> [%hardbreaks]
> ____
> "`First phrase.
> {empty}
> Second phrase.`"
> ____

Now it's interested to note there are differences how the above snippet are
rendered by AsciiDoctor itself and Nikola & Hugo static-site-generators:

i) all three render the snippet as intended (by me):

“First phrase. Second phrase.”

but, somehow, {empty} attribute does not separate paragraphs.