The King Of Warriors novel (Jared Chance) novel Chapter 5866

"Truly, it isn't difficult," Dustin continued, his tone silky as moonlight through lattice screens. "Three thousand miles east of Sandrock City lies an Ancient Immortal's Abode about to surface. Our sources claim its owner was a primeval true immortal—meaning the place is likely crammed with rare techniques and treasures. Whisperwind House wants a share, but we're short on trustworthy muscle. The fact that you two journeyed all the way up from the lower heavens tells me your strength is anything but ordinary. Help us breach the estate, and I will place every lead to the Jadeheart Marrow in your hands—free of charge. Profits from the Ancient Immortal's Abode will be divided strictly by contribution; I guarantee you'll leave richer than you arrived."

An Ancient Immortal's Abode, just handed to strangers?

Doubts piled in Jared's mind like storm clouds over desert sand. Opportunities this rich seldom knock on a door without knowing the occupants.

How had Dustin judged their strength so quickly? Simply because we climbed from the realms below?

He met the steward's steady gaze. "Why pick us, Mr. Rivers? Sandrock City surely isn't lacking for seasoned fighters."

Dustin's sigh carried genuine weariness. "Word of the Abode has leaked. The Wildsand Gang and the Ironstone Society both have eyes on it. Whisperwind House, frankly, is weaker. Alone, we might not even sniff the leftovers. You and your companion are unfamiliar faces—ideal for slipping beneath rival notice. More importantly," he added, glancing from Jared to the silent figure wrapped in a vermilion cloak beside him, "your composure speaks volumes. You, Jared, veil your aura so deeply that, while you present as Heavenly Immortal Realm Level One, your eyes cut sharper than most lords I've met. In ruin delving, raw power is less valuable than partners who are steady, shrewd, and—above all—reliable."

Reasonable though it sounded, Jared's unease refused to fade. Dustin had appeared with suspicious timing, and his warmth felt more like a pre-dawn chill than sunlight.

"We'll need time to consider," Jared said at last, folding the doubt behind a polite nod.

"Naturally." Dustin offered no pressure. Instead, he slipped a slender device across the table; its surface pulsed with faint runes. "It holds every detail we possess—location, defenses, rendezvous point. Three days from now, midday, Blackwind Gorge, three hundred miles east of the city. Whether you come or not, I'll be there."

"If the two of you are interested, meet us there and merge forces. As a gesture of sincerity, I'll offer one morsel about the Jadeheart Marrow. The Infernal Lava Abyss hides its mouth well, yet in the Blaze Region's Crimson Flame City stands an order called Earthfire Pavilion. They have spent generations mapping ley-lines and underground flames. They may hold the key to more precise coordinates."

Crimson Flame City. Earthfire Pavilion. Two names that glowed like fresh coals against the haze of memory.

Jared etched both names into his mind the way a cartographer presses ink into parchment—slow, deliberate, unerasable.

"My thanks, Mr. Rivers."

Jared slid the device into his sleeve, the gesture neat, military. "Three days from now you'll have our answer."

Dustin inclined his head, escorting them to the stairwell. "I'll await good news."

Night wind combed through Whisperwind House as the pair stepped into the street. Vermilion—mantle flaring crimson at the edges—leaned closer. "Jared, can we trust this Rivers?"

"Hard to say."

Jared let the words settle, eyes narrowed behind the glow of passing lanterns. "The manor layout he gave us looks genuine. Earthfire Pavilion could truly possess deeper clues. Yet the timing—too smooth, too tidy—makes my skin crawl."

Vermilion's ember-bright gaze sharpened. "You think it's a trap?"

"I can't rule it out."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify