Immortal of the Ages

Dongfang Sheng had a sly grin as he relayed his latest scheming to his son, Dongfang Yong. "I've just had a word with Governor Jiang. We've devised a clever plan to deal with Lu Yao, but for now, the details must remain our secret. You just keep fighting as normal. After the first round of selections, we'll capture Lu Yao and bring him to justice."

"Really?" Dongfang Yong asked, his voice tingling with excitement.

"Of course," Dongfang Sheng chuckled. "What use would the Celestial Court have for the Thunder Department if a desperate fugitive with no background could wreak havoc with just a few tricks?"

"That's more like it!" Dongfang Yong felt a sweep of relief clear all the anger and frustration from his heart. He laughed heartily, then added thoughtfully, "Zhao Danming and Chen Yu can rest easy now."

"Indeed," Dongfang Sheng said, clapping his son on the shoulder. "Their parents are both Rank 6 Judicial Immortals. How could their deaths possibly go unpunished? Come, let’s head to the Nine Thunders Arena and let your true brilliance shine."

"Right!" Dongfang Yong's heart surged with fervor.

"But remember," Dongfang Sheng cautioned earnestly, "keep the details of the case to yourself. It's all strategic planning; no need to spread the word."

"Don't worry, Dad, I'm not three years old anymore," Dongfang Yong replied with a laugh.

"Mhm. Yeah, almost 30 years old now..." Dongfang Sheng watched him with a smile, his heart aching.

"The Nine Thunders Arena is just ahead," Liu Mumu shouted over the thunderous roars of lightning, pointing into the distance.

Yun Xiao followed her gaze to the horizon where endless clouds of thunder rolled. Nine dense clusters of storm clouds, arranged in the formation of the Nine Palaces, floated between the sacred land of the Thunder Department and the Thunder Immortal Formation.

Each cloud was a vast expanse of booming thunder and countless lightning serpents, making the world around them perpetually loud. Conversations had to be shouted to be heard.

"So many people!" Yun Xiao exclaimed as he looked around. At least tens of thousands were heading to the arena at the same time—either high ranking Immortals or Arbiter prodigies, the elite of the entire Thunder Department.

Only someone of Dongfang Sheng's rank, a Rank 6 Heavenly Officer or higher, was entitled to witness the battle. For ninety-nine percent of the populace in the Thunder Department, even a glance was a privilege they did not possess.

Liu Mumu, while drawing closer to the towering thunderclouds, shared with Yun Xiao, "Close to 10,000 Arbiter prodigies will join this selection."

"Ten thousand? That's indeed a lot," Yun Xiao remarked, recalling that Sky Soaring City, vast as it was, only had five slots available.

"Not so many, really; there were more in the last selection," Liu Mumu responded with a smirk. "But of these 10,000 participants, at least 8,000 are from the core ranks of the Thunder Department. Those like you, coming from a regional frontier city, number less than 2,000."

"Over 8,000 from the core ranks? They must be superior, right?" Yun Xiao asked casually.

"Every selection by the Thunder Department picks nine, who then go to the Divine Gateway at the Celestial Court, under the eyes of 100 officials, to compete for the title of Supreme Immortal Champion," Liu Mumu explained. She pondered a moment and then added, "In my memory, at least for the last five sessions, the nine talents chosen were all from the Thunder Department. There have been only a few Arbiters from region frontier cities who've made it to the Divine Gateway through history."

The Divine Gateway was the sole hub of the Celestial Court. It was the central jewel of the Great Dao Celestial Realm! To go there was an honor of staggering proportions.

Yun Xiao asked in confusion, "Aren't Arbiters a part of the Thunder Department? How many Thunder Departments are there in the Celestial Court?"

"There's only one Thunder Department," Liu Mumu replied, giving Yun Xiao a look. "You ask these questions to others, and they might take you for an illicit ascender." Yun Xiao scratched his head with a harmless laugh.

Liu Mumu did not pursue the matter further and explained, "Since the Arbiters belong to the Thunder Department, and there's only one Thunder Department in the Celestial Court, it dominates the final selections at the Divine Gateway, claiming nine spots."

"How many spots in total?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"There are 16 Arbiter talents from the entire Celestial Court that can go to the Divine Gateway. The other seven come from various other departments, immortal clans, and noble families. Basically, aside from our nine from the Thunder Department, the other seven are just honorary Arbiters, posted in regional frontier cities to enhance their rank and reputation," Liu Mumu said with evident distaste, resigned to the reality of the system.

"How capable are these seven each time?" Yun Xiao asked casually.

"Truthfully, since the Thunder Department is just the Celestial Court's penal department and its resources are limited, those seven are often the best of the best from all parts of the Celestial Court, usually stronger than those from our own core," Liu Mumu admitted with some frustration. "I'm not ashamed to tell you, we haven't had a Supreme Immortal Champion from the Thunder Department in the past five tournaments."

"Damn, the Immortal Tournament for Arbiters ends up being won by others?" Yun Xiao expressed his surprise.

"In fact, in the last five tournaments, the Thunder Department hasn't even placed third. Each of those other seven participants are fiercer than the last," Liu Mumu exclaimed.

It made sense; these honorary Arbiters likely held much higher real statuses.

By now, the two had stepped into the Nine Thunders Arena, surrounded by the nine immense thunderclouds!

Tens of thousands had gathered here!

These were the competing Arbiters and their parents were Heavenly Officers of Rank 6 and above!

The scene was incredibly solemn and vast.

Awe and trepidation filled Yun Xiao as he arrived, his eyes quickly capturing two sights of immense importance.

Above their heads loomed a vast platform of white jade, oppressive in its grandeur, hanging over the tens of thousands of Immortals gathered below. From it, bolts of lightning extended like ropes, tethering the platform to the nine thunderclouds swirling above.

"This is the Celestial Lightning Platform. Soon, 100 of the Thunder Department's Immortals will grace it to witness the battles," Liu Mumu explained, her voice tinged with longing.

"The hundred Immortals? Are they the most powerful in this place?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"Yes. Each one a ruler in their own right." Liu Mumu nodded. "I wonder if today the Summer Thunder Duke will make an appearance."

"Does Governor Jiang have the standing to be up there?" Yun Xiao asked offhandedly.

"He hasn't been officially promoted to Rank 4 Thunder Emissary yet. So, he'll have to watch from below today. Thunder Emissary Cao, who helped you, and her brother, the Summer Thunder Duke, both belong to that elite hundred."

Essentially, the status of a Rank 4 Heavenly Officer of the Celestial Court was the threshold to ascend the Celestial Lightning Platform.

It was a world rigid with hierarchy!

To ascend in rank, whether they were various Immortal officials or Arbiter prodigies, everyone's eyes burned with fervent zeal, their spirits brimming with the desire to shine today after 30 years of arduous cultivation!

"And what is that?" Yun Xiao pointed towards a structure behind the Celestial Lightning Platform, where a towering wall of white gold stood suspended, its blank surface shining with a severe and solemn light.

Many young faces kept turning towards it, their eyes alight with dreams.

"The Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings," Liu Mumu patiently explained, knowing Yun Xiao was an outsider. "Didn't I just tell you about the 10,000 who will compete through nine battles to select nine Arbiters for the Divine Gateway? After the Thunder Department's selection concludes, the names of those nine will shine on the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings, revered until the next Immortal Tournament."

"No substantial rewards besides the honor?" Yun Xiao voiced his primary concern.

"Do you know what reward in the Celestial Court is most coveted?" Liu Mumu asked.

Yun Xiao shook his head.

"Promotion and elevation in rank!" Liu Mumu's gaze intensified as she looked at him, "Under normal celestial rules, a Rank 9 Arbiter Initiate like you would take five years to be promoted to an official Arbiter, and reaching Rank 8 by the age of 30 years old would be considered exceptional. But..."

She gestured towards the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings. "The Thunder Department grants extraordinary rewards to those who represent it at the Divine Gateway and shine there. So, those who make it onto the rankings are immediately promoted to Rank 6!"

Reaching Rank 6 before 30 years old? This was beyond Yun Xiao's expectations.

"This new incentive was set by the Summer Thunder Duke after the recent disappointing performances at the Divine Gateway," Liu Mumu explained with a shake of her head and a smile. "The Immortal Tournament is a fierce leap in ranks for those who excel. Besides the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings, the Thunder Department mandates that the highest rank for Arbiters under 30 is a Rank 7 Sky Protector."

"Yes, and you’ve been at it for years, only reaching Rank 8..." Yun Xiao couldn't help but chuckle.

"Laugh all you want, I’m one of the quick ones! Sometimes, climbing the ranks is even tougher than advancing in cultivation," Liu Mumu retorted, then gazed back at the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings, sighing, "The nine strongest talents of the Thunder Department, once listed, will rank as high as my father. Even if it's a nominal rank without real power, it's enough. My father spent centuries becoming a Rank 6 Judicial Immortal."

Rank 6 included Judicial Immortals, Administrative Immortals, and Manor Immortals.

"Not bad at all. That’s just the status I need," Yun Xiao said, his eyes gleaming with determination.

"So, you really are aiming for one of those nine spots?" Liu Mumu wasn't surprised by Yun Xiao's ambition but cautioned him, "You do have the potential, but remember, among these 10,000 contenders, many already hold the rank of Rank 7 Sky Protectors. For them, advancing to Rank 6 is just one step up. The talent from the core of the Thunder Department far surpasses that of Sky Soaring City. Some are even children of Rank 3 or 2 Heavenly Officers. Today is their best chance to showcase their capabilities for grand futures, so they'll give it their all."

Simply put, this was the best career launchpad!

It was a competition of face and future!

Those who made it onto the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings today might one day become Stellar Margraves or Sovereigns!

And their parents? Let alone a Rank 2 Heavenly Officer, even a Rank 3 Summer Thunder Duke like General Cao was formidable.

Yun Xiao had only eliminated a few talented Arbiters from Sky Soaring City, but the real pinnacle of challenge lay in the Nine Thunders Arena!

After hearing all this from Liu Mumu, Yun Xiao closed his eyes, feeling the raging wind and thunder around him.

The fervent ambitions and spirited voices of 10,000 young prodigies echoed in his ears!

The sacred land of the Thunder Department was like a thunderous forge, firing up the blood and hearts of every genius Arbiter!

Those formidable unknown adversaries, sheltered under the wings of high-ranking parents, were baring their sharp fangs to the world!

Nine rounds of battle would determine the victor!

"Master," Yun Xiao breathed deeply, slowly saying, "My ambition isn’t just to make it on the Nine Heavens Thunder Rankings."

With his eyes wide open and his voice full of resolve, he declared, "I want the name Lu Yao to echo through the halls of the Divine Gateway and resound throughout the Celestial Court!"

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