The Man’s Decree – Chapter 5982

Color washed from Luther's face, shame fought embarrassment. "Yes... Resources were scarce, yet the Door drinks staggering amounts of soul power. Once our hideout was exposed, I couldn't stay on level thirteen..."

"Level twelve sits in the Lower Realm. The cosmic gaze weakens there, and cultivators peak at High Immortal. With my strength and the Door's latent force, I could operate unseen... I planned to bait them with promises of eternal life and blessings, letting volunteers offer soul power, or I'd gather the spirits of the dead from battlefields, quietly amass enough energy, then slip back, causing no wider storm."

A shrug that looked more like self-contempt. "Malcolm, Morven, and their ilk were willing pawns, hungry for power, easy to steer."

His gaze met Jared's; a rueful twist lifted his lips. "What I didn't foresee was crossing paths with you, and the man standing behind you, Mr. Sanders..."

Silence thickened. Jared weighed the confession, the broken door, the ghosts of empires, and felt the future tilt.