Chapter 568: Goodbye, Lu Yao

Night had fallen! The second round of the Thunder Department's Immortal Tournament began in earnest!

By afternoon's end, of the almost 10,000 participants, half had already been eliminated. Less than 5,000 remained.

It was said that this year, the geniuses from the Thunder Department were more ferocious than ever.

Among them, close to 2,000 Arbiters from various cities had come, and by the end of the first round, nearly 1,600 returned home.

The pair of sisters from Sky Soaring City were also ousted in the first round.

Even Jiang Haiyan, who was in the Early Divine Self Realm, hadn’t passed the first round, illustrating the brutal nature of this selection.

At this moment, with the fall of night, the dazzling thunderclouds became even more blinding.

The entire Thunder Department, under the illumination of the Thunder Immortal Formation, seemed still in daylight, only brighter and more explosive, with everyone’s faces flickering with electric light.

BUZZ!

Before the start of the second round, the 5,000 thunderclouds began to merge two by two, forming 2,500 larger thunderclouds.

This meant that after the second round, only 2,500 geniuses would remain!

After the fusion of the thunderclouds, Thunder Emissary Cao appeared and publicly declared the beginning of the second round! With her figure clad in armor, her curves were even more pronounced, the breastplate thrust forward as if ready to burst forth.

The young geniuses, looking up at such a figure, felt both awe and longing.

Under the rigid hierarchy of the Celestial Court, such a goddess was something most could only dream of, never to approach.

As the battle commenced, the Thunder Rankings began to flash with nine-colored lights again, announcing each combat pairing, the names igniting the fervor of the young warriors who faced their matches with solemn, tense expressions!

At that moment, Yun Xiao arrived at the scene of the Nine Thunders Arena.

He stood to the side, his mind filled with thoughts of the two celestial techniques he'd received, quietly waiting.

“Those two jade amulets…” Liu Mumu approached, immediately noticing the two jade amulets hanging from Yun Xiao's waist.

One was violet and sword-shaped, the other blue and talisman-shaped.

In the glittering night, these two amulets were like lanterns hanging on Yun Xiao, conspicuously bright.

"Do you recognize them?" Yun Xiao asked.

“The signature celestial techniques of Cao Sheng and Gu Suwan, Mid Vast Heaven grade, Ascending the Heavens and Misty Rebirth,” Liu Mumu concluded after a moment’s observation.

"Is it that obvious?" Yun Xiao asked in surprise.

"These techniques are well-known," Liu Mumu admitted with a touch of admiration. "I must say, they are valuable. My own family couldn’t produce such techniques."

"That’s good then," Yun Xiao said with a slight smile.

Liu Mumu glanced at him and said, "Hey, you're not blaming me, your teacher, for not passing on celestial techniques to you, are you? They just recognized you as their foster son and have already shown you such favor."

"You're overthinking it," Yun Xiao replied calmly. "Gifts come with expectations. I receive favors, and in return, I add to their prestige. It’s a transaction. They pay, and I deliver."

"It's good you understand that," Liu Mumu noted. "Just don’t become overly grateful for every little favor."

"Speaking of which, are their reputations really that terrible?" Yun Xiao asked casually.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Their reputations aren’t bad, it’s just..." Liu Mumu started, then paused and shook her head. "Forget it, all the Thunder Department officials are like this, nothing more to say... Oh, I came to tell you, I'm heading back to Sky Soaring City."

"Leaving so soon?" Yun Xiao obviously felt a pang of reluctance.

"My father has registered me for the Rank 7 Sky Protector examination. I need to go back and give it my all," Liu Mumu explained.

She had likely been preparing for this all along, but Jiang Taiping had forcefully brought her here. Now, with Yun Xiao’s status having soared in just half a day, Governor Jiang no longer dared to restrict her.

After all, defeating Jiang Heqing and securing a selection slot had only happened that morning.

Yesterday, Yun Xiao was still in Sangju City!

"The speed at which you’ve risen has left me baffled," Liu Mumu said with a smirk. "Others might think you've been hiding your true strength. I don’t believe that."

The issue of Yun Xiao’s rapid gain in power was something many had not yet fully grasped.

"Alright then, we'll meet again later," Yun Xiao said.

"Here, take this flying talisman. Contact me anytime if you need to." Liu Mumu handed over some talisman papers.

Yun Xiao carefully stored the flying talismans.

"One more thing, I heard someone was struck dead by the Thunder Immortal Formation during the day. Turns out it might be Lord Lu," Liu Mumu said, her gaze turning peculiar as she looked at Yun Xiao. "This has nothing to do with you, right?"

Yun Xiao chuckled dryly. "How could it? I am a Rank 9 Arbiter Initiate of the Celestial Court, an enforcer of its laws and decrees. I never murder without reason."

"Oh please," Liu Mumu scoffed, now certain of the situation. She seriously added, "Now, only Madame Lu remains in Lord Lu’s household. She’s a vindictive one. When she hears about Lord Lu’s death by the Thunder Immortal Formation, I fear she’ll suspect you, potentially harming Miss Yu, especially since Lord Lu came here to intercept you."

"Then move my mother to safety as soon as possible. When I find the time, I'll return and deal with that woman." Yun Xiao’s eyes hardened.

"Didn’t you just say you never murder?" Liu Mumu looked at him with a teasing smile.

"Without reason!" Yun Xiao added, then he urged, "Just hurry back, as fast as you can!"

"All right," Liu Mumu said, turning to leave. After a few steps, she looked back, her expression serious. "I know you possess incredible talent and that you're a clever child, but still, I must remind you never to underestimate your enemies. You've gained a certain status now; always leave a way out in your dealings..."

"I got it," Yun Xiao waved dismissively, "You sound just like my mother, always fussing."

The words caught even him by surprise.

His memories of his biological mother had paused at the age of twelve, somewhat distant now. In his recollections, she was a gentle and kind empress, compassionate toward her people.

Fussing, after all, often stemmed from love.

"Life is just so," Yun Xiao suddenly said with a self-mocking laugh. "Once gone, it will never return."

"..." Liu Mumu's body trembled slightly. Perhaps she, too, was reminded of someone she had lost.

"Goodbye, Lu Yao."

With those words, she turned and vanished into the lightning, like a trivial speck of dust lost in the tumultuous storm of the world.

?ι══????????══ι?

On the other side of the Nine Thunders Arena, a woman in a peach dress hovered amidst the lightning.

Beside her floated a young man in white. His long hair cascaded down like a waterfall, his features were delicate, his lips slightly thin, and his eyes shone bright as stars. Clearly, he was of noble birth.

"Mo Ruoyu," the girl in the peach dress glanced at the young man in white and spoke softly, "I heard your Grand Firmament Academy was quite lively this afternoon."

"Lively?" Mo Ruoyu shrugged. "It wasn't much, just felt a bit unfair."

"You dare to accuse the Supreme General of being unfair?" the girl in the peach dress exclaimed.

"What else is there to say?" Mo Ruoyu smiled coldly, then shook his head. "Somebody just randomly adopts a sworn son, and it seems like they've gained advantage. It feels childish, as if the efforts of so many young Arbiters from our academy mean nothing."

"Indeed." The girl in the peach dress nodded.

"To put it plainly," Mo Ruoyu continued with a light laugh, "the only standard in the Thunder Department is fairness. So, even if someone tries to game the system, when the tide recedes, their inadequacies will be exposed."

"How do you plan to make the tide recede?" the girl asked curiously.

"What do you think?" Mo Ruoyu shrugged. "Whack-a-mole, that's all. Once he's hammered down and bleeding, he won't dare to show his face again."

"From what you're saying, nearly a thousand young Arbiters from your Grand Firmament Academy are ready to take on this challenge?" The girl looked amused as she spoke, then smirked, "It's quite fitting you call him a mole, a creature that really does come from the dirt."

"Don't exaggerate," Mo Ruoyu replied calmly. "Everyone just wants a fair chance, that's all."

The girl in the peach dress asked curiously, "But the Supreme General himself came to watch this mole perform. Doesn't your Grand Firmament Academy's action amount to challenging him? Didn't Lightning Lord Bo Hong try stop you?"

Mo Ruoyu glanced at her and responded in a quiet tone, "Why ask such a trivial question? Do you really think the Thunder Department is ruled by the Supreme General alone? After all, the Lightning Lord is a disciple of the Nine Thunders Sovereign."

The girl in the peach dress chuckled softly without saying more, whispering to herself, "What a spectacle, quite the drama."

As the two were speaking, suddenly, the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings flickered with electric sparks, and two names rang out along with the sound of thunder.

"Mo Ruoyu and Lu Yao, proceed to Thundercloud 103!"

Upon hearing their names, the participants had 30 breaths to enter the arena, or they would be treated as having surrendered.

"Eh?" Mo Ruoyu thought he had misheard, and upon checking the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings, he confirmed it. He chuckled wryly. "Ah, what a coincidence this is!"

"Wow, you're about to become a celebrity in the Thunder Department!" the girl in the peach dress teased with a gentle laugh.

"Ha." Mo Ruoyu shrugged helplessly.

"Brother Mo!"

Several talented Arbiters around them looked at Mo Ruoyu with smiling eyes.

"After the match, let's go for late-night snacks. My treat," Mo Ruoyu laughed.

"Long live Brother Mo!"

The Arbiters from the Grand Firmament Academy all laughed.

?ι══????????══ι?

Atop the Celestial Thunder Platform, General Cao heard the combat lineup and turned back to the Nine Heavens Thunder Duke, who was dozing off. "Supreme General, Lu Yao is entering the battle."

"Oh?" The hawk-nosed old man with thunderous wings on his back shook his head slightly. "Who’s the opponent?"

General Cao glanced and said, "It's the beloved son of Thunder Emissary Mo."

"Ruoyu, ah, a fine seedling." The Supreme General smiled as he mentioned his name.

Sitting below Bo Hong, a scholarly-looking middle-aged man with a fair face and a valiant appearance stood up quickly. "General, indeed, it is my son, Ruoyu."

"Ruoyu has reached the Establishment Divine Self Realm, hasn’t he? This battle might be tough for Lil Cao’s foster son," the Supreme General said with a smile.

Thunder Emissary Mo hurriedly responded, "My son is dull, far inferior to General Cao's formidable foster son."

Hearing this, the Supreme General laughed. "Don't be insincere. Excessive modesty isn't great either. Isn't that right, Lil Cao?"

General Cao quickly added, "In the Thunder Department selection, fairness, and justice prevail. Regardless of victory or defeat, doing one's best is enough."

"Fair point, Lil Mo, take your seat." The Supreme General nodded sagely, his deep gaze falling on Thundercloud 103, and he suddenly exclaimed, "Those two jade amulets on his waist… Did you and your wife give them to him?"