Ryu's trip to the Mortal Plane didn't last very long, nor did he involve himself too deeply. He left what remained of the Tor some guidance and allowed them to 'stumble' into certain fortuitous encounters. After observing their character, he picked out a few he thought would be somewhat better than the others and pushed them to become better versions of themselves before leaving contentedly, feeling that he had done his part.

It was quite an interesting experience, if Ryu was honest with himself. The act of playing God left him with an odd feeling, and the realization that just a few benign actions on his part could change the trajectory of several generations in this place was a baffling thing to wrap his mind around.

There was something decidedly beautiful about it all.

Ryu's roots in this life could be considered to have been planted here. Now, years later, it was he who was helping new roots to anchor themselves and blossom the flowers of the future. The fluid and cyclical motion of it all felt good.

Ryu was a man who sought out revenge for the slightest grievance. There was something about revenge that also felt quite cyclical and fluid. But right now, Ryu had learned that this wasn't the only feeling that could be classified in such a way.

In the end, Ryu couldn't help but chuckle to himself. 'It seems that I've grown soft.'

Something tasting just as sweet as revenge? Ridiculous.

Ryu tapped his feet, his body vanishing. When he reappeared, he was once again nearby Yaana and Ailsa. But, this time, he could actually feel their presence. It was then he realized that this trip had done him some good. It allowed his body to acclimate to his changes and he could feel the limits of his strength with far greater ease. Once again

He felt good.

"Oof"

Ryu let out a muffled puff of air as Yaana dove into him. Ailsa still seemed to be meditating, but Ryu could only shake his head. He could read this woman's mind, he knew well that she was already finished and her gains were most definitely not small.

How long had he spent here? Two or three months maybe? It really whipped by like a flash. He almost hadn't noticed.

His sense of time was slowly dilating as his cultivation rose up. If it didn't, who would be able to sit and meditate for millions of years on end like many cultivators did?

'I guess it's about time to breakthrough into the Path Extinction Realm, can't keep dodging it forever. Whatever comes will come.'

Ryu patted Yaana's head. "I was only gone for a bit, is there a need to act like this?"

Ryu spoke with a hint of amusement in his tone. He would allow Yaana to be as willful as she wanted, he had always wanted a little sister.

Now that he thought about it, that little girl had probably also grown up. Ryu still remember that he had handed off Guiot's little sister, Sephare, to the Awoken Moon Sect. By now, a few hundred years had passed due to the time dilation of the fake Nether Realm but he hadn't gone back

The Awoken Moon Sect should have blossomed, but there was something odd. Ryu remembered hearing someone say that the Ember Clan had conquered the whole Pedestal Plane, so he couldn't help but wonder What happened to the Awoken Moon Sect, then?

Of course, Ryu still have no idea that it was Sarriel who was the mysterious backer of the Ember Clan and the enigmatic Night Terror Sect. He also had no idea that the Ember Clan was pushed to conquer the entire Plane by Sarriel either. These were simply matters that he was in the dark about.

Ryu was so distracted by his thoughts that he almost didn't register the decidedly smooth feeling of the young woman in his arms right now.

He looked down and his pupils couldn't help but constrict. No It was far more than that. In fact, Ryu's pupils rapidly shifted from human to draconic, oscillating back and forth as his Bloodlines rampaged through his body.

Yaana was fully clothed. But, the sparkle of spatial qi twinkled in Ryu's gaze. Her control was so precise and perfect that she managed to coat her clothing in just enough that Ryu's body slipped right through the layers of her dress and undergarments. The result was despite the fact she was clothed from head to toe, even to the point of still wearing a veil, Ryu felt as though a completely naked Yaana was clinging onto him tightly. And then

Her clothes slipped through her body. As though they were made of air, it passed through everything and slipped to the ground.

Ryu couldn't see Yaana's face as she had buried it into his chest. However, he was too much taller than her. With a simple glance downward, he could see the slender slope of her back, those delicate but tone muscles and skin so soft and supple that it looked as though a single poke might leave behind a bruise

And it all led to that curved. sultry round elastic mound of lust inducing flesh that was her ass.

Ryu wanted to bring his gaze away, but he could already feel his mouth running dry, an undying fire slowly being stoked in the depths of his lower belly.

Ailsa continued to pretend to meditate as though she hadn't sensed anything odd at all. Ryu had already shouted in her mind several times, but she was like a stone wall, leisurely 'meditating'.

'Oh, what nice weather we're havingoop, I can't think that when I'm supposed to be meditating. I meant to say, this formation is so complex, look at all these gears and nodes. Yup, I'm definitely a genius, a great genius to be able to deduceah, that's wrong too. *Cough*, I mean this formation is so complex, oh my, how long would it take me to fully comprehend it? Might take me at least several more days, maybe weeks, who knows. A genius like me definitely wouldn't take too long, though.'

Ryu suddenly realized that his wife was probably more shameless than even he was.