They looked at each other.
Before this, Lyra had tried to consult the Moonlight Maiden about spiritual sea cultivation methods - hoping to find a way to hide their location from this crazy woman.
She hadn't succeeded.
Now she could only face her head-on. Otherwise, Cipher would be in danger.
All because of her.
"How do I win?" she pressed.
Zhao Long and Zhu Que exchanged another look.
Then they turned back to her.
"You can't," Zhao Long said flatly.
"It's impossible," Zhu Que added. "Unless you're the Lord himself, you cannot beat her."
Lyra's jaw tightened.
"There has to be a weakness. Explain how her power works. There has to be something."
The two sighed.
Zhao Long began.
"It's just... love."
Lyra blinked. "Love?"
"She likes her husband so much that she believes she exists solely to like him," he explained. "This belief is amplified by her Absolute Source Fragment and becomes like a rule. At no point can she stop liking her husband."
Zhu Que continued.
"Being killed means there is no more 'her' to like her husband. So this cannot happen."
Zhao Long nodded.
"And because she's... intense... she interprets this rule however she wants."
"Since her power is based on liking her husband," Zhu Que said, "being defeated is like saying she doesn't like her husband enough."
"Meaning this also cannot happen."
"Because she can't possibly like her husband even a little bit less."
They spoke the final part together:
"This is something that must be true at all times."
Lyra stared at them.
"...What kind of broken ability is this?"
Cipher's cheats looked like children's toys compared to this.
Her mother's power wasn't strength. It wasn't speed. It wasn't technique.
It was an absolute rule.
She couldn't be defeated because defeat would mean loving her husband less.
And that was impossible.
Lyra's mind raced.
Then something clicked.
"Wait," she said. "I was born in the Creation Realm."
The two looked at her.
"How do I return to that stage?"
She didn't have a way to win yet. But if she could reach her original realm, she could at least put up a fight.
With her, Maya, and Cipher together - three Creation Realm beings - they could hold the line while they thought of something.
Zhao Long scratched his cheek.
"We don't know much about the Creation Realm, honestly."
Zhu Que shrugged.
"But if you really were born at the Creation Realm... maybe it's just sealed?"
Zhao Long nodded.
"Just try bringing it out."
Lyra stared at them.
That's it? That's your advice?
She closed her eyes anyway.
She reached inward.
Past her cultivation. Past her demonic core. Past everything she had built over countless years.
Deeper.
Deeper.
She felt something.
A seal?
It seemed quite... fragile.
Like it was waiting to be broken.
She pushed.
It shattered instantly.
Power flooded through her.
Oh.
I guess it really is that simple.
She opened her eyes.
Creation Realm.
…
Cipher spoke up.
"Technically, I didn't steal it. It came to me on its own. I didn't even have to do anything."
The Lady's expression didn't change.
"Don't argue semantics with me."
Maya stepped forward, positioning herself between Cipher and the Lady.
"Brother, I told you this woman would definitely bring you problems. But you didn't listen."
She cracked her knuckles.
"I'll hold her off. You make a run for it."
"I think it's a little too late for that."
Cipher appeared before Maya instantly, blocking a fist that had materialized out of nowhere.
The impact sent both of them flying a few thousand light years.
Stars blurred past them as they tumbled through the void, barely managing to stabilize.
The Lady appeared before them again, her fist already descending.
Then Lyra materialized behind her, grabbing her arm.
"Stop!"
The Lady paused.
She glanced back at her daughter.
"Oh. You recovered your strength. How cute."
Her tone was almost amused.
"I was thinking of disciplining you later, but doing it a little early wouldn't hurt."
She grabbed Lyra's arm, swung her over her shoulder, and hurled her directly at Cipher and Maya.
Cipher caught her before she could crash into them.
"Are you alright?"
Lyra steadied herself. "Yeah."
She looked at him, guilt in her eyes.
"I'm sorry. For bringing you this trouble."
"Finally, someone admits it," Maya muttered. "This is all your fault. Everything. All of it. If you hadn't…"
"Can we focus first?" Cipher interrupted.
A fist was already coming toward them.
They scattered instantly, surrounding the Lady from three directions.
…
The battle erupted.
Maya attacked from the left - temporal blades slicing through the void.
Lyra struck from the right - her void sword carving through.
Cipher came from above - using Creative Mode to warp existence around the Lady.
She blocked. Countered. Deflected.
But against all three Creation Realm beings working in perfect coordination, she seemed... equally matched.
Not weaker. Not stronger.
Equal.
The battle raged on.
And as it continued, Cipher noticed something.
The Lady was getting uneasy.
Her movements grew slightly erratic. Her expression flickered with something other than cold disdain.
Agitation?
"Keep it up!" Cipher called out.
They pressed harder.
Suddenly…
"ENOUGH!"
The Lady's power exploded outward.
A shockwave of pure force sent all three of them flying backward, crashing through countless planes of existence before they could stabilize.
"Dammit," she cursed.
Her body trembled visibly.
"Is she tired?" Cipher asked.
Maya shook her head. "No. She's just really angry."
The Lady's eyes blazed with fury.
"How dare you do this to me. How DARE you keep me away from my husband!"
"Umm... what now?" Cipher asked.
The Lady crushed the space around her hand.
A sword materialized from the shattered void.
It looked remarkably similar to Lyra's void sword.
…
In the distance.
Zhao Long and Zhu Que watched the confrontation from what they considered a safe distance.
"Should we run away?" Zhao Long asked nervously. "They're definitely going to die."
He turned to look at Zhu Que.
She was gone.
He spun around. A small figure was already retreating at maximum speed.
"DIDN'T YOU WANT TO BRING BACK THE LADY AND THE LORD, YOU HYPOCRITICAL BASTARD!" he roared after her.
Hmph, Zhu Que thought as she flew even faster. I just wanted to see the Lord again. Who would want to see that crazy woman? I was just ragebaiting the lord so he would show.
Zhao Long cursed and bolted after her.