From Ruin to Reign Leander's Unbreakable Will novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145 Jeff Ashcroft and Mr Ashcroft

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Leander paid no attention to Yvette and Madeline’s shouts, his gaze fixed on the distance, lost in thought. Glidewing Mountain’s peak was shrouded in mist from early morning until noon, and only in the afternoon, when the sun pierced through, would the fog begin to dissipate. That would be the time for his showdown with Grayson.

The young woman in the simple dress noticed Leander’s stance near the edge and took a couple of steps forward, frowning deeply in displeasure as she stood next to him. “You’re just an ordinary person. Don’t stand so close to the edge. If you fall, not even a Martial Sovereign could save you!”

Leander had shown no interest in the martial world secrets she had shared earlier, which had already annoyed her. Now, seeing him foolishly standing near the cliff, she seized the opportunity to lecture him.

“It’s fine,” Leander responded with a faint shake of his head, not even sparing her a glance, which only fueled her irritation.

Hmph! She huffed coldly, stepping back, deciding to ignore him. In her eyes, a self–important guy like Leander, if he fell off the cliff, had no one but himself to blame for his overconfidence.

Meanwhile, Thaddeus and Roman had exchanged a single strike each before stopping, the ground beneath them still trembling slightly.

Thaddeus withdrew his hand and smiled at Roman, saying, “Five years have passed, and it seems your skill has surpassed mine by a step.”

Roman gave a modest smile, waving it off. “You give me too much credit. We’re still evenly matched.”

Everyone watching knew that Roman had clearly come out on top in the exchange, but his humility and poise earned him even more admiration. Even Thaddeus nodded in approval.

Yvette and her friends watched in awe, their gazes shifting between Roman and Thaddeus. The sheer power they had just witnessed from a casual exchange between the two made the earth tremble. They couldn’t even begin to imagine what it would be like if they fought with all their might.

Madeline, who had been silent for most of the journey, finally couldn’t hold back her curiosity. “Sir, if they seriously fought, who would be stronger?”

The one–armed elder sat cross–legged on a large rock, lowering his voice as he answered, “If they truly fought, Roman Fleming would win in the end. In the martial world, Sovereigns stand at the peak, but even among them, there are differences in strength. Fighters like Thaddeus Levington, Wade Dixon, and Atlas Leynthall are all at a similar level within the Sovereign

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Chapter 145 Jeff Ashcroft and Mr Ashcroft

realm, but Roman Fleming is just a cut above them.”

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Yvette and the others nodded in half–understanding. Ginny, always curious, asked, “So, does that mean Roman is the strongest Martial Sovereign?”

The elder chuckled and shook his head. “You kids think too simply. The martial world of Astria is vast, filled with countless experts. Roman may be powerful, but he’s far from the strongest. There was once a man who defeated Roman in just ten moves and was nearly unrivaled among all the Martial Sovereigns.”

The elder’s words left Yvette and the others stunned, their expressions frozen in shock. Even the young woman in the simple dress was taken aback, clearly surprised by what she had just heard.

To them, Martial Sovereigns were already incomparably powerful. While differences in strength existed, they had assumed the gap would be small. But to hear that someone had defeated Roman in just ten moves and was nearly invincible among Martial Sovereigns? Such a person sounded almost superhuman.

The one–armed elder gently stroked the stump of his arm, his voice filled with a deep sense of regret and bitterness. “I once had the chance to reach the level of a Martial Sovereign myself, but foolishly, I overestimated my abilities. I arrogantly challenged that man and was defeated in a single move. It was he who took this arm from me.”

The elder’s confession left Yvette and her friends speechless. Colin, unable to suppress his curiosity, asked, “Who is this person you’re talking about? How can he be so powerful? It sounds like he’s invincible!”

His mind raced with possibilities, imagining that if he could find this extraordinary figure and learn even a fraction of his skills, he could become an unstoppable force. Such power would make wealth, connections, and influence seem insignificant by comparison.

“He’s right there,” the elder said, his eyes narrowing as he pointed toward the distant clouds.

Everyone turned to look. In the clearing mist at the center of the valley, they saw a figure dressed in white sitting calmly on top of a stone pillar. Their eyes widened in disbelief. The nearest stone pillar to the cliff’s edge was over ten yards away, connected by a single chain, but the one at the center of the valley, where the white–clad figure sat, was more than a hundred yards out. How could anyone possibly reach it? Had they arrived by helicopter?

As they strained their eyes to focus, their shock deepened. The man in white wasn’t even sitting on the stone pillar–his legs hovered about almost two feet above it. He was floating in mid–air!

In a world governed by gravity, where apples fall to the ground, this man was defying the laws of nature, suspended above the pillar without any visible support. None of them had ever seen anything like it.

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Chapter 145 Jeff Ashcroft and Mr Ashcroft

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“Is that the person you were talking about?” Yvette asked, her voice trembling with disbelief. “Is he some kind of god? How is he floating like that?”

The elder stared solemnly at the man and replied gravely, “His name is Grayson Shire, also known as the ‘Jade Emperor.‘ He’s one of the most powerful figures in Astria’s martial world. His ability to float is not some divine power but the result of his unmatched inner strength, which supports him in mid–air. It’s what’s referred to as ‘inner power‘ in martial arts novels. His control over his inner strength has reached a level of mastery where he can wield it at will.”

Everyone’s eyes were locked on Grayson, unable to look away.

“Jade Emperor?” Yvette and Madeline whispered in awe. Was this the man who had once defeated all of Astria’s finest fighters?

Colin’s eyes gleamed with admiration, desperately wishing he could rush to Grayson’s side and beg to become his disciple. This was a man who had been invincible for an entire era, a martial master beyond compare. A single word of guidance from him would be worth a lifetime of benefit.

The one–armed elder gazed at the figure who had once caused him so much pain, his expression filled with resignation. “Grayson Shire truly dominated his era. Back in the day, he stirred up the entire martial world of Astria. Anyone who fought him was defeated within a hundred moves. His terrifying strength is beyond what words can describe.”

Hearing that, Yvette and her friends glanced around and noticed that even the previously arrogant Martial Sovereigns, who had carried themselves with such confidence, were now staring at Grayson in awe. Fear and respect flashed in their eyes as they gazed at the Jade Emperor.

Ginny felt a surge of gratitude, relieved that she had insisted on coming to Glidewing Mountain. Otherwise, they might have lived their entire lives without realizing that there were martial masters capable of such godlike feats.

Madeline stared intently at Grayson for a long moment before snapping out of her thoughts. “Sir, earlier, you mentioned that two powerful masters were going to duel on Glidewing Mountain today. One of them is clearly Grayson Shire. But who is the other?”

The rest of the group leaned in, curious to know who could possibly stand as an equal to someone like Grayson, a man who had practically become invincible.

“Good question!” The one–armed elder nodded. “Yes, Grayson is indeed going to fight someone today, and his opponent’s name is Jeff Ashcroft.”

Yvette and the others furrowed their brows, unfamiliar with the name “Jeff Ashcroft.”

The elder continued, “And he is none other than your state’s Mr. Ashcroft!”