Chapter 1521: Crimson Lightning II

The monster they spoke of stood tall atop a roaring fighter jet, balanced as if gravity were subservient to it. A crimson sword with crackling red lightning gripped tightly in his hand. Zhao Li Xin stared at the helicopters a few meters away from where he was. His expression was hidden behind the cold golden mas,k but the dangerous aura around him was palpable.

Inside the helicopters, Andreass felt the blood in his veins run cold. His hands trembled against the door frame as he watched the masked figure slash all the missile from the fighter aircraft like a hot blade cut the butter. What kind of weapon did he got? what kind of power he possesed?!

For a fleeting heartbeat, he wondered if the man could be Lucient. But no, this power didn’t feel like belong to the Lucient’s familu nor any gifted people. This power feel so raw, volatile, and wild.

Suddenly, their eyes met.

Even though Andreas couldn’t see the man’s face behind the mask, he felt it—the weight of that stare, sharp and merciless, pinning him in place like a predator locking onto its prey. A chill crawled down his spine. Every instinct in his body screamed at once, a blaring alarm igniting in his mind.

’Danger.’

His breath hitched. The world seemed to narrow, sound fading until all he could hear was the heavy thrum of his heartbeat pounding in his ears. The masked man did not speak, did not move; he simply watched Andreas with unsettling stillness, as if studying precisely where to strike.

Then, with eerie calm, the man lifted his sword. The gleaming blade rose slowly, deliberately, catching a cold glint of light that sliced through the smoke-filled air. The temperature around them plummeted, tension snapping like drawn wire ready to break. 𝖋𝘳ℯ

Andreas’ muscles tightened instinctively, adrenaline surging.

At that moment, suddenly the air shrieked.

Then he swung his sword and immediately, a razor-thin wave of violent energy tore through the sky, screaming toward Andreass’s jet. The pilot cried out in panic, jerking the controls as Andreass unleashed a light energy to defend. The power shot forward like an arrow, slashing the air, and soon after, the two power clashed in midair.

Zhao Li Xin power crushes Andreass power mercilessly, and the force ripped through the helicopter wing, sending the aircraft spinning wildly, metal groaning, alarms screaming. The world turned upside down, and the sea rushed up to meet them.

Zhao Li Xin watched in silence as the crippled aircraft spiraled downward, its metal frame shrieking against the wind. A distant plume of seawater erupted when it finally plunged into the waves, swallowed whole by the dark surface below.

He didn’t linger; his gaze shifted to the pilot of the remaining fighter jet, the man frozen motionless under the weight of his stare.

The pilot’s face drained to a ghostly white. Breath caught in his throat, refusing to move. His mind screamed at him to flee, to act, but his body refused to obey.

All he could do was watch as Zhao Li Xin thrust the lightning-wreathed blade straight into the jet’s fuselage.

The moment steel pierced metal, Zhao Li Xin launched himself upward. The aircraft detonated behind him, exploding into a violent bloom of fire and black smoke.

Heat roared beneath his boots as he spun midair, executing a clean backflip before using his lightweight technique to descend. He landed upon the cracked earth below with the quiet grace of a falling feather.

A second later, the crimson lightning sword suddenly vanished from his hand. Zhao Li Xin frowned, staring at his bare palm. A sharp voice echoed through his mind, playful yet smug: [There is a limit to how long you can summon me, Master. If you wish to wield me fully, you must raise your cultivation further.] The Fire Spirit said coyly like a shy courtesan.

Zhao Li Xin’s expression darkened, his lips curled downward in irritation. He started considering whether it would be better to just melt down this shameless sword and make a new one, a sword that was more modest and upright.

If the fire spirit heard this, she would cry and call Zhao Li Xin cruel again, like an old wife who had been wronged by her husband again.

Clift, Jay, and Samuel raced toward him across the scorched tarmac, the echo of the explosion still rolling through the sky like distant thunder.

Jay looked up at the drifting smoke, then back at Zhao Li Xin, unable to contain the disbelief in his voice.

"Was that... your doing?"

Zhao Li Xin blinked, wondering why Jay would ask something so painfully obvious. Still, he answered simply, his tone flat and indifferent. "Yes."

He said nothing more. Silence thickened around them, stunned and heavy. Samuel stared at Zhao Li Xin as though he were looking at something inhuman, something to be feared. Meanwhile, Clift and Jay exchanged glances... then burst into delighted laughter.

"When you said you’d get stronger, you weren’t kidding, huh?" Jay grinned, shaking his head in amazement.

Clift’s eyes narrowed with sharp curiosity. "Will you become even stronger than this?"

Zhao Li Xin gave a firm nod. "Yes."

Samuel’s eyes widened, shock carving across his face. Clift and Jay, on the other hand, only smiled wider, their expressions bright with relief and hope. Because they understand, the stronger Zhao Li Xin becomes, the safer Lory’s future would be.

"Good," Clift said, satisfaction clear in his voice.

Zhao Li Xin caught the flicker of fear in Samuel’s gaze, yet it didn’t bother him at all. Because in the past, many people saw him with those kinds of eyes, even worse, they looked at him with fear, horror, and envy.

He had grown accustomed to that look of fear, welcomed it, even. No one understood better than Zhao Li Xin the weight of power. Power reclaimed respect. Power commanded influence, and wealth. Power ensured that no one dared step on you ever again. If his strength inspired terror, then so be it.

Clift broke the silence first. "By the way, they already secured Igor, right?"

"Yes. They have him," Zhao Li Xin replied flatly.

Jay pulled out his phone, the screen glowing against the darkened sky. His eyes flicked rapidly across the data before he exhaled sharply. "He’s on the move."

"So the plan worked," Samuel breathed, shoulders sagging with relief.

"Yeah," Clift muttered, his jaw tightening. "But I didn’t expect them to strike us with a missile."

Jay let out a short laugh, nudging Zhao Li Xin’s arm with a grin.

"Good thing we had the Prince Consort on our side."

Zhao Li Xin’s expression didn’t waver. No pride, no modesty—just calm acknowledgment. He neither basked in the praise nor brushed it aside, standing steady and composed, as if victory was simply expected.

Clift clapped his hands once, decisively. "Enough standing around. Let’s move. We follow them."

_________________________________

Inside the mystique realm, Lory sat in a quiet clearing of emerald grass, encircled by a gentle silver mist that shimmered like stardust. Well, she wasn’t completely alone, because little Jade sat cross-legged before her, his small palms hovering carefully in the air as he practiced controlling the faint glow pulsing between his hands.

Lory had no certainty what Jade’s ability truly was, but it was very close to the Gifted power she had, therefore she taught him everything she had been taught when she was a child.

Jade obeyed every instruction with earnest focus, never once complaining. It warmed her heart very much. After all, who wouldn’t adore a child so sweet, diligent, and impossibly cute? With delicate features and bright amber eyes and soft green hair, he looked like a tiny woodland elf brought to life. Adorable!

While Jade concentrated, Lory’s gaze drifted instinctively to her wrist. The watch glowed with a dim, unmoving light, but then she remembered.

Time here flowed differently than in the real world, so it’s useless to check the time. She lifted her head, staring up at the sky that mimicked the world outside perfectly: soft clouds, endless blue... and yet somehow hollow. She released a long, weary sigh.

"Mommy Lory, are you sad?" Jade’s gentle voice broke the silence. He looked up, worry shining plainly in his eyes.

Her mood softened at once. She reached over, rubbing his soft hair, a small chuckle escaping her. "I’m not sad, little one, just annoyed, that’s all."

"Because of the strange thing inside your neck?" Jade’s gaze flicked to her throat, his little face tightening with anger and fear far too mature for his age.

Lory didn’t want him to worry. "Hmm, not exactly." She tapped the tip of his nose playfully, trying to pull his attention away. "I’m fine. I’m just upset I couldn’t take part in the fight."

"You’re worried about Zhao Papa and the other uncles?" he asked quietly.

"Not exactly..." Lory pursed her lips, then she spoke confidently. "They’re all very capable, and also very strong. Especially your Zhao Papa. Even though he isn’t as powerful as he once was, with his ability now, very few could stand against him. So no... I’m not worried."

"Then... why are you upset?" Jade tilted his head, confusion written all over his innocent face.

Lory drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, her eyes fixed on the crystal-clear lake shimmering before them like polished glass. Its surface reflected a world untouched by chaos, serene and unreachable.

"Because I can’t join them," she murmured. "I’m not someone who runs from a fight... but in my condition, I’d only hold them back."

"It’s because that strange thing makes you unable to use your power, right?" Jade asked quietly, his small brows knitting together. "Are you... Are you worried you’ll lose your power?"

Lory shifted her gaze to him, a faint smile tugging at her lips. She was amused and touched by how carefully he chose each word, as if afraid one wrong syllable would hurt her. "Don’t worry about that. My power won’t disappear so easily. Trust me, been there, done that."

She turned her eyes back to the tranquil waters, their surface reflecting the soft glow of mystic light.

"Maybe no one would expect this," she murmured, "but losing my power has never been an issue for me."

"Never?" Jade blinked at her, confusion tightening his little face.

"En." Lory nodded slowly. "Power comes with responsibility. For me... sometimes it feels more like a duty. A burden, even. So when there were times I lost my power, it felt like... a heavy weight lifted from my shoulders."

She glanced at him again, raised a finger to her lips, and whispered, "But don’t tell anyone about that~"

Jade instantly covered his mouth with both hands and shook his head violently.

Lory’s laughter burst out, light and warm, and she reached out to gently pinch his soft cheek—careful not to leave a mark.

When he finally lowered his hands, he looked up at her with hesitation flickering in his eyes.

"Do you... Do you hate your power?"

Lory squinted as if he had just asked the most ridiculous question in existence. "No. Of course not. My power is part of me—my history, my legacy. So I don’t hate it. Besides, my power gives me the ability to protect my people and everyone I love. So no, I don’t hate it."

"But... you said it burdens you?" His voice faltered, truly lost.

Lory released a soft breath, her expression turning thoughtful, gentle.

"Everyone carries burdens, Jade. This one happens to be mine. I just embrace it as best as I can. And when it becomes too heavy... I turn to my friends and family for help."

She paused, eyes softening with vulnerability. "Though... it took me a long time to learn how to do that."

Jade stared at her for a long, unmoving moment.

She looked so beautiful, so strong and radiant, like sunlight shimmering on water. Just like his mother in his dreams... only Lory was happier. Brighter. Stronger.

In the long dream before he was born, Jade remembered hearing his mother’s muffled sobs, her whispered laments echoing around him. He had wanted to help her desperately, but he had no power, no form, no voice. He could only listen as her pain consumed her, helpless and unseen.

If...

If his mother had been strong like Mommy Lory... if she had friends, family, someone to lean on, would things have been different? Would her fate have changed? Would she still be here?

The wind brushed softly across his face, carrying the scent of water and earth. Jade’s small hands curled tightly into fists. If I become strong... and if I ask other people for help, would I be able to save her this time?

The lake remained silent, but its reflection trembled as if stirred by his unspoken thought.