The sword energy didn’t falter. It carved a deep gash across his chest, exposing bone beneath torn flesh. Blood gushed forth in torrents.
He was defeated!
Silence fell over the ruins like a shroud. Jemima’s beautiful eyes widened in disbelief, lips parting slightly as stared at the scene before her, stunned.
Nymeria and the three black-robed elders also recoiled in shock, instinctively stepping back.
A Wandering Immortal Realm Level Three had defeated Aziel, someone two entire levels above him. It defied everything they thought they knew.
“You dare harm the pride of the Heavenfall Pavilion?!” Dexton finally lost all composure, his voice thunderous with fury. “Die where you stand!”
He launched forward, hands sweeping through the air. Dozens of golden array runes burst into existence, weaving rapidly into a massive net overhead, descending swiftly to ensnare Jared.
Each node of the web shimmered with an ancient rune, radiating an oppressive power of confinement.
A vast formation unfolded, encasing Jared in a brilliant lattice of golden light. Though Dexton’s cultivation level wasn’t exceptionally high, his command over arcane arrays was unparalleled.
It was precisely this mastery that had earned a revered seat as an elder of the Heavenfall Pavilion.
“This pathetic trap? You dare show it off before me?” Jared scoffed coldly, his eyes glinting with golden light. In an instant, pierced through the formation’s structure, spotting its flaws.
With a casual flick of his fingers, a sharp surge of spiritual energy struck the core of the array.
A split second later, the golden web shattered like a soap bubble under sunlight.
“W-What?” Dexton’s face drained of color as stumbled back two steps. “You… You understand arcane arrays?”
Jared offered a faint smile. “Well… Somewhat.”
Dexton’s face had gone pale, his expression twisted with disbelief.
Just moments ago, had ridiculed Jared for knowing nothing about arcane arrays, yet now, had been humiliated.
“Mr. Draycott, we must kill today. Together!” Aziel growled through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse with fury.
Battered and bloodied, now resembled a cornered beast. Never before had suffered such a crushing defeat, and even if it cost his life, was determined to drag Jared down with him.
Dexton gave a solemn nod. He understood all too well. If they were both defeated here, especially in front of witnesses from the Bloodbane Palace, the Heavenfall Pavilion would become a joke, its prestige utterly shattered.
Steeling themselves, the two men began gathering their remaining strength, preparing to unleash a final, deadly strike against Jared.
Nymeria watched from the sidelines, clearly entertained and showing no intention of intervening.
She had every intention of playing the vulture, waiting for the two sides to tear each other apart, then swooping in to claim the spoils.
Once Jared, Aziel, and Dexton were all spent from their life-and-death struggle, could easily seize the coffins and perhaps even everything else they possessed.
But Jared had already seen through plan. Still, with Aziel and Dexton determined to kill him, had no choice but to focus all his strength on surviving their onslaught.
Nymeria would be a problem, but one for later.
As Jared narrowed his eyes, searching for a way to turn the tide, his gaze fell upon the runes behind the two samurai statues. They were pulsing with light, faint but rhythmic. And in that moment, a strange sense of familiarity stirred within him.
Ah, I see! Yes, I see!
He sprang into action, pressing his palms firmly against the runes carved into the backs of the statues. His spiritual energy surged, flowing precisely along a hidden path, and channeled straight into the ancient inscriptions.
The runes flared to life in a crimson blaze, writhing like living things.
Snap!
A deep grinding sound echoed through the ruins as the two statues abruptly opened their eyes, releasing piercing beams of red light.
Their stone shells cracked and crumbled, revealing armor as dark as midnight, etched with ancient, arcane symbols that radiated a chilling, oppressive aura.
“Attack!” Jared commanded.
At once, the two samurai moved, blindingly fast, their movements sharper than lightning.
One brandished a massive black greatsword, three meters long and wreathed in crimson lightning. The other wielded a slender white longsword, its tip exhaling a cold, ghostly blue flame.
Aziel and Dexton scrambled to respond, but they were utterly overwhelmed.
The black sword came crashing down, and Aziel’s golden spear snapped like dry wood. The white blade slashed through Dexton’s spiritual light as if it were mere paper, tearing apart his defenses in a single stroke.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Each strike from the samurai landed with immense force, forcing Aziel and Dexton into a relentless retreat.
Aziel’s left arm was slashed open, blood gushing from the wound, while Dexton’s right leg was torn, his movements faltering. The ground beneath them was stained crimson with fresh blood.
“Jared! The Heavenfall Pavilion will make you pay for this!” Aziel snarled through clenched teeth.
He crushed a golden escape talisman in his hand, and together with Dexton, the two vanished in streaks of golden light, fleeing the scene in disgrace.
