1162 Everything
Ryu continued to shoot up the stairs, his speed still getting faster and faster as his body reached saturation with Chaos Qi. He felt more powerful than he ever had before, he also felt that if he battled Starlight again now, even if he had to restrain his Chaos Qi, although it would still be a hard fought battle, he would still have more than 40% left in the tank.
Of course, this didn't allow Ryu to be complacent. For one, after descending here, Starlight was suppressed. This wasn't a natural sort of suppression. It was just that when talent reached a certain standard, it could only flourish in the best of environments.
Let's say that the Nine Heavens were separated by percentages, where these percentages dictated the completion of the Fundamental Runes of their plane. The Ninth Heaven would be the only one at 100%, while the First Heaven would be at 10%. The Seventh Heaven, which Starlight was from, would be at 80%, while this Heavenly Path would be at around 45% since it was between the Third and Fourth Heavens.
While these Fundamental Runes would pressure those with weaker talents, for those with higher talents, they would have a greater ability to make use of them on a subconscious level. Once one's talent reached a certain standard, a lack of certain Fundamental Runes would actually have a negative impact on your strength.
For example, when Ryu conjured up his Rage Flame, it couldn't just manifest out of nowhere. Such a talent was essentially the Heavens giving him the right to use one of its many techniques and abilities, whereas his body was the vessel and catalyst that allowed it to happen. This meant that the use of any talent necessitated the environment be conducive to its existence.
The current Ryu's Fire Dragon Bloodline wasn't exceptional to the point of not being able to bring out its full power on these lower Heavens, but the same was not true of the likes of Starlight and the other geniuses. Their tale ts were well into the Origin Grades of Sacrum, and as such relied on these Fundamental Runes to thrive. Their coming down here actually suppressed them by no small measure.
Of course, this also meant that Ryu's Chaos Qi was currently very suppressed right now, but this was only if he released it outside of his body. That was the beauty of the Chaotic Silk Meridians. Because it connected Ryu directly to the Chaos Plane, there was never a time he didn't have access to 100% of its prowess.
This was just one matter. There was still the matter of Starlight being an entire cultivation Realm beneath him, and the fact Starlight was still young.
Ryu also didn't let it escape him that Starlight's range of techniques during their battle had been quite limited. Outside of his Constellations, he had nothing else. It seemed that he had left his Sect so young that he hadn't had time to learn any of their other Core Teachings.
These things were more than enough for Ryu not to become complacent. It was still unknown if he could defeat the geniuses of the Fifth Heaven with any sort of ease while on the Fifth Heaven, let alone the Sixth Heaven, or the
Seventh Heaven above that which was an enormous leap.
Knowing this, he wouldn't allow anything to stop his forward momentum. He had experienced what it felt like to battle an utmost genius once, and he was addicted to it. He wanted to see what those monsters of the Seventh Heaven could do if they were his equal in cultivation Realm, he wanted to see what the eighth Heaven above them could do, and he most definitely wanted to se those of the Ninth Heaven.
The fire in his heart was burning fiercer than ever. He seemed to have forgotten that he could very well die the moment he stepped out of this world, or maybe... he simply didn't care. He lived in the moment, he did as he pleased, and if the world was foolish enough to allow him to reach that pinnacle he was chasing after with his life intact...
He would unleash hell upon it.
ROAR!
Ryu reached the top of the steps, a radiant Heavenly Favor descending down toward him from all sides.
Ryu Tatsuya - 10 (Diamond). He had reached the very ceiling.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, Ryu's gaze pierced the veil. What he was doing now was insane. Although his Focus Qi had recovered somewhat, it was still more than 90% drained, and though his body had healed, his mind was still in a foggy state. This wasn't the ideal moment for a breakthrough in any sort of orthodox path.
However, it just felt right to Ryu. It might not be perfect, but it was immaculate in its imperfection. Right now, his momentum was the highest it would ever be, and his Dao Heart was more resplendent than it ever had been before.
It was time for one final push, one final gambit.
The world wanted him to die when he stepped foot out of this place. It would probably try to brand him again for daring to form an Ancient Dao, it would try to chase him down for daring to be born with Bloodlines he shouldn't have, for daring to have talents others lusted for.
In that case, there was no need for him to hold back either.
Ryu's gaze landed on his Spiritual Foundation, an intimate fondness resonating with his soul. However, at that moment, it was bogged down by thick chains, dampening its shine and its aura. It was just in its infancy stages, how could it fight back against something so sinister?
When these chains had descended, Ryu must have just been a baby. He couldn't even see the world clearly yet, let alone tell that his future had been cut off by worthless scum.
At that moment, though, he was prepared to take his destiny back into his own hands. This world, the Martial Gods, not even the Phoenix Sky God, none of them could stop him!
Without the slightest hint of hesitation, Ryu roared, unleashing all of the Heavenly Favor he had accumulated until this moment. He concentrated it all onto one point, just a singular link in the chain. He unleashed all his pent up rage, all of his fury, all of the emotions he had experienced in his two lifetimes.
He recalled the death of his grandparents, his conversations with every single one. The soothing voice of his Grandma Kunan, the imperial pride of his Grandpa and Grandma Tatsuya, the last shoulder carry of his Grandpa Kunan...
The chain rattled and quaked, taking everything Ryu had to give.
But even when Ryu had unleashed everything, his name falling from the list entirely and vanishing from the all time records, there was no change.
Ryu fell to his knees, fatigued. He had given it everything he had, even reached the ceiling of this incomplete Heavenly Path, a feat no one before in history had accomplished. And yet, it wasn't enough.
Ryu laughed. It wasn't a laugh of sadness or madness, it was just a carefree laugh. He had nothing to regret, he had reached into the very depths of his soul and given it everything he had.
