Insult
"He projected his qi…"
The elders felt as though they were watching the creation of a legend. Emitting qi from one's body was something that could only be done with the help of a Natural Order. The only way to do it without one was to have incredibly pure qi and high qi control. Usually, one wouldn't enter this threshold until they had solidified their place within the Spiritual Severing Realm – thus the reason why flight became possible only in that Realm.
However, the sharp-eyed elders noticed that Ryu's reach hadn't been enough to kill the final Seventh Order Ancestor. In order to compensate, he extended his blade with his qi. It was only a couple inches, something that was so minor that those of lower cultivations likely completely missed it, but these elders definitely wouldn't.
Many gripped their seats. This young man… He was worthy of being a Throne!