Ju Zi lay quietly on the bed, covered only by a loose snow-white inner garment. Her cherry lips were exceptionally rosy, and her right hand tightly gripped a small metal tube. The metal tube still retained some residual warmth. Feeling this warmth, her gentle gaze could not help but become misty.
To make the matter flawless, Ju Zi had followed Xu Tianran's plan and taken the seed, but it was actually taken from Xu Zihuang.
Of course, Xu Zihuang would never allow the imperial physician to impregnate Ju Zi in such a way; it was purely to deceive Xu Tianran.
In the palace on the other side, the imperial physician who had been implanted with memories by Xu Zihuang's spiritual power was kneeling blankly in front of Xu Tianran, completely unaware.
"Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant has not failed in his mission."
Serving this temperamental emperor, the pressure he endured was truly immense. Fortunately, he had succeeded in one go, and he could not help but secretly breathe a sigh of relief in his heart.
But the moment the imperial physician finished speaking, a thin line of blood appeared between his eyebrows. His pupils dilated, and in an instant, all signs of life vanished.
Xu Tianran sat on the imperial throne in the palace, gazing down indifferently at the imperial physician's corpse. He calmly ordered, "Elder Xue."
As if responding to his words, an old man with a slightly hunched figure quietly appeared from behind Xu Tianran. With a wave of his right hand, several black shadows fell onto the palace floor, emitting low 'thud thud' sounds one after another. On their foreheads, without exception, a thin line of blood was slowly extending, as if something had sliced them open.
These were the guards who had been secretly lurking in the palace; naturally, they also knew about Xu Tianran's plan to borrow a seed to produce an heir.
From the very beginning, Xu Tianran had never intended for these people to survive, except for this Shadow Douluo Xue Chen, who had been his personal guard for more than ten years. For various special reasons, this Shadow Douluo could never betray him.
But neither Xu Tianran nor this Shadow Douluo Xue Chen knew that there was another informed person present.
Xu Zihuang, whose figure was hidden in the void, had witnessed everything from beginning to end. The corners of his mouth curved into a faint arc.
Just as he had anticipated, Xu Tianran had indeed killed these people. This way, there would be no evidence left behind, which was exactly what he wanted.
His gaze fell on Xu Tianran. Xu Zihuang narrowed his eyes slightly. He could sense that today, the only guard by Xu Tianran's side was this Shadow Douluo Xue Chen. At such a close distance, if he suddenly made a move, he would have a complete chance to kill Xu Tianran.
However, after weighing the pros and cons, he temporarily suppressed this idea.
First, Xu Tianran had several peak-level nine-rank defensive soul tools protecting him. Breaking through these defenses would take some time. By the time Kong Deming led the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Legion to arrive, he would instead fall into a passive position. The timing to act was not yet ripe.
The other reason was that he did not want Xu Tianran to die so easily. The blood sea-deep hatred from back then, he wanted to repay it a hundredfold, a thousandfold, letting Xu Tianran die amidst endless humiliation and pain.
Xu Zihuang smiled coldly. All traces of his presence hidden in the void disappeared without a trace.
In the following period, Xu Zihuang would secretly infiltrate the imperial palace, allowing his imperial brother to properly play the role of the cuckold.
This continued for a full half month without interruption, until Ju Zi truly became pregnant.
And through observing Xu Tianran's usual reactions, Xu Zihuang could also confirm that Xu Tianran had indeed not noticed anything unusual.
Although Ju Zi wanted to continue with Xu Zihuang for a long time, for the greater plan's sake, both remained rational. After confirming each other's thoughts and plans, Xu Zihuang prepared to leave that very night.
However, before leaving Ming City, Xu Zihuang sought out the Hall Master of the Ming Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen.
Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Ming Virtue Hall.
The central hall of the Ming Virtue Hall was decorated in a strong metallic style, dominated by a light golden tone. It was not extravagant, but it was full of texture.
At this moment, in this spacious hall, there was only one short and stout middle-aged man. A head of brownish-red long hair draped behind him, covering his short and thick neck, making him look particularly comical. Unlike his amusing appearance and physique, the middle-aged man stood with his hands behind his back, exuding an aura of authority without anger.
It was none other than the Ming Virtue Hall Master, Jing Hongchen.
Almost all of the high-level soul tools equipped to the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Engineer Legion came from the Ming Virtue Hall of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. With the war now broken out, as the controller of the Ming Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen could be said to be highly valued and heavily used by Xu Tianran.
A faint smile hung on Jing Hongchen's plump face, filled with indescribable satisfaction.
His grandson and granddaughter had made tremendous progress in their soul power cultivation over the past year, both breaking through to the Soul Saint realm. Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen clearly had limitless prospects ahead; their future achievements would definitely not be lower than his own.
What made Jing Hongchen most gratified was that his grandson, after being defeated by Yu Tianhuang twice in a row, had not fallen into the imagined state of self-abandonment.
Sometimes, one had to admit that there was still a gap between geniuses.
Thinking of this, Jing Hongchen could not help but sigh lightly.
At this moment, his figure suddenly trembled, causing the fat on his belly to shake. A terrifying aura swept out from within his body, and the metal in the central hall of the Ming Virtue Hall responded by emitting brilliant golden light.
"Who is it?! Get out of here for this old man!" Jing Hongchen narrowed his eyes and snorted coldly.
"What great audacity, daring to intrude into my Ming Virtue Hall!"
In Jing Hongchen's line of sight, a black-haired, purple-eyed youth appeared from the void. Upon seeing the visitor, a trace of shock rose from the depths of his eyes.
The youth was completely unaffected by Jing Hongchen's imposing aura. He walked step by step toward Jing Hongchen with a smile on his face. As he advanced, circles of soul rings emerged one after another from beneath his feet.
Red! Red! Red! Red! Red! Red! Bright Gold! Blue Gold!
With each soul ring that rose, the shock in Jing Hongchen's eyes grew stronger. By the time the youth arrived in front of him, a layer of cold sweat had even appeared on his forehead.
Xu Zihuang smiled calmly and said with ease, "Hall Master Red Dust, it's been a while."
Jing Hongchen stared at Xu Zihuang's indifferent, bright golden eyes, took a deep breath, and his expression turned bitter.
"Eight-ring Soul Douluo. It seems Xiao didn't lose unjustly."
What Jing Hongchen said was actually an attempt to maintain composure. The shock that Yu Tianhuang had brought him was far stronger than imagined. The moment Yu Tianhuang released his martial soul earlier, he had felt as if the surrounding space was completely locked down; he could not see any chance of breaking free.
This sense of oppression was even greater than when he had faced Elder Xuan back then.
However, facing Elder Xuan at close range, he still had the confidence to retreat unscathed, relying on his soul tools. But facing Yu Tianhuang, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness in his heart, as if there was nothing he could do. This was the instinctive perception of a Title Douluo-level powerhouse.
After calming his emotions, Jing Hongchen said with some emotion, "I didn't expect that in just a few short years, you have already grown to such a level. To be honest, I sincerely envy that Elder Mu could have such a successor in his later years."
Then his expression turned solemn as he changed his tone.
"Tianhuang, visiting my Ming Virtue Hall late at night, what instructions do you have?"
"I only have something I want to tell Hall Master Red Dust." Xu Zihuang chuckled lightly. Under Jing Hongchen's vigilant gaze, he raised his left hand.
Deep purple flames suddenly flickered in his palm, emitting a heart-palpitating aura as if it could wither all life. Immediately after, his left hand was covered with a layer of sharp-edged, deep purple dragon scales. In almost an instant, it completely transformed into a majestic dragon claw.
"Hall Master Red Dust, allow me to reintroduce myself." Xu Zihuang smiled slightly.
"Only son of the Purple Radiance King, Xu Zihuang."
In the silent hall, only Xu Zihuang's calm voice echoed. As soon as Xu Zihuang displayed the abilities of the Purple Radiance Heaven Extinguishing Dragon martial soul, Jing Hongchen's expression changed instantly. He stared fixedly at Xu Zihuang. The shock he felt in his heart at this moment was even stronger than when he had seen the eight soul rings around Xu Zihuang earlier.
"You are the son of the Purple Radiance King?!"
The destructive attribute unique to the Purple Radiance Heaven Extinguishing Dragon martial soul of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family, how could he possibly mistake it?
Jing Hongchen could never have imagined that the prodigy Yu Tianhuang from the original Douluo Continent side was actually a direct bloodline of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family.
After a long silence, Jing Hongchen finally recovered and asked Xu Zihuang in a deep voice, "What do you want me to do?"
The Red Dust family had held high positions in the Sun Moon Empire for generations. He naturally knew some inside information about the palace coup back then. Although he did not know how Xu Zihuang had successfully escaped imprisonment, the fact that he had hidden his identity and endured for so many years in Shrek Academy, and now sought him out, meant he definitely had grand ambitions.
Jing Hongchen already had some guesses in his heart.
"The grudge between Xu Tianran and me, I will personally settle it soon." The smile on Xu Zihuang's face did not diminish.
"I do not need Hall Master Red Dust to do anything for me. I am simply telling you this, and then giving you two choices."
At this point, the smile on Xu Zihuang's face instantly vanished. With an expressionless face, he continued, "Hall Master Red Dust, you can report my identity to Xu Tianran right now, or you can keep this secret until I take back everything that should belong to me. The choice is yours. The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and the Ming Virtue Hall hold extraordinary significance to the empire. Even if it comes to that point, I do not wish to do anything to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy or the Ming Virtue Hall. Hall Master Red Dust, you should understand what I mean."
"Of course, if Hall Master Red Dust chooses the latter, then I believe you are a trustworthy person. When I seize the throne, I can, as you once told me, marry your granddaughter Meng Hongchen."
Jing Hongchen looked at Xu Zihuang with a complicated expression and said meaningfully,
"Let me think about it."
"In that case, Hall Master Red Dust, I shall take my leave first." Xu Zihuang smiled knowingly. Noticing the emotional changes deep in Jing Hongchen's eyes, he believed that Jing Hongchen would make the right choice. Many times, the confidence in negotiations was based on strength; saying too many empty words was meaningless. The reason he had displayed his cultivation and talent in front of Jing Hongchen was precisely for this.
Moreover, the plan he proposed carried no risk for Jing Hongchen at all; he only needed to watch from the sidelines. And once he seized the throne, the benefits the Red Dust family would reap would be enormous.
Jing Hongchen's thoughts were similar to what Xu Zihuang had imagined, but he placed even greater importance on Xu Zihuang's terrifying talent. A Soul Douluo under the age of nineteen, possessing such an appalling soul ring configuration. Barring any accidents, he would definitely stand at the pinnacle of this world in the future.
Moreover, Xu Zihuang himself was a direct bloodline of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family. Compared to the half-crippled Xu Tianran, a prodigy like Xu Zihuang would be better able to lead the Sun Moon Empire to unprecedented prosperity.
Whether for the nation, the family, or personally, he leaned toward Xu Zihuang ascending to power.
Xu Zihuang's figure disappeared from the spot. The space that had been confined seemed to merge back with the outside world. Seeing this scene, Jing Hongchen was secretly shocked. He had long noticed that the ability Xu Zihuang had used earlier was achieved through control over spatial power.
"Hehe heh. Shrek Academy, Body Sect." Moments later, Jing Hongchen's small eyes were once again filled with mockery.
"I wonder what kind of expressions you all will have when you learn that the so-called Yu Tianhuang is actually a direct bloodline of our Sun Moon Empire's imperial family?"
After leaving the Ming Virtue Hall, Xu Zihuang did not go to find Kong Deming. Because he knew that Kong Deming did not care at all who the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire was, he only wanted to personally witness the Sun Moon Empire unifying the continent and reaching an unprecedented peak.
Once he broke through to the Title Douluo realm and forcefully killed Xu Tianran, Kong Deming would naturally stand on his side.
But just as Xu Zihuang was preparing to return to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile School, a bad premonition suddenly rose in his heart. He looked toward the east with a sense of realization.
Heavenly Soul Empire Capital, Heaven Dou City.
The imperial palace at the center of Heaven Dou City had already been reduced to ruins, with the towering palace walls shattered. Rows of light figures were neatly arranged above the imperial palace. These light figures flickered with dark golden radiance, their forms appearing extremely blurry. Moreover, around their bodies, there were slight twisting halos.
They were clearly soul engineers fully clad in dark golden armor. This dark golden armor was no ordinary soul tool armor, but the latest humanoid soul tools developed by the Sun Moon Empire.
Each of these humanoid soul tools was about three meters tall, completely covered in dark golden metal, with three pairs of flight soul tools spread open on their backs.
Three hundred people, exactly three hundred. The soul power fluctuations emanating from their bodies had all reached the eight-ring Soul Douluo level. This was the massive amplification brought by the humanoid soul tools.
And these three hundred individuals were precisely the most powerful of the Sun Moon Empire's Five Guardian Hands, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Legion. Under Kong Deming's leadership, they had launched a surprise attack on the Heavenly Soul Empire's imperial palace at the center of Heaven Dou City tonight.
The entire Heavenly Soul Imperial Family was annihilated!
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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