Everyone held their breath, as time seemed to stand still.
The Black Robe Empress slowly lifted her cloak. The moment her face was revealed, everyone gasped, eyes wide and mouths agape as if they were suffocating.
"This… how can this be?" Countless people uttered in disbelief.
"She… she…" Some were too shocked to form coherent words.
As they had expected, the Black Robe Empress had always hidden her face, not because of any flaw, but because her beauty was unparalleled.
However, her appearance was strikingly similar to the dragon girl seen in the Haotian Mirror. Not only did their faces match, but the Black Robe Empress also had the same antler-like horns on her forehead.
The timing of her revealing herself was also very deliberate. Everything pointed to one conclusion: the Black Robe Empress was the dragon girl from the Haotian Mirror.
It was shocking to realize that the once captive dragon girl had become a revered empress.
The crowd didn't know what had transpired between Xiao Fan, Huo Ling'er, and the dragon girl after those events. They only felt a sense of excitement.
However, Empress Huo Ling'er's feelings were more complex. She had just been thinking about how she would exact revenge on the dragon girl if she ever met her again. And now, the dragon girl appeared before her, but as a fellow empress, equal in power.
The dragon clan was known for their physical prowess and resilience. Among the six empresses, even the high-and-mighty Yaoshi Empress would not dare challenge the dragon empress without the Haotian Mirror. The dragon clan's formidable physical strength and heat resistance made them particularly difficult adversaries.
Huo Ling'er couldn't afford to act rashly without being fully prepared. She needed to understand the dragon empress's intentions first.
She subtly signaled Tianhuo Wang, who began discreetly instructing the entire Huosha Army to keep a close watch on the dragon empress.
Above, Yaoshi Empress hadn't initially paid much attention to the dragon empress's sudden appearance. But upon realizing that she was the same dragon girl from the Haotian Mirror, her mood soured.
"How could such a lowly being be one of the seven empresses?" Yaoshi Empress thought with frustration.
The Heavenly Court, with its ancient and noble heritage, governed the realms and was revered by all. As the daughter of the Heavenly Emperor, Yaoshi Empress had a prestigious background, extraordinary talent, and boundless resources, which led to her current position.
It irritated her that individuals of humble origins, like Beiming Empress, Taiyin Empress, and now the dragon empress, were her equals. Even the highly celebrated Tianhuo Empress didn't deserve to be her peer in her eyes.
The title of Empress, in her opinion, should belong solely to the Heavenly Court and her.
Additionally, Yaoshi Empress noted a peculiar trend. Empresses like Beiming, Taiyin, and Tianhuo had all been disciples of Xiao Fan. Even she had been forced to acknowledge Xiao Fan as a master at one point.
Could it be mere coincidence that Xiao Fan's former disciples all became empresses? Or was there something about Xiao Fan that enabled his disciples to reach such heights?
This realization made Yaoshi Empress eager to uncover Xiao Fan's secrets, especially how he groomed disciples to become empresses.
She turned her gaze to the dragon empress, wondering if she too had once been Xiao Fan's disciple.
The dragon empress, now revealed, showed no reaction other than a brief glance at Tianhuo Empress. Her gaze then shifted to the Haotian Mirror above, her eyes devoid of emotion.
Inside the Haotian Mirror.
Xiao Fan prepared to rescue the dragon girl, but seeing Huo Ling'er's anger, he decided to stand aside, knowing she would handle it.
Huo Ling'er, furious at the smug middle-aged man, was on the verge of exploding. Initially, she hadn't planned to save the girl, but the man's arrogance pushed her over the edge. She finally had an outlet for her pent-up frustration.
"I want that demon girl!" she declared.
The middle-aged man, still oblivious to the danger, grinned. "Of course, miss. But we follow rules here: the highest bidder wins."
"You want money?" Huo Ling'er's smile turned sinister.
"What, are you planning to rob me?" the man's expression changed, showing a hint of menace.
"You guessed it," Huo Ling'er said bluntly.
"Hmph! Miss, you might come from a noble family, but this royal city isn't your personal playground. You can't just do as you please!"
He signaled his henchmen, but before they could act, Xiao Fan used his pressure to immobilize them.
Seeing Xiao Fan intervene, Huo Ling'er's mood lifted. She walked up to the middle-aged man, mocking him, "You got that wrong. This royal city is my playground!"
"Remember my name. I'm Huo Ling'er."