They reappeared in the Rage Forest, where silence reigned. The trees stood still, as if mourning the storm that had passed. Lloyd sobbed in Jaquan's arms, his body trembling from the strain of Lightform Ascension and the emotional weight of his victory.
Jaquan let him grieve.
Until finally, Lloyd passed out.
Inside the cave nearby, Jaquan laid him gently on the stone table. Jalen stood nearby, casting Flare of Recursion to mend his wounds. The technique worked—but only partially. The damage ran deeper than flesh. Lloyd's body recovered to fifty percent, but he remained unconscious.
Jaquan sat beside him, brushing hair from his forehead.
__
Hours later, Lloyd stirred.
His body felt crushed beneath a mountain—every joint aching, every breath a reminder of the battle he'd survived. His spirit core pulsed sluggishly. But he was alive.
He blinked slowly, the dim cave light filtering through the canopy above. The air was cool and quiet. Moss and ash lingered faintly.
Then he saw him.
Jaquan sat beside the stone table, eyes tired but watchful, hand resting near Lloyd's shoulder.
"Dad…" Lloyd whispered.
Jaquan looked up, and a soft smile broke across his face.
Lloyd tried to sit up, wincing. But he smiled—because Jaquan was still there. He hadn't left. He'd stayed through the storm.
And then the tears came.
"I didn't kill him," Lloyd said, voice cracking.
Jaquan didn't speak. He simply pulled Lloyd into a gentle embrace.
Lloyd clung to him, sobbing into his chest. The weight of restraint, of rage held back, of justice delivered without vengeance—it all poured out.
"I wanted to," Lloyd choked. "I could've. But I remembered what you said. About losing myself. About becoming what he was."
Jaquan held him tighter. "You did the right thing."
"I crippled him," Lloyd said. "Shattered his core. He'll never cultivate again. He'll never hurt anyone again."
Jaquan nodded. "That's justice. Not revenge. You didn't become him. You became better."
Lloyd's sobs slowed, but the tears kept falling.
"I thought killing him would make the pain go away," he whispered. "But it didn't. It just made me feel… hollow."
Jaquan stroked his hair. "That's grief, son. It doesn't vanish with blood. It fades with time. With healing. And with love."
"I miss them," Lloyd said. "Mom. My brothers. I wanted them to see me like this. To know I kept my promise."
"They do," Jaquan said softly. "Wherever they are, they saw you rise. They saw you choose mercy over madness."
A silence settled—heavy, but sacred.
Jalen stood nearby, watching quietly. He didn't speak. But his eyes held respect. Lloyd had passed the test—not of power, but of character.
After a while, Lloyd leaned back against the stone, exhausted.
"Thank you," he said to Jalen. "If I hadn't met you, none of this would've been possible. I'd be dead. And even if I wasn't… it would've taken me centuries to reach this realm."
Jalen nodded. Lloyd was right. But even with his help, Lloyd's cultivation speed was unnatural. He suspected Lloyd had entered a realm where time flowed differently, like he did in that time in the shadow realm, or encountered some rare fortune like Jalen's origin shard or luminal heart.
And the latter was the truth.
When Jalen left the Great Wave Continent, Lloyd had stumbled into a realm saturated with light qi, drawn by a treasure known as the Scepter of Light. It fused with his spirit core, enhancing his physique and strengthening his qi beyond normal limits. After months of cultivation there, he emerged at the Spirit Fusion Realm—but was bedridden for a week.
Jalen never asked. Every cultivator had secrets. It wasn't deception—it was survival.
"There's no need for thanks between brothers," Jalen said. "Now that you've had your revenge… what now?"
"I guess I'll return to the Raine Sect," Lloyd said.
"If that's what you want."
"Can't you be nice for once and just say you want me to stay at the Flare Palace?"
"Do you want to stay at the Flare Palace?" Jalen looked at him puzzled.
"As much as I want to… I do have a bond with the Raine Sect. They've invested a lot in me."
"Then after you recover, you can go. It's not goodbye. You can return home anytime."
"Wait—you're taking my grandkids away?" Jaquan voiced alarm.
"Actually, I'm leaving them behind. My baby mothers too," Lloyd said. "Well… except for Tera. She wants to return to the Raine Sect with me. But I'll be sure to come by every now and then when I'm free and not cultivating."
"Alright son, just lay off creating more babies for a while," Jaquan joked.
"Take your own advice da," Lloyd chuckled, though it hurt too.
"Now that you're feeling better, let's leave this place," Jalen said. He was a bit worried that things were not going smoothly at the Flare state while he was away. Well, Rana didn't trigger the spirit sense he left on her, so he guesses that's a good sign, that things are still ok.
Lloyd nodded. But just as they were about to depart—
A ripple of spatial distortion shimmered at the cave's edge.
Emperor Raiden and Themo arrived.
Hours earlier, they had reached the Sword State—too late. The duel was over. Jalen had vanished. But Raiden, ever calculating, remembered the Rage Forest. It was once a place Jalen had stayed with Lara and the man who fathered her child.
He took a chance.
And by sheer luck—or fate—they found them.
"Man, you people are hard to track down," Raiden muttered, stepping into the cave.
Jaquan's eyes narrowed. "What do you want?"
His fury was fresh—Raiden had once tried to kill Jared in the womb. He'd tried to kill Jaquan. Tried to kill Jalen. That kind of history didn't fade.
Raiden raised his hands. "I'm not here to fight. I just want to see my daughter. Lara."
"No," Jaquan said flatly.
"I know I started off wrong," Raiden continued. "But I want to make it right. I want to meet my grandson."
Jaquan snorted. "You mean you want a connection to my son Jalen."
Raiden didn't flinch. "I admit that's part of it. But Lara is my daughter. Is it wrong for a father to want her near someone strong?"
"Even if it means marrying her off to a monster?" Jaquan snapped.
Raiden exhaled. "I'm not here to argue. I just want to see my daughter. And my grandson."
"It's grandsons now," Jaquan said coldly. "And no. I won't let my children near someone like you."
Raiden's eyes flickered. "Lara has more children? That's… wonderful."
"Don't fake joy," Jaquan growled. "You're not here for family. You're here to exploit bloodlines."
"Despite how you feel," Raiden said, "I'm still Lara's father."
"And I'm her husband," Jaquan replied. "And I say no."
Raiden held his ground. "Then let Lara decide."
Jaquan stepped forward, ready to tear him apart—but Jalen raised a hand.
"Come to the Ruona Continent," he said. "Flare State. Flare Palace. You can see her there."
He didn't trust Raiden. He hated what the man had done. But Raiden was Lara's father—flawed, manipulative, but not irredeemable like Phil. Beside if this is a trick, Jalen could destroy him with a single finger, so he's not worried about Raiden being a threat.
Raiden bowed respectfully. He knew Jalen was a Sage Realm cultivator. Respect was survival.
"I'll come visit soon."
Jaquan wanted to protest. But Jalen had spoken. So he gave his son face. If his son suggests this, there must be a logical reason.
Jalen said nothing more. He activated Flash Reversion.
And in a blink, vanished with Jaquan and Lloyd.