A Man Like None Other (Jared Chance) novel Chapter 6245

News that the Celestial Basilica had entered first-level alert hit the Luminous Sanctuary like a boulder dropped into a still lake.

In an instant, the whole place erupted.

On Saintlight Peak, the Mountain-Guarding Grand Array ran at full force.

A golden barrier wrapped the entire mountain peak so tightly that even a bird could not pass through easily.

Checkpoint after checkpoint went up along every key road at the mountain foot. Basilica disciples stood watch every few steps, all of them wearing grave expressions like an enemy was already at the gate.

The pilgrimage road that used to stay open to outsiders was now completely sealed. No one was allowed in or out.

Once the news spread, forces large and small across the Luminous Sanctuary blew up at once.

"What is the Celestial Basilica doing? Highest alert? They've never done that since the day they were founded!"

"I heard they even urgently recalled all the Elders and disciples who were out on missions. This looks like they're getting ready for war!"

"Don't tell me the demons are about to attack. I heard the Celestial Palace in the Fourteenth Firmament was already wiped out. The Demon Dragon Lineage can't be stopped anymore..."

Voices rose and overlapped from every direction.

The panic spread through the Luminous Sanctuary like a plague.

What shook everyone even harder was the news of the Hallowmere Order's destruction.

That news swept across the entire Luminous Sanctuary at the same time.

That towering mountain gate, which had stood for thousands of years, was now nothing but ruins.

Out of thousands of disciples, not a single one survived.

Vice Preceptor Cedric Vale was dead. Order Master Cillian Vale was dead. Even those True Immortal Realm Elders were all killed.

Word was, there had only been a handful of killers.

The one leading them was a young man at High Immortal Realm Level Four, and he had slapped Order Master Vale, a True Immortal Realm Level Two cultivator, to death with a single palm.

"High Immortal Realm Level Four killing someone at True Immortal Realm Level Two? How is that even possible?"

"I heard that man's name is Jared. He's the Dragon Emperor reincarnation everyone kept talking about before!"

"He was the one who destroyed the Celestial Palace, and now he's come to the Luminous Sanctuary too? What is he trying to do?"

The panic only deepened.

Some of the lesser sects had already started quietly packing up their belongings.

They were making preparations to run at any moment.

The mid-sized forces moved just as fast.

They urgently recalled their disciples, activated their Mountain-Guarding Grand Arrays, and shut their mountain gates tight.

The forces that had been close to the Hallowmere Order fared worst of all.

Day and night, they lived under a shadow, each one afraid they would be next.

All across the Luminous Sanctuary, every whisper set people on edge. Every shadow looked like trouble.

At that same time, in a small town 100 miles from Saintlight Peak, Jared sat inside an unremarkable teahouse and drank his tea at an easy pace.

Lydia sat across from him, calm and steady.

At the next table, Luther and Grace sat close together, speaking in low voices about something between themselves.

Evelyn leaned against the window, bored out of her mind, watching the stream of people moving along the street below.

"Young Master Chance, when are we going to the Celestial Basilica?" Evelyn turned back and asked in a low voice.

Jared set down his teacup.

"No rush."

Evelyn pressed her lips together and was just about to say more when Luther suddenly spoke up.

"Mr. Chance, I just went out and made a round. Something's off."

Jared looked at him.

Luther lowered his voice.

"The Celestial Basilica's gone into top-level alert. Saintlight Peak is sealed off, the Mountain-Guarding Grand Array is fully activated, and there are patrol disciples all over the mountain foot. Forget going up the mountain. If anyone gets within 10 miles, they'll be stopped and questioned."

"Top-level alert?" Lydia's brow lifted slightly. "What is the Celestial Basilica trying to do?"

Luther shook his head.

"No idea. But there are all kinds of rumors outside. Some people are saying the demon are about to attack, and some are saying..." He glanced at Jared and let the rest hang there.

"Saying what?" Jared asked.

"Some are saying it's because we wiped out the Hallowmere Order. The Celestial Basilica is afraid we'll come for them next, so they're preparing in advance."

At that, the corner of Jared's mouth lifted a little, drawing out the faintest trace of a smile.

Jared gave a small nod.

"Go look into it. Be careful. Don't alert them."

Luther nodded hard, then turned and left.

Grace hesitated for a moment, then followed after him.

Lydia watched Jared's back and spoke softly.

"You think the Celestial Basilica is behind this?"

Jared turned to look at her.

"If the Celestial Palace could use cultivator bloodlines to revive a Ghost Clan Venerable, why couldn't the Celestial Basilica do something even crazier?"

Lydia fell quiet for a moment, then slowly nodded.

That was the truth.

These so-called righteous factions looked polished and spotless on the surface, but the things they did in the dark were often filthier than anything the demon ever touched.

"I'll go do some digging too."

Lydia rose to her feet.

"The Ghost Clan doesn't have much influence in the Luminous Sanctuary, but finding a few eyes and ears shouldn't be a problem."

Jared nodded.

"Be careful."

After Lydia left, only Jared and Evelyn remained in the teahouse.

Evelyn leaned against the window and watched the people moving through the street below.

After a moment, she spoke in a low voice. "Young Master Chance, do you think... the Celestial Basilica would really do something like that?"

Jared looked at her and said nothing.

Evelyn turned back, a trace of confusion still in her eyes.

"When I was still in the Hallowmere Order, they always said they were the righteous path. They said they were the Wardens of the Luminous Sanctuary. But what they did to me... there wasn't anything bright about it."

"After I escaped, I thought every so-called righteous faction in the world was the same.

But you're different, Young Master Chance. Lydia is different. Luther and Grace are different too. So I started thinking... maybe there really are good people on the righteous path."