Maya's fist tore through space, but Yu Tian was already behind her.
Cipher unleashed a barrage of reality-warping strikes, but Yu Tian danced between them like they were moving in slow motion.
Maya activated her time abilities, freezing everything around them, but Yu Tian kept moving as if nothing had happened.
Cipher attempted to erase him from existence, but Yu Tian simply stepped out of the erasure's path before it even formed.
They combined their attacks. Synchronized perfectly. Struck from angles that should have been impossible to dodge.
Yu Tian weaved through everything without breaking a sweat.
Both siblings were getting frustrated.
Cipher was confused above all else.
How is this even possible?
He could tell the man before them was even weaker than Maya. His power level wasn't impressive at all.
Even if Yu Tian's attacks landed on them, they would do zero damage.
Then how was he so impossibly slippery?
It was like trying to catch smoke.
…
Xueling watched the exchange from where she was bound.
Her husband was toying with two Creation-realm beings like they were children.
She knew there was no way her husband would lose. Even so…
Then her expression shifted.
It became resolute.
Energy began gathering inside her.
Zhu Que's eyes widened.
"Hey. What are you doing?"
Xueling's eyes gleamed with defiance.
You think you can threaten husband with my life?
Although her husband was doing okay now, what if she made him do something outrageous later? There was no way she would allow that.
Think again, loser.
A smug smirk formed on her face.
"She's going to self-destruct!" Zhao Long roared.
The dragon swooped in instantly, grabbing Zhu Que in his claws and dragging her away from Xueling.
"Timeout," Yu Tian said calmly.
The fight stopped.
He appeared beside Xueling and placed his hand on her shoulder. The building energy dissipated instantly, disabled before it could detonate.
He removed her seal and bindings with a wave.
Xueling pouted. "I almost had her."
…
A few moments later.
A round table had materialized in the void.
Seated around it: Yu Tian, Xueling, Zhao Long in human form, Zhu Que in human form, Maya, and Cipher.
Maya was glaring at Zhu Que, grinding her teeth audibly.
Zhu Que pointedly avoided her gaze.
"So you're saying this was all part of your plan?" she asked Yu Tian, her voice strained.
"Of course." Yu Tian shrugged.
He leaned back in his chair.
"Did you ever stop to consider how someone who can see the future had their wife kidnapped?"
Zhu Que remained speechless.
Zhao Long let out a long breath. "I told you to stop. Chasing after the Lord is reducing your intelligence."
"Shut up."
He went silent.
Zhu Que turned back to Yu Tian, her expression sour.
"What's your deal then? Do you get some sick satisfaction from rescuing your wife from danger you let her be involved in?"
"Far from it."
Yu Tian turned to Cipher.
"I was actually here to see him."
"Sorry, he's not gay," Maya said flatly. "You can leave now."
She made a shooing motion.
"Don't misunderstand."
Yu Tian raised his hands peacefully.
"I came here mainly to see how someone with a fragment of the Absolute Source breaks through to the Creation Realm. I've been stuck at the Dao Sage Realm for a very long time."
Cipher looked at him with interest.
"You also have a fragment? What is the Absolute Source exactly?"
Yu Tian opened his mouth…
"The Absolute Source is what made all of existence and nonexistence," Zhu Que interrupted, her voice reverent. "Put some respect on the Lord's name."
Zhao Long patted her shoulder with a sweet, placating smile.
Yu Tian continued as if she hadn't spoken.
"There's a chance - a very small chance - of a tiny speck from the Absolute Source falling into reality. This is what we call a fragment."
He gestured vaguely.
"It manifests in strange ways for each person. For you, for example…"
He pointed at Cipher.
"...it gives you power over reality. Creative Mode, if I'm not mistaken."
Cipher nodded slowly.
"For who she's calling 'the Lady,'" Yu Tian continued, "it basically gives her... the power to always be stronger than her opponent."
His smile turned wry.
"If you meet her, it's best to just dig your grave."
Maya frowned. "How do you know all this?"
"Is that your fragment?" she asked.
Yu Tian nodded. "Correct."
He tapped his temple.
"My fragment allows me to know everything. Yes, everything. Whether it has happened, not happened, will happen, won't happen. Everything."
He paused.
"Well. Except for a few things. Like how to enter the Creation Realm, for example."
Cipher leaned forward. "So have you figured it out? How to break through?"
"Unfortunately, no."
Yu Tian shook his head.
"I've seen the way to breakthrough, but it's not applicable for me. I'm guessing everyone has their own path to Creation."
His gaze drifted to Maya.
"But this girl has given me some ideas."
Cipher glanced at his sister.
"Does she also have a fragment of the Absolute Source? How is she just in the Pseudo-Creation Realm? Can she fully enter Creation?"
Yu Tian shook his head.
"What she has is a Fragment of Passion."
He folded his hands.
"The Fragment of the Absolute Source comes from the Lord. The Fragment of Passion is an... inferior version that comes from his wife."
He chose his next words carefully.
"The Lady had such intense emotional desire for her husband that it manifested in the real world as a Passion Fragment. It only attaches to women, and women who possess it can be a little..."
He trailed off.
"...crazy."
Cipher glanced at Maya.
"What?" she asked.
"Nothing."
Suddenly, Cipher's expression changed.
He sensed something.
He waved his hand.
Lyra materialized beside him, her form flickering into existence.
She didn't waste time with greetings.
"Do you know my parents?" she asked Yu Tian directly. "Are they the so-called Lord and Lady?"
"Of course." Yu Tian smiled. "And you're right on that."
Lyra's expression tightened.
"Is she coming for me?"
"Yeah. She'll be here in a minute or so."
Lyra's voice dropped.
"Can you tell me how to defeat her?"
Yu Tian shook his head.
"Is it impossible?"
"Not necessarily."
"Then why won't you tell me?"
Yu Tian stood up. So did Xueling.
"You see," he said, stretching casually, "I quite prefer my head attached to my body. If you catch my drift."
He smiled apologetically.
"Besides, I'm sure you can figure it out. It's your mother, after all. You can talk it out."
His smile turned slightly awkward.
"Though knowing her... you have better luck defeating her than convincing her."
He took Xueling's hand.
"Anyway. It was nice knowing you guys."
He gave them a small wave.
"If you don't make it, I'll definitely leave a few flowers on your tombs."
His form began fading.
"Until next time."
With that, the two disappeared.