Shen Zhiyi paused for a moment, then looked away.

"I do," she said softly.

boom--

Samus's mind went blank.

Did I hear that right?

He stood motionless, as if frozen in place.

He saw Leo excitedly stand up and put a flower wreath on her head.

A stream of icy blue light swirled above her head, making her face appear even more exquisite and beautiful.

A hint of bewilderment, as if stung, flickered in Samus's eyes.

He slowly lowered his head and looked at his heart.

The heart that had been burning with passion when I first saw her was now slowly turning into frost, then shattering into the lava of despair and fury.

Magma, angry magma.

Magma that has been betrayed and deceived.

Flames erupted in an instant!

The flames burned my entire body!

"No!!!" he roared, his blood surging wildly!

In an instant, he was dragged into darkness by Verga.

"My lord!"

"You are about to awaken!"

If he doesn't drag him in, the enormous energy that erupts later might tear spacetime apart!

On the high platform.

Shen Zhiyi caught a glimpse of Samus suddenly disappearing out of the corner of her eye, and her heart tightened.

While she was still in a daze, Shen Xiya had already taken the lead and stood next to the star gauge, placing her hand on it.

The crystal ball shone brightly.

The purple light swirled rapidly, displaying immense energy, a vast phantom army, and surging "popular support"!

The overall score is surprisingly high!

The Queen stood up excitedly, "Thea's abilities are evident to all!"

Shen Zhiyi frowned, feeling something was off.

When did they receive military support?

And the will of the people...

Shouldn't Shen Xiya have lost all public support by now?

“Princess, please,” Herbert urged as he approached her. “Don’t miss the auspicious time.”

Shen Zhiyi walked to the star-gazing area and placed her hand on it.

However, the star only lit up slightly.

The displayed energy level was only B-level, and the support from the forces behind it was even more meager and pitiful.

The rating is ridiculously low!

The entire audience erupted in uproar!

“This is impossible!” Ian exclaimed.

Leo stepped forward and questioned, "The princess just accepted my proposal. How could her military support be so limited?"

"There's a problem with the test!"

Katarina sneered and rebuked, "How dare you, Leo! A mere colonel, dare to question the royal family's millennia-old heritage!"

"Star measurements are never wrong!"

I think the problem is with you!

“The Queen is right,” Herbert added. “It must be because of the Astoria family, not because they are truly loyal to the eldest princess.”

"Otherwise, why can't the stars detect it?"

Leo looked alarmed and hurriedly explained to Shen Zhiyi, "Princess! Leo and his family are absolutely loyal to you. They are slandering you!"

"How dare you!" Katarina slammed her hand on the table and stood up angrily. "Leo Astoria, you have disrespected the royal family and deceived the princess!"

"The entire family deserves to be punished!"

"Once the ceremony is over, strip them of their noble titles! They will be forever barred from the royal family!"

A sinister glint flashed in her eyes as she said, "The eldest princess has been deceived by such a person, and her ability test is far inferior to that of Thea. She is completely unqualified to inherit the throne!"

"I hereby announce the appointment of the Second Princess, Shen Xiya, as the new Empress of the Empire..."

"Bang--!!!"

A black shadow burst forth from the void!

A deafening roar echoed across the sky.

It's getting dark!

"What's going on?!"

"The ground is shaking! Help! I can't stand up!"

Gasps of surprise erupted from the crowd.

A vast, ancient power, filled with absolute oppression and carrying an aura of destruction, surged forth!

"A snake! It's a snake!"

"Run!"

"I...I can't move!"

"Me too! Help! Someone save me!"

The crowd was held in place by that terrifying force and could not move an inch.

A colossal serpent loomed over the sky, looming over the crowd.

It carries a coldness and destructive desire, as if looking down on ants.

Everyone was terrified.

“Where…where…” Its scarlet eyes searched around, then suddenly fixed on Shen Zhiyi standing on the high platform.

It roared and surged towards her!

Shen Zhiyi was startled.

The ancient bloodline... has awakened!

She succeeded!

The aftershocks of Samus's energy reverberated up to the high platform.

The "star measuring instrument" let out a mournful cry of being overwhelmed and shattered amidst the horrified gazes of the crowd!

Crystal shards scattered in all directions.

The core crystal hidden inside was exposed.

The energy surging within is precisely the energy of the orcs that have been missing these past few days!

There is also a twisted transformation spell.

"Fake! That satellite detector is fake?!"

Everyone quickly realized what was happening.

"It's the Queen and the Second Princess! They changed their test results!"

"Then that highest score just now must have been the eldest princess's, right? Shen Xiya is only a B-level!"

"So these missing orcs were captured by the Queen's men!"

In an instant, the crowd was filled with righteous indignation!

"How could they seize the throne by such a means!"

"Katerina is not fit to be our queen!"

"And that Herbert next to her, he's been stirring things up, he's practically aiding and abetting evil! He deserves to die too!"

Katarina's face turned deathly pale, her lips trembling as she looked at the angry crowd. She was suppressed by the black snake's power, unable to escape or resist.

"No, it wasn't me..."

"You fools, how dare you defy imperial authority and slander me with such baseless speculation... I will order you all to be killed!"

This chapter is not finished yet. Please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!