Jared landed lightly, his stance composed and unwavering.
With a calm gaze, turned to Rostam and asked, “Do you still have the strength to continue?”
Rostam clenched his fists, resentment flickering in his eyes. Yet, knew all too well the chasm that separated his strength from Jared’s.
Taking a deep breath, sheathed his sword and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect. “Jared, your strength is undeniable. I admire your skill. Today, I was outmatched. In this duel, I admit defeat.”
With that, turned and rejoined the remaining seven swordsmen.
The others, having witnessed Rostam’s defeat, were visibly shaken. They exchanged silent glances, hesitation flickering in their eyes. However, their pride as swordsmen would not allow them to retreat, especially with Stefan watching from behind.
Without a word, the seven simultaneously drew their swords, their auras surging to their peak in unison.
“Jared, since you’re so formidable, the seven of us will take this opportunity to learn from you,” one of them declared, his voice steady, carrying an air of fearless resolve.
Jared stood at the center of the encirclement, unfazed by the seven swordsmen surrounding him. Instead of fear, a spark of exhilaration lit up his smile. “All right, let‘s see for ourselves, just how capable are the rest of you aside from Rostam?”
Once again, sword intent radiated from his body, a dazzling white light engulfing him. He stood there like a war deity descending upon the mortal realm, his presence suffused with an overwhelming aura.
The tension in the air thickened, an even fiercer battle was on the verge of erupting.
“Jared, don’t let them fool you! These guys have no shame, they’re planning to gang up on you. Don’t fall for it!” Fraser abruptly stepped in front of Jared, blocking his path.
Turning to the seven swordsmen, sneered, his gaze filled with contempt. “Have you all no shame? Jared just finished a battle and hasn’t even recovered. Now, seven of you want to gang up on him? How utterly disgraceful!”
His voice rang with indignation, and his words sparked a response. “If you want a fight, come at us instead! Don’t think Twilight Imperial City is defenseless!”
With that declaration, cultivators from Twilight Imperial City rose to their feet, their fighting spirit ignited, ready to stand their ground.
The seven remaining swordsmen exchanged uneasy glances. For a moment, none of them could find the right words to respond.
Stefan observed the scene unfold, his eyes narrowing slightly.
With a calm yet authoritative tone, turned to Red Ghost. “Red Ghost, why don’t you step in and have a little spar with Jared?”
Red Ghost nodded. “I’ll take care of and bring you his head!”
With those chilling words, his figure flickered. In an instant, transformed into a streak of black light, hurtling toward Jared with terrifying speed.
Jared’s expression darkened as sensed the overwhelming aura surging toward him. His body tensed. He had just endured an intense battle, and his energy was far from recovered. If were forced into another fight now, wouldn’t stand a chance.
Just as despair threatened to creep in, a voice echoed through the sky, calm yet brimming with authority. “Consecutive battles? Is that all you can resort to? How disgraceful!”
A formidable aura suddenly descended, sweeping across the battlefield like an unseen tempest. The suffocating pressure it carried instantly suppressed Red Ghost’s incoming attack.
Floating high above, a figure emerged, Infinides. He held a cane in his hand, his presence exuding an air of ethereal grace and wisdom.
Jared had barely caught his breath when yet another adversary lunged at him. Infinides could no longer stand idly by.
Red Ghost’s eyes burned with fury as glared at Infinides, his voice laced with venom. “Old geezer, stay out of this if you know what’s good for you.”
Infinides let out a sharp, disdainful laugh. “Stay out of it? I’ll do as I please! If you have a problem with that, then come and stop me!”
“Gladly!” Red Ghost snarled, wasting no time.
With a flicker, lunged at Infinides, and in the blink of an eye, the two clashed mid-air.
The sky trembled as their battle erupted, sending shockwaves rippling through the void.
Meanwhile, Stefan’s gaze shifted toward Toben and Colby. “Your turn…”
The two instantly understood. They nodded in unison before rallying their family’s experts, surging forward in Jared’s direction.
Fraser’s voice rang out like a war drum. “All cultivators of Twilight Imperial City, heed my command, slay them!”
The cultivators of Twilight Imperial City, following Fraser’s lead, charged into battle.
Orion and the others also threw themselves into the fray.
The clash of sword and energy filled the battlefield. Both sides were made up almost entirely of Immortal Realm experts, and the sheer power of their combat shook the very ground beneath them.
The Land of Finale itself seemed to tremble in response, as if on the brink of collapse under the weight of their devastating strikes.
Rostam’s eyes burned with determination as watched the chaos unfold. Knowing couldn’t remain on the sidelines, raised his sword high and bellowed, “Charge!”
At his command, the remaining seven swordsmen drew their blades in perfect unison. Without hesitation, they surged forward, their swords aimed directly at Jared.
