Chapter 629: Command the Sun and Moon to Renew the Heavens!

On the fighting platform, An Yao stood with a light smile, his face calm and untroubled. Opposite him, Yun Alter's eyes blazed with the fury of thunder, his gaze locked fiercely on his opponent.

"Even if it costs me my life here, you shall not take the crown of the Thunder Department from me!" Yun Alter declared sharply, his body swirling with thousands of electric serpents that coalesced into a shimmering violet Life Sigil.

Yun Alter possessed eight Rune Prisons, surpassing even Jiang Taiping, who was about to be promoted to a Rank 4 Thunder Emissary.

"Then, I suppose your life is the price you'll pay," An Yao replied softly with a serene smile. With a mere flick of his finger, a tiny black lotus, no bigger than a fingertip, flashed through the air and struck Yun Alter's Life Sigil.

It was a simple, effortless collision.

"AAGHHH!" Yun Alter's eyes widened suddenly, his face turning deathly pale.

BUZZ!

His Life Sigil disintegrated, turning into black ash that poured into his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose. In an instant, copious amounts of black blood flowed from every orifice.

"An Yao, you..." Yun Alter's voice was hoarse as he fell backward, crashing onto the dueling platform with a thunderous sound, motionless.

His breath faded swiftly. He was dead!

This marked the first death after the selections of the Immortal Tournament!

While Yun Xiao hadn't killed Jian Chi, An Yao had effortlessly slain the son of the Eight Paths Cloud and Thunder General. Perhaps it was because Jian Chi's father was the Rank 1 Northstar Sword Devil, wielding greater power.

Of course, it could also be that An Yao's killing prowess was superior.

"Xiao'er!"

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky as Yun Yin descended, trembling as he cradled his son. His eyes, thunderous and roaring, fixed An Yao with a deadly glare.

"Having won, was there a need to kill?" Yun Yin's voice boomed like thunder, barely concealing the immense killing intent within.

An Yao responded with a smirk, "In the Immortal Tournament, swords and magic are blind, and there is no rule against killing. Should misfortune befall someone, they can only blame their inadequate skills. Before the heart of the Celestial Court, what right does a mere Rank 2 Heavenly Officer have to roar in the presence of the assembled Immortals?"

Hearing this, Yun Yin's mind throbbed, his eyes nearly brimming with murderous intent. Yet, he had friends in the Celestial Court who, through whispered entreaties, urged him to restrain himself.

Indeed, Yun Yin had no choice but to endure. Having controlled the Thunder Department for many years, he would not lose his composure over trivial matters, but today was an exception.

In the end, Yun Yin held back his rage. Turning to An Yao with a chilly tone, he conceded, "Indeed, you are a true disciple of Sovereign Lu. Born to act without restraint, I must admire that."

With that, Yun Yin cradled his son's body and descended from the fighting platform. His expression seemed to age many years in those moments.

"Keep your complaints to yourself, after all, there are bigger grievances yet to come," An Yao said, then swept his gaze across Gu Zhenshi, Man Huo, and the other young talents of the Thunder Department. Shaking his head, he muttered under his breath, "Utterly useless, not a single one can fight."

His actions were bound to cause a storm of rage among the Thunder Department and the masses.

But clearly, An Yao didn't care at all. As he stepped down from the platform, he gave Nine Kites a smile, as if to say, "I might be brutal to your Thunder Department, but towards you, I'm still gentle..."

At that moment, Nine Kites clenched her fists, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.

She was filled with hate, yet not entirely. Why did she feel this mix of love and hate? She was more confused than anyone.

On one hand, deep within her soul, this was a battle for the dignity of the entire Thunder Department.

On the other hand, she found herself wishing An Yao would rise to dominate the world.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if he were a member of the Thunder Department?

Thinking this, Nine Kites sighed deeply, her mind devoid of any memory of her friend Yun Alter's dead face.

Yun Xiao gave her a glance, sighing internally as well.

"Bewitched by this soul magic, like a moth to a flame, ready to betray anything."

Helping Yun Xiao was the last vestige of reason in Nine Kites' mind. It was the lifeline she clung to as she drowned! If she were to forsake even Yun Xiao, it would mean she was thoroughly ensnared.

And now, with one person dead, the other high-ranking Immortals, save for Yun Yin, showed little reaction.

As if nothing had happened, the quarter finals continued!

At that moment, An Yao unexpectedly approached where Yun Xiao and Nine Kites were.

Yun Xiao thought An Yao was coming for Nine Kites, but upon his arrival, he spoke softly to her, "I wish to have a word with Brother Lu."

"Uh huh." Nine Kites nodded obediently, her eyes glistening as she stepped aside.

The favored disciple and rumored son of Sovereign Lu finally met, surely attracting the attention of many. Yet, most Immortals merely watched out of the corner of their eyes.

Up close, Yun Xiao found An Yao's smile warm and his demeanor friendly, devoid of any malice, as refreshing as a spring breeze.

Yun Xiao tensed up, cursing internally. "Just don't use any soul magic on me."

It wasn't that he was scared, he just found it distasteful, being a man himself!

"Lu Yao!" An Yao suddenly burst into a smile, opening his arms wide and swaying as he approached, feigning familiarity before embracing Yun Xiao tightly and thumping his back a few times.

This gesture instantly tightened many onlookers' chests. It likely signified that Lu Yao was aligned with the Chaos Sovereign!

"Something on your mind?" Yun Xiao asked, his face betraying nothing.

"I've heard my master speak of you—a perfect example of a Sword Immortal. Your appearance fulfills my perfect vision of a heroic protagonist," An Yao remarked with a wistful smile.

"Why did the Chaos Sovereign mention me?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"That's something you'd have to ask him yourself," An Yao replied.

"Alright, I'll ask him when I get the chance," Yun Xiao said.

"Don't wait for a chance," An Yao hooked Yun Xiao's shoulder familiarly. Being shorter made the gesture somewhat awkward, but it didn't stop him from leaning in close to whisper, "My master said he’s waiting for you at Suite 95 in the Divine Heavenly Pavilion. You can visit him anytime."

"Really?" Yun Xiao asked earnestly.

He thought the Chaos Sovereign had been leaving him hanging, but perhaps he just wanted a private meeting first? And he was right there in the Divine Heavenly Pavilion where Yun Xiao was staying?

"If I lie, my master would flay me alive," An Yao said with a sheepish grin.

"Alright, I'll visit him after this match. Suite 95, right?" Yun Xiao confirmed.

"Yes, 95, not 69, don’t get it mixed up," An Yao chuckled.

"Being the supreme 95, how could one obsess over 69?" Yun Xiao also cracked a smile.

"Oh?" An Yao appeared surprised but smiled warmly, "I didn’t expect it—you look like this but you’re just as worldly. It’s truly fortunate to find a comrade with similar ideals in this hypocritical and rigid Celestial Court."

"Comrades in ideals?" Yun Xiao pursed his lips, asking meaningfully, "May I ask, An Yao, what exactly are our shared ideals and paths?"

An Yao looked deeply at him and suddenly pointed to the sky, sighing softly, "Brother, look up at the sky. What do you see?"

"The sky?" Yun Xiao looked up, where celestial mists swirled and beyond them blazed the fires of the Great Dao Celestial Realm, "The celestial miasma blinds us; we cannot see beyond."

"Yes, the stars were once brilliant, but as the path of immortality prospers, the stars fade. Who knows when the sky will be devoid of starlight?" An Yao finished, shaking his head with a wry smile. "Life is full of hardships, with false Immortals ruling the heavens. In front of others, they appear noble, but behind, they devour and drink blood."

Hearing this, Yun Xiao felt a fire in his throat. He looked intently at An Yao and asked, "Then, what should a true man do?"

An Yao smiled profoundly, his spirit rising as he declared—

"Thunderclap, this earth-shaking maul! Violet Lightning, this true flame of the arcane! A sword suspended from the heavens shakes the world! To slay Immortals and slay gods, I cultivate into a devil. Sword drawn, I battle through torrents of blood. Today, the burden of justice rests on my shoulders, and I dare to command the sun and moon to renew the heavens!"

"Hmm?" Yun Xiao raised an eyebrow.