“What on earth is happening?” A collective gasp filled the air as the group laid eyes on the majestic golden vine soaring into the sky.
The gray and silver vines had already stunned them, but the dense and commanding presence of the golden vine took the spectacle to new heights.
If the gray vines were akin to soldiers and the silver ones acted as generals, the golden vine now assumed the role of a commanding king.
A haunting stillness surrounded the golden vine, sending shivers down the spines of all those present.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this. That golden vine might surpass the strength of all the silver vines combined!”
“What should we do? What’s the plan now?”
“Are we going to die here?”
A sense of impending doom and unease gripped the disciples of the Embersteel Order, members of the Black Scorpion Squad, and Grace’s envoy teams. The overwhelming presence of the vines rendered them utterly helpless.
“Fear not, everyone! Mr. Ridge is here. He’s got this!” a voice reassured, diverting everyone’s attention to Aidan. A wave of optimism swept through the crowd as if they had found a savior.
“Exactly! With Mr. Ridge here, these vines don’t stand a chance!”
“Yes, Mr. Ridge is the Sandscale, a grandmaster martial artist. These vines might be powerful, but he can effortlessly cut through them!”
“Thank goodness, we’re safe now!”
Aidan’s status as a grandmaster martial artist significantly boosted the group’s confidence, emphasizing the formidable ally they had.
No matter how impressive these vines might be, they couldn’t match the might of a grandmaster martial artist.
Jackson declared, “Mr. Ridge, the situation is dire. We can only rely on you now.”
He stepped forward with a respectful nod. Dealing with a dozen silver vines had already pushed him to his limits. He believed Aidan was the only one who could turn the tide in the current predicament.
Aidan calmly stated, “Dealing with thousands of vines here is quite a challenge.” He knew that tackling them alone would be exhausting, especially given the unknown strength of the golden vine.
“Mr. Ridge, slicing through all these vines isn’t practical. Even if it were possible, we’d probably face significant losses. Our best bet is to break through, “Grace stated.
She added, “To minimize casualties, we need you to handle the golden vine and restrain some of the silver ones to buy time for the team.
“Once we escape the encirclement, you can retreat without getting fully involved in a battle.”
“She’s right!” Jackson chimed in.
He went on, “Mr. Ridge, we’re just asking you to buy us some time. Half an hour would be great, but even 10 minutes would work!”
“I’m open to your request, but what do I gain from it?” Aidan questioned abruptly.
Given his cultivation, he could easily go alone and leave everyone behind. Therefore, he wondered why he should deal with these strange vines, investing effort without receiving any benefits.
“What’s in it for you?” Jackson seemed puzzled.
He pondered for a moment before asking, “Mr. Ridge, aren’t we allies? Allies share both good fortune and face adversity together.”
“Allies?”
