Skyfire Avenue - Chapter 877

Chapter 877

Chapter 877: A Radical Reversal

A flash of purple light appeared behind Lan Qing . The Prince appeared, reaching out for the admiral’s back . With all the power of Infinity behind it, if the strike landed Lan Qing would be done for .

Luo Xianni chased after the monster, right on his heels . Now the Violet Prince was in a difficult position, for if he chose to focus on Lan Qing and land his attack he left himself open to vengeance from Luo Xianni .

But he had no option . Getting the sword was paramount . No one was prepared for the sudden shift in battlefield dynamics .

Lan Qing felt something wasn’t right, even before the flood of Creation and Destruction Domain stopped him from moving . The difference in strength between them was too great, he couldn’t extricate himself from the trap .

It was during this life-threatening moment that Ultus reacted . The sword became a streak of light that arced backward behind Lan Qing to swipe at his enemy . Just a single reaction, but the keen power of the godblade forced the Violet Prince to react .

Lan Qing wasn’t the only one who could wield Ultus . It possessed the spirit of Li Ke, and the former master could also exact a measure of control .

Li Ke was different from Jun Yongye or Xuanyuan Shishi . The latter spirits were created by the sword and shared the will of the weapon . They were a part of the godblades, and were controlled rather than controllers . The sword was their master .

Li Ke, on the other hand, was once master . His unfortunate death forced him to emblazon his spirit within the weapon . With the mark of his soul in the blade he could manifest his will through it .  

This independent will was exercised when Lan Qing was frozen . At the key moment Li Ke – through Ultus – struck back . Linked with Lan Qing’s will and the power he contained, he acted as an extension so that they were not defenseless .

The Violet Prince made a quick determination and broke off his attack . This time he would be denied .

Although he would have gravely injured or killed Lan Qing, the riposte from Ultus would have likely wounded him in return . The sword would remain out of reach . Luo Xianni would have quickly followed, and with her strength she would have dealt a blow he might not be able to recover from . The tradeoff wasn’t worth it .

Lan Qing’s face was calm but a cold sweat had broken out along his back . He knew he’d been inches from death . But he was an admiral, and the shock of nearly losing his life was quickly pushed aside . His eyes flashed, and he began to give orders through targeted acoustics, delivered only to the target of his commands .

One could not forget that Lan Qing was more than an admiral . He was a preeminent warrior of the Eastern Alliance, and a Divine Monarch . He had led his brothers in the contest against Star Alliance guided by the Clairvoyant and nearly won, and he did it through control of the battlefield . His wisdom and talent of command could be applied wherever it was needed .

The flow of battle continued to change . The Driver and his eight companions broke off from trading blows with Monarch’s Infinite-level avatar . Two identical particle beams swept by and kept the beast from moving and allowed the Paragons to regroup .

Lan Qing ordered everyone together . This served to protect him, but also to set them up to be more effectively organized .

“Prajna-paramita!” Lan Qing muttered the mantra which summoned his dharmic image . The admiral’s body swelled while the power of the Buddha caused the Creation and Destruction Domain encasing him to grow translucent .

A clock appeared in Vairochana’s hand that shimmered with a rainbow of colors . Time began to act erratically .

Everyone focused on four enemies; Monarch’s strongest avatar and the three Nirvana-level doppelgangers . One of them was already wounded .

Luo Xianni continued to grapple with the Prince . Their clash had only become more intense .

The four avatars gathered together and eyed their opponents warily . Their instinct told them to flee, but that was not an option . The home worlds demanded success or death .

Monarch’s strongest avatar lifted its arms toward the sky, and a golden-purple light sprang up around it . The other three pressed close . Together, the aura of their power swelled in defiance .

The Paragons didn’t hesitate . First to react was not Lan Qing nor the Pharmacist . It was the Driver . He had chosen one of his previous names to adopt as his Paragon title – the Voltaic Wraith . He’d always liked it .  

Flashes of purple Primordial Lightning lit up space, a marvelous and frightening display . Its power was palpable as it spread across the field . Pressure descended upon the four avatars, so intense it started to influence their own aura . Flashes of Primordial Lightning continued to ripple in the darkness but were not directed at the monsters yet . Their presence was intended to suppress .

Lan Qing and the Pharmacist shot forward to the head of the group of Paragons . They seemed determined to face the avatars two on four .

A beam of gentle blue light fell upon them . Their aura expanded as though full with water – Poseidon’s amplification . Another pool of blue light appeared after the Primordial Lightning began to flash, but this amalgamation of power gathered around the feet of the avatars . It gripped them like a mire, preventing them from moving .

These monsters were powerful, and individually these attacks did not amount to much . However, as they came one upon the other their influence compounded . Uncertainty gripped them as they felt themselves slipping deeper into trouble . The strongest of them was forced to react .

Its attack was measured, a punch that released an orb of Creation and Destruction power about the size of a rice bowl . The punch was directed at Lan Qing, for he held the sword stolen from Monarch . The home world’s command was to direct their strength against the human admiral and recover the sword . Once it was in hand they were instructed to retreat .

Tactically they planned to weaken him with a series of attacks . Then once he couldn’t defend himself any longer they would attack all at once and claim their prize .

There was a flash of silver and then, without warning, all of the humans were simply gone . No trace remained of the humans, their swords, or the powers they employed .

On shaky footing and with the battle turning against them, the avatar was cautious . Lan Qing was its target, but it did not use its full strength . When that silver light flashed it felt its psychic lock erased . With no target in sight its attack sped off into space .

Then the light flashed again, and suddenly the avatars were surrounded .

Countless thorny vines reached from the darkness of space attempting to wrap up the avatars . Purple light flashed from around their leader and burned the creepers to ash .

The last thing the aliens wanted was to be surrounded . With nowhere to turn Monarchs avatar gathered the others and together they tried to break the encirclement . It was confident in success, for although the enemy was strong and in greater numbers they couldn’t contend against its overwhelming power .

Before they could reach an edge the interior of the encirclement became thickly populated with threads of red light . Suddenly their feet were caught, and when the avatars looked down they saw silver space-time fissures as the threads of red light tightly gripping their legs . Before they could react an orb of marbled light surrounded them that slowed the passage of time to a crawl .

In less time than it took for fear to grip them, the avatars were weakened, captured and under enemy control . Despite their lofty powers these monsters were stuck . Their only option was to rely on their Domain, and hope they were strong enough to overpower the forces arrayed against them .

Their plan had been a good one, and likely effective if left unchecked . But their dramatic break had been brought to a standstill .

The Infinite-level Paragon’s eyes had gone from a deep purple to a brilliant gold . In this fight its cultivation was second to none, no human could contend against it . The monster pressed ahead with indomitable force to burst through the impediments .

At last the hindrances were breached, it was through . The avatar seared across the darkness of space as a beam of purple light, only stopping when it was time miles from the trap . A second followed close on his heels, then a third .

“Hm?” The avatar felt something was amiss and looked back to where the humans waited .

None of them gave chase, and in fact remained right where they’d been . Finally the monster noticed its three companions were now only two .