Ryu wrapped his Cloak around his naked torso before flashing out of his cave at blinding speeds.

While fully healthy, Ryu's speed could match an entre cultivation realm above his own. Since his body's strength was currently at the Higher Divine Vessel Realm, this meant that even Higher Connecting Heaven Realm experts would struggle to match him in a contest of speed.

However, that was only when he was able to circulate his qi to utilize [Gliding Cloud Steps]. The current Ryu could only match the speed of a Middle Connecting Heaven Realm expert who specializing it lightness type techniques.

Still, there was one more factor that was forgotten here. What limited Ryu's speed wasn't actually his physical limits, but rather his defensive and durability limits. It was simply too harmful to his body to go beyond that speed. It would only injure him.

But now His [Immortal Sakura] had taken a massive leap in strength. If need be, Ryu could use it to border the speed of an Immortal Ring Realm expert!

'Do you have a plan? Or can I do as I please?' Ryu asked Ailsa.

'Our main focus needs to be to raise the strength of your Heavenly Pupils. I'm certain that they're the key to retrieving your connection with your Spiritual Foundation.

'There are two ways to do this. First, there's finding high quality qi types of at least the Heaven Grade and above. The second and more sustainable option is to find beasts with Pseudo Heavenly Pupils.'

Ryu's brows raised. He had faced such a beast before, the Ice Eyed Bear. He had an innate advantage over beasts like these because they were directly suppressed by his Heavenly Pupils. Because of this, though others found those beasts a nightmare to handle, for him, they were lambs to the slaughter.

In addition to this, the pupils of these beasts could be sold for exorbitant prices. Sometimes, humans would integrate with these replica pupils in order to boost their own strength. But, they could never match humans innately born with Heavenly Pupils.

'Those beasts all have special high grade qis within their pupils. You can absorb these qis to strengthen your own and break more seals. You've undone five to now. The day you reach nine is the day you'll retrieve your Spiritual Foundation. Big Sis promises.' Ailsa smiled sweetly.

Ryu nodded seriously.

He didn't believe this matter would be so simple. He could faintly feel that of that 999 seals, the ninth was the first watershed moment and it definitely wouldn't be easy to break through. Plus, to now, he had relied on comprehending Inheritances in order to use Essence Qi to break his seals, but now that his connection with the Heavens was lost, he couldn't use this method anymore.

What Ryu didn't know was that it was even worse than he thought. Ailsa's gaze was also serious Except, instead of staring off into space like Ryu, she was entirely focused on the Black Vein Spirit Seeking Lilies sitting quietly within Ryu's Incubator.

**

Though Ailsa claimed the second option to be more sustainable, such beasts were still incredibly rare

To now, Ryu had only seen one of them, and that was the very Ice Eyed Bear he slew during the Coronation Games. One would think that more of these beasts would appear on the Immortal Planes, but Ryu had simply yet to run into them.

Still, this Mortal Qi Small Realm provided a unique opportunity. The density of First to Sixth Order Beasts should be the highest on the Pedestal Plane. Maybe even most areas of the Blossom Plane couldn't compare. Not only was this likely the best place to find such beasts, it was also the best place for Nemesis and Little Rock to grow.

Beasts could grow stronger simply by eating and sleeping. But, when they were fed the Spiritual Roots of beasts above them in Order, this already unfair ease of growth doubled and tripled.

Like this, Ryu's score began to steadily grow once more after almost two months of being stagnant. However, he had fallen so far behind that it would likely be a while before anyone took notice

At this moment, Ryu stood tall, two spears in hand. A beautiful winter wonderland gentle settled around him, but anyone would be able to tell that this land of ice and snow was a projection of this young man alone. The fluttering Immortal Sakura above his head was all the proof one needs.

He was currently doing battle with a steel hooved creature. Its singular horn spiraled sinisterly upon the middle of its forehead. It seemed like a cross between a deer and a unicorn, but it was as beautiful as neither. In fact, it could only be described as ugly.

Its body was similar to a naked mole rat, covered in wrinkled pink skin. Beneath, one could see a network of green and blue veins pulsing with blood that only became more prominent when the beast was enraged. To make matters odder, its posture was similar to that of an ape, having a far larger upper torso and shorter legs.

Ryu had never seen a creature like this. Even Ailsa could only say that it had undergone a disastrous mutation.

Beauty, although vain, was an evolutionary construct. Humans and creatures alike were created to gravitate toward it. Even the highest-grade Demonic creatures had their own form of beauty. To appear so deformed The only explanation was that something had gone wrong.

But, Ryu didn't care much for this as his Immortal Sakura petal blocked another one of this creature's hoove stomps. In the end, it was still only a Peak Fifth Order creature, it couldn't touch even the hem of Ryu's clothing. Though his combat prowess had fallen after losing the ability to use Qi Techniques, he had regained more than what he lost by progressing in other areas.

His body flickered and disappeared. In an instant, he had appeared to the creature's side, not hesitating to attack its weaker hind legs.

His spears moved as swiftly as the wind, severing tendons and vital veins with incomparable ease.

After his Heavenly Pupils opened five seals, the world had become far clearer to him. It was as though the weaknesses of this beast were whispering into his ear, telling him where to attack.

Ryu spun his spears in his hands, tilting his head back to avoid the spiraled horn of the creature.

His eyes sharpened, seeing an opening.

The creature stumbled. Despite being a Fifth Order creature, its intelligence was far too low, clearly another result of this odd mutation. It had forgotten that Ryu attacked its hind legs, causing it to both stumble and roar in pain when it tried to use its useless leg.

Ryu didn't miss the opportunity, allowing his spear to shoot forward with a perfect [Pierce].

The creature's neck was immediately pierced through from its throat to its spine. It hardly felt the pain of its death as its brain was cut from the rest of its body in the blink of an eye.

With a surprisingly soft thud, it fell.

'I've finally realized what happened.' Ailsa said with a furrowed brow.

Ryu peeked toward his shoulder before kicking the beast's corpse over to expose its belly. As he waited for Ailsa to speak, he began to skillfully cut its Spiritual Root free.

The reason he fought this mutated beast in the first place wasn't just for the mission points, but also because it had two useful Talents. The first was its Black Grade Steel Hooves Talent, and the second was its Lower Earth Grade Spiral Horn Talent.

Both were incredibly useful for Nemesis, but Ryu had already gotten him the Steel Hooves Talent from another beast just days ago. This time, what he wanted was the Spiral Horn Talent!

'This beast is definitely suffering from Qi Infestation. Whenever a creature absorbs an energy far above their means, there's a high possibility of death. But, even if you survive, its nearly guaranteed that you'll face this sort of malignant reaction.

'It's no wonder why this Black Grade beast awakened an Earth Grade Talent'