Sun and Moon Empire, Royal Palace.
Sitting on the luxurious dragon chair in the splendid hall is no longer the prince Xu Tianran, who is in charge of state affairs, but has returned to the original old emperor.
He twirled his beard with his hand, looked down at the hall with a smile, and accepted the worship of all civil and military officials. He looked like a kind and wise king in his twilight years, and he did not look like he was terminally ill at all.
In fact, the old emperor's physical condition was already very poor, but he still had to maintain a calm image in front of officials.
There are many people in the court today, including civil and military officials, prime ministers, princes and nobles, all lined up neatly. The lower-status officials are kneeling in the back, and the higher-status princes, princes, and dukes are in the enshrinement position. In front of you, you have the privilege not to kneel.
At the front of the hundred officials were Xu Tianran, several princes, and several princes, who were closer to each other according to their respective factions.
Xu Tianran was still sitting in the wheelchair, with Orange on his right and two brothers and sisters, Jing Hongchen and Hongchen, the masters of Mingde Hall, standing behind him.
There is only one person who is qualified to stand beside the old emperor, and even the old emperor treats him respectfully, that is Silver Moon Douluo Kong Deming.
Jing Hongchen's figure has obviously lost a lot of weight. The destruction of Mingde Hall was a huge blow to him. He immediately devoted all his energy to the reconstruction work after the competition.
There was a haze in his heart.
Due to the reincarnation of cause and effect, the destruction of Mingdetang may be attributed to his choices back then, but now it is meaningless to argue about right and wrong.
The only good thing is that although Mingde Hall was destroyed, most of the talents survived.
However, many important information and experimental plans were not retained and transferred in time, and were directly burned in the explosion.
Among them is the No. 1 plan that Mingdetang has studied for many years and invested a lot of manpower, material and financial resources.
The experimental subjects and experimental materials were all gone. The excavation of the ruins had ended, but nothing was unearthed.
There are also many secret studies that have to be started from scratch. Mingdetang's research on soul guidance technology will be stagnant for at least ten years.
After Prince Xu Tianran learned about this, he gave Jing Hongchen great support and took on a lot of pressure for him in front of the old emperor.
Jing Hongchen sighed in his heart, now the Hongchen family had to stand up for Xu Tianran.
But he also knew in his heart that Xu Tianran's move was just because he and the Hongchen family were still useful. After Xu Tianran completely took control of Mingde Hall, he, Jing Hongchen, would probably be the first to be abandoned.
But at this moment, Jing Hongchen had no choice. The power Xu Tianran controlled had completely overwhelmed the other princes and princes.
Behind Jing Hongchen, the Hongchen brothers and sisters all looked solemn. Even geniuses who were outstanding among their peers did not dare to put away their pride on such an occasion.
The court is not a competition stage, but the tense atmosphere and chilling feeling around it are far incomparable to the venue of the Soul Master Competition.
Everyone listened carefully to the words of an old man in front of the dragon throne.
That was a ninth-level soul master, a close confidant of the old emperor, and the decree he was conveying now could represent all the old emperor's attitudes.
The ninth-level soul master announced loudly: "This year's continent-wide youth soul master elite competition came to a successful conclusion in Mingdu. The young talents of the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Master Academy defeated powerful enemies during the competition, passed the test, and won the championship. It ended. The myth of Shrek Academy’s ten thousand-year champion.”
"The Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy has done great service in defending the glory of the Sun and Moon Empire. The president, Grand Duke Jing Hongchenfeng, the captain of the Sun and Moon Team, Xiao Hongchen, and the vice-captain, Meng Hongchenfeng, the Marquis, receive the reward."
"I hope the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy will achieve great results again and continue to defend the glory of the Sun and Moon Empire."
After the rewards were awarded, not only Jing Hongchen and Hongchen brother and sister, but also all the officials in the court shouted together.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Your Majesty is wise."
Hongchen brother and sister thanked the Lord for his kindness, but the unwillingness and anger in their eyes were well hidden.
What kind of honor is this?
Anyone with a discerning eye can see that the champion of Team Sun and Moon is simply a piece of cake.
The three games after entering the quarter-finals all ended hastily. The Sun and Moon team did not play a single game. Such a championship has no glory at all. The two captains didn't feel the slightest sense of accomplishment.
Shrek Academy, Noumenon Sect, Huo Yuhao... none of the opponents that Xiao Hongchen thought were worth fighting and taking seriously were met, and the game ended in a blur.
He, the captain and the proud son of heaven, was not happy at all, and only felt endless frustration in his heart.
Not only the Hongchen brothers and sisters, but also the civil and military officials and the people of Mingdu all thought so, but no one in the court dared to object.
The old emperor was reporting good news but not bad news, praising peace and writing about the result of this game.
Although he is old, few officials have forgotten that this king is no less ruthless than the current Crown Prince.
The ninth-level soul master waited for the thank you to end, paused, and began to announce the second matter.
"From now on, the Minister of the Interior will take charge of the construction of the Sun and Moon Temple of Heaven."
As soon as he finished his first sentence, everyone's expressions immediately changed.
It is self-evident what it means to preside over the construction of an altar.
The ninth-level soul engineer continued: "The Temple of Sun and Moon will be located in the southern suburbs of Mingdu. It will be used to hold heaven-sacrifice ceremonies to comfort the ancestors of the Sun-Moon Empire."
"After the construction of the Temple of Heaven is completed, His Majesty will hold a concession ceremony to pass the throne to the new emperor, and will also implement a general amnesty."
After hearing the news, all the officials were stunned, but the eyes of those in the front row quickly came to their senses, especially Xu Tianran, whose eyes shone with excitement and excitement.
Xu Tianran secretly rejoiced: "Father, you have finally decided to give up the throne."
After all, being in charge of state affairs is just being in charge of affairs. After ascending the throne, he, the prince, became the emperor, and only then did he truly have the power to control everything.
This is the best news Xu Tianran has heard in so many days.
The plan to use the Soul Master Competition to besiege the geniuses of the Three Kingdoms as hostages failed. Not only the most important Noumenon Sect, Shrek, and Xingluo, but also the Holy Spirit Sect received news. Even the sect teams that had successfully captured them before suddenly appeared. The Beidi family was released.
Misfortunes never come singly. The central arsenal in Mingdu exploded due to an accident, destroying many reserves of soul guidance devices and causing a huge blow to the Sun Moon Empire's short-term war mobilization ability. Moreover, the destruction of Mingde Hall is also bad news.
However, Xu Tianran successfully took over all the forces of Prince Xu Guozhong, and also won over Jing Hongchen and Mingdetang.
Now that he heard that the old emperor wanted to take the Zen throne, he felt that the entire Sun and Moon Empire was already half in his hands, and all the unhappiness in his heart had been forgotten.
Xu Tianran's eyes were full of enthusiasm, but the eyes of the third prince, fifth prince, and other princes were full of fear.
Xu Tianran currently controls the strongest force, has the most outstanding abilities, and is the most valued by the old emperor. They cannot compete with him at all.
As for other princely heirs or members of the royal family, they only have the right to inherit in theory, and it is impossible for them to take their turn.
Xu Tianran's ascension to the throne as the new emperor can already be expected in a few days.
A thin layer of sweat had formed on the third prince's forehead. As the same prince, he understood the cruel heart of this royal brother best.
If Xu Tianran successfully succeeds to the throne, he will ostensibly grant him the title of prince, but will look for an opportunity to assassinate himself and disguise it as an accident.
The old emperor did not clearly say who he wanted to pass on, but everyone knew that there would be no second choice, only the current prince.
The third prince gritted his teeth. He knew that he didn't have much chance, so he could only shout immediately: "Father, I have something to report."
The old emperor was not surprised by his sudden shouting. He had expected it and nodded slightly: "Go ahead."
The third prince said one word at a time: "During the competition, the emperor ignored the actual situation of the Sun and Moon Empire and rashly detained the participating teams, worsening the relationship between the Sun and Moon Empire and the Three Kingdoms. He is short-sighted and is not suitable for the position of a prince. I hope my father will learn from it."
Such a straightforward impeachment was the last resort the third prince could think of. But he didn't need the old emperor to change his will and depose the crown prince. He only needed the old emperor to make Xu Tianran make a promise that he would not liquidate the princes who had competed with him for the throne afterwards.
The old emperor sighed and looked at Xu Tianran: "Tranran, I understand your inner persistence, but as the prince, you should continue to hone your character and vision, and you must not act out of impulse."
Xu Tianran said honestly: "Yes, father, I will certainly keep it in mind."
Just a mild accusation could not change the old emperor's appreciation for Xu Tianran at all, and it had no intention of protecting the third prince and others.
Xu Tianran raised the corner of his mouth slightly and turned to cast a kind but scornful look at the third prince.
The third prince and the fifth prince had already clenched their fists with their hands and stared back angrily.
They still look like noble princes in luxurious clothes, but they are no different from the desperate prisoners on death row in the sky prison.
Want to escape Mingdu as soon as possible? Or take the initiative to assassinate Xu Tianran?
No, there is actually no difference between the two choices. The only result is death.
The third prince gritted his teeth and prayed. If there was still a way to survive in front of him, he would definitely try his best to seize it.
…
Western Hills.
Ten days ago, there were endless towering mountains here, but now, there are only flat lands composed of gravel and sand.
Huo Yuhao quietly stepped on this piece of flat land and sighed again in his heart.
The power of thirty level nine custom-installed soul-guided artillery shells was truly terrifying. For the first time, he felt so directly the thrilling romanticism contained in the four-character idiom "razed to the ground."
Beside him, Huo Qiu'er, Tianmeng and Bingxue Emperor were all strolling here.
"At least three groups of people have been here." Ice Emperor speculated after carefully observing the surrounding environment.
Huo Yuhao said casually: "Of course it is. With such a big movement happening in Xishan, it would be abnormal not to send someone to check tomorrow, right?"
Tianmeng held the eight anise on his head and walked in front humming a song. Octagon has a special ability to continuously refine and condense ice elements, and the ice properties around it are particularly pure.
Moreover, this type of ice attribute is not as domineering as the Ice and Snow Emperors, and it does not improve them much, but it is very beneficial to the current Tianmeng. Bajiao's body was small, just right for her to hold on her head.
"Xiaoba, we razed this place back then."
"Amazing."
Tianmeng boasted about his achievements to Bajia, who also praised him with admiration.
Ice Emperor glanced at her speechlessly, not even bothering to explain.
It is midnight now, and there is not a single cloud above the western mountains. You can see the stars twinkling in the night.
One of the stars shines particularly brightly, and the officials who observe the sky in the palace will call it the Emperor Star.
Huo Qiuer glanced around and asked calmly: "You have returned to the Sun and Moon Empire again. What are you going to do next?"
Huo Yuhao didn't answer, he just smoked a soul-guiding cigarette and looked at the night sky quietly, thoughtfully.
There are not many people like him who want to come to a foreign country to engage in conspiracy.
Huo Qiuer looked to the west. The flat land spread outwards until the towering mountains reappeared on the horizon. The power of the explosion could be imagined.
She suddenly murmured to herself: "It is difficult to cross the mountain. Who can feel sorry for those who have lost their way?"
Huo Yuhao took the next sentence naturally: "Meeting someone by chance is like a guest from a foreign land."
He said to himself with emotion: "Sure enough, you understand me best. You said it was also an exchange of memories. Why can you remember these good words and sentences, but some people forget them after reading them?"
Tianmeng stopped and asked with confusion on his face: "Yuhao, why do you say that? Has anyone seen your memory?"
Huo Yuhao: "..."
Huo Qiuer raised her eyebrows and continued to ask: "You haven't answered my question yet. What are you going to do when you return to the Sun and Moon Empire in such a hurry?"
Now there is no beginning or end. No matter how much you understand Huo Yuhao, you can't guess his next intention.
Huo Yuhao smiled and said, "The Sun and Moon Empire will hold its abdication ceremony soon. If nothing happens, Crown Prince Xu Tianran will probably ascend the throne."
"Then what?"
Huo Yuhao sneered: "Who allowed him to ascend the throne? Did I approve it?"
The strong spiritual power slowly condensed in front of him, and finally formed a figure exactly like him.
This is the spiritual body, an incorporeal clone separated by spiritual power. Although it cannot be touched, it can use some of the soul skills of the original body.
This is a brand new ability obtained by further condensing his mental power after the second awakening of his martial soul.
Huo Qiuer asked curiously: "So which obedient prince do you plan to approve to ascend to the throne? Where is your senior brother?"
She thought of He Caitou.
Huo Yuhao replied coldly: "He is no longer here, and I don't have the leisure time to assist anyone, so I can just do it in one step."
"One step at a time? What do you mean?"
Huo Qiuer asked with a frown, but soon her expression changed from confusion to shock.
Dazzling and scorching light suddenly flashed under the night sky, and an orange-red ball slowly rose into the sky, hanging directly above the spiritual body, reflecting the surrounding plains like daylight.
Before Huo Qiu'er came back to her senses, her spiritual body changed in her horror, and finally turned into a tall, dark-skinned figure.
"What do you mean? I also have the right to inherit. I am also qualified to succeed, right?"
Huo Qiu'er's eyes widened. She understood Huo Yuhao's thoughts without the need for words, and she let out a series of unstoppable dry laughter from her throat.
It turns out that the soul guidance device he had previously studied was used for this purpose.
After a while, Huo Qiu'er came back to her senses and murmured in admiration: "Huo Yuhao, you are really a genius."
"There is such a person. He looks like the Sun and Moon Royal Family, and also has the martial soul of the Sun and Moon Royal Family. Who is he?" Huo Yuhao asked with a smile.
Huo Qiuer replied affirmatively: "Then he is the Sun and Moon Royal Family, no, he is the Sun and Moon Emperor!"
The Ice Emperor stared at the sun soul guide in the sky and admired sincerely: "Yuhao, I still want to say that you were born to rebel."
"I am indeed a rebellious person." Huo Yuhao took a puff of the soul cigarette and said, "Speaking of rebellion, I remembered a poem about rebellion."
As he spoke, the three blood-red soul rings behind him lit up, and the second soul ring engraved with golden patterns flashed red.
Endless snowflakes suddenly enveloped the surroundings, and a biting chill filled the air. If you look carefully, you can find that each snowflake is exquisitely octagonal.
Emperor Xue frowned: "Is this Emperor Hantian?"
The snowflakes flew rapidly under the light of the sun soul guide, and the two extreme attributes of ice and fire were intertwined. It was truly like the original name of the Emperor Hantian Domain, Snow Dance Yaoyang.
Snowflakes continued to accumulate, and with Huo Yuhao as the center, the western mountain plains had completely turned into a blanket of snow, emitting a golden brilliance under the light of the central sun.
Huo Yuhao twisted a piece of snowflake in his hand and chanted lightly.
"One piece after another, they flew into the mire and disappeared."
"The past and the next are constantly changing, and eventually the colors of the rivers and mountains change."
"Xue Emperor, haven't I always wanted to give your Emperor Hantian his own name?"
Emperor Xue smiled and said: "You have been thinking about it for so long and haven't figured it out yet. Now you finally have something in mind?"
"Yes, let the mountains and rivers change their colors."
Huo Yuhao looked up at the sky again with a ferocious smile.
Under the soaring chill, the twinkling Emperor Star in the sky suddenly dimmed without a trace.
Mountains and rivers change colors, yin and yang change owners, heaven and earth are misplaced, and the sun and moon change the sky.
Huo Yuhao looked up to the sky and shouted:
"I want to steal the country!"
