BOOM—
As those words fell, the heaven-splitting black qi erupted into countless sharp claws, hurtling toward the Azure Moon Divine Temple's army and Yuan Jiang!!!
"Everyone, get behind me!"
Upon seeing this, the Azure Moon Temple Master bellowed, then pressed his palms together as martial force surged throughout his body.
BOOM—
A torrent of cyan-black qi erupted from within him, rushing forth in a pose that seemed to seal off heaven and earth, crashing headlong into the black-flame claws unleashed by Her Majesty.
At the same time, Yuan Jiang hurled an object outward.
The object shimmered with flowing light and transformed into a golden shield tens of thousands of meters tall, stretching across the void.
The shield was still expanding rapidly, like a wall dividing heaven and earth in two, standing before them as a barrier.
The cyan-black qi was terrifying beyond measure.
The black shield appeared impenetrable.
One to attack, one to defend — the combination seemed flawless.
However, the moment those black-flame claws arrived...
The cyan-black qi was devoured in an instant.
And the shield shattered like glass in the blink of an eye.
Beyond slightly slowing the black-flame claws' momentum, it accomplished nothing.
Seemingly flawless, yet in truth utterly fragile.
"What the hell kind of monster is that?!"
Realizing that the onslaught could not be stopped, the Azure Moon Temple Master ignited cyan-black qi around his entire body and had no choice but to flee into the distance, bringing Yuan Jiang and the billions-strong army along with him.
Meanwhile, Yuan Jiang continued hurling golden shields one after another.
Although those golden shields could not block Her Majesty's assault, they could at least slow it down.
Watching this scene unfold, the Ancient Realm leader and Bai Yunqing below were both struck with disbelief.
Bai Yunqing in particular — despite his weak cultivation, he could still tell that Her Majesty held the upper hand and that the Azure Moon Temple Master and his forces were fleeing in disarray.
He had witnessed Her Majesty's strength before. She was merely a first-stage Half-God, so how was she unleashing such tremendous power now?
That was the Azure Moon Temple Master — not among the very strongest of the current Vast Cultivation World, but not far from the top either.
A figure like him was someone even the Lord of the Heavenly River would avoid offending unless absolutely necessary.
And Yuan Jiang gave off an equally powerful presence, arguably no weaker than the Azure Moon Temple Master.
Yet these two formidable existences were being driven into a panicked retreat by a spirit realm creature who had originally been only a first-stage Half-God.
If he hadn't witnessed it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it if told.
It was sheer absurdity, yet it was happening right before him.
"Something's wrong."
Bai Yunqing looked toward Her Majesty and noticed something amiss.
She was still radiating murderous intent so vast it seemed like a demon god descended upon the world.
But at the corner of her lips, blood was seeping out — and the flow was growing heavier.
"She's pushing beyond her limits."
Bai Yunqing realized the gravity of the situation, yet he remained stunned. Even burning her life force shouldn't have allowed her to unleash such power.
This was even more heaven-defying than Chu Feng.
ROAR—
Suddenly, behind Her Majesty, an enormous phantom figure materialized.
The phantom was uncanny — neither god nor demon — but once it appeared, Her Majesty's power unquestionably grew even stronger.
In moments, the black-flame claws caught up with the Azure Moon Divine Temple's army of billions.
The claws pierced through countless bodies in an instant, and even powerhouses like Yuan Jiang and the Azure Moon Temple Master were not spared.
Aaaagh~~~
Screams of agony erupted without end. Those pierced by the black claws struggled desperately, wailing in torment.
Their noses, eyes, mouths, and ears all began seeping black qi, and soon it started bleeding through their skin as well.
As the black qi ascended from within their bodies, their flesh began to split apart and disintegrate.
"What kind of monster is this?"
The Azure Moon Temple Master desperately shielded the people beside him, though in truth even he was enduring excruciating pain.
He knew he would not survive. Not just him — everyone from his Azure Moon Divine Temple would perish beneath these demonic claws.
But just as they had resigned themselves to certain death, the black qi suddenly dissipated.