The Man’s Decree – Chapter 5999

By late morning the sunlight felt metallic against the tiles of Jade Immortal City, and even the pigeons circled lower, wary.

At the main avenues he found ranks of Jade Immortal Manor guards in teal armor, their clipped breaths rising like steam off sharpened steel.

They had closed every archway in the outer wall except a single side gate, and anyone walking through it was peeled open by questions and runes. Patrols now moved ten strong instead of three, each led by a High Immortal Realm Level Four officer whose gaze combed pedestrians like fingers seeking loose threads.

The teleport dais at market square was wrapped in ward-wire; anyone approaching It met a gauntleted forearm across the throat before finishing the request.

"What happened? Why the lockdown?" Someone behind Quentin muttered, voice cracked thin by caution.