A tidal roar of worship rose and fell throughout the hall.
Yan Lingji lounged on the throne, the corner of her lips curling as amusement filled her peach-blossom eyes.
"Rise."
Only when her voice fell were everyone's bodies returned to their control.
The nobles struggled to their feet, their faces livid. Some were still shaking.
They stared at the languid woman on the throne, their eyes filled with terror, resentment, and indignation—but not one of them dared say another word.
Some had beaten themselves over the Demon Pill until they fainted on the floor. Others had greater endurance,
and hadn't passed out despite the brutal blows,
but their faces were twisted horribly, their legs buckling as they forced themselves to stand.
"You..."
After regaining a little freedom,
an elderly marquis with a head of white hair finally couldn't hold back and spoke in a trembling voice.
"You... you demoness! How can you claim the throne as a woman?!"
The moment the words left his mouth, his right hand shot up and slapped him hard across the face.
Teeth flew out mixed with blood.
"Ah—!"
The marquis cried out. His left hand rose, and he struck himself again.
"Smack! Smack! Smack!"
He struck himself again and again, until his face swelled like a pig's head.
"Stop! I... I didn't mean it like that..."
But he couldn't stop.
Yan Lingji raised her hand on the dais. Threads gathered around her slender, elegant fingers.
Their other ends were controlling the marquis, making him viciously slap his own face.
Clearly, this marquis hadn't learned his lesson.
With so many people suffering the same fate around him, he'd still suddenly stepped forward to show off how capable he was.
Tsk, tsk.
A hint of murderous intent entered Yan Lingji's eyes.
But killing these nobles just like that would be too good for them.
Death would be a reward.
They had to live worse than death, tormented by regret for the rest of their lives.
Otherwise, Yan Lingji wouldn't have planted so many compulsions in their minds and stuffed them full of so many things.
She hadn't forcibly turned them into puppets, because that really would have been far too good for them.
As far as the common people were concerned, the nobles staying alive was the only way they could atone.
"Anyone else?"
Yan Lingji swept her gaze across the hall.
The chamber fell utterly silent.
Several nobles who had also intended to step forward turned deathly pale. They bit their lips tight and didn't dare speak.
"Good."
Yan Lingji lounged against the throne, her nine snowy-white fox tails swaying gently behind her.
"From this day forth, the Heaven Dou Empire will bear a new name."
"You're free to refuse to accept it, but you'd best keep your feelings to yourselves."
"Because—"
She smiled faintly.
"You've already seen what happens to those who don't obey."
The hall was terrifyingly quiet.
The nobles, court officials, and even the guards all lowered their heads, not daring to meet her gaze.
Meanwhile,
"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!"
Another series of murderous shouts came from outside the hall.
Wave after wave of imperial guards charged in from outside.
The nobles, ministers, and even the Heaven Dou Emperor all felt a glimmer of hope.
Those were the imperial guards of the capital, fully three thousand strong.
Though Yan Lingji's terrifying methods had just filled them with dread,
she had already used a great deal of power dealing with them. Perhaps she was at the end of her strength now.
Just as hope rose in their hearts, the compulsions in their minds activated again.
Their hands uncontrollably slapped their own faces, hard.
The intense pain twisted their features. Some even lost teeth and spat blood.
They immediately understood. No matter what, they were still under her control.
Staying alive was what mattered.
"Y-Your Majesty, spare us! W-We had no intention of defying you."
"Your Majesty, the Empress, spare us!"
They wailed in pain. As nobles, they had never endured so much suffering.
"Heh, heh. You'd better accept your punishment."
Yan Lingji remained unmoved and let out a cold snort.
"Sisters, it's your turn."
At that moment, eight figures identical to Yan Lingji appeared at the palace entrance.
"Go have some fun with those fellows."
"Let's hope they can take a good bit of playing."
"Heh, they're just toys."
As the imperial guards desperately formed ranks and charged into the palace,
black whips shot out through its doors.
They lashed the small commanders leading the charge.
The whips bound them and flung them at pillars, where they were tied fast.
"Defend! Defend!"
Someone shouted, organizing the guards into a shield formation.
Their shields swiftly locked together, forming a wall of iron.
But massive stone pillars came hurtling out from inside the palace.
Boom—!
The shield wall was smashed apart in an instant.
Some were crushed into bloody pulp.
More were hurled away by the terrifying shock wave, streaking through the air like meteors in every direction.
The imperial guards' defensive formation was instantly shattered.
All of the guards were overcome with terror.
Then six graceful figures walked out through the palace doors, each holding a long black whip.
"Sisters, let's see who takes out the most."
"Of course."
Yan Lingji's clones giggled sweetly.
They flashed forward, charging into the imperial guards.
In an instant, the imperial guard ranks were scattered completely.
"Presumptuous!"
The clang of metal rang out.
An arrow tore through the sky.
One of Yan Lingji's clones casually flicked her whip.
It coiled around the arrow. With a sharp swing, she sent it flying in the opposite direction.
In the distance, Yang Hai, the imperial guard commander, had just loosed the arrow and was about to nock another.
But the arrow had turned around and was now flying straight at him.
"Sixth Soul Skill: Shield of Defense!"
Yang Hai was startled and hurriedly unleashed his sixth defensive Soul Skill.
But the arrow carried terrifying force and pierced straight through his defense.
It sank deep into his shoulder and carried him off his feet.
"Thud."
His entire body was nailed to the watchtower above the palace gate not far away.
"General! General!"
Everyone stared in disbelief at the imperial guard commander.
A Soul Saint of level seventy-six had been pinned to the high wall by a single arrow.
Yang Hai's face twisted. He reached out with his right hand, trying to pull the arrow from his shoulder.
Just then, a whip stretched toward him from afar and coiled around his neck.
It yanked hard.
"Splurt—"
He was ripped straight off the arrow, blood spraying everywhere.
Yang Hai screamed as the whip flung him through the air and slammed him into the open ground in front of the imperial guards.
He hit the ground headfirst, crashing into it with tremendous force.
A foot came down on his head.
He struggled desperately, trying to use his Soul Power to knock the foot away.
But the foot was like a mountain, unmoving.
Terrifying force pressed down. His skull creaked, sending a chill through everyone who heard it.
It seemed ready to explode beneath the next stomp.
"Stop moving, or I'll crush your head beneath my foot."
Yan Lingji's clone giggled.
"General!"
Seeing their commander treated like this, the imperial guards were enraged.
Some fearlessly continued charging at Yan Lingji.
"General, your men are quite brave."
"But they've put their loyalty to the wrong use."
Yan Lingji raised her hand and lashed out with her whip.
"Crack—!"
Dozens upon dozens of imperial guards were sent flying with a single lash.
Their armor shattered, and with a crash, their bodies were embedded in the surrounding walls, impossible to pry out.
Everyone stared at the scene in disbelief.
Human-shaped craters now dotted the area.
Despair spread through the imperial guards.
"Stop!"
Pinned beneath the foot, Yang Hai, the imperial guard commander, stared at the ground and gritted his teeth.
"Y-What exactly are you trying to do?"
"What are we trying to do?"
Yan Lingji's clone looked down at him and gave a soft laugh.
"Why, change the dynasty and ascend the throne, of course."
"As the saying goes, the throne takes turns; this year, it's my turn."
"You..."
Yang Hai couldn't believe it.
These women actually intended to change the dynasty, ascend the throne, and have a woman rule as emperor.
What kind of joke was this?
There had never been a female emperor.
"All right, now you're a puppet too."
Yang Hai was about to say something more.
Suddenly, nine snowy-white fox tails appeared behind Yan Lingji's clone, and a pair of fluffy fox ears sprouted from her head.
Everyone's eyes widened in astonishment.
Her fox ears twitched, and her tails swayed gently.
Blue light suddenly flared in Yan Lingji's clone's eyes.
Yang Hai's head grew dizzy. Countless unfamiliar commands flooded into his sea of consciousness.
After a long while.
The thousand or so surviving imperial guards saw their commander slowly rise to his feet, then drop to one knee before Yan Lingji's clone.
"Yang Hai, commander of the imperial guards, pays his respects to Her Majesty the Female Emperor!"
All the imperial guards stared in disbelief.
"Imperial guards, where are you? Lay down your weapons!"
Yang Hai gave the order.
The guards looked at one another.
"I'll say it again: every imperial guard, lay down your weapons!"
A few scattered voices rang out.
Clink, clatter—
The sound of weapons hitting the ground continued without end.
The imperial guards hung their heads in dejection and threw down their weapons.
"Good. That's taken care of."
Several of Yan Lingji's clones exchanged smiles and turned toward the main hall.
Yang Hai followed behind them with his head lowered.
As he entered the hall, he saw the nobles and court officials all prostrate on the ground. Some had even collapsed, the floor around them awash in blood.
Even the Heaven Dou Emperor was prostrate on the ground.
Every one of them had bruised and swollen faces, covered in handprints, and looked like pigs' heads.
Some lay sprawled on the ground amid pools of blood, while others stood bent over, clutching their crotches.
He had no idea what had happened or why, but it filled him with even greater terror of Yan Lingji.
On the throne atop the dais sat a woman identical to Yan Lingji's clones.
Yan Lingji herself.
Beside her sat a graceful young woman with long brown hair, and next to her was a woman in ink-wash robes, holding a sword.
A terrifying pressure filled the entire hall.
It was obvious: the woman seated on the emperor's throne, identical to the eight who had just attacked the imperial guards, was the real one.
The other eight had been mere clones.
The thought sent a shiver through him.
If even her clones were so terrifying, what kind of Soul Skill was this?
But the setting in his mind kicked in, and after entering, he found himself kneeling on the ground and calling out to Yan Lingji:
"Greetings, Your Majesty the Female Emperor!"
Every noble and minister present had now fallen utterly into despair.
The imperial guards of the royal city had been completely crushed.
The Heaven Dou Empire was about to change hands.
Who could save the Heaven Dou Empire!?
Before you continue