Skyfire Avenue

The immortal realm was gone. With no immortal realm, the Infinite became the pinnacle of human achievement. There was no way to grow stronger.

Lan Jue’s mind was filled with revelations, a level of understanding he’d never known before. Everything seemed clear, reasonable. Now his mother was attempting to rise to this universally imposed limit.

Were the aliens not also constantly contended with the threat of universal protogenia? They were trying to create a reality they could survive in like humans had before. They wanted to live and grow strong, free from threat.

Growth was the goal of any living thing. It was as true for aliens as it was for humans, the creatures they fought against were just further along. If these monster’s succeeded in creating their own immortal realm, who was to say whether it would suffer the same fate as mankind’s had?

Lan Jue’s eyes sparkled. Here he realized it must have been the ultimate goal of the ancient immortals to design and enact their own universe. They would have been able to supplant the universe’s rules for their own and live in absolute freedom. A life without boundaries was their ultimate pursuit.

It was something Lan Jue also yearned, but would not strive, for. Right now he needed nothing beyond Zhou Qianlin. A life with his love and compatriots was enough. He knew that one day his goals may change, that when he reached that stifling level of power he might have to chase immortality. But that time wasn’t now.

For now he just wanted to eliminate these aliens, and live in peace.

These revelations would help his future improvement, for he had glimpsed behind the curtain and spied the truth of the universe. This knowledge greatly benefited his comprehension of protogenia.

The immortals may have perished, but had the echoes of their presence really disappeared entirely? Lan Jue didn’t think so. If it had, how would his breakthrough have produced the image of the Middle Heaven Great Emperor of the North Pole Star of Purple Subtlety? It meant that some piece of this mighty individual lived on, a portion of their energy injected into the universe as a whole. His breakthrough had galvanized that portion and awakened what the mighty immortal had left behind.

Faced with the destruction of everything they knew, Lan Jue was met with the weight of everything he wanted to pursue. There was too much he wanted to see and experience. Yet, this life of struggle was what made it novel, gave it purpose. It filled the universe with imagination and possibilities.

Lan Jue’s face bore a small smile.

Qianlin looked his way and saw the fleeting expression in his eyes. She smiled self-consciously, thinking he was smiling at her. She quipped at him. “What are you smirking about?”

He chuckled. “I’m smiling because I’m happy, of course. I’m thinking about our future, how could I not be cheerful?”

Qianlin’s face reddened. “Who’s future?”

“Yours and mine, of course,” he replied. “If not you, then who else? I’m no playboy, I’ve already begged after your affections. Besides, mom has approved of you. You want me to beg again?”

Qianlin paused. She wanted to tease him, to say she didn’t accept, but with the Photographer within ear shot she didn’t dare.

“You’re going to bully me.” She said, turning her face away.

Lan Jue’s eyes were full of warmth and affection. “How could I bully you? I love you, caring for you is all I want.”

Qianlin looked back at him, her gaze also soft and loving.

Lan Jue continued. “Do you know how anxious I’ve been this whole time you’ve been lost? Do you recall anything that’s happened in this time?”

She gently nodded her head. “I felt it all, but it was like I was in a dream. I could see and feel everything you were doing, but I couldn’t rouse myself. I never stopped struggling but the haze never lifted, not until our breakthrough. Once the dream was over I could finally be happy.”

Lan Jue was suddenly enlightened. No wonder she never seemed put off by her surroundings or what they were doing, or why she so readily accepted him. She had been present the whole time, just unable to interact.

Lan Jue pulled her close, into another warm embrace. They remained close to the Photographer so that Qianlin’s aura could assist her in her breakthrough.

Qianlin wriggled in attempts to get free, a blush in her cheeks. “Mother’s right there.” She said it quietly, but hearing the words from her made Lan Jue smile.

He saw this is a good omen. Now, in the midst of this frightening time, when humanity stood on the brink of destruction, his lost love has returned. It meant good things were on the horizon.

“It’s fine, you two love birds go on and display affection. Don’t mind me.” The Photographer’s voice echoed in both their minds.

A Paragon one with the Infinite was nothing if not ubiquitous.

Qianlin’s blush intensified. She wriggled again to free herself from Lan Jue’s embrace but he wouldn’t let her go. In the end she yielded and leaned in to his hug.

“What do you think about getting married once this fight is over?” He asked her.

“Ok.” She answered with a nod. Her voice was soft. “What about the other women with you? I can tell they all like you.”

Lan Jue’s own voice was low, contemplative. “I’ve thought about that for a long time. Other than Xiuxiu, I saved those girls from bad situations. I can’t face them, can’t bear to tell them to just go. I gave them a home, jobs, stability... so long as I’m around I will be the center of their lives. That’s why after we marry we should just go. Without me around, perhaps they’ll realize everything they’ve been missing.”

“You want to run away?” She challenged.

He shook his head. “It isn’t running away. I don’t have to go anywhere, but I’ve thought about it and I see things clear. What they feel for me isn’t really love, and I can’t give them the affection they want. If we all stay together it will only cause unnecessary pain. It would be better to leave, and come by from time to time to check up on them. I’d make sure others around the Avenue would watch over them too. If they could just live their own lives I’m sure they would grow to be incredible women. I’ve thought of many possibilities, but this is the best one.”

For a few moment, Qianlin was silent. Eventually she spoke. “But after everything we’ve experienced, I don’t mind. If you liked someone else, I could understand...”

“But I wouldn’t find it acceptable. The only person I want to be with is you, for all the years to come. I don’t have a big heart, and the center of it is smaller still. Only one person occupies it, and that’s you.”

Qianlin smiled, a happy smile. She didn’t speak, only held him tighter.

Lan Jue looked down at her. “You should rest, I’m here. I don’t think we’ll have much opportunity to rest in the near future. Now that the war had begun there’s a lot we’ll have to take care of.”

Becoming Paragons didn’t just mean they were stronger. Their responsibilities also increased, something Lan Jue understood well. This was a stolen moment that wouldn’t last long.

Qianlin shut her eyes. She had no interest in cultivating now, she only wanted to lay like this against the chest of the man she loved. To feel his warmth and take joy in the moment.

The pink light hanging over Luo Xianni flickered in and out of existence. Although her aura wasn’t any more powerful, Lan Jue felt the difference in her. It was like she wasn’t there, and yet was everywhere all at once.

What he didn’t see was that the sky and environment outside of the arena had taken on a pink hue. It was silently spreading out in all directions, while within it shadowy projections of Luo Xianni appeared. At first it was only one projection every ten thousand meters, but as time went on that shrunk to one every thousand meters, then everywhere. The waves of power that wafted from her kneeling true self weren’t powerful, but they were unique.

ζ

Majesty drilled through the atmosphere to witness the strange scene below.

The other fighter units didn’t know what they were looking at, but Star Division did. It was a branch of Skyfire Avenue and their leaders knew the face of Luo Xianni. They knew right away this was no enemy, but an ally. Although they didn’t know what she was up to, they knew it had to be for their benefit. They quickly told the other ships in their wake it was nothing to be concerned about.