“You can take a look, Ms. Vale, but be careful,” Jared said. “This sword has recognized me as its master. Don’t let it harm you.” He handed the Dragonslayer Sword to Sylvia.
Sylvia held the sword, feeling the aura flowing along its blade, her eyes filled with a mixture of reverence and care. “Mr. Chance,” she asked, lifting her gaze from the sword, “If I wanted to trade for this sword, would you agree?”
“What would you offer in return?” Jared asked with a playful smile. “Myself,” Sylvia said boldly. “I can be your woman, accompany you, and practice dual cultivation with you whenever you want.”
Neville froze in surprise.
Who would ever offer themselves as a trade?
Could it be that Sylvia wanted to serve Jared like a personal handmaid?
“Ha!” Jared laughed. “Whatever Ms. Vale can give me, the Dragonslayer Sword can give me too. And whatever Ms. Vale cannot give, the sword can.”
Sylvia blinked, confused. “Wait… Are you saying this sword can share with you like a woman would? Give you… Pleasure?”
Jared said nothing. He simply looked at the Dragonslayer Sword.
The sword hummed, letting out a low, resonant tone. A flash of white light split the air, and Zelda, the sword spirit, emerged from the blade.
“Hmph! My master is not impressed by just anyone,” Zelda said, shooting Sylvia a sharp glance.
“Ms. Vale, this is Zelda, the sword spirit of the Dragonslayer Sword… Do you think she can give what you can give?” Jared lifted Zelda into his arms.
Zelda rested against him with ease, her closeness showing anyone who looked that she and Jared had long shared a bond beyond simple swordsmanship.
Neville could not help but sigh, feeling the sting of his own ignorance. He had never imagined that Jared could command a sword like this.
Not long ago, Neville had thought Rowena might charm Jared and give the Nethergate Sect an edge. But now, seeing the sword spirit’s form, her beauty and presence far surpassing Rowena’s, that plan seemed utterly ruined.
Sylvia, too, had not expected this. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she returned the Dragonslayer Sword to Jared.
“Mr. Chance, I was presumptuous,” Sylvia said, bowing her head slightly. “A person of honor never takes what another holds dear. This sword is yours, I have no right to examine it, much less claim it.”
Jared accepted the weapon with a nod, and Zelda returned to the blade.
“Ms. Vale,” Jared said, “You moved against me under the Soul Devourer’s orders. Is that creature in your possession?”
After a brief pause, Sylvia nodded. “Yes, he is with us. But he has sealed himself inside a cavern to recover. None of us can reach him.”
“Jared, are you planning to deal with the Soul Devourer?” Neville asked, worry in his eyes.
Jared shook his head. “I’m just asking, not planning to go after him.”
He was not foolish. With his current strength, he could not take on the Soul Devourer. Besides, his main goal right now was to find the Celestial King and see what had happened at level nine. As long as the Soul Devourer and the Malevolent Path Hall did not bother him, Jared was not planning to bother them.
“Since you hold no grudge against me, I want to show my sincerity,” Sylvia said. “I know of an ancient ruin. Would you explore it with me?”
“An ancient ruin?” Jared raised his eyebrows.
Ancient ruins usually held valuable resources and magical items, but danger came with them as well.
“Do you mean the Heaven Gate Sect’s ruins?” Neville asked, surprised.
“Yes,” Sylvia nodded.
“Countless people have searched the Heaven Gate Sect ruins and come back empty-handed,” Neville said, a mix of admiration and envy in his voice. “Even cultivators from level eight have been there, scouring for those ancient ruins. I never expected Earth Fiend Sect to be the ones to finally find it.”
“What exactly are the Heaven Gate Sect ruins?” Jared asked.
Neville inhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts as he explained to Jared. “Long ago, there was a sect called Heaven Gate Sect, one of the few that could rival the Nethergate Sect. But one night, it vanished without a trace…”
“Some say an enemy from a higher world destroyed them; others believe the entire sect was transported to that higher realm. All that remained was Heaven Gate Mountain, which became a hotspot for those seeking magical items. Over the years, people have only ever found fragments of broken magical items… Nothing more.”
