A sharp voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Everyone, stop."
The words were not shouted, yet they carried across the clearing with undeniable authority.
The moment the voice sounded, the oppressive pressure that had been lingering in the air intensified.
"Do not move."
The command came from one of the imperial figures floating above the clearing.
The man slowly descended from the sky.
His robes bore the insignia of the empire, and the aura surrounding him was so heavy that the nearby cultivators instinctively stepped back.
The imperial cultivator's cold gaze swept across the gathered factions.
"Remain where you are."
Several groups that had already begun quietly withdrawing immediately froze.
The clearing fell silent once again.
The imperial cultivator's eyes moved slowly across the returned participants. Then his gaze lifted briefly toward the empty sky where the portal had once existed.
