Ryu took deep breaths. His eyes were tired, but he still looked toward his Spiritual Foundation one more time, a light of determination sparking within. their depths once again.
There were other methods. He would definitely find something that worked. Definitely.
At that moment, Ryu's Spiritual Foundation rattled once, almost as though to acknowledge his promise. However, as it did so, a miniscule hairline fracture on the chain link Ryu had targeted cracked.
The sound of glistening gems echoed as Ryu's Spiritual Foundation rattled again. And then again.
There was one mistake that Ryu had made in all of this. It wasn't he who had to put in a great deal of effort to finally get his Spiritual Foundation out, it was rather the Martial Gods who had to create a perfect seal to ensure it never got out to begin with.
Just one blemish, just one even miniscule, tiny, insignificant flaw... was enough for all of that to be ruined.
RATTLE.
BANG!
The chain link imploded and Ryu's Spiritual Foundation began to glow with a fiercer and fiercer light, its power growing explosively by the moment.
Under some mystical sort of power, the Heavens seemed to sense the Rites that Ryu had completed, not just once... but twice. The moment the first link broke and the faint line of connection became clear enough for the two to sense it, Ryu's Spiritual Foundation began to grow explosively in size.
Ryu's pupils constricted. He hadn't expected this to happen.
When he fired at the chains, he had felt just how overwhelming they were. He had a feeling that this might be the case, which was why he had aimed for just one chain link to begin with. If he had aimed for the entire length, considering the lack of reaction after fully concentrating it, his result would have been even more fruitless.
Ryu had never expected the variable to be Spiritual Foundation itself. He had considered the fact that his innate Spiritual Foundation might be very powerful due to the Martial Gods actions, but it was equally as possible that locking down his Spiritual Foundation was just the most convenient way to stop him from cultivating. As for why the Martial Gods would want such a thing, Ryu had assumed that it was because of his Chaotic Silk Meridians.
In Sacrum, especially when the Martial Gods were all suppressed under the Shrine Mountain, someone like Ryu with Chaotic Silk Meridians was especially dangerous. One only need look at the results of their final battle to see why the Martial Gods would be so shaken.
Back then, Ryu had only just stepped into the Path Extinction Realm, and yet he had slaughtered their Sky Gods as though they were nothing more than ants. Of course, a large part of why this was possible was actually his Dao, but even without his Dao, had Ryu just been a Realm or two stronger, the results would have been the same.
To the Martial Gods, an existence that could crush them without even forming a Godhood was unacceptable, his presence would have and did end up ruining much of their plans. If he actually did step into the Sky God Realm, who would be able to touch Sacrum anymore?
All of this seemed logical. But now... Ryu was wondering just how much of this was true.
Maybe what the Martial Gods feared wasn't his Meridians at all, but rather his Spiritual Foundation itself. Maybe the goal wasn't to block his path of cultivation itself, but to rather block his path of cultivataion with his Spiritual Foundation.
Ryu had no way of knowing if this was true or not, or maybe it was just a combination of his thoughts. It was more likely that it was a combination of his Meridians and his Spiritual Foundation that the Martial Gods didn't want to be birthed into the world.
Regardless, the persona of his Spiritual Foundation suited him just fine. The moment it got even the slightest breathing room, it refused to be tamed. It grabbed onto the first line of life it had had in its lifetime and it grew explosively.
With every explosive growth, another chain link would shatter, and then another.
The connection between Ryu and his Spiritual Foundation only became clearer and brighter, almost to the point of feeling overwhelming. Ryu hadn't expected that there would be a sudden change in him when he connected to a second Spiritual Foundation. He felt like he was looking in two different directions at once, but rather than it overwhelming his senses, it felt more like he had gained a sudden enlightenment, almost like he had gained a pair of eyes in the back of his head.
What was clear was that his connection with his original Spiritual Foundation was far deeper than anything he had ever felt for or with the Phoenix Sky God's Spiritual Foundation. At that moment, he understood intimately why it was that the opinion of the Chaotic Space Sky God looked down on him. If this was the difference between having your own Spiritual Foundation and relying on another person's, the gap couldn't have been more clear.
Ryu was so entranced in this feeling and watching the chain links break that he almost forgotten that if he didn't hurry to break through, he would likely end up losing the Phoenix Sky God's Spiritual Foundation. In fact, there would also be a chance to face backlash from the Phoenix Sky God if he accidentally tried to replace it as well.
Ryu's aura changed and he immediately began to circulate his Chaos Qi, as the connection between himself and his Spiritual Foundation solidified, he slowly began to use his Chaotic Silk Meridians to shift it from the Abyssal Plane the Chaos Plane. Bridging that connection was his Realm Heart.
The layers of chains snapped and a resplendent silver and blue glow surged through the Planes.
This silvery blue light descended upon Ryu, and just when Ryu thought his Spiritual Foundation had reached the maximal size of 40 kilometers after being blessed by the 13 Rites, it shot past this number, doubling, and then again, and then again.
By the time Ryu felt his connection with his Spiritual Foundation solidify entirely, his Spiritual Foundation had grown to 999 kilometers in diameter!
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