Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 624: Black Lotus Anima Immortal!

"What's the problem with the name An Yao?" Nine Kites asked. She clearly didn't know Lu Yao well enough to realize he had an older brother named Lu An.

"What does that imply?" Yun Xiao asked Blue Star, huddled in his robes.

"It implies nothing much; either this transmigrated soul has a twisted sense of humor, or there's a lingering consciousness from Lu Bufan, transforming him into another person. Otherwise, how could he rise so high and yet forsake his wife and child?" Blue Star quipped with a twist of his mouth.

"Hmm." Yun Xiao then asked Nine Kites, "This An Yao, was he raised by Sovereign Lu?"

"So they say. Though a disciple, he was always nurtured as a true son..." Nine Kites looked at Yun Xiao strangely, "Are you pretending to be ignorant of Sovereign Lu, or do you genuinely not know?"

Nine Kites was hardly convinced that Yun Xiao and the Chaos Sovereign actually shared some sort of relationship. It was blatantly obvious that this young Arbiter from a frontier city was clueless about everything.

She even suspected Yun Xiao was deliberately feigning ignorance to deceive her.

Yun Xiao didn't answer her directly but just smiled.

The might of the Chaos Sovereign had been borrowed enough for the onset of the Immortal Tournament; as long as the fighting commenced smoothly, he was indifferent, relying now on his own performance!

As for Yun Xiao's connection with the Chaos Sovereign, how it would end, ultimately depended on the man himself.

"If nothing goes wrong, this An Yao will reveal the Chaos Sovereign's stance."

And if Yun Xiao's suspicions were correct, An Yao would make his appearance right before the start of his appointed match. After all, that was how the protagonist should behave.

In the eighth and final match of the round of 16, Empress Zhao handed over the last two white jade peaches to the Longevity Immortal.

Nine Kites ascended the fighting platform first.

When the Longevity Immortal announced An Yao's name, from the direction of the Divine Heavenly Pavilion, a shadow hurriedly approached.

It was a gaunt young man in black, robes with a face so ordinary that he would be unnoticed in a crowd. In this assembly of high ranking Immortals, he seemed out of place, yet paradoxically conspicuous.

He appeared with a smile as bright as the sun, bowed, and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty, as well as all the honored guests gathered here. I deeply apologize for being late."

Empress Zhao had been silent until now, but suddenly, with a smile, she said, "An Yao… True to your name, you are serene and carefree, uniquely independent. You have deeply inherited your master's teachings, treating the world with irreverent wit, which is quite amusing."

"Your Majesty's high praise leaves me abashed," the youth in black robes replied, smiling as he made his entrance.

Though his appearance was ordinary, he instantly became the focus of all attention.

The various Immortals had been displeased by his tardiness. But not even Empress Zhao was angered, and she even complimented him. Who then could dare to complain?

Above the clouds, stern gazes fell upon An Yao. Amid the calm, a fierce undercurrent was swirling.

With An Yao's arrival on the battle platform, the final match of the round of 16 had truly begun!

"Hello, Miss Nine Kites!" An Yao's lips curved slightly in a grin. His gaze on Nine Kites was pure yet carried an unmistakable heat, which the young woman distinctly felt.

"An impudent and ill-bred man." Nine Kites cursed silently in her mind, preferring not to engage further with An Yao.

She was a noble daughter of the Nine Thunders Sovereign! Men born of lowly origins, such as Sovereign Lu and An Yao, carried a rebellious streak that made her uncomfortable.

On any normal day, even Rank 2 Heavenly Officers would treat her with deference. Yet, An Yao's gaze seemed almost to strip her bare... She was already betrothed to an imperial prince. So, how dare he be so bold?

By contrast, although Yun Xiao had indeed seen her unclothed, his gaze was always calm, and since she had gotten even with him, Nine Kites harbored no ill impressions of him.

But now, just one look from An Yao, and she felt an intolerable offense! That faint smirk of his especially… it seemed as if he saw her as a conquest, strategizing every move against her.

Just one look was all it took for Nine Kites to reach her limit.

Without another word, she demonstrated her power!

Her blue-violet gown swirling, her body crackled with lightning, bursting forth. Countless tendrils of electricity spread outward, instantly forming eight true forms of young maidens, each a clone of blood and flesh!

She split into nine!

"Nine Sovereigns Thunder Form."

Onlookers murmured the name, their eyes filled with envy.

This Nine Sovereigns Thunder Form, a clan talent of the Nine Thunders Sovereign family, allowed one to split into nine, each a true form. Not only did this grant ninefold combat prowess, but it was akin to possessing nine lives!

In the Great Dao Celestial Realm, those who could lead a department had extraordinary heritage!

The Nine Thunders Sovereign was one of the Celestial Court's top Martial Immortals. He commanded the violent paths of thunder and stood unparalleled!

As a Martial Immortal, Nine Kites's nine forms were each as tough as that of any demon or devil!

SNAP! SNAP! SNAP! Enveloped in surging electric snakes and arranging herself in nine directions, she formed a miniature Thunder Immortal Array, trapping the nonchalant An Yao within.

BUZZ! Just then, one of the Nine Kitess unfolded a violet scroll!

Inside this violet scroll were painted nine lifelike Thunder Kites, their bodies writhing with electricity. They sprang forth from the scroll, transforming into nine celestial weapons, each falling into the hands of Nine Kites's nine forms.

Each of the nine weapons was distinct—there was a knife, a spear, a sword, a halberd, an ax, a hook, a trident, and a whip!

Commanding the nine Thunder Kites turned into celestial weapons, Nine Kites stood amidst the thunderstorm, radiating a stunning valor like a thunder goddess, her beauty striking, eliciting waves of admiration.

"Violet Lightning Weapons Chart, a Divine Heaven grade celestial treasure."

"You can tell the Nine Thunders Sovereign really dotes on his daughter. He actually entrusted such a precious treasure to her."

"Nine Kites's young age and control also speak to her exceptional talent."

"Has the Thunder Department seen such a promising young Arbiter in recent times?"

The high-ranking Immortals were laughing and warmly discussing amongst each other.

After Yun Xiao, the Thunder Department's performance had been hit and miss, but now, Nine Kites had elevated their standing again, somewhat salvaging the reputation of the entire Thunder Department.

"With Nine Kites's capabilities, there's a solid chance she could reclaim the championship for the Thunder Department."

"However, her opponent is an Anima Immortal, whose mysterious powers might not be so easily overcome."

As the Immortals were speaking, Nine Kites’s cold eyes swept forward, her celestial warrior's might thundering toward An Yao!

Within her formation, An Yao seemed like a black skiff in a stormy sea, appearing as if it could be torn apart at any moment.

The disparity in their strength was starkly evident at this moment!

But just then, An Yao looked up, his eyes deep, smiling at Nine Kites, "Rough and wild, I like that."

"Shut up!" Nine Kites was even more infuriated.

How dare he speak such words to a daughter promised to an imperial prince?

In her hands, the nine celestial weapons whirled up thousands of electric serpents, slashing, piercing, and whipping down!

"Spicy indeed, almost too hot for me." An Yao grinned. He extended his hand, and a black lotus blossomed in his palm. It was spinning gently, exuding an eerie aura—not of physical force, but of a storm of spiritual power.

"Go, my darling."

With a tap on the lotus, the petals scattered, precisely nine in total.

BUZZ! The seemingly innocuous nine black lotus petals vanished from sight and shot towards Nine Kites's nine forms!

In an instant, the petals, faster than before, slammed into her delicate bodies, right past her celestial weapons!

"Ah!" Nine Kites's face paled instantly, her thunderous eyes suddenly mirroring a black lotus!

Following the black lotus, her nine forms' offensive halted abruptly, all thunderous power shattered, all celestial weapons fell to the ground, and she herself slowly collapsed...

BUZZ! Her nine forms merged back into one, yet her gaze remained confused.

"Are you alright?"

Suddenly, a hand reached out to her.

Nine Kites shook her head and looked up. Beneath the glowing light, the youth in black offered a tender smile, so clear and pure, devoid of any prior annoyance.

"Miss Nine Kites, thank you for your leniency," An Yao gently pulled her up, then promptly released her hand.

For some reason, the moment he let go, Nine Kites felt an emptiness inside, inexplicably melancholic.

"His hand was so warm..." Thinking this, warmth surged in Nine Kites's heart, a sweetness blossomed, and for a moment, she even forgot her defeat.

After a while, from the glances of those around her, she realized she had indeed lost!

For this battle, she had given her all, practiced diligently for over 20 years, vowed to her father to reclaim glory and dignity for the Thunder Department. She had thought if she failed, she would regret it for life... but why didn't it hurt as much as she expected now?

She looked at the youth in black, her eyes moist and slightly red, but no tears would fall...

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