“Ms. Viola, Ghaylen, have you made up your minds? If you surrender now and acknowledge me as the lord of Emerald Cauldron Sect, I can spare your lives,” Ebenez said while staring at Ghaylen and Viola. “You can give up on that idea. Unless I’m dead, I will not admit defeat,” Viola snapped furiously.
Ebenez snorted, then turned to the numerous disciples and said haughtily, “Disciples of Emerald Cauldron Sect, listen well. If you choose to submit to me now, you can still enjoy the perks of being disciples of Emerald Cauldron Sect. Conversely, if you decide to resist to the end, only death awaits you.”
Ebenez’s words caused many disciples of Emerald Cauldron Sect to hesitate. Now that Hosen had surrendered and fled, was there still a need for them, mere ordinary disciples of the sect, to struggle?
“I’m willing to surrender. Mr. Erdell is a legitimate elder of Emerald Cauldron Sect, so what difference would it make who becomes the sect leader!”
“I’m willing too!” “Greetings, Mr. Erdell, the new leader of Emerald Cauldron Sect!” Many disciples of Emerald Cauldron Sect had capitulated. They voiced their support for Ebenez and lined up behind him.
Seeing that, Ebenez revealed a triumphant. expression on his countenance. However, part of Emerald Cauldron Sect’s disciples stood firm behind Viola, resolutely supporting her. Among them was Sigurd, the eldest disciple of Emerald Cauldron Sect.
“Sigurd, even your master has given in and fled for his life, yet you still dare to oppose me?” Ebenez sternly questioned Sigurd.
“I refuse to stoop so low as to join your side. Even if I were to die today, I would never yield,” Sigurd responded icily.
Since he had chosen to side with Viola, there was no turning back. Moreover, Jared was not dead. Sigurd was hoping Jared would show up at any moment now.
“Fine. If that’s the case, you can all perish together, Ebenez scoffed. Just as he was about to launch himself forward, the earth abruptly shook. Immediately afterward, everyone turned to look in the direction of the medicinal pool in astonishment.
They noticed that dense dark clouds had gathered in the sky atop the medicinal pool, and lightning flashed incessantly.
Rumble! A thunderclap sounded, and a bolt of lightning struck the medicinal pool, causing the surge of a column of water.
Boom! Lightning bolts continued to strike down, each one causing a tumultuous wave. “W-What’s going on?” Viola and Ghaylen couldn’t help but exclaim at the sight of the lightning bolts. Ebenez and Faiyar were also staring intently at the unusual phenomenon with furrowed brows.
“That’s lightning tribulation. Did someone from Emerald Cauldron Sect achieve a breakthrough? Judging by how terrifying the lightning tribulation is, that person must be highly formidable!” Faiyar said with a grim expression on his face.
“Who is it? Could it be Helius?” Ebenez was bewildered. He wondered who could have achieved a breakthrough at that instant. Considering the intensity of the lightning tribulation, that person must be extremely powerful.
Still, he couldn’t think of any expert in Emerald Cauldron Sect who could be advancing in their cultivation level right then.
Ebenez didn’t relate the ongoing situation with Jared at all. After all, the latter was merely a Manifestor. Even if he broke through to Body Fusion Realm, he couldn’t possibly trigger such a fearsome lightning tribulation.
At that moment, Sigurd was the only person who was gazing at that frightening lightning tribulation with a look of shock and anticipation in his eyes. Others might not be aware of it, but he could guess that the person advancing in their cultivation level was Jared.
Everyone assumed Jared was long dead for having stayed in the medicinal pool for an extended period, but Sigurd knew Jared was still alive. It seems that Mr. Chance has absorbed the medicinal pool’s energy and made a breakthrough.
As the spine-chilling lightning tribulation continued striking the earth, a figure soon rose slowly and imposingly from the large column of water into the sky.
The dark clouds gradually dispersed, and the lightning tribulation faded away. Jared hovered in midair, his body radiating a dazzling holy light. He resembled a celestial being: descending from the heavens.
