Ryu's body convulsed wildly as Ailsa's small hands laid pressed against his chest.
Fragrant sweat dripped down her figure, but her eyes were entirely focused on Ryu.
"No… No…" A dark mumbling continuously left Ryu's lips.
'You must hold on…' Ailsa was filled with worry.
She hadn't expected the reappearance of Amell Tor to affect Ryu so profoundly. Even if his grandfather never took direct action in harming him like King Tor, his supposed father, had, sometimes inaction was even more profound than action itself.
When Ryu and his brothers took a trip to the Heavenly Body Sect to perform their awakenings, Amell had done nothing when his son purposely sabotaged Ryu's ceremony. When Ryu became the black sheep of Tor Palace, ignored by everyone and left without recourse, Amell had done nothing. When Ryu faced the onslaught of murderous intentions during the Coronation Games, Amell had once again done nothing.
Ailsa knew clearly of Ryu's thoughts. During all those moments, maybe his resentment toward Amell had actually been the most. More than the so-called mother who slapped him, more than his other so-called grandfather who whipped him publicly, more than his so-called sisters who betrayed him, and even more than his so-called father who ordered Granny Miriam's death.
When Ryu's memories were awakened, he felt a wave of relief he quickly covered with indifference. This Tor Clan he hated so much no longer had to be his family, he had a family waiting for him that truly loved and cherished him no matter what weaknesses he possessed.
He believed that he had left the Tor Clan behind him to the point that he wouldn't have even cared to seek out revenge had it not been for Granny Miriam…
But, the matters of today shattered that reality. In the end, those first fourteen years of his life were still, in the end, his life. If it hadn't affected him at all, Ailsa believed that with Ryu's personality, he wouldn't have spared their lives.
Ryu was more soft-hearted than even Ailsa herself had realized. Those he saw as his enemies would immediately feel his rage, but those he saw as one of his own…
Ailsa could feel the rage building up in Ryu's heart. It was so fierce that his Ice Flames couldn't find space to breathe. This made the matters of his body worse and worse.
After burning the Essence from his body, Ryu should have been able to begin the process toward healing, but unfortunately, his Rage Flames continuously fed off his emotions, growing stronger and stronger. Even if he lacked the Spiritual Qi to evoke them, their residual effects were running rampant within his body, suppressing his other flames more and more.
He wanted to destroy everything… even the skies above his head.
'This is too much of an uphill battle.' Ailsa thought through gritted teeth. 'The only solution I see is for him to undergo Rebirth, but how could he with his connection to his Spiritual Foundation severed?'
How could Amell have even appeared here? Ailsa tried to distract herself from the energy rapidly draining through her.
According to Ryu's memories, Amell's talent had been eyed by many on the Pedestal Plane, this much was stated long ago. But what he could have never imagined was the fact that he would be accepted by a Clan of the Inner Ring and not the Outer Ring. Just how talented was Amell Tor?
To catch the eye of an Immortal Plane Clan or Sect from a mortal plane was no easy task, it was rare enough to gain the interest of the Outer Ring. But to gain that of the Inner Ring? It was a feat on an entirely new level.
As for why Ryu didn't notice him outside of Mortal Qi Mountain, this was even more obvious! Back then, Ryu was blind. He had simply never seen his grandfather before. Even when he entered Tor Palace the final time and retried the final piece of the crystalline jade, Amell hadn't been there, only King Tor and the others had been.
Maybe this was related to the momentum of Ryu's awakening. An artificial awakening and a Natural Awakening were two vastly different concepts. However, a Natural Awakening hadn't occurred since the very first human ancestors of the Shrine Realm began to cultivate.
In all likelihood, the momentum of this awakening was sensed, but was confused for Amell's breakthrough into the Divine Vessel Realm which happened around similar times. Since no one had witnessed a Natural Awakening throughout several Eras, it was impossible for them to tell the difference, especially when they were located all the way on a separate Plane.
In the end, this benefitted Amell, which ended up saving Ryu's life… The Strings of Fate were truly difficult to predict. To think that things would work out in this way.
Well, these things were just Ailsa's deductions, anyway. She had no idea of knowing just how close to the truth her thoughts actually were.
With a thought, Ailsa communicated with the Incubator and released Nemesis and Little Rock.
'You two.' She projected her thoughts with a tired expression. 'If you want your master to live, you must collect the Spiritual Herbs I project into your minds, okay? Don't worry about their locations, I'll point you in the right direction. Do you understand?'
The two young beasts looked from Ryu to Ailsa before nodding solemnly. They could easily tell just how injured Ryu was.
'Good… Good…'
Ailsa closed her eyes, her energy draining even more as she focused her everything on the task at hand…
If one could peek into the Ethereal Realm, one would see a grand array spreading out beyond one's wildest imaginations. It pulsed a gentle green on one side, but a dark sinister green on the other. It seemed intent to cover even the clouds and the sun with a single palm.
Ailsa had lived for more than nine cycle of one hundred million years. Her cultivation wasn't something the current Ryu could imagine, but she was simply unable to bring out this strength. Sprites couldn't survive without their Life Partners outside the Ethereal Realm, nor could they display their true strength. Unless there came a day where Ryu entrusted Ailsa with his everything, she would never touch upon her true strength again…
However, in these moments, she didn't care. There were some things she could do for a price. She wouldn't let Ryu die here!
Her eyes flashed opened, images of numerous locations and Spiritual Herbs entering the minds of the two beasts.
"Go!"