The two vermilion-lacquered wooden doors of the Divine Lady Temple's main hall opened silently, as if pushed by a pair of invisible hands.
The warm morning sunlight poured through the gap, yet it was completely unable to dispel the bone-chilling cold within the hall.
Shen Yu's forehead pressed against the ground. His field of vision held nothing but the small square of bluestone beneath him, until a splash of smoky-purple entered his peripheral vision without warning.
It was the hem of a skirt.
The hem slowly trailed past his side. The smoky-purple light silk was like the lingering evening mist at the edge of the sky, cascading in layers over the polished, mirror-like bluestone. The Big Dipper pattern embroidered upon the skirt shimmered with delicate, glittering light.
He held his breath, not daring to move even a finger.
The temperature inside the hall continued to drop.
Amidst the dead silence, the Divine Lady stepped out of the hall.
She stood on the steps in front of the Divine Lady Temple. The morning light cast down at an angle between the upturned eaves to the east, landing perfectly upon her and wrapping her in a soft, glowing halo.
Below the steps, a dense crowd of people was gathered.
“Please appease your anger, Divine Lady.”
From inside the hall to the courtyard outside, everyone lay prostrate on the ground. None dared raise their heads to face the wrath of a deity.
The Divine Lady's face was expressionless, showing neither joy nor anger as she looked down at the shivering crowd before her.
“Step back,” she said.
Hearing this, though the people were somewhat bewildered, they knew there must be a reason since the Divine Lady had spoken.
Before long, everyone had retreated a hundred zhang away from the Divine Lady Temple.
Just as the crowd was speculating whether the Divine Lady would direct her anger at all mortals because of the Yong Dynasty Emperor's marriage proposal, a dazzling golden light suddenly soared into the sky above the Divine Lady Temple.
In an instant, the light solidified, and a ten-zhang-tall Cosmic Form materialized out of thin air.
With lowered eyelids, its facial features were identical to those of the Divine Lady, carrying the distinct indifference and aloofness of a deity.
The Cosmic Form was as translucent as colored glass, its platinum robes fluttering despite the lack of wind, with thousands of streams of light flowing through the folds of its garments.
“Desecrating a deity is unforgivable.”
As the words fell, the golden Cosmic Form slowly raised its right arm. The sky and earth suddenly changed color as violent gales rose.
An indescribable, majestic pressure pressed down from above.
The crowd was terrified by this sudden turn of events, and some of the more faint-hearted began to sob softly.
“Please appease your anger, Divine Lady...” They did not know how to soothe the anger of a deity, so they could only keep kowtowing.
【Shen Yu Shock Value +100】
【Shen Jue Shock Value +100】
【Pei Wanning Shock Value +100】
【……】
【Current Shock Value: 75,660,000】
“Host, I've already locked onto the target. Now is the time—open the portal!” the little fox said.
Hearing this, Yun Shu did not delay for a single second. She immediately activated the Return Formation, the formation piece of the Mirror of Retrospection set.
Immediately after, a wisteria flower gate appeared in midair, with glimpses of another world visible within.
This portal could transport multiple people at once, but it required them to step inside of their own free will.
Therefore, she could only use the Cosmic Form Bracelet—the bracelet piece of the Sword Sovereign of the Nine Heavens set—to summon the Cosmic Form. She had the System lock onto the Child Emperor and his entourage far outside Zhenbei Prefecture first, and then she would control the Cosmic Form to reach through the Return Formation's portal and snatch them all over.
This was a smooth combo she and the System had spent half a day tinkering with beforehand.
Now was the perfect opportunity to put on a grand display of divine power.
Before the eyes of the crowd, the golden Cosmic Form slowly reached its right hand into the wisteria flower gate in midair.
The giant, jade-white hand gradually sank into the purple mist. First went the knuckles, then the fingertips, followed by the palm, the wrist, and finally the forearm, disappearing to the other side of the gate.
The moment the giant hand entered, the portal trembled violently, causing wisteria flower buds to rustle and fall.
Petals drifted down from midair, as if a purple rain of flowers was falling.
The crowd stared up, their breath catching in their throats.
Even though they had witnessed the Divine Lady cast spells more than once, the scene before them still left them utterly shocked.
The Divine Lady's magic was truly boundless!
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away.
At the border of Zhenbei Prefecture and Wuyuan Prefecture, the marriage proposal procession was traveling along a gentle slope.
The Child Emperor's imperial carriage led the way, its bright yellow silk curtains billowing in the wind. Four pure white imperial horses marched in perfect unison, the bells around their necks chiming crisply.
The grand procession stretched out for half a li.
Banners fluttered, and the guard of honor was spectacular.
“General Wang, how much longer until we reach Xindu City?” The Child Emperor lifted the carriage curtain and asked the man riding a horse outside.
Along the way, his heart had been beating like a drum. He wanted to reach Xindu City quickly, yet he also dreaded arriving too soon.
Alas, he was truly terrified that the Divine Lady would directly hand down divine punishment without even giving him a chance to explain.
General Wang glanced at the Child Emperor. “Your Majesty, we have only just crossed into the borders of Zhenbei Prefecture. It will take at least seven more days of travel to reach Xindu City. There is no use in being anxious.”
Just as the Child Emperor was about to speak again, a sudden gale swept over them, blowing the procession into disarray.
“W-What is going on?!”
“Why did such a strong wind blow up out of nowhere?”
Amidst the chaotic clamor, the sky darkened.
Unknowingly, a shadow gradually passed over everyone's heads. They glanced up before lowering their heads again, assuming it was merely a cloud blocking the sun.
But slowly, the shadow grew larger and larger, as if something was slowly pressing down from the sky, completely swallowing the sunlight inch by inch.
When the crowd looked up again, their pupils shrank in horror.
That was no cloud at all!
It was a hand.
Its five fingers were spread wide, translucent and white like jade, with palm lines as clear as mountain ridges and river valleys, its fingertips glowing with a faint, shimmering light.
It was simply too colossal.
The palm alone could cover half the sky.
Beams of sunlight leaked through the gaps between the fingers, casting shafts of light onto the ground in a grand, suffocating play of light and shadow.
“A... a miracle...” General Wang's eyes widened. The reins slipped from his hand, yet he was completely oblivious.
The Child Emperor saw the giant hand as well. He parted his lips unconsciously, his hands clenching tightly against his knees as his pupils reflected the giant hand drawing closer and closer.
No one had time to make a sound.
The five fingers of the giant hand suddenly closed together, lightly clasping shut.
In the next second, the entire marriage proposal procession, including the carriages and horses, was snatched up in a single sweep by the giant hand.
The official road was instantly left empty, with nothing remaining but trampled vegetation and a ground scattered with startled birds taking flight.
By the time the Child Emperor opened his eyes again, he had already been dropped onto the bluestone ground in front of the Divine Lady Temple.
The Child Emperor scrambled out of the pile of people on all fours. His knees banged against the bluestone bricks, making him gasp from the sharp pain.
He raised his head and saw the majestic temple doors. Hanging directly above was a gilded plaque bearing the words "Divine Lady Temple".
And at the entrance, a mere three feet away, a smoky-purple figure stood quietly.
She looked down at him.
Her dark eyes were completely placid, as deep and bottomless as an ancient, thousand-year-old well.
The Child Emperor was utterly dumbfounded.
“Isn't... isn't this the Sea Goddess?”
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