Chapter 1509: The Chain of Control

Lory felt herself pulled tight against Zhao Li Xin’s chest as the night tore open around them. The moment they burst through the shattered door, the inferno swallowed the plane behind them, an explosion of violet flame that painted the clouds in streaks of fire. The wind howled like a living beast, tearing at her hair, stinging her skin.

The ground was impossibly far below, an endless stretch of blue and white spinning beneath them as they plummeted from forty thousand feet. Lory clung to Zhao Li Xin’s neck with all her strength, her fingers digging into the fabric of his collar. The force of the wind pressed against her face so hard she could barely breathe.

Yet, somehow, she wasn’t afraid.

Her heart raced, yes, but not fear because she believed Zhao Li Xin wouldn’t have leapt into the sky with her, if he didn’t assure he could keep her safe. Zhao Li Xin can be extreme, but he never risks her safety, and that belief alone steadied her heart amid the freefall.

[Xin! Got an idea?!] Lory screamed, her voice nearly lost in the deafening roar of the wind, but etched no panic; instead, she felt a bit of amusement.

Zhao Li Xin tilted his head slightly, his expression calm, almost serene, as if they weren’t hurtling toward the earth at terminal velocity.

[Yes,] he replied, his voice clear even against the chaos. He tightened his hold on her for a brief, grounding moment. [Wait for me.]

[What?] Lory was stunned.

However, before she could ask again, the world around her rippled. The wind, the sky, the sound, all of it bent and blurred like melting glass. Then everything went white. The next thing she knew, there was a thud, a heavy, jarring impact that knocked the breath from her lungs.

She lay there for a second, dazed, staring up at the clear blue sky. The clouds drifted lazily overhead, so peaceful that it almost mocked the chaos she’d just escaped. Then she felt it, an uncomfortable heat beneath her.

Startled, Lory sat up, blinking rapidly. The warmth grew hotter, and then a low whimper from beneath her.

[Madam...]

Her eyes widened for a second, then she immediately looked down and gasped. A flicker of orange and gold pulsed beneath her.

[Fire spirit?! Oh my gosh, I’m sorry!] Lory gasped, springing to her feet before dropping to her knees beside the flickering ember-like creature. Her hands fluttered helplessly in the air, unsure whether to touch or not. [Are you okay?]

The little fire dimmed, shrinking as if retreating from her panic. Lory’s heart lurched. Oh no, don’t tell me I just bent the Crimson Lightning Sword?! No way! What would people say, no, worse, what would Fargy say?!

Her mind spun for a second too long before snapping back to reality. The last thing she remembered was Zhao Li Xin, the flames, the sky tearing apart around them, and then the sudden pull. Her breath caught. He sent me to the Mystique Realm... inside the spatial ring.

No, she had to get out of here to help Zhao Li Xin. Just when she tried to exert her power to get out of the Mystique realm, she screamed in pain, "Ah!"

A sharp sting struck the base of her neck, and for a moment her vision went black. Lory gasped as her knees hit the ground, her entire body trembling. A thin layer of sweat covered her forehead, and a small trickle of blood slipped from her nose.

[Madam, what happened to you? Are you hurt?] The Fire Spirit cried, its voice crackling softly with worry.

Lory wiped the blood away with the back of her hand. The sharp pain in her head felt disturbingly familiar, only worse. She knew this sensation. It was the MADD.

She took a deep breath, waiting for the pain to subside before she spoke. [I’m... fine.]

But fine was a lie. Whatever new version of the MADD device they had used on her, it was far crueler than before. The electric shock acted like a built-in failsafe, triggering whenever someone tried to tamper with it from the inside. It was like a shock collar for a dog. Lory thought bitterly that this version was even more infuriating than the last.

Her fingers trembled as she lowered them from her neck. Her head spun dizzily, and it took several moments before she could fully collect herself.

[Are you sure, Madam?] The Fire Spirit’s glow flickered with anxiety. It feared that if anything happened to Lory, its master would lose control, just like his previous one.

Lory forced a reassuring smile for the Fire Spirit. [Yes, I’m sure. Don’t worry about me, Fire Spirit.]

Lory shook her head, trying to dispel the dizzy haze clouding her mind. When she spoke, her voice carried a troubled edge. [Rather than worry about me, I’m more worried about your master.]

[Master?] the Fire Spirit chuckled [With his power right now, what could happen to him?]

At the same time, Zhao Li Xin was completely engulfed in flames, his body streaking through the sky like a falling meteor. The wind howled around him, tearing at his clothes as the night split open with his descent. Below, the ground surged closer, rushing toward him like a beast eager to devour its prey.

The pressure of the fall would have crushed any ordinary man, but Zhao Li Xin was far from ordinary. Qi surged violently through his veins, igniting his muscles with raw power. His golden eyes narrowed, the reflection of fire dancing within them.

With a sharp inhale, he gathered his strength, channeling his Qi into both hands until they blazed with incandescent light. Then he let out a loud roar.

The sound cracked through the air like thunder. A moment later, he thrust his palms downward, releasing an explosive wave of energy that struck the earth with cataclysmic force.

The ground shattered. Shockwaves rolled outward as the explosion slowed his fall, scattering shards of rock high into the air. Zhao Li Xin’s figure blurred—he stepped onto the flying stones, each one splintering under his feet as he descended with godlike precision. Once he landed.

BOOM!

The impact shook the forest below, sending a burst of dust and debris outward in a fiery storm. When the smoke cleared, Zhao Li Xin stood at the center of a smoking crater, his cloak billowing in the fading heat.

The dark purple flames that had surrounded him slowly dimmed, curling around his form like obedient serpents before vanishing into the air.

Zhao Li Xin released a long, steady breath, the heat in the air rippling as he exhaled. Slowly, he rose from the fractured ground, his movements deliberate and composed.

When he straightened his back, his presence became commanding; a cold and absolute aura radiated from him, like that of an immortal who had just descended from the heavens. But all of a sudden, a sharp cough broke the silence. Crimson streaked his fist as he wiped the blood from his lips, his expression darkening. Even with his strength, a fall from that height was not without consequence.

That was why he had sent Lory into the Mystique Realm first, to ensure her safety above all else. The spatial ring, however, could not move its owner from one place to another; it only served as an anchor between realms. If he hadn’t acted, they would have been stranded in midair, trapped between worlds.

So Zhao Li Xin took a risk; she was sure she wouldn’t die from this thought he wasn’t sure how much damage he would cause to his body. But it’s okay, pain was nothing new to him, nor was sacrifice. What mattered was that she was safe. If there’s anything he worries about, it’s his wife’s anger for what he did.

Zhao Li Xin let out a heavy sigh, then, without wasting more time, he closed his eyes. Then, a second later, his body disappeared as he entered the Mystique Realm.

Inside the Mystique Realm, Lory paced back and forth, waiting anxiously for Zhao Li Xin. When she finally saw him appear, she rushed toward him and jumped into his arms. Zhao Li Xin’s body stiffened slightly as he received his wife’s passionate embrace. Lory immediately sensed something was wrong.

[Li Xin, are you okay? Are you hurt?] she asked, noticing the slight paleness on his face. Out of reflex, she summoned her healing gift, but the moment she did, an electric current shocked her.

"AHK!" Lory bent over, as her hand gripped her nape.

Zhao Li Xin’s face turned pale with panic. [Lory, what’s wrong? Where did you get hurt?] He held her shoulders, his voice trembling with distress.

Lory took a deep breath, then shook her head weakly. [I’m fine, honey. It’s just that device they injected into me.] She blew her cheeks.

Zhao Li Xin’s expression darkened as he remembered when Lory had been shot by one of the Paladins. [Can you get it out?] he asked grimly.

Lory rubbed the sore spot on her neck. [I would rather not touch it. This thing is different from the old MADD. We need to check first before I do anything with it.]

Remorse clouded Zhao Li Xin’s face. [I’m sorry. I should’ve stopped them before they injected you with that thing.]

[Why are you saying that? It’s not your fault,] Lory said, pursing her lips. "Besides, I already expected this risk." She didn’t want Zhao Li Xin to blame himself; it was all part of her plan, and getting injected had been one of the calculated risks she had accepted.

[Anyway, where’s Jade?] Lory asked, glancing around.

A moment later, a boy about eleven years old came running toward them, calling out excitedly, "Zhao Papa!"

Lory’s eyes widened. The boy had grown so much, his curly greenish hair had lightened, his skin was fairer, and his round amber eyes were even more striking. He looked almost ethereal, like an elf child.

"Jade?" Lory breathed in disbelief.

Jade’s face lit up with joy when he saw her. He bowed respectfully, though a bit nervously. "Um... Mommy Lory."

Lory laughed and pulled him into a warm hug. "How could you grow so much?"

Jade was surprised by the sudden embrace, but he didn’t resist. He liked her scent very much; it was sweet, mellow, it was fresh like spring water, and it was very soothing. Suddenly, flowers of all kinds burst from the ground, spreading across the grass in a wave of color.

"W—What...?" Lory blinked in astonishment.

The fire spirit sighed. "It happened again. Whenever he can’t control his emotions, this happens. Even though Master already placed restrictions on the realm, it still occurs, though not as badly as before." he looked at Jade with a reproachful look

Lory was agape, "Could it be because he’s stayed too long in the Mystique Realm?"

"No," Zhao Li Xin interrupted. "The Mystique Realm might have some effect on his growth, but this is all him. Don’t forget, he’s not a normal human."

Jade grinned widely. He didn’t look offended; there was no hostility in Zhao Li Xin’s tone. He knew he wasn’t the same as Lory or Zhao Li Xin, and that was fine.

After all, the Fire Spirit and Girsha weren’t the same kind of beings either. So, he didn’t think there was anything strange about being different.

On the other hand, Lory often forgot that Jade wasn’t human. Still, she liked the beautiful child. He radiated an aura even purer than Mevissa’s, before she went mad. Then Lory suddenly remembered that Zhao Li Xin was still injured.

"Oh, right—Fire Spirit, do you have any medicine for internal injuries? I can’t use my power right now, so I thought maybe there are still some recovery pills or something cultivators use?"

"Ah, No Master!" the Fire Spirit exclaimed, realizing it only now. "No wonder you look even more menacing than usual, so you got hurt!" It spoke so earnestly that it didn’t realize how its words came off as mockery. "Worry not, there are plenty of medicines lying around here! I’ll get them for you!"

’Whoosh!’

The Fire Spirit darted away in a hurry, completely unaware of Zhao Li Xin’s darkening expression. How dare that foolish spirit mock him in front of his wife! What if Lory actually thought he looked scary? Didn’t that little flame know it was this very face that had won his wife’s heart in the first place?

Lory noticed his annoyance and giggled. She reached out and pinched his cheek playfully. "Don’t worry, menacing or not, you’re still the most handsome in my eyes."

Zhao Li Xin’s foul mood vanished instantly. [En, my wife still knows me best.] He smiled, clearly satisfied, everything is good as long as his wife still thinks he is the most handsome man in the world.

Jade watched them with wide, curious eyes, as if he had just discovered a great secret of the universe. His usually cold and indifferent ’Papa’ turned so soft, almost silly, whenever ’Mommy Lory’ was involved.

Ah... so this is what that book meant by a ’henpecked husband,’ Jade thought seriously. Then that means... if I want something, instead of asking Papa, I should run to Mommy Lory instead! He believes his ’Zhao Papa’ wouldn’t be able to refuse it.

He puffed his cheeks thoughtfully. The Fire Spirit had been giving him lots of books to learn about human society, some of which were even light novels. Maybe this was what they called relationship dynamics.

His amber eyes sparkled with excitement as he stared at Lory, completely absorbed in his newfound "discovery." Lory blinked, confused by the intense look on his face.

"Jade...? Why are you looking at me like that?" Lory tilted her head.

Jade only smiled mysteriously, deciding to keep this secret piece of wisdom to himself...for now.