241: Really a breakthrough?

"The Empress is about to Breakthrough!"

"Holy crap, is she really going to become a Nascent Soul?"

"She's in the Imperial City right now. Good heavens, wouldn't she be very angry if she saw the Imperial City was gone?"

"Then Heshui Prefecture is doomed, isn't it?"

"And the Great Love Sect... Oh, it's already gone anyway."

The players discussed animatedly, all feeling somewhat shocked.

More and more players gathered towards the Imperial City, and many streamers also saw the hot topic and rushed over.

A Golden Core Breakthrough to Nascent Soul, this was no small matter.

Moreover, everyone originally thought that the Empress would remain in seclusion and would already be a Nascent Soul when she emerged.

But now, for some unknown reason, the Empress appeared in the form of an infant, and it seemed she hadn't completed her Breakthrough yet.

Who could refuse to witness a Nascent Soul Breakthrough firsthand?

For a time, a crowd of players surged outside the Imperial City.

The Golden Core Cultivators who were originally suspended in the air frowned when they saw more and more players gathering.

"They're all courting death..."

"No, something seems off..."

A Golden Core Expert made some calculations, his brows furrowed even deeper, and he suddenly flicked his sleeve and left.

The other Golden Core Experts looked at each other, their faces also showing worry.

Finally, they too ascended into the air and departed.

In the end, only a crowd of players remained near the Imperial City, packed together, all wanting to witness the miraculous sight of a Nascent Soul Breakthrough.

The Empress's infant form scanned her surroundings and transmitted her voice:

"Great Jiang was founded thousands of years ago, with thirteen generations of Legacy. It rose from obscurity, reached its peak, then collapsed. The Middle Ancestor revived it, bringing about the Great Jiang of today."

"Today, I announce to Heaven and Earth: I shall shatter my Golden Core and form a Nascent Soul!"

The next moment, a white light transformed into a wave, spreading in all directions.

All players affected by it trembled, feeling a buzzing in their ears, and then an ancient character 'Jiang' appeared on their foreheads.

Everyone was greatly alarmed.

And this wave continued to spread until it completely enveloped the entire Great Jiang. All Mortals, Cultivators, and even Yao Beasts were branded with the character 'Jiang'.

The next moment, the wave of national destiny surged, the Empress's infant form began to grow, and Heaven and Earth trembled.

But just then, the state-stabilizing seal, which had been suspended nearby, suddenly expanded. A brilliant golden light shone, and intricate patterns, like carvings, continuously emerged from its square exterior.

Then, as if a sacred decree had descended, a new voice rang out:

"The Thirteenth Emperor of Great Jiang, having squandered the national destiny solely for personal gain, is unworthy of her position. No one in Great Jiang approves. Today, she is deposed, and a worthy ruler shall be chosen!"

At the same time, all Mortals and Cultivators branded with 'Jiang' trembled, as if the sacred decree they had just heard was something they had jointly written.

The Empress's expression, which had been neither happy nor sad, finally changed:

"What? You—"

Before she could finish, she saw the state-stabilizing seal suddenly press down. The void vibrated, and the Empress's infant form instantly vanished.

Simultaneously, the golden and white lights on the state-stabilizing seal intertwined, flickering continuously. The surrounding Spiritual Qi formed a vortex, constantly weaving around the state-stabilizing seal.

All the players were stunned, staring blankly at this scene, completely unaware of what was happening.

Everything exceeded their common sense.

Rumble!

The entire Great Jiang trembled. An unprecedented earthquake occurred, and trees, buildings, mountains, and even clouds constantly swayed and shook.

Everyone instinctively looked towards the Imperial City.

The streamers who were broadcasting were even more dumbfounded.

The number of players in the live streams continuously increased, quickly going from millions to tens of millions.

"Is this the Empress's method? Is she in her final Breakthrough?"

"But something doesn't seem right. The Empress seemed very surprised just now?"

"Strange, what exactly happened?"

The players felt utterly bewildered.

Because in the live stream, at first, they could still see the Empress's infant form and the state-stabilizing seal.

But very quickly, a dazzling light covered everything.

Spiritual Qi gathered from all around, forming a swirling wave that eventually covered an area of over a hundred li. Those outside could not see what was happening inside.

At the same time, various strange phenomena suddenly appeared nearby: flames, flowing water, rapidly growing wood, and even flashes of sword and saber light.

Heaven and Earth trembled, and strange phenomena continued.

"Is this commotion caused by the Empress?"

"No! These are the phenomena after someone's Golden Core Breakthrough!"

"What? Breaking through at precisely this time?"

"No, they must have deliberately suppressed the phenomena and seized this opportunity to unleash them all at once!"

The players were repeatedly shocked.

A Golden Core Breakthrough inevitably brings forth phenomena, but these phenomena can be suppressed through secret arts.

When Midnight Gao Sou broke through, the Duan Kong Cave Sect Master actually helped him suppress the phenomena, but Midnight Gao Sou still carelessly displayed the phenomena, announcing it to the world.

Later players became smarter; they all prepared suppression secret arts first, then went into seclusion to Breakthrough.

Of course, these players could not determine the exact time of the Empress's Breakthrough; this was a complete coincidence.

What they initially wanted to do was to find a hidden place, such as the Great Desert, mountains, or even overseas, quietly release their phenomena, then drift away, trying to hide themselves as much as possible.

Although they would still be discovered by Golden Core Experts of the same level, at least they wouldn't become an obvious target like Midnight Gao Sou.

And it just so happened that at this time, the Empress was breaking through, and her phenomena were unprecedentedly vast. So, all the Golden Core players seized the opportunity to come here and Breakthrough together, letting their phenomena hide within the Empress's phenomena.

This way, even Golden Core Experts of the same level would find it very difficult to determine exactly which individuals had achieved a Golden Core Breakthrough.

As for the players, they could only know that many players had successfully broken through, but they didn't know exactly which ones.

"The era of Golden Core has finally arrived."

"What does that have to do with me, who earns three thousand Spirit Stones a month?"

"Alas, I'm still toiling in a Mortal town..."

"Is this season about to end? It seems like everyone who wanted to Breakthrough has seized the opportunity to Breakthrough?"

The players discussed animatedly.

Those who dared to attempt a Golden Core Breakthrough and succeeded definitely had an excellent understanding of the game.

Next, they would inevitably stir up trouble and create quite a stir.

Some even speculated that more powerful player factions would emerge.

But... "Now that the Empress is breaking through, if she really becomes a Nascent Soul, who would dare to covet the Great Jiang Imperial City?"

"Then wouldn't they only be able to go to Li Kingdom and seize the territory of the former Qingling Sect?"

"Wait, it's not necessarily Li Kingdom. The situation in Great Jiang seems off; the Empress might not succeed."

"I heard that some older Golden Core Experts pointed out that the one breaking through inside is not the Empress."

"The Empress... is also someone else's great elixir."

At these words, everyone was startled.

What did it mean that the Empress was also someone else's great elixir?

Were there other people present?

There weren't any at all?

"Wait, actually, there is... the state-stabilizing seal?"