Yi Chen rose from his state of absolute, devout prostration, yet felt no gaze upon him, nor any pressure from above.
Only an extraordinarily dense Death Aura lingered within the temple.
Suddenly, Yi Chen realized something. He immediately turned around and unleashed all his strength, pushing both palms against the door to close it again after it had opened a narrow crack, preventing the Death Essence from escaping.
That was right.
There was nothing in the Inner Sanctum. No living beings, no dead, not even concepts.
The Death Essence remaining within the Inner Sanctum was extremely limited. Once it flowed away, it would be gone forever. Yi Chen almost wished he could turn back time and replenish the essence that had leaked out earlier.
After closing the door, he once again surveyed the entire hall.
It resembled a dilapidated royal palace. Numerous tattered banners still hung from the ruined, decaying walls, but the royal seals that should have been printed upon them had been torn away.
In the empty grand hall, there was no trace of the magnificent scene of countless ministers paying homage. Solitude was its only color.
Toward the rear of the hall stood a special throne,
It was special because there was actually something beneath it—a Gallows Platform. Moreover, it was the simplest wooden kind, the sort found at every execution ground.
Though made of wood, it had not decayed along with the temple. It still retained its original appearance, standing firm and supporting the throne.
A person lay upon that throne—or rather, a corpse without the slightest breath or awareness.
A black robe trimmed with gold covered its entire body,
A shattered crown rested upon its head,
And damp bandages wound around its face.
From the style of the black robe and the throne, it was