Bloody

Ryu's gaze went cold. He suddenly felt like he understood the true reason for the gap. Whatever qi Starlight was using was exceptional. Even when he wasn't actively using it, the benefits it had on his body were overwhelming. There might very well be other things that enhanced him in this way as well. 

At that moment, the lagging geniuses began to catch up. They had half expected to find Ryu in the process accepting the final inheritance, they simply didn't believe that he would be able to assimilate the Dao Lord's inheritance with the same speed. But what they actually found left them pleasantly surprised. 

Ryu was locked in battle with another, didn't that mean that they still had a chance? In fact, they could even let the two of them tire one another out before they rushed forward themselves and claimed the rewards.