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Chapter 875: The Terminator's Undead Sorcery

The Terminator knew it'd come to the end, he'd prepared for it. If he hesitated any longer it would be too late. At least he wouldn't let his failure become the end for his allies. He could die proud of that fact.

"Your Majesty, wait a moment." Lan Jue pleaded.

From the outbreak of war they'd lost Satan, Xiuxiu, and most recently the Pontiff. There were so few of them left. If the Terminator… The realization was like a dagger to the heart, but he couldn't think of a good excuse to give the Paragon.

"Take care of Chu Cheng, he is the North's last hope. If you defeat the aliens, help him do what he must." The Terminator's voice was calm, with little emotion. It was Lan Jue who felt his heart sink with these final wishes.

He couldn't summon the words to ask him to stop. Now was the time for action, or the chance to make the Terminator's death mean something would pass.

The Conclave's leader took a deep breath. Suddenly his body surged, and a crackling light like electricity radiated from his dark gold skin. The strange and unexpected scene caused the Queen's avatar to shiver. She flicked her wrist and the threads of purple light she wielded gathered together to protect her. Chu Cheng's attacks could not get through, and she hoped it would be the same for whatever Terminator was planning.

Golden light shone from the convert's eyes. All of a sudden his aura burst out like a torrent and a burning shell of golden light sprang up. In horror they watched as his protogenia consumed him. The Terminator was his own Domain, and as it turned in on him his skin and muscles melted away. In the same moment the bones beneath grew, and in a few short breaths the Terminator had become an enormous golden skeleton.

"This is…" The Keeper, so wise and learned, gasped when he saw what was happening. He vaguely remembered seeing something like this in an ancient text.

"Undead Sorcery!" The Bookworm blurted out, completing the Keeper's thought.

Yes, undeath! The Keeper recalled learning about it. But to his knowledge it was an ancient Discipline from the West. They were called Necromancer, and their goal was to understand life through death. When a Necromancer reached the end of their natural lifespan they sought to become undead, and thus live forever to continue their dark studies.

A necromancer might also choose undeath if, in the course of their experiments, they suffered grave injuries. The process was irreversible, and the moment the Necromancer shed their body they were no longer human. They belonged to the ranks of the dead.

But in all his research the Keeper had never heard of someone becoming undead in the middle of a fight – much less seen it.

Relying on what he could sense the Keeper realized the Terminator was filtering all the energy of his body into his skeleton. It made the Terminator stronger, though beyond that the old researcher couldn't tell how else it affected him. It went without saying this process made the Terminator a terrifying force on the battlefield. He now commanded the power of the Infinite.

Boom--! With one punch the shield Queen had created broke apart into a thousand pieces. The Terminator's eyes were the only flesh of his to remain, and in their depths burned the indomitable force of his soul. He reached forth with his bony hands to try and snatch up the avatar, and where they passed great fissured appeared in the fabric of space-time.

The Terminator also kicked a foot, but this was aimed at Chu Cheng. He knocked the young Paragon away from him and toward where the Pharmacist was fighting.

Queen's avatar whipped the threads of purple to create another barrier. She channeled her Creation and Destruction Domain around her in total defense.

But to her shock and horror, the Terminator's bony hands suffered nothing when they reached into her Domain. Neither the powers of creation nor destruction seemed to apply to this golden skeleton on any level.

Boom! Queen was flung away with the force of the punch leaving behind a caustic purple mist. He'd wounded her badly. However the Terminator also paused. He couldn't maintain this unnatural form for long.

"AGGHH!!" The North's ultimate Paragon, leader of the Great Conclave, heaved with a roar that threatened to deafen everyone nearby. Once more his skeletal form blazed with golden light and became a thousand ghostly copies. All at once they swarmed Queen, cutting off any means of escape.

No one could have guessed the Terminator possessed such a ghastly and potent ability, not the aliens nor the other humans. It was a skill that would cost the man his life, but might also turn the tide of battle. The Queen's avatar was currently lost beneath the myriad copies of Terminator assailing her.

Lan Jue was the only one who could sense that the Terminator's life force was gone. It was the power of his spirit that sustained him, but only for this final onslaught.

If it could be said that the Pontiff's sacrifice galvanized their fighting spirit, the Terminator's downfall set their blood to boiling. The Keeper and Bookworm exchanged a silent look, and each saw the determination in the other's eyes. The Avenue's old scientist extended his right hand, and the Bookworm took it with his left.

"You old queer, what are you grabbing my hand for?!" [2. Queer seemed the least offensive. In China the term for homosexual is 'glass people' – I'm not sure why.] His words were harsh, but he gripped his friend's hand tightly.

Their bodies began to shine brightly – a clear and brilliant light like the sun shining through crystal.

Humanity couldn't be allowed to lose this fight. If they did all of mankind would be lost. If the Terminator was willing to kill himself to slaughter his enemies, the other Paragons were unfaltering in their will to do the same.

ξ

"We ourselves are an ultimate weapon. I must admit, it feels good." The Bookworm mused.

The Keeper chortled. "What's this 'we', eh? I. You can't do the sort of damage I can if you turn yourself into a weapon."

The Bookworm's famous temper flared. "You old coot. What's the point in being so competitive at your age. I've already made up my mind, either we succeed or I'm going down fighting. I've lived long enough, I've experienced all I want to. To be as old as us and not die in stealing from the young! What say you to that?"

The Keeper proudly answered. "I hope it does come to this, then we'll see who dies in front of whom, eh?!"

Scornfully the Bookworm spat back. "How can you be such a coward? So afraid of death!"

He replied with a chilly laugh. "Fear of death, laughable. The youth of Skyfire Avenue have grown wise and strong. When the old hands like me die they'll be around to support what we've built. Dying to give them an opportunity is a worthy cause. I just want to make sure I take at least a couple of those bastard aliens with me."

The Bookworm waggled his hands together in front of the Keeper's face, held together like a turtle. "Well the first one to chicken out is one of these!" [3. If you call someone a turtle it's sort of like 'bastard', but used more specifically it can mean cuckold – ones wife is cheating on him. I guess 'cuck' is the modern Western equivalent, though I feel gross just writing it since it's used largely by e-peen waving trolls and morons.]

ξ

"No!" Lan Jue screamed at them to stop but couldn't free himself from his own fight.

The Keeper shot his young friend a look, paired with a haughty smirk. With a brazen wave of goodbye he took a step forward. Both he and the Bookworm were suddenly positioned above their section of the battlefield.

The three Nirvana-levels aliens they fought against had begun to win. However they stopped their attack in surprise once the two elder scientists appeared overhead. They had seen what was happening to the Queen's avatar. Evidently these humans were capable of mad feats of destruction when on the brink of death, and it frightened them.

But these avatars were different from the Prince and Princess. They were copies of Monarch, Queen and Consort who demanded those Banishing Blades captured. They would not flee, not when their mission went unfulfilled.

Their Creation and Destruction Domain flared and swallowed up a portion of the space around them. They launched forward full bore, attacking the Pharmacist and her allies with abandon.

The eyes of every Avenue Paragon were wet. The Keeper and Bookworm were old, but no one could replace what they meant to Skyfire and the East as a whole. They were the top minds of their Alliance, who had given selflessly and enormously to all mankind. Insights into Middle Heaven's molinite core were due to them. There was a long time they didn't work together, but that didn't mean either ever ceased working to uncover the secrets of the universe.

Now war had come to claim them, and no one could stop it.

The two mad scientists cackled as they embraced, despite a lifetime of bitter rivalry. The white light around them rose until it was too intense to look upon.

Two white dots appeared within two of the monsters below. The aliens felt themselves go numb, when suddenly a staggering sense of danger overwhelmed their senses. IT was so frightening they felt the urge to flee despite Monarch's directive.

But the Pharmacist and other would not allow it. Thousands of copies of Occisus appeared in the space around them, coming in on all sides and preventing the aliens from going anywhere.

Chapter 876: Lan Qing Arrives!

"Unacceptable!" A rich and commanding voice boomed around them, and a golden light shone down from on high to encase the Keeper and Bookworm.

The two old men had primed all the remaining energy in their body. Through some means they'd targeted two of the enemy and were preparing a blast that'd erase their foes from existence. Yet when the golden light enveloped them they felt a sense of warmth and comfort and the raging tide of energy within them eased. The powers of both men returned harmlessly to their respective Cores.

"Leave them to me!" A figure raced passed the two stunned old researchers. A golden-turquoise light sparkled in their eyes as they watched a wondrous Buddha appear from nowhere seated in the midst of the fighting.

"Great Spiritual Mantra!" The guttural chant rang out like a bell, and everything seemed to calm. All of the pain, anger and disquiet in the hearts of the Paragons was assuaged, and stopped the alien monsters in their tracks.

An enormous blue, green and gold hand came crashing down from above to strike at the central avatar attacking the Pharmacist. It lifted its arms to try and ward it off.

Boom--! The figure that had come with the Buddha's hand was knocked back. But the alien did not come away unscathed. A flicker of turquoise light burns in its palm before, suddenly, the beast's whole arm cracked down the middle.

Excitement glinted in the Pharmacist's eyes. She'd been waiting for this opportunity, and reacted by lashing out with Occisus. Guided by the turquoise light the copies of her sword wrapped together, became a single cohesive beam of energy and struck!

Thump! A pair of deep gashes appeared on the avatar's shoulder, and a murderous aura ripped through it. Screaming in pain, the monster was blasted away.

Suddenly three enemies became two, and the remaining Paragons redoubled their attacks. What's more, the Keeper and Bookworm had put a deep fear in them after nearly detonating themselves to achieve victory.

The figure that had so suddenly arrived returned to the two old men. Lan Qing regarded them both.

He looked at each and gave them a nod of respect. Without saying a word he was off, descending to help the Pharmacist. At some point a shimmering blade had appeared in his hand. Ultus, the greatest weapon of the gods!

Lan Qing's sudden arrival caused the humans' morality to soar. In the distance the Terminator's final strike was about to land.

The myriad golden skeletons eventually melded back into one and the Terminator's form reappeared in its entirety. Queen's avatar also reappeared, only not as she had been. Her upper half was securely caught in the Terminator's bony maw. Her lower half floated through space in several pieces.

The golden light in the skeleton's eyes had begun to dim. His mission accomplished, he raced off toward Chu Cheng.

"Your Majesty!" Chu Cheng cried out and rushed forward to meet the light. By the time they reached each other the Terminator had gone from the size of a starship to no larger than a hand. Chu Cheng caught him instinctively, now only a skull. The light in its eyes had gone out, but clenched tight in its bony jaws was a twinkling gemstone. The avatar's vital crystal.

The Terminator had put every ounce of his body and soul toward destroying that monster. He succeeded, but all that remained were his inert remains. Just as the Keeper and Bookworm had come to terms with dying, he'd prepared for this eventuality. Few knew that the Terminator was more than just the strongest Northern Adept, but also its foremost scientist. He'd done all his research under an assumed name to keep the secret. No one was more proficient in the art of conversion than he.

After achieving Nirvana the Terminator underwent a series of physical upgrades. He happily used the new powers available to him in order to improve upon his construction. Of course as his cultivation grew so did his abilities.

The Terminator's final secret was one even Lan Jue was surprised to discover. The energy that had come from that golden skeleton was nothing short of stupefying. In reality the Terminator hadn't even developed it for use against the aliens. The home worlds hadn't even appeared when he had it installed.

At the time Skyfire Avenue's Adept superiority had begun to be revealed. He needed an answer, especially since the North had a history of harassing the East. What would happen if war should break out, he thought? What if he were to face the strongest of Skyfire Avenue, or even Jue Di? This awful but effective result was what he came up with.

But the state of the universe had changed dramatically since then. In the end his secret weapon was turned against the enemies of mankind and not his fellows, though his mind was ever on the North and the Conclave he commanded. His skeletal form was a sort of god weapon, strange and unique, which was then bequeathed to Chu Cheng along with an Infinite-level vital crystal. The Terminator's final message was clear. Protect the Great Conclave!

Another of the might Infinite-level aliens had fallen. As a result, things began to change rapidly on the field. Lan Qing's arrival was the final straw to tip the balance in humanity's favor.

Had the Terminator not used his life to earn them an advantage the Queen's avatar would have been Lan Qing's first target. Even then, there was no guarantee that they would have been able to take the alien down. The other flanks would still have been in danger of succumbing. But with one of their top warriors dead, the balance of power shifted.

Xiuxiu. The Pontiff. The Terminator. Mankind had suffered terribly from this sneak attack. But the aliens had also lost two of their own, and two of their strongest along with the vital crystals that empowered them.

Lan Qing's face was grim as he and the Pharmacist fought shoulder to shoulder. His understanding of Ultus was minimal at best, but he could still feel the blade reacting to Occisus. Whether it was the keen power of Lan Qing's weapon or the bloodthirsty aura of Occisus, both godblades were stronger together than they were apart. Perhaps not as strong as the Harmonious Swords, but a mighty force nonetheless.

The Keeper and Bookworm still held one another above the fray. The Bookworm snorted. "That was quite the trick up the Terminator's sleeves. That meathead really pulled it off! Certainly worthy of respect."

The Keeper nodded in agreement. "Indeed! He died a hero. But we're still alive, beyond all expectations. What was this young punk doing, stopping us!"

"Eh? Why the hell are you so close to me! Have you been eating garlic? Agh!" The Bookworm said through a scowl.

"Bullshit, you were the one eating garlic! You wrinkly bastard, get away from me!"

Both men released one another at the same time and separated by a handful of meters. Yet as though still of one mind the two of them lifted their hands and fired off shots of their Positron Canon at the nearby avatars.

The Bookworm and Keeper attacked from above, while the Gods of Wine helped from below. Nearby Hua Li lent his powers. Lan Qing and the Pharmacist fought within their midst.

Lan Qing was only a Reflection of Heaven and Earth, but one could not discount the might of his lineage. The dharmic image of Vairochana frightened the aliens. As the light of the Buddha blazed, and the aura of their godly weapons swelled, the pressure lain upon these monsters continued to grow. This went double for the Monarch avatar that was already injured.

The Terminator's sacrifice also affected Lan Jue deeply.

He'd always been cautious of the Northern leader. There always existed the possibility that he would turn against the East, and he'd proven that. However, at the same time he admired the master of the Great Conclave. He was willing to do whatever it took to protect his people, up to and including giving his own life. The blood he gave didn't only help his people, but all people. Was this not a gift to be cherished?

In addition, Lan Qing's arrival meant the four Banishing Blades were finally together, with masters to wield them. Though they could not yet employ the Banishing Strategy just being in close proximity amplified them all. Three golden runes blazed on Captus and Demortus now, and their glow further strengthened the ones who wielded them. All of a sudden the tables had turned.

The change was not decisive, but things were beginning to turn in their favor. The Violet Prince's face had grown dark and anxious. He knew that if things continued along this path they would fail, and likely face more losses.

Their aim was not to destroy the humans but to recover at least one of their weapons. He had to see it done, and quickly.

The Prince quickly cast his eyes around the battlefield, and they eventually fell upon Lan Qing. He knew it at a glance; the sword that human wielded was the one stolen from Monarch!

When he realized it the Prince belched a roar. Space around him quivered as the powers of creation and destruction swapped. His body vanished.

Even the Photographer, with her mastery of space-time, was caught off guard. The method he used to transfer was completely different from hers. Somehow the monster used the gap between creation and destruction to leap small distances.

Chapter 877: A Radical Reversal

A flash of purple light appeared behind Lan Qing. The Prince appeared, reaching out for the admiral's back. With all the power of Infinity behind it, if the strike landed Lan Qing would be done for.

Luo Xianni chased after the monster, right on his heels. Now the Violet Prince was in a difficult position, for if he chose to focus on Lan Qing and land his attack he left himself open to vengeance from Luo Xianni.

But he had no option. Getting the sword was paramount. No one was prepared for the sudden shift in battlefield dynamics.

Lan Qing felt something wasn't right, even before the flood of Creation and Destruction Domain stopped him from moving. The difference in strength between them was too great, he couldn't extricate himself from the trap.

It was during this life-threatening moment that Ultus reacted. The sword became a streak of light that arced backward behind Lan Qing to swipe at his enemy. Just a single reaction, but the keen power of the godblade forced the Violet Prince to react.

Lan Qing wasn't the only one who could wield Ultus. It possessed the spirit of Li Ke, and the former master could also exact a measure of control.

Li Ke was different from Jun Yongye or Xuanyuan Shishi. The latter spirits were created by the sword and shared the will of the weapon. They were a part of the godblades, and were controlled rather than controllers. The sword was their master.

Li Ke, on the other hand, was once master. His unfortunate death forced him to emblazon his spirit within the weapon. With the mark of his soul in the blade he could manifest his will through it.

This independent will was exercised when Lan Qing was frozen. At the key moment Li Ke – through Ultus – struck back. Linked with Lan Qing's will and the power he contained, he acted as an extension so that they were not defenseless.

The Violet Prince made a quick determination and broke off his attack. This time he would be denied.

Although he would have gravely injured or killed Lan Qing, the riposte from Ultus would have likely wounded him in return. The sword would remain out of reach. Luo Xianni would have quickly followed, and with her strength she would have dealt a blow he might not be able to recover from. The tradeoff wasn't worth it.

Lan Qing's face was calm but a cold sweat had broken out along his back. He knew he'd been inches from death. But he was an admiral, and the shock of nearly losing his life was quickly pushed aside. His eyes flashed, and he began to give orders through targeted acoustics, delivered only to the target of his commands.

One could not forget that Lan Qing was more than an admiral. He was a preeminent warrior of the Eastern Alliance, and a Divine Monarch. He had led his brothers in the contest against Star Alliance guided by the Clairvoyant and nearly won, and he did it through control of the battlefield. His wisdom and talent of command could be applied wherever it was needed.

The flow of battle continued to change. The Driver and his eight companions broke off from trading blows with Monarch's Infinite-level avatar. Two identical particle beams swept by and kept the beast from moving and allowed the Paragons to regroup.

Lan Qing ordered everyone together. This served to protect him, but also to set them up to be more effectively organized.

"Prajna-paramita!" Lan Qing muttered the mantra which summoned his dharmic image. The admiral's body swelled while the power of the Buddha caused the Creation and Destruction Domain encasing him to grow translucent.

A clock appeared in Vairochana's hand that shimmered with a rainbow of colors. Time began to act erratically.

Everyone focused on four enemies; Monarch's strongest avatar and the three Nirvana-level doppelgangers. One of them was already wounded.

Luo Xianni continued to grapple with the Prince. Their clash had only become more intense.

The four avatars gathered together and eyed their opponents warily. Their instinct told them to flee, but that was not an option. The home worlds demanded success or death.

Monarch's strongest avatar lifted its arms toward the sky, and a golden-purple light sprang up around it. The other three pressed close. Together, the aura of their power swelled in defiance.

The Paragons didn't hesitate. First to react was not Lan Qing nor the Pharmacist. It was the Driver. He had chosen one of his previous names to adopt as his Paragon title – the Voltaic Wraith. He'd always liked it.

Flashes of purple Primordial Lightning lit up space, a marvelous and frightening display. Its power was palpable as it spread across the field. Pressure descended upon the four avatars, so intense it started to influence their own aura. Flashes of Primordial Lightning continued to ripple in the darkness but were not directed at the monsters yet. Their presence was intended to suppress.

Lan Qing and the Pharmacist shot forward to the head of the group of Paragons. They seemed determined to face the avatars two on four.

A beam of gentle blue light fell upon them. Their aura expanded as though full with water – Poseidon's amplification. Another pool of blue light appeared after the Primordial Lightning began to flash, but this amalgamation of power gathered around the feet of the avatars. It gripped them like a mire, preventing them from moving.

These monsters were powerful, and individually these attacks did not amount to much. However, as they came one upon the other their influence compounded. Uncertainty gripped them as they felt themselves slipping deeper into trouble. The strongest of them was forced to react.

Its attack was measured, a punch that released an orb of Creation and Destruction power about the size of a rice bowl. The punch was directed at Lan Qing, for he held the sword stolen from Monarch. The home world's command was to direct their strength against the human admiral and recover the sword. Once it was in hand they were instructed to retreat.

Tactically they planned to weaken him with a series of attacks. Then once he couldn't defend himself any longer they would attack all at once and claim their prize.

There was a flash of silver and then, without warning, all of the humans were simply gone. No trace remained of the humans, their swords, or the powers they employed.

On shaky footing and with the battle turning against them, the avatar was cautious. Lan Qing was its target, but it did not use its full strength. When that silver light flashed it felt its psychic lock erased. With no target in sight its attack sped off into space.

Then the light flashed again, and suddenly the avatars were surrounded.

Countless thorny vines reached from the darkness of space attempting to wrap up the avatars. Purple light flashed from around their leader and burned the creepers to ash.

The last thing the aliens wanted was to be surrounded. With nowhere to turn Monarchs avatar gathered the others and together they tried to break the encirclement. It was confident in success, for although the enemy was strong and in greater numbers they couldn't contend against its overwhelming power.

Before they could reach an edge the interior of the encirclement became thickly populated with threads of red light. Suddenly their feet were caught, and when the avatars looked down they saw silver space-time fissures as the threads of red light tightly gripping their legs. Before they could react an orb of marbled light surrounded them that slowed the passage of time to a crawl.

In less time than it took for fear to grip them, the avatars were weakened, captured and under enemy control. Despite their lofty powers these monsters were stuck. Their only option was to rely on their Domain, and hope they were strong enough to overpower the forces arrayed against them.

Their plan had been a good one, and likely effective if left unchecked. But their dramatic break had been brought to a standstill.

The Infinite-level Paragon's eyes had gone from a deep purple to a brilliant gold. In this fight its cultivation was second to none, no human could contend against it. The monster pressed ahead with indomitable force to burst through the impediments.

At last the hindrances were breached, it was through. The avatar seared across the darkness of space as a beam of purple light, only stopping when it was time miles from the trap. A second followed close on his heels, then a third.

"Hm?" The avatar felt something was amiss and looked back to where the humans waited.

None of them gave chase, and in fact remained right where they'd been. Finally the monster noticed its three companions were now only two.

Chapter 878: Synchronicity

Chapter 878: Synchronicity

Moments after Monarch's avatar realized something was amiss, a hailstorm of light descended on its absent companion. Before the beast could react, one of its allies was gone.

In the moments after the strongest of the avatars broke encirclement, its three companions also sought to follow. The first two succeeded, but the third was cut off by two searing lights that blocked its escape.

The first was turquoise – Ultus, the greatest of godblades. It was joined by the white and murderous blaze of Occisus. They were wielded by the Harbinger Faerie and the Peerless Light Emperor of Middle Heaven. What chance did this single Nirvana-level creature have?

The two columns of light closed out a vast swath of area. Next the almost pitiful beast was put down by the collective ire of the Paragons. None of the humans in that crowd had achieved Nirvana, but they were Paragons nonetheless! What's more, the deadly power wielded by Lan Qing and the Pharmacist was no less than a Nirvana-level warrior.

Beneath the hail of protogenia, assailed by the cutting power of Ultus and Occisus murderous will, the monster could only watch death come. It took no longer than a single breath and one of the alien elite was torn to pieces. Its vital crystal was extricated and captured.

Ten seconds had passed since Lan Qing joined in their battle. Already one Nirvana-level monster was dead. Could the addition of a single Paragon really make such a dramatic difference? The answer, of course, was no. The difference was tactics.

Monarch's Infinite-level avatar watched the scene unfold. It wanted to flee, but the will of Monarch was steadfast. Desperate for the sword, the distant home world forced its representative on, charging at Lan Qing.

Radiant golden-purple light burned around it. The beast was ready to risk its life for the cause, for recovering Ultus was worth all they'd lost and more. Its task would be complete.

But once the Paragons destroyed the avatar they scattered like leaves on an autumn wind. They fled in all different directions. On a planet their choices were limited, but out here in space they were given free range. The remaining three were each mighty in their own right, but in the end were but three against many. They were limited in the area they could cover.

Lan Qing made his way toward Lan Jue and Zhou Qianlin. The Pharmacist chose a path that brought her toward the Violet Prince and Luo Xianni. The remaining Paragons had no readily discernible target.

Monarch's avatar stuck to Lan Qing without thought. Its dogged pursuit for Ultus was an obsession.

Lan Qing arrived at La Jue's side quickly, his brother's Boundless Starlight Domain opened to let him in. In a blink of pink light the Pharmacist also appeared. She'd raced toward Luo Xianni and right into a portal of her making that conveyed the Harbinger Faerie here.

Turquoise, white, red and blue; incisive, savage, controlling and nimble. The four Banishing Blades were raised in unison. Each of them gleamed their tell-tale light and as they turned upon the three headed six armed abomination, the monster felt as though its soul was being torn asunder.

Lan Qing was only a Reflection of Heaven and Earth. However his appearance on the field was more than just the addition of another Paragon, he brought with him the final piece of the Banishing Blades.

Back on Middle Heaven the four weapons were gathered, but Ultus did not have a living master. Even then the power they released shocked the whole fleet. Now the swords and their bearers were together to create a cacophonous rhapsody, calling forth tremendous power and supplementing one another's strength.

This was not the Banishing Strategy, but a glimpse of what it could achieve. When these godblades were together the pillars of heaven shook and its denizens reduced to bones. This was not the Banishing Strategy, but they were frightening enough as it was.

For the first time the alien avatars could see what the blades were capable of. Time slowed to an ominous crawl as the hydra watched Lan Qing, Lan Jue, the Pharmacist, and Zhou Qianlin point at it with their swords. Pressure mounted as the lights collected at their tips.

Run! It was the only thought in the monster's brain. It had to protect its life if it wanted to get those swords. This logic seemed to agree with it and the alien lurched backward to flee – anything to get out of the blades' path.

Much to the monster's surprise it felt freed. The Boundless Starlight Domain and the ethereal lightning that had weakened it were gone. All the tension vanished and suddenly it was filled with a sense of comfort and confidence. Risking a moment to turn back and look, it saw that the swords' lights had turned away. Captus' red glare led them in an entirely different direction.

Captus' power was turned through the power of Taiji's Deflect and Punch technique. Its altered course brought the others in tow toward a new target – Monarch's strongest avatar.

At Infinite-level the avatar was superior to its fellows. It was faster as well as stronger, and had reacted before any of the others in its pursuit of Lan Qing. The two remaining Nirvana-level companions were yet to catch up. As such this single avatar was forced to stand alone against the Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Pole Star of Purple Subtlety, The Queen of Heaven Guanyin, the Harbinger Faerie and the Peerless Light Emperor of Middle Heaven.

They were the apex of humanity's next generation, wielding the power of the Banishing Blades. In addition Lan Jue and Qianlin had already achieved Nirvana. The Violet Prince would struggle against the two of them. This avatar was racing headlong toward four.

As the four beams of light carved a path, Lan Jue and Qianlin's attack combined. The brilliant light of the Harmonious Swords created a rainbow of light pointed at the chest of the avatar. The power of Ultus and Occisus passed on either side.

Lan Jue was shocked to find another secret revealed as they launched their attack. Working in unison something new appeared within each of them, something bestowed by the swords. It felt like an invisible vein connecting him to Captus. It created a network spreading through his entire body, guiding his energy and protogenia through the channels.

The sparkling light of the Harmonious Swords vanished as Captus became red once more. But this time it was different, for the blades' red glow was strange and profound. It was as though the sword itself was the border of a thousand fissures in space-time. Layer upon layer of dimensional collapse was contained within, like a portal to the depths of reality.

His was not the only weapon to change. Qianlin sensed it too as their link broke and Demortus' blue light burst forth. Its diffused capacity coalesced into a single beam that stuck close to the light of Captus. Meanwhile the deep red trench it carved in space spat out errant gusts of power. These rings were like the event horizons of black holes, cast out in all directions.

Ultus and Occisus were slower, but only slightly. A murderous sense pervaded the air as Occisus' itself became a gust of sword qi. It slipped into the guiding ray of Captus and was quickly spat out. Manifestations of Occisus' power were different from those of Demortus. It made the whirling bands that were cast out all the more lethal. The Pharmacist's Slaughter Discipline empowered the combined attack even further. The power Lan Jue sensed surpassed almost anything he'd felt before. Only Monarch's avatar, encountered on the home world itself, was stronger.

The last to add its might was Ultus, delivered in several shafts of turquoise light. As it poured into the path cut by Captus it became a protective screen around Demortus' orbs, a shell of impossibly sharp power.

The four Banishing Blades... combined?

All four of them had the same thought. It felt as though the swords they bore were an inseparable part of themselves, an extension of their meridians. More than that, they were extensions of each other.

Chapter 879: Driving Off the Enemy

Monarch's avatar saw a red light charging its way, and then suddenly found itself in a strange and terrifying new reality. The only colors were red, blue, white and turquoise and the quadra-chromatic universe shifted from one hue to another seamlessly. First the avatar's Domain shattered under the mysterious force. Then its body followed.

The six-headed monster's first instinct upon learning it'd been tricked was to charge back into the fight. However its brazen return was halted when it saw how completely the avatar was destroyed. From its vantage the light of the swords looked like an enormous tornado. It effortlessly swallowed Monarch's representative and a moment later its companion's aura was snuffed out.

The Creation and Destruction Domain of the aliens was unique, and all of these creatures shared a psychic link. The absence of the avatar's aura was felt immediately and acutely. It was gone, like it never existed. There wasn't even a sense of its vital crystal to be felt.

What a terrifying attack! Even Monarch himself would fear its lethality.

The tornado of light roared into the distance to where the remaining two Nirvana-level aliens had been trying to return to the fight. They were also devoured by the power of the swords. Nothing of them was left behind either.

Everything stopped once the power of the four swords ripped across the battlefield. The Violet Prince's movements were sluggish, just enough for Luo Xianni to land a punch. Suddenly his body became a two-dimensional figure, transposed against the darkness of space. She followed up with a cruel barrage of blows. The Prince recovered but not without serious injury.

With a howl of rage and terror the hydra-beast turned to flee. Their mission was a failure. If it remained here any longer it would lose its life along with its companions. Two streaks of purple flashed across the area with shocking speed, and the creatures were gone. The roar of the four Banishing Blades combined continued for a short while before gradually lapsing into silence and darkness. Lan Jue and his four companions reappeared.

The four sword-bearers looked at one another, speechless. Their weapons had darkened, though three twinkling gems were affixed to Captus' blade. Vital crystals.

How could this be?

The four of them shared the same thought. Lan Qing swayed but his brother was there to steady him. The Pharmacist was also visibly exhausted from their effort. Qianlin was by her side.

Lan Qing's brow was furrowed as he thought back to what he felt. The Pharmacist's eyes were brimming with awe. Yes, even she wasn't entirely sure what had just happened.

The final act of their fight had been composed by Lan Qing on the fly. His aim was to weaken the enemy. Undermine their strength bit by bit until final victory could be achieved. He hadn't anticipated that the fight would change so fast, so drastically. At best he thought they might destroy Monarch's avatar, but the Banishing Blades achieved much more. What awesome power!

Of course, it didn't come easy. Both Lan Qing and the Pharmacist were almost entirely drained of energy. Lan Jue and Qianlin had fared better, but not by much. Their victory was glorious, and forced introspection.

The Paragons regrouped.

If there was any doubt these four young masters could summon the Banishing Strategy, or that the swords could destroy the home worlds, that doubt was gone. What they just witnessed had overwhelmed their senses, and their sense of what was possible. And it wasn't even the Banishing Strategy! If they succeeded in laying it out against the home worlds, humanity's chances of survival were better than good.

It was like a weight lifted off of everyone's chest. They breathed a little easier, though it could not be said any were excited. They'd won, but at the cost of Xiuxiu, the Terminator and the Pontiff.

Defeating the alien sneak attack had cost them dearly. One of their own Nirvana-level Paragons had given their life, but at least these beasts wouldn't try such a maneuver again.

Lan Qing scowled. His mind worked quickly, and as such was not as at ease as his compatriots. His first thought was if using the Banishing Blades was this intensive, how much energy would they need to employ the Banishing Strategy? Indeed they'd fought back today, but it was by no means certain they could successfully use the Strategy. At least not yet.

After becoming Ultus' master Lan Qing began to learn the secret of the sword, with Li Ke's help. In their synchronized attack each of the sword-bearers had become one with their weapons. If that was any indication it meant their own energies would be the catalyst for the Banishing Stance, and if so were they strong enough to sustain it?

"Let's head back!" Luo Xianni urged. Since Jue Di's sacrifice the joyful Photographer had become bitter.

Depression also lived in Lan Jue's eyes. In a flash the storage device Xiuxiu had given him before she died appeared in his palm. He didn't know what was on it, but something in him didn't want to know.

She died because of me! If she hadn't thrown herself between him and the Prince he would have been injured, maybe killed. Surely the result of this attack would have been worse than it already was. It would have been very unlikely they could hold out until Lan Qing arrived.

With heavy hearts the Paragons returned to Middle Heaven. Lan Qing set about explaining what had happened to the various commanders, easing their worries. He carefully gave them an account of the battle.

The rest of the Paragons rested to try and recover. Zhou Qianlin was busiest, for although she had spent a lot of energy in their fight she still went from one Paragon to another and helped heal them. Her Queen of Heaven Discipline was the only power that could do so. No one knew when the home worlds would complete their evolution, so although she was exhausted she had to make sure everyone was at their best.

Lan Jue sat by himself in a corner, looking despondently on the only thing he had left from Xiuxiu. She was gone – slain before his eyes. It'd happened so fast, he wasn't ready.

Her easy smile and sweet voice had been with him for years, had followed him from youth to adulthood. Visions of what they experienced together flashed through his mind in a painful procession.

"Boss!" A cry laden with sorry called to him.

Lan Jue turned his head. From the tear streaked faces of Mika, Lin Guoguo and Ke'er he could see they knew what had happened. Lin Guoguo had told Mika about Xiuxiu's sacrifice. They rushed to him as fast as they could.

Mika knelt in front of him but couldn't find any words. She'd fought on Xiuxiu's behalf more than once, hoping Lan Jue would accept her the way she wanted to be accepted. But Lan Jue always had an excuse. Now their friend and sister was gone, and she didn't know what to say.

"Boss, you can't let yourself get lost in the sadness. Our enemy is still out there. The one that killed Xiuxiu is still breathing!" Mika growled.

She was right. The Violet Prince still lived. Xiuxiu died by his hand.

Wordlessly Lan Jue nodded his head. He knew she was right but her words couldn't shake the anger and sadness that threatened to drown him.

Lin Guoguo and Ke'er also huddled around. Ke'er couldn't hold back her tears and sobbed upon Lin Guoguo's shoulder. Of all the Amazons they had been closest.

"She was sad for a long time, boss. She never said it but I could tell. All four of us like you, but her feelings ran deepest." Lin Guoguo muttered. "I lost count the number of times she cried over you. Late at night when it was quiet and she thought we were asleep she would cry. I'm a psychic, I could feel what she was feeling. Her mood would soar every time she saw you – real, powerful love. We all saw it."

"Enough, Guoguo!" Mika said harshly. She'd said enough, and every word was like a dagger to Lan Jue's heart.

But Lan Jue just shook his head. He spoke words full of bitter agony. "Let her speak. I knew. I always knew, but I refused to deal with it. I told myself it'd change with time. In my heart she was always my dearest sister, but I was never a worthy older brother. I never paid enough attention to her. Blame me… blame it all on me!"

Chapter 880: Some Silence

Lin Guoguo sighed. "Xiuxiu never blamed you. She used to tell us that love isn't something you can manage. She always loved you. You would protect her if she were bullied, and help keep her head high – no matter the cost. She remembered that. And the times she would dress up as your bride when you played as children. She said she was yours all the way back then."

"Xiuxiu was in so much pain when you were together with Hera. Her mood was always off. When Hera was gone and we came to you, to help you recover, we all thought the two of you would come together in time. Instead you fell apart. Xiuxiu saw what it did to you and cried every night. But she never cried in front of you."

"When you snapped out of your stupor no one was happier than Xiuxiu. Then another girl that looked exactly like Hera showed up in your life. When she found out Xiuxiu went out to get drunk. We stayed with her. We all drank. Boss, she really loved you. She loved you more than her own life."

As Lin Guoguo's words washed over him tears streamed down Lan Jue's face.

Xiuxiu was gone, not even a body left to bury. She was just…

Lan Jue hung his head and his eyes swung to her storage device. The last thing she wanted him to have… but what was it?

He rose to his feet, and addressed the three of them firmly. "I need some silence."

He left quickly, like he couldn't wait to flee.

Zhou Qianlin watched from some distance away, but did not follow. Not this time. He needed to be alone.

ξ

"You must have felt it." Li Ke's spirit manifested standing next to Lan Qing. After joining with Ultus his ghostly appearance was almost indistinguishable from reality. He would never have a physical form of his own again, but this was a close facsimile.

He discovered that as Lan Qing's power grew he became more substantial. Maybe one day he could hold his daughter for the first time.

Lan Qing nodded. "Ultus asks for far more than I thought. We need to improve our cultivation. I worry if we'd succeed even if we all reach Nirvana."

Li Ke grinned. "Honestly, I don't know either. All I see what I find in Ultus' memories, and I've found nothing about what the Strategy will really do. After all, it's been an uncountable number of years since Ultus has appeared in human hands."

"If there a way for us to quickly improve our cultivation?" Lan Qing asked. "Surely the crystals we took today can help."

Li Ke nodded. "Helpful, yes. Enough in fact to empower you to the Infinite, I'd think. But that's not the way to do it. Your bodies wouldn't be able to withstand the massive amount of pressure placed on them. Little Yue told me Lan Jue and Qianlin have broken through a series of grades very quickly. Pressing that process any further would be dangerous. But once they do break through to the Infinite, I don't think they would be in any danger of a power backlash from the swords. Absorbing and assimilating protogenia takes time, and you're already moving quickly. Going too fast will have consequences, not least of which the universe itself. You won't know what it is to suffer the pressure of universal protogenia until you become one with the Infinite. Under those conditions the power you could command wouldn't be at the Infinite level. You'd be lucky to command the power of Nirvana. First, before we do anything, you all need to reach Nirvana. Once you do we can attempt the Strategy. Then we'll see if anything else needs to be done."

Lan Qing nodded. He agreed that it was the best path forward.

ξ

Lan Jue returned to his room and didn't leave for some time. No one knew what he was doing. Once he shut the door no one had gone in.

Humanity's armada and its three bastions slowly made their way back to Angel. They encountered no more aliens on the way. It wasn't very long before they were back on solid ground.

Lan Qing and the Pharmacist locked themselves away as well. They were trying to achieve Nirvana as soon as possible.

Middle Heaven's remaining Paragons were recovered. Chu Cheng took the remains of the Terminator and the vital crystal left behind to Tyrannosaurus.

They were returning after a series of victories, but they were hollow. The looming threat of destruction remained.

When they got back to Angel they were met with good news. Another bastion had appeared in Angel's orbit. It was Heron, the only bastion left that had experience fighting the alien horde.

The Northern Alliance had suffered a terrible defeat in the Shattered Starfields, and again shortly after. To try and offset this they threw all their resources into repairing their fastest ship. It packed a punch as well. As for other reinforcements it would be some time before they showed up. Luckily Angel's food stores were well stocked, and there were no fear of the citizens revolting. They'd started building neighborhoods.

Of course they made announcements of their victories during the campaign. This boosted moral and gladdened the hearts of the people. Video of the clashes were spread far and wide, filling the humans with hope. Especially when believers saw their Queen of Heaven appear on screen. Seeing her fighting nimbly by Lan Jue's side only boosted her reputation.

Of course the inevitable question afterward was, who was this man who dared fight shoulder to shoulder with her?

Lan Jue soon became the focus of scrutiny. He was known as the champion of the Conclave's Great Adept Tournament, and a hero who showed up to turn the tide on many tragedies. When they saw his pedigree they grudgingly accepted his relationship to Qianlin.

All over occupied space human eyes were trained on Angel, waiting for the verdict. Things had thankfully settled down, however, after word of the armada's deeds spread. Their string of victories and saving their fellow man had given them hope and pride.

But this relative silence had its drawbacks. Some were already voicing skepticism, saying that there were too few soldiers to prevail. Why weren't all of the North's eight bastions out there fighting for mankind?

Why weren't there reinforcements for these soldiers who've been battling on the front lines so long already? Were politicians more concerned with their own interests than those of their species? The North and East both suffered chastisement, though the North got it worse.

All along the North had been known as humanity's mightiest Alliance, with an invincible fighting worse. Yet in this decisive time it wasn't the North was in charge. The Eastern Alliance and Poseidon Group were guiding the way.

Poseidon-class bastion's praise was especially high when the word got out, after scenes from its remarkable fight appeared on civilian screens. It was especially shocking for everyone to see it fighting in mecha form. Needless to say it made an impression and suddenly the Poseidon Group's reputation exploded.

Northern military news sources reported that in addition to Heron they were also sending two more bastions to the front line. They had to under pressure of public opinion. However the keen of eye knew that the war was coming to its end soon one way or another. Sending reinforcements now would make little difference in either case.

Heron's sudden arrival boosted the Northern's military capabilities significantly.

Since Lan Qing was working on his cultivation, Kang Hui had taken temporary control of the armada. He immediately recommended they prepare for another assault on the home worlds.

Kang Hui had no choice but to adhere to Lan Qing's plan for the Banishing Blades, but he was still the commander of the Northern forces. There was still a lot of suspicion surrounding whether four swords could destroy three planets.

In fact they doubted that the alien home worlds were trying to create their own utopia. But they did know these monsters were changing, and whatever they changed into would be the stuff of nightmares.

Kang Hui proposed moving in now. The evolution had to be stopped, and both the monsters' soldiers and generals were bloodied. With the addition of Heron they were sufficiently reinforced, according to him. The nimble bastion was ready for action.

He didn't completely dismiss the possibility of the Banishing Blades being effective. What he proposed was a two-prong attack. If they could succeed with a purely military victory than that would be great, and the Banishing Swords could be kept as a backup. If they fail at least they'll have succeeded in weakening the enemy further. Perhaps that'd improve the Easterners' chances.

His proposal passed unanimously. Even the commander representing the Eastern army in Lan Qing's absence agreed. Poseidon Group didn't share an opinion. Its bastion, and Middle Heaven as well, would not fight as well in future battles as they had been.

When the plan was ratified Kang Hui announced three days of rest and repairs. After three day they would attack the aliens again.

Chapter 881: Cultivation and Strategy

The soldiers were once again busy with preparations. Repairs became the highest priority. Damage to the bastions both big and small were attended to while their energy stores were rebuilt. As a newly arrived asset Heron was in prime condition, and would likely hold an important role in the fight to come.

Kang Hui ordered Middle Heaven be given priority treatment. He was hoping to gain An Lun's favor. The Northern leader could see the East's rise to prominence, inevitable assuming they were able to defeat the aliens. Considering their high-powered fighters alone, the North could not catch up or hope to contend. They had an advantage technologically, but maintaining a force of notable Adepts was going to be difficult.

If Middle Heaven was any indication the East's technological mastery was not as backwater as they'd expected. In fact there were systems on that bastion that perplexed Northern scientists. It seems the only thing that'd been holding the East back was access to resources.

In this moment it was important for humans to be united against the universal threat of the alien horde. Kang Hui knew this, and it was for this reason that Lan Qing chose him to command the armada while he was cultivating. Kang Hui was more than an experienced and talented commander, he was also a good man deserving of respect.

ξ

Lan Jue was out of the public eye for more than a day before he emerged from his room. He seemed composed, at least on the surface Lan Jue appeared back to his former self.

Mika had returned to the area designated for the Dark Citadel's representatives. Lin Guoguo and Ke'er remained behind, and they had also regained their composure. When they saw Lan Jue again they didn't bring up Xiuxiu.

"Lan Qing and sister Pharmacist have locked themselves away to cultivate. They wanted me to bring you to them when you came back out. "Zhou Qianlin said in her soft voice.

"Alright, I'm fine – let's go now." Lan Jue nodded for her to lead the way. She took his hand and smiled sweetly at him. She used her actions to soothe his injured spirit.

A loaded look crossed Lan Jue's face, heavy with emotion. He lifted his other hand and gently pressed it against her face.

When they arrived at the room where Lan Qing and the Pharmacist were cultivating they found the Wine Master and Clockmaker seated by the door. They were there to look over them.

After the recent tragedy who knew when the Violet Prince might try to strike again? They knew it to be unlikely, though. If he did dare to come he would be marching to his own demise. Aliens no longer enjoyed an overwhelming advantage of super-powerful fighters.

"Wine Master. Clockmaker." Lan Jue greeted both of them.

His old drinking companion answered with a smile. "What is past is past. Try to remain positive, and focus on exacting revenge for our fallen friends. For our people. The fight to come may require more sacrifices, but we are prepared to fight to the last man and woman."

Lan Jue nodded firmly. He knew this was the Wine Master's effort to soothe him, but the wound was still too fresh. What words could make him feel better?

"Let's go in." He said, nodding to the two Paragons.

The Wine Master moved aside from the door and entered a password. The metallic portal opened and Lan Jue stepped in. Qianlin was close behind.

Stepping inside, they were struck by the sensation in the air. It was thick with vital energy, almost stifling. Lan Qing and the Pharmacist were seated in the middle of the room with a strange device between them.

Nestled in the device was a single golden-purple vital crystal. Lan Jue could tell at a glance that this crystal was at least Nirvana-level. The rich sense of vitality was coming from there. Situated around the apparatus were twelve Tears of Neptune, all comparable in size. Their presence galvanized the remains of the alien to release its vitality. Once that energy was filtered by the tears it could be used safely.

Lan Qing and the Pharmacist immersed themselves in the exuberant current, taking it in with slow and steady breaths. All the while their cultivation was slowly rising.

Lan Jue nodded in appreciation. This was certainly a spectacular specimen of a vital crystal! After only a day the two of them were already near the upper reaches of Reflection of Heaven and Earth.

There was another presence in the room with them. Li Ke observed the process, sustained through Ultus.

No one else was in the chamber. As agreed, these few were the only ones permitted in order to keep the vital crystal transmutation process a secret. Lan Qing and the Pharmacist already had their mind wiped by Lin Guoguo prior to beginning.

Lan Jue looked at Li Ke questioningly, but did not speak. The spirit understood and delivered his answer directly into Lan Jue's mind.

"We've used two Nirvana-level vital crystals up so far, the results have been encouraging. In around five hours this crystal will be spent and they should be strong enough to make a breakthrough. From my analyses I suspect that once they join you in Nirvana they'll need time to stabilize their cultivation. Qianlin's Queen of Heaven Discipline should help them significantly there. Afterwards all four of you should undergo this process. We won't push you into the Infinite, but we have to bolster your abilities as much as we can. The stronger you are, the more likely it will be that you can survive using the Banishing Strategy."

Lan Jue had experienced what it was like when ones foundation was unstable. There was no small measure of trepidation in his voice when he queried Li Ke. "Are you sure this won't cause any problems? The moment something goes wrong…"

Li Ke smiled reassuringly. "It's fine, I don't suspect any complications. At your level and with the help of the Queen of Heaven, so long as we don't cross the line into the Infinite there is nothing to worry about. To be safe we won't reach the peak of Nirvana. Halfway should be sufficient to beginning attempting the Strategy."

"Alright!" Lan Jue affirmed. He and Qianlin made their way to a pair of seats nearby and waited.

They were careful to shut themselves off from their environment so that they did not absorb any of the vital energy. Qianlin let her Domain reach out and embrace them. Lan Qing and the Pharmacist had not yet broken through, but her presence helped strengthen and stabilize their protogenia in preparation for the moment they did. The two were almost immediately more relaxed, and were able to take in more of the vital energy.

Lan Jue and Zhou Qianlin passed the time in quiet meditation.

The moment of breakthrough was the most dangerous moment for Lan Qing and the Pharmacist. They were sure to experience some measure of what Lan Jue and Qianlin had had to suffer when they attained Nirvana. Unlike them, however, they had Qianlin's help. The power of Nirvana-level Queen of Heaven abilities meant risks were kept to a minimum. Without her help Lan Jue would never have agreed to this.

ξ

Time passed quickly. Before they knew it three days had come and gone.

The armada's three bastions were almost back in full service. Those ships that were still heavily damaged and soldiers too wounded to serve would remain behind on Angel. Troops were reorganized into ten fleets for the coming operation. Their three mighty bastions were joined by a fourth.

Tyrannosaurus, Middle Heaven, Poseidon and Heron led the way as the war party embarked. Ten fleets worth of support vessels spread out around them as they made their way toward Europa.

Tyrannosaurus was in the center of the formation, taking Middle Heaven's place. It wasn't a power move, but one of practicality. Tyrannosaurus had the most resources left after their last campaign. What's more, without Lan Qing to stabilize Middle Heaven's molinite core the more advanced maneuvers were too dangerous to perform. With Tyrannosaurus in the middle it gave the other bastions more leeway.

No attempts to impede their progress troubled the armada. If they didn't know better they might suspect the horde had left. Kang Hui knew that the enemy force was still formidable, they just weren't wasting their strength on intercepting them.

He remembered that commander Lan Qing also suspected the alien home worlds were still a threat. Though they were busy with their evolution, they could still exert their influence on the battlefield. How much of an influence was as yet unknown.

They left Angel with Lan Qing and the others still locked away. Three days had passed without so much as a peep from the Paragons. Lan Qing had told him to expect a full week before they would emerge. Kang Hui used this estimate to craft his strategy. The four sword bearers should be completing their transmutation just as the armada was reaching Europa.

Kang Hui sat at his control desk looking over the information on his screens. But his mind was not on the data scrolling by.

Prior to this excursion he'd received tacit agreement to participate by the North. The day they set out he made peace with the idea that he might die. Chances were low that anyone would make it back. At that time humanity had yet to win a single victory over the aliens. Losses were already in the millions.

When they first arrived at Angel and saw the nearby planets occupied, his hope was all but gone. It felt like a pointless endeavor against an overwhelming enemy. Fighting was just increasing the number of casualties.

But fighting was their only choice. A desperate choice, certainly, but all that they had left.

He thought back to the outset of their war. Lan Qing was the youngest commander ever, an Easterner with command of three bastions and twelve fleets against a vastly superior enemy force. And then he started winning.

Chapter 882: Striking Out Again

His ruminations reminded Kang Hui that Lan Qing's strategy had been right every step of the way. He'd taken advantage of the aliens' desperation to evolve, attacking them when they were at their weakest and diminishing their numbers. The creatures didn't respond, assured in their victory. All they had to do was repel the human forces long enough for the home worlds to ascend. Once they did, mankind would be served up on a platter.

Ignored and underestimated Lan Qing was able to command his forces masterfully. Bit by bit he gnawed away at the enemy. He began to accumulate victories but never became cocky.

When humanity's forces ultimately retook the seven planets Kang Hui saw a glimmer of hope. Under Lan Qing there was a chance, albeit remote. His spirit stirred at last and he studiously observed Lan Qing's plans. Kang Hui spared no effort to support this young genius leader.

In the end Lan Qing's tactics proved true. Through his wisdom and persistence humanity had achieved a miracle. Inch by inch they were fighting back against the forces of destruction. Today they were still fighting for their lives, but the soldiers of humankind were no longer passively reacting. They were taking the fight to the enemy. If there was still time before the home worlds completed their evolution, there was a chance this mission could thoroughly destroy the alien horde.

Miracle was the perfect word to describe what Lan Qing had done.

They should call you the Miracle Admiral, Kang Hui mused. Middle Heaven was strong indeed, but without Lan Qing's artful strategies it wouldn't have performed such glorious feats.

This time, I will be the one to see this mission to its end.

They had to finish their war on Europa. Whatever the cost they couldn't allow the aliens' reign of destruction to spread farther than it already had. His fellows had already suffered tremendously, and he knew they couldn't suffer much more.

Tyrannosaurus' energy stores were full after three days of replenishment. Heron flew on its left and Poseidon on its right. Middle Heaven was behind. It was not the primary force in the armada any longer but still was kept in the formation's leadership position, which was also the most defensible. Lan Qing and the other Paragons were there, and although it was depleted it was still one of the most powerful bastions in human history.

After everything that had happened since leaving the Northern Alliance, there was no doubt Middle Heaven had earned that title. Poseidon's spectacular metamorphic abilities were staggering, but the family's ship still didn't match up to the war planet. Middle Heaven's Terminal Ray was a truly terrifying weapon of mass destruction. According to Kang Hui's calculations there was nothing in all of known space that could survive a blast from Middle Heaven's main weapon.

The four bastions and ten fleets gradually closed in on Europa. Repairs continued as the armada made its way. Latest reports stated that Middle Heaven was at sixty percent combat effectiveness. Poseidon was at fifty percent, and couldn't transform to its mecha form. Tyrannosaurus boasted eighty percent of its capabilities, and Heron was fresh-faced and ready for battle. As for the ten support fleets that remained, they were operating at eighty percent efficiency.

Of course, aside from Heron all of the bastions had lost many of their fighter drones. Altogether only a third remained. Heron could only carry three thousand drones, the least capacity of all the bastions.

ξ

Pale light flickered around Lan Qing. He sat with a cool and stately expression on his face. The admiral's hands were pressed together before his chest, and light trembled erratically in his eyes.

He and the Pharmacist had already broken through to Nirvana. With the help of Qianlin's Domain, their protogenia was quickly stabilized. All four of them sat around the vital crystal and the strange apparatus now, silently absorbing the energies it released. The crystal they used now was from one of the Infinite-level monsters they'd slain – the Violet Princess'.

Her crystal was purer than the others by comparison, but also more vibrant. The energies it released were difficult to control. Half their store of Tears was already spent.

Lan Jue sat across from his brother, the two women were on either side. Their swords floated nearby, for as they absorbed the vital energy they also needed to explore the secrets of the Banishing Blades.

The mysteries of the Banishing Strategy went far beyond their understanding of the systems of energy. In many ways the power of the Strategy was a sort of protogenia, but it was not a protogenia borne of the universe they resided in. It came from somewhere else entirely.

The Strategy produced its terrifying might through the repulsion of this protogenia and universal protogenia. The clash and subsequent rebuttal were focused into the Strategy to create its world-shattering result.

The fact it was able to borrow from universal protogenia was a staggering prospect!

As the four Paragons grew in strength and explored the knowledge of the swords, they could sense the ire of universal protogenia searching for them. They could feel, if only faintly, what the old immortal realm must have been like.

Immortals in those ancient days were powerful beyond comprehension. It took Celestial Master Yuanshi and Celestial Master Taishang – along with two others – to overcome the destruction of the Banishing Blades.

Lan Jue had never been too interested in the immortal realm, but his knowledge of it had improved since gleaning the secrets of Captus.

The immortal realm wasn't as simple as they'd originally thought. It was a reality created by the interwoven powers of protogenia. It not only protected them from universe protogenia but was also possessed of a protogenia all its own.

It was more than a pocket reality – it was its own universe that existed parallel to their own. Over time it grew and become stronger until it came to the notice of the original universe. But the power of the realm could not be reversed. Since it relied on the essence of the universe this process could not be interrupted. If it did it could threaten the destruction of the immortal realm. As such the immortals of old did all they could do curtail the growth of their realm, lest it come into conflict with the universe it existed within.

The end result of that conflict from ages past was not recorded in the Banishing Blades. All they knew was the ancient realm of the immortals was gone. If it wasn't, these magnificent weapons would not have fallen into the hands of man.

Lan Jue knew what he meant with Jun Yongye had told him so long ago, that even as Paragon he would only command a tenth of what the swords could do. It seemed that may have been an exaggeration, but not in his favor. Even after achieving Nirvana, learnings Captus' secrets, and becoming one with the blade he could not say for certain he could summon ten percent of the sword's might.

The true power of the Banishing Blades could only be wielded by the highest caste of immortals! Knowing this, could they really hope to succeed in laying out the Banishing Strategy?

None of them presumed to know the answer. They continued to grow in power but the strength of the swords was inscrutable, deep, and seemingly without end. The stronger they became the more immeasurable these weapons seemed. All they could do was continue to learn, improve their cultivation, and hope they could survive the Strategy.

In the end, what measure of destruction they would cause was left in the hands of Heaven.

Li Ke's features were creviced with doubt. As a part of Ultus he, too, felt what they were feeling. The power of it ran deeper than he'd expected, lending ever more credence to their titles as the strongest weapons ever created. The pressure it put on the humans was immense.

If it ended up that they were not strong enough to control the Strategy there would be only one avenue left for them. But the cost…

A sadness flit across Li Ke's ghostly expression when he thought about the possibility.

ξ

Europa appeared on the horizon. The writhing membrane that surrounded it seemed thicker and more widespread than ever. The three home worlds were still attached to it, emitting a rich purple hue. However, all three of them were less than a third of their original size.

Meanwhile, Europa was twice the size it had been before, almost a whole new entity. It was hidden beneath layers of violet clouds that concealed its surface. Its hue was lighter than the home worlds, and as the rolling fogs changed it gave the appearance of being alive.

The savagery of the aliens was missing from their new creation. Europa was… strangely beautiful.

When he saw it Kang Hui's heart sank. It was clear the home worlds' evolution was nearing completion. It would happen any day.

"All ships, pay attention. I want all weapons systems charged and prepared for use. Do not be caught off guard. The time for rest is over, the war is back on." Kang Hui gave the order.

They couldn't wait, not a moment more. The home worlds could finish their evil ceremony at any moment so they had to strike first and strike hard. If they didn't, they wouldn't live to regret it.

Chapter 883: General Offensive

The ten fleets coasted forward, and spread out to either side of the bastions like wings. Their guns were primed, waiting for the order to fire. The four bastions also lit up as their weapon arrays were prepared.

Just then, the remains of the alien horde were revealed. They came swarming around either side of Europa and right for the armada. They lacked the vigor and numbers from before.

"Open fire!" At Kang Hui's order the bastions and their support fleets let loose. Spears of light crashed into the encroaching enemy force.

The horde's formation was diffuse, and they used their speed to evade the human long-ranged attacks as much as they could. However the hail of cannon fire was tightly packed and avoiding it completely was impossible. The aliens began suffering casualties right away. Compared to the last encounter the humans seemed much more confident.

Behind his control panel Kang Hui summoned his Discipline. Through his empowered eyes he read and analyzed the information that flooded his screens. Despite the punishment his enemy was facing in the opening moments of their conflict he did not relax. In fact his face grew darker as the moments stretched on.

The aliens came at them with no direction. He read that to mean the home worlds were almost finished with their evolution. If that were the case their elite would be sticking close to their masters. They didn't need to command the troops, they were just cannon fodder.

Should they throw caution to the wind and attack Europa at full force?

His opponent still had a numbers advantage, although they were in disarray. Rushing ahead would expose his troops to a brutal counter offensive, and many would be lost. Besides, it could be a trap.

Kang Hui's fighting style was always calm, and it'd served him well so far. Caution is what saved him from dying at the aliens' hands long ago in the Shattered Starfields.

Instead of calling for the charge he ordered the ships to continue to pummel the aliens' front lines. However, he commanded the bastions to hold back on firing their main weapons. He wanted to save their strongest attacks for the planets themselves.

Eventually the aliens gathered into some semblance of formation. More defensive aliens took the fore and their speedier brethren stuck close behind. The plan was to push ahead, and once they got within range the faster aliens would burst out and wreak havoc among the human ships.

Mankind's armada was much weaker than it was when they first arrived in the system. After the last encounter the difference was especially marked, and especially now without Lan Qing's tactical genius. However, Kang Hui was also a lauded commander and he had no problem leading the human forces. His strategic plans were simple, but nonetheless took advantage of their ranged superiority to great effect.

Kang Hui orders artillery fire focused on the stronger aliens. He wanted them to be pummeled as hard as possible as they pressed forward. Once the enemy was close enough for their fast attackers to emerge they would be met by the Paragon-led Star Division, the Bloodiron Khan's, and Chu Cheng's convert army.

Against mankind's greatest Adept warriors and drones from their bastions, the aliens who dared attack were cut to ribbons. They were unable to cause any damage to the main fleet.

With their considerable advantage Kang Hui's leadership was flawless. The alien forces met the humans and were cut down like they were flung into a meat grinder. Monsters were cut down by the dozens and their vital crystals captured.

Kang Hui was keenly aware of the Violet Prince's absence, however. The three-headed, six-armed abomination was also nowhere to be found. They appeared to have disappeared after their failed sneak attack.

Already the armada was extending an advantage that seemed irrevocable. Already the horde was begin pushed back. The armada began moving toward Europa was slow but indomitable progress.

Soldiers who didn't know any better began to cheer, their cries reverberating off the hulls of their ships. After all these hardships and losses, they were beating the enemy! How could they not be overcome with joy? And as participants of this life or death struggle, they were heroes! In their mind's eye they could see the scene of their triumphant return, with ticker tape parades and flower petals descending from the sky. Humanity's allied forces, a ray of hope in a dark time.

Cannons continued to bombard the enemy, never letting up. The enemy was steadily losing ground. Nothing indicated the home worlds were getting involved, either. Europa was still hidden beneath the cloud of caustic purple fog that made it look like a fantastical land from the story books. By contrast the three planets looked like hideous tumors affixed to the planet's surface. Aside from the roiling tides of the clouds, nothing moved. They seemed completely devoid of life.

Kang Hui pressed a button on his control panel. In his deep voice he hailed the person on the other end. "Heron, prepare your main gun."

"Heron receiving. Main gun is charging." The response came swiftly.

Kang Hui refused to be lulled into a false sense of security by the scene before him. On the contrary, he was all the more vigilant. From the very beginning the aliens had enjoyed the advantage. Right up until this point humanity had been against the ropes, only to suddenly see a reverse in fortune. It was important to remember that it wasn't Lan Qing's brilliance alone that got them to this point, however. An important factor was the fact that the home worlds were not involved in the fighting.

If they had been even Lan Qing couldn't have spun gold out of straw. Against the home worlds and its horde the humans would never have stood a chance.

But not being present on the battlefield didn't mean their threat did not exist. Quite the opposite, the planets were laden with the life force of eight planets and all the vitality they stole from the Northern Alliance. They hadn't used any of that energy in battle against the humans and instead funneled it into their evolutionary process. Kang Hui shuddered to think what sort of power this new creation would wield once its evolution was complete.

It went without saying that Kang Hui didn't find their chances appealing if the home worlds chose to fight. His loss at their hands was still acutely carved into his memory, an angry scar to remind him of his defeat. Their variable offense and impenetrable protection made them virtually impossible to shake off. They were as strong as they were cunning, and used whatever advantage available to win victory over their prey. As such humans had consistently been beaten back.

And so Kang Hui called off his focus to bear. Heron was their weakest bastion, but also charged its main weapons system fastest. As the fastest ship in the fleet it made for a natural choice to use as an opening gambit.

Lan Qing had told him that the home worlds had mostly fused with Europa by this point. The former Western capitol was the basis of their evolution and had been chosen as the site for these beasts' new immortal realm. With no hope of survivors left on Europa, it and the three home worlds attached to its surface were the main target.

"Heron reporting. Main guns are charged and ready!" The alert was fast in coming across Kang Hui's speakers. The armada was getting closer to Europa with each passing moment.

Kang Hui answered with a string of commands. The bombardment became even more intense as capital ships, up to now their cannons dark, joined the fight. The punishing offensive carved a path through the horde.

Heron's main engines flared to life and in a flash the bastion shot ahead. It punched through the flimsy alien line and was at top speed in moments. Its three main guns were extended and aimed at Europa.

The planet was a big target. Heron's gunners weren't afraid of missing.

While Heron made its attack run Kang Hui continued to call out orders. Tyrannosaurus, Poseidon and Middle Heaven all began to charge their primary weapons. Heron's attack was a feeler, to see how the planets would react. Once they got a read they could follow up with shots from the others bastions. He was confident that one round of attacks, if it didn't destroy Europa outright, would at least severely affect the home worlds' evolution. That would be enough, and they could focus on a more comprehensive attack. The greatest result would be to damage the planet enough so that the evolution process was stopped entirely. Then, under concentrated fire, they could destroy the enemy outright.

At least for the moment his plan seemed to be working.

Heron shook as three beams of cyan light fired from its cannons. It erupted with such intensity that space rippled around the guns' barrels. While the weapon wasn't as strong as Tyrannosaurus', say, it was still a bastion's weapon. The damage it caused was more than considerable, and against any ordinary planet the results would be catastrophic.

Nothing was in the way of the three beams of light. In a blink they pierced the fog covering Europa and a mushroom cloud surged in its wake. All three shots disappeared in the haze.

Chapter 884: Aliens, Defeated?

With its payload delivered, Heron pulled to the side and arced away from Europa. With its speed and attack power it didn't worry about fighting its way back through the horde. After all, the armada was not far behind. The aliens were under so much pressure they didn't have an opportunity to give chase.

As Heron tore off to the flank its crew waited with baited breath. They stared at the screens and out of the windows, anxious to see the result of their flyby. If they could do Europa any harm it would open the gates for the other bastions to do the same.

Kang Hui was a good man, honest and sincere. Heron was chosen to attack the planet for more than just military reasons. Europa was the capitol of the former Western Alliance! Although the people knew it was no longer fit for human habitation, in their hearts – especially those of the Westerners – they still held the planet in high esteem. It would be better for the North to land the first strike, instead of an Eastern vessel, or Poseidon.

The order was Kang Hui's. He would bear the consequences.

"Eh?" He snapped out of his ruminations.

Heron wasn't the only one waiting for signs of reaction! He'd watched the blasts enter the cloud cover, but then… nothing.

The disturbance in the fog gradually disappeared and the surface looked like nothing had happened. There were no lights or indications of the shots passing behind the planet either. That should mean Heron's attack landed.

But, why was there no sign of impact? Where did the shots go? The uncertainty immediately set everyone on edge.

Those were three shots from a bastion's main cannons! Nothing came of them, not even the sounds of an explosion. It was like they just vanished into nothing, like Europa was a black hole.

"All forces focus your attacks on the enemy soldiers. Fire main cannons at will." Kang Hui directed.

Europa's situation was too inscrutable. Instead they would focus on weakening the horde, and once they got some breathing room they could find a more effective way to deal with the former human planet.

Almost before the orders left his lips Middle Heaven was in the thick of it. Where before it'd silently waited behind its defenders, it was now a piercing orb of light that fired rays of amber light in all directions. Together with Poseidon's Soft Water bombs, swaths of alien fighters were destroyed.

The monsters were like a snake without its head, flailing every which way. They didn't stand a chance against humanity's disciplines forces.

Heron flew back around and rejoined the battle. After thirty minutes the enemy forces were under threat of collapse. Though the morale of these cruel beasts could not be broken, their lines could. More and more of them fell until the battle had become a one-sided extermination.

Mankind's warriors could not let up, not when victory was so close at hand and so many vital crystals were up for grabs! These crystals were treasures that were priceless no matter how many of them were passed around. The exuvium process was complete and ready for use to extend human life. The foundation of that process was these vital crystals.

Humans had killed countless numbers of these monsters already, but there were also planets worth of humans. Everyone wanted a chance to live longer, and the only way to do that was if they got their hands on one of these crystals.

In addition Skyfire Avenue wasn't the only one who encouraged their soldiers with the promise of a spot on the list to use the exuvium process. The North, and Poseidon Group also had similar plans.

Now more than ever was the time to gather these crystals. In the eyes of these soldiers it might be their last chance. Mechas, warship crews, drone pilots – everyone wanted to take advantage of this situation. Everyone was fighting their hardest.

This was, of course, within reason. The soldiers of the allied forces had struggled together for a long time, and none of them were willing to risk the lives of their brothers and sisters in greedy pursuits. There were enough vital crystals for everyone.

According to Northern and Eastern reports, one average vital crystal was enough to facilitate the exuvium process for ten people. The creatures they were killing now were more than your average fiend, and some were even of the enemy's upper echelons.

The better the crystal the more often it could be used for the process. The results were also better by orders of magnitude.

But while the soldiers were celebrating, the officers knew the war wasn't over yet. Heron's attack hadn't done much of anything, so how were they supposed to deal with the planet?

The horde's numbers thinned but never broke. Although they were cut down in droves there was no indication they would be routed or retreat. The beasts fought back as hard as ever.

Eventually the wriggling purple bodies disappeared from space. A glittering field of crystals was left behind, quickly gobbled up by the human ships.

At last the army of monsters that had harassed the human species had been exterminated. Cries of elation rang from the smallest patrol boat to the largest bastion. And it wasn't just the soldiers, either. All throughout the worlds of man people cheered their heroes. They'd watched with bated breath as the fight was broadcast into every home. Win or lose, the people had a right to know. The government could of course shut off the feed whenever they chose, but when it was clear humanity was winning they kept it going, clear as a bell.

Northern cries were especially loud. Two out of the four bastions were dispatched from their Alliance and the leader of the expedition was one of their own. They proudly congratulated themselves on these facts and through this the people were calmed. In fact the government enjoyed a sharp spike in public approval. Heron proved their leaders were committed to reinforcing the heroes of the front lines. In this they were better than the East. Suddenly the calls for consequences were silenced and the citizens were at peace. Instead there were words of praise and support offered up from all corners of the Alliance.

Only a handful of people had the inside scoop, and knew that the fight wasn't over. The three home worlds still remained. It was the worst disaster in hundreds of years, but it wasn't over until those hellish planets were destroyed.

Kang Hui was inundated with commendations. He didn't try to silence the jubilation immediately. The soldiers had fought for so long, witnessed the death of their fellow shoulders and countrymen. They've needed this for a long, long time.

After a few moments he delivered more commands to the various ship captains. The fight wasn't over yet, he assured them, they had one final enemy to overcome. Now wasn't the time for celebration.

Soon the vital crystals left behind by their defeated enemies were gathered together. It went without saying that the North won the largest number of crystals, for their two bastions were integral in the fight. Especially Heron and its three thousand drones. They were fierce and flexible, resulting in an impressive haul.

"Form up, surround Europa." Soldiers were trained to follow orders like the word of god. Still beaming from their victory the soldiers rushed to follow instructions once they were given. The fleets spread out, and the bastions gathered in single file.

A fire burned behind Kang Hui's eyes. Do you still think yourselves so strong, monsters? With all our ships, bastions and soldiers do you think yourselves invincible?

All four bastions began recharging their main weapons. Among them was Middle Heaven, smoldering as it prepared the terrible power that was Terminal Ray. Poseidon, though still unable to change shape, still had Soft Water bombs to employ.

Kang Hui quickly puzzled out the best plan of attack. All bastions would concentrate their fire on a single point, together with the fleet as a whole. If all of their firepower was directed as Europa's core they could destroy the planet outright.

From what he could tell from outside, none of the alien worlds plastered to Europa's surface were reacting to the horde's destruction. Their life force and consciousness must be completely funneled into the single planet. Thus if Europa was destroyed, the home worlds would die with it.

This was not the time for mercy and kindheartedness. Kang Hui knew he'd have to face many difficult questions once the campaign was finished, but he didn't hesitate to give the order. Nothing was more important than the survival of the species.

The allied forces took advantage of the calm before the final storm. Energy stores were replenished and stabilized, guns were charged. Secondary weapons systems were turned down, for they were no longer helpful for what was to come. Only their strongest weapons could harm Europa, especially at a distance.

Battleship-class vessels and smaller were ordered not to engage. They were told to observe the situation and await further orders. Everyone else had their weapons primed and aimed, waiting for the order to fire from Tyrannosaurus.

The feeling of it all was thick in the air, everyone could feel it. Their battle was coming to a close, and though their final objective was in view they were not relaxed. They were tense, anxious, excited.

The four bastions shimmered with light as they pulled into firing range. Tempestuous flows of energy surrounded each of them.