Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 646

Chapter 646

Chapter 646: Fealty or Death

Lan Qing sensed something as the powers of life and death intertwined around them . His body had reacted suddenly, expanding the image of his dharma to ward off the attack . It also served to deepen his personal understanding .

Yet none of this made any difference in the shocked look on his face . Nothing could have prepared him for the truth .

Beneath the searing fire of Varochana, the Astral Phantom had to draw on the last vestiges of ‘his’ energy . In fact ‘he’ was no longer ‘himself’ – the disguise was slipping .

Long purple hair was the first thing revealed, followed by a sleek and slender figure . A pair of royal purple eyes burned with rage and disbelief . Varochana’s fiery light continued to devour the remnants of purple protogenia . What lay beneath was a beautiful face, cold and sad .

A woman?

Lan Qing wasn’t alone in his shock . Who among the spectators – especially Skyfire’s Paragons – would not be similarly flabbergasted? The knife in the darkness, heartless and malicious, a killer for hire . The Astral Phantom, bringer of death to so many men – was a woman?

Speculation over the Phantom’s true face was always fuel for the imagination . However, usually the stories painted him as a wretched old man . But a woman? And such a beautiful woman, at that . Only Zhou Qianlin was her rival, with the Epochrion a close second . She was also a Paragon, something Qianlin could not yet boast .

Lan Qing quickly recovered, his face adopted that familiar frigid expression . The fact that his opponent was a woman didn’t give him any cause to relax his guard . He pressed his hands together once again, and the Buddha’s Revelation Domain manifested anew . The all-consuming heat of Varochana continued to broil the Astral Phantom .

The assassin had no way to strike back . She only had enough energy to fend off Lan Qing’s Domain . She knew that if this continued for much longer, Varochana’s rays would burn her away .

She glared at Lan Qing with such a deep, abiding hatred that he could feel it . If looks could kill, he’d be slain twice over . But he faced her with stony disinterest . Her wicked stare washed over him like a statue .

Outside of the pocket universe, it was silent as the grave . The fight was over, Lan Qing’s victory was clear . To witness the breakthrough of a Paragon was rare, but it was rarer still to watch one die . It seemed likely it might happen now . The appraisers representing humanity’s most powerful organizations watched, expressions as varied as their patrons . And yet, they all had the same thought; it would be wise to follow the rules during the auction .

A sound caught Lan Qing’s ear . He paused, then peered into the distance with a golden light in his eyes . His vision pierced the protective Domain created for them to spy Jue Di . He stood beside his brother, who both gave him a solemn nod .

An Luo’s general swung his eyes back toward the Astral Phantom . “You have a decision to make . Release your protogenia, allow my light to mark your soul . Swear fealty . Or, die . ”

Only the Astral Phantom could hear him .

IF it had been left up to Lan Qing, this choice would not have been offered . He wanted the assassin put down . But Jue Di offered an alternative . He looked at Lan Jue because this was their enemy . Lan Jue had even more cause to hate her after what happened to Qianlin . Lan Jue’s nod was in agreement with Jue Di .

The fiery Domain around her set her shocked expression in stark light . She gaped at Lan Qing incredulously . “You want me to submit?” The fury in her eyes threatened to set her eyes on fire, bordering on madness . It was an insult, an affront! Paragons were known for their pride . Swearing service to another was unthinkable .

Lan Qing regarded her with unfeeling eyes . “You don’t have long to make your choice . Fealty, or death!”

“You think you can kill me?” The Astral Phantom spat back .

He answered with a scornful smirk . “You’re a Paragon, you live for your own interests . You’ve undertaken tremendous risk for those interests . You’re not conceited, but you have a singular focus on potential profit . You are sinfully selfish . I think in your heart you’d chose life over honor . However I’d be just as pleased for you to prove me wrong . So Phantom, do you have so much pride? Am I wrong?”

“You . . !” Poisonous words welled up in her throat, but a flash in Lan Qing’s eyes stopped her . The burning hell she found herself in got a few degrees hotter . The lapping flames didn’t scorch like normal fire . It was, in fact, much worse . They were spouts of pure, cleansing energy . This unfeeling purification burned passed energy, passed the body, right down into a victim’s soul . The danger the Astral Phantom faced was the obliteration of her body and soul . Escape was not an option, with so many Paragons watching .

What could she do? Her mind was in chaos .

Lan Qing was right . Avarice was her drug of choice, there was nothing better than a new pretty bauble . She commanded the greatest organization of criminals in the history of humanity, and yet she still wasn’t satisfied .

The Phantom was a sixty year old woman in truth, but looked like she was in her twenties . A result of many rare treasures, which used together allowed her to break through without effort . It was a feat that required skill and a fortune in resources . All so she could keep her good looks forever as a Paragon .

She had been overjoyed at the news of vital crystals and the exuvium process . Paragons had to die like any other living thing . The exuvium process changed all that . A single crystal wouldn’t mean much to her, but a whole lot of them, or even just a particularly potent one was enough to extend her life . And through those extra years she could grow stronger . She’d been stuck at the Realm of Protogenia for so long already with no signs of progress . This time she acted out of desperation .

Still she’d been cautious . She’d watched and listened for a long time, had a series of meticulous back-up plans . Yet never occurred to her was one hateful little girl . Skyfire Avenue was prepared, rendering all her back-up plans useless . She walked right into their clutches .

At this moment of mortal danger, she did feel pride . But what could compare to life? You had to live to see a future . In death you lost everything – gone in an instant .

It was only seconds but it felt like minutes of agony . An unending flood of fears and questions ran through her mind . She wracked her mind for any way to wriggle out alive .

But Varochana’s light was too strong . She could not shed it .