Chapter 61: The Descent of the Ruler of the Council

When Azrael sat upon the throne he had just created, he showed no interest in the rulers around him.

Instead, he leaned back casually and rested his head against one hand, as though he had not just taken his seat before the most powerful forces in the world, but had simply returned to a place that belonged to him.

Then he looked across the arena with a fleeting glance.

He showed no interest in the countless spectators, the rulers seated around him, or even the great powers that had traveled vast distances to participate in the event.

Then he spoke in a commanding voice, completely devoid of concern:

"Now that this great one has arrived... let the tournament begin."

His words echoed throughout the arena.

Silence descended.

The expressions of countless cultivators froze.

Some thought, for a moment, that they had misheard him.

"Did... did he just say that the tournament should begin?"

"Yes."

"But he didn't even wait for the host to announce it!"

"That's the Heavenly Council and the Central Empire!"

"He didn't even ask for permission!"

It was obvious to everyone.

The Heavenly Council was the main sponsor of the tournament.

As for the Central Empire, it was the host nation.

Naturally, the rulers of these two powers should have been the ones to officially open the tournament.

But Azrael did not care.

After issuing his command, he did not even spare another glance at any of the rulers.

As if he had simply given an ordinary order that required no one's approval.

As if he already owned the place.

As if he saw no reason to wait for anyone.

The audience stared at Azrael in shock and curiosity.

His arrogance was astonishing.

Yet, strangely enough, many of them felt something else besides shock.

Admiration.

There was something undeniably impressive about someone who could display such absolute dominance, behaving as though he simply did not consider himself obligated to submit to anyone.

After Azrael spoke, silence filled the arena.

Everyone was waiting for the reaction of Andor, the Lord of the Heavenly Council, and Empress Titania.

What Azrael had done was not merely a violation of the tournament's conventions.

It was a direct challenge to their authority.

The first to respond was Andor.

A gentle smile appeared on his face.

The smile seemed friendly on the surface, but it was obviously forced.

He spoke calmly:

"This is not appropriate, Lord of the Council Clan."

Azrael did not respond.

Andor continued in the same tone:

"You know very well that the Heavenly Council and the Central Empire are the hosts of this tournament."

He maintained his smile and said:

"Therefore, it is only natural that the announcement opening the tournament should be our responsibility."

He paused for a moment.

Then added:

"So, if you don't mind, let us follow the rules established for this event."

His words sounded polite on the surface.

But the meaning behind them was clear.

Do not interfere with our authority.

Azrael slowly raised his eyes toward Andor.

He looked at him.

For several moments.

Then...

He ignored him.

Just like that.

As though the person who had spoken was nothing more than a tiny insect that did not even deserve the effort of a response.

The smile on Andor's face froze.

The gentle expression he had struggled to maintain began to crack.

For an instant, an ugly expression nearly replaced it.

But Andor quickly controlled himself.

The smile disappeared from his face.

His eyes became cold.

He was about to say something else...

But a voice came from beside him.

The voice of the blindfolded man.

Andor stopped.

Everyone's attention turned toward him.

The man was still sitting calmly, the black blindfold covering his eyes, and he had barely moved.

Yet when he spoke...

His voice reached every corner of the arena.

He said calmly:

"Darkness is devouring you from within, Lord Azrael."

The expressions of several people changed.

The Seer continued:

"It is spreading deeper and deeper within you."

Silence.

Then he said:

"Save yourself from it before it devours you completely."

His words were ominous.

So ominous that even some of the rulers narrowed their eyes.

As for Azrael...

He stopped.

For the first time since his arrival, something seemed to have caught his interest.

He slowly turned toward the blindfolded man.

And stared at him for a long time.

He did not appear angry.

Nor did he appear afraid.

He simply stared.

For a long while.

As if Azrael were trying to see beyond the black blindfold, toward something deeper than the man's physical body.

Several moments passed.

Then something changed in his expression.

The indifference disappeared.

The corner of his mouth slowly lifted.

A dark smile appeared.

A smile filled with immense malice.

It was a strange smile.

A terrifying one.

For a moment, his features looked as though a demon had smiled after finally discovering something worthy of its interest.

Then Azrael spoke in a terrifying voice:

"And what if this darkness devours me?"

Silence deepened.

Azrael continued staring at the man.

Then he said:

"Will you save me from it..."

His smile paused for a moment.

Then widened slightly.

"Enlightened One?"

His words echoed throughout the arena.

The moment the weak-hearted and weaker cultivators heard his terrifying voice and saw that sinister smile displayed on the massive screens hanging above the arena...

Their faces turned pale.

Their throats tightened involuntarily.

Some of them barely dared to breathe.

As for the powerful...

Some of their bodies trembled involuntarily.

That smile was unnatural.

It was not merely the smile of someone confident.

There was something within it that made their instincts warn them of danger.

After the initial shock subsided, some members of the audience began to realize the name Azrael had uttered.

"The Enlightened One..."

Someone gasped.

"What?"

"Did he say... the Enlightened One?"

Whispers quickly spread.

"The Enlightened One?!"

"Could he really be the Enlightened One?"

"That name belongs to only one person in the entire world!"

"The greatest seer in the mortal world?"

Everyone looked toward the blindfolded man.

The legendary man who had remained mysterious for thousands of years.

The man who had foretold the prophecy of the Lord of Darkness twenty years ago.

The Enlightened One.

He had appeared before the world this time.

As for the Enlightened One...

He did not seem surprised.

As though he had expected Azrael to recognize him.

As though he had been waiting for this question from the beginning.

He calmly said:

"You still have a chance to survive."

The whispers stopped.

Then he continued:

"You can still save yourself from the darkness within you."

Azrael continued staring at him.

The Enlightened One then said:

"But if the need arises..."

His tone changed slightly.

"I will help you, Lord Azrael."

The way the Enlightened One spoke did not sound like a genuine offer of help.

It was closer to a threat wrapped in calmness.

As though he was not saying:

I will help you.

But rather:

If things reach that point, I will intervene myself.

In the stands...

Lilian watched the conversation with a frozen expression.

At first, she had not realized the identity of the blindfolded man.

But when Azrael spoke his name...

She understood.

That man was the Enlightened One.

The man who had been responsible for her losing one of her sons.

She looked at him with deep hatred and resentment.

But the Enlightened One's final words made her face turn even paler.

"I will help you, Lord Azrael."

To some, it might have sounded like nothing more than an offer of assistance.

But Lilian understood the true meaning.

The Enlightened One knew.

He knew Azrael's identity.

He knew that he was the Lord of Darkness.

And merely knowing that truth was enough to make her heart tremble.

As for the consequences of the Enlightened One knowing the truth...

They were even more terrifying.

At that moment...

Azrael's expression changed.

His smile disappeared.

His face became icy.

Cold to an almost frightening degree.

His draconic eyes glowed with suffocating killing intent.

His killing aura spread throughout the area.

Several rulers narrowed their eyes.

But Azrael did not care.

He opened his mouth and spoke in a dreadful, terrifying voice:

"You..."

He paused.

Then said:

"You may think whatever you wish."

His tone was calm.

But it was more terrifying than a shout.

"You may think whatever you want and interpret things however you please."

His eyes became even colder.

"But you cannot say whatever you wish."

Silence.

He continued:

"There are some things that must be spoken in whispers."

Then he slightly raised his eyes.

"And there are other things..."

He paused.

"That must never be spoken at all."

The killing intent surrounding him intensified.

"And if you break that rule..."

Azrael paused briefly.

Then said:

"You may lose your life."

The Enlightened One did not move.

Azrael continued:

"Or even more than your life."

His eyes darkened.

"You will lose your existence."

A heavy silence fell over the arena.

No one dared to speak.

Even the Enlightened One did not respond.

He remained calm, as though Azrael's threat had not surprised him.

Several moments passed.

Then Azrael spoke again.

"This time..."

His killing intent slightly subsided.

"I will let it go."

Then he added:

"Because I am in a good mood."

But suddenly...

Azrael's expression changed.

The dark coldness returned to his features.

A gloomy, frigid expression, as though water itself could drip from his face because of its sheer coldness.

Then he said:

"But..."

He paused.

His eyes remained fixed upon the Enlightened One.

Then his voice emerged like a death sentence:

"Say it again..."

His draconic eyes glowed.

"And I will crush your soul."