The Man’s Decree

“Lord Tanner, what are you talking about? Are you going to sacrifice the six of us to increase Skylar's strength?” Quindon asked in a trembling voice, clearly a little panicked.

“Of course not. Why would I sacrifice the six of you?” Tanner responded with a smile.

Hearing that, the six purple-robed emissaries heaved collective sighs of relief.

Quindon asked, “Lord Tanner, who would you sacrifice to increase Skylar's strength, then?”

“Your disciples. Now that you all have control of your respective secret realms, you each have millions of disciples. As long as Skylar gets to absorb their energy every day to increase his strength, I believe Jared won't be his match when the Spiritual Energy Restoration Formation gets activated,” Tanner declared.

Hearing that, the six purple-robed emissaries gasped in shock.

Tanner's sinister intentions involved sacrificing their own loyal disciples, individuals who had faithfully followed them for years. Losing their dedicated disciples would leave them akin to generals without soldiers, greatly weakening their position and influence.

Not wanting to sacrifice their disciples, Quindon parted his lips to say, “Lord Tanner, we—”

Interrupting Quindon with a dismissive gesture, Tanner issued a firm order, “This is not up for discussion. It is an order. Gather your disciples immediately. And remember, no tricks or deceit. Don't forget that your relatives are still within my reach.”

With a flick of his sleeve, the atmosphere quivered, and a spectral image materialized in the air, revealing the sight of the six purple-robed emissaries' loved ones imprisoned within a colossal cage.

Among the captives was Quindon's daughter, Aislin. The scene elicited a surge of fury within the hearts of the six emissaries. However, they were powerless to voice their discontent.

Reluctantly, they complied, leading their disciples into the secret realm of the nefarious Evil Heart Sect, where they were sucked dry by Skylar, day after day.

Through the exploitation of these disciples, Skylar was able to grow his power exponentially, which in turn fueled his insatiable greed and ambition.

Skylar exhibited a complete lack of respect for anyone other than Tanner. He went so far as to command Malphas at his own whims.

As Skylar was focused on increasing his strength, Jared and the rest were still waiting for Sworder's return.

“It's been ten days already. Did Sworder escape with Dragonslayer Sword?” Flaxseed was growing impatient.

“Impossible. Sworder is a sword spirit. If he leaves the sword-cleansing lake, he won't be able to survive for long,” Hammerhead revealed with a shake of his head.

Flaxseed demanded anxiously, “Then why is he still inside the lake? It has been too long. How much longer must we wait?”

Jared was also anxious. The indefinite wait weighed heavily on his mind, leaving him uncertain about the events unfolding in the outside world and the current state of affairs within Evil Heart Sect.

He was acutely aware that the activation of the Spiritual Energy Restoration Formation drew near, intensifying his sense of urgency.