Galemar gave Ryu a deep look before he flashed. His pale body became a ray of starlight that flashed into the distance with incomparable speed. It was much too fast for Ryu to catch up with him, even if he used [Whispering Petals]. However, all of the Runes that Galemar had accumulated still landed in Ryu's hands.
'What an interesting technique.'
Ryu wasn't very enraged that Galemar had escaped. Truthfully, all Galemar had ever done to him was give him a bad feeling, like a hand was constricting around him and that puppet strings were being tied to his joints.
Of course, there was a high likelihood that Galemar had plans to kill him in the future, something that was definitely unacceptable to Ryu. Usually, people who wanted him dead would find themselves dead first.
However, Ryu still wouldn't say that he felt an insatiable desire to claim Galemar's life. After forcing him to flee naked and humiliated like just now, much of Ryu's pent up rage had dissipated. Plus, he had a feeling that very soon, he would gain another opportunity to kill him.
Ryu leapt upward and sat in a tree. He laid his bow across his lap and closed his eyes, meditating on other things. So long as he didn't die, he had already definitely claimed first place in his competition after stripping Galemar of everything he had, there was no need to waste his time in doing anything more. He needed to figure out the formulas he would use to recultivate the Divine Vessel Realm and beyond.
As for Galemar, he was sure that he would be back.
If Galemar had chosen to escape immediately, Ryu would have had a hard time even noticing that he was still alive. That was the original design of the escape technique in the first place, although it was extremely fast, it also left behind a shell to fool the enemy. There was no way the process of turning one's vitality into starlight could be perfect, so the technique purposely chose to remain imperfect and instead use those hints of imperfection to forge a decoy clone to die in your stead.
It was truly a great technique, so much so that it was odd that it would appear in the hands of a True One Star Sect. However, what was truly important was the fact that Galemar exposed himself so blatantly did a few things.
It's possible that Galemar was lost in the heat of the moment and wanted Ryu to know that he was unable to kill the former. But this was unlikely considering Galemar's personality.
It was more likely that Galemar already knew that he would be exposed and thus chose to take it upon himself to expose himself. This would reveal to the members of his family that he had managed to do what he claimed he would in the Radiant Star Sect and dull the effect of him being so terribly defeated. After all, the Iunae Clan elders wouldn't be able to pick out the use of this technique as easily as Elder Aika.
At the same time, it would act as a provocation toward Ryu. It was even possible that Galemar wanted Ryu to try to chase him.
Who would have expected, though, that Ryu would actually just sit unmoving and uncaring?
However, to Galemar, this was the same difference. If he couldn't lure Ryu into a trap, so long as he kept sitting there, he would bring the trap to Ryu!
…
Elder Aika furiously scanned the elders to her back. She gave them all a deep look one by one, trying to see which of them would break first. However, despite having hints of fear and trepidation in their eyes, no one seemed to give anything away.
"Good, good, good… It seems that I really have been gone for far too long. To think that you would dare to do such things right under my nose. Once we return to the Sect, I'll be sure to do a thorough investigation. The perpetrators will not survive.
"And, heh… If I find out that this isn't the only thing you've given that little rat, I'll make you all wish for death."
Elder Aika turned her attention back toward the floating island below.
"From this point on, disciple Galemar Iunae has been expelled!"
Her voice boomed, drowning out everything in its path. Even the overseers of the Second Heaven paled. Most of them were just in the World Sea Realm, how could they withstand the rage of a Sky God like Elder Aika?
"I, Aika Radiant, issue an order of immediate death."
Under the astonished gazes of those watching, despite the proceedings, Elder Aika actually immediately attacked.
The members of the Radiant Star Sect paled. To actually interfere in the Selection of the Second Heaven?! What was this Elder Aika doing?! Wasn't she pushing them all into a corner?! How would they deal with the fury of the Second Heaven?!
No one could even react in time. Galemar, who was still scheming his next move, suddenly paled when he heard such words. However, his body began to shudder when he actually felt the attack coming toward him.
He would die? Just like this? How?
At this point, even Ryu was looking up. He awoke from his meditation and he was somewhat speechless, but that only lasted for a moment before he burst into a fit of laughter.
This Elder Aika's temper was very much to his liking.
Galemar's death was basically sealed. So long as he appeared before Ryu again, there was no doubt that his death would be soon. With Elder Aika's perception, there was no way she didn't know this. And yet, she had still decided to attack herself.
When someone crosses your bottomline, you act. It was always as simple as that for Ryu. He never really considered the consequences.
If before he was quite indifferent toward Elder Aika outside of her beauty and power, he had actually taken a liking to her now.
"YOU DARE?!"
A furious roar sounded from the side of the Iunae Clan and a mighty aura surged forward to stop it.
He appeared in the path of Elder Aika's palm in the blink of an eye, but under the stunned gazes of those watching, the palm split into two, shooting around the elder before fusing back into one.
BANG!
In the spot where Galemar had been, there was not even the slightest stain of blood.
The entire floating island threatened to split in two.
The Iunae Clan elder stood in the air in stunned silence… What had just happened… Was it even possible to control an enormous mass of energy like that?!
What would happen with the Selection now? Was there even a need to talk about the selection when war was on the horizon?