Immortal of the Ages

Chapter 475: Betrayal of the Mirage Immortal

"Why only likely?" Yun Xiao inquired.

"After breaking through the Establishment Yang Immortal Realm, one may ascend the heavens and enter the Great Dao Celestial Realm and become a True Immortal of the Celestial Court," Shen Cang said, gazing into the heavens.

"I see…" Yun Xiao nodded.

"The Thunder Department is part of the Great Dao Celestial Court, with its Judiciary Office being one of the law enforcement bodies. The Arbiter Immortals represent the supreme authority and laws of the Celestial Court, responsible for criminal investigation and law enforcement. However, they usually don't descend to the mortal realm," Shen Cang explained, shaking his head, "Honestly, I've never seen an Arbiter Immortal or Immortal Sword Vessel. These are secrets kept in the sacred texts of our Martial Emperor Clan, known only to the clan head."

"So, he's a True Immortal?" Yun Xiao asked.

"If he's descended from the Celestial Court, he must be," Shen Cang confirmed.

"And Li Hongpao, doesn't she also come from the Great Dao Celestial Realm?" Yun Xiao asked.

"She's different; she's more like an observer stationed in the mortal realm by the Celestial Court, with no significant background, considered the lowest rank within the Great Dao Celestial Realm," Shen Cang stated.

"Yun Xiao, why would a True Immortal settle for a mundane life on earth? Those who commit evil in the mortal realm are but degenerates of the Immortal path. And perhaps because of their lofty stature, the Celestial Court often relies on these degenerates to understand the human world," Dean Yu said, shaking her head.

"I understand," Yun Xiao nodded.

Perhaps this was why, even though this individual was clearly a law-enforcing Arbiter Immortal from the Thunder Department, Shen Cang couldn't be entirely sure he was a friend.

"Master, if he awakens and we present him with the crimes of the Three Immortals, will he return to the Celestial Court, report to the heavens, and punish them?" Lian Xi quietly asked.

"I don't know," Dean Yu answered, looking sternly at Yun Xiao, "But I know that killing an Arbiter Immortal is a crime of the highest order set by the heavens. Even if it's saving first and killing afterward, it's still a crime."

"You're overthinking, Dean Yu," Yun Xiao said with a shake of his head and a smile, "The world, after all, has more good people. I choose to believe he is a good Immortal."

"Yun Xiao..." Lian Xi looked at him, her voice soft, "You're not just willing to believe he's good; you're taking a gamble."

"On what?" Dean Yu asked.

"He's not afraid of the Three Immortals, the dream sea mirage, but the Great Celestial Sourcecore is singular across the myriad worlds. With the sun and moon permanently fused, disaster will spread. In such times, perhaps only this Arbiter Immortal can represent the Celestial Court, bringing a new Celestial Sourcecore," Lian Xi spoke softly.

"You know me well," Yun Xiao said lightly. With his nature, he wouldn't gamble on the morality of a powerful being unless there was no other hope.

"So it is," the crowd realized.

"The problem remains, who harmed him? He looks like he was poisoned with Gu. Who can save him?" Yun Dahe wondered.

"Could the Human Zenith Immortal have injured him?" Yun Xiao questioned.

"To speak the truth, even with ten thousand doses of courage, he wouldn't dare touch a Arbiter Immortal," Shen Cang said with a cold voice.

"Unless he had someone backing him," Dean Yu added.

"I understand," Yun Xiao murmured, glancing down at the Arbiter Immortal before him. Suddenly, he said, "Let me try; maybe I can save him."

"Good! Save him!" Shen Cang and the others were indeed eager to save the Arbiter Immortal. Their only fear was that Yun Xiao, upon learning of the Immortal's identity, might hesitate to take the risk.

Surrounded by them, Yun Xiao squatted down, the Prison Warden Sigil appearing in his hand.

"This Life Sigil, seemingly sinister, is actually a force of sacred purification. It might truly be able to counteract these corrupting parasites," Dean Yu said, somewhat incredulously.

Yun Xiao didn't respond; instead, he transformed the Life Sigil into a nine-headed dragon.

With ferocious roars, the nine-headed dragon forced open the mouth of the Arbiter Immortal, squeezing into his throat and burrowing into his body.

The Arbiter Immortal shivered, his eyebrows furrowed in pain, beginning to convulse.

A terrifying power erupted from his body, sending many flying.

Yun Xiao was held in place by Shen Cang, preventing him from being thrown.

Dark smoke started billowing from the Arbiter Immortal's body, and underneath his skin, it seemed as if countless parasites were scurrying, bulging the skin. From within, anguished roars could be heard.

"How audacious!" The Arbiter Immortal let out a furious roar, vomiting a considerable amount of black blood, which pooled on the lotus platform.

Yet, he didn't fully awaken, his eyebrows deeply furrowed, veins bulging as he screamed in agony.

"How is it?" Dean Yu asked Yun Xiao, visibly anxious.

"It's working. That's why the Gu parasites are in panic, trying to perish with him. But for now, I've managed to keep the situation under control," Yun Xiao said, frowning coldly as he continued to wield the Prison Warden Sigil.

"Can he recover?" Shen Cang asked.

"There's only a sixty percent chance. There are too many parasites inside him. We can only slowly burn them away without completely destroying him. The process must not go awry, or he's finished," Yun Xiao stated gravely.

"Understood," Shen Cang nodded, then instructed everyone, "Return to the city, ensure Yun Xiao's safety at all costs, and let no one reveal anything about the Arbiter Immortal!"

"Okay." Dean Yu controlled the lotus platform, protecting Yun Xiao and the Arbiter Immortal as they descended into the Nine Hells, tightly sealing it off.

"Master, do you think the Arbiter Immortal will recover in three days, the time we've agreed with the Dreamsea Abalones?" Lian Xi asked.

"It's up to him," Dean Yu sighed softly. After a moment, she turned to Lian Xi, "Weren't you out with him today? How come you returned separately?"

"It's nothing!" Lian Xi turned away, fearing her thoughts would be read.

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In the Nine Hells, within the Immortal Asylum, a realm of dreams had unfolded. Lights dazzled, treasures sparkled, exotic delicacies were abundant, melodies of jade flutes filled the air, and laughter echoed endlessly.

Dreams flowed like snow-white streams around the Immortal Asylum!

Despite being on land, it resembled the shimmering seabed of a sand ocean.

Deep within this dreamy seascape lay about 3,000 shells, glowing with a snow-white luminescence, embedded upright in the sand. They shimmered like pearls, gently opening and closing, revealing the snow-white, crystal-clear flesh within.

Each radiant shell seemed to contain a world so enchanting that one could lose themselves forever.

Above these 3,000 snow-white shells hovered a golden shell, ten times larger than the others. It lay wide open, its interior sparkling with a golden glow, like an emperor seated within.

From this golden glow, three thousand tendril-like golden bodies extended, spreading out like long hair, reaching into the three thousand snow-white shells, deeply intertwining with the mollusks within.

As the glow pulsated, over three thousand dreamlike chants resonated in unison, transporting one to a celestial realm. These were no longer mere shell demons but concubines receiving divine favor.

During this process, their union generated a powerful hallucinatory storm that swept into the Immortal Asylum!

Such a sorcery, born of their very nature, wielded unimaginable destructive power!

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Riots erupted within the Immortal Asylum, and the ground shook violently, to the point one might think the Nian still roamed there.

Faintly visible was a golden-armored giant, towering over ten feet tall, furiously slamming into the walls of the Immortal Asylum, puncturing the cold walls with thousands of golden holes!

If Moon Fairy were here, he would notice the Sky Source Immortal had changed. He was like a golden titan of flesh and steel, roaring and bellowing, a behemoth towering twice the height of an ordinary man, even taller than a Yang Devil!

The more he raged, the stronger the 3,000 dreamlike chants became, their numbing sounds infiltrating every crevice, plunging the entire Immortal Asylum into a euphoric realm.

It was clear, under the merciless onslaught of the Dreamsea Abalones, the Sky Source Immortal's vital essence was fading.

Such a method to drain an old man of his life was indeed cruel!

In the midst of the Mirage Immortal's bewildering enchantment, a series of cold laughs could be heard.

Suddenly, the Sky Source Immortal ceased his furious assault on the walls and let out a cold laugh himself.

"You think you can overthrow us with this and enslave the humans of the myriad worlds?" he spoke with a chilling voice.

The Dreamsea Abalones did not respond, instead intensifying its illusionary desires.

The Sky Source Immortal's laugh grew more scornful, "My brothers and I have been clandestinely feeding on the human race in these starry mundane worlds, evading the eyes of Arbiter Immortals for centuries. Did you really think we were without protection?"

"What do you mean?" the Mirage Immortal said with a chilly voice.

"Guess where my youngest brother is right now?" The Sky Source Immortal laughed wildly.

Upon hearing this, the enchanting music outside the Immortal Asylum abruptly ceased. The golden shell retracted its 3,000 tendrils, assuming a human-like form, staring intensely into the Immortal Asylum.

"You're able to ascend to the Great Dao Celestial Realm?" the Mirage Immortal said in terror.

"Why not? We are descended from the Celestial Court!" the Sky Source Immortal stated coldly.

The Mirage Immortal trembled, collapsing in fear.

Seeing this, the Sky Source Immortal sneered, "Initially, as long as you stayed in the Oblivion Demon Sea, not troubling humanity, we wouldn't have bothered with you. But you had to covet the Immortal Asylum! This is a treasure coveted by the high and mighty above; I only dare to guard it. And you think your aged selves are worthy?"

"What? You've reported the matter of the Immortal Asylum to the Celestial Court…" the Mirage Immortal said despairingly.

"What else? In this world, one must know what's within reach and what's not," the Sky Source Immortal scoffed.

"Sky Source Immortal!" the Mirage Immortal cried out. "I beg you, spare my kind a path to life. My clan is willing to follow you in life and death!"

"Oh? You kneel quite readily, don't you?" the Sky Source Immortal mocked.

"Please show mercy! Mercy!" the Mirage Immortal wept.

"Survival isn't difficult; I have two conditions," the Sky Source Immortal said.

"Please command!" The Mirage Immortal trembled.

"First, you've allied with Yun Xiao, right? Trick him into coming here in three days, and we'll join forces to eliminate them," the Sky Source Immortal said grimly.

"No problem!" The Mirage Immortal's eyes widened, "We must annihilate him!"

"Second!" The Sky Source Immortal glanced at the holes in the Immortal Asylum's walls, sneering, "At my age, you torment me in such ways? Fine! Have your clan transform into human form and come to me; I'll make sure you clams regret it."

The Mirage Immortal was stunned. Below, the 3,000 shells trembled violently.

"Go on, quickly!" the Mirage Immortal urged.

The 3,000 shells, weeping, transformed into human forms and lined up to enter, leaving the Mirage Immortal outside, despondently somber.

Unexpectedly, the Sky Source Immortal remained furiously indignant, "Why is one missing?"

The Mirage Immortal, startled, responded, "The whole tribe is here, none are missing."

The Sky Source Immortal looked outside, sneering, "The one missing is you!"

"..." The Mirage Immortal fell speechless.