The King Of Warriors novel (Jared Chance) novel Chapter 6400

At the main table in the very center of the square sat the most honored seats of the entire feast.

"Elder Cillian was pulled by Nathaniel straight to the seat of honor, whether he meant to take it or not.

The table in front of him had been filled until there was hardly a bare inch left—Freevale's treasured cuts of meat, spirit-grain wine, mountain spirit greens, and every kind of cultivation tonic they could set out. The welcome had been laid on with everything they had."

"Elder Cillian had spent long years in seclusion within Evershade.

He lived on the spiritual essence of the world and its grasses and trees, drank morning dew, and ate spirit fruit. Long ago, he had grown used to the clean, plain diet of secluded cultivation."

"The human race's heavy meats, strong with oil and salt, and their hard liquor were another matter.

No matter how gracious the table looked, his body had never learned to take to them."

"But such warmth could not be refused.

He would not let down Nathaniel or the people of Freevale after they had offered their hearts so openly, so he only picked from a few plates of sweet, fresh mountain greens. He chewed slowly, every movement calm and refined."

"After three rounds of wine, the mood thickened.

Noise rolled through the feast in warm waves, and in the middle of it all, Elder Cillian slowly set down the jade chopsticks in his hand."

"The warmth in his gentle brows drew back little by little.

His expression settled into something heavy and solemn. The relaxed air around him dropped all at once, cutting straight to the heart of the matter, with not a trace of polite small talk left."

"Chieftain Linford, Master Chance has already told the Sylvan Kin everything about Freevale's current situation, as well as the grudges and entanglements between you and the Celestial Alliance."

"The Celestial Alliance dominates the Sixteenth Firmament. Its power stretches across every sea and wilderness, with vast territories under its command and countless strongholds beneath its banner."

"Among them, the most intimidating are the Three Dreadholds, built specifically to imprison champions of every kin and rebellious cultivators who resist the celestials."

"Not long ago, you fought through blood and fire. You paid a terrible price, but you still tore down Blackstone Gaol, one of the Three Dreadholds, by force. That blow crushed the celestials' reputation and shook the entire Sixteenth Firmament."

"Now Blackstone Gaol has fallen, but the remaining two Dreadholds are still held firmly in celestial hands. Countless resistance cultivators from every kin remain suppressed inside them."

"So tell me—when do you intend to move next and pull out those last two hidden threats by the roots?"

"The question landed too directly, too sharply.

In an instant, it cut through the roar of the banquet."

"Nathaniel raised his hand and set down the wine bowl he had been holding.

The smile on his face vanished all at once."

"A darkness settled between his brows, dense enough that it would not clear.

The ease around him scattered, and in its place rose the murderous intent of a man who had spent too many years inside war."

"Elder Cillian speaks plainly and openly, so I won't circle around the truth either. I'll say it straight."

"Nathaniel drew in a deep breath.

A deep guardedness passed through his eyes, weighed down by what he could not ignore, before he slowly continued, ""This very afternoon, I received urgent intelligence from clandestine agents hidden inside the celestial ranks."""

"Of the Three Dreadholds, Ashenbrand Gaol, located at Mount Cinderfall in Epea, has already been heavily reinforced and garrisoned by the Celestial Alliance."

"The celestial high command places extreme importance on that site. They specifically dispatched Marshal Vale, one of the three war champions, to personally take charge of its defense."

"His cultivation has reached the peak of True Immortal Realm Level Nine. He stands among the celestials' highest combat forces."

"The most terrifying part is this: he does not cultivate direct assault methods. All his life, he has devoted himself to concealment, assassination, and tracking. His methods are vicious and strange, and he comes and goes like a ghost. There is no clean way to guard against him."

"Across 5 thousand years of cultivation and killing, no fewer than a hundred foremost adepts of every kin, Sect Masters, ancient Beast Kings, and mighty adepts of the human race have died under his assassinations."

"Countless figures with names that once shook the world were often erased before they ever sensed him coming. Quietly wiped out, with not even an intact corpse left behind."

"His methods are vicious, impossible to guard against, and his brutal name has spread throughout the High and Nether Realms."

"But now, things are different. Elder Cillian is here to hold the line, three hundred elite Sylvan warriors have come in force to aid us, and Freevale still has its remaining battle strength."

"With our two forces joined, our combat strength has surged. We now have the capital to clash head-on with Ashenbrand Gaol."

"The plan in my mind is to seize this chance and take Ashenbrand Gaol in one stroke..."

Before Nathaniel could finish, every gaze in the square swung in one motion and landed on Jared.

"Silence covered the entire gathering.

Everyone waited for the answer of the one who truly held the center of the decision."

"Jared held a white jade wine cup between his fingertips.

"The Second Depth holds vicious heavy convicts. Every one of them is a mid-level cultivator who committed major offenses and repeatedly rose against the celestials."

"The most dangerous part is the Third Depth. It is a top-secret death prison used specifically to confine champions of every kin above True Immortal Realm Level Seven, ancient monsters, and resistance Chieftains."

"The punishments are cruel, and the seals are severe. Once someone is imprisoned there, the chance of coming out alive is almost gone."

Jared kept his eyes fixed on the map and asked, voice even, "How are the outer guard forces divided? List the core powerful adepts and any hidden fighting strength, one by one."

Nathaniel's fingertip moved fast across the marked points on the map, and the lines of his face tightened further.

"Around the prison's outer perimeter are twelve sentry posts, some in plain sight and some concealed. They form a ring that locks down every entrance and exit to Mount Cinderfall, strictly preventing outsiders from slipping in."

"Each sentry post has one hundred regular celestial cultivators stationed there at all times. Their cultivation is uniformly stable between True Immortal Realm Levels Three to Five."

"They are equipped with the Celestial Saintlight Ward, the alarm array, and lethal traps. Their shifts rotate around the clock, and the security is airtight."

"Inside the prison, the garrison is divided by depth. The First Depth permanently holds the three hundred celestial guards. The Second Depth holds two hundred elite cultivators. The defenses grow heavier with each layer."

"At the very core, in the death cells of the Third Depth, fifty foremost celestial elites stand guard. Every one of them starts at Level Six, every one is fiercely loyal, and their combat strength is formidable."

"The gaoler presented openly to the world is at True Immortal Realm Level Eight. His methods are not weak, and he controls the prison's daily operations as well as its laws and punishments."

"He appears to be the highest authority in Ashenbrand Gaol, but he is only the piece placed in the open to mislead outside enemies."

When Nathaniel reached the key point, his voice dropped sharply. A darker pressure gathered in his eyes and would not clear.

"The true controller of Ashenbrand Gaol, and the greatest life-or-death danger in this operation, is Marshal Vale."

"Marshal Vale is a True Immortal Realm Level Nine powerhouse and one of the three foremost war champions of the Celestial Alliance. His name holds the Sixteenth Firmament in its grip."

"He has spent his entire life cultivating the peerless assassination arcane art known as the Nocturne of Knives. He can devour darkness, merge into shadow, conceal his movements, and suppress every trace of his aura."

"He passes between the real and the unreal without a sound. He can track a target across a thousand miles and take a life within a hundred steps."

“Across 5 thousand years of cultivation and killing, no fewer than a hundred foremost adepts from every race had died under his assassinations.”

“Countless great figures with names that shook the world had been erased by him before they even knew danger had arrived, their bodies left without a single whole piece.”

“His methods were vicious, impossible to guard against, and his name had spread like a curse through the High and Nether Realms.”

When the last piece of intelligence had been laid bare, the square fell into a silence so deep it seemed to press down on everyone standing there.