The Man’s Decree – Chapter 5970

He let his lashes lift. The sigil faded from his brow, leaving him pale and hollowed, opening himself that wide had drained the marrow of his focus.

He drew a ragged breath that steadied on the way out. "The gamble paid off. Ancient Energy Refiners value the fit between heart and path more than raw might... Let's go!"

Jared drew his shoulders tight and stepped through the jagged mouth of the mountain. The Vermilion Demon Lord's footfalls ghosted a pace behind him, as though the creature feared brushing Jared's sleeve.

Inside, no gems flashed, no golden idols gleamed. The passage was wide but spare, its stone walls worn glass-smooth.

Faded murals surfaced here and there, priestly silhouettes, archaic skies, clouds swallowed and breathed again.