It wasn't until Ryu had pierced toward over 200 meters away that the ground he exploded from blasted part, leaving a deep semi-sphere of over ten meters in diameter. And, by the time the pillar of light began to falter and wane, Ryu had already traveled over eight kilometers, just barely within the range of the flickering pillar of light.

Ryu's jaw was covered in pulsing veins that snaked up his cheek and his forehead. He circulated Fragment Breeze to his utmost, making his inner organs scream as his Chaotic Silk Meridians pressed up against them.

'… Not enough. Second Pulse. Release.'

BOOM!

Space trembled beneath Ryu's speed. His thighs bulged, tearing the pants of his robes apart.

Ryu subconsciously circulated Lined Assault. Never would he have thought that he would need to use a Black Grade technique in such a situation, but he found his body executing it before he could react.

His limbs and torso bent like a bow with every step, his explosive straight-line acceleration reaching obscene levels.

A green-goldish glow wrapped around his body, the image of a green haired fairy manifesting to his back.

Ryu burst out of the range of the pillar. Without hesitation, he swallowed three Silver Vein Spirit Seeking Lily Petals. His State of Meditation seamlessly entered Breath of Earth before skyrocketing into One with Self, the legendary Fifth State.

The bloody battle of beasts surged all around him. Some were still rushing toward the flickering pillar, while others were fighting battles to the death.

'Several large auras are making their way here Ryu. You can't stay.'

Ryu's tense nerves didn't calm. He kept sprinting with all his might, beginning the Visualization of the largest Warp he could.

Just when the ground was about to swallow him, he understood that he had miscalculated.

His body had managed to leave his target range in time, but in exchange, he was forced to manifest his Northern Heavenly Wind's Mortal Endowment. Such a strong existence couldn't possibly be missed by the powerful characters all around him.

Ryu was stunned when he registered the bloody hole in his chest.

He realized that this was what absolute power was. With all his talent, he hadn't felt anything from start to end.

He hadn't realized that he had been targeted, he hadn't felt the killing intent lock onto him, he hadn't even perceived the attack piercing through him.

All Ryu could see were the beasts that had just been before him being incinerated to ash. It was only then he was able to deduce that he had been attacked not from the front, but from his back.

As Ryu fell forward, his lip curled into a bloody and bitter smile.

"… You've taught me a good lesson today…

"

Ryu collapsed to the ground.

In the distance, what seemed to be a youthful young man leisurely lowered his bow. Despite his appearance, he had easily experienced several ten thousand years of life. And, judging by the fluctuations in his qi, he had long since entered the Path Extinction Realm.

'A Divine Vessel Realm boy did so much by himself? If he hadn't made that mistake, I would have missed him… Well, no matter, I'll snatch him from wherever it is he's planning on teleporting to. Makes things more convenient for me. That way I won't have to worry about those Eighth Order monsters.

'Just who was that boy, though… That Elemental Mortal Endowment was so powerful despite only being in the Impose Realm… If his background is powerful, I have to make sure my connection to his death is never exposed.' His eyes flashed with a cold light.

The young man could tell that Ryu had begun circulating a teleportation technique just before he pierced him. That arrow had both killed Ryu, and left a small tag on his destination. This would make things much easier for him.

'Lucky me. Who knew that I would gain such a boon while completing such a menial task…'

Ryu's body finally hit the ground, being swallowed by the Warp Visualization he had just barely finished before being pierced by the arrow. It could only be said that the young man's timing was impeccable.

"Hey kiddos, you three wait here and don't do anything reckless. I'll be right back.

"

The young man turned back toward two boys and a girl who actually looked just about as young as he did. They held haughty expressions, but they didn't dare turn it toward the young man before them. It was more so an arrogance buried deep within their bones.

"We won't be late, will we, Martial Uncle Zulfiqar?

" The young woman asked.

"Of course not.

"

Despite his confident answer, the three youths couldn't help but feel bitter. They felt no reason to trust this Martial Uncle of theirs. He was too unreliable. The only reason they had traveled so deeply into beast territory to begin with was because he had gotten them lost.

Then, even knowing they were running late and that they were lost, he didn't hesitate to take the three of them toward that pillar of light. They still didn't even know what was being born. Was it a Spiritual Herb? A powerful beast? A natural treasure? They had no idea.

But, what they did know was that it wasn't safe to be here. You'd have to be at least of the Dao Pedestal Realm to roam here semi-freely. Even their powerful Martial Uncle wasn't worthy of this. He was too reckless in taking them here.

"Ah, stop worrying so much. I'll be back in a flash.

"

Without another word, he vanished into a puff of smoke.

If Ryu had been there, he would raise an eyebrow at the fact all four of them wore Necromancer masks…

Zulfiqar carefully navigated the battlefield. He knew that the beasts were in a rage after Ryu disappeared, and he also knew that there were very likely several human experts on their way here.. He had to take the utmost caution to not be caught.