"Your first stage Immortal Ring is barely over half a meter in diameter. Am I supposed to be afraid?

"

Ryu's cold voice doused Host Minn's blooming confidence. In an instant, his smiling features had been painted in red, trembling under his fury.

There were many other things Ryu could have said that he didn't. For example, Host Minn's Immortal Ring bordered on illusory and lacked substance. In addition, he took almost half a minute to summon it forth properly, meaning he was only a sliver stronger than normal Half-Step Immortal Ring experts under normal circumstances. Who would allow him so long to prepare himself? It could only be said that Ryu was truly brazen.

Others might see Ryu as rash, but Ryu saw it differently. These blips in his road weren't things he merely wanted to skate by and survive… He wanted to push himself to his absolute extremes.

He wouldn't be satisfied with merely defeating Host Minn. He wanted to defeat Host Minn at his very best!

However, Ryu wasn't a fool at the same time. Though he sneered at Host Minn's pitifully small Immortal Ring, he knew well that this infuriating host was at least ten times more powerful now.

As though to respond to these thoughts of his, Host Minn's figure distorted. His speed was so fast that he left afterimages in the air, striking out toward Ryu's torso with a burning fury.

Ryu reacted quickly. Executing a seamless Sidestep, he pierced outward with his spear, relying heavily on Heavenly Flow to read and react.

However, though Ryu succeeded in diverting the blow, his inner organs trembled. His chest convulsed as he uncontrollably coughed up a mouthful of blood.

He circulated Fragrant Breeze, accelerating backward to evade Host Minn's pursuit.

A flurry of exchanges exploded through the air. Though they were already dozens of miles from Ember City, it would be surprising if this exchange wasn't heard.

However, thankfully, Ryu had Ailsa by his side. For a faerie who could shift the real and ethereal as she pleased, something like blocking soundwaves from travelling too far was as easy as breathing.

As for Host Minn, he hadn't even thought of such a possibility. His thoughts were filled with rage and shock. Though Ryu was most definitely in a sorry state, it wasn't to the point of him being on his last legs. In fact, it seemed he still had quite a lot left in him!

Ryu's attacks maintained their sharpness, his silver pupils burning with a desire for more.

His spear spun in his hands, snapping to a halt only to unleash an avalanche of Pierce's.

Each layered atop of each other, executing the Black Grade Monumental Pierce in a barrage. Two strikes became one. Three strikes became one. Four strikes… Still became one!

The God Emperor to Dyon's back, its face still obscured from the vision of most, calmly gazed downward. Its aura alone was imposing enough to make the suns in the sky dim. It had become the center of the world, pulling everything toward it.

As though responding, Ryu's spear strikes began to hold a certain gravity to them. Whereas before his strikes read and reacted to the actions of his opponent, they began to slowly morph, instead pulling the battle in the direction it so chose.

This was no longer Yin Yang Dominance … it had become Infinite Cycle!

'It seemed he really did need an opponent of this caliber…'

Ryu's improvement speed had long since passed the barrier of incredulity. However, it could be said that the last year had been his slowest in this regard.

Though he had learned many techniques that fundamentally increased his battle prowess, and Ailsa had also spent a lot of time helping him strengthen his foundation, this was still slower than normal for him. There were simply some things where real experience couldn't be replaced.

Yin Yang Dominance was the first phase of Heavenly Flow. However, Infinite Cycle was the second… And it was of the Heaven Grade!

How Ryu, a mere Divine Vessel Realm expert was using a Heaven Grade technique only Immortal Ring and Path Extinction Realm experts could…? Ailsa felt that this was a very unique situation, such that it was even outside of her expectations.

The limitation of those who could use certain caliber techniques wasn't just about withstanding their might. Rather, more importantly, there was the matter of Meridian Nodes.

At the Pulse Opening Realm, one would only have 333 such nodes. Only upon entering the Divine Vessel Realm could one begin improving this number to 999. As of now, Ryu still only had 444 since he had only opened one of his six Qi Vessels.

What did this mean? It meant that functionally speaking, Ryu could only use techniques that only made use of these 444 Meridian Nodes. The problem was that most Peak Earth Grade techniques used all 999, for obvious reasons.

As a result of this, Ryu was limited, only being able to pick from the rare Peak Earth Grade techniques that either made use of less Meridian Nodes, or gained their high ranking by not relying on nodes at all.

Demonic Strings, though only of the Higher Earth Grade, was one such example. With his high level of comprehension, Ryu was able to use it even within the Qi Refinement Realm. Heavenly Flow was another such technique!

Using one's qi, Heavenly Flow created an invisible domain. This exponentially increased one's ability to read the flow of battle and react appropriately. But, if this was all it could do, Ryu would never choose it, reason being that his Heavenly Pupils more than accomplished this function on their own.

However, what Ryu wanted Heavenly Flow for wasn't for what its mere first phase could do… But rather for what its latter phases could accomplish… Perfect Counter!

The moment Ryu shattered the Great Circle of Perfection realm he had been in for Yin Yang Dominance, and stepped into the Small Success realm of Infinite Cycle, he could suddenly 'see' things he hadn't before. No… He had always been able to see these things with his pupils… But now he could feel them!

He could feel the qi surging toward Host Minn's Immortal Ring. He could feel it swirling around the battle, tingling his skin.

Ryu's sensitivity to qi had always been extraordinarily high. How could it not be considering the fact he was able to absorb it through his skin? However, this felt different. It felt like his talent before was simply unmolded clay, while Infinite Cycle had become his expert sculptor.

Ryu's silver pupils suddenly flashed a blinding light. If it wasn't for Ryu's self-control, he would have gasped in that very moment.

Lines of Fate drained all the color from the world, turning it into a scape of white and black. However, currently, Ryu felt that the world had become far more beautiful.

In empty space, he suddenly saw all sorts of swirling colors. Gorgeous reds, blues, greens… Sometimes they would combine into one, and at others, they would diverge, spreading out to find a new mate to converge with.

Ryu innately understood what these swirling colors were… They were qi! Ever present, but usually invisible to the eye…

'Did the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth Pupils really have such an ability…? Ephemeral Tapestry …'

Ryu's skin began to involuntarily glow. As though on instincts, these swirling colors latched onto him and sunk into his body.

The sound of a shattering barrier resounded.. Just like that, after a year long plateau, Ryu's second Qi Vessel had opened.