"Silence." It was only when Thunder Duke Bai Duo spoke out that the raging crowd began to quiet.

From beginning to end, Yun Xiao floated in the air, his world seemingly sealed off. The hostility of the masses meant nothing to him; he simply didn't care.

"In the first five rounds, I had Jiang Taiping and Master by my side. Now, it's truly a solitary battle, one against the geniuses of the Thunder Department."

Pressure bred motivation! Yun Xiao's spirit and will remained formidable.

"Right. Them..." Yun Xiao glanced back and saw, at the edge of the crowd, sisters Jiang Haiyan and Jiang Heqing, their eyes red as they watched him. They must have guessed that he was responsible for their father's death. Yet, under the control of the Prison Warden Sigil, they couldn't work up an ounce of hatred for him.

"Come here," Yun Xiao beckoned.

The sisters approached obediently, tears brimming in their eyes, yet they treated Yun Xiao gently, encircling him affectionately.

"I am representing the Immortal Sword Court in battle now," Yun Xiao instructed.

"Yes..." With tears, the two nodded submissively.

This scene undoubtedly grated on the nerves of the onlookers.

In the distance stood Bai Zijun among the disciples of the Grand Firmament Academy, his face a cold pallor. "He's truly arrogant and reckless."

"The Nine Thunders Arena needs no words. Whoever faces him should fight him to the death. He destroyed our Sword Suppression Gate and still dreams of climbing to the Immortal Sword Court?

"The kid has talent, but we can't allow him to succeed at the Immortal Sword Court; otherwise, he'll be used against us," Bai Zijun said, glancing around. "Whoever among you faces him, don't fear death; his skills aren't that strong."

"Just kill him."

"If he falls in the Nine Thunders Arena, even the Moon Sword Goddess can't complain."

Surrounding Bai Zijun were the other children of the high officials from the Thunder Department. They were the true elite among the participants, raised together from childhood.

This was a true circle of top-tier celestial scions!

Without parents of Rank 4 or higher, one couldn't enter this circle.

Most of them remained in the selection, indicating their exceptional average level.

For instance, Bai Zijun, barely 20 years old, already boasted a Rank 7 title, his combat prowess surpassing that of ordinary Sky Protectors. By the time he reached 30 years old, he would have no trouble matching the strength of Rank 6 Heavenly Officers such as Lord Lu.

Suddenly, Lu Yao's name appeared on the Thunder Rankings, drawing everyone’s attention.

In a flash, over 1,000,000 pairs of eyes turned towards the Thunder Rankings.

“Bai Zijun!”

Following Lu Yao, the next name that appeared was Bai Zijun’s, whether by coincidence or a deliberate arrangement remained unknown.

At this moment, the atmosphere of the selection had reached a fever pitch, with intense scrutiny focused on Yun Xiao.

On the Celestial Thunder Platform, Bai Duo’s expression tightened as he looked toward Cao Sheng and Gu Suwan nearby.

“Don’t misunderstand; it was merely a coincidence. I haven’t altered the sequence,” Cao Sheng stated flatly.

“You’d better not have,” Bai Duo responded coldly.

Gu Suwan chuckled. “General Bai, your son is already at the Celestial Expanse Realm, his spirit capable of manipulating his sword through the heavens and slaying foes. He's almost a match for some Rank 6 Heavenly Officers. For him to deal with a rebel from the Thunder Department is nothing but child's play. You seem afraid.”

Bai Duo gave them a deep look. This couple had taken the opportunity to sever ties with Lu Yao, while loudly declaring Lu Yao’s connections with the Moon Sword Goddess, effectively placing themselves out of the immediate scandal.

Out of the fray, yet still using this young man to cause trouble?

"..." Bai Duo was at a loss. Admitting defeat now would deny his own son’s talents.

“Don’t worry, under normal circumstances, Zijun has a significant advantage,” Bo Hong whispered.

“And if the circumstances aren't normal?”

That was what Bai Duo feared.

“Are you referring to the Sky Soaring City Sword Devil?” Bo Hong asked.

The tale from Sky Soaring City had spread, and the locals had dubbed the murderous devil, the Sky Soaring City Sword Devil.

“Yes.” Bai Duo nodded.

“No worries, if he shows even a hint of those capabilities, he’ll essentially be proving he committed the massacre himself in public. If that happens, not even a Rank 1 Heavenly Officer could save him,” Bo Hong stated coldly.

“Hmm…” Bai Duo thought of Bai Zijun’s many years of achievements and felt slightly reassured.

Down below, Bai Zijun was the focus of countless eyes, all filled with expectation.

The thunderous cheers ignited the fire in his blood, turning his mind a fiery red and his desire to fight overwhelming.

"Sister!" Bai Zijun turned back, looking up at the mountain behind him that loomed even higher.

It was Bai Ling'er, a true possessor of Rank 6 Heavenly Officer's combat prowess.

The Celestial Expanse Realm was above the Divine Self Realm! It was when the spirit ventured far from the body, capable of commanding the Sword Soul to reach distant lands and slay enemies from afar!

The spirit would ascend the celestial expanse!

Originally, when Lord Lu attempted to assassinate Yun Xiao at the Soaring Thunder Leap, he'd employed this technique!

Lord Lu was in the Perfect Celestial Expanse Realm, and so was Bai Ling'er!

To ascend to the Celestial Expanse Realm before 30 years old was the hallmark of a peak prodigy of the Thunder Department. Others, like Jiang Haiyan, barely in the Early Divine Self Realm at 30 years old, were far behind.

"For the glory of the Thunder Department, to cleanse the deceitful and wicked demons, to sever the unclean with our swords, is our sacred duty," Bai Ling'er softly told her brother.

"We children of the Thunder Sword fear no battle!" Bai Zijun laughed heartily, his heart open wide, his will as boundless as the sky.

BOOM! He soared upward, riding on white lightning snakes, arriving like a blinding white lightning storm onto a battlefield surrounded by a pool of thunder.

BOOM! The electricity from the thundercloud and the white lightning on his body clashed and danced together.

The might of a Thunder Department genius was fully displayed in him!

"Bai Zijun!"

The deafening calls, like a tsunami, rolled over the crowd.

On his shoulders, Bai Zijun bore the hopes of the entire Thunder Department. This battle seemed to have turned into a youthful showdown between the Thunder Department and the Immortal Sword Court.

Behind Yun Xiao stood only a pair of sisters whose father had been slain...

Behind Bai Zijun were over 1,000,000 Immortals of the Thunder Department!

This was the kind of battle that thrilled one to the core!

Because every sword Yun Xiao swung was against 1,000,000 souls!

This was the atmosphere Yun Xiao desired the most!

At this moment, Bai Zijun was unaware of the full measure of his own spirit. He knew only that with the entire Thunder Department behind him, his aura surged like a tempest, transforming him into a deity of thunder, while his adversary, Yun Xiao, seemed as insignificant as an ant!

HUM! Bai Zijun summoned his Sword Soul! It was a Sword Soul formed of white thunderbolts, with roaring thunder along its blade, and at the tip and hilt, two white Sword Prisons manifested.

The Sword Immortals of the Celestial Court seemed to disdain the demonic Sword Rings. So, their swords appeared truly noble and righteous, with thunderbolts purging the evil, their presence awe-inspiring!

In this moment, Bai Zijun was truly a son of white lightning!

His stature soared! Then, his spirit manifested, a thunderous light shadow revealing the heritage of his ancestors to the world, his spirit taking the form of a giant white lightning beast with the face of a man!

“The Bai Ze Spirit!”

Excited shouts reverberated through the heavens.

Son of Thunder, Bai Ze Spirit, and the Lightning Sword Soul... These three elements united, along with his Celestial Expanse Realm aura, made Bai Zijun stand out like a true, unparalleled genius.

At this moment, Bai Zijun was at the top of the world!

“Lu Yao, I will allow you three…” Surging with emotion and a towering will, Bai Zijun looked down on Yun Xiao and began to speak thunderously.

Though… he had barely uttered the word three when an azure Sword Soul suddenly shot towards him!

“Four!!” Bai Zijun instinctively cried out a number!

From three to four, to those unaware, it might seem he was merely counting!

But those in the know widened their eyes, watching as Bai Zijun’s sentence was cut in half, his mouth pierced by a Flying Sword!

With a splatter, Bai Zijun, who had just made a glorious entrance, now plummeted from the sky like a kite severed from its string.

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