Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 663

Chapter 663

Chapter 663: Thunderstruck

Lan Jue looked toward the Driver, hovering not far away . He’d reported a similar feeling of kinship to his mecha, Thunderclap . The similarity suggested it was the immortal qi that gave them this feeling, not their Disciplines . Thunderbolt energy wouldn’t cause such changes in metal, but the old tales said immortal qi could impart life .

In more than one sense it was possible their mechas could become equivalent to Astrums . Of course, this was a great and pleasant surprise for the Driver . Lan Jue was also pleased, for although he had Captus Thor could bear the sword as well .

As they soared over the water a strange light flickered in Lan Jue’s eyes . Probing waves of protogenia fluctuated around him and penetrated into the sea, searching for signs of life . It was the same method he’d used on Taihua to find the progenitor . He had been ninth level six rank at the time, and although by rank he was twice as strong, his true power was much greater .

“I think I feel something . ” The Driver’s voice called to him through the main control board . They’d split up to cover more ground .

Lan Jue’s eyes lit up . “Looks like we got lucky!” Lucky indeed to find it so soon . Lan Qing’s battleship was descending through the atmosphere just in time .

Thor picked up speed, racing to join up with Thunderclap .

“How do we approach?” the Driver asked .

“It’s time to give it a taste of our thunder magic!”

“Heh heh heh!” The Driver answered with a sinister chuckle . Thunderclap crackled with purple lightning as it shot into the sky . Lan Jue urged Thor to follow .

Thunderclap stopped three thousand meters above the water . Its mechanical arms spread out wide to either side . The purple threads of lightning surrounding it grew more intense . The air sizzled as the water element within reacted to the gathering electric energy .

The sky darkened, and choppy waves appeared on ocean’s surface . In the space of an instant roiling clouds appeared in the sky . Purple lightning streaked between the thunderheads like a scene from the apocalypse .

Lan Jue did not move, content to watch the Driver and serve as backup . He didn’t need to fear the errant power of the lightning, it would not harm him . Although their Disciplines were different, they were derivatives from the same source .

Brrrruhmm–! Thunder roared so loud it rattled bone . The black clouds flashed brilliant shades of purple . A single bolt of lightning shot down, piercing the ocean to the sound of cacophonous thunder .

Boom–! A pillar of boiling water was launched a thousand meters into the air . Bolts of lightning spider-webbed all along the ocean’s surface, wreaking havoc below .

The whole ocean seemed to vibrate and a sickly purple aura radiated out from within, as though it were trying to isolate itself from the lightning . Wherever they touched, the purple electricity was dispersed .

“Hmph!” The Driver grunted, another blast of lightning thick as an oil truck fired into the sea . It hit straight and true like a spear from the heavens .

A terrible roar answered, and the waters churned and became violet, like a great crystal whose ends stretched into the distance . An enormous figure slowly floated to the surface . When it finally breached the massive body jerked and shook . Its body sported several nasty looking wounds . It looked much like the progenitor from Taihua, only smaller .

After so many encounters with the beasts, Lan Jue was beginning to develop a knowledge of their capabilities . Compared to others on the planet, this was likely the most powerful of the invaders . But in the grand scheme, progenitors weren’t very strong . It was clear by the strength of its vital crystal .

While it was not the strongest, it was one of the most important breeds of alien . It had the greatest influence on humanity, and was capable of overtaking whole planets . Through the world’s own energies it made itself stronger, making it the fastest maturing of all the creatures . Lan Jue was convinced that, left unchecked, a progenitor would absorb all the planet’s life force and return it to a home planet to nourish them . What he did not know was what would happen if they let it get to that point .

They were weaker to begin with, and were rarer to encounter . I fact he hadn’t come across a single one out in space . If there were enough of them they could invade planets as they pleased . It wouldn’t take them long to overtake the habitable planets in all the alliances until humans had no means to fight back .

And yet in all this time Lan Jue had only ever seen them on Taihua, Moonfiend, and now here . Three only . It made him question just how many progenitors there actually were .

Already it appeared this one was in poor condition . The destructive power of the Driver’s Primordial lightning was too much for the creature to contend with, and the damage was severe . The lightning’s devastating effects were spreading al through the alien’s body .

Thunderclap brought its mechanical hands together . Just as the Driver was preparing the final, fatal blow Lan Jue stopped him . “Wait!”

“Eh?” The Driver stopped, taken aback . “Why?” He was drunk on his power . Ever since transforming his Discipline his combat prowess had leapt to new heights . Outside of a Domain even a first-degree Paragon couldn’t match him in direct attack power . The feeling was intoxicating .

But he also had total faith in Lan Jue . Without the Jewelry Master’s help he may never have achieved this level of strength, much less a chance at becoming Paragon .

Lan Jue explained . “This kind of alien evolves quickly, and is specialized in devouring energy . Keeping it alive may help us learn more about it . The vital crystal isn’t the only thing useful about it . A progenitor is much more dangerous than the ones we meet out in space . Let’s take this one back alive . ”

“How do we bring back something this large?” The Driver asked incredulously .

Lan Jue smiled . “We can’t, but I know someone who can . ” As he spoke, he looked into the distance .

A cyan light flickered in the sky, in in the space of a breath Lan Qing arrived to join the two of them .

Lan Jue explained his thinking to his brother . After a moment of thought, he answered . “It isn’t impossible . But you have to promise to keep this quiet . If people knew we were bringing it back we’d start a panic . ”

“That goes without saying,” the Driver replied . “Come, our Majesty the Peerless Light Emperor of Middle Heaven, let’s see what you can do . ”

Lan Qing’s face jerked like he’d been struck . “Where’d you hear that title?”

The Driver shot a glance at Lan Jue, who helplessly said, “Dad was talking about it before we left Skyfire . He was trying to advertise the name . By the time we get back everyone will probably know it . Peerless Light Emperor of Middle Heaven . ”

The Eastern general’s face twitched . Suddenly his body was bathed in a golden glow, and a harmonious sensation flooded the area . The Driver allowed the storm clouds to disperse as Lan Qing’s golden aura swelled ever larger .

The image of Vairochana gradually came into being behind Lan Qing . His Buddha’s Revelation Domain spread out, turning the sea into a mirror of golden light . The violet hue was washed away and returned to normal . Vairochana’s image extended a hand, and slowly the progenitor rose from the waters . It continued to rise until it was lifted entirely into the air . Desperately it struggled, but under the weight of Buddha’s Revelation it was growing weaker by the moment .

Vairochana waved its hand, and a strange sight unfolded . The massive progenitor began to shrink – smaller and smaller – until it fit within the Buddha’s palm . Lan Qing made a motion with his hand and the reflection of his dharma disappeared, along with the progenitor .

“I have sealed it in my Domain,” he said, “its powers are suppressed . It won’t cause any problems for the time being . But for the safety of the planet I should bring it back to An Lun as soon as possible . We can study it there . ”

Despite its relative weakness, the potential strength of the creature and its energy-devouring abilities were still formidable . It was better to be cautious .

“Zeus-1, come in Zeus-1 . ” Lan Jue called .

“Zeus-1 responding . What do you need boss?” Su Xiaosu replied .

“Perform a flyover and heck the area . Check to see if the purple territory is receding, and if the alien raiders have been reduced . Pay special attention to whether the reduction are uniform or just in one area . ”

“Aye aye . Give us a moment!” Lan Jue wanted to make sure there was only one progenitor one the planet . One had to be thorough in their eradication of evil .

Before long Su Xiaosu gave him her report . She told him that the aliens were gone, along with the purple haze they brought with them . The progenitor they’d captured was likely the only one .

Evidently progenitors were as rare as Lan Jue had thought . Although he did not know why, it was clear the beasts were in short supply .

Lan Qing left immediately for his battleship with the progenitor . They docked in the ruins of Lyr’s capital to wait for more troops to arrive . Once things were more stable he would leave for An Lun .

The rescue mission had been a success . What’s more, there was no evidence the progenitor had destroyed or consumed any Tears of Neptune .

ζ

Dwarka 1, by the sea .

A figure rose from the sea, glistening with drops of water . Violet hair and clothes clung to a perfectly formed body, but only until she was free of the ocean . Pearls of sea water rolled away leaving nothing behind, and soon she was entirely dry .

Pinched between her fingers was a glittering blue gemstone . She regarded it with a thoughtful expression .