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What is that thing?

That was an inexplicable chill, as if for the moment the sun was obscured, that coolness swept over everyone!

The state of the elements around them hadn’t changed, and even if the sun was blocked, the temperature shouldn’t have dropped so quickly; this meant that the coldness everyone felt was not on the physical level, but the spiritual level!

But then again, seeing a pair of such terrifying eyes staring down from the sky, anyone would likely feel their blood turn to ice.

Including the Emperor at this moment.

In the sky, the sun’s disappearance wasn’t due to an eclipse, but rather something obscuring it, because everyone could see those eyes the size of the moon, yet immeasurably more terrifying.

The clear patterns on the orange-yellow pupils, anyone with a little common sense could recognize, those were serpent’s eyes!

A pair... of serpent eyes comparable to the sun and the moon? A serpent... that could block out the sun?

The floating figure amidst the overcast clouds, who wouldn’t shiver at the sight?

The Emperor suddenly turned to look at Kagura, his face full of disbelief. That monster clearly wasn’t from this era; just its gaze alone made him have no thought of moving an inch, his blood cold, unrelated to status, but purely due to the disparity in power.

Just like when he was two or three years old, facing that Great Demon’s terror.

It was a crushing sense of powerlessness.

Since gaining his own powers, he had never felt such helplessness.

Even when the Black Empress was far more powerful than him, when he was still in his nascent phase, he hadn’t felt that she was so out of reach.

Yet the power before him now was beyond reach!

It could even be said, it was a dimension beyond his encounters with those so-called Venerables of the guilds in the Illusory Void!

Such entities... can they even exist now?

Kagura looked up at the sky, her face somewhat pale, while wearing a smile. But even she felt somewhat overwhelmed by this terrifying pressure.

Indeed, it hasn’t let me down...

"What does Your Majesty say?" Kagura asked the Emperor again.

"I don’t believe it!" The Emperor’s face was pale. Seriously injured as he was, he was only holding on by a thread; if not for his resolute mind, he probably wouldn’t be able to stand at this moment!

"What does Your Majesty not believe?" Kagura asked with a smile.

"I don’t believe it can come down!" The Emperor looked straight at Kagura, forehead veins throbbing, muscles tense, clearly extremely nervous. At this moment, all soldiers had empty eyes, evidently they had already lost their fighting capacity.

If one hadn’t seen it with their own eyes, they truly wouldn’t believe it.

Right now, gathered here were the top military forces of the world, and it wasn’t an exaggeration to say they had the power to slay gods.

But facing the creature in the sky, just by meeting its gaze, doing nothing more, the entire army lost their ability to fight, like lambs to the slaughter!

He constantly grew stronger to liberate the Human Race from the so-called Demon’s enslavement; he thought he had taken the first step, but this scene made him shake once more.

He was still too insignificant, had seen too little.

He had no idea of the kind of power that existed above the firmament.

Although he had made his preparations and would not shrink back from facing any horror, at the sight, he still felt despair engulfing him.

Is this... the power above the firmament?

For the Human Race to break free from enslavement, is this... the obstacle that must be overcome?

"Is Your Majesty afraid?"

"Yes!" The Emperor said with bloodshot eyes, making no attempt to hide it: "Afraid, I thought the disparity was vast, but never imagined it to be this vast!"

The gap in power felt vividly clear, like dust looking up at the stars!

Kagura took a deep look at the Emperor. It’s not the arrogant who are feared, but those who recognize the gap and still dare to stand tall. The favored son of destiny chosen by this world was indeed no simple matter. If not dealt with early, he’d certainly become an endless problem!

"No matter how great the gap, I, the Emperor, must not retreat!" The Emperor took one heavy step after another towards the front of the army, each step as weighty as if he were shouldering a mountain!

"I do not believe you can command that monster, nor do I believe it can descend here. If it could, you would not need these little tricks. Even if it could..." The Emperor suddenly turned his gaze towards the terrifying eyes in the sky: "I still would not retreat!"

A remarkable aura once again surged from this swaying man, causing even Kagura to feel a shock in her heart at this moment. This fellow... can he really still exude such an aura at this stage?

She was fully aware that the Emperor of the Human Race had reached his limits. Being able to stay conscious under the pressure of that thing in the sky was already an incredible feat, but looking at his aura now, she even had the feeling that this man... could still fight!

Is it an illusion?

Under the gaze of the Black Empress, could this fellow... really still fight?

Kagura glanced at the ritual mark on her arm—her covenant mark. With this mark, the impact of the Black Empress’s gaze was greatly weakened for her. Yet even so, she could feel that her condition was considerably affected in this moment, unable to bring forth at least half of her full strength.

This was her ultimate trick for this occasion. Once everyone had been worn down to a certain extent, the arrival of the Black Empress would be the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

But it seems that the Emperor of the Human Race... does not appear to be affected?

"Your Majesty is mighty!"

A familiar and loud voice suddenly burst forth, breaking the eerie silence. Kagura followed the voice and her pupils slightly contracted.

Chen Qing...

The Guard Commander had indeed failed to kill Chen Qing. This youngster... was really something else.

The Emperor also looked over. There was something different about Chen Qing then, inexplicitly different, but it gave the sense... of being somehow renewed.

"Your Majesty, you may have used many means, but just for that one sentence you spoke just now, Your Majesty... you live up to your title," said Chen Qing with great respect as he performed a bow.

Perhaps this was his most sincere act of homage as subject to sovereign. The Emperor might be full of schemes and dark-hearted, but as an Emperor, his display of responsibility also warranted the title.

Chen Qing’s evaluation seemed to come from a standpoint of equality, and yet the Emperor felt no displeasure, nor any dissonance in his heart. Unconsciously, he had come to regard Chen Qing as an equal.

In fact, he might even feel a hint of pleasure in having received his acknowledgement.

"I knew you wouldn’t lose that easily."

"Thank you for your trust, Your Majesty," Chen Qing replied with a smile, looking at the man before him. His feelings were complex towards him too; regardless of how formidable his opponent was, he couldn’t see this man as someone who would lose.

"I didn’t expect it," Kagura’s voice interrupted inopportunely: "That you would be able to make it out alive."

"Not having caught the eye of Venerable Kagura, I am ashamed," Chen Qing replied, looking towards her, and then glanced at the terrifying pair of eyes in the sky, nodding: "The Black Empress, I see. Venerable’s ultimate weapon is truly unexpected!"

The Black Empress, the malevolent number one of the Earthly Element, the spirit of the utmost yin, with a pair of eyes capable of captivating souls. Such Divine Skills enable this monster, even if it cannot descend to this world, to achieve very terrifying deeds.

For instance, now, the world’s top military might is gathered here, yet rendered utterly useless!

He roughly understands her plan. With the appearance of the Black Empress’s eyes, it matters little how much military strength the other forces had prepared as their troops would be useless.

No wonder she isn’t worried about facing others in the end.

The irregular forces of the Celestial Serpent Palace, no matter how numerous, should not be able to contend with the organized military might of formal powers, and an individual’s power would be greatly limited in front of an army.

He had been curious from the start, with Kagura lacking a Regular Army, just what could she rely on to confront the other forces.

It turns out to be this thing...

Once the Black Empress makes its appearance, whether it’s an army from any force, there’s no stage left for them to fight on, and with a clever enough design, make others expend even more.

After the armies have become useless and individual combat ensues, her formidable personal ability would come into play.

Moreover, if Chen Qing is not mistaken, she must bear the mark of the Black Empress, subject to much less pressure than anyone else.

Already potentially the strongest here among all people, coupled with this advantage, who could be her rival?