C348 The Empress
Bai Shang, the Earth Demon, and the white-haired crone displayed profound respect for the Silvermoon Queen, a reverence that came straight from the heart!
Legend had it that the woman who led the Lee family to the throne, a woman who became empress, was always flanked by three shadows.
Clearly, Bai Shang and the white-haired crone were two of them.
Upon discovering Bai Shang's identity as the Earth Demon and the old woman's as the Demonic Snake, people naturally assumed that the empire's empress was likely a puppet controlled by the Earth Demon Bai Shang and the white-haired Demonic Snake.
Obedient to the three Demon Spirits lurking behind her.
They believed that the Silvermoon Queen's rise to power was solely due to her submission to these three figures.
The entire Silvermoon Empire seemed to dance on the strings pulled by these Demon Spirits.
Holding onto such biases, Yan Qiling and Xu Zixi had prematurely judged the Silvermoon Queen to be nothing more than a facade.
But in this moment!
Witnessing Bai Shang and the white-haired crone's deep respect, even awe and a profound sense of fear towards Her Majesty, everyone's perceptions were shattered.
Had Su Xiangtian been present, he would have trusted the Silvermoon Queen's words.
She was not in league with evil demons; instead, she wielded them for her own purposes!
A starkly different narrative.
The empress, with her slender figure draped in silver, exuded a gentle and delicate presence, reminiscent of a sheltered noblewoman, her demeanor tranquil.
It was hard to reconcile her image with that of a malevolent demon.
She lacked the commanding presence and regal bearing typically associated with a sovereign!
Even when compared to Shen Feiqing's imposing presence or Xu Zixi's elegance, she seemed to fall short.
Yet, this seemingly fragile woman was the reigning Silvermoon Queen, the one to whom Bai Shang and the white-haired crone pledged their unwavering loyalty!
They were not conspirators, but humble servants devoted to the Silvermoon Queen.
"You all have done well."
Her voice was as tender and soothing as a gentle breeze and soft rain.
With a graceful gesture, she seized the soul sacrifice ball extracted from Lee Yu's body. It settled in her palm, bursting forth with a brilliant light that dazzled all who beheld it.
Within the purple crystal ball, countless shadows and strands of soulful thoughts flickered with clarity.
All the powerful figures surrounding the pit felt a jolt in their souls, as though they were being drawn into the crystal ball.
In her grasp, the soul sacrifice ball appeared entirely different from when it was held by Lee Yu.
Figures like Yan Qiling, Xu Zixi, Old Cash, and Chi Hongyi, notorious for their dark cultivation practices, were either at the Soul Wandering Stage or possessed equivalent combat prowess.
Yet, even they experienced an intense discomfort as the purple crystal ball settled into the Silvermoon Queen's possession.
Their Yin Gods seemed to hear an eerie sound piercing through the soul's magnetic field, emanating from within the soul sacrifice ball, beckoning and summoning their Yin Gods.
It was as if the ball itself was enticing their Yin Gods to leave their bodies and delve deep into its purple crystalline depths.
Yan Qiling's expression darkened, and with a muffled groan, he swiftly moved toward Old Cash.
The rotund Old Cash hesitated briefly before yanking a copper coin from his belt and pressing it into a spot in the air.
A cascade of golden light showered down from the dilapidated jade pavilion above.
Suddenly, a golden portal brimming with iridescence burst open in the void.
Yan Qiling's figure, a mix of black and white, darted through the portal like a candle flame shielded by a lantern, no longer flickering wildly.
"Much appreciated."
With his hands clasped in a fist, Yan Qiling expressed his gratitude to this infamous figure of the Profound Sky Continent.
He was not like Xu Zixi.
Originally the Artifact Soul of the Splitting Soul Staff, he had completed his soul within the Fallen Moon Forbidden Area and, thanks to Yu Yuan, broke free. With unique cultivation techniques, he rapidly advanced his realm.
Yet, in essence, he was similar to the Yellow Old Devil—a soul entity.
Even after later forming a physical body, the synergy between it and his soul was still lacking.
Confronted with the Silvermoon Queen wielding the Soul Sacrifice Ball, Yan Qiling felt the greatest pressure, nearly succumbing to the ball's terrifying magnetic field that twisted the soul, threatening to pull him in.
He was aware that this was merely the Soul Sacrifice Ball.
The Soul Sacrifice Diagram, cultivated alongside the Silvermoon Queen's life force, had consumed innumerable souls from the Absence Relic. The combined might of the Soul Sacrifice Diagram and the Soul Sacrifice Ball was something he dared not contemplate.
One thing was clear to him: both the soul sacrifice ball and the Soul Sacrifice Diagram were designed to subdue beings like himself.
He, along with the Yellow Old Devil, who had slipped away from his flowing robes to vanish into the Dark Domain, would find themselves utterly constrained under the might of the Silvermoon Queen's soul sacrifice ball and Soul Sacrifice Diagram.
"Feiqing."
The Silvermoon Queen lifted her gaze to the commander who stood as immovable as a mountain upon the purple silk.
Shen Feiqing, as if attuned to her thoughts, gave a slight nod.
In the vast expanse of the Divine Might, Scarlet Sun, and Silvermoon Empires, these two women wielded unparalleled power and influence. Their silent accord was struck in a heartbeat.
A female commander and a female emperor had long since joined forces.
"Zixi."
The commander, steadfast upon the purple silk, turned to her once ally, "You and Cangmin were never part of my plan. Your arrival was nothing but an unforeseen event to me."
"Unforeseen?" Xu Zixi scoffed.
With a nod, Shen Feiqing gestured dismissively, signaling her departure. "Whatever we intend to do, you and Cangmin are powerless to stop us. We did need additional souls, but now, as fate would have it, we have enough thanks to those who have willingly met their end."
Her eyes briefly met those of Old Cash and Chi Hongyi, who looked visibly shaken.
"Leave now, and quickly. You'd best seek refuge in the Demon Palace rather than linger in the Absence Relic or within the borders of the Divine Might Empire," Shen Feiqing advised earnestly.
Xu Zixi paused, a few seconds passing before she asked, "And if they hadn't come?"
Shen Feiqing remained silent.
"I understand," Xu Zixi said, her complexion ashen. "Without them, I shouldn't even dream of escape, should I? And Cangmin, is he safe?"
Her question was directed at the Silvermoon Queen.
"The Imperial Advisor, a master of the arcane, has already escaped as a Yin God," the Silvermoon Queen replied, her voice steady and soothing. "Out of respect for Feiqing, you are free to go."
At that moment, Chi Hongyi, clad in a vibrant red gown with a lute cradled in her arms, let out a mocking laugh.
As Shen Feiqing, the Silvermoon Queen, and Xu Zixi turned their attention to her, she challenged the Silvermoon Queen, "Why are you so certain of your victory? Do you truly believe you have every contingency under your control?"
"I'd like to know that myself," Xu Zixi interjected sharply.
Her odds with Yan Qiling were bleak, but with Old Cash and Chi Hongyi joining the fray, they were not at a disadvantage, especially when pitted against the Silvermoon Queen's overt strength.
Yan Qiling was capable of holding Bai Shang at bay, and she had the power to keep the demon snake in check. If Old Cash could limit Shen Feiqing, and Chi Hongyi could prevent the Silvermoon Queen from acting wantonly, they wouldn't be at a disadvantage.
During this time, if Yu Zhu could regain some of her fighting strength, she would be a formidable ally.
Should the Yellow Old Devil manage to free himself, he would surely join their cause, adding yet another force to their ranks.
Why then did Shen Feiqing and the Silvermoon Queen, who appeared so confident of victory, show her mercy and offer her a chance to live?
"You three have returned to the Absence Relic at my invitation," the Silvermoon Queen said to Chi Hongyi, her tone deliberate as she unveiled the hidden truth. "You were the sacrifices I chose. I needed your souls, which is why you were able to come here."
"It was you!"
"So it was you all along!"
Upon her revelation, Old Cash and Chi Hongyi's expressions shifted dramatically.
The mysterious individual who had gone to great lengths to find them, sending messages to coax them back to the Absence Relic, was none other than the Silvermoon Queen herself!
Her Majesty had harbored ill intentions all along, leading them to their doom.
After years of intricate plotting, Bai Shuang from Hidden Dragon Lake, Jiang Moyan of the Thunder Sect, and Zou Jin of the Cold Yin Sect had all been ensnared. With such careful planning, how could they possibly fail?
