95 Ruby Sun Visited

As he fought Commander Xiaorong, Lukros underwent a significant change. It was as if he still couldn't comprehend it, but thinking more of it hurt his mind. And so, Lukros decided to not mention nor mind it.

Commander Xiaorong's vicious energy was still present in his sword and surroundings.

"Let's start with round 2," Lukros said before appearing next to Commander Xiaorong.

Commander Xiaorong gripped his sword as he swung it, creating a slash effect that appeared to be an arch in crimson.

Lukros willingly accepted it, defending himself using his sword, but as the two energies collided, he felt the tremendous impact that even reached all of his senses.

"You will die now!" Commander Xiarong exclaimed as another swing was created, making a tremendous amount of energy in one arch.

Lukros gritted his teeth in frustration as he moved to the side using the martial technique he knew. He injected his energy into the sword and created an arch as well, to meet the crimson arch.

As the two different arches collided, a great pressure emerged, eventually pulling out the tree and other plants from the roots. Also, the ground started breaking, and debris flew as the cultivators spectating retreated from the pressure.

They all just endured the feeling of the pressure and continued rooting for their commander. And just like that, Lukros shook his head after feeling the backlash of the technique that hit his arch.

"That was tingling..." he uttered as he swayed his hands from the numbness that reached him.

"Is this technique still connected to the physical senses? You sure have a weird technique. Commander Xiaorong was it?"

Commander Xiaorong didn't aggressively reply. Instead, he took his time to retort to Lukros's words, as he was still feeling the hatred inside of him.

"You are going to die. Why do you still bother kicking alive?" Commander Xiaorong smiled as he gathered another streak and produced an arch by swooping his sword.

Lukros only clicked his tongue as he prepared for the impact. He then covered the blue light of his technique with orange flames from his alchemy.

"I had no other choice. I am not strong in this technique, so I should at least stay in my specialty."

Lukros contained all of the metallic particles in the fire, intentionally not melting them to give him a small part of protection from the excess energy that was flying like a splash in the water.

He gulped as he faced another impact. One after another, he defended himself.

"I underestimated him." It was a late realization, but still necessary for him to learn in this fight. It was like he was training but with his life at stake.

"I should finish it now," he muttered to himself. "However, I couldn't observe his technique with these effects that were affecting my senses..."

Commander Xiaorong then created another attack, but this time, Lukros successfully dodged it.

Streaks, instead of an arch, flew straight to Lukros. As he observed the movements of the attack, he knew where the flaws would be. 

He moved sideways. Even though he was still flying, he successfully moved swiftly, using the technique to support his movement. Even though it wasn't a movement technique, the straight attack was a bit easier for him to dodge.

Lukros then smirked as he created a small imitation of the Death Blade. It was still small, but there were small dark particles in the crimson light that had covered his sword.

And just when Commander Xiaorong noticed it, he could only grit his teeth.

"How dare you copy my technique!"

Lukros smirked, seeing Commander Xiaorong's insulted face, and just when he was flying straight to him, ready to limit the distance between them, the vicious energy around Commander Xiaorong became stronger, eventually pushing him back.

Lukros clicked his tongue as he did it for the second time, but failing was still present. That, for sure, made him push backward.

"This is getting annoying." Before the crimson light changed color, disappearing the dark particles and forming a sphere, Lukros said.

"I guess I should just improve that last one. Since I already imitated it, it will be your time now." Lukros mumbled. 

The crimson ball of light became redder, and as at the core of it was an alchemy circle, he added more symbols to it as he slowly approached Commander Xiaorong.

"It is your time now," Lukros mumbled.

However, unexpected instances occurred that made him widen his eyes when, at the next moment, Commander Xiaorong suddenly collapsed, instantly falling down.

And just behind the previous position of Commander Xiaorong was someone he knew.

Lukros sighed as he saw the face of the one who made Commander Xiaorong collapse.

"Master, were you done with the preparation for the mission you talked about yesterday?" he asked.

Meanwhile, Lucas was just silent as he turned around and looked at him with an uncertain expression.

"You've done it again?" he asked, and that made Lukros's face dispirited. "It's all right." Lucas followed.

"You did well there. Also, it felt like this one was quite problematic." Lucas mumbled as his body started to exude a profound aura that instantly chilled the spines of the cultivators' meters away.

"You all know what to do, right? You won't escape from this..." Then, in the next second, a wide barrier appeared, instantly sealing them in.

All of the cultivators gritted their teeth as they tried to destroy the barrier. But only failure resulted from their efforts; that made them dispirited.

***

A few hours ago...

As the banquet finally started, Lucas was awkwardly facing the crowd. People gathered in front of him, cheering after Yuna delivered a speech. And as awkward as it was, all he could do was smile at them.

But before that, he knew that those people in front of him were just faking. They weren't pleased with his presence; they were forced to act pleased because Yuna was there.

Also, the audience was bothered by the thought that Lucas might be someone who was not officially part of the five great families but held strong power within the circle.

They were thirsty for power, and having power over some takes too much time to get. And now, looking at him with a face makes them think that another competition has been held.

The banquet started to calm down, and Lucas finally left the banquet and taking a breath of fresh air, he smiled.

"Seems like those annoying attitudes still bother me. That's why I hated gatherings; they were all fake." Lucas mumbled to himself, and as he was contemplating, someone appeared just beside him.

"Oh... Really? I didn't think that you also felt that way, Lucas."

When Lucas suddenly heard a female voice on his right side, he shifted his attention to it, seeing a familiar face.

"Ruby Sun?"

"Hey you, boy~"

Lucas suddenly grumbled inwardly as he saw a weird expression on Ruby's face. 

She was still beautiful, a jade beauty to be precise, that anyone would be willing to call a fairy. But for Lucas, it wasn't important, even with the two lumps of bouncy flesh that were slightly exposed by Ruby's dress.

The dress could get any man's attention, but Lucas was intentionally avoiding gazing at those two bountiful mountains.

"Why are you here?" Lucas asked.

Ruby only giggled. "Why do you make a sound like that?~ It's hurtful, you know..."

Lucas nodded his head, unwillingly just to tease Ruby.

"You know, I came here to send you a message about the modeling I offered you. But when I sent a message, you weren't responding."

Lucas then realized what Ruby was saying. The medallion that Ruby gave him was inside of his storage spell, and since time was indefinite there, any incoming notification would fail.

Lucas sighed as he faced Ruby. "Please forgive me, Lady Ruby. But the modeling you offered, I can't even think of what it was. It has been months since we last met."

"Yet, you still remember me." Ruby suddenly cuts off.

Lucas sighed once more as he put his gaze down on the city. They were on the terrace, with the dawn meeting them.

"Cultivators have weird perceptions of time." Lucas, out of nowhere, made a remark that Ruby just giggled to.

"Well, we truly have that kind of weird perception. But, I am really here for the modeling. Do you mind if I can borrow your time, next week?" Ruby asked.

Lucas nodded. "I have a debt to pay. Even if it was only a robe, it was still useful since I had an interest in arrays because of that robe you had."

Ruby only smiled as she slowly moved her body next to Lucas, even touching her skin against him. But Lucas didn't mind it. He just let her be and continued talking.

"But I am still an important person, you know."

"Even if you are still at the beginning of the King Spirit Realm? You sure are still young, boy~"

Lucas only shook his head as he faced Ruby with an uncertain expression. "How come you are still able to see my cultivation base? Who are you, Ruby Sun?"

Ruby didn't reply immediately and just continued touching Lucas's arm. She put her breast close to him as she mumbled words slowly, saying, "Just an owner of a tailor shop."