Skyfire Avenue

Gao Yong’s eyes veritably filled with evil intent. It exuded from his every pore, filling the air though it could not be physically seen.

The place they found themselves in, this world of white, was simple and bleak but did not effect the abilities of the Adepts that inhabited it.

Gao Yong wasn’t stupid, he knew that trying to escape from this place with his henchmen would be futile. The legends of Skyfire Avenue were true, he knew, and likely greater than he even expected. As for the young man before him he’d learned from listening to his exchange with the Empress that he was a Skyfire Councilman, and a ninth-level Talent.

But so was he! What was the difference? How had he gained such favor from the Empress? Gao Yong had never heard such mild and sweet words from his mistress, she who was so noble, beautiful and powerful. This guy before him, what was it he had?

He was angry and indignant, yes, but beneath that swam a current of jealousy!

His right foot took a step forward, and a terrifying rumble exuded from Gao Yong’s position. Around them, the color of the entire planet began to change.

Lan Jue very slightly lifted an eyebrow. “Gravity manipulation.”

He felt as though his body had become lead. Gravity tore at him, trying to crush him to the ground.

Gravity manipulation, certainly a powerful Discipline. Cultivated to it’s highest levels, it could effect even the smallest hair. One could make themselves light as a feather, and increase the effects of gravity a thousand-fold on their enemies. It was a powerful ability, even were you to fight single-handed against a mecha.

At Gao Yong’s motion the six silver men behind him also began to move.

They crossed their legs and sat, a mighty fluctuation of energy pouring forth from their bodies.

And as the undulating powers of the six mingled with Gao Yong’s own energies, they began to blend in to one.

The golden man’s skin began to blacken. It was stark against the white backdrop of the world around them, and made him look like he had been infused with ink.

At that, even Lan Jue couldn’t help his feelings from being written clearly on his face.

“Gravity overlay… your power expanding so long as you’re near your people,” Lan Jue observed with surprise.

“That’s right.” Gao Yong’s pride was clear in his voice. “Though none of them exceed a six-level Talent, they have been with me for years. Their similar abilities when supplementing mine empower my Discipline from a third degree ninth-level to a fifth degree or higher. To beat me in the midst of my brothers will require no less than three top-level Talents.”

“No wonder you so blatantly entered Skyfire Avenue,” Lan Jue stated.

Gao Yong continued in his cold metallic voice. “Regardless of your ninth level Talent, under my powers of gravity you’ll find even moving to be difficult, much less to endure with gravity compressing you. You would be crushed and broken by my power of gravity before you even knew who did it to you.”

Lan Jue heaved yet another sigh. “Yup, that is indeed the power you hold.”

“Then let me see what powers you hold,” Gao Yong stated cruelly, “Lest I reduce you to dust.”

“I know you’re thinking, deep in your heart, why your Great Empress would speak to a man such as me in such a polite fashion,” Lan Jue said. “Am I right?”

Gao Yong paused, causing his manipulation of the gravity force around them to change. Not weaker, but stronger still.

The area around Lan Jue had began to warp perceptibly.

“Then I’ll tell you.” Lan Jue smirked, as though the crushing field of gravity around him had no effect. “It’s because she’s scared of me!”

His allegations were punctuated with a dazzling blue light, bursting forth from his body.

The pale white world was as paper, and the field of gravity stains of ink. Lan Jue was the brush, sweeping through the ink to add an azure hue.

A violent peel of thunder arose, and the light encompassing Lan Jue became a great globe of roiling lightning.

The black field of increase gravity fled broke against the sudden burst of power and fled from around the Jewelry Master. Then, in an instant, he appeared before Gao Yong as though he’d been there all along.

He broke out of my control? He was a master of battlefield control, an adept of domination. This sort of situation was precisely the kind he feared the most. It meant not only was this man more powerful, but that he also had the specific ability to obliterate his power of manipulation.

The world grew bright, and once more Lan Jue soundlessly vanished. He reappeared, but not beside Gao Yong. Instead he stood behind the golden man’s silvery compatriots.

Six twisting bolts of lightning reached out like snakes, striking at the six hooded figures. The six-level Talents groaned in unison, then fell to the floor.

Gao Yong felt his gravity manipulation weaken considerably with the loss of their amplification. In that moment he dared not turn to see what had happened.

In a flash the world was afire in blue light, then Lan Jue appeared once more. The Phantom of Lightning was hunched beside the fallen bodies of his henchmen.

“Gao Yong, had you chosen to accept from the onset I wouldn’t have had anything further to say to you. Due to my words your Empress has offered some good advice. These last few years I’ve grown, and my heart isn’t as it once was.” As he spoke, Lan Jue slowly lifted up the right hand of one of the downed henchmen. Deftly, he severed a finger.

“You… !” Gao Yong felt his chest tighten. Gravity around him shifted, and in the space of a moment he was beside Lan Jue. He launched a fist at the phantom of lightning, surrounding it with the weight of seven times normal gravity. He knew if he could land even one punch, he’d tear the bastard asunder.

But his fist merely tore through the air. Lan Jue was already beside the second subordinate, exacting the due punishment.

Since attaining the ninth rank of his talent, Gao Yong had never felt so humiliated. He roared at his shame, at Lan Jue, and launched himself forward.

But Lan Jue only stood. His eyes fixed upon the golden man, and flashed an ethereal blue.

Two beams of light radiated from those unsettling blue eyes.

The white world became blue. A deep, royal blue from heaven to earth. It was no forest of lightning, but a sea. An ocean of all-consuming electricity.