The One King

Silence filled the arena after Azrael's final words.

He sat upon his magnificent throne, leaning back with his head resting against one hand, while his purple eyes gazed across the arena with cold indifference.

He had declared before all the major powers that he would not allow anyone to lay a hand on his followers.

There had been no hesitation in his voice.

As for Gaya, Rex, Sol, Lysandra, and Don, they stood in the area designated for the participants.

They were calm.

They knew very well who stood behind them.

Azrael Netherval.

Ruler of the Supreme Council Clan.

The tournament judge raised his hand, and the enormous formations surrounding the arena began to activate.

Massive screens appeared in the air, displaying the names of the participants.

The judge took a deep breath before raising his voice:

"Everyone! Now that all participating forces have arrived, the participant presentation ceremony of the All-Races Tournament shall officially begin!"

His voice echoed throughout the arena.

"The participants will be announced by name, along with the forces they represent."

The names began appearing one after another.

Dozens of young cultivators stepped into the arena. Some came from great empires, others from ancient sects and clans, while some belonged to rare races that most of those present had never even seen before.

But as time passed...

The important names began to appear.

The judge raised his list.

"The next participant is from the Infinite Races Guild!"

He paused for a moment.

Then announced:

"John!"

A young man stepped into the arena.

He did not display his strength.

He had no need to.

His aura alone was enough to attract the attention of many cultivators.

One of the elders said:

"That's John."

Another asked:

"Is he one of the guild's geniuses?"

The elder replied:

"He's one of their most outstanding ones."

Then he narrowed his eyes.

"He's at the peak of the Immortal Ascension Realm."

Whispers spread throughout the audience.

"Peak Immortal Ascension!"

"The guild is truly serious this time."

John stood calmly among the participants, showing no interest in the noise surrounding him.

The judge raised his voice again:

"The next participant represents the Celestial Serpent Empire!"

The audience immediately became more attentive.

Then he announced:

"Valeria Ashbourne!"

Valeria appeared.

Her steps were steady, and her features carried obvious confidence.

Voices rose from the audience:

"Valeria Ashbourne!"

"She's one of the geniuses of the Celestial Serpent Empire."

"Peak Immortal Ascension as well!"

Valeria stood among the participants.

Her eyes wandered across the arena before briefly turning toward the platform of the rulers.

Her father, Jonathan Ashbourne, was seated there.

Their eyes met.

Then Valeria looked away.

Her mind was focused solely on the tournament.

She had no idea that the past she believed she had buried would soon reappear before her.

The judge raised his voice once again:

"The next participants are from the Races Protection Association!"

Cheers erupted.

Then he announced:

"The first participant... Leon Foyd!"

A handsome young man appeared, carrying himself with calm confidence.

The moment he appeared, cheers erupted throughout the arena.

"Leon Foyd!"

"He's the future Supreme Guardian of the Races Protection Association!"

"He's reached the peak of Immortal Ascension at this age!"

Leon was different from most of the other participants.

He was not merely a genius.

He was the candidate whom everyone regarded as the future Supreme Guardian of the Races Protection Association.

Several rulers looked at him with interest.

One of them said:

"His future is limitless."

Another replied:

"If he continues at this level, he will one day take the position of Supreme Guardian."

Leon, however, paid no attention to the cheers.

He raised his eyes toward the stands and smiled when he saw his family.

He looked at Lunaria, then at his parents, before returning to his place.

The judge said:

"The next participant from the Races Protection Association..."

Then announced:

"Lina Ashbourne!"

Lina stepped into the arena.

She stood near Leon.

She was calm and confident, and her aura was also at the peak of Immortal Ascension.

She looked toward the stands.

She saw her father.

Jonathan smiled at her.

She returned a small smile.

Then she turned her gaze back toward the arena.

She had no idea that the person who would appear moments later would bring back memories she believed had ended long ago.

Then it was time for the Heavenly Council.

The atmosphere in the arena immediately changed.

The judge spoke with greater enthusiasm:

"The next participant represents the Heavenly Council!"

He paused.

Then announced:

"Alister!"

A young man stepped out from among the Heavenly Council's ranks.

The moment he appeared, whispers spread.

"Alister!"

"The strongest genius of the Heavenly Council!"

"He's at the peak of Immortal Ascension!"

"They say his combat power far exceeds what a cultivator at his level should possess!"

Alister was one of the Heavenly Council's most important trump cards.

Andor looked at him from the rulers' platform, a faint smile appearing on his face.

The blindfolded man beside him, however, showed no change in expression.

He remained silent.

The judge continued announcing the names.

Then...

It was time for the Supreme Council Clan.

The judge raised his head.

His tone changed.

"And now..."

The whispers gradually died down.

"The participants from the Supreme Council Clan."

The audience became even more interested.

After Azrael's arrival, the name of the Supreme Council Clan was no longer an ordinary one.

One spectator said:

"I want to see the followers of the Ruler of the Council."

Another replied:

"They must not be weak."

An elder beside them smiled.

"After the way Azrael spoke, do you really think he would allow his followers to come here while being weak?"

The judge raised his voice:

"The first participant... Rex!"

Rex stepped forward.

Then:

"Sol!"

Sol advanced.

Then:

"Lysandra!"

Lysandra appeared.

Then:

"Don!"

Don stepped forward.

The auras of all four were unmistakable.

Peak Immortal Ascension.

Silence settled over the arena for a few moments.

One elder said:

"Four cultivators at the peak of Immortal Ascension..."

He then looked toward Azrael.

"It seems the Supreme Council Clan didn't come here merely to participate."

Another replied:

"They came to announce their existence."

Only one name remained.

The judge looked at the list.

Then raised his head.

"And finally..."

A gradual silence spread throughout the arena.

"The final participant from the Supreme Council Clan."

The judge paused.

Then announced:

"Gaya Netherval!"

The name echoed throughout the arena.

But nothing happened at first.

Most of those present did not know who the bearer of that name was.

Then...

One of the female participants moved.

Gaya appeared.

She stepped forward calmly.

She wore her usual attire, her expression was tranquil, and her steps were steady.

When she reached the arena, her aura erupted clearly.

Peak Immortal Ascension.

Whispers began spreading through the audience.

"Gaya Netherval..."

"She's powerful."

"Peak Immortal Ascension as well."

But the moment Gaya appeared before everyone's eyes...

Two people on the rulers' platform froze.

Jonathan Ashbourne.

And...

Valeria Ashbourne.

As for Lina, her eyes widened.

None of them needed to hear her name again.

They knew her.

They knew those features.

Those eyes.

That figure.

They knew the girl they had believed had become nothing more than a part of the past.

Jonathan's voice came out weakly:

"Gaya..."

Lina froze.

"My sister..."

As for Valeria...

Her face went pale.

Her eyes widened as though she were facing a nightmare that had returned from the dead.

She whispered:

"Impossible..."

She had believed that Gaya was dead.

Yet Gaya was standing before her now.

Alive.

Powerful.

At the peak of Immortal Ascension.

And beneath the banner of the Supreme Council Clan.

The audience began noticing the reactions of the Ashbourne family.

"What's happening?"

"Why did their expressions change?"

"Do they know her?"

"She carries the name Netherval, but they're the Ashbourne family."

One cultivator said:

"Could there be some connection between them?"

But before anyone could receive an answer...

The rulers themselves began noticing what was happening.

One of them looked at Jonathan.

Then at Gaya.

Then at Azrael.

He said in surprise:

"Wait..."

Then added:

"Why does Gaya carry the Netherval name?"

Another ruler turned.

"That's true."

Then he looked toward Azrael.

"Netherval is Azrael's family name."

Eyes began turning toward the throne.

One ruler said:

"Is she one of his family members?"

Another replied:

"But she is participating under the name of the Supreme Council Clan."

A third said:

"Perhaps it's merely a title."

But another shook his head.

"No. Netherval isn't a title that just anyone can use."

The questions continued to multiply.

Even Titania looked toward Azrael in surprise.

As for Andor...

He fixed his gaze upon him.

Then said:

"Ruler of the Council."

Azrael did not answer.

He remained seated on his throne, leaning back with his head resting against his hand.

Andor continued:

"We have a question."

Azrael slowly raised his eyes.

His gaze was cold.

Andor said:

"Why does this participant carry the Netherval name?"

Silence descended.

Everyone waited for the answer.

Even Gaya herself remained silent.

As for Azrael...

He looked toward Gaya for a moment.

Then returned his gaze to the rulers.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

But it was not a gentle smile.

It was a smile that sent a chill through some of those present.

Then he spoke.

His voice was calm...

Yet it reached every corner of the arena.

"Because she's my wife."

Silence.

Complete silence.

Even the wind seemed to have stopped.

The rulers' eyes widened.

Titania herself looked stunned for a moment.

Andor said nothing.

As for the audience...

It erupted moments later.

"His wife?!"

"Gaya is Azrael's wife?!"

"When did that happen?!"

"Did you hear that?!"

"She's the wife of the Ruler of the Council!"

Even some of the major powers could not hide their shock.

No one had known that Azrael was married.

And the most shocking part...

His wife had suddenly appeared among the participants.

And even more strangely...

She originally belonged to the Ashbourne family.

As for Jonathan...

He was completely frozen.

He stared at Gaya.

Then at Azrael.

Then back at Gaya.

"His wife...?"

The words barely escaped his mouth.

Lina could not hide her shock.

She stared at Gaya as though trying to understand everything at once.

Her sister... Azrael's wife?

The man who sat upon the throne before all the major powers?

The man who had threatened the Enlightened One with death?

The man who had shown no regard for any empire or council?

As for Valeria...

Her face was completely pale.

The shock was too great for her to comprehend.

To her, Gaya had once been nothing more than a weak girl incapable of cultivation.

And now she was a cultivator at the peak of Immortal Ascension.

And now...

She was Azrael Netherval's wife.

The man who had silenced all the major powers simply by appearing.

Valeria began to realize the magnitude of the disaster that could occur if Azrael learned what she had done in the past.

As for Gaya...

Her expression did not change.

She stood calmly.

Then cast a brief glance toward Azrael.

Her gaze was peaceful, yet carried a hint of warmth.

Azrael gave her a faint smile.

Then returned to his previous posture.

As though his announcement had been nothing worth mentioning.

One ruler said quietly:

"He just announced his marriage before the entire world..."

Another replied:

"And in a way that leaves no room for doubt."

Then he looked toward Gaya.

"Now I understand why he allowed her to participate under the Netherval name."

The judge returned to his task after taking several moments to regain his composure.

He raised his voice with difficulty:

"Gaya Netherval... representing the Supreme Council Clan."

This time...

The name was no longer merely a name.

Everyone in the arena now knew what it meant.

Azrael's wife.

Gaya stood among the other participants.

On the opposite side stood Leon Foyd, the future Supreme Guardian of the Races Protection Association.

Lina Ashbourne, her full sister.

Valeria Ashbourne, her half-sister.

Alister, the strongest genius of the Heavenly Council.

John, the genius of the Infinite Races Guild.

And Rex, Sol, Lysandra, and Don, Gaya's companions within the Supreme Council Clan.

All of them were at the peak of Immortal Ascension.

And now...

Only the beginning of the tournament remained.

The judge raised his hand once again.

But before he could speak, he looked at the participants.

Then at the rulers.

Then at Azrael sitting upon his throne.

He swallowed hard.

For he realized that this tournament...

Would not be ordinary.

Not after the appearance of this man.

And not after his wife had appeared before the entire world.

The battles were about to begin.

But the first shocks had already occurred.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!