The air in the great hall had gone still. The Saint Emperors of the Golden Eagle Dynasty exchanged glances, none of them eager to take on the task.
They all knew that, so long as they could not fall out with Black Heaven and the Blood God Cult, taking it on meant swallowing humiliation.
But someone had to step forward.
Willing or not, they could hardly send the Golden Eagle Emperor himself. Forcing the ruler of a dynasty to endure that humiliation would leave them even less room to maneuver, and word of it would sound worse still.
After a moment of silence, the white-haired old Saint Emperor Bai Cang stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, let me go."
"I'm old, my cultivation can scarcely advance, and I'm already past my prime. If the worst happens, the dynasty won't suffer too great a loss."
As soon as he finished speaking, a woman's voice followed.
It was Bai Yang, the only woman among the twelve Saint Emperors. She, too, had stepped forward.
"I'll go with Brother Bai Cang."
"Whatever else they may be, I'm a woman. No matter how overbearing Black Heaven and the Blood God Cult are, surely they'll show me at least a little consideration?"
The Golden Eagle Emperor looked deeply at them both.
Then he made his decision without hesitation.
"Very well. You two will go."
"But remember, I'm not sending you there to take risks."
"We had nothing to do with it. The deaths of those seventy-two Saint Kings in the Grand Way Star Domain have nothing to do with us. We will not shoulder a burden of blame that belongs to someone else."
Bai Cang and Bai Yang exchanged a glance, then both nodded.
"Rest assured, Your Majesty. We know where to draw the line. We won't provoke