"How is it?"
This voice floated through the hall seamlessly, completely undetected. It had been several hours since exotic delicacies the likes of which even these immortals had yet to see began being served, so the atmosphere was very lively and warm. No one had time to pay attention to such trivial secret conversations because there were easily hundreds occurring just like this one.
That said, even if someone wanted to detect this conversation, it would be near impossible. This was because the speaker of the voice was the Shrine Plane's foremost expert in the Laws of Wind! The air was his domain, even Ryu's parents and grandparents would have to concede this fact.
Of course, this man was none other than Priest Saint Ventus, Gale's grandfather.
"He's an arrogant bastard!" Gale did his best to hold back from gritting his teeth, trying to keep his practiced smile plastered on his face.
Priest Saint Ventus almost couldn't refrain from rolling his eyes as he ingratiated himself with the older generation. He loved this grandson of his, but Gale was too arrogant. Truth be told, Gale often had the ability to back up his words. His talent surpassed his elder brothers, so he had earned his place in his grandfather's heart. But… It's because all he knew was success that he was so vulnerable to those who were his equal.
One had to understand that familial love like what Ryu experienced was incredibly rare on the Shrine Plane. These experts were practically immortal so they often watched those less talented individuals of their families rise and fall through the epochs. Over time, those of the elder generation grew calloused hearts. It was just a form of self-protection.
Still, when talented youths like Gale were born, all of this pent of affection they withheld from others of their family poured outward. This led to youths like Gale being pampered and protected from birth. Unfortunately, this often had ill effects including overwhelming haughtiness.
Today, Priest Saint Ventus sent his grandson on an important mission to probe the limits of Ryu. But how was this response helpful? It was practically nothing.
"You unfilial little brat!"
The roar of his grandfather made Gale's countenance pale. He knew that if his grandfather hadn't held back, that simple roar could have directly killed him. Still, although it was simple, it was effective so Gale managed to recollect his emotions.
"Grandfather, I don't know why you're so worried about this cripple. And, even if you want to be worried, just wait another thousand or so years. No matter how many heavenly treasures they pump into him, he'll become an old, decrepit man with one foot in the grave at that point."
"You think putting a simple pause on things is so simple? Do you believe reversing the flow of Fate is so easy?! Such things are more profound than a boy with his lips still wet from his mother's milk could understand." Priest Saint Ventus scolded ferociously.
Thinking about it, Ryu's birth truly was ill-timed. Their plans had started well before his birth. In fact, hundreds of thousands of years before. Yet, he was born at the perfect, key moment to flip everything.
This was why reversing the tides of faith was so difficult. Even though they had succeeded for so long, the Heavens had thrown them a curve ball at the final moment, lodging the wrench that was Ryu into their gears.
If they stopped now and waited for Ryu's death, everything would be for naught. On top of this, they'd suffer a severe backlash that would result in all of their deaths! In fact, to balance all of the Chaos they had caused, the prosperity of the Tatsuya and Kunan Clans would skyrocket. Stopping now wasn't something they could afford.
"I still don't get it." Gale said defiantly. "What waves could a cripple cause?"
"You fool! Did you fill your head with nothing but shit and water?! Where did all of your brains go?!" Priest Saint Ventus began hyperventilating. He downed an entire glass of strong wine just to regain his composure. This grandson really could be the end of him.
"Who is responsible for the revival of several thousand long extinct heavenly treasures? Who is the sole reason that bastard's son Titus and his slut wife Himari have already matched us of the oldest generation in cultivation? Who allowed that whore's granddaughter Elena to monopolize the long-lost Holy Ruin? Who cracked the final three layers of the Nine Core Enigmatic Sphere? WHO?!
"I've told you this many time you unfilial grandson of mine, you're talented, but you're far too arrogant! You'll run my Ventus Clan into the ground if I were to hand it to you! You can forget about becoming the official heir until I see some true changes in you!
"What I fear isn't that cripple Ryu. I could pinch him dead with a single fart! What I fear are the eyes he was born with! Do you believe that they're the first ranked heavenly pupils for show?!"
"But grandfather…" Gale's voice was decidedly softer. His grandfather's refusal to name him the heir of the Clan had always been a sore spot for him. "Don't you need profound cultivation to make use of heavenly pupils? He has none to speak of…"
"That's exactly what's so fearsome about it, brat. He doesn't have an ounce of cultivation, yet he's accomplished so much. This is the prowess of the Mysteries of Heaven and Earth Pupils.
"Even the best Fate Readers would be unable to derive our plans. But, everything is laid bare before these first ranked pupils. Nothing can be hidden from them! Our only saving grace is that he is a cripple and as such, is unable to use their true abilities. However, he is still intelligent and resourceful…
"I need you to probe him appropriately. I want to understand the extent of his abilities. If he is deft in their use, we need to make countermeasures immediately or else our Clans are doomed…
"… It's time for the Golden Era to come to an end. We'll burn everything down if we have to because when they come back… It's either we're on their side, or we die."