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Ye Yushui glanced disdainfully at the Emperor, mocking, “Emperor, you look pathetic now.”

The Emperor roared, “Ye Yushui, I knew your Holy Spirit Church harbored wolfish ambitions!”

“As expected, you were always after the Sun Moon Empire.”

“Dream on! Even if I die, I won’t let you ruin the empire!”

Ye Yushui sneered. “Do you think you’re still capable of anything?”

“You can’t even get out of bed, let alone do anything else.”

“Besides, after today, the Sun Moon Empire will have a new master.”

“You…”

The Emperor shivered with rage, glaring at Xu Tianran. “Unfilial son, you are bargaining with wolves. Sooner or later, you’ll be devoured.”

Xu Tianran remained calm, “That’s none of your concern, Father.”

“Besides, didn’t you rely on the Holy Spirit Church when you took the throne?”

“You…”

Xu Tianran’s words made the Emperor’s chest tremble with fury.

He glared at Xu Tianran, face flushed red.

Because he had worked with the Holy Spirit Church before, he understood how dangerous they were.

These people truly lacked humanity.

For that reason, after ascending the throne, he not only avoided empowering the Church but also cultivated other factions to balance them.

He had agreed to Xu Tianran’s plan for the same reason.

The Ice God Palace was too strong, enough to make him wary.

He wanted the Holy Spirit Church and Ice God Palace to fight, balancing them both.

But the balancing act failed.

Ice God Palace was far stronger than he’d thought, even defeating the Holy Spirit Church.

Not only that, he’d ended up offending Ice God Palace.

He already knew Su Yu’s Holy Slayer Palace had left the Sun Moon Empire.

He regretted it deeply; had he known, he wouldn’t have taken such risks.

Now Ice God Palace was gone, and the Holy Spirit Church had returned even stronger.

And Xu Tianran was foolish enough to cooperate with them.

At this moment, he saw the Sun Moon Empire’s future as bleak.

He glared at Xu Tianran, panting: “Ye Yushui, don’t forget, you’re not invincible.”

“My Imperial Consecration Hall…”

“Imperial Consecration Hall?”

Ye Yushui smiled eerily, “You mean Kong Deming?”

“Those people can’t even get past Xiaoyao’s single hand.”

“You don’t think we’re still the same as before, do you?”

Ye Yushui was full of confidence.

Except for the Ice God Palace, they could now call themselves invincible.

She just didn’t think she could defeat Hai Bodong; as for the Sun Moon Empire’s rabble, she didn’t care.

“You…”

The Emperor’s pupils shrank, shocked by Ye Yushui’s words.

He studied her carefully; indeed, Ye Yushui had changed greatly.

Her aura was more fierce and terrifying.

Maybe, right now, no one in the Sun Moon Empire could restrain her.

Kong Deming had not shown up—this spoke volumes.

Or maybe, even Kong Deming had chosen to support Xu Tianran?

The Emperor’s face tightened, glaring at Xu Tianran.

Ye Yushui’s blood-red gaze swept across, voice impatient: “Enough talking. Time to send him on his way.”

“Xu Tianran, you or me?”

Xu Tianran smiled faintly. “Senior Death God, let me send my father off. No need to trouble you.”

“You dare commit patricide?”

The Emperor’s eyes bulged. This unfilial son wanted to do it himself?

Xu Tianran said cheerfully, “I don’t want to, but you’re making it too undignified, Father.”

“No choice but to help you keep your dignity.”

“Besides, didn’t you help my uncle keep his dignity the same way?”

“This is the Sun Moon royal tradition!”

“You, bastard!”

The Emperor was furious.

Back then, he’d staged a coup, sending the last Emperor on his way.

Now, Xu Tianran was about to do the same to him.

Is this the price of being Emperor?

The Emperor was conflicted as he watched Xu Tianran approach in his wheelchair.

As Xu Tianran neared, the Emperor unexpectedly calmed.

“Don’t rejoice too soon, unfilial son. You won’t have a good end.”

With that, he struck his forehead, suiciding.

Xu Tianran’s eyes trembled, a hint of complexity flashing, but it was gone in a blink.

What replaced it was cold, ruthless determination.

“Xu Tianran, congratulations. From now on, you are the new Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire.”

Ye Yushui said calmly.

Xu Tianran’s eyes were deep, unreadable.

He wheeled forward, searching, and finally found the imperial seal.

He breathed a sigh of relief, “Senior Death God, I may still need your help.”

“About the Imperial Consecration Hall…”

“I understand. Just wait here.”

Ye Yushui flashed and disappeared.

Xu Tianran clutched the seal, eyes blazing with fanatic ambition.

“At last… it’s mine! Hahahaha…”

Xu Tianran laughed wildly, venting his excitement.

After so much scheming, the throne was finally his.

He clenched the seal tightly, eyes gleaming with wolfish ruthlessness and ambition.

…

Sun Moon Imperial City.

Kong Deming looked solemn. In front of him, Long Xiaoyao stood in black robes.

All around, the soul engineer of Imperial Consecration Hall had lost their will to resist.

“How are you so strong?” Kong Deming’s voice trembled.

Long Xiaoyao’s strength was unimaginable.

He alone had blocked the entire Imperial Consecration Hall and withstood all the Soul Engineer Regiment’s attacks.

This was not something any ordinary Ultimate Douluo could do.

Long Xiaoyao’s power had soared to a whole new level.

Long Xiaoyao simply said, “Go back. I don’t want to kill you.”

Kong Deming might be the Sun Moon Empire’s sharpest sword, its greatest guardian.

But to him, that meant little.

At this moment, Long Xiaoyao was not who he once was.

Kong Deming was nothing to him now.

Kong Deming frowned, “Long Xiaoyao, do you know that your actions are a grave offense against the world?”

“The Sun Moon Empire is not so easily bullied.”

Perhaps they were powerless now, but if the army gathered and soul tools were deployed, even Ultimate Douluo could be fatally threatened.

The Sun Moon Empire was never lacking in its foundations.

Otherwise, why would the Holy Spirit Church always treat them as equals?

 If the empire had no strength, the Church would never have behaved.

“Xiaoyao, are you still not done?”

A cold voice echoed in the air. Ye Yushui appeared in a flash of blood light.

Her gaze was cold as blood, emitting a fierce aura. The aura of grievances wrapped around her made Kong Deming shiver with cold.

“Ye Yushui, how many people have you slaughtered?”

The aura of grievances on Ye Yushui had reached a terrifying level.

“Only a few hundred thousand. Nothing worth mentioning.”

Ye Yushui spoke indifferently, staring at Kong Deming, “Kong Deming, do you want to live or die?”

For Ye Yushui, whose strength had soared beyond the Ultimate Douluo level, Kong Deming meant nothing.

But as the empire’s best soul engineer, she still needed him.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t bother talking.

“What do you want, Ye Yushui? Why commit such outrageous acts?”

Kong Deming frowned.

Ye Yushui said impatiently, “That emperor wouldn’t have lasted a few more years. Sending him off early, what’s wrong with that?”

“Besides, isn’t Xu Tianran the crown prince?”

“He succeeds the throne rightfully.”

“Kong Deming, I hope you’ll be sensible. Otherwise, I’ll have to wipe out the royal family and end your dynasty.”

“You dare!”

Kong Deming shouted.

Ye Yushui’s words hit his soft spot.

Kong Deming honestly didn’t care who was emperor.

As long as it was the royal bloodline, he didn’t mind.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have watched the last emperor be overthrown.

In truth, what he cared about most was the royal lineage.

As long as the empire grew stronger, he would support it.

Ye Yushui’s threat made him uneasy.

“I dare or not, you know.”

Ye Yushui glanced at him coldly.

Kong Deming fell silent.

Yes, she dared!

 Push this madwoman too far, and she’d do anything.

If she wiped out the royal family, it would be over.

Now, Ye Yushui and Long Xiaoyao, though not as strong as Hai Bodong, each gave him a sense of despair.

Their strength had soared.

Even deploying the army might not stop them.

The thought of two such strong enemies in the shadows made Kong Deming shiver.

After careful thought, Kong Deming sighed.

“I hope you don’t turn the empire into chaos. If you do, I’ll see you pay, even at the cost of my life.”

Kong Deming threatened.

Ye Yushui said calmly, “We will only make the empire better—as long as you don’t interfere.”

Kong Deming said nothing, turning to leave.

Ye Yushui reminded, “Don’t forget what you said.”

Kong Deming didn’t answer, quickly disappearing.

…

The next day.

The news of the Emperor’s death spread throughout Radiant City.

Xu Tianran, holding the final edict, succeeded the throne.

This sudden change shocked everyone.

Some nobles who supported other princes protested.

For these dissenters, the answer was the icy blade.

Especially after Kong Deming appeared and announced his support for Xu Tianran’s coronation, all debates ceased.

Everyone knew what had happened. From this moment, the Sun Moon Empire had changed hands.

From Xu Tianran’s behavior after taking the throne, many felt uneasy and restless.

Among them, Jing Hongchen felt it most.

Jing Hongchen and Xu Tianran had long been at odds.

Now that Xu Tianran was emperor, Jing Hongchen was unlikely to have a good outcome.

“Why not let me kill him?”

Xu Tianran frowned, clearly unhappy.

After news of his coronation broke, Jing Hongchen was the first to question him.

He’d planned to use this chance to get rid of Jing Hongchen.

But Ye Yushui stopped him.

Even Kong Deming warned him.

He had to change his mind and spare Jing Hongchen.

“I’d love to kill him too, but not yet.”

“Doing so now would only alarm others.”

“That man is too closely tied to Su Yu. Hurting him would draw Su Yu’s full attention.”

“For now, we mustn’t attract all of Ice God Palace’s attention.”

Ye Yushui explained.

She wanted Jing Hongchen dead even more than Xu Tianran did.

Just Jing Hongchen’s ties to Su Yu were enough to stir her deepest hatred.

The problem was, that they couldn’t yet handle Hai Bodong and Mu Wu.

If they provoked them now, their plans would be ruined.

To get revenge on Su Yu later, Ye Yushui chose to be patient for now.

“Once I’m enthroned, I’ll alert Su Yu anyway. He and I are not on good terms.”

Xu Tianran said bitterly.

Su Yu not only knew his secret but also stole Juzi. Xu Tianran hated him deeply.

“That’s different. Whether or not you become emperor doesn’t matter to Su Yu.”

“Don’t overestimate yourself. Even as emperor, you’re not on his level.”

Ye Yushui put Xu Tianran in his place.

In her mind, only she could deal with Su Yu.

After all, he’d inherited a god’s legacy.

“Senior Death God, isn’t that a bit much? I’ll soon be the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire.”

“Isn’t the empire at least equal to the Ice God Palace?”

Xu Tianran was dissatisfied.

So what if Hai Bodong was powerful?

 The Sun Moon Empire had a million soldiers and elite soul engineers—why fear him?

 “In the face of true strength, nothing else matters.”

“Just do as I say.”

“Or do you object?”

Ye Yushui stared coldly, her gaze oppressive.

Xu Tianran immediately felt weighed down.

Anger flashed in his eyes, but he quickly hid it. “Senior, I didn’t mean it that way.”