Vol 3. Chapter 77: Holy Spirit Summoning
Strictly speaking, Felik had not seen wrong.
Xue Tianao's steps really had lost their usual steadiness, becoming somewhat shaky.
Felik merely suspected it,
but quite a few powerful individuals had already confirmed it. Xue Tianao was indeed putting on a convincing act, doing everything in his power to conceal the awkwardness in his gait. Such a disguise might fool the masses, but it could not deceive the eyes of those high-ranking powerhouses.
As a result, inevitably, the looks those powerhouses directed at Xue Tianao gradually became strange. Even though Xue Tianao was still impeccably dressed and wore that confident smile, they could not help associating his condition with kidney deficiency caused by excessive indulgence...
Or rather,
a eunuch who had just been **...
After all, the way Xue Tianao was moving right now was almost exactly the same as people of that sort...
It was just that most people did not think in that direction. After all, the Child of Destiny becoming a eunuch was honestly a little... enmmm, unbelievable, wasn't it?
--
'Tch... scum...'
Sensing those strange and uncomfortable gazes locked onto him, Xue Tianao could not help cursing inwardly.
Although he was displeased,
Xue Tianao had to admit that those powerhouses' guesses were not wrong.
The aftereffects of having his balls blown apart by the Blood Butterfly last night were still far from fading. With every step he took, Xue Tianao could feel a tearing pain from his crotch, making him suffer terribly. His handsome face involuntarily became shrouded in pain.
Even his steps grew shaky.
Fortunately, he was wearing armor, his cloak was large enough, and he was exerting all his strength to restrain himself. Only because of this did Xue Tianao manage to avoid embarrassing himself in public.
Under these circumstances,
postponing the coronation ceremony might have been a good decision. Toma and the others had previously advised him to do exactly that.
But now,
all the guests had already arrived. Xue Tianao had no choice but to grit his teeth and go through with it.
However,
to tell the truth,
even though 'Little Aotian' had suffered an unprecedentedly devastating injury, Xue Tianao still had no intention whatsoever of postponing the coronation ceremony.
And so,
enduring the lingering waves of pain from his crotch, Xue Tianao climbed the stairs one step at a time. As the Empire's High Priest ahead of him drew closer and closer, an evil, charming smile gradually appeared on Xue Tianao's face. His blue eyes were already filled with delight and intense anticipation.
'I've finally waited until this day...'
Xue Tianao had waited a full thirteen years for this day.
From the very day he became a prince of the Empire, Xue Tianao had constantly looked forward to its arrival. In order to help him grow, the Goddess had made the System issue him all kinds of missions. By completing these missions, his strength and 'wisdom' had gradually increased.
At the same time, whenever he completed a mission, the System would reward him with points as well as all kinds of unusual equipment.
Becoming Emperor of the Snow Night Empire and unifying the Empire was one of the epic-level missions the System had assigned him thirteen years ago.
After completing this mission, he would receive a miraculous medicine capable of helping him enter the Eighth Tier!
And once he reached the Eighth Tier, combined with the divine power within his body,
after releasing the three layers of shackles, he would become an invincible existence.
At that time, with his unstoppable power combined with the Snow Night Empire's army armed with the latest weapons, he would no longer need to care about anyone else's attitude!
Whether it was the Asumos Church, the Holy Tower, the Red Moon Tower, the Crimson Leaf Empire, the Dragon Race, or the Elven Race, all of them would prostrate themselves beneath his feet and tremble!
More importantly,
after becoming a God of Magic and an Eighth-Tier powerhouse, his body would undergo divinization, allowing even lost limbs to regenerate. Even his 'Little Aotian' could be reborn!
To obtain unrivaled power, to restore his virility, and at the same time, to possess even greater strength with which to control the Blood Butterfly and the Child of Destiny,
he had to complete this mission! And he had to complete it as soon as possible! Otherwise, unforeseen complications might arise.
With such thoughts in mind, under the complicated gazes of countless people, Xue Tianao ascended the ceremonial platform step by step with an air of solemn ritual,
finally arriving before the Empire's High Priest.
Although he desperately wanted to rush up and finish the ceremony immediately, as a respectable man, Xue Tianao still wanted the occasion to appear solemn and sacred.
Anyway,
he had already waited for so long. A few more minutes would make no difference.
A few minutes? What could possibly happen in a few minutes?...
No matter what, he still had to preserve the image of the Child of Destiny in the hearts of the people.
"We may begin, High Priest."
Looking at the elderly woman before him, dressed in a white robe with a crimson laurel crown atop her head, Xue Tianao spoke respectfully.
Although this priest was not particularly powerful, as the religious leader of the Snow Night Empire,
Xue Tianao still showed her sufficient respect.
Upon hearing Xue Tianao's words, High Priest Ruifula smiled slightly.
"Understood, Your Majesty."
After returning his greeting with proper courtesy, the High Priest slowly turned around and, under everyone's gaze, raised the staff in her hand.
'Holy Spirit Summoning.'
In an instant,
a dazzling white radiance suddenly surged out from the staff.
At the same time, after receiving the command, the six priests surrounding the High Priest also began chanting incantations.
Waves of white magical power began emerging around the priests and, under the High Priest's guidance, started converging high in the sky.
A gigantic white magic formation was suddenly outlined overhead.
The moment the formation appeared, the Imperial Mausoleum in the southern part of Sky Dome seemed to resonate with it. Countless blue motes of light instantly poured out from the Imperial Mausoleum and rapidly converged toward Dragon Dance Square!
Guided by the formation, the power of these remnant souls gradually converged and fused with the priests' magical power, slowly transforming into an enormous humanoid phantom!
In an instant,
an invisible pressure, an oppressive force that bore directly upon the soul, suddenly spread outward with the phantom at its center. In the blink of an eye, it enveloped the entire Imperial Palace and even the whole of Sky Dome!
"So this... is the Ancestral Spirit?"
Gazing at the figure before him, dozens of meters tall and formed from soul power and magical power, wearing imperial robes and a crown, Xue Tianao could not help letting out a sigh of wonder.
Below the ceremonial platform,
the constantly cheering crowd fell silent the instant the phantom appeared.
Then,
the citizens of the Snow Night Empire, the Royal Knights responsible for security around them, and the Empire's loyal ministers all dropped to one knee in unison, looking toward the phantom with incomparable reverence. Even the attendants of the foreign powers could not help trembling upon seeing this phantom.
And this phantom was none other than the founding emperor of the Snow Night Empire!
Avalind-Valedin.
Although he was merely a remnant soul, an existence that could only manifest after barely fusing with the combined magical power of countless priests, the imperial majesty radiating from him was completely genuine, inspiring awe without even displaying anger.
The appearance of the founding emperor's remnant-soul phantom was the most important moment of the coronation ceremony!
Next,
under the reverent gazes of everyone present, this 'ancestor' would bestow the crown upon him!
At that moment, the coronation ceremony would be complete!
He would truly become the Emperor of the Snow Night Empire!
For a moment, anticipation and excitement spread rapidly through Xue Tianao's heart like a virus. When the phantom's gaze fell upon him, Xue Tianao immediately dropped respectfully to one knee, displaying his 'greatest sincerity' toward his ancestor.
"Your descendant, Xue Tianao-Valedin, requests that our ancestor bestow upon me imperial authority."
Upon hearing these words,
Avalind's phantom nodded slightly.
Then the phantom slowly raised its hand. Under Xue Tianao's ecstatic gaze, strands of golden light began gathering in its palm, gradually transforming into an exquisite crown overflowing with imperial majesty!
--
Meanwhile,
just as almost everyone was completely absorbed in watching this historic moment, among the seats belonging to the Black Rose Family, the black-robed figure protected by several Black Knights slowly raised his head.
With pure-black eyes filled with mockery, the man gazed toward the excited Xue Tianao.
After letting out a cold laugh, the black-robed man leisurely picked up a pale-blue communication magic stone.
After reaching the very peak of your life,
the feeling of suddenly plummeting straight to the bottom should be rather pleasant, shouldn't it?
"Everyone, make your move..."