Ryu didn't say anything for a while, but his eyes were blinking in confusion.

What was this little girl talking about? Her mother's name was Nuri? So what was her name?

Ryu tried to take a look at Yaana's face again, but the stubborn girl refused to look up and kept sobbing away. Toward such a thing, Ryu was quite helpless.

In the martial world, the importance of names couldn't be understated. If this person in his arms now was certain that her mother's name was Nuri, Ryu wouldn't be surprised by this.

In order for his 'Nuri' to be here and be so weak, the only explanation was that she had to have reincarnated just like he did. However, Yaana would have reincarnated differently from how Ryu had. While Ryu was taking part in a trial, Yaana likely wouldn't be. So, her name wouldn't necessarily be the same in this life.

At the same time, though, Nuri was quite a powerful expert in her first life. To some extent, she had the ability to warp karmic luck in her favor. As a result, the name 'Nuri' being attached to her in some form or fashion wasn't impossible, even if it was an Ancestor or someone closer like a mother.

Of course, Ryu still wasn't aware of this now, but if he knew that this girl was Yaana from the Tor Kingdom, it would likely only make him more emotional. Clearly, Nuri would have exchanged much of her own karmic luck in exchange for being reborn nearer to Ryu.

However, as a result of that, her luck was poor and she almost died before she could be by Ryu's side again.

Obviously, another big reason was the fact Nuri was half Faerie. Without proper techniques, she would just look like she had terrible talent on the cultivation path. However, once she was given the right techniques to practice, her cultivation speed would be blinding.

Despite having been adopted by his parents, Nuri's strength was no weaker than Himari and Titus. This alone was enough to display just how fast her cultivation speed was.

Half Faeries were very rare offspring to begin with. After gaining the ingenuity of humans and the heavenly love Faeries were granted, their power would be off the charts. There was a reason why out of all the experts his parents had access to, Ryu's parents chose Nuri to be his Death Guard.

Finally, after several hours, and Ryu's arm almost becoming numb from killing snow beasts that continued to spawn, Yaana finally explained the rest of the story to him.

Ryu looked down into Yaana's eyes for the first time, scanning her up and down.

Yaana herself gripped at her black dress. Though she tried to meet Ryu's gaze, she found it difficult to do so. It was taking everything for her to not be a nervous wreck.

"Alright. Then you are Yaana."

Ryu smiled lightly, wiping the tears from Yaana's cheeks with a thumb.

"There's no need to cry anymore, right?

"You You don't hate me?"

Ryu blinked. "Why would I hate you? In fact, you're one of the most important people to me in this world."

Yaana's deep black eye brimmed with tears.

"Then Then Then Why did you leave me?"

Ryu's lip twitched. She had him there.

Luckily, her head was down when she spoke this question so she hadn't seen his unnatural expression. In the end, he could only sigh.

"The truth is, Yaana, I reincarnated. I was born into the Tor Clan as a trial created by a Sky God I was chosen to be the successor of. The early part of my life was filled with hardship, much of which was by design to mold me into the successor this Sky God needed.

"I have reason to believe that you are my adoptive sister from my first life. Or, at the very least, you are closely tied to her. Whichever one it is, I cannot be certain. But, since you say you are Yaana, then you are Yaana to me."

Yaana was stunned by this flood of information before she was suddenly filled with a burst of warmth.

So she was connected to Ryu like this? And he was actually willing to tell her all of this without reservation? Such a secret must be something he constantly held close to his heart, right? But he told her without reserve.

But

"But if I'm not Nuri" Yaana almost burst into another fit of sobs, but Ryu immediately stopped her.

"It doesn't matter." Ryu said firmly. "If you are Nuri, then you are a person I owe my life to. If you are Nuri's daughter, then you are a person I would give my life for. Regardless of what it is, the same words apply. You're one of the most important people to me in this world."

Yaana's heart burst with happiness before there was a slight hesitancy.

"Don't Don't treat me like a little sister, okay?!"

The sharp turn in voice left Ryu speechless. What was that supposed to mean? He couldn't possibly treat Nuri's potential daughter like a potential romantic partner, right? He wouldn't even blame the heavens for smiting him if he did such a thing, and he usually hated the Heavens.

Ryu suddenly remembered that as shy and reserved as Yaana usually was, she was also very strong willed and mischievous. It was clear she wanted to draw a hardline now so that there wouldn't be any misunderstandings in the future.

Seeing that Ryu was in a daze and didn't quite know how to react, a flash of light one could only usually see in the eyes of a predator chasing after prey lit up in Yaana's gaze. Her movements were so quick and natural that Ryu didn't even react. Plus, how could he think that he needed to put his guard up against Yaana? He treated with as much trust as he would even his own parents.

But, the next moment showed that that trust might have been misplaced.

Before Ryu could react, he felt something grab and tub at his wrists. He didn't even register what was happening before his palms were suddenly invaded by an extraordinarily soft feeling. He almost squeezed in reflex.

Though there was a slightly tough fabric separating his hand and what he felt was the true source of it below, it didn't stop his mind from relishing in the plump, bouncy feeling.

For the first time since his days with Eska, Ryu felt a fire light within him.

He looked down, speechless, only to find Yaana pressing his hand into her chest.

The look in her eye said that she was trying to appear as though she had been wronged, but she couldn't hide the mischievous glint from Ryu.

"You... You have to take responsibility!"

Ryu didn't know what to say. Why did this situation feel so familiar?