Skyfire Avenue

Recently Lan Jue’s battles had been quick, fierce, and against foes much stronger than he. Under these stifling odds his cultivation and combat experience had grown by leaps and bounds. His comprehension of his sword and his own abilities was deeper than it’d ever been, and though he had only been a Paragon a short while he could still command with flows of protogenia with confidence.

The moment Lan Jue summoned Captus, Zhou Qianlin reacted in kind. Demortus appeared in her hand, ready to join Captus in battle. Flows of blue light surged from her blade and entered into Captus’ vortex like bolts of silk. Suddenly it was a whirlpool of red and blue.

The light gathered into a flickering nimbus. Then, in a burst of energy, it shot forth in every direction and battered back the four alien monsters that’d come for them. In the same instant Lan Jue released the dazzling power of his Domain and allowed Boundless Starlight to spread.

Lan Jue’s heart was heavy with fear, he knew how dangerous the situation they found themselves in was. These monsters were undoubtedly Infinite-level!

He berated himself for forgetting one very important thing; these aliens were adept at interdimensional travel. Their understanding of how to cross large distances undetected was unparalleled. However in all his battles with these aliens they had never used transference offensively. Humans had forgotten they could do it.

The Violet Prince and his coterie must have appeared through teleportation. It helped that Middle Heaven was relatively empty now, but nonetheless their extraordinary prowess was on full display. What’s more, they could hide their aura so well that even the Photographer would be ashamed.

These thoughts flashed through Lan Jue’s mind. But right now his top concern was finding out how to stay alive.

Turn!

As Lan Jue’s Domain expanded the aliens began to swirl in a clockwise formation around him. The power of their birth and destruction Domain accelerated sharply, forcing it to change a hundred times a second. It overwhelmed the rules of reality and everything around them seemed to break apart.

A dizziness overcame Lan Jue, and before he knew it his Domain was overcome and destroyed. Even Qianlin’s Queen of Heaven powers couldn’t sustain it.

The Violet Prince grunted. His eyes flared purple-gold, and the monsters that accompanied him stopped their predatory circling. However the purple light did not stop, and became a tornado of deadly power that came crashing down on Lan Jue and the others.

“Our hearts beat as one!” Lan Jue yelled into the buffeting tides of power.

Captus flared red. Under the crushing weight of the aliens’ Domain he would have been unable to summon his protogenia as a Reflection of Heaven and Earth. Luckily he had risen to Nirvana, and with Li Ke’s direction he had a new comprehension of Captus’ true essence.

As he lashed out with the Banishing Blade golden runes burned bright, stamped in the metal. All of a sudden Lan Jue’s body became illusory, like there were a hundred thousand copies of him overlaid one on top of the other.

Nirvana the omnipresent, gathered as one!

Faced with the oppressive and deadly power of the Violet Prince, Lan Jue reacted with one of the secret powers of Nirvana.

The sudden amplification of its powers made the golden runes along Captus burn with blinding light. Though Qianlin did not possess the same level of comprehension she shared his through their linked souls. Floating around them the blue light of Demortus coalesced into a haze and settled over Captus.

The power of the two swords mingled, and created a rainbow-hued halo of light. It bloomed outward like the petals of a lotus, spreading out around them. These mysterious petals protected the humans from the rage and chaos of the purple cyclone.

Lan Jue channeled the Harmonious Swords to defend them from the storm. He couldn’t retract the sword for fear of exposing him and his companions, even though the Violet Prince was closing in on him.

His other hand still held tightly to Jun’er, protecting her with his body. Lan Jue’s Domain remained staunchly denied, and unable to fight off the encroaching power of the alien’s creation and destruction abilities.

They were finished! Lan Jue’s heart sank. Four Infinite-level monsters joined against him was as terrifying as it was insurmountable. He was effectively powerless, locked down by his enemies’ overwhelming strength.

Adding insult to injury the Violet Prince did not attack Lan Jue directly. The monster’s pale hand reached out, but toward Jun’er. The other was aimed at Lan Jue’s chest.

Lan Jue and Zhou Qianlin were focusing their powers on keeping the cyclone from tearing them apart. Qianlin could only watch, forced to cling to Demortus.

In the final moment, just before the Prince’s hand could reach them, Lan Jue reacted. He spun around her blocking Jun’er from the Prince with his own body.

He had to protect her, even if it meant his death! This was the only thought going through his mind. He tried to position himself as best he could to block access to Zhou Qianlin as well. Maybe he could buy her some time.

“Agh!” There was a pained grunt and suddenly Lan Jue felt Captus grow lighter. A series of intense explosions followed, and then the combined power of he and Qianlin surged to dispel the tornado raging around them.

Reinforcements! Ln Jue turned around to see what had happened.

However, instead of the Violet Prince’s grim and murderous expression he was met with a familiar face.

Her face – as always traditionally beautiful and stunning to behold – was pale. She looked back at him with her big, soft, emotive eyes. All the feelings she’d held back for so long seemed to pour out of those eyes.

He was reflected in them, only him. For a moment her delicate, pretty face was filled serenity. Up until the moment she collapsed to the floor.

“Xiuxiu!”