'Qi Infestation…' Ryu frowned.
He had read about it before. Only a very, very small minority would survive unscathed after absorbing energy of a higher grade than they were aptly prepared to handle. Many more would die… But, the number who survived with more than visible scars was far more than those who survived without them.
Still, there were obviously benefits to surviving no matter what. This beast managed to awaken a Talent it had no business awakening.
'Strictly speaking, every beast has a potential to awaken all the Talents its Ancestors once wielded. In some form or fashion, all beasts are descendant of some Ancestral Grade beast of the past, so they all have some chance of growing to awaken those Talents.
'However, the possibility is just too small. In all my life, Nemesis is truly the first case of this happening naturally that I've ever seen. Many more are like this poor creature here who awakened said Talent by unnatural means.
'But, suffering through this Qi Infestation for just this small benefit… Was definitely not worth it.'
Ryu nodded solemnly.
This creature may have awakened an Earth Grade Talent, but it didn't have the intelligence left to use it. It only attacked Ryu with what instinct remained from when last it was truly conscious. Why else would it have used its hoove stomp far more than its spiraled horn? It didn't have the wisdom left to train its new Talent.
"Nemesis." Ryu called out the red Bloodied Steed. He had long since regained its noble air. His body was strong and majestic, his head arrogantly lifted to the skies. Though he had grown to the Fifth Order, his size once more didn't change, compressing his strength to his optimal frame.
Seeing the exposed bloody Spiritual Root before him, Nemesis grew excited.
A blood red aura pulse through his body. First, it became like a second layer of skin before it began to slowly expand, extending toward the mutated creature's Spiritual Root.
Soon, it had enveloped it completely, taking hold of the network of roots.
"Nie~Nie~!"
Nemesis stomped the ground arrogantly, reeling in the Earth Grade Talent and ignoring all others. His will was staunch, even an Earth Grade Talent could only bow down.
In the next moment, a glob of red qi slowly rose and entered Nemesis' brow.
The Bloodied Steed's body trembled. Ryu took a step back as he observed.
The Steel Hooves Talent actually had a special synergistic effect with Spiraled Horn. Steel Hooves did more than turn just hooves into steel, but rather it extended into the whole bone structure. Or rather, it did for Nemesis thanks to his Adept Body Talent.
Usually, the amount of steel varied from creature to creature and how much they tempered their Talent. But for Nemesis, he was immediately able to take control of this talent and mold his body as he pleased.
Like this, Nemesis' entire skeletal system became reforged of steel, causing his strength to skyrocket. Like this, this Black Grade Talent already became comparable to an Earth Grade Talent. But, when synergized with Spiral Horn…
Nemesis raised his head into the skies, a roar of pain and excitement neighing outward. His heated breath filled the air, his blood pulsing.
PUUU!
A rain of blood fell from his forehead as what appeared like a shining spear jetted outward two feet. It reflected a blinding sheen under the sunlight, giving Nemesis a devilish appearance. What was even more interesting was that Nemesis seemed to be capable of changing its size and form as he pleased thanks to his Adept Body Talent.
Ryu smiled lightly. Like this, Nemesis shouldn't have any opponents left within the Fifth Order that weren't Earth Grade Beasts themselves. And the best part was the Nemesis was still of the Lower Fifth Order. He still had much more room to grow in this Realm.
With a single leap, Ryu settled onto Nemesis' back. Not even a moment later, they had shot forward hundreds of meters.
'Little Ryu, I don't believe this matter of Qi Infestation is so simple.'
'I was thinking the same.' Ryu thought. Since he could no longer use his Qi Line technique, he just relied on Ailsa to read his mind. 'This is a world of Mortal Qi. There theoretically shouldn't be any qi here that a Fifth Order beast can't absorb…'
This was precisely the selling point of the Inner Ring. They didn't have any Immortal Qi Stone Mines, but they had a copious amounts of Mortal Qi Stone Mines.
Many had been trying to find the reason behind this phenomenon, but none had. Mortal Qi Mountain simply sat here as though taunting them.
However, Ryu had something the previous inhabitants of this Pedestal Plane didn't have: Power!
Of course, this wasn't his own power, but rather, Ailsa's. How often would someone of the Soul Ascension Realm come here? Maybe one never had. Even if they found a store of hidden Immortal Qi, so what? Those of that Realm only dealt in Cosmic Qi, why would they care for Immortal Qi?
Obviously, Ailsa couldn't use her true strength. But, if she coupled her Feng Shui comprehension with his own Heavenly Pupils… Ryu didn't believe they couldn't find the truth of this matter.
Like this, another two months whipped by in a flash, leaving only two more months remaining for the first phase of The Selection.
And, for better or worse, Ryu's come back could no longer be hidden…
**
Lucien's expression darkened. "His ranking is still climbing upward, and it's fast. This couldn't possibly be happening. With how injured he was, even I would need several years to get back into fighting shape. How could he possibly be doing this?"
Vygil and Annbar had long since left Lucien's side, but he was sure they were thinking similar things.
There were currently eighteen Connecting Heaven World experts participating in The Selection, but only six of them truly effected the rankings. This being because the ranks of the four Core Clans were basically set in stone at the top four, leaving the remaining Clans to battle over spots five through eight.
The reason there wasn't a large commotion during the days Ryu spent in first was because he had entered the Small Realm so much more quickly than anyone else. Though Matheus knew different, others believed that Ryu had just gotten lucky to stumble upon the Small Realm's entrance so fast.
However, now, things were different. Ryu was quickly making up two months worth of ground. Even after starting so far behind, he had already entered the top fifty. When his point total was combined with Matheus who maintained the seventh rank relatively consistently, it was enough for the Loom Clan to maintain striking distance just outside the tenth overall spot at eleventh.