“Ms. Rosa, do you think my act of power is passable?” Jared turned to Rosa and asked.
Rosa was already so stunned that dared not speak. She just kept nodding head in agreement.
At that time, by the side of the street, there was a tavern. On the second floor, by the window, sat a man donned in a fiery red cloak. He appeared to be quite refined and elegant.
The man’s attire was quite unique, as if was engulfed in flames. On the man’s face, a mask was worn, concealing all his features. Only a pair of eyes were exposed.
The man’s eyes were locked intently on Jared. It seemed as though Jared could feel the man’s gaze upon him.
Slowly, lifted his head to meet it.
As their eyes met, a slight frown creased Jared’s brows. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of familiarity with those eyes, yet simply couldn’t recall why.
“Mr. Chance, would you care to sit with me?”
Upon noticing Jared’s gaze on him, the man proceeded to initiate a conversation.
Jared nodded, lightly tapped his foot, and promptly took a seat across from the man.
“Do we know each other?” Jared asked.
The man shook his head. “I don’t know you personally, but your reputation precedes you…”
Jared sized up the man standing before and said, “I feel a sense of familiarity with you, but I can’t quite place it. Your eyes… They remind me a bit of a friend of mine…”
“Friend?” The man visibly shuddered slightly. “Which friend of yours?”
“Enough about him. I know we’ll soon cross paths again. He’s always been out for my blood, but he’s failed every single time. I’m not sure of the level has achieved in his training this time, but I predict that his performance may still disappoint him…” With a slight smile, Jared spoke.
The “friend” Jared was referring to was none other than Skylar, who had been relentlessly pursued from the mundane world all the way to the Ethereal Realm. Skylar had never known success. Yet, each time, Skylar would never give up, displaying the resilience of a persistent pest.
In reality, Jared had long since stopped considering Skylar as an enemy.
Sometimes, Jared would even find himself thinking that it would be best if Skylar continued to pursue all the way to the celestial realm.
Skylar’s talent was quite impressive, and ascending to the celestial realm would not be a difficult task for him. Having an opponent like this, Jared felt it was a stroke of luck.
“Your friend is bound to be disappointed. You, an Ultimate Realm Level Three, managed to slay an Immortal Realm Level Three with just a single sword strike. I’m afraid you’re the only one in the world capable of such a feat…” The man’s gaze held a hint of envy.
“My friend is also quite gifted. If devoted himself to training, I’m afraid his skills wouldn’t have been inferior to mine,” With a gentle smile, Jared then inquired, “May I ask for your esteemed name, my friend? Why do you wear a mask? Are you afraid of being recognized by an enemy?”
“My name is Sires Norton,” said, “I wear this mask simply to avoid recognition…” The man spoke slowly.
“Sires?” Jared murmured, then added, “My friend shares the same last name. I wonder if it’s a coincidence… Which sect does your friend belong to? Where is his residence located?”
“I’m just a wandering cultivator, with no sect or mansion to my name. Mr. Chance, you wouldn’t shun me for my lack of strength or refuse to chat with me, would you?” the man asked.
“Far from it. You’re at the Top Level Ultimate Realm Level Nine, and it looks like you’re about to break through to the Immortal Realm… Such cultivation makes you a standout in the Ethereal Realm. How could I possibly look down on your strength? What exactly do you want to talk about, Mr. Norton?” Jared asked.
“Let’s discuss the Celestial Stairway. It’s unheard of for an Ultimate Realm Level Three cultivator to dare to attempt the Celestial Stairway. So, I’d like to invite you to explore the Celestial Stairway with me. I’ve heard that the sixth level of the Celestial Stairway is filled with abundant resources and celestial ore mines.”
“The sixth level?” Jared’s brows furrowed. “Has anyone ever reached the sixth level? And how do you know there are celestial ore mines on the sixth level?”
“Of course, there were people who had reached the sixth level. However, many of those who made it that far stayed within the Celestial Stairway, never to emerge again. Even if someone did manage to come out from the sixth level, they wouldn’t possibly speak of it to outsiders,” Sires replied.
