On the surface, radiant and glamorous, but inside, battered and bruised.
As she watched Angelina on the verge of tears, Sofia gently held her hand, pulling up the distraught acting commander.
Her gaze was gentle, yet undeniably firm, as if looking down upon the world.
"I just had a nap and recalled so old mories. Since those three deserters won’t co, who in this vast world could be my match?"
"Co, accompany up the mountain, and witness the exit of these worthy adversaries."
She looked up to the sky, where the once ferocious red moon was suddenly obscured by dark clouds.
Crystal snowflakes drifted down from the sky.
Sofia extended her fingertip, and the space around her twisted with the surge of her power.
The snowflakes chosen by Sofia fell like lightning, while the other flakes froze in mid-air, creating an eerie and wondrous contrast between fast and slow.
Watching this, Angelina felt a pang in her chest, nearly spitting out a mouthful of blood.
A bit disheveled, but her confidence in Sofia was restored.
The Empress had barely moved a finger, yet she almost made Angelina, who recently broke through to Tier Seven, cough blood. This mastery over power was beyond worldly, transcending into the extraordinary, with a hint of the Holy Sanctuary’s essence.
It was said that only those who surpassed Tier Four could step into the Holy Sanctuary, yet Sofia had already touched upon its realm while still at Tier Seven.
As she claid, who in this world could be her opponent?
Angelina knew she had no place in the final battle; she was rely a spectator.
Just like the stark contrast between extre speeds, Sofia was helping her grow.
She dared not speak, only quietly following behind Sofia.
Kindly, she reminded Sofia to change horses to conserve energy, but Sofia only smiled slightly and calmly said:
"Such a beautiful snowy scene, it would be a pity not to savor it carefully."
Angelina felt uneasy; she recalled when Empress Sofia first arrived at the Empire, she was among those who greeted her from afar, witnessing her grandeur.
Back then, she was only eleven, and Empress Sofia also very young.
It was also a snowy day.
Angelina felt choked up; she abruptly stood before Sofia, her voice trembling, almost tearful.
"Your Majesty, can’t we wait for them to co to their doom?"
Sofia reached out to caress Angelina’s twisted cheek and softly said, "You see, you still don’t believe I will triumph."
"Your Majesty, if you were in perfect condition, if it were one-on-one, you could easily crush them, but this isn’t a fair fight!"
"Fair?" Sofia paused, then suddenly laughed.
"Angelina, if you can’t let go of this ridiculous term, you’ll never surpass Roland."
Angelina stubbornly lifted her head, "I don’t want to surpass him; I only want you to be safe."
Sofia took a step forward; Angelina hesitated slightly, then stepped aside.
Blocking the Empress’s path would be a grave disrespect; she could advise but not confront directly.
If the Empress insisted on moving forward, she would kneel and hold her leg.
Angelina rembered Sif’s song earlier, feeling lingering fear.
Atop the mountain, there were four as formidable as Sif, and even Roland, the cunning serpent.
Though mighty, the Empress facing four, not at her best, on foreign ground, embodied nearly all the tactical pitfalls; how could she fight like this?
The enemies weren’t paper tigers.
Just as Angelina resolved to stop Sofia, her vision blurred, and Sofia had already walked several ters ahead.
Angelina lost the chance to seize Sofia and could only follow.
The first ti blocking was an indulgence by the Empress, she couldn’t be so rude again.
Seeing Angelina’s worried expression, Sofia leisurely said, "Thirteen years ago, when I first beca a Transcendent, my initial challenge was a Tier Eight Transcendent. Did you know, my legs were trembling with nerves then."
Angelina nodded, she certainly knew; that was the night the Empress overthrew her husband, personally killing the Captain of the Imperial Guard, crushing the resisters’ spirits, thereby starting on her unbeaten path.
Sofia walked casually, her voice seed to drift from afar.
"Seven years ago, I challenged a Tier Seven Spirit dium. Alas, though I defeated her, I didn’t kill."
Angelina quickly interjected, "Your Majesty, Tier Eight to Tier Seven is a qualitative leap; defeating her was already a miracle."
Sofia didn’t explain how she could have slain the Spirit dium, sparing her out of rcy.
Her steps were unhurried, as the drifting snow covered her shoulders before vanishing.
Angelina awaited more stories from the past, but Sofia fell silent.
"Your Majesty, after that, you killed nine Tier Seven powerhouses, why stop?"
"Ten."
Sofia corrected Angelina’s mistake, then calmly said, "The rest were sa-tier fights, nothing noteworthy."
Walking silently for a while, finally nearing White Mountain.
Beating Angelina to speak, Sofia softly said, "Angelina, did you think my inevitable victory was just talk?"
Angelina was montarily speechless; indeed, she thought the Empress a bit stubborn. Otherwise, why recall past victories to boost confidence?
The Empress remained invincible, but the enemies were certainly powerful, and very cunning, very malicious.
She was, of course, worried.
Yet she couldn’t say it outright, choosing silence to express her feelings instead.
Sofia smiled faintly, leisurely saying, "Angelina, this isn’t blind confidence but faith built on continuous victories. If, from your debut, you vanquished so-called peer geniuses and strong opponents, leaving none alive by your sword, if not even those tiered above could defeat you, would you not have belief in inevitable victory no matter the foe?"
Angelina was dumbfounded, smiling wryly while shaking her head, "I don’t know, I’ve never felt that."
"So, you don’t understand."
Sofia’s pace quickened slightly, heading toward White Mountain.
"Whoever stands before , even a god, as long as they are of the sa rank, I will win."
"If Roland hadn’t gathered five with complentary attributes to form the Soul Blood Pentagram Array, they wouldn’t even be worth my full effort."
Sofia said softly.
Angelina’s body trembled, "Five people, are you referring to Christine?"
Sofia didn’t answer, speaking lightly, "I need the finest whetstone, and now it exists. Co, let this battle herald the upcoming Fourth Return Day."
"Wait, Your Majesty, shouldn’t it be the Sixth Return Day?" Angelina quickened her pace to keep up.
Her heart was trembling, yet Sofia did not answer this question.
The Empress of the Frosty Winter spread her arms wide, greeting the wind and snow.
The fierce snowstorm swirled toward her, touching her skin and lting away.
Angelina sensed subtle changes in Sofia’s body, her breath montarily held.
She witnessed Sofia’s figure diminishing in the snow, rging with the surrounding landscape.
At that mont, she was the White Mountain, and the White Mountain was her.
She and the White Mountain seed one, indistinguishable from each other.
Angelina thought silently that Roland’s painstakingly designed ho-ground battle was destined for poor results in this sweeping snowstorm.
Challenging the Empress of the Frosty Winter’s might in a blizzard?
Angelina nearly laughed aloud.
There are many ways to die; Roland chose what he believed to be the cleverest, yet it was the most foolish.
This might be what people say about "the wise sotis fall into their own snares."
Angelina even felt a twinge of pity for Roland as she sped up to catch up.
At this mont, she no longer worried for the Empress’s safety, she only wanted to witness a grand spectacle of slaughter.
The White Rose bathed in blood at the peak, paving the final path for Sofia’s transcendence to holiness.
This outco was undeniable.
Angelina was utterly convinced.
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