Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 647

Chapter 647

Chapter 647: I Swear

A bitter pain stabbed at the Phantom’s chest . She’d had the gall to infiltrate Skyfire Avenue because she thought only the Epochrion was a problem . She was the only Reflection of Heaven and Earth, and thus the only one who could pose a threat . The other Paragons mostly new to their powers . Under those conditions fleeing wouldn’t have been difficult .

But who could have anticipated the arrival of that freak, Lan Qing . A Reflection of Heaven and Earth immediately after breaking through, while she was still stuck .

“Stay your hand!” The Astral Phantom cried .

The aura around Lan Qing dimmed, and Varochana’s burning light receded . However, the whole universe around her seemed ready to detonate at a moment’s notice .

The Astral Phantom was red faced, and ground her teeth in fury . “I will absolutely not swear myself to you, but I will swear to three things, whenever you need them . I’m a Paragon, I have my pride…”

The pure fires sprang back to life before she could finish her thought . Their crackling cacophony drowned out her words .

Lan Qing addressed her with a calm voice . “You aren’t in a position to negotiate . You will die, or you will serve! Those are your only options . ”

She couldn’t form the words, she was putting all of her energy toward warding off the holy flames . Her belligerence seemed pointless in the face of the God of Wisdom . An Lun’s super soldier was completely immovable .

Varochana’s flames dimmed again . The assassin took great gulps of breath, but only in part from the strain . She felt like she had been on the edge of a precipice, about to be swallowed up . The fear still seized her chest .

“I have limited patience . This is your final chance to make a decision . ” Lan Qing’s keen eyes never left her .

The Phantom’s chest heaved as she fought to regain her breath . She wanted nothing more than to make Lan Qing stop breathing, but she when hanging over a ledge you didn’t bite the hand holding you up .

“Ten!” Lan Qing’s eyes were bright and firm .

“Nine!”

“Wait! What are your intentions?” The Phantom asked .

“Eight!” He ignored her entirely and continued the count down .

“Seven!”

“Wait! I need time to think . Give me time!”

“Six!” Lan Qing’s eyes were hard . His hands slowly rose and the fiery sun behind his head got brighter . Everything the light touched could hear the bone-shuddering chants of invisible bodhisattvas . It was so peaceful, but for the Astral Phantom it sounded like the inevitable march of death coming for her soul .

“You…” The struggle was clear in the Phantom’s eyes . She knew what it would mean if he marked her soul .

“Three!” Lan Qing’s hands rose higher .

“Wait a minute! What happened to four and five?!” She whined .

The flames got higher .

“Two!” Lan Qing had her shaken to the core . Why would he give her room to breathe?

“Wait – fine, fine! I agree!” Every inch Lan Qing’s hands rose her willpower eroded . Eventually when it seemed he would move, her defenses collapsed . Nothing was more important than life .

The fiery lights around Lan Qing’s hands dispersed . His face changed . “Submit your spirit, and don’t think about pulling any tricks . I don’t have the patience to fight you anymore . If I feel like anything isn’t right, you won’t get a second chance . ”

The Astral Phantom looked at him, conflicted . Her breath was rapid from exertion and fear . She was filled with regret . Why did she have to be so greedy? Avarice is what led her to this point . Everything would have been different . Her cherished life would not have been so upset .

“When… when you make the mark… if you wouldn’t…”

The aura around Lan Qing’s hands flared . “I said no negotiations . ”

“Fine! Ruthless!” She glared bloody murder but daren’t delay . She genuinely feared a change in Lan Qing’s mood . He might kill her at any moment .

Her heart was unwilling, but a decision had to be made . She took a deep breath, grit her teeth, and closed her eyes . The purple aura that had surrounded her was gone . Moments later a small vortex appeared in the center of her forehead . Flecks of black swirled through the outer edges, while in the center knelt the cloudy image of a silver man .

Soul essence! Only a Paragon was able to manifest an image of their own souls .

The fierce and bloodthirsty expression was gone . Now the Phantom was a ghost of pain and sorrow . When she opened her eyes they were wet with tears . Her piteous expression and beautiful face tugged at the heart .

“Such a big man, bullying a weaker girl . I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

In another circumstance, with another man, her desperate plea might have meant something . Unfortunately, Lan Qing was unmoved . He did not hesitate and pointed with an index finger . A beam of golden light issued forth with spiraling lines of archaic runes in tow . Each strange symbol pulsed with Buddhist mysticism . The golden light was peace and calm, delivered into the purple vortex .

The tide of the vortex lurched in protest, but almost instantly the Phantom felt the burning fires of Varochana lapping at her skin . The vortex stabilized shortly thereafter and allowed the light to pass .

The silver silhouette within the vortex became more distinct . A shrill cry from the depths of her spirit followed . The golden light struck it right on the forehead . It blazed a path, leaving a golden 佛 behind .  1

The sudden, intense pain caused the Astral Phantom to fall . She shuddered uncontrollably, drenched in sweat .

When a Paragon applied their mark, it meant the victim had to do everything they commanded . If they refused, the Paragon could erase their soul with a thought . By that point it didn’t matter how strong she became, the mark was there forever . There were very few instances where a mark like this had been placed . A Paragon’s dignity was sacrosanct . In the end it wasn’t that the Phantom was lacking in dignity, but that her love of life was too great .

The golden light persisted for about a minute, then vanished . Shortly after the burning light filling the universe receded into the image of Vairochana behind Lan Qing . The bodies of both combatants returned to normal size, and their battlefield vanished back into the Clairvoyant’s Domain .