The sound of gunfire replaced the silence of the Obsidian Hall. The tactical team, wearing dark uniforms and gas masks, moved with military precision. They fired toward the ceiling and the walls to force the representatives of the medical sects to the floor. The elders, despite their status in the hidden world, were not prepared for modern ballistic weapons. They scrambled behind the heavy wooden tables for cover.
Alexander stood in the center of the hall. He did not crouch. A bullet traveled toward his chest, but as it entered the space within three feet of his body, it slowed down. A visible distortion in the air, a mix of blue frost and golden light, caught the projectile. The bullet lost its velocity and dropped to the floor with a metallic thud.
"Elena, move to the north pillar," Alexander said. His voice was steady and loud. "Take the elders with you."
Elena did not argue. She knew her role. She ran toward Elder He and Elder Chen, who were trapped behind a fallen banner. As she moved, a soldier stepped into her path and raised a submachine gun. Elena reached into her sleeve and threw three silver needles. She did not aim for his heart. She aimed for the nerve cluster in his right shoulder and the radial nerve in his wrist.
The needles pierced the gaps in the soldier's tactical vest. His arm went limp instantly, and his weapon fell to the ground. He grabbed his shoulder, looking confused as his muscles refused to obey his brain. Elena did not stop to look at him. She grabbed Elder He by the arm and pulled her toward the thick stone pillar.
"Use your Qi to protect your vital organs!" Elena commanded the elders. "The cold air in the room is Alexander's field. Stay within the blue mist."
Across the hall, Alexander moved toward the main group of soldiers. He did not use a weapon. He struck the air with his palms. Each strike sent a physical wave of pressurized energy across the room. The first wave hit two soldiers, throwing them backward into the glass-less window frames. The temperature in the room dropped so low that the moisture from the broken sprinkler system began to turn into ice before it hit the floor.
Silas Vane stood near the exit, protected by two guards. He held the red whistle and watched the chaos. "Kill him!" Silas shouted. "Target his head! No one survives a direct hit to the brain!"
Six soldiers turned their weapons on Alexander at once. A hail of bullets filled the air. Alexander raised both hands, and a wall of solid ice, six inches thick and glowing with golden veins, manifested in front of him. The bullets buried themselves in the ice but did not penetrate.
Alexander then pushed the ice wall forward. It slid across the polished floor at high speed, acting like a battering ram. The soldiers were swept off their feet, pinned against the far wall by the weight of the frozen barrier.
Elena reached the pillar and checked the elders. Elder Chen was breathing heavily, his face pale. "His power... it is too much," Chen whispered. "He is consuming his own life force to maintain that shield."
Elena looked at Alexander. She saw the strain in his posture. The golden star on his chest was pulsing rapidly, the light visible even through his shirt. She knew that if the fight lasted more than five minutes, the dual energies would cause a vascular rupture.
She saw Silas Vane reaching for a side door, attempting to escape.
"He cannot leave!" Elena said.
She stood up from behind the pillar and ran across the open floor. She stayed low, moving through the mist. Another soldier tried to intercept her, but she used a needle to strike the Tianzhu point on his neck. He collapsed into a state of temporary paralysis.
Elena reached the exit just as Silas was about to pull the door shut. She grabbed his wrist. Silas turned, his face twisted in a snarl. He swung a heavy tactical flashlight at her head. Elena ducked, her hand moving to his chest. She struck the Jiuwei point at the base of his sternum with her knuckles.
Silas gasped, the air leaving his lungs. He slumped against the doorframe, unable to move his legs.
"The Vane family has committed treason against the council," Elena said. She took the red whistle from his hand and crushed it under her heel. "You will stay here and answer for the lives you tried to take."
The remaining soldiers, seeing their leader captured and their weapons ineffective against Alexander's shield, began to retreat toward the ropes at the windows. Alexander did not pursue them. He dropped the ice wall and stood still, his head bowed.
The room went silent, except for the wind whistling through the broken windows.
Elena ran to Alexander's side. She grabbed his wrist to check his pulse. It was erratic and weak. His skin was freezing to the touch, yet she could see steam rising from his shoulders.
"The rebound," she whispered.
She quickly placed three needles into his arm and one into his chest to vent the excess energy. Alexander's eyes cleared, the golden glow fading until they were dark again. He leaned on her, his weight heavy.
"Is it over?" he asked.
"The soldiers are gone. Silas is captured," Elena said.
The elders emerged from behind their covers. Elder Wei walked toward them, his saffron robes torn. He looked at the unconscious soldiers and the ice that was slowly melting into the carpet. He then looked at Alexander.
"You have saved the council," Wei said. His voice was formal. "Despite our earlier judgment, it is clear that the integration of the Phoenix arts and your condition has created a protector, not a monster."
"I did not do it for the council," Alexander said, his voice returning to its normal baritone. "I did it for my wife."
Elder He stepped forward. She looked at Elena with a respectful nod. "The Lin family has proven its merit. We will allow you to keep the manuscripts and the needle. Furthermore, the council will issue an order to freeze all assets of the Vane Medical Group until a full investigation is completed."
Elena felt a sense of relief, but she knew this was only one battle. Silas Vane was just a pawn. The Valley of the Sun still had higher-ranking members who had not appeared at the summit.
"We need to get him home," Elena said to the elders. "The integration is not yet permanent. He needs a stabilizing environment."
"Take our private medical transport," Elder Wei offered. "It is shielded from satellite tracking."
Alexander straightened his back, pulling away from Elena's support to show his strength to the elders one last time. "We will take the helicopter. I do not hide from my enemies."
They walked out of the hall, leaving the elders to deal with the police and the tactical remains. In the elevator, Alexander leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
"You were reckless," Elena said, her voice low.
"I had to show them that I could protect you without their permission," Alexander replied. He opened his eyes and looked at her. "Are you hurt?"
"No," she said. She reached out and touched the place on his chest where the star was located. "But the star is different now. The gold has moved into your primary meridian. We have to finish the Harmonizing Cycle tomorrow, or the ice will be gone forever."
"Is that a problem?" Alexander asked.
"The ice is your balance, Alexander," Elena said seriously. "Without it, the sun energy will burn you from the inside out. You cannot be just a god. You have to stay a man."
The elevator reached the roof. The helicopter was waiting. As they boarded, Elena looked down at the city of Jiangcheng. The lights of the Vane Tower were flickering. She knew that by tomorrow morning, the medical world would be in a state of revolution.
As the helicopter lifted off, Alexander took her hand. His grip was firm. "Then we finish the cycle tomorrow. And then, we go after the people who sent Silas."