NOVEL NEXT Chapter 365: You think you’re worthy of assassinating me?
Holy Emperor Nordain's intentions were crystal clear.
Hearing his cold, threatening words, not only the members of Sky Sanctuary but also the other practitioners present couldn't help but feel a wave of disgust.
After all, when the crisis at the Sepulcher of the Sacred broke out, Holy Emperor Nordain had stayed hidden, protecting his own forces and refusing to get involved. But now that the situation had been resolved, he suddenly appeared, eager to claim all the credit.
This kind of shameless behavior—reaping the rewards without lifting a finger—was so greedy and despicable that even some of the Demonic Sect members, notorious for their own misdeeds, found it revolting.
At this point, the fate of Goddess Sylvia, who had saved the continent of Elant, was still unknown. Yet, instead of searching for her, Holy Emperor Nordain was trying to seize the opportunity to take all the glory for himself.
Such actions were truly disgraceful.
But now, Holy Emperor Nordain was certain that Sky Sanctuary, without the support of Goddess Sylvia or Holy Maiden Aeliana, had no one strong enough to stand against him. Confident in his power, he pressed on, step by step:
"Not only did you shelter the runaway Sylvia, but you also dared to insult me with false accusations, trying to steal the credit. As expected, the practitioners of Sky Sanctuary, raised under Sylvia's teachings, are nothing but greedy, wicked scum. Since that's the case, it's time for you to pay for your actions."
A cold, sinister laugh echoed as Holy Emperor Nordain's gaze locked onto the members of Sky Sanctuary.
But that wasn't all. The forces of the Everfrost Sect, which stood behind him, began to move, forming a circle around the disciples of Sky Sanctuary, slowly closing in. The air was thick with murderous intent—it was clear they were preparing to strike.
"You treacherous snake! No wonder you brought nearly all of Everfrost Sect's forces with you. You've been planning to ambush Sky Sanctuary from the start, haven't you?"
Elder Turner was furious. Even though he had previously been too afraid to openly oppose Holy Emperor Nordain, he now threw caution to the wind, pointing at him and shouting in rage:
"Goddess Sylvia entered the Sepulcher of the Sacred with Holy Maiden Aeliana and Timothy to save the countless lives of Elant. Now that the crisis has finally been resolved, you, a coward who hid in your lair to enjoy the fruits of others' labor, have the audacity to attack Sky Sanctuary instead of showing any gratitude. You're nothing but a selfish, despicable man! You deserve divine retribution!"
"Hahaha! The more you insult me, the more I feel like I'm doing the right thing. So what? In the end, people only care about the victor. Once I've taken over Sky Sanctuary, not only will the credit for the Sepulcher of the Sacred be mine, but so will all the praise and admiration. As for your complaints, save them for when you're in hell, where you can tell that poor, doomed Sylvia all about it!"
Holy Emperor Nordain showed no shame whatsoever. Instead, he laughed arrogantly, and a chilling, murderous aura began to radiate from him.
At that moment, Zephyra, who had been silently observing from the sidelines, could no longer hold back her anger and suddenly made her move.
As one of the Twelve Saints and the most skilled assassin by Sylvia's side, Zephyra had played a crucial role in the founding of Sky Sanctuary. She had taken down countless Holy Emperor-level opponents, and through her many assassinations, her skills had been honed to perfection.
When she was in hiding, her presence could vanish without a trace. And when she struck, she was as fast as lightning, her attacks precise and deadly, leaving no room for her target to react.
Her black Nightblade sliced through the air, moving so fast it left only a faint shadow behind.
In the blink of an eye, the blade was about to strike Holy Emperor Nordain's fat, ugly face.
But just then, Holy Emperor Nordain made his move.
Though he wasn't nearly as fast as Zephyra, the moment he raised his hand, an invisible barrier materialized in front of him.
The barrier was so faint that its outline was barely visible, yet Zephyra's blade was stopped dead in midair, unable to advance even an inch further.
It was as if an immensely powerful hand had grabbed hold of her blade.
She couldn't pierce through it, nor could she pull her weapon back.
Even as Zephyra poured all her spiritual energy into her Nightblade, the blade gleaming with a cold, dark light, it was no use. No matter how sharp and deadly her intent, she couldn't tear even the smallest crack in the spatial barrier before her.
The entire Nightblade, along with Zephyra's arm, was frozen in midair, completely immobilized.
Even Zephyra, usually calm and composed, couldn't help but show a hint of shock.
Though she had assassinated countless targets, she had never attempted to kill a Holy Emperor-level figure before. This strike had carried all of her lethal intent, her most powerful blow. But clearly, she hadn't realized just how vast the gap was between her and a Holy Emperor.
As Holy Emperor Nordain's icy aura spread, Zephyra felt, for the first time, just how small and powerless she truly was. The overwhelming pressure bore down on her, leaving her no room to escape.
Thud.
Holy Emperor Nordain's hand tore through the air, seizing her throat in an instant.
The strength in his grip was terrifying. As his fingers tightened around her neck, the suffocating pressure nearly caused Zephyra to lose consciousness on the spot.
"Hmph. You think you're worthy of assassinating me? Who gave you that kind of confidence?"
Holy Emperor Nordain sneered, his voice dripping with mockery as he unleashed the full weight of his Holy Emperor aura. It wasn't clear whether his words were directed at the surrounding practitioners or his own Everfrost Sect followers.
"Sylvia and Sky Sanctuary have committed countless atrocities, their ambition to dominate the world's Holy Emperors laid bare. And now, that infamous Sylvia has fled, abandoning the chaos within the Sepulcher of the Sacred, leaving the people of this world to suffer. Such a treacherous woman is a stain on us all.
Now that I've quelled the disaster at the Sepulcher, I will bring justice to the people. I will destroy Sky Sanctuary and wipe out the remnants of Sylvia's forces, ensuring she never rises again!"
As he spoke, Holy Emperor Nordain's grip tightened.
The immense power radiating from his hand crushed Zephyra's throat, and despite her desperate struggle, she was on the verge of losing consciousness, completely unable to break free.
"Kill them! Wipe out the remnants of that witch Sylvia!" Explore more adventures at empire
The Everfrost Sect forces, who had been prepared for this moment, shouted in unison. Led by their elders, they charged toward Sky Sanctuary.
Sky Sanctuary, having brought only a fraction of their forces to avoid unnecessary casualties, was now vastly outnumbered. Their allied sects, too, had not brought many reinforcements.
In contrast, Everfrost Sect had come fully prepared, with overwhelming numbers and strength.
"Damn it! I can't believe Holy Emperor Nordain is this shameless and treacherous!" The disciples of Sky Sanctuary cursed in fury.
But they quickly realized they were surrounded, trapped in a deadly ambush.
The difference in numbers and power was staggering. Caught in such a trap, it seemed that Sky Sanctuary's core forces might truly be wiped out here today.
Elder Turner's brow furrowed deeply. He knew just how dire the situation was.
"Oh? Someone dares to strike in the chaos and even insult me behind my back?"
Suddenly, a cold, mocking voice echoed from the direction of the Sepulcher of the Sacred.