The Emperor didn't even bother to respond. He was certain that if he tried to prove himself using these mortals' methods, the copies of him would immediately use the exact same methods and drag things out with him indefinitely!
Besides, even the method he'd just used to forcibly reverse the outcome had failed. Even if these consorts, imperial heirs, the Empress Dowager, and all the officials believed him, so what?
It would be nothing but a waste of time!
So the Emperor said no more. He and the guards around him gradually faded away.
Like an ink painting being endlessly washed by flowing water, he soon vanished completely from the Great Hall.
Seeing the second Emperor to enter disappear without a trace in full view of everyone, the crowd was utterly horrified. "Witchcraft!"
"He's a demon!"
"A demon! He's a demon! He isn't the Emperor!"
"Of course he isn't the Emperor! We've been serving the real Emperor all along!"
"Quickly post a notice and hunt him down! A demon like this is an endless source of trouble. He must be killed at once..."
"Where are the guards? Quickly! Guards, come protect the Emperor!"
"Protect the Emperor!"
As the mortals chattered over one another, Pei Ling immediately felt the power flowing into him through the threads growing greater and stronger.
But just as he was about to break through to the mid Void Refinement stage, all the threads abruptly withdrew. The Dao Contention was over!
Pei Ling furrowed his brow at once, instinctively sensing something was wrong. That Emperor's power couldn't possibly have been only this much!
As he was thinking, he saw his right hand reach into the sleeve of his left arm under the system's control.
At the same time, the palace doors creaked open.
A gigantic hand, large