Chapter 517: Lan Qing’s Suggestions (2/2)

Lan Qing was the one to answer. “That won’t be necessary, thank you. We’ve arranged for our own accommodations. We would like to trouble you for use of the Reaper Arena, however.”

“Arena?” The Wine Master’s eyes immediately went to Lan Jue. He looked strange.

Lan Jue’s face was stern. “As future commander of Skyfire Avenue’s forces, I feel that my personal abilities are far below adequate. Sparring with other Adepts of similar rank is sure to have a positive bearing on my development. You said that we would have whatever we needed from the Avenue in the establishment of this fighting force. This is therefore an official request. In addition, I have brought in Commander Lan Qing for consultation, and as this is an official function I expect the Avenue won’t require payment.”

The Wien Master’s voice was thick with aggravation. “Fine! If you don’t want to spend money than just say it! I didn’t need the self-righteous diatribe.”

Lan Jue sighed. “Didn’t I learn it all from you?”

The Wine Master could clearly sense the young man’s resentment. He had no recourse. “Very well, I’ll go along with you. I have to make sure you don’t destroy my arena with your horsing around.”

The Wine Master led them down to the underground. Before long they were at the Reaper Arena.

Business here had also flourished in recent days. There was no small number of Adepts who came to test themselves and help each other improve.

The elderly Paragon waved a hand, and his astrum scepter appeared in a flash of silver light. A pale light filled the corridor, and on the far side was revealed a doorway.

This place sat amid many dimensional pockets, divvied out to Adepts as they came to test their strength. Lan Jue had been here a few times, but he’d never seen this silver doorway before. It was a large, and silver, with hinged double doors. The surface was engraved with old style patterns. Most importantly, space-time was strange here. The energies were thick and potent.

The dazzling dimensional scepter gestured toward the far door as the Wine Master waved his hand. The great doors opened inward. What was revealed, was a portal of undulating energy that warped space.

The Wine Master turned to face the four of them. He nodded. “Come with me.”

They walked through in, into a space between. Then, in the next moment, they were somewhere else.

It was different from the Reaper Arena Lan Jue knew. His first sensation after walking through, was that this place was real.

The other pockets he used always felt a little surreal, and it was clear that you weren’t in the primary reality. This place, by contrast, felt very stable. He could hardly tell it apart from the reality he lived in every day.

Sweeping their eyes around the space, they found it to be no less expansive than the Great Conclave Arena, with nothing but a void all around them.

“Who’s come in here to bother me?” A sweet, melodious voice wafted over to them.

When the Wine Master heard the voice, he was struck with surprise. Then, a helpless smile spread across his face. “Aunt… how did you get in here?”

Lan Jue was well aware of who ‘Aunt’ was. The others, however, had no idea. Even Lan Qing, who was about as expressive as a rock, looked taken aback. The Cosmagus was a Paragon, and while not as old as the Clairvoyant or Keeper, he was still on in age. For him to call out Aunt, while the voice sounded so young… what was going on?”

A flash of light, and suddenly there was another in this pocket dimension. Luo Xianni.

The woman almost completely ignored the Wine Master. Her attention went immediately to her ‘son.’ She quickly became a bubbling font of joy. “Ahhh, my adopted son! Have you come to see your mother? And you’ve brought friends, so lively! Which one of these lovely young women is your wife? Or, are they all?”

The line of questioning immediate turned every Amazon’s face red, but curiosity kept their eyes on this woman. She couldn’t have been past her thirties!

Adopted son? Since when did their boss get a new mother?

Lan Qing was particularly speechless. However, it wasn’t her words that struck him. It was her power.

Lan Qing was the strongest of their group aside from the Cosmagus. That was, until Luo Xianni appeared. When his perception fell upon her, he was struck by the flood of energy radiating out of her.

No matter how hard he looked, Lan Qing could not sense the depths of her strength. That could only mean one thing; she was a Paragon. Only the breadth of a Paragon’s power felt this vast.

Skyfire Avenue actually had another Paragon?

Luo Xianni, as though sensing Lan Qing’s thoughts, turned to him and pressed a finger to her lips. “You have to keep secrets. Ey.. why do you look so much like my son? You must be Chi Bupang’s other adopted charge. He speaks so highly of you.”

Lan Jue was afraid his brother might not react properly, and rushed to his aid. “Yes, mother, you’ve guessed right. This is my older brother, Lan Qing. Brother, this is dad’s very close lady friend. Our mom.” He caught his brother’s eye, silently pleading with him to go along.