895 - 903 - Epilogue

Chapter 895: One Final Photograph

Blood trickled from the corners of Luo Xianni's mouth and dripped onto her camera. Suddenly it flashed with an intense pink light that made her stand out against the darkness of space.

The Violet Prince, in the midst of his charge, sensed something and spun around. When his eyes fell on Luo Xianni, his pupils contracted.

Ka-cha! The unmistakable sound of a camera shutter clicked. Everything froze.

The Violet Prince was stuck with a hand raised, ready to launch another attack at her. He fluttered through invisible gravitational waves as a two-dimensional image.

Luo Xianni's body was pink from head to toe and somewhat opaque. It made her all the more beautiful and ethereal, like an angel. Strangely she also looked much younger, perhaps only fifteen or so.

"Chi Bupang…. Chi Bupang you bastard, you dare jilt me. You just wait, I'll fight for you all the rest of my life!" She smiled as she muttered the words, a recollection from years ago.

The Prince's picturesque image floated over to her and with great difficulty she lifted her arms. Pinching the top of the photo she began to tear.

A flood of energy so intense it was frightening poured from the photograph, a sign of the Prince's struggle. Luo Xianni's pink-hued body shone brighter.

Crack! The dainty camera she carried with her shattered into dust.

Ssshhhrrrip! She tore off one edge of the picture, containing the Prince's arm. She cast the torn section away and it dissolved into ash.

She pinched again and began to pull. Her aim was his head.

"Aaaarrrrrgggghh!!!" A bloodcurdling roar burst forth, followed by a surge of violet light that tried to smother Luo Xianni's pink glow. Her body warped in response and flickered with a rose tint. The violet aura solidified and was blocked from expanding, she refused to let him escape.

"My children, this is as much as your mother can offer. Don't give up!" Her voice was not pained, or sad. Instead she sounded almost jovial. She sounded relaxed. Indeed, she was off to find her love, she hadn't been happy since Jue Di's passing. At last she could put down her burden and look for the partner she'd lost.

ξ

Within the Banishing Strategy.

Tears flowed freely from Lan Jue, Lan Qing and Zhou Qianlin's faces. They put their all toward establishing the Strategy, but they saw everything that was happening outside. They were forced to watch silently as soldiers from Star Division, the Bloodiron Khans and the convert army gave their lives. They were acutely affected by the deaths of the Keeper, Bookworm, and the Gods of Wine.

Every one of them gave their lives to buy them time. They sacrificed themselves for final victory!

The Banishing Strategy fought perpetually against the might of Monarch. But this Strategy was designed to contend against the strongest immortals in history, one of the greatest forces of the universe. Even the simplest manifestation of it was a threat to Monarch's life.

Unless the Strategy failed, Monarch wasn't getting away.

The Banishing Strategy had only been attempted once before, by four of the greatest warriors to have ever lived. Among them were legendary Celestial Masters Yuanshi and Taishang!

Lan Jue could feel himself weakening. His protogenia, energy, and life force were being drained by the sword. But he was ready – they were determined to give their lives for the Strategy to succeed.

However it was difficult beyond words to watch his friends, his family, his soldiers fall one after the other. The burden it put on him was crushing, and reached its peak when he heard Luo Xianni's parting words. Even Lan Qing, always a rock in the most unstable times, had tears running down his face. But they couldn't help, all they could do was continue to focus all of their strength on the Strategy.

Light from the four swords continued to oscillate around them. They carved out channels of energy as they build the foundation. Erratic tempests of deadly sword energy whipped all around. When they brought it under control, the Strategy would be complete.

Upon being captured by the power of the Strategy, Monarch was filled with fear. Immediately he sensed the aura of immortality protecting him get stripped away. He was left exposed, and if the universe discovered him he would be subject to the terrible power of universal protogenia.

However as time stretched on he found that universal protogenia was no threat to him under the cover of the Strategy. On the contrary, he sensed something altogether different here. The energy that assailed him was completely different from anything he'd experienced before. Its burden was incredible, outstripping even his own Domain. The revelation opened his eyes.

What in the world was this mysterious power? Its turbid, agitated influence was capable of locking out everything outside and yet offered no physical threat.

Monarch and his species were adept at consumption and adaptation. He'd grown to these lofty heights thanks to this skill. Naturally his first instinct was to try and absorb this power for himself and see if it could be used to his benefit.

Starting small, he drew in a portion and tried to assimilate it but hastily cast it back. Although the small dose was weak he could sense the grade of this energy was towering beyond limit. Taking in even the slightest amount was met with a violent and immediate rejection that threatening to destroy him from inside.

What frightening power! If only he could somehow command it, he wondered, to what heights would he climb?

Monarch mulled over the problem, searching for some way to consume this inexplicable force. As he did, the tinge of fear that had assailed him before was gone. After exploring his surroundings with his senses he did not fear for himself, not against these four insignificant humans. He was a god amongst men, and with Luo Xianni's demise none among them commanded the power of the Infinite. Even this strange power that had him temporarily suspended was causing no damage. Who remained to stand against him?

Monarch was a creature of supreme ambition. His target was to supplant the universe itself. He was both curious and fascinated by this new type of energy and thus did not hurry to free himself from it. Instead he followed its ebb and flow, confident that he could discover its secrets. Secrets that would guide him on the path to domination.

As a result Lan Jue and the others did not sense Monarch struggling. Little by little, they were free to establish their Strategy. However it was more than just the death of Luo Xianni that filled their hearts with sadness. Despair was beginning to set in.

They could not complete the Strategy! This unspoken fear grew within each of the four sword bearers. They were nearing their limit and yet not even a third of the Strategy's foundation was complete. Even if they spent every drop of vitality remaining within them they could not see a way to give what the Strategy demanded. In the end they would be consumed by the power they sought to command, Monarch would escape unscathed.

Half of humanity's mightiest had already fallen and they were failing. After all of this, was it truly the fate of mankind to be destroyed by these monsters?

Lan Qing's voice called to the other three. "Do not give up, even to the last moment. Give up everything and we will see what can be accomplished. His aura of protection is gone, and even if we only succeed in injuring him perhaps universe protogenia can do the rest."

"Alright!" Lan Jue answered. His eyes, burning with resolve, never left Zhou Qianlin.

While Monarch couldn't see through the chaotic flows of energy, to the sword bearers it was clear as water. It was carried by the swords, but was present at the creation of the universe. Lan Jue's Five Lightnings were a derivative of this primordial power. This pure chaos was a profound and eternal aspect of reality. Of course Monarch would know nothing of it.

Lan Jue took a deep breath and from his Core a bright light emerged. An image of the Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Star of Purple Subtlety appeared behind. Hundreds of twinkling star-like lights appeared upon Lan Jue and set his body ablaze.

He offered himself as a sacrifice to the Banishing Blade, urging it to give them more power. Lan Qing, Zhou Qianlin and the Pharmacist did the same.

In response all four swords flared and burned like four suns. The Strategy began to arrange itself faster. Monarch, who had been carefully examining the power, felt it suddenly press heavily upon him. The load it placed on him took his breath away.

"Impossible!" It was the first thought to cross his mind. How could this insignificant creatures summon something so exceptional?

Golden light radiated from him as he fought to stave off the pressure. The chaos around him rippled but was otherwise unchanged.

Something like fear flashed in Monarch's eyes. No, he couldn't hold back any longer. If they were allowed to use even a fraction of this power against him it would threaten his life.

Chapter 896: The Definitive Moment

In the space of an instant everything changed, and Monarch discovered that this chaos was far more profound than he'd thought. Even if he were ten times stronger this power would remain incomprehensible to him. The only explanation was that this was part of the fabric of the universe, but how could it appear here?

Curiosity no longer superseded the fear that was creeping up within him. With his eyes dual points of golden light Monarch thrust his arms overhead to protect himself. He raced off to find an exit.

He aimed to rely on his immortal-level powers to break out of this encirclement. Once he broke free it would be far easier to clear away these pesky humans. Once they were dealt with he could carefully begin to examine the intricacies of this chaos. Perhaps he could use it as a weapon in his quest to overcome the universe.

He fixated on the idea as he charged, looking for a way to escape.

Much to his surprise, however, there was no border in site. He could travel thousands of kilometers in a blink, but no matter how far or how fast he moved there seem to be no exit. He didn't know where to go, or which way to focus his power. Despite his god-like strength his attacks struck nothing but empty space wherever he directed them. Through his perception this reality he found himself was as stable as it was infinite, and there appeared to be no breaks for him to exploit. He found himself trapped in a never-ending expanse, a hostile territory with no border he could assault.

What to do?

The gravity of his situation began to dawn on him. He continued to fly in a direction chosen at random, all the while lashing out with his power.

ξ

After two whole minutes the Violet Prince managed to extricate himself from Luo Xianni's dimensional prison. He looked haggard and monstrous, and was missing his left arm.

It was the result of Luo Xianni's final photograph. Though she did not kill him, she'd managed to injure him greatly.

Elsewhere the avatar and the six remaining Paragons were near to the end of their conflict.

The four who gave their lives had succeeded in wounding the beast terrible, especially the final push from the Gods of Wine. Their addition continued to drain the monster of its vitality while the living Paragons pressed the attack. By now its power was reduced to Nirvana levels, and it continued to sustain injuries.

The six remaining Paragons were not having it easy, however. From the very beginning they had attacked this monster with their strongest abilities, never letting up. Exhausted, they were battling against a beast with its back against a proverbial wall, fighting for its life. No one was without considerable injury, but the humans were gaining ground.

With the Violet Prince free from Luo Xianni's constraints, things turned bad. He chose not to assault the remaining Paragons and instead charged right at the site of the Banishing Strategy. Without Luo Xianni's help none of the intrepid soldiers could survive against this monster, the Prince would have already broken through their man-made barrier.

Now, although the Prince was gravely injured, Luo Xianni was no longer there to dissuade him. He crashed into the defenders, killing dozens of soldiers with every wave of his hand as he searched for a way through.

Humans watching from home felt their hearts leap into their throats. They knew the definitive moment was near, when it would be determined if humanity would continue or be snuffed out. Prayers were said for the North, the East and the West. They were spoken for the soldiers and the battle, for the Banishing Strategy. They didn't even know what the Banishing Strategy was, only that if it succeeded their species would be saved.

Boom! A huge number of mechas and drones went flying in all directions. When the Prince crashed into the front line he sent them soaring with a vicious punch.

The soldiers managed to ward him off for only a few moments. However, with the area of the Banishing Strategy nearby the Prince stopped cold.

The Strategy was in its middle stages. Already the aura it produced sent a chill down his spine. He hesitated, but the consequences of inaction won out and he continued his charge.

The stakes could not be higher[1. Interestingly, in Chinese this is 'without lips the teeth suffer cold.']. If Monarch perished the humans could use this terrible power to destroy everything they labored to build. Their immortal realm could be wiped from existence and all their dreams destroyed. More importantly the Violet Prince was not himself a full immortal. He still needed Monarch's help.

He made the prompt decision that, no matter the cost, he had to help Monarch escape.

This Banishing Strategy was the creation of just four humans. The one the monster Prince chose to deal with first was not Ultus' bearer, but Lan Jue. Of all these humans Lan Jue was the one he was most familiar with. There was no sense of kinship among the aliens, but the Prince and Princess had worked closely for years. She had been slain by his hand. It was also Lan Jue's deception that helped them abscond with Ultus, right from under their nose. He was the reason they were in such a precarious position.

For these reasons the Prince hated Lan Jue, loathed this arrogant human meat sack. He had to die.

In a flash he appeared before Captus' bearer. His face was savage and feral like a wild animal and he swiped at Lan Jue with his remaining limb.

Recognition of the danger flashed in the Jewelry Master's eyes, but he did nothing. The mechas raced toward them to help but they were too slow. They had the heart but not the ability. Although Lan Jue was in many ways Captus after their joining, in the midst of the Banishing Strategy he could not defend himself. All he could do was pour all of himself into his task and hope it was enough.

The light of his vitality blazed around him like an inferno. I was so intense it affected the Prince. But just as the beast's attack was about to find its target it was not the fires that stopped him. A figure flashed into view, appearing from nowhere and standing between them.

A shield of rippling waves shattered beneath the Prince's attack. His fist buried itself in the newcomer's chest.

BOOM! The blue silhouette was flung away like detritus, smashing into Lan Jue's body but blocked by Captus' power.

"A-Li!" Lan Jue screamed.

His friend had leapt in to take the blow for him. Crippled and bleeding, he regarded Lan Jue with a forced grin.

"How about that, eh? Just in time." He smirked at his brother in arms, even as the sound of shattered glass echoed from his chest. It was the sound of his Core breaking.

No one survived a deadly blow to their Core – not a human, not an immortal. A broken Core was a death sentence.

Lan Jue's tears came again, bitter and profuse. Yet Hua Li regarded him calmly. Five more figures were quickly converging on their location. They'd finally managed to defeat the avatar and had come to fend off the Prince. Injured from his conflict with Luo Xianni he was once again caught in a struggle he couldn't free himself from.

Hua Li struggled to turn himself around, facing Lan Jue. "You've already sacrificed so much for us. Now you're giving up your life!"

Anguish was clear in his voice. "Aren't you doing the same? We would give it all so our people can continue. To the last drop of blood."

"No," Hua Li retorted. "I'm not like you. I cherish my life. I'm not giving myself up for all people, or my family. Poseidon Group can find some quiet corner to survive, and I could have gone with them. We would have made it work. But I didn't… I stayed. My sacrifice isn't for humanity. It's for you."

Hua Li's smile spread wide across his face, as though he were finally free from some unspoken burden.

"There's a lot I never dared to tell you, A-Jue."

Hua LI's expression surprised him. Lan Jue's voice was hoarse as he answered. "Don't say it A-Li. I don't want to hear it."

But Hua Li shook his head. "No, I need to say it. This is the only opportunity I'll get."

"Hera… I killed her."

Hua Li spoke the words softly. But to Lan Qing, to Lan Jue, to Zhou Qianlin it was like a blast of thunder. Qianlin swayed and threatened to topple over. It was inconceivable that her sister would have been slain by one of Lan Jue's closest friends. Lan Qing and Lan Jue may have been family but his relationship with Hua Li was just as close.

They were lifelong friends. Brothers!

Chapter 897: Hua Li and Mo Xiao

For a moment the smile on Hua Li's face appeared more forced than genuine. He saw Lan Jue's shock and it filled him with an indescribable regret.

"I'm the one who killed Hera. I didn't know it would hurt you so badly. But, I had to." His smile warped into a pained scowl and he clutched his chest. Were it not for the inherent vitality of his bloodline, the Prince's attack would have destroyed him outright.

"Do you remember when you asked me why I don't like Mo Xiao? You said she was a good woman. You're right, she is. She's always been good to me, but I don't like her in that way. I told you I have someone that I love, someone I've always loved. Just Like Xiuxiu who always loved you but was never loved in return. We're very similar this way. We just have… different tastes."

Hua Li's eyes were red from the emotion. "The one I love has almost superhuman talent, an open mind, and a good heart. They're strong, and always willing to give help where and when it's needed. From the moment we met I knew this was the person I was meant to love."

"But life had other plans. They loved someone else and I knew I would never have a chance. I could only remain silent, give my blessings, and hope they were happy. But the pain never got better. I saw that wonderful face in my mind every day. I longed to be near whenever I could, as often as possible. But he was always with a woman. He never knew how I felt."

"One day I couldn't take it anymore. I convinced myself I had to kill her, that it was the only way I'd have a chance. Jealousy poisoned my heart and caused me to make a terrible mistake."

Lan Jue couldn't believe what he was hearing. He gaped at Hua Li, stunned beyond words. He'd never suspected… never expected to hear anything like this from his closest friend.

Hua Li looked deeply into his eyes, his expression oft and sorrowful. "I'm so sorry, A-Jue. I want to give my life to pay for the awful thing I did. I hope it can mean I don't owe Hera. I knew our different orientation would mean we'd never be together but it never stopped my love. I didn't want to leave without you knowing the truth. If there is a next life I hope I can come back as a woman, as beautiful as Hera or Qianlin, and I hope I meet you first."

Lan Jue shut his eyes tightly and muttered through grit teeth. "A-Li, I –"

'No! That's not true!" The cry came a navy blue mecha that came their way. A petite figure emerged and tightly wrapped her arms around Hua Li.

"It wasn't him! He didn't do it!" Mo Xiao, president of the Poseidon Group, sobbed as she held onto her husband.

Hua Li's face changed, growing pale and fatigued. "What are you doing here? Go, quickly. You need to command Poseidon."

Mo Xiao looked at him sadly. "I knew this would happen. I knew you were going to make this choice, that's why I didn't want you to go. You've always felt like his life is more important than yours. But you don't realize I feel the same about you!"

She snapped her head around and looked at Lan Jue. Her lips trembled.

"It wasn't him. Hua Li didn't kill Hera. He loved you so much, how could he hurt you in any way? It didn't matter how sad he was he never wanted anything bad to happen to you. I knew how he felt about you but I liked him ever since I was young. That like grew into love, and nothing was going to change it. I… I'm the one who killed Hera!"

As she went on her voice became more and more hysterical. "Hua Li was never going to give me his heart, but I couldn't stand to see him so sad all the time. I had to help him, and so long as Hera was alive Hua Li would never have his chance. So I killed her, for him. I came up with the plan, arranged everything, and in the end I succeeded. In doing so I destroyed you, too."

"Hua Li never dared to tell you everything and you continued to sink into depression. I killed Hera, not A-Li. A-Li never once did anything to hurt you. Once he found out what I did he alienated me but, A-Li, everything I did was for you. I just wanted you to be happy and I was willing to do anything to make it happen. I never expected you to love me, but to be the mother of your child would be enough. Yet you wouldn't even give me the opportunity to be with you, to see you every day. Why?! Why would you chose to give your life for this man who never knew your heart? You idiot!"

Hua Li stroked her long dark hair. "Aren't you just as foolish? To say I wasn't involved in Hera's death simply isn't true. If it weren't for who I am and who I loved, Hera would still be alive. I never told A-Jue, even after I figured out it was you. I didn't do anything to try and make it right. In the deepest parts of my heart I know I'm just as responsible for what you did to Hera. I had to try and pay her back. Mo Xiao, go back. All of this will be solved when I am gone. We have a child, and you have to take care of him. Flee now, while Monarch is still captured."

Mo Xiao smiled. "You're finally concerned for my well-being. That makes me happy. But do you really think that if you die I will continue living?"

"No!" Hua Li struggled, knowing what was to come, but with his Core shattered there was nothing he could do.

Mo Xiao deftly slipped a dagger into her own heart. With a soft grunt she looked up at him, a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. She hugged him tight.

"In the end, I'm happy to die in your arms… A-Li…"

Hua Li's lips moved but no sound came out. He lifted his head and looked at Lan Jue, his face forlorn and unaccepting. Motes of blue light began to rise from Hua Li and Mo Xiao's body. Eventually they both disappeared into an enormous bubble and floated away into space.

Lan Jue was stupefied by all that had happened. His mother and father were gone, now Hua Li had perished. But not before revealing that terrible secret.

However, even before the battle Lan Jue knew who had a hand in Hera's death. He'd been struggling with it since he found out, but told no one.

The storage device Xiuxiu had left him had contained a lot of information. The worst of it detailed Xiuxiu's collaboration with Mo Xiao. They'd conspired to earn Hera's faith, and orchestrated her murder. It was why Xiuxiu's last words were an apology. Lan Jue never suspected the people closest to him were responsible for one of the most terrible periods in his life.

Xiuxiu's reasons her simple; love. When her suffering and Mo Xiao's met, the two women came up with their plan. However Xiuxiu's revelations did not reveal Hua Li's special affections. Now it all made sense, why Mo Xiao would do what she did.

After Hera's death Lan Jue was consumed by anger. He swore to hunt down the monster that killed her and tear them apart. But now, how could he let that anger go? There was no target for this deep-seated loathing.

Xiuxiu was dead. Hua Li, Mo Xiao – dead. Xiuxiu and Hua Li gave their lives to protect him. What was he to do with this resentment? When he looked at Qianlin he found no enmity or anger in her face. Instead he saw concern.

It was done. The past was the past, and it had to remain there. The only way left was forward and nothing else was important.

Lan Jue focused anew on the task at hand. Determination hardened his face and the light around him burned brighter than ever. He became a pillar of crimson light, the same as Captus. In choosing to give his life for humanity all past grudges were given up. Right now there was one thing which demanded all of him, and that was completing the Strategy so that Monarch might be destroyed and peace could return to the worlds of man.

Within the flood of energy the Strategy required, all distractions melted from Lan Jue's mind. However a bone-deep weariness sunk into his soul, like he was being consumed from within. He could feel that his body might give in at any moment and be destroyed, but this was to be his fate. When he died all of him – body and soul – would be sacrifice on the altar of the Strategy so that it would succeed. It had to, so that Monarch could be defeated.

Mankind's Paragons had lost another, and without Hua Li the fight was that much more perilous. Luckily Luo Xianni had injured the Prince gravely and in doing so made managing his attacks easier. Even so the remaining Paragons were being beaten back. It would only be a matter of time before more lives were taken.

Chapter 898: Too Little Too Late?

The Violet Prince watched all that transpired while he fought at the edge of the Strategy. Unbeknownst to the humans he was weakening. Luo Xianni's powers had not only deprived him of his arm, but had also created fissured within him that were blocking his channels and tearing up his body.

This was certainly to the humans' benefit, for if he'd not been so gravely injured how could they contend against an Infinite-level creature such as he? How could someone like Hua Li have completely blocked his attack?

He waited for Monarch to break free of containment, just as fervently as the humans were waiting for the Banishing Strategy to be complete. He wanted to see his master retake control of this situation and bring these lesser creatures to their knees.

This had been a battle of tragedies. More than ten Paragons were reduced now to single digits. This was before considering the very real possibility that Lan Jue and the other three sword bearers would be required to give their lives. If they did, only five Paragons would make it home.

Had they reached their limit? Lan Jue could feel that his body was near to bursting. It felt like his spirit was cracking, like crystal under too much pressure. Similar and equally uncomfortable sensations consumed Lan Qing, Qianlin and the Pharmacist as well. Worse, in fact, as they had reached their limit long before!

Li Ke appeared behind the Pharmacist. He did nothing – he could do nothing. He watched his wife with a tender gaze as she struggled mightily, and she looked back. She continued to fight, to struggle against the demands of the sword. Even without speaking she could see what was in her husband's heart.

Keep fighting – for Jun'er!

Yes, for their child, their beautiful daughter, for all the mothers and daughters on every human world. They had to hold on until the last possible moment and keep this monster from destroying everything.

But Occisus demanded more. Its hunger for energy was fearsome and insatiable. Every moment sucked what little energy remained, pushing them to the edge of ruin. Powerful as the will of humanity was, it did not translate into energy. She wanted victory desperately, more than anything, but if she did not have what was required she would be destroyed all the same.

None of them expected to survive. They just wanted to hold on, long enough that their sacrifice could galvanize the Banishing Strategy.

All the pilots in mechas and drones, all the soldiers in distant warships bore witness to the battle. Prayers and desperate hope filled every heart.

Qianlin struggled as well, in some ways worse. Though her cultivation was not inferior to Lan Jue's her Domain was not intended to be used in combat. Her inheritance wasn't some almighty ancient god. In that way she was the weakest of the four, her spirit never having been tempered. She was the first one in danger of giving in.

A-Jue, I can't hold on. She whispered the sad and desperate thought in her heart.

Lan Jue sensed it: Go, Qianlin. Wait for me on the other side. I'll be there soon. It doesn't matter where, we will always be together.

A small smile played on Qianlin's face. Yes! So long as he was with her, not even death was something to be frightened of.

Tendrils of white light arose around her like threads of silk. They were cracks, coalescing together around her dharmic image as it began to break apart. She was one with her image, and once it was destroyed she would die as well, forever gone from this world.

Qian was ready, she'd prepared for this. She quieted her mind, and even Xuanyuan Shishi was silent. They put all their focus into the sword and Strategy. They were committed to dedicating all of themselves, no matter the result.

Suddenly, Qianlin felt a warmth flow from her limbs toward her center. It started gently at first, but became more intense as she neared her final moments. For some reason it reversed the pain she felt, going so far as to ease the pain in her soul.

She opened her eyes and looked toward Lan Jue. It was then that she saw all around her were dots of brilliant white light. They sank into her body. Demortus' demands were lofty beyond what she could offer and though these motes of light were weak individually, there were too many to count. They were filled with the unique power of faith, and it served to slow her consumption.

This… this was…

The power of prayer. Qianlin understood immediately. The prayers of humans everywhere were sustaining her. And yet she was not filled with joy. Instead her eyes betrayed panic.

Perhaps this power would save her, maybe even survive. But what of Lan Jue? The people did not have the same faith in him. If he were to perish what would she do?

Her eyes desperately searched for Lan Jue's form. When she did, to her surprise Lan Jue was also surrounded by small specks of light. They were pale blue, and through her perception she could sense that they were empowering him as she was being empowered.

This…

She was at a loss? What was it? Could it be…

Yes. It, too, was faith. The faith of all the people!

When they saw Lan Jue and the others fighting, saw the Bloodiron Khans defending them, and heard the impassioned pleas of that Eastern announcer they were moved. People all throughout the galaxies began to pray. They prayed for the sword bearers and for all of mankind.

All of that faith united around them.

Lan Jue, Lan Qing, the Pharmacist, Zhou Qianlin. All the soldiers, the Paragons, the mechas and drones. They weren't alone – they fought together on behalf of their species. They represented the determination of their people in seeing tomorrow. They were the instrument of every human's desire to fight!

They had the strength and faith of everyone at their back.

The first wave of faith had come from Angel. Those hundreds of thousands saw their conviction manifest first. They wanted to see their representatives succeed from the bottom of their heart. They prayed loudly and earnestly for the Banishing Strategy to emerge.

This was the first time since the Banishing Blades appeared in the world of man that everyone wished to see its Strategy conquer the enemy. It seemed almost natural that it began to absorb the power of this faith, and not just around Qianlin but with all four of them.

Heavenly weapons were possessed of their own intelligence, and the Banishing Blades were the greatest heavenly weapons ever created. Of course it yearned to absorb the pure power of faith. More than any other energy, the faith of the masses could help to establish the Banishing Strategy – and maybe beyond.

Seeing their bearers earn the respect of all mankind, the swords were pleased. The esteem of these arrogant weapons soared. With these blessings the Strategy stabilized and began to grow again. It was nearing completion.

When he saw the light appear around them, the Violet Prince sensed things were spinning out of their control. At first it was insignificant but with time grew exponentially, feeding the swords and the chaos that they wielded. The first indicating Lan Jue and the others were consuming their own life force had been extinguished.

More frightening was the revelation that these four humans were getting stronger. All of a sudden their level of cultivation had surged to several times their original power. In a matter of seconds they were nearly ready to push through to the Infinite.

Each of them were surrounded by a halo of polychromatic light. It wasn't coming from them, but from the Strategy itself. The flows of chaos also saw this mottled hue emerge within it, giving it a strangely beautiful appearance. Monarch, who was captured within it, was speechless and did not even attempt to escape.

How could this not cause the Violet Prince to be afraid? If Monarch perished he would be the last of his people. Caught amidst all of these humans he certainly would be unable to escape.

The Violet Prince made a prompt decision and acted on it without delay. A fiery purple light blazed from his chest and all of a sudden he was as strong as he ever had been. He knocked the Driver before him away with a single punch.

Even with the protection of Primordial Lightning the Driver's bones cracked from the blow. He spat a mouthful of blood from the severe injury.

The Prince didn't slow. In a flash he appeared once more before Lan Jue and threw a punch at the hateful human's head.

No one expected the Prince to regain his power so suddenly. Among the five remaining Paragons the strongest were only Reflections of Heaven and Earth, hardly a match to a creature who commanded the powers of the Infinite. No one could match him for speed either, and by the time they reacted the alien's attack was already reaching its target.

Finished!

The Wine Master despaired – all their effort, too little too late!

However, just as the Prince's fist reached Lan Jue the halo around him flared. He didn't move and his body became instantly translucent. Thrown off balance by his zealous assault the Violet Prince toppled through Lan Jue and into the chaotic flows of the Banishing Strategy.

It all happened so suddenly everyone stopped.

The Clockmaker was first to snap out of it. Loudly she cried. "Everyone, pray for them! Pray the Banishing Strategy will work. Our unity is our strength, that is how we win the day."

Chapter 899: Turning the Tables

She saw that what was coalescing around Lan Jue and the others was the power of faith. Pure and strong, it was easy to absorb and best to strengthen their efforts.

Of course it was only a temporary boost. Once that faith was gone the power would vanish. Their cultivation would return to the levels they were previously.

The Pontiff's Citadel relied on this faith to boost their abilities. Part of the Pontiff's failure to grow stronger had laid in the limits of the faithful who followed him. His influence extended only throughout the West, while the faith of Northerners and Easterners was separate and unique.

Lan Jue and his fellow sword bearers, however, were bestowed the faith of all of humanity!

It went without saying that this was a tremendous boon. Through the live stream, and the heroism of the Bloodiron Khans and Star Division, people worlds away were inspired by their acts. How could they not have faith in their champions?

Only the purest, most sincere faith could manifest in this way. It was not constrained by either time or space and appeared instantly where it was needed.

The Queen of Heaven Guanyin, Qianlin, was the main focus of that faith. Westerners especially placed their belief in her after what she did for their people. But beyond her they said their prayers for the Banishing Strategy itself and the courageous Paragons who were willing to sacrifice everything.

With their own eyes spectators watched as Paragons were felled one after the other, mostly in giving their own lives so that others can continue the fight or to weaken the enemy.

There was a universe of difference between a normal person and a Paragon. To the common man Paragons were living legends, hardly believable except for the fact that they were often in the public eye.

All of that power still was not enough for many of them, who were slain or gave their lives against an enemy that still threatened their species. This fact put a stark point on the fact that this enemy was powerful beyond belief.

They had to be united. Unity is strength!

This was the key the Clockmaker pointed out. All the soldiers of the armada bowed their heads in prayer, hoping against hope for the Banishing Strategy to overcome their foes. Those in other worlds who had yet to lend their faith did so at the Clockmaker's demand.

Influenced by this universal favor, Lan Jue and the others continued to grow stronger. They no longer worried about failing to sustain the Strategy, even as its bottomless hunger continued to feed unabated.

Within the Strategy itself the multicolored light became more intense. An archaic and mysterious diagram was beginning to appear between the sword bearers.

Li Ke, who stood beside the Pharmacist, was shocked to discover that some of the people's faith was directed toward him. His first instinct was to flee, but the gravitational power of the Pharmacist's halo held him fast. He could feel the energy of prayer seep into him, nourishing his soul. It was comfortable beyond words, a sensation he hadn't felt since being captured by the monsters.

The Pharmacist's face went from strained to peaceful. She could see her late husband's spectral body becoming more corporeal before her very eyes. He looked almost whole.

The people were not stingy with their prayers. Seeing this spirit beside the Harbinger Faerie, helping her, they assumed he was as important to the Strategy as she was. They had prayers enough for him as well, and thus did he benefit from this disaster.

The first to break through was, of course, Lan Jue. There were no dramatic signs to mark it, all of a sudden he just felt like a veil had been lifted from his eyes. Suddenly there was more to everything.

The universe became a rich and complicated tapestry. Everything he saw and felt was completely different than it had been before. His consciousness felt boundless and untethered.

The Infinite! Was this what it felt like to truly be one with everything?

In contrast to the dangerous instability of his breakthrough to Nirvana, now he felt only comfort. With this breakthrough all the damage he'd done in burning away his vitality was reversed. His spirit was restored, and even his Core underwent a qualitative shift. Instead of a solid, crystal-like center it became gas-like, suspended as a cloud of energy in his chest. Its power flickered to life amidst the many-hued halo that enveloped him.

Stranger still, Lan Jue could sense something in the depths of space calling out to him. Whatever it was, it felt as though it were gathering around him.

They were fragments of memories. Somehow he knew that they were pieces of the old masters left behind. Shards of what had been the Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Star of Purple Subtlety.

A stream of purple light extricated itself from him – the image of the Great Emperor. However the depth and wisdom in his eyes was more profound than it ever had been. He was towering, stately, and radiated an aura of godliness.

This was the true Emperor of the North Star! A piece only, yet still possessed of the great power the immortal once commanded. Lan Jue could see that as the mighty spirit gazed upon the Strategy there remained a lingering fear of the destruction it manufactured.

In the time of his reign the Emperor was slightly more than half again as powerful as Celestial Masters Yuan Shi and Taishang. If the Emperor in his fully glory was present, the Strategy may not have been enough to destroy him outright but would certainly have been a threat.

The next one to break through was Zhou Qianlin.

In the moment of her breakthrough a heavenly chorus rang out through space. As the soothing tones reverberated, ripples of white light radiated out around her. It continued to spread until it enfolded Lan Jue, Lan Qing and the Pharmacist as well. Thus connected the four bearers felt more intimately joined. Each of them absorbed faith different up to this point, Qianlin enjoying the most benefit. However, with her breakthrough it was now evenly distributed among all of them.

A tiara of water drops glittered like crystal against her forehead. Her dharma also appeared, but like Lan Jue's was different than before. Her head was covered by a white gossamer veil, and a lotus flower bloomed beneath her feet. In her right hand she held a willow branch, and in the other a jar of pure water. Though just a shadow of the beloved Goddess of Mercy, her appearance was stunning.

Guanyin, one of the most beloved of the Buddha. It was nothing short of amazing that Qianlin's dharma would be revealed as this ancient goddess upon breaking through to the Infinite. Her Paragon title was more apt than ever.

Lan Qing and the Pharmacist broke through at nearly the same moment.

Vairochana's image appeared from Lan Qing in all its glory and split, replete with an aura of benevolence. Three mighty Buddhas of the past, present and future shone with divine light. Lan Qing opened his eyes, and from them emerged an ethereal golden mist to match the aura that encased him. He was surrounded by the soothing hum of chanting.

The Pharmacist's change was more sensational. Her dharma had always been herself, but that appeared to have changed. In breaking through her abilities assimilated some inexplicable power, and instead of a dharma she was surrounded a burning garnet hue. The contrast was striking when set beside Lan Qing's luminous aura.

Within the borders of that red light was a terrifying scene. Mountains of corpses and seas of blood stretched far and wide. Ghouls and spirits wandered the hellscape howling in rage. Other figured, visible only barely, wandered aimlessly throughout.

"So long as hell hath sinners, I will not ascend!" Ten words boomed into existence like a voice from the depths. The frightening vision of hell subsided and was replaced by the stern visage of the Pharmacist's dharma. Its hands were pressed together before its chest, and the being was clad in the simple garb of a monk. Her dharma was revealed as Yama, King of the Underworld!

One after the other their breakthroughs were complete. It took only a matter of moments.

The four sword bearers revealed their legendary lineages, manifest by the power of faith; Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Star of Purple Subtlety; Vairochana; Guanyin; King Yama. Each one a figure from the highest echelons of the ancient pantheon.

Among them Vairochana held the highest status, though the others were considered lesser by small degrees only. As the fragments of these all-powerful beings stood in attendance, the vast powers of the universe gathered to their side. The Banishing Strategy grew ever more powerful.

Lan Jue and the others had arisen to the vaulted heights of the Infinite, and yet they were not assailed by the threat of universal protogenia. However this was not due to the protective aura from Zhou Qianlin. It simply wasn't present, as though it ignored them entirely.

The polychromatic light of the Banishing Strategy was an energy that was born at the creation of the universe. Even the immortal qi surrounding Monarch dissolved under its all-pervading dominance. This was similarly true of universal protogenia, a derivative of this energy. So long as they remained within the embrace of the Strategy, the Lan Jue and the others did not need to fear destruction at the universe' hands.

A real blessing in disguise! None of them expected this Strategy that they were ready to give their life for would protect them in this way. Slowly the Strategy was nearing completion, their plans finally coming to fruition.

They'd expected to only accomplish the minimum of what the Banishing Strategy could do, and use that to kill Monarch. Now, with the power of faith, it was growing stronger than they thought they could manage. Whether or not they would succeed was no longer the question, it was to what extent. This was, after all, the greatest weapon under heaven!

Upno sensing this critical change, Lan Jue delivered a message to the Wine Master. "Tell everyone to fall back to Angel. We're fine from here on out. The Banishing Strategy will be complete any moment, and Monarch will be slain."

When he heard this the Wine Master breathed a sigh of relief. It was finally going to end. However, in his eyes there was also sorrow. They had lost so many.

Satan, the Pontiff, the Terminator, the Keeper, the Bookworm, the Pauper. Jue Di, the Photographer, Poseidon, the Gods of Wine. They had all perished to see this war won.

Chapter 900: The Complete Banishing Strategy!

Only nine Paragons remained. They were all that was left of humanity's greatest Adepts.

The Wine Master quickly relayed Lan Jue's command. He also told Kang Hui aboard Tyrannosaurus, which thankfully could still fly. As commander of the armada it was his responsibility to give the order to fall back.

"Pass on my directive. Everyone is to fall back to Angel. Bastions take up the rear. Leave a couple reconnaissance vehicles behind."

No more need be said. Everyone could see the dancing lights within the Strategy. Compared to when they first started the energy surging from it was inconceivable. Even laymen could tell that they were on the cusp of completion. Victory was eminent.

The five remaining Paragons stayed behind to bear witness while Kang Hui and his soldiers began to retreat.

Even though the soldiers were falling back, there was no decrease in the faith afforded to the four sword bearers and their Strategy. Though, it wasn't just their Strategy anymore. Everyone, all throughout the galaxies, had a hand in its completion.

Monarch would never have believed that he would be caught by the wiles of man, but such was the case. He struggled and railed against his prison, sure that he could escape if only he found the right place to attack. Before his attacks felt blocked, like they were caught in a mire of that chaotic energy. Now that sense was gone. All of it was gone.

The confusion was gone and reality came back into focus, free from the flows of chaos. This lauded Strategy had its limits, he was glad to discover. Monarch was pleased that his golden immortal abilities were able to defeat their ploy. He grinned arrogantly to himself.

He glared at his surroundings as they once more became clear, and reached out with his perception. To his North was Ultus; to his South, Occisus; on his West arose Captus; at his East was Demortus. Before him arose a gate, and from it issued a murderous aura and an evil wind.

This is…

Something flashed behind his eyes. He wasted no time, moving quickly toward Ultus. It was the sword he was most familiar with, the one he'd left his mark upon. It would likely be the easiest one to conquer.

However as he moved forward to take the sword a portal appear. He slipped through, and was transported back to where he started. He hadn't gained any ground toward Ultus.

The Banishing Strategy's suffocating pressure had dissipated once his surroundings became clear again. It led him to believe the danger was passed. But he was wise, and understanding was clear in his face. Instead of moving forward to seize the weapons himself, instead he lashed out with a punch in each direction.

Faced with Monarch's all-mighty powers the swords simply flickered. Monarch's explosions of energies vanished without foundation. He was the most powerful being in a millennia, so he sensed the flows at they reacted to one another. He felt it as the manifestation of his power was shattered and swallowed up like it was nothing.

His manufactured human heart sank. Without question, he no longer possessed the power to threaten the trap he'd been caught in. It was in this moment a flash of purple caught his eye. It caught him off guard and he nearly fainted away, but turned fast enough to catch who it was. The Violet Prince was at his side.

The Prince was ablaze in violet light. Monarch recognized that he was consuming the essence of his Core to empower his abilities.

"Monarch!" The Prince greeted weakly.

The immortal regarded his progeny with an ominous glare. "Why are you here? Did I not order you to destroy the Strategy?"

"The humans staunchly resisted," the Prince explained. "Moments before I could break free and attack the sword bearers, the Strategy changed. I was caught."

Gazing upon the lesser alien's beaten and crippled body, he knew it to be true. It meant that the humans had obtained some unknown power to aid them. Whatever it was, it had been enough to help them complete the Strategy.

Even now Monarch found it difficult to believe that his strength was incapable of breaking them free. The humans were no greater than Nirvana-level, how could they possibly contend against him?

It was well known that the gulf between an Adept of Nirvana and a denizen of the Infinite was vast. The difference between the Infinite and Immortality was larger still. The potential of an Immortal was vast as the heavens themselves.

At his level of cultivation it would require another ten thousand years before he arose to the next degree of domination. If crossing the threshold from one Paragon rank to another was a herculean task, rising in status as an immortal took eons.

Monarch's face darkened. Finally he realized that perhaps he'd overestimated himself. At the final moment, when he thought victory was his, human beings proved their strength.

There was nothing in the genetic material he stole from mankind that told him what this trap was. How could it? There were so few humans who knew of the existence of the Banishing Strategy.

"Monarch, what should we do?" The Prince asked.

Monarch fixed him with a serious gaze. "The only thing we can do is try to break free. Perhaps we can overwhelm their ability to hold us here. I don't believe these humans can maintain this trap for long. The amount of energy required to hold me here must be immense, and the moment they begin to falter that will be our chance. It's a test of endurance, how can they challenge me in such a trial? This trap they've lain has only kept me stationary – it does not cause any harm."

The moment these words left his lips, the four Banishing Blades glowed brighter. As more portals appeared all around them reality became less distinct. The areas around them started to change.

All of a sudden the swords seemed leagues away.

A deep and booming voice thundered through the interior of the Strategy. "In all of history you are the first to assume this trap lacks bite. Monarch, you must know what it is you face. Regardless, I shall tell you: it is called the Banishing Strategy. In the days of immortals it was called the greatest weapon under heaven. Is it not your goal to attain the highest state of immortality? I may as well tell you, even if you succeeded this very moment the Strategy would reduce you to dust. Were this not so, would its title be so audacious? What you face terrified the gods of old. You – will – die."

The voice was Lan Jue's. It was cold and callous, full of dark promise.

Monarch responded with a dismissive sniff. "Very well! I'm eager to see what your so-called super weapon is capable of!"

"Monarch. Are… are you sure we'll be fine?" The Prince at his side sounded less than convinced.

Scorn dripped from Monarch's voice. "This is nothing more than a trick to shake our confidence. Greatest weapon under heaven… they have no means to kill me-"

His haughty affirmation were cut short when suddenly reality began to tremble. In the distance eight glimmering portals revealed themselves. Shimmering around them the rainbow of color started to fluctuate. Monarch shook and the Prince quailed. The lights went out.

When the Prince looked at his master he was surprised to see shock on Monarch's face. Before his eyes miniscule cracks appeared upon the immortal's body, spurting golden light. They started on his head, but quickly spread until they criss-crossed every inch of him.

With a loud clap, Monarch's body broke apart.

A beam of golden light escaped from where its head had been. It tried wildly to flee in any direction it could. However the flows of sword-energy that had vanished suddenly reemerged from the darkness. The moment the golden light crashed into these lights it froze, and revealed its true nature.

It was Monarch, though a miniature copy. The tiny golden homunculus was nimble, but was now frozen with an expression of disbelief writ plain on his face.

"No! Don't kill me. I'll surrender the immortal realm. I can teach you how to make one of your own. I can –" Before he could finish Lan Jue's voice rumbled from within the tempest.

"Your pleas are useless. Did you think we would allow you to live, after what you did to our people? With every murder you only thought about consuming more – you never spared a thought for those not of your ilk. Goodbye, Monarch. You should be proud to die by the might of the Banishing Strategy."

As the last syllable hung in the air, an unending torrent of cutting light descended upon him. Monarch's immortal spirit was cut to ribbons and drifted away to nothing in the emptiness of space.

The Violet Prince witnessed the whole scene. His face had gone ghastly pale.

Monarch – the ascendant, he who consumed the power of both Queen and Consort, the master of their immortal realm – was dead!

How was this possible? How could they have killed a god?

He stood still, frozen in place, shaking ever so slightly. No thought of confrontation entered his mind, for in the face of that terrifying storm he felt insignificant.

When it swept through the Violet Prince was rent asunder until nothing remained. He was beneath even a final word from Lan Jue.

Chapter 901: Shards of Primordial Spirits

Monarch and the Violet Prince had been destroyed, forever erased from the universe by the power of the Banishing Strategy.

Red light drained out from Lan Jue's eyes. He had been the one to guide their concentrated power. Now that Monarch was destroyed, at last the threat of alien aggression had passed.

He revealed no pleasure from their victory, no excitement. There were still problems to address – chief among them, how to restrain the Strategy safely. They hadn't been sure they could even succeed in establishing the attack, and thus had given stopping it not even a passing thought.

Through the power of faith they were ultimately able to overcome the enemy. The Banishing Strategy had been enacted and was stable, endowing them with a caliber of strength that far outstripped their wildest imaginings.

As the prayers of billions were continuously laid upon them, the swords thirstily drank of their gifts. The Banishing blades used it to complete what the sword bearers couldn't do on their own.

In a series of flashes Lan Jue and the others appeared, standing at the four corners of the Strategy. However, none of them were holding their weapon.

Lan Qing looked from one to the other, his expression uncertain. "What now?"

Lan Jue smirked at his brother. "How do I know? Wine Master, could I trouble you to report Monarch's death to Kang Hui? All remaining enemies have been destroyed. That should curtail the faith flowing into it. I'm afraid if we don't do something to weaken it the Strategy will continue to solidify."

The Wine Master interjected, curious. "What's the problem with that?"

"Well, to start if it keeps getting stronger I'm not sure we'll have the means to stop it," he answered. "It would remain here forever, and this whole area would be too dangerous to ever go near again."

His old friend nodded. "What do you think is needed to get it to stop?"

Lan Jue pondered out loud. "According to our estimates we would need to be Da Luo-level immortals if we wanted to exert that level of control. If one of us were that could be enough." He sounded unconvinced even as he said it.

Lan Qing wryly added his voice. "And it has to be you. You were the one who led the Strategy."

The Wine Master sucked in a surprised breath. "So you're saying that anyone who enters this field will be instantly killed?" If the Strategy would bring down a god, he shuddered to think of what it might do to a normal person.

"Not necessarily," Lan Jue answered. "If one of us – the sword bearers – guided someone through then they would be fine. After all, we're part of the Strategy ourselves. But if someone were to enter without us it would probably end as you'd expect. I… don't recommend you try it."

The Wine Master's brows furrowed in thought. "If it's simply a matter of closing of a section of space that shouldn't be too great of an issue. It's impossible to expect you to reach the highest level of immortality any time within the conceivable future! Are there any other dangers we need to consider?"

Lan Jue explained further. "Right now the Strategy is still under our control, and there is no immediate problem. However, I think it's fair to expect that the zone will expand once we leave and are no longer maintaining its borders. None of us can know how large it'll spread, but if I had to guess I'd say it would at least swallow up Europa and everything around it. But before we consider that, it isn't completely unthinkable for us to reach Da Luo."

As he spoke, he swung his eyes toward Europa floating placidly in the distance.

Monarch and the Violet Prince had been vanquished, but the fruits of their evil labors remained. Basking in a pale golden glow the newly crafted immortal realm flooded the area with its aura. Lan Jue and the others, now risen to the Infinite, could feel it clearly from where they stood.

Indeed this was their next problem. What were they to do with the alien's immortal realm?

"We can deal with that later. Right now there are more pressing matters." Li Ke interrupted them. His voice bore a somewhat urgent tone.

Lan Jue turned his attention toward the spirit. "What is it, brother-in-law?"

After absorbing so much faith, Li Ke was almost indistinguishable from any of them. The Pharmacist was even holding his hand, and the smile on her face betrayed her happiness.

Li Ke, however, was not smiling. "You have to gather the spirit shards. Fragments of what remains of the Paragons' souls. In a way what we call Paragons can be likened to 'half immortals', Taoist magicians of the ancient times. After spending so long cultivating, their souls become like primordial spirits. Primordial spirits don't disappear so easily, just like the ancient gods whose essence remains even though they lost to universal protogenia. Even now, thousands of years later, we can still feel their echoes. If we hurry and gather these shards now, there's a chance we could bring them back to life!"

Lan Jue froze when he heard it. If this were true and they could return their friends and loved ones to life, today's victory would be absolute.

"How do we do that?" He asked urgently.

Li Ke explained. "The four of you have reached the Infinite. If you search your feelings you can sense them."

"Excellent!" With such good news, how could Lan Jue ignore it? Even Lan Qing's steadfast demeanor hid a buzz of excitement. If Li Ke was right they could bring Luo Xianni and the others back from the dead!

Lan Jue shut his eyes and reached out with his perception. He began to search the area for any sign of these spirits.

He was calm now, and no longer burdened by the dangers he'd faced before. His sense of his surroundings was different. Suddenly there was something more, hidden behind a veil.

In theory space was largely empty. Aside from relatively miniscule pockets of matter, space was defined by how much nothing there was. However when someone's consciousness reached a certain level of understanding, they found this to be untrue. Their perception was more sensitive than even the most advanced instruments, telling them that there was something else.

Even up to now Lan Jue and the others radiated polychromatic light, a residue from the Banishing Strategy. So almighty was the Strategy's influence that universal protogenia still couldn't apply its pressures on them.

Safe for the time being, Lan Jue searched his consciousness until he came upon a strange and arresting impression. However it was not human. Far from it, in fact – it was what remained of the three-headed avatar.

The pulses of primordial energy were odd and uncomfortable. They seemed desperate to gather together, as though hoping it could reconstitute itself. It made Lan Jue shiver, for he knew that somewhere within the six souls that had made up that beast was a whisper of Monarch's consciousness.

Monarch was gone, completely destroyed by the Strategy, leaving these spirits on their own. It was almost pitiful to feel these fragments trying to piece themselves back together, like they had a chance to somehow come back.

Now that he saw them, how could Lan Jue give them even a shadow of hope?

Lan Jue lifted his right hand and summoned an electric blue light from the ether. When they light fell upon the cluster of spiritual energy it released a haze of pale purple which blanketed the area, sparkling with points of illumination. It was Lan Jue's Boundless Starlight Domain.

As Lan Jue became stronger, both his control over the Domain and its menace had increased exponentially. Heavenly Lightning began to crackle the moment his Domain manifested itself.

The blasts of lightning that tore into the cluster of souls was nothing short of harrowing. But before these evil fragments could feel fear, they were burned from existence. Nothing remained. They would never threaten the worlds of man again.

Lan Jue had called his Domain to prevent these fragments from scattering, but also – more importantly – so that his lightning would not hard the spirit shards he sought to save.

With the last vestiges of his enemy destroyed, Lan Jue breathed easier. When he began to search anew his perception settled on something nearby.

A copper-gold halo surrounded appeared. Near it, a fragment nearly as strong as the ones Lan Jue had wiped out lingered. Though weaker, it was more persistent and slowly drew itself closer to the golden light.

Lan Jue raced over to where the light shimmered and reached out for it.

"Qianlin," he called. She hurriedly came to his side. Lan Jue's Boundless Starlight Domain could destroy nearly any enemy that crossed his path, but it was not built to heal or rescue. What was better for this purpose that the Light of the Goddess of Mercy?

The golden light was radiating from Jue Di's astrum, the Compliance Rod. The spirit that was so desperately trying to stay with it was what remained of Luo Xianni.

Only the simplest desires were left to these broken spirits. It was clear what mattered most to Luo Xianni was finding the Compliance Rod, for within it she could be together with Jue Di.

Luo Xianni pointed with her right hand. She was also now of the Infinite and could sense what Lan Jue saw. With the utmost care she guided Luo Xianni to the rod and the spirit of her lost love.

When a primordial spirit left one's body it was assailed by the cruel power of universal protogenia. It was torn apart, and ultimately dissipated into the vastness of space to be lost forever.

Chapter 902: Preserving Immortal Essence

Protected by an astrum, the fragment of a soul could persist for much longer than normal.

Once Luo Xianni's spirit was recovered Lan Jue continued his search. He quickly found the Pauper, Keeper, Bookworm, and the gods of wine. They were also conveyed into the Compliance Rod.

However, when he looked for Hua Li he was surprised and saddened to discover there was no trace that remained of him.

"A-Li!" When he returned to the corpses of Hua Li and Mo Xiao his heart was a tempest of emotion.

Zhou Qianlin gripped his hand. She said nothing and only hung her head before the scene. To claim there was no animosity within her would have been a lie, but be it Xiuxiu or Hua Li, they gave their lives to try and make it right. They died protecting Lan Jue. Could hate survive in the face of such sacrifice?

A thought came to Lan Jue. He extricated his hand from Qianlin's and reached forth to search the bodies for any residual parts of Hua Li's soul. But then a blue light from the distance captured his attention. As it approached, he watched in shock.

The one who came looked a lot like Hua Li, if more mature. He regarded Lan Jue with a calm expression, and was wreathed in pale blue light.

He nodded once he was close. "We'll take him. The Poseidon family has its own ways." Hua Xu answered Lan Jue's unspoken question. There was no indication any of this had affected him emotionally.

Lan Jue regarded him with a pained and conflicted expression. "Uncle, I…"

Hua Xu cut him off with a wave of his hand. "Destiny makes fools of us all. I can only hope that you see some way to forgive them. When the light of one's life goes out, it should extinguish their follies."

Lan Jue nodded his head. Hua Li and Mo Xiao were dead, harboring hatred and resentment would serve no one. He didn't bear any ill-will toward his fallen brother.

Hua Xu extended it right hand, and from it floated a deep blue crystal. It slowly floated through space glittering in the dim light until it came to the bodies of his children. It flickered with a blue light that hung over the bodies, and moments later when it vanished so too did Hua Li and Mo Xiao.

Hua Xu nodded a final time toward Lan Jue, then turned and left.

However, he did not go far before stopping. He turned back and fixed Lan Jue with his eyes. "After this fight, it will take a long time for the Group to recover. Hua Li hoped that you could help look after he and Mo Xiao's child. It was his desire that their little one could live on Skyfire Avenue. Is there anything that might make this impossible?"

Lan Jue did not immediately reply, so Hua Xu continued. "You might not expect it from looking at our family, but our heirs are not immediately granted the full rights and powers of the bloodline. They employ the benefits of the family to choose their own path, and ultimately undergo the process of accepting the lineage. So it is destined. Of course none of us wish for this burden, neither I nor A-Li wanted to carry this mantle. I failed. Under cover of this conflict, as Hua Li was leaving to join the fight, Mo Xiao sent a ship back toward Skyfire Avenue bearing their child. I ask that you seek his aura, and bring our heir to Skyfire Avenue so that he might grow and prosper. When he comes of age, if he so chooses he can return and take up his rightful place as leader of Poseidon Group. If he does not…" Hua Xu stopped, a smile on his face. He didn't finish the thought before a flash of blue light conveyed him far away.

Lan Jue heaved a sigh. A piece of A-Li still existed somewhere! A-Li, he thought to himself, I'll do whatever I can to grant your final wish. I'll look after your son.

The battle was finally over, and the Wine Master left to spread the good news across all the human worlds. However when Lan Jue returned to his fellows his face was no less serious and burdened. They looked into the distance where the gold-blanketed legacy of the aliens remained. They silently regarded Europa, immortal realm of their enemy.

"Brother, what are we going to do about this?" Lan Jue asked.

Lan Qing's deep voice replied. "Under the power of faith the Banishing Strategy is strong. As its guides we can direct its power to smother and destroy Europa. We can erase every last trace of these aliens, once and for all."

"No." Li Ke answered quickly and firmly. Everyone turned their attention to him.

He explained. "Creating an immortal realm is phenomenally difficult. I wouldn't be surprised to learn it'd taken ten thousand years of preparation for the aliens to succeed here. It was based off of what Monarch could piece together from the ancient immortal realm of our history, so its existence isn't actually a threat. Now that the aliens are dead, we can take this realm for ourselves. Think about it, all four of you have reached the Infinite and the moment you leave the protection of the Strategy universal protogenia will leech your vitality. The only way you can continue to grow as Paragons is if you do so under the protection of an immortal realm."

Lan Jue bitterly shook his head. "I have absolutely no interest in continuing this journey. It was never my dream to become an immortal, all I ever wanted was a normal life. Besides, so long as he we don't deliberately seek cultivation Qianlin's Domain can protect us from universal protogenia."

Li Ke paused, then wryly chuckled. "You still can't destroy this place, even despite your personal desires. The immortal realm is the only way in which you can bring the others back. You have your selfish motives and so do I. I want my body back, to live a normal life where I can be with my family. Small as that chance might be, I have to pursue it no matter how remote."

Lan Qing blinked in surprise. "You're saying we can use their primordial spirits in the immortal realm to bring our friends back?"

Li Ke answered. "Theoretically yes. An immortal realm is replete with immortal qi that circulates through it as ubiquitous as the wind. Its basis is in faith, and I could sense that Monarch's intention was not to kill the humans once he'd succeeded in his desire to bring about the immortal realm. What he really wanted was for humans to submit and accept him as their god. Then he could feed off of our faith. Right now Europa is sustained by the faith of all those Monarch consumed. However, this had made the realm unstable. Immortal qi will continue to be consumed but not replenished. For you four, it would be different. You're heroes, and if you claim the immortal realm as your own you can inject it with the faith of the masses. You are the only ones that can stabilize this place and replenish its power."

"Not only will immortal qi protect you from universal protogenia, it will also nourish and restore the fragments of primordial spirit you've gathered. I dare say that with the help of immortal qi you could bring Jua Di back to life quickly. The others may take more time but are likely to walk the worlds of man once more."

Nearby, Chu Cheng extended the golden skeleton he carried, the remnants of the Terminator. "Is there a chance his Majesty the Terminator…"

Li Ke sighed and shook his head. "Too much time has passed, his primordial spirit has already dissolved. A Paragon's spirit can only survive about an hour before it returns to the universe."

Chu Cheng's disappointment was visible. He could say that the Terminator had given him new life. Without the Northern leader's help Chu Cheng's rise would never have been so quick. With the Terminator gone, the responsibilities of being the North's sole Paragon fell to him.

Lan Qing pressed the spirit. "So what do you suggest we do now, comrade?"

Li Ke's response came without hesitation. "First we should go to Europa and see if anything remains of the three home worlds. If it does that poison must be removed. Using the Banishing Strategy to surround Europa was not wrong, for if we find that there is no saving this immortal realm it can quickly be destroyed. That responsibility will be left up to the four of you. In addition, if in the future anyone wants to enter the immortal realm they could only do so with your blessing and guidance. Until one or more of you achieve Da Luo status as immortals the Banishing Strategy will persist. In the meanwhile, you simply need to control it."

Lan Qing looked at Lan Jue, who nodded back. "It sounds like the best course of action. Let's go to Europa, and see if we can't solve any problems we come across."

With Monarch dead, in principle there should be nothing remaining of the three alien planets. However, they couldn't be sure until they went to Europa and searched it themselves. With the backing of the Banishing Strategy they would make sure everything was in order.

Were it not for the possibility of saving his friends and family from permanent death, Lan Jue would much have preferred destroying this immortal realm. He'd have liked to see it pass into history and erase any possibility of future trouble.

The four sword bearers didn't rush into the immortal realm. First they guided the Banishing Strategy's power so that it settled over Europa, and only then began their trek to the gold-wreathed planet.

"Let's go." Lan Qing ordered.

The four of them entered into the newly remoulded planet's atmosphere together. Immediately they were embraced by the multifaceted aura of the Strategy and the effects it provided. The golden light of Europa caused them no trouble, and they entered without issue.

All they felt was their bodies becoming lighter, and suddenly they were in what seemed to be a whole new reality.

Space was a vacuum, and while it didn't threaten a Paragon's life it could not be called comfortable. They left the distressing sensation behind as they slipped into Europa's atmosphere.

They took their first breaths of Europaen air, filling them with delight. It seemed like just being here was increasing their cultivation by the moment.

Li Ke and the other Paragons didn't come with them. It was dangerous until Lan Jue and the others discovered otherwise, so they were told to remain behind. Only Lan Jue, Lan Qing, Zhou Qianlin and the Pharmacist stepped foot in this immortal plane.

They looked at each other, nearly speechless.

"So this is the immortal realm?" Qianlin managed to say.

Chapter 903: The Immortal Realm

Lan Qing's voice betrayed his awe. "No wonder they were so dead-set on creating it. There's something… incredible, about this place."

The immortal realm was replete with immortal qi that flowed like the clouds. In some areas it was rich, in others thin. Each of them could feel the power nourishing their bodies, and without question they knew that cultivating here would be more fruitful than anywhere else in the universe.

Any hint of universal obstruction was absent the moment they entered into this world. Here they no longer needed Qianlin's Domain to protect them. They took to this place like a fish to water.

Lan Jue bit the tip of his tongue, fighting the bone-deep comfort. "We have to see if there's anything left of the planets. This place has to be controlled from somewhere, let's see if we can find its center."

"Alright."

They didn't split up, choosing instead to remain together and sweep the area with their combined perception. They search for dangers while simultaneously taking in the view.

They were surprised to find that while the immortal qi was immensely helpful, their perception was limited here. They could only extend their consciousness a short distance, which make their task more difficult.

However it was not anything more than a nuisance. They had time, and so they cautiously combed the picturesque vistas around Europa.

The planet was nothing like it had been before the aliens took control. Everywhere they turned were exotic flora, and flows of immortal qi whispered through valleys and over mountains. It was the definition of a fairyland, Heaven stretching out before their eyes.

After about ten hours they came to the peak of a mountain where they discovered a palatial building. Before its grand gates was a board upon which was inscribed two words; Heavenly Court.

"You can't say Monarch didn't do his homework. It seems he had a real appreciation for our ancient culture." Lan Jue said wryly.

They'd search nearly everywhere around Europa and had found nothing until now. Even here there was no trace of any primordial spirit or malicious vitality. Clearly Monarch's death had left this place without a ruler.

Immortal qi was thickest here in the Heavenly Court. This had to be the center of this immortal realm though it was less opulent than one might expect. All they found was a single gemstone that looked markedly like a vital crystal. The energy it produced was released in waves and quickly became immortal qi.

This had to be what was powering this immortal realm, the collected vitality reaped by the planets in their rampage across the cosmos. Somehow this crystal was supporting the entire planet, stolen vitality circulating through it like blood.

With no aliens left to fear Lan Jue didn't give a second thought to delving deeper into the secrets of this place. He pulled forth the Compliance Rod and released the spirits contained within out into the air.

As they'd suspected, upon reaching the earliest levels of immortality Jue Di had maintained his consciousness even as a spirit within the astrum. Once his spirit was freed it immediately set about absorbing the immortal qi around it. The other souls did so as well, though more slowly.

The Pharmacist heaved a sigh. "Now that our victory is complete, I'll collect my husband and bring him here." Li Ke was a part of Ultus, but as a spirit was not bound to its precise location. With Ultus part of the Strategy protecting Europa, this was the best place for him to be. He could be here, and their family could be whole.

Lan Jue nodded. "Spirits should have no problem here. I'm not sure about the other Paragons, though."

His fears were warranted, for although they could guide their friends here the moment they were left on their own the dangers of the Banishing Strategy would turn on them. The Heavenly Court could only control the flows of immortal qi, and not how accessible this world was. For these reasons it was difficult to say whether the Paragons could even get close.

When they returned to space the four sword bearers underwent a series of small experiments. As anticipated, although Li Ke's spirit was not strong it was sustained by Ultus and thus could enter into the immortal realm without issue. However this was not so for the Paragons. They were barred from stepping foot on Europa.

They also found that they could enter even after shedding the chaotic qi of the Strategy. This meant that only a Paragon who had achieved the Infinite could enter. The immortal realm was so named for a reason, there were standards for those who could witness its beauty. Lan Jue did not worry about what would become for this place for his mind was on returning to Skyfire Avenue. That was his home, it was where he planned to live out his days.

When his father returned he would certainly be interested in taking over management of the immortal realm. He would take on the mantle of being the modern Jade Emperor.

Lan Qing was supportive of his brother's plan. After discussing it with Li Ke, the Pharmacist decided to remain behind with him here. For the time being Jun'er would be left under Lan Jue's care. The Pharmacist would, of course, visit often until such time as her daughter reached the Infinite and was able to join them in the heavens.

"Well Qianlin, it's starting to look like I've taken the job of a kindergarten principal. I'm now responsible for Jun'er and Hua Li's son."

Qianlin laughed prettily. "You have experience after working at the NEU, don't you? Teaching children should be relaxing by comparison." [!. This is absolutely not the case.]

Lan Jue wrapped an arm around her slender waist. "Teaching them won't be a problem. But how is that going to influence having one of our own, hm?"

Her face reddened. "How many were you thinking?"

"The more the better!"

Epilogue

The Immortal Realm

Jue Di sat upon the throne within the Heavenly Court, lost in quiet contemplation.

"Chi Bupang, what are you thinking about?" Luo Xianni sat by his side, plucking grapes from a bunch in her hand and lazily popping them into her mouth.

Jue Di cast her an irritated glance. "I am Jade Emperor, master of the immortal realm. Can we not use my real name?"

She answered his onerous request with a snort. "Well hello there Master No-one. There's only a handful of us in this place. The Keeper and Bookworm have returned to Skyfire Avenue to continue their research since they weren't at all interested in staying here. Li Ke and the Pharmacist, that sweet couple, never come our way. Bize and Aubert are growing grapes, and if they're successful will create a wine without equal in all the universe. Sadly it loses its taste without the addition of immortal qi. If that wasn't the case they'd be millionaires in the East. So to put it bluntly, about the only person you can boss around is me so I don't know who you're trying to impress, Your Majesty!"

Jue Di scowled. "Those sons of… they pile everything on my shoulders and just run off. I'm tired of this crap."

Luo Xianni chortled back at him. "Everyone has their own aims, just like us no? With the Pharmacist here at least there's enough faith flowing through that the realm is stable. What do you need to fret over? Now you behave yourself, you're almost a Golden immortal already and you're thinking of leaving? If you think you can go on then! I won't stop you."

"You! You'll be the death of me, woman!"

Luo Xianni just shrugged. "I think it'd be pretty absurd if I could irritate a god to death, I'd like to see it happen. Should we give it a try?"

He denied her the pleasure with a dramatic 'harumph' and proudly shot to his feet. "I was thinking that with how slow time passes here those boys should have visited at least once already. Ahh, idle hands are the devil's workshop. Perhaps we should have a child of our own to keep us busy, at leasr you won't be lonely. What do you think?"

Luo Xianni was suddenly bashful. "This is no good… not at our age."

"Time doesn't pass in the heavens," Jue Di said with serious countenance. "Besides, you said yourself that you're the only one here I can boss around. There's no escape, heh heh!"

←

Planet Skyfire, Skyfire City, Skyfire Avenue.

This famous lane didn't permit any vehicles or any robots to cross it, much less mecha. Even the patrolling police must patrol on foot, the most ancient of methods. That's because this is a street for pedestrians, a lane for nobles, hidden away within this high technology world.

Fresh yet uniform stones covered this 2048 meter long lane. The buildings on each side of the lane were of completely different types, but every single building had its own unique aspects and history. There was ancient French gothic-style pointed buildings, the sprawling and majestic jade-carved buildings of ancient China, and were even Roman-style buildings.

This street, which seemingly had no high technology present, was set within the most central, most developed area within Skyfire City. Supposedly, here, every single square meter of earth was worth as much as one of the newest, top-tier Michaely P12-class high atmosphere hovercar.

Three years had passed since the disaster. Things were back to normal and humanity had prospered, free from alien threat. The dark days were behind them.

After the battle was done Lan Qing – The East's super soldier, the youngest admiral in history, backbone of the Eastern army, Peerless Light emperor of Middle Heaven and commander of An Lun – announced his retirement. However, he was sure to let everyone know that he would not be leaving the Eastern Alliance. If he was ever needed he would appear. He also mentioned he would be looking for a spouse.

I didn't take long for the news to spread, and soon woman all throughout the human worlds – as young as eight and as old as eighty – were expressing their desire to be Mrs. Lan Qing. The lucky girl was never publicly revealed.

The ones known as the Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Pole Star of Purple Subtlety, Guanyin the Queen of Mercy, and the Pharmacist later known as Queen Yama, vanished from the public eye. Legends claimed they still used their powers to protect humanity.

As many anticipated, Skyfire Avenue became the strongest Adept organization in all the Alliances. The Wine Master continued to serve as chairman of the council, though it was only the others councilors who knew that he cursed the post every day. He was constantly heard to mutter his displeasure about how a certain someone was shirking their responsibilities.

In the North, master of the Hades bloodline Chu Chng took up the position vacated by the late Terminator as leader of the Great Conclave. The North remained as the largest Alliance, though two thirds of those planets that had once belonged to the West chose to join the Eastern Alliance. The ones that chose the North were those that were nearest to its borders. Angel and its sister planets, of course, decided to join with the East.

Over the three years these seven planets had recovered well. Only one system of faith prevailed through the whole system, loyal to the Goddess of Mercy Guanyin. As far as they were concerned she was the only one responsible for pulling them back from the brink of extinction.

The East's total power and influence grew significantly after the conflict. Poseidon Group officially announced that they would be basing their operation out of the Eastern Alliance. Their family would continue operate out of their home planet. The East was more than happy to accept.

Poseidon Group retained its title as the richest organization in all of human space, although they kept a low profile after the human-alien war. More surprising, after the fighting was done the group agreed to hand over control of their sole bastion to the Eastern army.

The Eastern armed forces still controlled far fewer than the North, and likely would never be able to compete on that front. However, the two bastions universally accepted as the strongest in human space were under their command.

The North had spent the last three years restoring order to the people. Because the East had enjoyed unity through the crisis it was able to prosper more quickly, ultimately catching up to the North.

Right now it was spring. Cool winds blew down the Avenue and rattled shuttered shop windows.

A young girl, perhaps ten, wandered down the lane clad in a pretty white dress. Her hair was pulled into a simple pony tail and though young she was as pretty as the mythical faeries of old. She was destined to be a beautiful woman when she grew up.

She wasn't alone. Two young boys walked with her on either side.

The child on her left looked just barely old enough to walk on his own. The one on her right was a little older. They were perhaps three and four, respectively.

"Sister Jun'er, I'm hungry!" The boy on the right complained. He looked up at her and pouted.

"I know! We're on our way to the Gourmet's house to have a meal. Uncle said he was going to cook us something nice today." Jun'er said, placating the child.

He swallowed a mouthful of saliva in anticipation. "Great! I want some chocolate!"

Jun'er crinkled her cute little nose and shook her head. "If you eat too much chocolate you'll rot your teeth. Daddy spoils you, he lets you do whatever you want. When you're with me you have to do what I say."

The young boy was strangely compliant. "Okay – I'll listen to sister Jun'er. But see how good I am? You have to promise to marry me!"

"Absolutely not," Jun'er replied. "I already have a fiancé. I can't agree to marry you. Any you're only four years old. Do you even know what it means to get married?"

The young boy refused to give in. "Of course I know, it means two people stay together forever. Daddy told me once, he said if I like a girl I have to bravely go after her. He said going after what you want is half the battle. The girl I like the most is sister Jun'er, and I want to make you my wife. Say you'll marry me, Jun'er."

She snipped back at him. "No, of course not. We have the same daddy, how can we get married? That's wrong."

The child petulantly pursed his lips. "An adopted daddy and a real daddy are different. What do think I'm still a baby? Your fiancé is daddy's real son."

As the young boy spoke he flashed a jealous glance at the boy on her left, who was also carefully picking his way along the road by their side.

The other boy gave a fierce look back. He pressed himself against Jun'er and flung his arms around leg. "Sister, give me a hug!"

She did as he asked and wrapped him in an embrace. "Don't be scared, Lan Zhou. I'll protect you. I won't let anyone bully you."

The boy on the right kicked up an even louder fuss. "That's not fair, sister, you like him better!"

Jun'er stared at him with her dim eyes. "What's unfair? He's my fiancé, I'm going to marry him when we get older. Of course I'm going to treat my husband differently. Isn't daddy nicer to you? Let me tell you, Hua Yun, if you keep teasing Lan Zhou I'm not going to play with you anymore."

"Me!" He whined. "He's so small, how can he be your fiancé? Even mommy and daddy say you're too old for him."

Jun'er paid him no mind. "Age isn't a problem. You're still a kid, you don't understand. Anyway you should be glad, when I was your age I wasn't even allowed to leave my house. I spent every day lonely by myself. You get to stay on Skyfire Avenue and everyone treats you so well. What do you have to complain about?"

There was a flash recall behind her eyes when she said it. She remembered those days clearly, when she was lonely, all by herself. Then that warm voice had appeared.

Daddy, for me to be your real daughter I just have to marry your son. Right?

Lan Zhou happily snuggled against her, perfectly content. He puckered his lips and planted tiny kisses on her cheek. As she held him he began to get drowsy.

Hua Yun looked at Jun'er and then at Lan Zhou. He huffed in irritation. "I'm gunna get strong, you'll see. One day I'll steal you away and make you my wife!"

"Ow! Why'd you hit me in the head?!"

"Stop daydreaming! Do you want to go eat at Uncle Gourmet's or do you want to marry me?"

"I… I wanna eat! I'm so hungry, let' hurry."

←

Planet Lyr.

On a humble street there sat a set of storefronts.

On this early morning the doors were pushed open and a men issued forth. He pulled up the metal grating to protect against theft and set up his display.

The showcase was stocked with decorations for advertisement. Most of them were carvings made out of olive pits, simple artistic pieces.

They weren't exquisite works of art and the store itself was nothing special. On this small and narrow street it hardly inspired a second glance.

The tall man settled on a stool by the front door with a smile on his face. His eyes settled on the store across the street.

A gentle fragrance wafted over from the shop. Over its door was a board upon which was written 'Brimstone Bao Zi Shop.' It was evident by the state of the shop that business wasn't booming.

The door opened and a silver-haired women exited with a table she set up outside. She flicked her wrist and cast a cigarette across the street.

The large man caught it out of the air and placed it in his mouth. He lit it with a lighter in his right hand.

The silver haired woman produced another cigarette which she kept for herself. But in a blink the stick disappeared.

"What are you doing?" The silver-haired woman complained to the man.

He smirked at her. "Smoking too much is bad for a woman."

She snorted derisively at him, spun on her heels, and disappeared into her shop. She came back out a few minutes later bearing a tray.

Six bao zi [1. These are delicious steamed buns with fillings. You can get them with all kinds of stuff inside, from porn to red beans. I used to eat them so much my bao zi guy would have a pack ready when I swung by after classes.] were arrayed on the plate. They didn't look too appetizing with their yellowed skin. There was also a bowl of congee, two eggs and a small dish of pickles. [2. Xian Cai – salted pickled veggies. I hate it but my wife goes wild for the stuff. All of this is a very traditional Chinese breakfast.]

With a pleased look in his eye the man placed himself on a stool by the table she set out and dug into the meal. He ate like it was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted.

The silver haired woman stood by his side with a napkin in her hand. She quietly watched him eat.

"I hear you have a nickname, 'Everyone's Favorite Husband.' I told everyone you were mine, but no one believed me. What should I do?"

"Pugh!" Congee spewed all over the table.

←

Northern Alliance. The Great Conclave.

His coal-black suit set off the young man's fiery red hair. Chu Cheng frowned as he mulled over several pieces of business held in his hands. The Conclave was a large and influential organization, and there was much that required his direct input. Often he was busy from morning to night.

Knock knock! Someone rapped their knuckles against the door.

"Didn't I say I wasn't holding audiences today?" Chu Cheng answered impatiently.

"Mr. Big Shot! I can't come say hello?" The door swung open and someone entered.

When he saw her, Chu Cheng's sharp glare turned to shock.

She wore leather thigh-high boots that covered most of her legs, leaving only a few inches of lily-white flesh visible between their tops and the bottom of her leather short-shorts. Her torso was hugged by a tight fitting vest that left her arms bare and dipped low in the front.

"Lina Lee. What are you doing here?" It was none other than the Vampire Princess who had disturbed his work.

Lina shrugged. "No reason. I thought I'd come and find something fun to do. Take me out to a nightclub or something."

Chu Cheng's face fell. "Can't you see I'm busy? Does the Dark Citadel's Succubus know you're here?"

Lina responded flippantly. "Her Majesty the Queen and I get along wonderfully. What does she care? I'm not here to stir up trouble. Besides, she's busy with her immanent breakthrough and doesn't have time to worry about what I'm up to. Ugh, ever since we established the Citadel on Skyfire it's been a total bore. There's no chaos you know? But the Queen insists on it, and she likes to dress up and play shopkeeper with those two friends of hers. I need to get out and have some fun from time to time!"

Chu Cheng sniffed. "I'm busy, I don't have time for you either. Feel free to go stag."

In a few swings of her long legs Lina was in front of him. She fixed him with her smoldering eyes, full of dark promise. "You really don't have time for me? I was gunna let you do whatever you wanted."

Chu Cheng squared his shoulder and adopted a righteous air. "What kind of man do you take me for?" He shot to his feet and declared: "Of course I have time!"

←

Planet Poseidon.

Waves of crystalline blue rippled through the area. Down in these depths, the Poseidon bloodline was the uncontested master of the world.

Two men stood shoulder to shoulder, watching the lights play through the ripples. They looked remarkably similar in appearance, most of the differences due to age.

The older man sighed. "Are you sure you don't want to gout and have a look? Even if we don't tell anyone you're still alive?"

The younger man shook his head. "That's all done, now. I've done all I needed to do. The rest of my days belong to her. The Heart of Poseidon brought me back but it can't bring back what I've decided to let go."

He turned and looked at the beautiful woman, frozen in time within an icy coffin.

←

Eastern Alliance. National Eastern University.

An antique bicycle trundled along the road toward the university gates. It stopped a dozen or feet back and a man in a meticulously tailored suit hopped off. He pushed the bike the rest of the way.

He looked exceedingly normal except for his fine clothes. He was around thirty, with black frame glasses perched on the bridge of his nose [3. This is Tang Jia San Shao. Writers tend to put themselves in their works.]. As he entered the school and pushed his bike down the lanes, he was occasionally greeted by passing students.

"Hello, Professor."

"Good morning."

After a little while he hopped back up on his bike and made his way toward the university's electives building. When he arrived he dismounted and placed the bike thoughtlessly to one side. He didn't enter the offices and instead made his way to one of the lecture halls. He was a little late today, and if he didn't hurry he feared me might be tardy for the start of class.

He pushed open the doors to a pitched lecture theatre and was met by a full house. Everyone's eyes swung his way.

"Stand up!"

"Good morning, Professor!" [4. Traditional start to every class, depending on how strict the teacher is. Everyone rises and greets the teacher then are told to sit. In university we did this at the start of every semester, but were usually told by the teacher that it wasn't necessary.]

"Hello everyone, please sit." The young instructor took up his position behind the podium and smiled at everyone.

"We have an interesting class planned for today. If I recall, last time I told you that I would be handling lunch today. I see we have quite a few students who brought their appetite! I'm not sure to make of your unusually eager participation."

A student quipped. "What's on the menu, Professor Lei Feng?"

Lei Feng smirked. "Ma La Tang, spicy soup. I don't know if anyone here is familiar with the dish. For today's Etiquette class we're going to learn what real Ma La Tang tastes like. That will be our lunch."

A fiery woman – clearly not a student – sat in a far corner. She was dressed in smart black business attire and also wore black-rimmed glasses. A strange expression flitted across her face and she muttered: "Lei Feng!" She said it with a wry grin as she thought back to a time not long ago…