Category: A Man Like None Other

Chapter 972 A Sense Of Impending Danger

Blake, who was in the lead, quickly ordered the Henckles’ disciples to light up their pre-prepared torches.

However, just as he was about to light his torch, candles on both sides of the tunnel began to burn.

The entire tunnel was instantly awash in light, but the sudden appearance of the two rows of red pillar candles made everything seem all the more bizarre.

Naturally, that startled quite a few people. “There’s no need to panic, Mr. Gordon,” Blake reassured. “Oxygen entered the tomb when we opened it, and it’s merely the reaction with phosphorous in the air that ignited the candles.”

Warren nodded and turned to the group of people behind him. “Don’t panic, everyone. Try to keep up. There are death traps everywhere, so please watch yourselves!”

After saying that, Warren continued to advance into the tomb with Blake. Now that there was light in the tunnel, they could all finally pick up the pace.

More than ten minutes had passed, but the group was still walking down the seemingly unending tunnel. Since there hadn’t been any signs of danger for so long, everyone had gradually calmed their nerves and even started chatting among themselves.

Jared and Colin were at the back of the group, but surprisingly, Jared’s expression was grim and not at all relaxed like the others.

“This ancient tomb sure is huge, Jared. We’ve already walked so much, yet we still haven’t reached the burial chamber!” Colin remarked.

Jared furrowed his brows and pondered for a moment. “There’s a chance this isn’t an ancient tomb…”

“It’s not?” Colin exclaimed with shock. “Jared, didn’t you say this is the Emperor’s Mausoleum? What else could it be if not an ancient tomb?”

“I’m not sure either, but this place gives me a sense of impending danger. You’d better stay on your guard,” Jared warned.

For some reason, he couldn’t shake off the ominous feeling of dread, to the point where he subconsciously activated Focus Technique and flooded himself with spiritual energy.

Realizing his body had gone into fight mode, Jared couldn’t help but be stunned.

I’ve encountered plenty of dangers in the past, but my body has never reacted like this before. Why is this happening now? What’s going on?

With no answer to his question, Jared became even more vigilant of his surroundings.

A few minutes later, the tunnel finally opened up to a hall that spanned an area of several hundred square meters. Needless to say, everyone felt elated, thinking they had reached the burial chamber that stored most of the treasures.

The next second, the group swarmed into the tomb, only to find an empty chamber. Other than some stone benches, there was nothing at all. What was most baffling, though, was that there wasn’t even a coffin.

This time around, everyone was dumbfounded. If it turned out that the group had gone into an empty tomb, their Trial would undoubtedly become a laughing stock.

“Blake, what’s going on here? Check the place out!”

Blake nodded and immediately led the Henckles’ disciples to examine the burial chamber while the rest of the group sat on the benches.

Most of the sects and families had crowded around Edgar, leaving Jared to sit with Colin and two other members from Shadow Estate.

Meanwhile, Skylar and Howard sat someplace else with their team, not wanting to associate themselves with anyone from Warriors Alliance.

Just then, Edgar recalled Ryker’s orders and turned to Godrick. “Hey, Godrick, I want you to go over and teach Jared a lesson. Break both his legs while you’re at it.”

Hearing that, Godrick paled. “Mr. Edgar, I-I’m afraid I’m not Jared’s match.”

The truth was, as soon as Jared appeared for the Trial, Godrick had already guessed that the five guardians sent by Ryker were most likely dead.

Chapter 971 Opening The Tomb Door

Warren continued his lecture about the various precautions to take, but no one paid full attention to him. After all, it wasn’t their first time participating in a Trial, and they couldn’t wait to enter the ancient tomb.

When his speech was finally over, Warren turned to where the Henckle family was and looked at Blake. “The time has come, Blake. Open the tomb door.”

“Yes, sir!” Blake replied as he hurriedly led a group of the Henckles’ disciples and jumped to the front of the heavy tomb door.

The tomb door was carved from white marble, stood more than ten feet high, and weighed over tens of thousands of pounds. If an ordinary person were to stumble across the tomb entrance, they wouldn’t even think about opening the door, much less enter the tomb.

The next second, Blake took out a bowl of red beans and scattered them in front of the door while the Henckles’ disciples stood on both sides with lighted white candles in their hands.

Blake proceeded to recite an incantation, and before long, the red beans dug into the soil and began sprouting.

Everyone stared at him, not wanting to miss out on any details of the exciting development.

Soon, a patch of red bean sprouts appeared in front of the tomb door. Blake grabbed them all in one hand, stuffed them into his mouth, and started chewing.

At the same time, his hands began to glow, growing brighter every second until they resembled a couple of car headlamps.

“Open,” Blake mumbled as he brought his fists together and unleashed an immense force on the tomb door.

To everyone’s surprise, the heavy tomb door shifted until there was a gap that steadily grew larger.

Bursts of negative energy immediately seeped out, which resulted in a drastic temperature drop.

Some of the candle flames began to flicker wildly, and as the tomb door opened wider and wider, a cloud of black mist gushed out.

All the candles went out in the blink of an eye, chilling everyone to the bone.

Blake frowned before spitting his chewed red bean sprouts at the black mist, causing it to scatter and float away.

By then, the tomb door had opened fully, but the inside was as black as coal.

“Mr. Gordon, the tomb door’s opened,” Blake reported.

After stepping forward to inspect, Warren gave a satisfied nod. “The Henckle family has done well this time, Blake. The Warriors Alliance will not forget your contributions.”

“It’s our honor to be able to assist the Warriors Alliance,” Blake replied, hastily bowing as he did.

“Follow me into the tomb, everyone! And be on your guard!” Warren ordered. Turning toward Blake, he added, “Stay close to me, Blake. If you sense anything wrong, give me a heads up.”

Even though Warren was a Top Level Martial Arts Grandmaster, he knew squat about tombs and traps. On the contrary, Blake was an expert, so Warren knew it would be prudent to have the former by his side.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Gordon. I’ve explored almost a hundred tombs and gained plenty of experience. Everything will be fine!” Blake said confidently.

Yes, this is it! It’s time for us Henckles to shine!

Based on power alone, the Henckles could only be considered a third-rate family in the martial arts world. However, when it came to cave and tomb explorations, no one could deny that they had a rather impressive reputation in Jadeborough.

As everyone else began swarming into the tomb, Theodore turned to Jared. “Mr. Chance, this is as far as I can go. Please be careful once you’re in the ancient tomb.”

Unfortunately, since Theodore wasn’t on the list of participants for the Trial, he wasn’t allowed to step foot into the tomb.

“Don’t worry, General Jackson. I’ll be careful,” Jared answered, nodding his head.

Without further ado, he marched into the ancient tomb with Colin in tow.

Once they were inside, they immediately felt suffocated and claustrophobic. To make matters worse, the long tunnel in front of them was like a deep and dark abyss.

Chapter 970 Cripple Him

Meanwhile, Skylar merely shot a glance at Jared and said nothing else. However, that was all it took for the latter to have an odd feeling about him. Skylar might look friendly and approachable, but Jared had instantly picked up on the dangerous aura the man was oozing.

He’s the very definition of a wolf in sheep’s clothing!

Before Warren could say anything, Skylar promptly handed an invitation card over to him. “Mr. Gordon, here’s my invitation.”

Warren remained silent as he looked at the invitation, his expression darkening with every second.

The sudden influx of participants to the Trial was stressful for Warren, but what worried him the most was the elderly man with Skylar.

I can tell that his powers are comparable to mine. If we were to find treasures in the ancient tomb and he becomes greedy, not even I might be able to stop him.

However, since the other party had shown their invitation, Warren couldn’t bar them from entering either. All he could do now was to take things one step at a time.

“Mr. Deragon, Mr. Deragon! You can’t go in without an invitation!” the two guards at the door suddenly shouted as Ryker frantically barged in.

Upon seeing that, Warren waved the guards off and hurried forward to welcome Ryker. “Mr. Deragon.”

“Dad, what are you doing here?” Edgar asked, looking utterly perplexed.

Alas, Ryker ignored them and glared at Jared, leaving everyone else scratching their heads in confusion.

“Mr. Chance, why is Ryker staring at you like that?” Theodore whispered.

“How should I know?” Jared replied with a smile. “Maybe he finds me handsome!”

Theodore didn’t believe a word of that, but he knew to stop probing when he sensed Jared’s reluctance in talking about it.

After staring at Jared for the longest time, Ryker finally averted his gaze and turned to Edgar. “Edgar, get over here!”

Pulling his son to one side, Ryker said grimly, “When the Trial starts, I want you to find an opportunity to cripple Jared.”

“What? Dad, why do you want me to do that? Has Jared done something to offend our family?” Edgar blurted out.

How odd. Why does Dad suddenly want to act against Jared Chance? Not only does the guy not look strong, but he also doesn’t have anything special about him.

“Stop asking questions and just do as I say,” Ryker snapped. “I don’t want you to kill him, though. Do you understand?”

Edgar gave his father a firm nod. “Yes. I got it.”

Even though he could feel the anger and hatred emanating from Ryker, he still couldn’t fathom what Jared could have possibly done to provoke the latter that much.

Having given his orders, Ryker went up to Warren and whispered, “Mr. Gordon, if anything happens to Jared during the Trial, I hope you’d leave it alone.”

“What do you mean by that, Mr. Deragon?” Warren asked with a worried frown. “Mr. Sanders has only just given his orders. If you were to kill Jared now, you’d be putting us in a tight spot.”

“Don’t worry, Mr. Gordon. I won’t kill him. All I want is to rid him of his powers,” Ryker said as he took out an emerald ring and secretly dropped it into Warren’s pocket.

Warren, who had already noticed the ring, nodded his approval. “As long as you don’t kill him, I can turn a blind eye to it.”

With that, Ryker shot another glare at Jared and left.

Of course, Jared was the only one who knew the reason for Ryker’s animosity. Ha! It looks like Ryker has found out that I killed the five guardians of Deragon.

By then, Edgar had also begun to fix Jared with a hostile stare.

After checking the time, Warren tidied his clothes and announced, “All right, it’s time to start the Trial. Once we’ve entered the area, please tread with caution. There are dangers everywhere, and I don’t want you guys wandering off or touching anything. If you accidentally trigger the traps, no one will be able to save you. Whether you live or die will have to be left up to fate.”

Chapter 969 A Leak

“Mr. Dunn, if I remember correctly, the list of participants for the Trial doesn’t contain any names from the Dunn family, does it?” Warren asked Howard as he approached.

Howard took out an invitation card from his jacket and handed it to Warren. “My dad has spoken to President Zeigler to allow me to join you. Nonetheless, the Dunn family will not be taking anything from the site. My goal is just to have some fun out of curiosity. As for the treasures inside, I have no interest in them at all.”

After reading the invitation, Warren didn’t comment any further.

Subsequently, Howard led his men to a side and waited for the Trial to begin.

“Who is that guy?”

Jared was curious. Although Howard was similar in strength to Edgar, he had never seen the former before. Not only did he not see him at the victory celebration, but he also hadn’t heard of the Dunn family before.

“Mr. Chance, that man is a son of the Dunn family. He had achieved the level of Martial Arts Grandmaster when he was in his teens. However, for some strange reason, his progress slowed significantly in recent years,” Theodore explained.

“The Dunn family? Why didn’t we see them at the celebration?” Jared asked curiously.

“Well, there are many martial art families in Chanaea. Even in Jadeborough alone, there are plenty of such families who are not part of the Warriors Alliance. Hence, they fall out of the alliance’s purview. As the Dunn family is one of them, their name is consequently not on the Trial’s participant list,” Theodore related.

Jared understood right away.

It seems that not all the prominent families of the Jadeborough martial arts world participate in the Trial. Instead, only those from the Warriors Alliance are selected for it. If one isn’t a member of the alliance, one wouldn’t qualify to do so. From the looks of it, it’s hard to fathom the depths of the martial arts world. Just the prominent families within the Warriors Alliance alone contain many titans. Thus, I can’t imagine how many more are there outside of it.

In that instant, Jared felt as if he was an insignificant speck of dust and still had a long road of training ahead of him.

“Skylar Norton is here!”

Just then, a suave looking youth walked in.

Following behind him was a hunched-back old man who appeared to be in his seventies. Coughing intermittently, he looked as if he would collapse just from the wind.

In spite of that, the elderly man emitted an impressive aura of a Top Level Martial Arts Grandmaster.

In other words, he was just as powerful as Warren.

“Mr. Norton, fancy seeing you here.”

Howard, who had ignored everyone throughout, unexpectedly took the initiative to approach Skylar and greet him.

Skylar answered, “I was bored, so I came here to kill some time.”

When others gradually greeted him, Skylar responded to their greeting with a congenial smile, unlike the distant Howard.

Edgar walked up to him and greeted, “Mr. Norton.”

“Mr. Deragon, I didn’t expect to see you here!” Momentarily stunned, Skylar asked, “I heard that you were not going to participate in the Trial this year. That’s why I was surprised to see you. Wouldn’t it be getting in the way of your cultivation if you don’t get anything out of the event? After all, you’re on track to becoming the youngest Martial Arts Marquis after breaking through the rank of Top Level Martial Arts Grandmaster!”

“That’s not true. Don’t listen to silly rumors.” Edgar waved his hand with an awkward expression.

“You’re really modest, Mr. Deragon. I was just thinking of getting some pointers from you,” Skylar remarked with a smile.

Skylar’s words put Edgar in a spot. In the end, he simply left without further comment.

At that moment, Edgar was shocked after having his progress revealed by Skylar. As few knew of the matters related to his cultivation, he was surprised that news of it had spread. He made up his mind to find out after the Trial who was responsible for the leak.

Chapter 968 Fake Humility

“Hahaha, Mr. Deragon, you’re being too modest!” After bursting into laughter, Warren walked to a side with Edgar before engaging in an inaudible conversation.

“Jared, just you wait. Once we enter the ancient tomb, your fate will no longer be in your hands.”

After shooting Jared a glare, Kenneth walked off with Kristoff.

Even though the two men actually hated each other’s guts, they were still willing to set aside their enmity for the sake of mutual interests.

“Sheesh, those b*stards. I’ll show them what I’m capable of sooner or later!” Colin cursed.

“Going forward, you should train hard and stop being a playboy. Only by possessing true strength can you defend yourself against others,” Jared advised him.

Coline blushed at Jared’s admonishment. All this while, he assumed that his family was so powerful that he could live without worry even though he didn’t know anything.

Consequently, he experienced a paradigm shift after the attack at Shadow Estate that resulted in significant casualties.

“Howard Dunn is here!” someone shouted all of a sudden.

The next moment, a young man dressed in an expensive suit and sunglasses entered the area.

Behind him were two Seventh Level Martial Arts Grandmasters who made for an impressive entrance.

At the sight of Howard, Edgar, who was chatting with Warren a while ago, hurried over with a faint smile on his face. “Mr. Dunn, it’s been a long time since we last met.”

Removing his sunglasses suavely, Howard raised his gaze at Edgar. “It’s been a while indeed, Mr. Deragon. I see that you have grown a lot more powerful than before.”

“Certainly not as much as you!” Edgar smiled.

“Enough, I’m annoyed by this false humility of yours. Are you just trying to insult me when you’re clearly the superior one?” Howard retorted with his expression suddenly turning grim.

The sudden change in Howard’s mood caught Edgar off guard, causing the latter to furrow his brows.

At the sight of Edgar’s expression, Howard burst into abrupt laughter before walking past the former.

“Mr. Dunn.”

Even though many in the crowd greeted him, Howard ignored them all.

At that moment, Kenneth and Kristoff hurried up to him and greeted him respectfully, “Mr. Dunn, we didn’t expect you to be participating in the Trial this year.”

After throwing them a glimpse from the corner of his eye, Howard disregarded them just the same as he walked straight up to Jared.

At the sight of Howard approaching, Jared was filled with curiosity.

Since he didn’t know Howard, he had no clue what the man wanted.

“Are you Jared Chance?” Howard asked as he scrutinized Jared.

After giving him a look, Jared nodded without a word.

All of a sudden, Howard raised his hand and slapped it in Jared’s direction.

Shocked by what happened, Colin wanted to stretch out his hand to intercept the attack even though he knew he was no match for Howard. Nevertheless, he couldn’t stand idly by and watch as someone attacked Jared.

However, just when he was about to spring into action, Jared grabbed his arm to stop him.

The instant Howard’s hand landed on Jared’s shoulder, it turned out to be a gentle pat instead of an attack.

“Hahaha, as expected of someone who killed Ichiro, you’re truly strong and unlike many others who fear the power of his family. If I wasn’t being held back by those above me, I would have killed that b*stard myself!”

As he gave the generous compliment, Howard’s eyes swept across the crowd.

Even though his words insulted many in one fell swoop, none of the others from prominent families dared to refute him. The scene was a testament to how powerful the Dunn family was.

Chapter 967 The Rules

“Kristoff, Kenneth, mark my words, I’ll definitely have my revenge after both of you took advantage of my family’s crisis to hurt my dad and killed so many members of the Shadow Estate,” Colin declared as he shot both men a vicious glare.

“Hahaha, Colin, are you able to back up such big words? Look at how weak you are. There’s no way you’re capable of seeking revenge even if you train your entire life.”

Kenneth’s face was filled with disdain. “Your dad was lucky to have survived. Nevertheless, given the Shadow Estate’s current condition, his survival won’t change the fact that you’re no longer able to compete with our families.”

Kenneth’s arrogance infuriated Colin further, causing him to seethe. As for the two Martial Arts Grandmasters behind him, they clenched their fists tightly while releasing their aura.

Slap!

Unexpectedly, Kenneth saw a sudden blur in front of him before he was slapped on the face so forcefully that half of it became swollen.

“W-Who the f*ck hit me?” Kenneth roared while holding his face and stumbling backward.

“I will exact revenge on behalf of the Shadow Estate. If you dare say another word, I will have your life.”

With a grim expression, Jared shot Kenneth a piercing gaze as he spoke with a murderous tone.

At the end of the day, the Shadow Estate was one of the Dragon Sect’s regiments. Now that they had been attacked, Jared had to do something about it.

“Jared, how dare you f*cking hit me? Don’t think just because you have a patron you can do as you please. I’m going to crush you today!”

Kenneth fumed instantly as the two Martial Arts Grandmasters behind him charged forward and enveloped Jared with their aura.

“How insolent of you, Kenneth! Don’t forget that Jared is a member of the Department of Justice. How can you not show us any respect?” Theodore barked when he saw Kenneth’s impudent behavior.

“Theodore, the Department of Justice is responsible for maintaining the security of Jadeborough. So you should just stick to arresting thieves. If you don’t get out of my way, I will cripple all of you together.”

Kenneth didn’t see Theodore as a meaningful threat, as prominent families like theirs didn’t fear the Department of Justice at all.

“You!”

Despite his face turning pale in anger, Theodore was cognizant that he was no match for Kenneth, let alone the Martial Arts Grandmasters beside him.

At that moment, tension filled the air. Even though a crowd of onlookers had gathered, no one seemed to have any intention of stopping the altercation.

To them, the drama was no more than entertainment. In fact, if a fight really broke out, they would have one less competitor to contend with.

“Don’t you know the rules of the Trial? How dare you start a fight here?”

An imposing aura descended upon the scene, followed by Warren’s appearance.

Cowed by the sight of Warren, Kenneth broke into a sycophantic smile. “Mr. Gordon, look at my face. It was Jared who struck me first.”

Kenneth turned his face around to show Warren.

Instead of taking a look, Warren reprimanded sternly, “I don’t care about the beef you have with each other. Let me remind you that the Trial is organized by the Warriors Alliance. If you dare cause any trouble, you will be picking a fight with us. Since I am in charge of the Trial this time, you had better be on your best behavior.”

“Of course, of course.” Kenneth nodded repeatedly.

Warren turned his attention to Jared. “You should watch yourself too. Don’t assume that Mr. Sanders will protect you for the rest of your life.”

When he was done, Warren walked forward with his hands behind his back, while Edgar came up to him and greeted, “Mr. Gordon.”

“Mr. Deragon, I can see that your strength has grown significantly.”

Warren cracked a vibrant smile at the sight of Edgar.

“I’m nothing compared to you still,” Edgar responded humbly.

Chapter 966 A Thief

Just as Jared finished, someone caused a commotion in the crowd.

A youth in a white martial-arts outfit and spotting a crew cut strode in with his black leather shoes.

He was being accompanied by Godrick and two Fifth Level Martial Arts Grandmasters.

“I’m surprised to see that Edgar Deragon has come. I thought that he was going to give the Trial a miss this year.”

“Why wouldn’t he? Since it’s being held at the Emperor’s Mausoleum, this place contains the most treasures of all the other Trial locations.”

“Given how young Edgar is, it’s amazing that he is already a Seventh Level Martial Arts Grandmaster.”

In the midst of their gossip, the crowd gradually took turns greeting Edgar.

“Jared, this man, Edgar, is the eldest son of the Deragons. He has always been cultivating with other masters overseas and would only return to participate in the annual Trial. I didn’t expect him to have made such significant improvement, as he was only a Third Level Martial Arts Grandmaster last year. And now, he has leapfrogged to the Seventh Level.”

Colin looked at Edgar with eyes filled with envy. “Wouldn’t it be great if I could improve my cultivation as fast as he could?”

Jared ignored Colin as his eyes remain fixated on Edgar. Suddenly, an audacious thought flashed across his mind.

Given his current strength, it was impossible for him to rescue his mother from the Deragon residence. Furthermore, he didn’t know how long it would take for him to accumulate the required power.

Therefore, the idea that popped into Jared’s mind was to take Edgar hostage, so that he could exchange the latter for his mother.

At that moment, Edgar sensed something and turned to look in Jared’s direction. The moment their eyes met, a strange sensation crept into the former.

He didn’t know who Jared was and naturally wasn’t aware of the latest developments.

“Mr. Edgar, that man is Jared Chance. He was the one who killed Ichiro Watanabe previously,” Godrick explained to Edgar.

“Oh, I know about him. Isn’t he the one who discovered the Emperor’s Mausoleum as well?” Edgar remarked in surprise.

“It was probably Blake Henckle who first found it, but was broken into by Jared. Subsequently, he told Mr. Sanders about it.”

Godrick refused to believe that Jared was capable enough to discover such a huge mausoleum.

Therefore, he felt it was more likely that Blake had found the ancient tomb, as the Henckle family were graverobbers for generations.

“If that’s the case, he’s nothing but a thief.”

After letting out a snort, Edgar averted his gaze with a contemptuous look on his face.

Just as Edgar left, Jared noticed two familiar figures. One was Kenneth of the Thunderstorm Sect and the other was Kristoff of the Shalvis family. Both of them were followed by two Martial Arts Grandmasters.

The moment he saw Jared, Kristoff’s expression darkened, as he couldn’t rest until he sought revenge. “Jared, you’d better watch yourself during the Trial. Don’t let me have the chance to—”

“Kristoff, you should keep your mouth shut. Are you threatening Jared? If you are, I’m going rip your mouth off.”

Colin confronted Kristoff when he saw the latter’s hostile behavior.

Briefly stunned, Kristoff sneered, “Colin, since when did you become his lapdog? There was a time when you used to grovel at my feet, but now, you’re barking at me instead?”

“You b*stard!”

Colin was so incensed at Kristoff calling him a lapdog that he threw a punch at the latter.

However, before Colin’s punch could land, Kristoff unleashed a powerful aura with a wave of his hand that forced Colin to stagger a few steps back.

In the end, it was Jared who reached out to grab Colin. Otherwise, he would have embarrassed himself by landing on his bum.

Evidently, Colin’s was out of Kristoff’s league in terms of power.

“Colin, of all the people the Shadow Estate could ingratiate themselves with, you had to choose Jared. Aren’t you worried that you’ll become the butt of everyone’s jokes?”

Kenneth looked at Colin mockingly.

Chapter 965 Official Start

Meanwhile, Zion, Warren, and the rest of the higher-ups within the Warriors Alliance had gathered. The next day would be the start of the Trial. They needed to consider every minor detail as the organizers of the martial arts association. If there were any mistakes, they would be held responsible.

“President Zeigler, the Trial venue this time is at the thousands of years old underground Emperor’s Mausoleum. There might be a mother lode of magical items in there. Should the Warriors Alliance send a few men in there to secretly sneak some out?” Warren asked Zion cautiously.

Zion shook his head. “Mr. Sanders will be monitoring the venue personally, so we might get caught if we sneak some men in.”

“Then, are we just going to watch the magical items get taken away by other Sects and families?”

Warren was unhappy and thought that it was such a waste.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already discussed it with Ryker. You’ll be the one to lead the group for this Trial, but you’ll need to give extra care to the Deragons. When the time comes, they will split their haul of magical items and resources with us fifty-fifty.”

Zion already had a plan in mind.

“I understand.” Warren nodded his head.

The next day, the Trial officially began.

Jared and Theodore rushed over to the Trial venue. When they arrived, there was already a sea of people there. Many of the Sects and families had already arrived.

As for the tiny mound Jared discovered, it had already been flattened and surrounded by towering fences, leaving only an entrance. Two Seventh Level Martial Arts Grandmasters were standing there, guarding the entrance to prevent anyone from sneaking in.

“Please show your invitation. You won’t be allowed entry without an invitation.”

When Jared and Theodore reached the entrance, the two guards stretched their arms out to block the opening.

Jared flashed his invitation and went through the opening with Theodore.

He spotted a deep chasm immediately upon entering. Within the chasm, a massive stone gate was blocking further entry. A push of the stone gate and they would enter the interior of the Emperor’s Mausoleum.

Looking at the size of the Emperor’s Mausoleum, Jared was certain there would be uncountable magical items and traps within it.

“Jared!”

Jared’s observation of the Emperor’s Mausoleum was cut short when he heard someone calling him.

Looking in the direction of the caller, he spotted Colin and two other Martial Arts Grandmasters trailing behind him.

“Colin? What are you doing here?” Jared asked with confusion.

Colin would become a laughingstock if he participated in the Trial with his current ability.

“I’m here to participate in the Trial, of course!” Colin exclaimed excitedly.

Jared was rendered speechless at his answer. He didn’t expect Colin to be a participant as well.

“Aren’t you digging your own grave by participating in the Trial with your ability? Don’t you know how dangerous it is inside the sealed Emperor’s Mausoleum that’s thousands of years old?”

Jared didn’t understand why Leviathan would allow Colin to participate in the Trial.

“I’m not scared. My dad told me you would be participating in the Trial too, and asked me to follow you. Besides, I brought two elites with me.”

Colin pointed at the two men behind him with his thumb.

“Mr. Chance,” the two men greeted Jared respectfully at the cue.

Jared greeted them with a slight nod. Two Third Level Martial Arts Grandmasters. They aren’t weak, but they aren’t strong either, compared to the fighters the other Sects and families had sent.

“Follow me, and don’t stray from my side. There are many unknown dangers within the Emperor’s Mausoleum. Even I’m not sure if I can handle them,” Jared told Colin.

“Don’t worry, Jared. I’ll listen to your every word. My dad has told us to protect you with our lives should you get into any trouble,” Colin said with a wide smile.

Jared gave a few pats on Colin’s shoulders and said, “We’ll be fine if we’re careful.”

Chapter 964 Talents Hidden In Plain Sight

“D*mmit! Why do these pieces of sh*ts need so long to capture Jared? I bet they’re chilling in bars and hitting on girls. Once they get back, I’ll have to discipline them,” Ryker cussed with his brows knitted.

He had no doubts that five Martial Arts Grandmasters could definitely catch Jared. In fact, sending the five guardians was his way of taking precautions and definitely overkill.

At the Department of Justice in Jadeborough, Jared and Theodore could be seen sitting in the courtyard.

“Mr. Chance, have you achieved a breakthrough?”

Theodore turned to Jared with puzzlement.

“Why? Did you sense it? But I’m already hiding my aura, though,” Jared asked with surprise.

I’m already hiding my aura. If even Theodore could sense it, my concealment must be terrible.

“Well, no. I didn’t sense your aura. I merely felt it from your presence, not your aura. Your body is now exuding a stronger presence than before,” Theodore explained.

Resignation filled Jared at his explanation. I have no control over my presence. My body will only become tougher as I reach higher levels. There is no way for me to hide the presence exuded from higher levels and improvement of the body.

“I broke through two days ago,” Jared answered with a faint smile.

“Congratulations then, Mr. Chance. Now that you’ve reached the Martial Arts Grandmaster level, you’ll have nothing to fear even if your opponent’s a Fifth Level Martial Arts Grandmaster.”

Theodore was happy about Jared’s breakthrough.

Little did he know that Jared had actually broken through several levels instead of just one.

Having reached the Martial Arts Grandmaster level, Jared reckoned he could defeat a Fifth Level Martial Arts Grandmaster with one strike and could even win the battle against a Seventh Level Martial Arts Grandmaster. However, he wasn’t confident in winning if his opponent was a Top Level Martial Arts Grandmaster. After all, even the slightest increase in level would leave a large gap in terms of abilities.

“Jadeborough is a place with many talents hidden in plain sight. My abilities are nothing in comparison,” Jared replied resignedly.

After all, Jared had a late start. He was already considered a genius for achieving his current level in a few short years. Regardless, he owed it to the Focus Technique he used.

Thinking about the Focus Technique, a man popped up in Jared’s mind. Even though he couldn’t see the man’s face clearly, the man would always show up in his mind at random times.

Jared knew the man was the father whom he had never met before. He often wondered about his father’s identity.

What kind of abilities does he have to possess an incredible technique like the Focus Technique and establish an organization like the Dragon Sect?

“Mr. Chance? Mr. Chance?”

Noticing Jared was spacing out, Theodore tried to pull his attention back.

With a slight shudder, Jared snapped out of his train of thoughts. “Yes, General Jackson? What’s wrong?

Not catching anything unusual in Jared’s expression, Theodore said, “Mr. Chance, Mr. Sanders sent word two days ago that the Watanabe family from Jetroina had already sent out an elite to infiltrate our country with the intention to assassinate you. But Mr. Sanders wanted to assure you that he would make them disappear if they dared to step foot in this country.”

“Okay, got it.” Jared nodded.

Jared didn’t doubt Mr. Sanders’ words because he had seen that organization’s and Captain Xenos’ capabilities, and they weren’t any weaker than Jared himself. The fact that Captain Xenos was merely a lowly subordinate showed Mr. Sanders and the higher-ups within the organization had terrifying abilities.

“That being said, Mr. Sanders did advise you to refrain from exiting the country. Otherwise, he has no guarantee on your personal safety,” Theodore added.

Jared nodded with understanding. Every second of his time was precious. He would’ve focused all his time on cultivation if he could, so naturally, he wouldn’t have left the country.

Chapter 963 Make Bricks Without Straw

Rayleigh engulfed Jared in a hug excitedly. “You’ve done well, Jared! As long as you keep cultivating like this, Ms. Beatrice will get to see the light soon.”

“Mr. Deragon, we can’t stay here any longer. We’ll have to move to another location.”

Since the Deragons managed to find the place, Jared knew it was impossible for Rayleigh to continue secluding himself in Horington for retirement. They needed to move to another location as soon as possible.

“Where are we going?” Rayleigh asked.

“To the Medicine God Sect.”

At the moment, Jared reckoned that the safest place would be the Medicine God Sect.

After leaving Tommy and Phoenix to take over Horington-related affairs, Jared brought Rayleigh, Josephine, and the rest to the Medicine God Sect.

As Josephine, Lizbeth, and Lyanna were injured, they could recover at the Medicine God Sect with peace of mind.

When Jared and his group arrived at the Medicine God Sect, Axton immediately arranged for treatment for Josephine and the rest.

Meanwhile, Rayleigh retrieved the invitation to the Trial and handed it over to Jared.

“Jared, the Trial this time will be more dangerous than the previous ones. So watch your back.”

Rayleigh looked at Jared with concern.

“Don’t worry, Mr. Deragon. I’m stronger now. None of the younger generations can beat me. Besides, I have my official identity. They won’t dare to make a move against me so brazenly.” Jared reached for the invitation as he assured confidently.

Letting out a sigh, Rayleigh replied, “You’re still wet behind the ears. The martial arts world is more complicated than you think. In any case, just be careful.”

He then gave Jared’s shoulder a few pats.

“Got it. Please help me keep an eye on Josephine and the rest.”

With that, Jared left the Medicine God Sect and rushed toward Jadeborough.

There was another day left before the Trial, so Jared had to pick up his pace in order to reach there in time.

Meanwhile, at the Deragon residence.

It was a day before the Trial, and every Sect and family in Jadeborough were making their final preparations. The Trial venue this time was at the thousands of years old Emperor’s Mausoleum. No one knew the danger or the magical items within.

However, it was common knowledge that numerous traps would be embedded within the Emperor’s Mausoleum. Everyone knew the higher the risk, the larger the profit.

“Edgar, your abilities have improved considerably since the last time I saw you.”

Ryker looked at Edgar with pride.

“It was all thanks to my mentor’s teachings, Dad. He had planned to have me focused on cultivation so that I could reach the Top Level Martial Arts Grandmaster after the new year celebration. But my return might have caused some delay to that plan,” Edgar explained.

“My silly son, the Trial this time will be held at the Emperor’s Mausoleum that’s thousands of years old. There’ll be an abundance of magical items and resources within. Once our family has obtained all these, I’ll use all these resources to elevate your level to Top Level Martial Arts Grandmaster as quickly as possible. Who knows, you might even reach the level of Martial Arts Marquis. Imagine, a Martial Arts Marquis at your age, you’ll be the first in history,” Ryker promised Edgar.

“Don’t worry, Dad. As long as I participate in the Trial, all the magical items and resources will fall into the Deragons’ hands,” Edgar replied with confidence and arrogance.

He did have the right to be arrogant. After all, he was already a Seventh Level Martial Arts Grandmaster at a young age. Not many cultivators could reach his level despite decades of cultivation. Moreover, his capabilities were on par with some of the heads of Sects or families.

“Since you said so, I’ll leave everything in your capable hands then.” Ryker laughed.

Godrick, who stood at the side, lowered his head slightly. His current abilities were still far beneath Edgar’s. Even though he had the talent, he lacked the necessary resources. It was like making bricks without straw.

Besides, Edgar was given the resources of the entire Deragon family. That was the reason why he could break through each level so swiftly.

“Godrick, are we still unable to reach Enoch and the other guardians?” Ryker turned to Godrick and asked.

“Not yet, Mr. Deragon,” Godrick answered softly.