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Chapter 336: Disciplines Change

Lan Jue lifted his head to spy the sky above. It was dark now, but the full moon seemed unnaturally bright. It was like a jade plate suspended high against a black velvet backdrop. As the radiant silver light washed over everything, Lan Jue felt… comfortable.

Taking a deep breath, Lan Jue searched inwardly for his core. One's Core was most important for an adept, and so long as it remained healthy he would be able to recover from anything.

Once he found his, Lan Jue was struck with amazement.

There were marked differences between his core now and what it was before. Usually it was a bluish-purple in color, with tendrils of white lightning surrounding it. It changed slightly as he employed either of his two Disciplines.

Now, his core was covered by filaments of silver light. They densely criss-crossed his core until they formed an encompassing net. The silvery threads released a faint white light, and it seemed to be constricting his energy flow. He could only call about a third of his power, by his estimations.

Put simply, all his years of training had been undone. A fraction of his abilities remained unchained. No wonder he felt uncomfortable he thought, his Discipline wasn't prosperous enough to promote healing.

Further investigation revealed that his body had undergone some changes as well. His vessels and bone seemed to shimmer, and appeared smoother than he remembered. Where once his whole body had shone with the faint golden light of protogenic power, now everything was white and smooth like milky jade. But if he looked very closely, some of that gold still remained locked deep down.

What's going on? What in the world happened? What did that Bess woman do to us?

Lan Jue rose to his feet, and focused on the surroundings. Thankfully, his perception didn't seem affected by the constraints imposed upon his Core, and so he was still able to see the world around him clearly as ever. No one else was around.

Lan Jue turned back to Zhou Qianlin, and pressed his fingers to her wrist to check her condition.

What he felt was very strange. There was a link, somehow, like they were connected. The moment he touched her, he could sense the silvery net around his Core bloom with white light. It began to blend with his own power, and likewise he could feel traces of his own familiar Discipline within her. He felt as though he himself had grown my powerful, perhaps the peak of seventh rank.

What does this mean? Lan Jue stared at Zhou Qianlin in a stupor.

This…

He felt as though their connected had deepened, especially considering the link he'd felt in their pulses. Even more astonishing was finding echoes of his own Discipline within Zhou Qianlin!

In a moment Lan Jue felt like he'd become the village idiot. He had no idea what was going on. He'd trained for many years, was especially privileged, and had perfected himself to ninth level – and this was the first time he'd ever experienced anything like this.

Lan Jue lifted the sleeping Qianlin in to his arms, for fear the cold ground would make her sick. He couldn't help but again sense the changes in her.

Indeed, exactly the same. She had some of the exact same energies he did; thunderbolt and lightning. Both were yang, just as his were. Not a single thing was different from his own.

Qianlin's Core in her chest had also come more in to focus. The interior was that same milky-white hue, but now a net of golden lightning hung over it. Lan Jue was both amused and infuriated. The net surrounded and restrained her core, but as he held her hand the golden net dissolved and joined with that pure white light. Her core shimmered a pale gold. Now her Discipline was as his, even about as strong.

What did this mean? It meant that when Lan Jue and Qianlin where hand-in-hand, there were two Zeus'. However when they parted, his power was reduced to only a third. Qianlin's returned to its normal white.

This was all too strange. Too strange for Lan Jue to know what to do about it. As far as he could tell, this was a bad thing. Alone, he was far too weak to perform as needed. However, with Qianlin they were twice as strong. That was the supposed trade-off.

To have his powers returned, all he had to do was break through that silver mesh hanging over his core. But the power it bore was strange. It felt almost like a part of his own Core, and using his own Discipline to attack it was completely useless. It was like shouting at a brick wall. But there was something else in there, something indistinct. He could swear the protogenic inspiration that filled him was slightly greater, but why he couldn't guess.

He wasn't sure, but the creeping suspicion that filled him seemed inspired. The only way he was going to free himself from this, was to break through to Paragon. Otherwise, he'd remain like this forever.

How could that be allowed to happen? There was still so much he had to do. Not least of which was a tournament, and he was probably equivalent to a ninth-rank third level now.

Although the levels of ninth rank were very different, it wasn't in the order of tens of times. In fact, the difference between a ninth rank first level and ninth rank seventh level Adept was about three to four times. This was especially detrimental to Lan Jue due to his dual Discipline.

For now, there didn't appear to be any way for him to fix this problem. He'd have to accept it until he got back to the Wine Master and Keeper for an answer. Only they could figure out what was going on. After all, they were Paragons.

Qianlin twitched in his arms, and called out. "A-Jue!" Her eyes popped open, and in her surprise she'd begun to flail her arms. Eventually she caught them around Lan Jue's neck.

Lan Jue held her tight, instinctively reacting to her concern. "It's fine. I'm fine."

Her eyes came in to focus, and the moment she recognized him she squeezed his neck tight and began to cry.

"It's over, everything's alright." Lan Jue gently patted her back as he comforted her.

She cried for a while. When she regained some composure, she lifted her head and searched Lan Jue's face, to make sure he truly was alright.

He stared in to her eyes, full of tears and sincerity. He was filled with a flurry of emotions, to which he answered by gently stroking her hair. "Take it easy, I'm fine. I don't know what happened, but we're alive. N-"

Zhou Qianlin didn't let him finish. She leaned up, and kissed him.

Lan Jue sat, stunned. However he could feel that impulse rising up within him, but just in that moment a strange sensation overtook them. Both could feel their Cores shake, then suddenly release a blast of energy.

As Lan Jue watched in complete shock, Qianlin's body flashed white, then melted away in to his own body. Lan Jue's own silver-shackled Core burst in to a corona of vibrant light. Qianlin's Core, meanwhile, had also slipped in to his own body and mingled with his own. The two danced together within him, emitting pulses of powerful pure energy. Suddenly, Lan Jue felt lost in a sea of power. His Core was writhing his energy, and almost instantly he could feel himself tearing through the shackles of eighth level. The power surged still, rising ever higher to the peaks of ninth level ninth rank, and only then did it subside.

Lost in the sensation, he could faintly make out rays of golden light coming from… somewhere. They weren't clear, but they somehow bore an attraction he couldn't resist. Everything in him wanted to pursue that light.

Is that my path?

At some point Lan Jue had become suspended in air. There he hung, and he could feel his surging energies racing through him. They were the same; thunderbolt, lightning, both yang. But he felt so much stronger. The difference between seventh rank and ninth rank was considerable – this was why Prometheus was such a terror even among the other Monarchs.

This is what it feels like to be ninth-ranked. But why… how did Qianlin do that? What the hell is going on?

Lan Jue turned his attention ward, to his pale gold Core, which appeared to have doubled in size. His entire body froze in surprise.

"What… what the hell is this?" Qianlin's voice rang in Lan Jue's skull.

All Lan Jue could summon was a wry, apologetic chuckle. "I have no idea. We fused together. It probably has something to do with that Bess woman. Our powers are stronger, and linked somehow. After the fusion, it seemed I was able to come out dominant. Qianlin, can you control my body?"

"No." Once again, Zhou Qianlin's voice was in his mind. "I can feel everything, but I can't move. What is going on?!"

Lan Jue, too, could only sense her energy. "I guess the priority is figuring out how to get you back."

The moment he formed the thought, Lan Jue could sense his Core begin to radiate with an ever-expanding silver light. It actually began to pour from his chest, until gradually the form of Zhou Qianlin reemerged.

And yet the alarmed Lan Jue all the more, for when Qianlin separated from the silver light she wasn't the same. She was entirely naked, her silk-like skin bare to the world.

"AAAAAHHHHH—!"

The trees shuddered as flocks of birds fled from the wail.

Chapter 337: Summing Up

Five minutes later.

Qianlin was wrapped in some of Lan Jue's oversized clothing, making here appear like an undersized mannequin. A bashful pink tinted her cheeks. Luckily, Lan Jue had brought some spare clothes in his interdimensional pocket, otherwise he really would not have known what to do.

Lan Jue sat beside her, and the two of them remained in silence, ruminating over the bizarre circumstance they found themselves in.

"Ehm… Qianlin."

"Hm?"

Lan Jue muttered, "We have no idea what caused this. But at least I can try and explain what I know – what do you think?"

"Alright." Qianlin nodded her head. Indeed these strange events had caused things to grow uncomfortable between them. Whether Lan Jue or Qianlin, both suddenly felt as though they were a piece of the other. Thankfully, however, they were unable to read the contents of the others' innermost thoughts – otherwise, it would be a truly terrifying situation they found themselves in.

"My Discipline appears to be blocked by a special seal," he explained. "I can only call on about a third of my total strength. About ninth level first rank. From what I can tell, the block has something to do with you because it vanishes whenever we have any physical contact. Then my power is back to normal. It seems like your powers aren't effected when we come in to contact, at least in terms of strength. Instead, you seem capable of using my own Discipline when we touch. Follow?"

Qianlin nodded.

Lan Jue continued. "When we, uh…" he paused, and shot her a glance. Her face was already flushed. "When we show intimacy, our bodies meld together. I guess more specifically, your body melts in to mine. This increases my Discipline immediately and intensely. It was only for a second, but it felt like I was at the peak of ninth rank. So from what I can see, we can't call what happened here an entirely bad circumstance. At least not for you, right?"

Qianlin's eyes shot up and fixed him with her eyes. "How is this not a bad thing for me?"

Lan Jue blinked in surprise, while Qianlin's face reddened further.

Lan Jue was a smart man, and after a moment he realized her meaning. There were side-effects here, not least of which being their need to be effectionate to unlock their powers. Even if they wanted to, she'd simply melt away in to his core. Aside from the very expensive cost of always replacing clothing, this had a slew of problems.

"I-I wasn't finished. I mean, of course there are problems. Any time there's any sort of deep contact our bodies join. So, th-there's that. Right, and your clothes vanish. But it seems like metal and power gems are exceptions." He'd spied the Spirit caller gem around her neck, and the pelagic pearl on her finger earlier.

Zhou Qianlin didn't utter a word. She stared off in to the distance, resolutely ignoring him.

Lan Jue offered a half-hearted laugh. "I have no idea what to do about this either. But I promise I'll figure out a plan, and I'll ask around about it. This whole thing was strange. That Bess being a Paragon – and an unknown one! Plus, why did she do this? What was her motivation? What did she even do to us? I'll back to the Avenue, and I'll ask the Paragons there. Maybe they'll know something. What do you think?"

She only shook her head. Her mind was a mess, and her heart fluttered with a flood of emotions. Everything was too strange, too sudden. She was entirely lost.

Lan Jue spoke on, helplessly. "I guess we'll try this first. It's already late, anyway. I'll send you home."

"Mh." She nodded.

They rose to their feet, then stopped and stared at one another.

Lan Jue took the initiative, stepping forward. "Now that we're here, we don't have a choice but to deal with it. Now that you can use my powers, I'll teach you the methods I use to control it. That way, so long as we're together it'd be like having two of me."

"Mh." She acquiesced once again.

She was shy, he could see it in her face. He took up her hand. "We start now."

The moment they touched he could feel it. His core opened up, unrestrained, and flooded him with energy. Qianlin felt light as they rose to the air under Lan Jue's power

"Fix your attention on your core. Slowly coax the power free. If you immerse your will in it, you'll turn in to a bolt of lightning. Now there's no rush, take your time. Thunderbolt powers are fierce, so you mustn't rush. It may reverse and harm you."

As they soared through the air, Lan Jue carefully instructed her on control of his Discipline. Free of the forest, Lan Jue used his communicator to quickly pin-point their location. Luckily they weren't far from Qianlin's home.

They quickly and quietly made their way to the peak of the mountain. Along the way, Qianlin had had the opportunity to experience becoming lightning several times. By the time they arrived in her room through the electrical socket, she was more than a little surprised to find she was a little less shy with Lan Jue's presence here.

Lan Jue spoke softly to her. "Change your clothes, then we'll leave and come home the obvious way so we don't arouse suspicion."

"Alright. Turn around." She'd only just gotten her emotions under control, and immediately her face flushed red.

Lan Jue entered the bathroom and closed the door.

Zhou Qianlin wasn't alone. Even Lan Jue needed some time to process this very strange turn of events. What the hell was going on?! On the whole it wasn't so bad, it just forced a very close relationship between him and Qianlin. Of course, she enjoyed the sweeter end of their bargain. While they were together, she immediately became one of a very few number of Adepts at the higher echelons. Although she couldn't use the powers too effectively now, she was definitely strong enough to do it. And at this level, even the smallest missteps have reactions.

"Alright." Before long, Qianlin's voice gently called at him from the other room.

Lan Jue exited the bathroom, then brought Qianlin through the electrical sockets and to the front door. He bid her farewell with a wave. He wanted to get back to the Avenue quickly so that he could consult the Keeper and Wine Master. Hopefully they had some idea of what was happening.

Zhou Qianlin watched him go with her eyes, and only once he disappeared from sight did she go back inside. She composed herself, since she was hot from so quickly changing clothes, then called out to her family that she was home. She went to her room.

She lay on her bed, those beautiful shining eyes staring at the ceiling.

There was something she hadn't told Lan Jue, and that was what Bess had told her.

ζ

"Granny Bess, you-" Zhou Qianlin froze under the old woman's grasp. When did this kindly old woman become so frightening!

Bess ogled the pearl on the younger woman's finger. "That's a finer means of defense there. Of course it won't protect you from me. Don't fret, puppet. I'm only here to help you."

"Help me?" Qianlin couldn't help but reiterate the assertion, skeptical.

Bess explained patiently. "You've gotten very strong recently. Unless I'm mistaken, you possess the very rare Silkworm Discipline. Am I right?"

Qianlin's face changed suddenly. "You can see that?"

"Those who truly understand your abilities are few and far between," Bess said. "I'd venture to say even you don't really understand. Lucky for you, I'm one of those few. I've been observing you recently, you know. You're a person of pure and good character. You have troubles, but you look after the elderly here with wholehearted, genuine care. It's so unfortunate that you can't properly use the powers. So, I've decided to help. I believe you used the power once on that young man you have following you around, yes? Is he worth anything at all?"

Zhou Qianlin was instantly calm. She gave the old woman a wry grin. "If there was anyone in this universe who deserved the benefit of my powers, it's him. He had no idea I was a ninth rank Talent, Granny Bess, and I ask that you don't tell him. We have a very complicated relationship."

"I'm not interested in the plights of the young," Bess muttered. "But I learned what I needed to know – he' s deserving. You must know that after you used the Silkworm, you and the recipient created a… past-life bond. The two of you are inexorably tied, forever."

"Even those who claim to know the secrets of the Heavenly Empress only scratch the surface. Your powers are derived from virtue, and compassion. But this life is a fair one. You reap what you sow. People just forget why they're getting what they're getting. My job in helping you, is to get you that payback. And to keep a promise."

"Granny Bess… I don't know what you mean. I don't understand." Zhou Qianlin gave her an inquisitive look.

"You don't have to understand." Bess waved her hand, and a light flashed in her palm. Zhou Qianlin fell to the floor, unconscious.

ζ

The memories played back in her mind. Qianlin's eyes were awash with conflicting emotions. Bess hadn't bore an ounce of maliciousnes, despite her act. She was there to help them. So that must mean that the changes she'd gone through were her 'payback'? But this wasn't anything she wanted! The two of them joining together, and the increase in ability, must only mean they ere meant to be partners.

Zhou Qianlin absently nibbled on her lower lip. She quietly focused on the subtle changes of her Core – sixth rank. Her Discipline certainly had grown stronger. With her powers of the Heavenly Empress, she naturally improved at a faster level, but even that didn't explain this speed. It'd only been a couple months!

Chapter 338: What Did You Do To Me?

All this simply by being near him. Indeed, if she could just be with him always then that would be grand. Zhou Qianlin felt a sudden surge of emotion, and tears began to drip from her eyes.

These last few months had indeed been torture. A torture that was difficult to describe. But as she thought upon the torment, she could suddenly feel something surging out from within her, aside from the emotions she felt. In the next instant, much to her surprise, there appeared another figure beside her upon the bed. Not a foot away lay the man she was just thinking about.

"You-… How did you get here?" Zhou Qianlin asked, stunned.

Lan Jue stared at her, wide-eyed. His pupils were struggling to adjust to the sudden shift in light. "How should I know?"

They looked in to one another's eyes, and found confusion. What was this?

"What did you do to me?" Both of them expressed the same thought in the same moment.

"I didn't do anything!" Again, together.

Silence. Not a sound was made as they lay in the dim interior of Zhou Qianlin's bedroom. They simple looked at each other, confused and unsure on how to proceed.

Lan Jue sat up, got off the bed and turned back to face Qianlin. His features were serious. "I think it's important that we perform some experiments. We need to figure out precisely how far this goes."

"Alright." Qianlin nodded her head. Yes! They did have to find out how close their connection had become. Did she just summon him?

"I had just gotten back to the Avenue. I was on my way to speak with the Paragons about what had happened, when suddenly I just found myself here. No warning, just poof. I didn't even feel any sort of energy displacement or power. This has got to have something to do with you, right? What were you just doing?" Lan Jue's questions were delivered calmly. Only logic would puzzle out what was going on here.

Her face reddened. "I was… I was thinking about you."

He blinked. "So you were thinking about me, and I suddenly appeared?"

Qianlin nodded. "I thought it would be nice if you were beside me. Then you were."

Lan Jue's face darkened to a scowl. This was some shit! It meant he had practically no freedom, and Qianlin could summon him at her leisure. This…

"I wonder if it works the other way. If I just think of you beside me…" Lan Jue muttered to himself, focusing on the thought of Qianlin at his side. When he raised his eyes to look at her, nothing had changed.

"I'll leave and try again," he said. He didn't even stop to let her respond before disappearing in to the power socket.

Zhou Qianlin rose to her feet. She, too, was surprised. She could summon him whenever she pleased, apparently. What was she to make of this?

After a short while, Lan Jue appeared once more from the socket, his face darker still. "Nothing. I tried thinking of you with me, but nothing happened. I suppose only you have the ability to summon me."

Zhou Qianlin stood in silence for a moment, before speaking up. "Do you really want me with you?"

Lan Jue's brows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

She dropped her head, her face reddening once more. "It probably needs to be a genuine desire."

Lan Jue was struck by the realization. He'd been so shocked with the summoning that he hadn't considered the implications. They'd separated, and she honestly wanted him with her.

"Qianlin…" Lan Jue didn't know what to say, but he felt it within him.

The young politician's daughter reigned herself in. "I'm sorry. I didn't want to trouble you. It's just, we are creatures with feelings and emotions. It was a…. a sort of hopeless attraction, I guess. It'll go away with time."

"That's not what I meant," he blurted out.

Qianlin lifted her eyes to his once more. "Then what did you mean?"

After a moment of silence, he responded. "Let's keep trying to figure out what's going on here, first. I'm going to try again." With that, he was gone.

As he left, Lan Jue's emotions were fluctuating more than his lightning Discipline.

Qianlin… if you feel this way about me, how can I face you? Hera will always be the only woman in my heart, and so long as she's there I can't give you all of me.

Five minutes later, he was back. Qianlin regarded him with an indifferent chuckle. "Still nothing? This is enough for now, we'll continue with the experiments later. And don't worry, I won't trouble with – I'll make sure to keep my thoughts in check."

Lan Jue silently nodded his head. "Alright. I'll start heading back."

The room flashed with light as he became lightning, and vanished. The corners of her mouth curled in to a sad frown. It appeared as though her guess was right: You needed to wish with your whole heart in order for the summoning to work. He didn't see her the way she saw him. He didn't miss her the way she missed him.

ζ

Lan Jue's mood was equally dour as he made his way back to the Avenue. Time and again he tried to fill himself with longing for Qianlin, but every time Hera's smiling face swam up through the recesses of his mind to greet him. Every time, he failed.

Bess' actions had created some wonderful changes in the both of them, but they were sudden and chaotic. Lan Jue didn't know what to do about any of it. What would happen between he and Qianlin, he asked himself. What would become of their relationship?

From the beginning he'd wanted to keep a strict distance from her. There had to be boundaries. Now, as he tried more and more to let her in, he couldn't. He acknowledged an affection for her, certainly, but affection and love were very different beasts. Worse still, he was sure how much of this affection was due to her similarities to Hera. This was most important.

When Lan Jue got back to the Avenue, he wasted no time in imploring help from the Keeper and Bookworm. They were busy men, but this was a very important matter.

"What?" After Lan Jue revealed his story, the two Paragons looked at each other. Their expressions were serious.

An unknown Paragon was staggering news in the Adept world. What's more, this person had attacked a member of the Skyfire Council only several kilometers away.

The Keeper's gruff voice was commanding. "Bring me to the hospital. I want to take a look." The Bookworm nodded in emphatic agreement.

With two Paragons at his back, Lan Jue had no need to fear Bess. Of course, as Lan Jue had expected she was no longer there when they arrived at her room. She left no trace, no clue to her whereabouts.

"We'll head back and discuss it." The Keeper, after a cursory glance at the room, waved his hand dismissively.

When they returned, all four of the Avenue's Paragons had gathered. Once more, Lan Jue shared his story, and as it progressed every one of the great powerhouses were scowling openly. Nearly killing a Council member made every one of them lose face! And yet, if this woman had indeed harbored malicious intent, Lan Jue would already be dead. Not to mention, Lan Jue was the Clairvoyant's chosen successor! He was the future of the Avenue.

What followed was a series of questions and experiments. Lan Jue was no longer a Councilman, but a lab rat.

"This is very strange. From the outside it almost looks like a Discipline aberration. It penetrates all the way to your core, though." The Keeper examined him from head to toe, and gave his determination after.

The Wine Master nodded. "I sense the same. It's a mutation, caused by outside forces. But ultimately, this doesn't look like such a bad thing for you. Once your energy and that other power combine, the result should be intensely pure. It possesses the very essence of this energy. It seals your core, but it also softens and compresses it. My guess is it will improve the rate and quality of your cultivation practices. I know that I don't have any ability to seal a core in this way."

The Keeper shook his head. "Nor do I. I doubt it's solely the ability of the Paragon that caused this. Even a Paragon couldn't do this alone. You're only ninth rank seventh degree – she could easily have ended you if she wished – but doing this would be difficult, even for a Paragon.

To this, the Bookworm chuckled. "This Bess woman sounds like she was acting like a matchmaker 1. You and that girl are suddenly attached at the hip, sometimes literally. If you want to fight at your best, you'll need her with you. So, if you aren't together, then the net result in poor, correct? If the two of you marry, then all of your problems are solved. Not only thank, you'll be stronger."

Lan Jue's brows tightened. "Let's not talk about my relationship with Qianlin just yet. I can't accept this sort of restriction. I've lost all freedom, like I'm chained up in a box. Is there any way to break this seal?"

"None," the Wine Master assured. "We do indeed have the power to suppress the seal, but that would mean we'd have to be with you all the time. We'd have to be continuously pumping you full of energy. We'd be just as shackled as you are. The only way to do this, would be to obliterate your core. That would kill you. The only way for you to unlock this seal is to continue with your growth, until you've mastered the protogenic energies. Once your core has been infused in that power and born again, then the seal will be broken. Luckily, with this seal in place you'll get about twice the result for half the effort in training. Right now, the only way to be free of this restriction, is hard work.

The Keeper nodded sagely. "This is also my conclusion. There are no other options, unless you seek out that Paragon. Only she knows the specifics of your condition. It's as they say; only the one who used the poison knows its antidote."

The Bookworm and Gourmet were newly minted Paragons. They had no solutions for Lan Jue either. He had no choice but to accept this situation. For now, he was a weaker man reliant on the presence of Qianlin.

1. Matchmakers were widely used in China for a long time. In rural areas it's still a common practice, complete with dowries and other ancient practices.

Chapter 339: ARC Phase Two

Lan Jue gave a morose sigh. "What can I do? Once more I've lost my freedom. I still have so much to do, and now with my strength so low…"

"Take her with you." The Wine Master's response was frank and curt.

Lan Jue lookd his way. "But she doesn't represent the Avenue."

"Enough," the Wine Master said in irritation. "That isn't even an issue. It takes no effort to introduce someone to the Avenue. It sounds like you're finding excuses not to bring her."

"Men have responsibilities," the Gourmet responded with serious countenance. "You have things to accomplish."

"I-" Lan Jue fought to tell them there wasn't anything between he and Zhou Qianlin, but the words wouldn't come. If they didn't, how could they have become so entangled in this mess? Suddenly the woman who'd cheated him so long ago appeared in his mind's eye, the one who set him on his path to Qianlin. If he ever found her or her organization, he thought, they'd have hell to pay. If not for them, how else would this nonsense have happened?

"I have to think about it. I need quiet." Lan Jue had to accept the reality of what was going on.

He returned home and settled down to meditate. He had been assured that no outward power was going to free him from this prison. His only option, then, was to try and earn freedom from his own power.

He focused on cultivating himself throughout the night, and when he opened his eyes he felt refreshed. Indeed, he felt a little stronger. However, his face was still dark. The seal remained firmly in place. It never moved, much less released. Despite an entire night's efforts, nothing changed. It was strange, though – during the night he'd sensed that that silver seal had actually absorbed some of the cultivating energies he'd focused toward his Core. It meant that the stronger he grew, the stronger the seal became as well.

Was it truly only possible to be free once he broke through to Paragon? It was practically impossible! Even the highest level adepts needed decades of training and no small amount of luck to achieve this dream.

Lan Jue's dour mood put him off breakfast. Instead, he got ready and left directly for the University on his antique bicycle. There were still things to do, and time waits for no man.

He sought out Director Wu, and sure enough the school was preparing them for another trip. The destination, the Barrows.

"I have to trouble you with something, Director," Lan Jue ventured after some thought.

"Of course." Director Wu had bent head over heels since discovering part of Lan Jue's identity. Any issue was immediately solved, most recently being the leak about the ARC. Since discovery of the culprit, the military had ceased any overt attempts at taking away their students. In fact, a representative had expressed their apologies to the University's Dean. He assured him that they need not worry over their students' future.

The circumstances had actually helped Wu Junyi come to a greater understanding of Lan Jue. He was even further convinced of the young instructor's superior abilities. Not only was he a powerful Adept individually, he also commanding staggering resources. If someone like this was interested in teaching here, who was he to deny him anything?

Lan Jue let the silence stretch for a moment before going on. "I'd like to participate in this trip. But, I was hoping to bring along someone else. I wasn't sure if this would be alright?"

"Of course it's alright," the director responded without hesitation. He didn't even care who Lan Jue was bringing.

He – as the etiquette teacher – had no classes. Through discussion both he and Wu Junyi agreed to pause it temporarily. In truth they had no option but to do so. The Barrows trip would take time, then Lan Jue had to get to the Northern Alliance. He wasn't even sure when he'd be getting back. Even if they had a couple classes now, what would happen in the future? When would they be able to start them back up again? No, the best option was to simply wait until these matters were settled before starting in full swing. The students would understand this.

Once his business with Director Wu had concluded, Lan Jue did not return directly to the Avenue. He wandered absent-mindedly to his desk in the electives building.

His long night of cultivation had not produced the results he'd hoped for. He would indeed have to continue examining this with Qianlin, so that they could at least seamlessly join their powers when needed. This was his life now – what option did he have but to deal with it? Thankfully Zhou Qianlin was a sensible girl, so he didn't need to fear being summoned for no reason.

"Professor Lan! It's been so long!" The surprised call caught his attention. Lan Jue lifted his head, whereupon he spied Jin Yan walking his way with an arm full of textbooks.

"Professor Jin. Hello." He greeted her with a polite smile.

"I really must thank you for everything you've done for Jin Tao," she said with an excited tone. "Are you busy recently? It's been so long since I've seen you around. I was afraid you might have stopped coming for classes."

Of course, Lan Jue couldn't tell her about the ARC classes. "Family matters," he lied, "I had to ask for a little while off."

She snickered. "Well you chose the perfect time to come back. The University is preparing another trip for us. We're leaving the Alliance and heading to the West for twenty days. It's a ten day trek there and back, but still not bad at all."

"Aren't you afraid of running in to any more monsters?" Lan Jue asked.

She shook her head with a smile. "come on. I'm a realist – I don't believe in luck, good or bad. I believe in probability, and the chances are a coincidence like that are slim to none. Anyway, there are dangers wherever one goes. I've never seen the Barrows' dangers. Will you be going, too?"

Lan Jue nodded. "Yes, I'll be going."

"Professor Jin. Professor Lan." Another voice interrupted their conversation.

Wang Hongyuan, his face bearing a smile, walked their way. Ever since he and Lan Jue had become friends, the negative cloud hanging over him had dispersed.

Lan Jue gave the dance instructor a lopsided grin. "Professor Wang! It's been a while."

For the briefest instant, Wang Hongyuan's face bore a hint of confusion. They'd just spent the last few months together! Was the cruelty he subjected everyone to not enough to have him remember? Of course he couldn't say anything – he'd just 'been on vacation' as well, and he couldn't let Jin Yan know they were together. The charade would have to be maintained.

"Yeah! It had been a while, Professor. Are you going on the trip?"

Lan Jue nodded. "I'll be going with you all. You're going to have to protect us while we're there, Professor Wang!"

Wang Hongyuan's prowess as a pilot and Adept were not well known, but of course they knew this. After all, their experience on Taihua had been a telling one for all of them – and Jin Yan had been there to see it. It just hadn't been brought up since they got back.

Wang Hongyuan shot Jin Yan a glance. "Nothing to fear," he said. "If those monsters show up again, I'll protect you."

Jin Yan tittered prettily at him, and nodded her head.

Lan Jue looked at Wang Hongyuan, then looked to Jin Yan. Evidently their relationship was improving nicely, though they still weren't very close. It appeared to him that Wang Hongyuan just needed to step up his game.

Jin Yan flashed them both a smile. "You guys chat. I have some things to clear up and classes to prepare." She had been in a particularly fine mood lately. Her younger brother was home at last, and although he hadn't told her anything about the ARC class he was clearly changed by it. Whatever the situation, Jin Yan and the others were all very pleasantly surprised.

In only a few months, Jin Tao had actually grown roughly a head taller. His physique had also improved dramatically. That fierce, feral air that he'd become known for was gone, replaced with a steady calm. He'd grown up. His speech and behavior saw the most improvement, and he was no longer as flippant as he once was. He was an entirely new person.

Jin Yan knew all of this had to have something to do with Lan Jue. After all, it had been Lan Jue that took him away. Although she didn't know the specifics, both of them had been gone for the same length of time. Now, her baby brother was somehow inexplicably part of the elite ARC students. She knew very well that only the most promising students were enrolled in that program. She'd never have believed her 'good-for-nothing' brother would have been a part of it.

Naturally, Jin Tao's family was ecstatic at the changes. Jin Yan, also, was very happy. She'd wanted to ask Lan Jue more about it, but Wang Hongyuan had arrived by then. She decided to keep her questions to herself for now.

As Jin Yan left for her desk, Wang Hongyuan saddled up to Lan Jue. He spoke in low tones. "Professor Lan, the ARC class is done and the students have all gone back to their lives. What should we do?"

"What can we do?" Lan Jue asked.

"You know, I really wanted to thank you," Wang Hongyuan said. "Although I've never been treated so terrible in all my life, I've also never improved this fast. Finally, I can see some hope in continuing my training. I'm sure the students feel similarly. This is especially true after you piloted that battleship all by yourself, and protected our escape. I could see that it filled them with appreciation and respect. With the cohesion they're feeling now, it would be a shame if we just let them go their separate ways."

Lan Jue nodded. "Yeah! We should follow up with more. They've got a really stable foundation by this point, and the program really set them apart. Their next step should be practical application. If they can work together like the An Lun soldiers, then there's no limit to their potential."

"So you're saying you want them to join the army?" Wang Hongyuan asked.

To that, Lan Jue hook his head. "Military service may not always be the best option. Certainly not right now. The Eastern Alliance's military has its own problems, and they aren't strong enough to protect themselves. Joining now would ruin their prospects. My hope for them is that they join once they're strong enough to handle it. By then, no one would be able to control them."

Wang Hongyuan blinked. "So what's the plan?"

Chapter 340: You Are the Father of My Child

A mysterious smile spread across Lan Jue's face. "Don't worry yourself over it. Once the trip is done, I'll have to head out for business. The whole thing should be a month or two, at most. They still need time to entirely process their training, anyway, to let it all sink in. When I get back, we'll start phase two of the ARC class."

"Really?" Wang Hongyuan's excitement shone through his features. "That's excellent! I'd like to be an assistant again."

"Sure," Lan Jue said with a nod of his head.

ζ

While Wang Hongyuan and Lan Jue were discussing the class in the electives building, Zhou Qianlin was in Director Wu's office. Her family had received a note, asking her to present herself to the teaching affairs director.

"Director Wu, you asked for me?" She had made her way to his office directly upon getting to school. She was still technically on holiday after the ARC classes, and had intended to spend the next few days in Grace Hospital. Unfortunately, her encounter with Bess and the subsequent result had made her less than willing to meet people. She was still struggling to come to terms with some of it. Instead, she had so far spent the day at home.

"Ah good, you're here. Please sit." An uncommon smile was plastered on the man's face. Usually students only say the strict, fierce side of him.

Qianlin sat as instructed.

Once she was settled, the Director went on. "Here's the situation. You performed excellently during the ARC classes, despite your major in mecha systems. The faculty is quite surprised, and impressed. We've decided to give you an award for your performance – a trip to the Barrows with our teachers during their retreat. I called you here to let you know, so that you may go home and prepare. We'll be leaving for the Western Alliance in three days."

"A trip to the Barrows?" She looked at the teaching director with wide eyes. A reward? For her alone? What was going on? Since when was the NEU so good to their students? She didn't even do all that well in the training!

"That's right," Wu Junyi affirmed. "That'll be all. You can go and start getting ready."

"Director," she engaged quietly, "Can I choose not to go?"

He looked at her with confusion. "You're willing to let this golden opportunity go to waste? The university is covering all expenses."

Zhou Qianlin apologetically explained. "We just got back, and I'm rather exhausted. Really, I'd just rather stay at home and rest. I'm not very interested in another trip."

"Well," he began, "In truth the idea was Professor Lan's. He'll be going as well. So is your class leader, Tan Lingyun."

Her brows rose, and a strange emotion filled her. She nodded. "Oh… well, alright. I'll go."

When the young girl left, Director Wu settled back in to his chair. He stared in to the distance, lost in thought. No, he thought. Professor Lan couldn't be here because of Zhou Qianlin…

He knew, of course, that she was considered the top beauty of their university. She possessed a fine mind, as well. Her reaction showed that she had some interest in the etiquette teacher as well. Director Wu was convinced it was something he'd have to keep a close eye on. Perhaps he could find another way to ingratiate himself to this Professor.

ζ

The Spirit Caller gemstone warmed:

Zhou Qianlin: It was you who had Director Wu invite me to the Barrows, wasn't it.

Lan Jue: Yup!

Qianlin: You're in some kind of trouble?

I'm not sure yet. We'll know once we get there. You are going, right?

You're in this situation because you came to save me from Granny Bess. I'll help in any way I can. And don't worry, I won't pester you – now, or in the future. If you find a way to sever this connection we have, I'm all on board.

…

Alright, I guess I'll talk to you later.

Lan Jue could feel Qianlin's apathetic mood through the power gem. This girl… she was like an iron fist in a velvet glove – something he'd experienced before, certainly. There was a faint ache in his chest, and yet he thought that this would be good if it ultimately lead to her forgetting about him romantically.

Lan Jue went about his business. He arranged what he needed for the trip, and relayed the information to the Wine Master. He would be leaving with the school, while the Avenue' foremost Paragon would be traveling to the West with the Pauper.

The trip to the North for the Adept tournament, Lan Jue left for the Gourmet to handle. Those who would be joining them were the same the gourmet had mentioned before. But there was one that Lan Jue would have to deal with personally.

The Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Lan Jue strolled in to the pharmacy. Compared to the last time he'd visited, it was even more stuffed to the rafters with customers. The faint aroma of homeopathic remedies lingered in the air, lending an even deeper sense of mystery to the already ancient-looking structure. Likely, the atmosphere played a role in this shop's success.

As he entered, an assistant greeted him with a bow.

"I've come to see the Pharmacist," Lan Jue revealed.

"She's currently entertaining guests," the assistant explained. "I must trouble you to wait for a little while. I'll let her know that you're here."

"Very good." Lan Jue stepped off to the side without instruction to make way. He looked down the beautiful corridor, and the lotus leaves surrounding it. The peaceful environment helped to ease some his emotional turmoil.

Before long, the assistant returned. He address the Jewelry Master respectfully. "The Pharmacist will see you now."

Lan Jue followed as the young man entered in to the heart of the Hall of Supreme Harmony. No small number of enviable stares watched him go. The rules of his place were quite strict; entrance beyond the shop front was strictly prohibited. Over the years there had been some who'd attempted to break that rule, though one can imagine the result.

They traversed a small bridge, then circuited a small lake before taking the long corridor to the octagonal pagoda at it's end. This was where he'd met the Pharmacist last time.

She was there now. Someone else was with her.

He was a simple-looking man with red hair, and eyes to match. He couldn't determine his age, but he could feel the fierceness of his aura, barely constrained. He seemed feral, almost beast-like.

"You can leave. I'll contact you when the matter is done." The Pharmacist was speaking calmly with the gentleman when Lan Jue came within ear shot.

The red-haired man's brows furrowed dangerously. "There's an order for all things. You won't even follow such a simple standard?"

A biting cold flashed across the Pharmacist's eyes. "What do you plan to do about it?"

"There's nothing I can do," the man growled. "At least I know the rules of the Avenue. But I still haven't got what I came for. You must at least give me enough time to find something adequate for a trade. My time is valuable, too, you know."

The young woman's face darkened considerably. "Leave. Take whatever you want, but I will not be changing my mind."

Anger flared behind the man's eyes. " Because of him? What the hell is he worth?" He didn't look Lan Jue's way, but the accusing finger he thrust out was pointed right at him.

The Pharmacist fixed the red-haired stranger with a dangerous gaze. "He is the father of my child."

The moment the words left her lips, the man's expression changed from anger to shock. He whipped around in his chair to stare at Lan Jue.

The beleaguered Jewelry Master felt strange. He would not contradict the Pharmacist's assertions, for after all she was right in a sense. He'd promised her that much.

Lan Jue met the man's glare with a polite smile, and a nod of acknowledgement. He didn't bristle at the man's discourteous words, and remained ever the gentleman.

"The hell are you lookin' at?!" The man shot to his feet, and instantly the brutal aura he'd been restraining exploded outward. "I'm curious what you did to become the Pharmacist's man."

Waves of overbearing, oppressive energy crashed against Lan Jue. It was condensed, with the full force of this man's suffocating bearing focused precisely on Lan Jue.

Suddenly, Lan Jue felt as though he were lost in a world of terror and nightmares. Before his very eyes, blood-red phantoms danced and shrieked. Hideous demons clawed at him as though they wanted to tear the life from his body.

Lan Jue's reaction was to furrow his brows. He instinctively took a step back – the man was strong, at least above ninth level sixth rank.

Where he at his peak strength, Lan Jue would have nothing to fear. However, the inexplicable tragedy that had befallen him and Qianlin had reduced him to barely ninth level. Even with both his Disciplines, he wouldn't be able to face this man in a straight fight.

Lan Jue's shoulders bowed, as a gut of powerful wind set his clothes to flapping. He rocked from the force of it.

The Pharmacist looked on, stunned. To her knowledge the Jewelry Master should have been a match for this red-haired man, and yet he wasn't. How was merely the threat of pressure was almost more than he could bear?

Just then, Lan Jue's arms shot up and traced a circle through the air with his hands. That overbearing pressure seemed to dissipate, as a vortex appeared before Lan Jue's chest. The stranger's mental assault seemed to be drawn in to the vortex, and was unable to be focused on the Jewelry Master.

Coiled bolts of lightning arced across Lan Jue's eye sockets. Now, it was his own intrinsic aura that bubbled forth.

"Tai Chi?" The red-haired man cried. The stifling power dissipated without a trace, as though the man had seen something incomparably startling. He staggered back a couple paces and stared in astonishment.

Lan Jue's expression tightened further. "You know of it?"

The stranger's haughty expression had fled, replaced with a near palpable discomfort. Cowed, he spoke. "I have been fortunate enough to have seen Tai Chi used effectively. I still remember it as though it happened yesterday. I'm sorry to have troubled you. I'm leaving, I'll go." He shot Lan Jue a searching glance and, assured that he would not stop him, he turned and left the pagoda. He was in such a rush that he'd forgotten the Pharmacist was even there. It was a strange contrast to is earlier demeanor.

The assistant was standing to the side, looking on with utter amazement. The red-haired stranger had been exceedingly arrogant upon arrival, he remembered. How was it that he so quickly became meek as a mouse before a cat? What in the world was 'Tai Chi'?

Lan Jue frowned as he watched the man leave, but he made no move to find out more. He simply wasn't in the space physically or emotionally to do so. But why was it that the use of his martial art alone was enough to send this man running?

"Where'd this guy come from?" Lan Jue asked as he walked to the Pharmacist.

She waved her hand, and the assistant who had delivered Lan Jue left without a sound. Undoubtedly, his impression of the Jewelry Master had improved after this display.

"A loose end," she murmured. "An impossibly arrogant ass. The Dhampyr – have you heard of him? He has the rare Blood Discipline. But you… I had no idea you were a disciple of Jue Di, or that he'd know about it."

Chapter 341: Departures

Lan Jue gave her a wink and a sly smile. "Keep that a secret, eh?"

The Pharmacist offered a small nod. She faced him, and that disconcerting chill was gone from her face. Now her expression was like a warm spring breeze. "Thank you for coming. I thought you'd forgotten your promise."

Lan Jue's face fell in shame. "I've been off planet. I'm back for a few days, but I need to rush out again. I've come to see Jun'er, and also to speak with you about something."

She nodded. "I already know all about it. You want me to go to the North and participate in this Adept competition. Originally I hadn't planned to go because of Jun'er, but now that you're here I can make the trip."

"Perhaps you can take her with you," Lan Jue said. "She may not be able to see, but keeping her cooped up in her home all day can't be good for her. She's a brilliant little one, but being locked up in a house isn't good for her health."

The Pharmacist looked at him in mild surprise. They were words she hadn't expected from him – bring Jun'er? She was blind from birth, and the only thing remaining of her lost husband. She was a priceless treasure to the Pharmacist, and they helped each other through every day life like partners. This powerful woman was, in the inside, truly was a fragile thing when it came to her child. And she knew it. For fear of any harm coming to her baby, the two were inseparable. They hardly left the Hall, much less the planet.

Lan Jue proceeded. "Being blind doesn't mean she isn't healthy. But if she never leaves this place, that will definitely change. Bring her out, let her play. It'll expand her world. Whether or not to participate in these fights, doesn't matter – I'll give the Gourmet some excuse. I'm not here to convince you, but I really do think it would be good for the little one to get out."

The Pharmacist gave an anguished sigh. "Outsiders truly do see our personal matters the clearest. You're right. I've lost sight of what my daughter needs, and she is brilliant. She's never bothered me about it. I've forgotten that she is, after all, a child. Thank you, Jewelry Master. Really."

Lan Jue answered with a sheepish smile. "You said it yourself, right? I'm the father of your child. Caring for Jun'er is my job."

The Pharmacist smiled, too. "Don't worry about any of that. I won't tell others. Just now I reacted on impulse. Sometimes I have a little trouble controlling my emotions. Come, I'll take you to see Jun'er. This last month she must have asked a hundred times for stories about you."

At this, Lan Jue couldn't help but chortle. "Today I'll tell her a story about soldiers."

With that, the two of them took the short trip to Jun'er's room.

"Mama!" Jun'er shouted excitedly as they entered. "Daddy's here too, right?"

"Jun'er! How did you know?" Lan Jue asked, his voice rich with emotion.

Jun'er launched herself off the bed, and her tiny feet pattered excitedly as she ran toward the sound of Lan Jue's voice. Her face was brighter than a sunbeam. "Daddyyyyy! You're back! I heard your footsteps!"

The Pharmacist's eyes were wet with tears. Lan Jue, too, was moved by the scene. This beautiful little girl was too cute to bear. She'd heard his footsteps only once and remembered them. This was clearly the thing she longed the most for, a complete family.

Lan Jue heaved her up with a dramatic grunt and ruffled her hair. Jun'er naturally threw her arms around his neck. "I missed you a lot, daddy."

"Daddy missed you too," he assured her. Lan Jue fell in to the role of father very quickly, after only the second visit. He looked at the Pharmacist, and saw in her eyes the same emotions afflicting him. She was missing a husband, and he was missing a wife. If Hera was still alive, they'd probably have a child of their own.

Lan Jue held her for a moment longer, then sat down on her bed. "You know I've been out finding new soldiers to help protect us. I just got back. Do you want to hear some stories about what they do out there?"

"Yay! Yes!" she clapped her little hands together excitedly.

Lan Jue adjusted her on his lap. One hand gently stroked her hair as he spoke. "These new young recruits were really amazing, you know. All of them were Adepts! At least level five. But they were still young and had a lot to learn. So, I decided that they would need a very special class to make them stronger as fast as possible. I gathered them all up, and then taught them what I could."

Jun'er sat and listened intently, careful not to interrupt or be rude. The Pharmacist could see a faint golden glow emanating from Lan Jue's hand as he stroked her hair – undoubtedly a gentle current of bioelectricity. He was trying to stimulate her atrophied eyes.

The Pharmacist had exhausted all options in trying to help her daughter live a normal life. Nothing worked. She had aplasia of the optical nerve – it never grew properly. That was not something medicine could fix. She watched appreciatively as Lan Jue tried, knowing full well that the chances were small. Still, there was always a chance.

She had lived for years in a dull, dim world. But now, faintly, it was as though color returned. It was like they were a complete family again.

Lan Jue regaled her for an hour with the exploits of he and his students. No detail was too small for the ravenous Jun'er. The whole thing was told from beginning to end.

This time, Jun'er did not succumb to sleep. Admiration and excitement shone in her pretty little face. She could feel the strange power radiating from Lan Jue's hand, but said nothing about it.

"I want to be like all of them, daddy. I want to be a machine pilot, too."

Lan Jue laughed affectionately. "You're going to have to wait until you grow up, sweetie. I'll teach you, what do you think?"

But the small girl's expression immediately fell. "I can't see…"

"No matter what, your daddy will find a way to get those eyes working again," Lan Jue promised. "Then you'll be able to see it all, all the colors of the world around you. You'll see what your mommy and daddy look like. Sounds good, right?"

Jun'er timidly nodded her head. She was a child, true, but smart. Her thoughts were simple, but her face still revealed doubt.

"Can you feel the tingly feeling on your back from daddy's hand?" He asked.

"Uh-huh," she answered. "My eyes feel funny."

He chuckled. "That's right. You have little nerves in your eyeballs that are weak. But you know, the last time I saw you I checked for myself. You know those weak nerves aren't because you're sick! What that means is, all we have to do is make them strong. Then they'll start working with your eyes – and you'll see! It's going to take time, but we'll find a way. 1

That shadow of doubt receded somewhat. "Really?! Will I really be able to see?"

Lan Jue nodded . "Yes you will. Little Jun'er's such a pretty thing, she should be able to see how much."

Jun'er threw herself against Lan Jue in a little bear hug, then kissed him on the cheek. "My daddy's the best."

Lan Jue gently stroked her hair. "So what would you think about going on a little trip, huh sweetie? In a few days daddy has to go out again. It might be a little while before I come back, like before. But I spoke to your mother, and she said we could all go together. We could go to a new place and play for a little while, what do you think? We'll get to ride in a big airship!"

She gasped, and her big round eyes widened. Her chubby cheeks were a ruddy red from excitement. "Daddy! I love you daddy. I want to go! I want to go!"

Seeing her little girl so excited at the idea, the Pharmacist couldn't control herself anymore. Streams of tears trickled down her cheeks, and she covered her mouth to stop the sobs.

Lan Jue stayed for a long time, until Jun'er fell asleep. Only then did he bid farewell to the Pharmacist. Children were pure, and spending time with his surrogate daughter had helped to ease some of the troubles in his heart. Things were also clearer. Now that it'd happened, acceptance was the only way. It is what it is!

When Lan Jue returned to the jewelry shop, he picked out a bundle of his choicest gems and relinquished them to Mika. She was to use them for upgrades to all their mechas, as well as all three Zeus ships. He knew he didn't have to worry over management of the store.

Three days later, an enormous transport ship lifted off from the public air field. It was headed right for the Western Alliance.

Ships of this size were designed to transport three thousand passengers at a time, and a great deal of goods. All of them were equipped with FTL drives as well, for safety and commerce.

Like any transport, the ship was separated by class. First, business and economy as it had been for ages. The university teachers, naturally, sat in economy. After all, the university was footing the bill and their pockets weren't bottomless.

Lan Jue hunched helplessly in his seat. Economy! It'd been years since he'd had to be subjected to this.

It wasn't a luxury issue. He was simply too lanky. He sat with his knees practically by his ears. That hunch wasn't from depression but because otherwise his head would strike the ceiling.

This certainly didn't qualify as comfortable. Worse still, the trip would last five days and five nights. Although there would be periods of deep sleep as the ship passed through wormholes or made jumps, he felt like five days and five nights of this would either kill him or drive him crazy. Unacceptable! He had to find a way to upgrade!

It was made infinitely worse when one considered his company. Being economy class, passengers had no choice but to literally rub elbows. On his left was his most recent trouble, Zhou Qianlin. His sins from the past come to haunt him took the form of the Savage Goddess on his right.

Qianlin was slightly better than the alternative. Their relationship was strange, and her mood toward him was markedly cooler. But she was important to him, and that was clear from his lack of self-control.

Tan Lingyun was an entirely different matter. She had looked physically disgusted when she'd found out Lan Jue was beside her, as though he were an insect.

1. I turned this in to an ELI5 because he's talking to an infant. TJSS wrote it in more medical terms. If you're interested, a more faithful translation ensues; "Your optic nerves had atrophied. Last time, I examined them and discovered that the nerves were not pathologically damaged. That is to say, all we need to do is stretch these atrophied nerves and they will begin to interact with your retina." She's a smart kid, but damn. Interestingly, though, Chinese medical terms and the normal every-day use words are the same, so young children can effectively understand. But that's not the case here, words like 'atrophied' 'retina', even the one he used for 'stretch' no child would ever know.

Chapter 342: The Two Great Beauties

It was unlikely any public airship would let you change seats on a whim while already in flight. Every seat was tied to its occupant's ID's, making changing a troubling issue.

"I warn you – if you touch me, you can't blame me for my reaction." Tan Lingyun growled in Lan Jue's direction.

He could only reply with a tight scowl. He desperately wanted to say something, to tell her that golden-masked man she pined for was him! The look of shock and confusion on her face would be delicious.

The thought would have to die unspoken, however.

"Trust me, it's definitely not a situation I want either." As he spoke, Lan Jue shuffled as far as he could toward Tan Lingyun. He curls in arms in and pressed his elbows to his side, like a beaten dog licking its wounds.

Wu Junyi sat nearby. Although he was the teaching director, he was also among them in economy class. He lived by the doctrine of equal treatment for all – and after all, the university's coffers had its limits. Hearing the two bicker, he couldn't help but snicker in spite of himself. He turned his face away so his mirth would not be discovered.

He was, of course, the architect of this seating arrangement. He would do whatever it took to keep Lan Jue tied to the university, so requests like this were happily agreed to. In inviting Zhou Qianlin, it clearly showed that Lan Jue had more than a healthy interest in beautiful women. If that was the case, then how better to keep the man that to surround him with beautiful women? From the beginning Director Wu had thought Lan Jue and Tan Lingyun were a suitable couple. The only obstacle was the Savage Goddess' ignorance, for she didn't know Lan Jue was Lei Feng.

When the ARC group returned from training, Tan Lingyun had sought out Director Wu. With a dogged determination, she tried to compel him to reveal the Drillmaster's identity. Wu Junyi had made a promise, and more than that, was quite afraid of Lan Jue's power. So of course he didn't tell her. But how could a man as shrewd as he not immediately see her infatuation?

Tan Lingyun had become quite enamored with the mysterious, golden-masked man.

It was not an opportunity he could pass up. He would have to manufacture some sort of opportunity for things to take their course. The journey to the Barrows would take days, he thought – what better opportunity than that? The school couldn't afford first-class accommodations for Lan Jue, but he could at least be sandwiched between two gorgeous women. Perfect, he thought. The tighter the better.

Lan Jue could not know of Director Wu's clandestine maneuvers. All he could do, is lament his situation. When he'd tried to scooch away from Tan Lingyun, Qianlin had reacted be recoiling, and blocking him with her hands. It wasn't overt, but the expression on her face was like a stranger trying to keep someone at bay.

"Why don't you just say what's on your mind, huh?!" Tan Lingyun rudely rapped on his forehead with a fist. She was strong, Lan Jue remembered painfully.

"What the hell are you doing?!" He yelped.

Immediately, the Savage Goddess' eyebrows shot up. "What do you think I'm doing? You better be straight with me or I will throw you from this airship! Qianlin, if he even breathes on you, you let me know. I'll deal with him."

Zhou Qianlin could see how tortured Lan Jue was, and for an instant her eyes revealed pity. She hurriedly shook her head, and dropped the hand she held up to keep Lan Jue away.

The ship calmed as it broke through Skyfire's atmosphere. Portholes set along either side of the hull revealed the beautiful scenes as space slid by. Window seats always sold best. Qianlin had been given the one on their isle, and so she took advantage by aimlessly staring out in to the black. Lan Jue remained locked in the middle. Five days, he whined inwardly. He figured he'd probably die.

This must be what the students had felt during training, he thought. Pain of the body meant nothing, but afflictions of the soul were dire. Like them, there was nothing be could do about it.

"I need to visit the restroom." Lan Jue half-stood as far as possible in this little nest.

Lingyun shot him a dismissive glance. "Who are you talking to?"

"You, of course," he said in irritation.

"I guess your parents never taught you to be polite," she replied.

"You-" With great effort, Lan Jue managed to bite back the deluge of expletives he had in mind. His teeth audibly ground as he spoke. "Professor Tan. I'm sorry to trouble you. Thank you tremendously."

She finally stood, and Lan Jue rushed passed as quickly and as carefully as he dared. His long legs send him toward the toilets and just short of a run.

A detestable scowl followed him as Tan Lingyun watched. She turned to her young student. "Be careful with that one. He looks useless, but he certainly is not a good person. Ugh, I can't stand this kind of good-for-nothing garbage. And he's supposed to be teaching etiquette! Back on Taihua he held everyone else up as we were running for our lives. Not only is he useless, he's also stupid." She didn't despise him quite so much as she let on, of course, but the result of him running from the escaping plan was still fresh in her memory.

Her opinion of Wang Hongyuan had changed considerably since their encounter on Taihua. But this was not the case with Lan Jue. Him, she still hated.

"Prfoessor Lan can't be that bad. I think he's a good man, I've listened to his class." Qianlin couldn't bear to hear this woman bad mouthing Lan Jue so viciously. Of course, she couldn't make here disagreement too vociferous.

"Oh? And what is his class like?" The Savage Goddess was genuinely curious.

Zhou Qianlin carefully weighed her words. "He teaches very well. Very noble. We've learned a lot of things you don't usually learn in a university, and you can tell he's very warmhearted."

"Hmph," Tan Lingyun grunted. "I really don't know what the administrators were thinking. Making us sit with that waste of air, honestly…" It was as though she hadn't heard Qianlin at all.

ζ

Lan Jue found a place with enough headroom for him to stand straight, and hung around there. It was then a familiar face came in to view.

"Professor Lan." The tender voice was always a pleasure. Jin Yan smiled up at him.

"Hello Professor Jin." He replied pleasantly.

"What's wrong? You look upset." She had spied his unpleasant expression, and that was why she'd approached.

Lan Jue shook his head. "It's nothing. A small matter."

Jin Yan smiled prettily. "Professor Lan, I didn't get a chance to thank you properly before Professor Wang joined us. Although I haven't the slightest idea what my brother had to go through, but he came back a completely changed person. My parents and I hardly believe it. I'm certain this is a result of something you did, so thank you very much. Jin Tao was lucky to meet you."

Lan Jue chuckled sheepishly, but said nothing.

Wang Hongyuan was like Jin Yan's shadow, never far away. He slid seamlessly in to their little gathering. Who knows how, but he must have arranged it so he could sit beside her on this journey.

"Hello Professors." He grinned wide at them.

Lan Jue greeted him with a flat stare. Jealousy was this guy's only motivation. He couldn't even seal the deal.

"Oh, Professor Wang. You were also looking for Professor Lan?" She cantered her head in curiosity as she looked his way.

Wang Hongyuan chortled. "No, no. I just saw the two of you talking and I figured I'd join. It's boring sitting in one place, and anyway we're all elective teachers. We have a commonality."

"You two chat," Lan Jue said, sighing inwardly at the inevitable. "I'm going to head back. Ugh, these long rides are rough.1"

Wang Hongyuan's pleading eyes had forced him to leave. It was impossible to find a quiet corner in this tiny ship! Lan Jue was beginning to regret coming with the school. If he'd known it'd be like this, he would have gone with the Wine Master. But that would have blown his cover.

He made his way back to his seat. He stopped upon encountering Tan Lingyuan. "My deepest apologies, Professor. Could I trouble you to let me pass?"

This time, thankfully, she said nothing – only got up and let him pass unmolested.

He slunk passed and crouched in to his chair once more. Immediately he was even more uncomfortable than he had been. However, as he was musing on his misfortune, he felt a hand tug on his right sleeve.

Turning his head, Lan Jue saw Zhou Qianlin quietly lift the armrest between them. She scooched closer to the window, giving him a blessed few more inches of space. A warm feeling spread through Lan Jue's chest. Although she didn't say anything, her actions spoke volumes. She really was a great girl!

Ships were constructed like this in consideration of couples. It was a nice feature that removed the obstacles between them during these long flights, so they could keep close and comfortable.

Without the armrest to constrain him, Lan Jue was able to spread out. His legs and elbows were able to separate enough so he could at least breathe. It was still uncomfortable, but who was he to reject such a kindness.

Naturally, the close quarters caused their arms to touch. The Spirit Caller gem warmed.

Lan Jue: Thank you.

Qianlin: Don't worry about it.

Lan Jue: I'm sorry, Qianlin. I was wrong before – I just reacted poorly to a sudden situation. I'm an adult, and there are certain things I've learned. I also know that we should always be looking forward. I've told myself endlessly that I need to begin my new life. But there's a part of me that remains, a root that sprouts when things get emotional. I silence it every day, but it always comes back. It's the part of me that never dies."

1. I'm not sure if I mentioned this, but train rides are a reality of life in China. They are far and away the primary means of getting around. These airships are sort of meant to evoke that, even more than airplanes. Every year during the New Year Festival, everyone has to return to their families, often across the country. Trains are the cheaper option, but you'll have people sitting on little more than benches for literally almost a week in some cases.

Chapter 343: Lan Jue's Lament

Lan Jue: You're an amazing girl, and I like you very much. You're perfect in so many ways. Had I met you before I met your sister, I'm sure I would have loved you as I love her. Like her, I wouldn't be able to give you up. But that's not the case. Your sister is gone, and she took my heart with her. Give me some time, please. I will never be able to forget her, but I'll keep trying to put the pain away. If I can, then my heart is yours. Any other way would be unfair to you. Will you wait for me?

Zhou Qianlin quietly listened to Lan Jue's confessions through the Spirit Caller gem. When she lifted her head, her eyes were puffy and red. Tears traced wet lines down her cheeks.

Don't cry. Don't cry. He told her through their soundless connection.

Qianlin: Who likes you, huh? Stop trying to make yourself feel better!

Lan Jue: You're right, I'm trying to make myself feel better. Don't cry!

Ah! The cry was from Zhou Qianlin. Lan Jue felt his whole body tense up and then, he was flying through the airship's fuselage.

Time slowed as he was in the air. He could clearly see Tan Lingyun's hand gripping his shoulder. That's what had pulled him up. He fought against his instinct, going through the many ways he might be able to free himself from this situation, but he'd break his cover.

"I…" Lan Jue had just enough time to lament his misfortune.

Bang! An instant later, he was a crumpled heap on the floor.

Tan Lingyun had 'gone easy,' at least considering what she was capable of. She'd only thrown him around through the air instead of doing any real damage. If she had chosen to use her full strength, it would have ended very poorly for Lan Jue.

All eyes were drawn to the sudden, dramatic turn of events. Tan Lingyun was on her feet, glaring down at the dizzy etiquette teacher. "Clearly you weren't paying attention to anything I said," she growled.

"I didn't do anything!" Lan Jue looked up at her, his face pained and pleading.

Tan Lingyun's eyes flashed dangerous, and she jabbed a finger toward Zhou Qianlin. "You didn't do anything? Why is the arm rest between you two up then, huh? Why is Qianlin crying? You absolutely did something!"

Her screaming had attracted the attention of nearly the entire airship. Everyone nearby were faculty from the school, and they looked on in shock from their seats. Wang Hongyuan and Jin Yan, who had just sat down, were especially stunned.

"You must be mistaken, Professor Tan." Jin Yan's pleasant voice spoke up, and she stepped forward to insert herself in the exchange. She reached down to help Lan Jue to his feet.

"The truth is right in front of us," she snarled. "How can I be mistaken? You mustn't be taken in by his appearance – this man is a cancer!"

The bile rising within him wouldn't be denied, and he couldn't help but speak up. "A cancer! I haven't done a single thing to you, ever! And yet you're always focusing your anger on me. I'm not bothering anyone!"

To this, Tan Lingyun huffed. "I can't stand weaklings like you. Such a little bitch."

"Alright, what's going on!" Just then, the air marshals onboard became involved.

The two gentlemen were tall, and carried powerful equipment to deal with trouble makers. The most frightening thing for any airship operator was encountering mischief in flight. As a result, the marshals were always well armed, and treated exceedingly well. They'd only been in the air for a short time, and with all this ruckus they came running in a hurry.

"You're just in time," Tan Lingyun said. "This man is bullying your passengers. I think he should be isolated. I refuse to fly with him."

"Me?!" Lan Jue's anger was bubbling out of his control. Her constant abuse and the unwanted attention was more than he could handle.

Before the marshal's could respond, a small sheepish voice interrupted. "That's not right. Professor Lan didn't do anything to me. You're mistaken, Professor Tan." This was, of course, Zhou Qianlin.

The Savage Goddess' brows furrowed. "Don't be scared, Qianlin. There's no need to try and placate this waste of space."

Qianlin continued. "No Professor, you're wrong. I was thinking about family matters, that's why I was crying. I pulled up the armrest so I could go to the bathroom. That's when you…"

Tan Lingyun looked at her skeptically. "Are you sure?"

"You forget that I was part of the ARC class, Professor," she answered. "He's weak, so even if he did want to do something, I'd be able to protect myself just fine."

Tan Lingyun couldn't refute the logic. Although Qianlin had been among the weakest of the ARC participants, but she had completed the entire program on her own. Compared to any normal person, she was far stronger.

Lan Jue's face alternated between a sickly green and a furious red. This was her plan? She was just as bad! She even looked pleased!

"I'm sorry, gentlemen. It looks like this was all a misunderstanding." By now Director Wu had finally deigned to intervene. He spoke to the two marshals. "These two are teachers from my university. They seem to be having some trouble getting along. I do apologize. We're sorry to trouble you. I'm the NEU teaching director, so I'll handle this from here. I'll make sure they don't cause any more trouble."

He was all smiles until the marshals left. This his face darkened dangerously as he looked toward Tan Lingyun.

"I have told you more times than I can count, Professor. You cannot just react, you need to understand before you decide to get involved! You're far too impulsive! Apologize to your co-worker! How could you treat him so poorly, then expect him to behave the way you like?"

Tan Linyun looked between Wu Junyi's face – dark as a thunderhead – to Lan Jue's murderous scowl. Her mouth curled in to a distasteful frown. "Sorry," she muttered.

Lan Jue ground his teeth so hard he thought they might shatter. If it hadn't had been for Director Wu's involvement, Lan Jue wasn't sure he'd be able to constrain himself much longer. This Savage Goddess was a damn nightmare! He had to train. He had to keep training until he got his strength back, then one day he'd show her how wrong she was.

"Hmph!" He stomped back to his seat without any of the degrading begging from before. He crumpled in to that uncomfortable position and yanked the armrest down between he and Zhou Qianlin.

Director Wu turned his attention to the cabin full of lookie-looes. "Alright. Get back to your seats, there' nothing to see here."

As he returned to his own seat, he sighed inwardly. Ah, Linyun, this woman… She was handed a golden opportunity, and made a mess of it. Can't she see how differently Qianlin looks at Lan Jue now? You've been around him for so long already, and you still you can't see what kind of person he is.

Of course, he couldn't tell her this. It was a thought he could share only with himself. Worse still, now the situation between Lan Jue and Tan Lingyun looked even more hopeless.

Lan Jue sulked quietly in his chair. He busied himself with conjuring up a hundred ways to torment Tan Lingyun. But alas, a proper man did not strike a woman. There would be no redemption for him. Moreover, though she had a very coarse exterior, Tan Lingyun was – somewhere deep inside – a good person. But these realizations only made Lan Jue more depressed. Taking out his frustrations on a good woman was even worse.

Alas, this woman was his bane. He was absolutely sure the only way to fix the situation was to stay away as far away as possible.

Lan Jue once more felt a light touch at his right shoulder. Lan Jue remained absolutely still, as though he never felt anything at all.

She tapped him again. Then her voice came through the Spirit Caller gem.

Qianlin: Are you upset?

Lan Jue: No.

Qianlin: It was Professor Tan who threw you. Why are you upset with me?

Lan Jue: Don't think I didn't see that smirk of yours when that whole thing was happening!

That's right, I was just letting off some steam. Sometimes I wish I could beat you myself.

…

Qianlin covered her mouth, and forcibly choked back a laugh.

Lan Jue: No! Wait!!

Qianlin snickered, shoving him lightly with her shoulder.

Watcha gunna do about it?

Me? Lan Jue silently stretched out a hand and placed it on one of Qianlin's long thin legs.

Suddenly Qianlin's self-satisfied smirk froze. Strangely, her first reaction was not to push Lan Jue's hand away – instead, her eyes immediately shot toward Tan Lingyun. She used her sweater to hide his hand.

The temperamental woman was not paying attention. Her eyes were closed as she rested. She didn't seem the least upset by Director Wu's rebuke, and it was unlikely she took anything he'd said to heart.

Qianlin: What are you doing?! Let go.

Lan Jue: Shit, I already have a bad reputation. I might as well try a few bad things!

Qianlin: Let go or I'll scream!

Lan Jue: Go ahead.

Qianlin: You seem to be forgetting something.

Lan Jue: Oh yeah? What's that?

Gzzt! The cocky Lan Jue felt a jolt of electricity sear up his arm, forcing him to instinctively retracted his hand. Half his body went numb.

He did forget. The moment they touch, Qianlin becomes his equal.

The airship continued on its way, ignorant of the drama occurring within. It entered light speed a little while later, where they would remain for a day's time as they reached the next jump point.

Lan Jue nested in his seat, about as uncomfortable as one could get. He didn't dare open the armrest between himself and Qianlin now, after what had happened. He was legitimately terrified of Tan Lingyun. Getting thrown around wasn't a big deal. The worst was the disgrace! What a loss of face!

The trip and excitement had exhausted many of the passenger, who now were also feeling the discomfort of economy class. Zhou Qianlin was asleep beside him, unknowingly leaned against him with her head on his shoulder. Her body felt soft, and a sweet fragrance surrounded her. Finally, he thought, something peaceful and gentle in this trial of a journey.

Tan Lingyun saw it, too, and watched with a strange look in her eye. She wasn't stupid, and the moment she heard Qianlin's defense of Lan Jue she knew something was up.

Seeing the young girl leaning against him made it even clearer. There was definitely something strange about their relationship!

Chapter 344: Cosmic Turbulence

Her very first thought was that he wasn't worth Zhou Qianlin's affection. Although Tan Lingyun was herself a women, she recognized how attractive the girl was. More than that, she was also smart, and had a good character. After the ARC classes she was tougher, too. In essence, she was the pillar upon which the ARC class had stood. More than once Tan Lingyun had told those young men on the brink of collapse to look Qianlin's way. That was enough to have them dig deeper.

But she couldn't for the life of her understand why a girl like Zhou Qianlin would like a man like Lan Jue. As far as she was concerned, the man had no redeeming qualities. He taught a pointless subject, was exceedingly weak – except for passable looks, there was nothing special about him. Did the girl not understand that she needed to find a strong man? Looking the way she did, there must be many suitable men interested in her!

But to each their own, she supposed, and it didn't seem like Director Wu cared. What could she do about it? Act like she didn't see it. Out of sight, out of mind. So she closed her eyes, and went to sleep.

Lan Jue slept as well, though his was hard won. His dreams were fragmented, choppy, anxiety-ridden visions.

After some indeterminate amount of time, most of the sleeping travelers were rudely jostled away as the airship shuddered violently.

What was going on?

Space flight was very different from atmospheric travel. Space was almost complete emptiness, and that meant smooth travels. Of course, any problems were serious and deadly matters out in this endless vacuum.

Qianlin and Lan Jue woke up as well with the others. They exchanged a look before settling properly in their seats. Zhou Qianlin sat up quickly, but it took Lan Jue some considerable amount of effort to find an acceptable position. All the while he could feel… something.

The cabin was filled with a pleasant ding as the announcement system came online.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen. We seem to have encountered some cosmic turbulence. We'd like to ask all passengers to return to their seats at this time, and to ensure their safety belts are securely fastened. We repeat, we've encountered some cosmic turbulence. Passengers should return to their seats and fasten their safety belts now. Thank you."

Cosmic Turbulence? The phrase caused Lan Jue's features to sour. While many average flyers may not know precisely what cosmic turbulence was, Lan Jue was very familiar with it. He'd encountered it before.

Cosmic turbulence was a special sort of interstellar phenomenon, where bands of plasma sweep through the void between galaxies. They also often followed the passage of large moving bodies, like comets. Flights like theirs shouldn't encounter cosmic turbulence, because their flight paths were specifically calculated to avoid it. But now that they had, there was considerable risk to consider. These bands of turbulence covered enormously large swaths of space – avoiding it would be very difficult.

Lan Jue stopped worrying over propriety, and leaned over Qianlin to look out her window. He was practically squeezing the poor girl back against her seat.

His eyes were met by the blackness of space, but in the far distance was a faint twinkling light. In its center was a little black dot.

It was too vague to be seen clearly. Lan Jue's heart rate quickened.

Zhou Qianlins voice invaded his thoughts: Is everything alright?

Lan Jue: I don't know. If it's space debris causing some turbulence than it isn't a big issue. If it's an comet, though, we're in trouble. The impact force from something like that would obliterate this ship, even with its shields.

Bang! Once again the ship rocked violently. A milky white light shimmered just outside Qianlin's window – they'd engaged the ships shields.

Shields were costly when it came to energy. Often they were left off unless absolutely necessary. If they were on, it meant the danger was real.

Tan Lingyun had pressed herself closer a well, though she couldn't see anything.

"Get out of the way!" She snarled and yanked him back, forcing Lan Jue to fall in to his seat. She wanted a look, but she also wanted to keep the creep away from Qianlin. She leaned over him to get a peak outside. Little did she know, the pose gave Lan Jue quite an unexpected eyeful of her full chest.

Lan Jue's eyes nearly popped from his skull, and he whipped his head away quick enough to give himself whiplash. See no evil! He screamed in his head. See no evil!

Qianlin didn't notice. She was nervously peering at the darkness outside.

"There's an object in the plasma wave." Tan Lingyun was a master in this regard, and began to recite her analysis. Her face grew more and more troubled.

Bang–! The sound of impact rattled through the cabin, and the whole ship pitched sideways a few degrees. Cries rippled through the passengers, their alarmed expressions stark in the blazing light of the shields.

"No good. If this keeps up we're in real trouble." From the last strike, Lan Jue knew they could only hold out for so long. If impacts like that continued, they'd be smashed to bits.

Lan Jue shoved Tan Lingyun out of the way and sprang to his feet. A hand shot out toward Zhou Qianlin. "Come with me!"

She didn't hesitate for a moment. She swept passed the Savage Goddess to Lan Jue's side.

"Where the hell are you two going?" Tang Lingyun challenged in surprise. She rose to her feet as well and hurried after them. The rest of the passengers where stricken with panic, and didn't notice the three of them run off.

Wu Junyi saw Lan Jue streak by, and sighed in relief as he watched him go. Surely this meant he had a solution, and the airship's bridge was where he looked to be headed.

Everyone was locked in their seats, the marshals included. Lan Jue had no obstacles as he raced across the whole of the ship to the front cabin. The bridge was right in front of them.

"What do you think you're doing?" Several marshals sitting in the front row shot to their feet and blocked further passage.

Lan Jue came to a halt. His voice was urgent. "I'm a pilot. I know what's going on outside, and if you don't let me in there that turbulence is going to tear us apart."

"Hell no!" A grizzled older marshal spat. "This is a restricted area, authorized personnel only. Return to your seat immediately, or we'll be forced to assist you."

Lan Jue didn't fault them, and in fact praised their dedication. The worst thing in a crisis was chaos, and these men were preventing that. There was no shirking their duties.

Their tasers were already in hand. Lan Jue just needed to take one more step forward, and they'd pounce.

Lan Jue couldn't hesitate – lives were at risk. If their ship were to explode he'd survive, thanks to Thor. But he could only save one other! Even then, even knowing their coordinates, the likelihood that Thor could bring them to an inhabited planet before running out of juice was impossibly small.

This was it. He could no longer hide his strength. Something needed to be done.

Just then, he felt a hand clap down on his shoulder.

"Are you really a pilot?" The voice belonged to Tan Lingyun.

Lan Jue's head snapped around, and he nodded his head emphatically.

Tan Lingyun's voice was resolute. "Alright. I'll believe you this once." She pulled Lan Jue behind her as she spoke. As they exchange places, a vibrant green energy bloomed out around her. Four beams of emerald light fell over the marshals and froze them in place.

After the ARC classes, Tan Lingyun could feel that she was at the peak of eighth rank now. Ninth rank was separated by a thin wall, one she knew she would soon puncture. Although these marshals were also Adepts, they clearly were no match for her.

"Hurry!" Tan Lingyun shouted to Lan Jue. He shot her a thumbs up and then, pulling Qianlin after him,strode toward the bridge.

The bridge door flew open as they were about to reach it. A man bearing a laser pistol barred the way. "No one move, or I start shooting!"

He looked like the co-pilot, based on his clothing. He must had heard the ruckus outside and came to investigate.

He was no more effective than the marshals, and shared their fate. Another beam of light arose to stop him from moving. He'd actually managed to fire his gun, but the energy couldn't pierce through Tan Lingyun's Discipline.

Lan Jue and Qianlin raced passed.

This airship's bridge had space for thirteen crew. There was, of course, the captain and co-pilot. Aside from them were shield operators, piloting personnel, engineers and others. Each of them were responsible for their section, and all together they managed the enormous ship. Right now, each one looked increasingly more nervous than the last. The entire bridge was surrounded by windows, so they saw everything coming their way.

Lan Jue looked out in to space, and sucked in a breath. What he saw was precisely what he hoped he wouldn't.

Several massive comets where headed their way, with blazing tails that extended kilometers back in their wake.

"Who the hell are you people?" The captain was a man who looked to be in his sixties. His voice was harsh and threatening.

"I'm a battleship pilot," Lan Jue said. "You aren't prepared to handle this turbulence. Please let me take over."

"Horse shit! And how are you going to prove your identity, huh?" He asked angrily.

Tan Lingyun had joined them, and stepped forward. Once again beams of vibrant green light exploded from her. "I'm an eighth rank talent, and I'm confirming his identity."

Lan Jue begrudgingly praised Tan Lingyun, though he would never say anything. Despicable as she was, you could count on her in a pinch. She didn't even know why herself, but she trusted him in this dire moment. That wasn't something many people did.

BOOM! The entire ship shook, and rocked fiercely to the side. The captain staggered a few steps before catching himself. His eyes shot to the shield control array. The screen flashed a glaring red warning. Their energy stores were almost depleted.

"Captain, the incoming comets are far more densely packed. What is your order?"