was the fact that while Ailsa and Elena were two overly straightforward women, Sarriel was apparently their direct opposite.
The instant Ryu had these thoughts, he all but furiously shook his head. What the hell was wrong with him?
'What are you fighting it for? Didn't you see her cute button nose and her petite little figure. You can trust Big Sis, I'm also certain that she's a virgin. Don't you think she's perfect. Just think about what her little pink tongue could…'
Ryu shut his brain down. He refused to listen to another word.
Ever since Ailsa's embarrassing display before, she had always been trying to find ways to get back at him. First it was the massage, now it was this.
Ailsa's laughter only became harder.
'I'm being serious you know. The massage will only work so effectively for so long. There's a reason it can't replace true dual cultivation.'
Ryu frowned when he heard these words. He could tell that Ailsa was serious beneath that cheery demeanor of hers.
'If I'm going to dual cultivate with anyone, it's going to be with my woman.' Ryu said plainly.
In his seriousness, he missed Ailsa completing her best Sarriel impression.