Jaime quickly stood, his expression a mixture of surprise and admiration. “I never would’ve guessed you’d be so remarkable, Mr. Chance. You’re only A Ninth Level Tribulator, yet you managed to effortlessly defeat a cultivator at Ultimate Realm Level Four!”
“Please, take a seat,” he insisted, his attitude towards Jared shifting dramatically. Around the room, the other foreign officials exchanged glances, their respect for Jared clearly written on their faces.
The cultivator who had just fought Jared now stood before him, visibly embarrassed. His face was flushed as he said, “I acted recklessly earlier. I hope you won’t hold it against me, Mr. Chance.”
“It’s fine,” Jared replied with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“Mr. Chance, do you have any family left? Any friends? Where have you been all this time?” Jaime asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
He wondered if Jared still had any kin left. If he could recruit a group of Draconian foreign officials, his strength and influence would certainly soar above the other two generals’.
Jared’s face remained composed as he answered, “I have no fixed home. I’ve always been a wandering cultivator.”
In reality, Jared couldn’t afford to share his true origins. If Jaime discovered that Jared had come from outside Beast City, it could lead to unnecessary complications.
“So, you’re a wandering cultivator,” Jaime said, nodding thoughtfully. “But for someone to become a Ninth Level Tribulator on their own… that’s truly exceptional.”
“Do you have any plans for the future, Mr. Chance? Somewhere you’re heading?” Jaime inquired further.
“Where could I go?” Jared let out a bitter laugh. “I’m still marked as a criminal. I’ve got to serve my time in jail.”
“Jail?” Jaime looked stunned. “But didn’t I send Claude to fetch the special release order for your release? Why would you still need to return to prison?”
Unbeknownst to Jaime, Jared had escaped on his own, and Jaime assumed Claude had brought him out under the special release order’s protection.
“General Jaime, let me explain…” Claude stepped forward quickly, recounting the events to Jaime in detail.
When the guests learned that Jared had escaped the prison by himself, they were dumbfounded.
That prison was protected by not one but two arcane arrays-one within the cell and another enveloping the entire compound. For centuries, no one had ever breached these arcane arrays to escape. Jared’s feat was nothing short of extraordinary.
“You’re telling me you’re an array master?”
Jaime asked, his astonishment clear.
“I wouldn’t go so far as to call myself a master,” Jared replied with a small smile. “I just have a basic understanding of the art. The arcane array in that prison was rudimentary-hardly enough to hold me.”
His words left everyone in the hall frowning slightly.
Array masters were exceedingly rare in the Ethereal Realm. Even when Beast City had been sealed off long ago, such talents were scarce. The arcane arrays surrounding the prison had been commissioned over a thousand years ago by the city lord mansion, crafted by a renowned array master at great expense.
Yet here was Jared, casually dismissing those same arcane arrays as trivial. It was almost too outrageous to believe.
Sure, Jared was a Draconian and had demonstrated remarkable combat skills, but that didn’t make him all-powerful. Mastering array craft-or alchemy, for that matter-was far more complex than simply advancing one’s cultivation level. Both fields required intense focus and years of dedication, making them pursuits few cultivators chose to undertake.
“Mr. Chance,” Jaime said after a moment, “my general’s mansion is also guarded by an arcane array. I wonder… could you detect its location and break through it?”
“What’s so difficult about that?” Jared replied nonchalantly, a faint smile on his face. With a casual flick of his wrist, he turned toward the mansion.
A shimmering white glow surrounded the general’s mansion. It was striking against the dark night sky, its radiance captivating everyone.
But just as quickly as the glow appeared, it vanished into the shadows.
