Grand Ancestral Bloodlines

The little woman's test, too, had a series of pillars just like this. She had called herself the Favor Alchemy Sky God... now that he thought about it, being allowed to place the word Favor in your title must mean something quite extraordinary.

What was even funnier than that, though, was that everyone who had decided to take on this test was formed into a line. It seemed that the third round hadn't even begun yet, which actually meant they had all been waiting for Ryu.

What a shame. If he had known that, he would have taken all the time he wanted. Why would he have accelerated his pace just for the comfort of others-

BOOM!

Ryu's thoughts were whisked away from the unhappy stairs of the many he had just heavily injured or fought barely a day ago.

A Steele he found all too familiar appeared high in the skies, exuding such an oppressive might that even many of the geniuses that had had the resolve to step into the third round were nearly forced to their knees.

The cube shaped, ancient Steele trembled with a heavenly might, but Ryu could feel something else... It felt like it was looking for something.

One by one, the countless names that colored its surface began to erupt with strength and a blazing fire. It happened quickly, but just as quickly they faded as the flame began to soar up the Steele.

'It's looking... for something? Don't tell me-

Ryu didn't even get to finish his thoughts. The ancient cube went through what must have been billions, trillions, even, of names in an instant, the blazing fire becoming bolder and bolder as it raised to the very top. And right then, that was when they all seemed to finally register what was happening.

1. Ryu Tatsuya

2. Primus Tatsuya - 4 (Rainbow)

....

4. Titus Tatsuya - 3 (Rainbow)

The blazing titles were seared into their psyches. Many of them weren't exactly sure what they were seeing, but the likes of Ramon was stunned to the point he forgot to maintain his carefree attitude, while Adlael's expression became serious.

Ryu's name didn't even have a number beside it, but it shimmered like a raging light, pulsing and vibrant without comparison.

Worse than that, just what did it mean for three of the same family to occupy the top five? The top four, even? What kind of Fate was being focused into this family? Or...

What kind of curse?

As though to answer that question, like it had finally found a beacon, the accumulating blazing light that had only gotten stronger as it rushed up the list concentrated into a concentrated beam.

Ryu couldn't even react. It was faster than fast, as though it existed outside the bounds of reason and the laws of the world.

The light pierced him right through the chest, but he felt no pain. Instead, skin danced like reflective crystals and his eyes gained the glow of a fiery golden light.

After he had been pierced through this chest by this searing light, he felt that the Lines of Fate that had accumulated around him had become sharper. He could subconsciously tell that if he started to meditate on his Chaotic Silk Meridians now, without any knowledge he had previously gathered, he could accomplish in a few minutes what had previously taken him over a day. It was an absolutely shocking change. It was like the Heavens had just changed his constitution to be more in line with the melody of Fate's plucking strings.

The ancient cube began to fade, but not before it seemed to calculate things once more. Then, one by one, those that had chosen to enter the third round along with him gained a small flame of their own, each one seeming to be a weaker version of what Ryu received.

They seemed to sense exactly what he had, and they all became elated as well... but comparisons were the robbery of all happiness. If they were this happy with their gains, what about Ryu? What did it mean for him to gain so much?

Their eye lit up with greed. It was obvious that the Heavenly Path had done this on purpose, there was most definitely a reason why it had waited for everyone to arrive before it took action like it had. Since that was the case, there would be a chance.

So long as they bided their time, maybe the happiness that Ryu was feeling now, with that smug smile on his face, would be wiped out by their own hands.

Ryu shook his head internally when he saw these gazes. There wasn't much he could do, he only wished that he had cultivated for a bit longer.

Then, the Steele vanished and in its place, the explanation of the following round was projected.

Dao Discourse.

Ryu almost burst into another fit of laughter when he saw this. But this time. he only managed to hold it back a small bit before it sputtered a bit. He had to roll his lips one over the other to stop it from continuing.

His laughter was very much warranted this time around.

He had been worried all this time, and for what, exactly? He could have taken his leisurely time cultivating in the treasure room, and now the third round was a Dao Discourse? It seemed that the Heavens did have a sense of humor.

Who here could match the strength of a Founding Dao?

Who here could match the strength of a Mature Dao?

It was like it was being handed to him on a silver platter.

But then it all came crashing down.

Ryu felt his heart flutter and he brought a hand to his chest, feeling a bit woozy.

What was that?

But then it happened again.

In a distant location on the Abyssal Plane, a blazing Silver Star stood, chains that seemed to match the hues of its colors pulled against it, keeping it from rotating and displaying its true might.

And that was when an enormous tide of Fate made its way over. It wasn't under Ryu's control, but had rather happened naturally. The amount of Heavenly Fate that he had just been infused with was so enormous that it had no other outlet. In order to help Ryu to deal with it, the Heavens moved it to the only place it felt it should naturally go...

His Fate Star.

It was a benign action. No, it should have been a great boon. How many Clans and powers had spent lifetimes trying to play with Fate, trying to change it tangibly and evolve their Fate Stars beyond the level of what they had been born with? It should have been yet another great reward.

But for Ryu, it was the exact opposite.

The chains that had remained dormant for so long rattled and Ryu tumbled to his knees.

A thick scent of death began to emit from his as all of his Heavenly Favor plummeted like a boulder in a raging ocean.

His link with the Heavens weakened, his Dao felt as though it had slipped out from his grasp, and the Lines of Fate that had felt so clear just one moment before snapped, disappearing entirely.

Ryu coughed, a thick black blood flying from his lips.