Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 841

Chapter 841

Chapter 841: Risking Life for the Cause

After her human transformation had been complete, she met Lan Jue for the first time . He’d ‘saved’ her from the other humans . That was what made him stand out . Starting then and several times after she had had several opportunities to kill him . Yet she had not, and instead the desire to claim him as her own grew .

Now she was more human than ever . The potential of their DNA coursed through her, but it also made her yearn for sensations these humans immersed themselves in . Monarch and the others saw no use for them, but they made the Violet Princess more curious about how these lesser life forms lived .

She was not alone in these sensations . The Violet Prince also felt the tug of these emotions, though his were different .

To her, Lan Jue was special . She held no interest in the other of his kind . In fact, she’d lost count of how many she’d killed by this point . Now it was finally time to take what she desired .

She rested her hand upon Lan Jue and traced the muscles of his chest . The look in her eyes was anything but human, absent human desire and replaced with a strange curiosity . She searched the secrets of the DNA she’d consumed, and her body grew flush . She looked more beautiful than ever from this internal glow .

Suddenly the Violet Prince’s eyes narrowed . He turned and peered into the distance . Whatever he felt, the Princess also sensed .

Anger filled the air, so thick it could choke a man . “These humans… so reckless! They dare to attack directly . They need to be destroyed!” The Princess hissed .

The Prince answered with a grunt . “Let’s go . We can’t allow them to get close, they might have something planned we’re not aware of . ”

They left, leaving the strange cavern in silence . Its walls undulated sickeningly like the intestines of some awful creature .

Lan Jue lay upon the ground . From the top he seemed fine, but he was still connected to the floor of the cavern through the black veins extending from his back .

He remained there for a long time . Then, he started to shake . A white light radiated outward from his chest .

It spread out in wispy tendrils like a fog until gathering into the shape of a woman . Zhou Qianlin .

She was covered in a thin gown of pure white gauze fabric . When she looked down at Lan Jue she couldn’t stop a tinge of red from rising in her cheeks .

A moment ago she truly was at a loss for what to do . If the Princess had had the time to… would she have tried to stop her?

More painful was the realization that she couldn’t have done anything anyway . Attacking the alien would have any served to get her caught as well .

She wiped the cold sweat that had accumulated on her brow . Thankfully it had not happened, otherwise she would have had to helplessly watch…

She shut her eyes and extended her perception outward, trying to sense everything at once . Her Queen of Heaven Domain quietly manifested itself as a shield around her .

She looked around, and after a quick moment spied the corrupted godblades discarded nearby . They pulsed with the Birth and Destruction domain of the enemy .

She took a deep breath . So far everything was going according to plan .

ζ

“A-Jue, I have a plan . But it’s dangerous, and will require you to risk your life . The payoff is that if you succeed – even if the main force is destroyed – there’s a chance we can destroy the aliens outright . ” Lan Qing fixed his younger brother with a solemn stare .

He had mulled over this suggestions for a long time before making it . But as the chances for a human victory became more remote, he realized he had to bring it up .

Lan Jue searched his face . “Go on, what’s the plan? Danger doesn’t matter if it can help us win this war . ”

Lan Qing continued, his voice low and even . “I want you to try and infiltrate the enemy lines . Specifically, I need you to bring Ultus back . ”

Lan Jue’s heart began to quicken . It wasn’t the first time the thought had crossed his mind . In fact the Pharmacist’s husband had urged them to do just that . The Banishing Strategy was locked in Ultus’ memory, and if they could recover the weapon it could be used to destroy the aliens .

The Banishing Strategy – one of the most deadly relics of the ancient days . Even mightiest denizens of the immortal realm would flee before it in terror .

“I understand . But getting to the surface of the alien planets is all but impossible . We won’t be able to approach unnoticed . ”

Lan Qing explained his thought process . “Have you noticed that the aliens are very interested in the elite of humanity? On Angel, the victims they chose to mutate were all professionals and higher class citizens . Put another way, the more unique you are the better your chances of survival . This is due to their interest in our genetic code . In theory, then, if we give the aliens and opportunity to capture a Paragon alive, I believe there is a sixty percent chance they’ll take it . Once captured they would have to take the Paragon to one of the home worlds . ”

Lan Jue followed where his brother was going . “So you want me to go on a scouting mission, but get caught?”

Lan Qing nodded . “And that’s where this mission gets dangerous . There’s a forty percent chance you’ll be killed from the onset . Then, you’ll need to recover your strength and find Ultus in hostile territory . Once you find it, you then have to flee with the godblade and make it back to us . ”

“I’ve thought about this for a long time, ever since you brought back the information from the Pharmacist’s husband . Originally I had decided against it, but after seeing how quickly you’ve grown it has proven how much potential these swords bear . With the four weapons together and the Banishing Strategy laid out against our enemies, even if they complete their transformation we have a good shot at victory . ”

“You and Qianlin would begin joined . You will be captured, chained, maybe even sealed . However Qianlin’s powers should be capable of restoring you to full strength as quickly as possible . From there you can proceed with the rest of your mission . I believe you are the only person who can do this . No one else can get in and recover that weapon, and I can’t ask any of the others even if they could . It’s just a rough thought, so I’ll need you to tell me if you think it’s possible . ”

A wry grin spread across Lan Jue’s face . “Are you really my brother? Asking me to do something so dangerous . I’m guessing the chance of success doesn’t even break thirty percent . ”

Lan Qing was typically indifferent to his teasing . “Humanity’s looking at no more than ten percent, but we have to try . That’s ten percent chance of winning in a direct confrontation against the alien horde . If you’re telling me thirty percent, then we have a chance if we work together from both angles . But the bulk of it will rest on your shoulders . ”

He paused for a moment, fixing Lan Jue with fervent eyes . “A-Jue, in all the universe you’re my only blood kin . I know that I might be asking you to head out to your death . If you sacrifice yourself, then I want you to know that no matter the result of this war I will accompany you to the other side . ”

Lan Qing said it calmly, but Lan Jue knew his brother . If Lan Qing said it, he meant it .

ζ

Qianlin was cautious, carefully searching the area with her protogenia . To her surprise this cavern seemed like a universe all its own . Try as she might she could sense what was happening outside .

This had to be the interior of Monarch, she surmised . She thought – or at least she hoped – that the alien ruler was too busy with its evolution to notice their presence .

This whole plan was rife with danger and uncertainty . Luck would have to be on their side if they wanted a chance at success .

At least so far, luck seemed to favor them .

She supported Lan Jue’s body as it lay prostrate . As she prepared, she pondered the possibility of death . Her deliverance Discipline prepared her for this, and if her death meant that others would live she was happy with the result . Of course, so long as she and Lan Jue were together .

As for the Pharmacist, Lan Qing approached her himself . Even Lan Jue had not known she was going to participate in the mission . It was important that they got these weapons, whatever the cost . Even if they weren’t able to employ the Banishing Stance, simply having the Banishing Blades together would boost their strength .

Only Lan Qing, Lan Jue, Qianlin, the Pharmacist, and Jue Di knew this plan in its entirety . Even the likes of Luo Xianni weren’t privy to all the details . As far as she knew Lan Jue was just going for a scouting sortie .

Sending the scouting data back was actually Lan Jue sending his brother a signal . He was ready for the Prince and Princess . Lan Qing and his soldiers were ready to begin the final engagement .

Lan Qing’s part of the plan was simple . He had to keep the enemy busy, so that they didn’t have time to ‘experiment’ on Lan Jue and the Pharmacist . Thankfully Lan Qing had the foresight to plan for this . If not, Lan Jue may very well have been subjected to the depraved desires of the Violet Princess . Qianlin would have been powerless to stop it .

Both Lan Jue and the Pharmacist, in order to trick the aliens into a false sense of security, did not hide their weapons . They also had to fight as hard as they could and subject themselves to unconsciousness in order to sell the ruse . Otherwise, how would they trick two creatures with Infinite power?

With no danger evident, Qianlin set about her work . She placed her hands against Lan Jue’s chest and channeled the light of Guanyin through him . She constrained the Queen of Heaven powers so that they remained just around her charge in order to avoid detection .

As she directed her consciousness into him with her energy, she ran into a problem .