A Man Like None Other (Jared Chance) novel Chapter 6584

On the morning of the third day, Jared was cultivating on the Cliff of Contemplation when Adrian hurried over.

"Mr. Chance." Adrian stopped at the edge of the cliff and gave a slight bow. "Someone is here to see you."

Jared opened his eyes, and a flicker of confusion crossed his violet eyes.

In the Eighteenth Firmament, Jared barely knew anyone.

Other than the people of Ashford Hollow, the only ones he had any connection to were Claire from the Abyssal Exchange and the people from the Ember God Palace.

There was no way anyone from the Ember God Palace had tracked him all the way to Ashford Hollow.

If someone had come looking for him, it could only be Claire.

"Who is it?" Jared asked.

"A woman calling herself Claire."

Adrian's voice stayed calm, but a faint crease pulled at his brow. "She says she's from the Abyssal Exchange and came under Chairman Cedric's orders to invite Mr. Chance to the Abyssal Exchange for a meeting. Chief Preceptor sent me to ask whether you want to see her or not."

Jared rose and brushed the dust from his clothes.

Claire.

The Abyssal Exchange.

Cedric.

Outside Rookfire, Claire had handed him a map and a guest elder token, then turned and left.

No way to contact her. No request. Nothing.

He'd understood it even then.

The Abyssal Exchange was laying out a long line for a big catch.

Now the line had been out long enough.

And the fish was supposed to bite.

"I'll see her," Jared said. "Have her wait for me in the tea room."

Adrian nodded and turned to leave.

Jared came down from the Cliff of Contemplation, crossed the covered walkways of the shrine-complex, and headed into the tea room.

Master Alaric was already there.

He sat in the seat of honor with a teacup in hand, his expression unusually grave.

When he saw Jared come in, he set the teacup down.

A flicker of worry passed through his old eyes.

"Mr. Chance, how do you know people from the Abyssal Exchange?"

Jared sat across from him and gave him the short version of what had happened outside Rookfire—Claire had given him a map, given him a guest elder token, then turned and left without leaving any way to contact her and without asking for anything.

After hearing him out, Master Alaric fell silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

"People from the Abyssal Exchange have always been false," he said. "They're merchants. Profit is the only thing they chase. They never do anything that doesn't benefit them."

Master Alaric lowered his voice, as if he didn't want anyone outside to hear. "They didn't give you that map and token to make a friend. They were investing in you. And when you're strong enough, they'll come to collect."

Jared nodded. "I understand, Master."

"The Abyssal Exchange's reach is enormous."

Master Alaric went on, "Here in the Eighteenth Firmament, what you see is only the tip of the iceberg. Their power extends above it as well. Even beyond the celestial realm, in other realms, they have branches. Their influence runs through the heavens and the myriad worlds. Compared to the celestials, they don't fall short at all."

That made Jared's brows pull together.

On the same level as the celestials?

How could a merchant guild command that kind of power?

"Who's standing behind the Abyssal Exchange?" Jared asked.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify