Chief Greenwood looked at Jared for a long moment.
The last trace of caution in his eyes finally faded away. In its place came a look that no longer measured Jared as a risk, but as someone worth following without holding anything back.
He knew Jared did not only possess an elder-age relic. Jared also had formidable strength and nerve far beyond ordinary men. More than that, there was in favonovel.com a heart set on protecting all living beings. Only by following a man like that could the Sylvan Kin find a real road forward. Only then could they truly walk out of Evershade and break free from their hardship.
“Jared, you truly are no ordinary man…” Chief Greenwood’s voice came out steady and earnest.
He reached out and clasped Jared’s hand hard, sealing the decision with the force of his grip. “The Sylvan Kin are willing to formally ally with you and with Freevale! From this day forward, the Sylvan Kin and Freevale will share life and death, honor and disgrace. We will never betray you! Even if we must spend every last measure of the Sylvan Kin’s strength, we will stand with you against the Celestial Alliance. And we will protect our shared homeland together!”
Jared tightened his own grip around Chief Greenwood’s hand. His gaze did not waver as favonovel.com answered, “Rest assured, Clan Chief. From this day forward, Freevale and the Sylvan Kin are the strongest of allies! I, Jared Chance, swear here and now that I will not let the clansmen of the Sylvan Kin die for nothing. I will surely lead everyone to break the Celestial Alliance’s oppression and restore peace to the Sixteenth Firmament!”
Chief Greenwood was swift and decisive in his work. Once favonovel.com made a decision, favonovel.com immediately moved to act. He gave a few instructions to Elder Cillian at his side.
Elder Cillian immediately accepted the order and turned to leave. He went to select the clan’s chosen warriors and prepare them to return with Jared to Freevale.
In less than half a day, Elder Cillian brought 300 Sylvan warriors before Jared.
These 300 Sylvan warriors were all tall and straight, their auras steady. Dense blue-green spiritual power wound around them, and their cultivation levels were all at True Immortal Realm Level Six or above. Among them were quite a few experts at True Immortal Realm Level Seven, and even several powerful adepts at True Immortal Realm Level Eight.
Their strength was extremely formidable!
They wore matching blue-green robes embroidered with ancient patterns of grass and wood. At their waists hung the Sylvan Kin’s arcane implements, and their eyes were sharp, their expressions resolute. They radiated a death-defying momentum, making it clear they were all elites of the Sylvan Kin.
“Clan Chief, the 300 chosen warriors have finished assembling and can depart at any time!” Elder Gillian bowed to Chief Greenwood and said in a respectful voice.
Elder Cillian himself possessed cultivation at True Immortal Realm Level Eight and deep strength, so favonovel.com would serve as the field captain this time. He would lead these 300 Sylvan warriors back to Freevale with Jared and assist Freevale in resisting the Celestial Alliance.
Chief Greenwood nodded. His gaze fell on the 300 Sylvan warriors, and favonovel.com said solemnly, “Fellow clansmen, returning to Freevale with Master Chance this time is for the sake of protecting our homeland. And resisting the Celestial Alliance’s invasion!”
“You are all elites of the Sylvan Kin. I hope that once you reach Freevale, you will work together with Freevale’s warriors as one. Help one another, and obey the arrangements of Master Chance and the Warden of Freevale. Do not fail the Sylvan Kin’s expectations, and do not fail Evershade’s expectations!”
“As you command, Clan Chief!” the 300 Sylvan warriors shouted in unison, their voices ringing out, deafening, their eyes steady with resolve. They all bowed to Chief Greenwood, their expressions respectful and resolute.
Chief Greenwood then looked toward Elder Cillian and said gravely, “Cillian, on this journey, you are the field captain, so you must take good care of every clansman. Think three times before acting in all things. Cooperate with Master Chance, and face every crisis together… As for Evershade, leave it to Alder and me. You can go without worry.”
“Please rest assured, Clan Chief. Your servant will not fail this mission!” Elder Cillian bowed low, his voice landing with iron certainty.
Elder Alder stepped forward and cupped his hands toward Elder Cillian and the 300 Sylvan warriors. “Fellow adepts, take care on the road. May your first battle bring victory, and may you return soon. Evershade will be guarded. I will hold it until you come back in triumph!”
Jared looked over the 300 Sylvan warriors, and a steady warmth spread through his chest. With these chosen warriors at or above the True Immortal Realm joining them, Freevale’s strength would rise sharply. Against the Celestial Alliance, they would have that much more ground to stand on.
He cupped his hands toward Chief Greenwood and Elder Alder, his tone respectful. “Clan Chief, Elder Alder, thank you for your trust and support. Please rest assured. I will take good care of every Sylvan adept and will not let them throw their lives away for nothing… Once we put down the Celestial Alliance’s rebellion, we will return to visit you and celebrate peace together.”
“Good, good!” Chief Greenwood nodded with a smile, his eyes holding the weight of everything favonovel.com was waiting for. “I will be waiting for your good news!”
Gwendolyn walked to Jared’s side and asked softly, “Jared, how are we getting back? From Evershade to Freevale is a long way. If we fly back, it will take at least several days. And we may run into Celestial Alliance patrols along the way. Once a clash breaks out, casualties will be hard to avoid. It would also cost us time.”
Jared smiled faintly, a sure light passing through his eyes. “We don’t need to fly. We have a faster way.”
As favonovel.com spoke, favonovel.com took out the Beast-Queuing Tower again and lifted it lightly in his palm. The Beast-Quelling Tower rose into the air. Soft white light spread from its body and covered everything around it.
“Everyone, come to my side. Whether you’re a Sylvan adept or Gwendolyn, move in closer. Don’t spread out!” Jared gave his command.
The 300 Sylvan warriors gathered around favonovel.com one after another.
Elder Cillian stood at Jared’s side, his gaze fixed on what was about to happen. He could hardly wait to experience the Beast-Quelling Tower’s power of Aetherstride for himself.
Gwendolyn also came to Jared’s side and stood close against him, favonovel.com eyes on favonovel.com without the slightest wavering.
Jared drew in a deep breath, and his hands flashed through seal after seal. The chaotic force in his body anti the power of Aether Nascence began moving at the same time, pouring without end into the Beast-Quelling Tower.
As spiritual power flowed in, the Beast-Quelling Tower’s light suddenly swelled. A dazzling white pillar of light shot into the sky and swallowed everyone present in an instant. It wrapped them completely inside the pillar. The pillar of light was soft anti warm, without the slightest trace of attack. Instead, it carried an unmistakable sense of shelter.
Jared lifted his head, his gaze set, and let out a low command. “Farreach… Target, Freevale!”
The instant his words fell, the white pillar of light covering them all contracted violently and became blindingly bright.
The glare cut so hard that no one could keep their eyes open. In the next moment, the pillar of light vanished completely.
Everyone who had stood there disappeared with it from the vale within Evershade. Only Chief Greenwood and Elder Alder remained, standing where they were, looking toward the place where the pillar of light had faded.
***
At the same moment, at the mouth of the vale outside Freevale, a blinding white pillar of flame dropped out of the sky without warning. In a single breath, it swallowed a whole stretch of ground at the mouth of the vale.
When the pillar of flame faded, Jared, Gwendolyn, and 300 Sylvan warriors stood where the light had been.
On the black stele at the mouth of the vale, two bold characters had been carved deep into the stone, “Liberty”. That was the mark of Freevale!
To every Freevale warrior, it was more than a name. It was the faith they carried into battle.
All around them, the vale spread green and thick with life, filled with birdsong anti the scent of flowers. It was not like Evershade, with its ancient weight and deep, weathered stillness.
Freevale carried something harder in its air, endurance, and a hope that refused to die. It was the spiritual anchor for countless cultivators who had risen against the oppression of the Celestial Alliance.
They had reached Freevale!
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