On the wall of Cloudhaven City, Jared stood with his hands behind his back. His gaze swept across the trembling people in the city, over the powerholders who had gone silent as cicadas in winter, and finally settled on the dozens of giant dragons circling high in the sky.
Dragon might rolled across the city, vast and crushing.''
Golden light zed in the air.
With the Sky Dragon n holding this ce down, the city was finally secure. Jared''s eyes settled on Vivian.
Vivian stood off to the side, her eyes still red around the edges, her lips pressed lightly together. It looked like she wanted to say something, but the words wouldn''te out.
Jared looked at her, and his tone eased a little. "The Teleportation Array shouldn''t be a problem now."
Vivian paused for a beat, then caught on.
That was true.
Before this, those factions had leaned on the backing behind them and sealed off the Teleportation Array, refusing to let Jared use it.
But now dozens of giant dragons were circling above Cloudhaven City, and their pressure was so heavy the whole city seemed to shake under it. The people from those factions were probably too scared to even step outside now, so how could they still dare block him?
"I''ll go contact the wardens of the Teleportation Array right away," Vivian said at
once.
Jared lifted a hand. "No need. I''ll go myself."
He paused, then looked at Luther and Grace. "You two areing with me."
Luther nodded right away, excitement breaking across his face. "Got it! Mr. Chance, we''re heading to the Luminous Sanctuary now? I heard that''s where all the righteous cultivators gather, and strong people are everywhere there. Perfect chance to go take a look!"
Grace gave a light nod too, and there was a trace of expectation in her eyes.
Vivian bit her lip and finally couldn''t hold it back anymore. "Jared, I... I want to go with you too."
Jared looked at her.
Vivian lowered her head, her voice dropping. "If I stay here... I won''t be much help anyway. Cloudhaven City is already safe with the Draconians guarding it. I want to follow you to the Luminous Sanctuary. Maybe... maybe I can help you there."
Jared looked at her in silence.
A momentter, he shook his head.
"No."
Vivian looked up, and the light in her eyes dimmed.
Jared''s voice stayed even, but there was no room to argue with it. "Cloudhaven City needs someone here to hold it down. Those factions may be intimidated by the Draconians for now, but there''s no guarantee they won''t start something in the shadows.
You''re the youngdy of the Janis Family. You know Cloudhaven City better than anyone, and you have the strongest im to control this city. Staying here will do more good than following me to the Luminous Sanctuary."
He paused, and his tone eased again. "And besides, I still don''t know what the situation is like in the Luminous Sanctuary. Strong people are everywhere there, and the forces are tangled together. It''ll be easier if I go alone. If I bring you, I''ll have to split my attention and watch over you too."
Vivian parted her lips like she wanted to argue, but in the end she only gave a silent nod.
She knew he was right.
Her cultivation was only at High Immortal Realm Level Eight. In Cloudhaven City, that still counted as strong, but in a ce like the Luminous Sanctuary, it probably wouldn''t amount to much.
If she followed him there, she would only be a burden to Jared.
"Then... then you have to be careful," Vivian said softly, her eyes reddening even
more.
Jared nodded and said nothing else.
He turned and was just about to leave with Luther and Grace when Rnd suddenly stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, I have something to say. I don''t know whether I should speak." Jared looked at him. "Say it."
Rnd''s expression turned grave, and his voice dropped low. "Your Majesty is going to the Luminous Sanctuary to find the Celestial Basilica and revive the soul inside the soul crystals. This matter is too important. I should not be speaking out of turn. But... there is one thing Your Majesty must know."
He paused, then let his eyes fall on Luther. When he spoke again, his tone grew heavier. "The Luminous Sanctuary is where the righteous cultivators of the Fourteenth Firmament gather.
There are factions everywhere there, and countless sects, but they all have one thing inmon. They reject outsiders like demons and the Ghost n more than anything."
The excitement on Luther''s face froze on the spot.
Rnd continued, "Lutheres from the Ghost n. The ghostly aura on him can''t be hidden. The moment he steps into the Luminous Sanctuary, those righteous cultivators will definitely notice. When that happens, forget searching for the Celestial Basilica. He''ll probably be surrounded and hunted the second he gets in." Luther''s face changed.
He parted his lips, wanting to say something, only to find that no words woulde out.
Rnd was right.
He was from the Ghost n.
No matter how hard he tried to hide it, the ghostly aura on him could never bepletely erased.
In other ces across the
Fourteenth Firmament, maybe he
could still slip by unnoticed. But in a ce like the Luminous Sanctuary those cultivators who called themselves righteous carried their hatred for the Ghost n down into their bones.
Grace froze too.''
She looked at Luther, and a trace of worry flickered through her eyes.
Jared listened in silence, with barely any change on his face.
He looked at Luther.
Luther kept his head lowered.''
His fists were clenched tight, and his body shook faintly.
A momentter, he lifted his head and forced out a smile. "Mr. Chance, the Draconian Chief is right. I... I can''t go to the Luminous Sanctuary. If I go, I''ll only cause you trouble."
His voice stayed very steady.''
But under that steadiness, the weight of it still showed.
He had wanted to stay with Jared the whole way, no matter where Jared went, no
matter what danger stood ahead.''
He had been willing to follow him through all of it.
But now, because of where he came from, he had be a burden.
Jared looked at him, then suddenly said, "Who said you''d cause me trouble?"
Luther froze.
Jared''s tone stayed t. "You''re one of mine, not a burden."
Heat rushed into Luther''s eyes, and he nearly lost hold of it.
Jared did not say anything more.''
He turned to Rnd. "You mean neither Luther nor Grace can go?"
Rnd nodded. "Luther is from the Ghost n so that''s definitely out. Grace is from the human race, but her cultivation is still too shallow. ?n a ce like the Luminous Sanctuary, strong cultivators are everywhere. There are quite a few even in the True Immortal Realm. If she goes with you, it''ll be dangerous for her too."
Grace lowered her head and said nothing.
She knew Rnd was right.
Her cultivation really was too low.
Jared fell silent for a moment, then nodded.
"I understand."
He looked at Luther and Grace. His voice was calm, but it left no room to argue.
"Both of you are staying behind."
Luther blurted out, "Mr. Chance, I..."
Jared raised a hand and cut him off. "No need to say more. You two stay here and
help me watch over Cloudhaven City, and watch over Vivian. This ce needs people too."
Luther opened his mouth again, but in the end he could only nod in silence.
Grace gave a light nod as well.''
Something in her eyes held on for a moment, but she did not say anything either.
Jared turned and looked at Vivian. "Where is the Teleportation Array?"
Vivian answered at once, "Cloudhaven City''s Teleportation Array is inside the Teleportation Halt in Northridge. That array was left behind from the elder age and it c?n connect to every region in the Fourteenth Firmament. It''s just that activating it consumes a huge amount of celestial elixir, and every use requires the Warden''s approval.''
She paused, then added, "But now, with your authority, the Warden wouldn''t dare
stop you."
Jared nodded and said nothing more.
He gave onest look to Luther and Grace, then to Rnd, and to the giant dragons
circling in the sky.