It was quite odd for a woman like Mistress Holy Wing to command such an atmosphere, at least that is how Ryu would feel if he were here. But, to the rest of the Martial Gods, it only made sense. The status of the Holy Wing Clan amongst the traitors of Sacrum was completely unlike that of the other Clans. This wasn't only because the Holy Wing Clan's daughter was tied to that man, but because..
The Holy Wing Clan couldn't be classified as a Traitor to begin with.
"Move." Mistress Holy Wing looked down upon Dreame who sat in the center position.
Dreame lazily looked up, giving a slight smile before pushing himself up only to lazily recline in another chair. He didn't seem to care about anything, even the disrespect he had just experienced rolled off his shoulders as though it had never happened. He was simply too lazy to do anything about it.
Mistress Holy Wing sat in the throne and crossed her legs. She leaned onto one of the arm rests, her lean threatening to cause her ample breasts to fall out of the v-gap in her armor. However, by some magic power, they showed just enough to entice, but not enough to trigger a scandal… Not that many here dared to look at all.
After regaining her youth, as if it wasn't obvious before, Mistress Holy Wing was truly a beauty amongst beauties, indeed worthy of being the grandmother of one Elena Tatsuya. And, something about her valiant air only made her all the more enticing.
Her pink eyes scanned the room slowly, sweeping through them all one by one. But, as the time ticked by, her disdain only grew deeper and deeper.
"I wasted billions of years of my prime, staying in a world I didn't like, fucking men who were completely unworthy of me, and building the foundation for all of this… And for what, exactly? Everywhere I look I see nothing but pitiful weaklings."
Mistress Holy Wing locked eyes with the Martial God who spoke of investing more.
"You want my son-in-law to come here to clean up your mess?"
The Martial God in question froze before he managed to get himself to take several deep breaths.
Of course, this 'son-in-law' Mistress Holy Wing referred to was none other than Elena's father, the very same one who had a child by Elena's equally as mysterious mother.
It had to be remembered that Mistress Holy Wing once raped Ryu's Grandpa Kunan with the help of an aphrodisiac. The result of their union was the Matriarch of the Holy Wing Clan during Ryu's first life. However, this woman was not Elena's mother, or else both Ryu and Elena would be related by blood… Something that wasn't necessarily a big deal amongst cultivators who lived so long, but wasn't a widely accepted practice outside of most circles regardless.
This mysterious mother of Elena's was another child of Mistress Holy Wing by another man, a man who was equally as unknown and mysterious.
It could be said that the entirety of this family was shrouded in mystery. But, what was not a mystery was how much they all feared Elena's father…
"I—I only meant that since our Ancestors have invested so much in this matter that we should do our best to make sure that everything is concluded properly. It is indeed overkill to ask for the help of His Holiness for what amounts to a junior, but I still believe that what we have no might be inadequate."
When the man finished speaking, he sunk into silence and relaxed somewhat. He felt that he had articulated himself well and didn't step on too many toes. But…
BANG!
Mistress Holy Wing snapped her fingers, causing the man's head to implode. Those packed around him found themselves drenched in blood and gore. All that remained was the fluttering soul of the man, but he didn't dare to move a single inch, what remained of his white soul shivering from head to toe.
"It seems that all of you have forgotten. You really believe yourselves, in all your over inflated sense of self, to be real Martial Gods. But, maybe I can't blame you all too much, we've allowed you to think that. Unfortunately, that seems to have made some of you value yourselves too much and some of you not know where your place is.
"This so-called 'heavy investment' you all keep bringing up is nothing but a single drop in the ocean. The so-called trillions of years you keep harping is not much different from a single second of time in the long stream of Existence.
"To continuously use these metrics, metrics you clearly have no understanding of, to decide the aim and direction of a movement is the epitome of foolishness."
Mistress Holy Wing swept her gaze over them all, her gaze frighteningly cold.
"Let me make one thing clear to you all, you are not Martial Gods, you are the Martial Apostle Bloodlines of the Deity Race. The enemies you will soon face—real enemies, not this singular jumping clown of a little boy—are nothing more than extended members of a group you're lucky to call family.
"Your duty is to do as you're told and fall in line."
The silence in the hall only seemed all the heavier. Many of them couldn't quite wrap their heads around what was just said, and even those that could, couldn't quite accept it.
These enemies that they had been preparing for all this time… We're just members of their own Clan? So this 'war'… It was an internal conflict?
But for what purpose? And toward what ends?
"You all are nothing but pawns, don't overextend yourselves, or you'll end up being crushed before you realize what has happened.
"When that other little grandson-in-law of mine deems it fit to appear before me, you will do as you're meant to do and kill him. If you cannot do even that, what is the use of you all?
"Do your job properly and you will be rewarded. Fail to do so and you'll be eliminated. It's that simple."