Seeing is believing.
It wasn't that Orange didn't want to believe her friend, but these things were just too shocking.
An Zhen is an astonishing genius, but less than two years have passed since then. Lord Hongchen is a powerful Ninth-Level Soul Engineer with a high status in the Sun Moon Empire, but he is not enough to rival the royal family. Putting aside everything else, the Hall of Enshrinement is an insurmountable mountain.
As they walked along, the pretty young girl stopped in front of a majestic gate.
The once imposing " Crown Prince Palace" now appears desolate, with soldiers in uniform spirit gear carrying various valuable decorations and treasures as they walk out.
Orange felt there was no need to investigate any further.
As she walked along, she discovered that almost everyone already knew what Ke Ke had said before.
The matter caused a great uproar and became common knowledge, yet the authorities did not prohibit it; patrolling soldiers even discussed the Old Emperor and the Crown Prince. There was no attempt to stop Xu Tianran from standing among the crowd.
Everything shows that the world has changed.
But what about revenge for my parents?!
A thin figure stood by the roadside. Despite the bright sunshine and just the right temperature, Orange couldn't help but shiver.
Her bright, sparkling eyes gazed blankly at the sky, as if she had lost her way. The adorable and innocent girl evoked feelings of tenderness and affection.
No!
Confusion and bewilderment instantly transformed into an indelible resolve.
She wants revenge!
Make Star Luo Empire, make Dai Hao pay the price!
Since her last loved one left Orange, she lost everything from the past. All the beautiful memories of the past could only remain in her mind. She had nothing left. From that moment on, what kept this body alive was the rage of revenge.
Spiritual power surged.
A jade card that had lost its luster fell into Orange's fair and delicate palm.
Regent An Zhen.
Orange murmured these words softly.
She knew her situation, support system A Spirit Master, with some Soul Guide talent, even if everything goes smoothly and luck is on their side, and they manage to become a Ninth-Level Soul Engineer, they are still far from making a Duke or Marshal who commands an army of a nation pay a bloody price.
To achieve one's goals.
Either a powerful expert with unparalleled strength.
Or they are either rulers who also control a country's military.
And those in the Sun Moon Empire who meet these conditions...
...
Mingdu has been quite lively lately.
Or rather, the entire Sun Moon Empire was bustling with activity.
Because the emperor on the throne in the palace suddenly changed.
The old emperor's edict of self-reproach shocked the people.
Such an event is rare throughout history, let alone an Evil Soul Master?! It turns out this dangerous being was lurking right among them. Public opinion was in an uproar, fueled by a wave of politically correct propaganda, and the Old Emperor and the former Crown Prince... Xu Tianran was suddenly branded a traitor, but considering the father-daughter relationship between the current emperor and the old emperor, as well as the remaining authority of the former emperor, most of the criticism was directed at the former Crown Prince.
There is both denigration and praise.
Especially in such a stark contrast.
Suddenly appearing at the pinnacle of power, Prince Regent became a household name and a hero overnight.
Of course, this wouldn't have been possible without a little help.
On the first day, all the nobles and high-ranking officials of Mingdu submitted, and several princes who attempted to resist were imprisoned and awaited labor reform.
The following day, the Royal Soul Guide Legion, led by two Ninth-Level Soul Engineer vice-captains, guarded the Empire's frontier, wary of the Original Douluo Continent. The Three Great Empires caused trouble during this period.
On the third day, the news spread throughout the entire Sun Moon Empire.
On the fourth day, many city lords from major cities sent letters of submission, pleading to participate in the new emperor's enthronement ceremony. The transfer of imperial power was proceeding smoothly.
On the seventh day, the Fire Phoenix, the Terror Claw, and the Evil Lord's Soul Guidance Corps went to the capital to pay homage to the new emperor.
On the ninth day, the Imperial Dragon Soul Guide Corps organized a field event. In addition to the Evil Soul Master, all Ninth-Level Soul Engineers of the Sun Moon Empire were present. Dozens of Level 9 spirit tools were ready to be activated at any time. Millions of people crowded the outskirts of Mingdu. Empress Xu Tianzhen officially ascended the throne and appointed officials (written by Prime Minister Jing Hongchen ).
"When the nation was on the verge of collapse, it was thanks to your efforts in turning the tide that we were saved. You have always cherished the heart of supporting the country and have long had the ambition to save the world and bring peace to the people."
The girl, dressed in a bright yellow robe, exuded a sense of authority, her face still bearing a touch of youthful innocence. Power adorned her aura, and with her back to the sun, she seemed to be draped in billions of rays of light. Her sincere and heartfelt voice was deeply moving.
"I inherited the throne at a young age and deeply feel the weight of the nation and the trust placed in me by all the people."
Xu Tianzhen held up the laurel wreath engraved with the divine patterns of the sun and moon.
"Now, beset by internal and external troubles, at this critical juncture, we truly need virtuous and capable ministers to assist me in bringing peace to the world."
"I hope that you, my dear minister, will handle military and state affairs on my behalf, take charge of the court and all government affairs, and assume the title of regent. In all matters concerning the appointment and removal of officials, military and political deployment, and people's livelihood, you may exercise the power of discretion, with the aim of benefiting the country and the people."
An Zhen knelt down in front of Xu Tianzhen.
"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust."
Everything was just like in the script.
The next second, a sacred and dazzling light rose from An Zhen's body, transforming into a figure hundreds of meters tall before the eyes of millions of ordinary people. It was an angel of light that seemed to embody all the beauty in the world. Six pairs of golden wings unfolded, each feather carrying a pure white halo. The angel's face was solemn and serene, its eyes, as bright as stars, filled with compassion.
Sacred and majestic.
"May God bless the sun and moon!"
The moment the sound rang out, the beautiful angels transformed into illusory golden light and shadow, falling like raindrops into the bodies of the people below.
Ordinary people feel a warm sensation in their body, and all discomfort disappears in an instant.
Many mid- to low-level Spirit Masters felt their internal bottlenecks loosen at this moment, as if they could break through that barrier at any time.
Powerful Tier 8 and 9 Spirit Masters Soul Guide was stunned as he felt the divine light emanating from within him.
This…this…
Where does such sacred power come from?
The high-level experts couldn't help but recall the deathly silence they faced when they signed the contract.
I'm a little confused.
An eerie stillness and a sacred light appeared on the same person.
"May God bless the sun and moon!"
"Honorable Prince!"
The entire stadium seemed to fall silent for a moment, then erupted in thunderous cheers that resounded throughout the heavens.
What a kind person! Prince Regent is absolutely a wonderful person!
A pair of fiery eyes were fixed on the black-haired boy on the high platform. If it weren't for the bright yellow figure beside him, he would have wanted to kneel down and follow him on the spot.
Amidst the roaring cheers, a slight smile slowly curved An Zhen's lips.
The ninth-level magic—the blessing of the Goddess of Light—was cast by a former Son of Light.
An Zhen knew exactly what "posture" was needed to win over faith.
He certainly wouldn't stoop to making empty promises; there would definitely be various tangible benefits in the future, just like magic today.
However, a good image is still very important, after all, this is his first impression in the eyes of the people of the Sun Moon Empire.
Inside the palace where the emperor handled state affairs, the old emperor's belongings had already been cleared away. An Zhen was quite satisfied with the old emperor's cooperative attitude. He decided to renovate a prince's residence for the old emperor, since the emperor's frail body wouldn't last much longer, thus sparing him the labor of renovation.
A black-haired youth sat arrogantly on the dragon throne, wearing a long robe with a black base embroidered with extraordinary sun and moon divine patterns, and a domineering and majestic purple dragon stood between the sun and moon.
Apart from the black base color, it was almost identical to the bright yellow robe worn by the girl sitting at the opposite table.
It was An Zhen and Xu Tianzhen.
Several Eight-Ring Soul Instructors and nobles who had come to pay homage to the new emperor were also standing nearby. They all lowered their heads, as if they hadn't seen what was happening in the hall, even though their clothing was extremely inappropriate.
Anyway, it's not yellow.
Such a sudden and drastic change. Anyone with even a slight understanding of the court and the emperor could see the shady dealings involved.
The "young" empress, Regent.
But whether it was officials and nobles, or city lords of the main city, or even the commander of the Soul Guidance Corps, they all seemed to be blind and unable to see.
Nothing more.
Should they choose to face the Royal Dragon Soul Guidance Corps and more than a dozen Ninth-Level Soul Engineers?
Those with the power to do so call for "purging the court of corrupt officials."
Those without strength are traitors.
A once loyal old official glanced furtively at An Zhen, then at the emperor who seemed unrestrained, and breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, this emperor hadn't gone too far, hadn't directly usurped the throne; he still understood some of the rules of the game. At least the one currently sitting on the throne was once a legitimate, direct descendant princess with the right of succession.
Everyone tacitly accepted this strange change of imperial power as a normal succession to the throne.
As the last group of visiting officials and nobles departed, An Zhen raised his hand, using his spirit power to close the palace doors. The maids and guards on either side had long since been dismissed, leaving only him and Xu Tianzhen in the empty hall.
"Your Majesty, how are you feeling?"
"It's alright." As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Tianzhen, who had been sitting upright according to etiquette, slumped onto the desk in front of him, feeling extremely tired.
After a day of following etiquette, receiving the necessary gifts before the coronation, the coronation itself, and a whole host of other troublesome matters, she felt incredibly tired, even though the physical exertion was nothing compared to her battles the previous day.
"Well done," An Zhen praised.
Xu Tianzhen has been very obedient these past few days. She's even been seriously learning etiquette, which she used to hate, and she's been behaving very well in all sorts of ways.
Her petite figure was wrapped in a bright yellow dragon robe, and her small feet in white socks inside her boots dangled gently under the table. Xu Tianzhen glanced at An Zhen, whose face showed no unusual expression, and then pressed her still somewhat childish cheek against the table, enjoying the moment of rest.
"It's getting late," An Zhen said, glancing at the twilight sky outside.
The next second, An Zhen picked up Xu Tianzhen in a princess carry and held her petite body in his arms, glancing at the pile of documents on the table with his dark eyes.
"Those matters don't require your attention. The two Grand Preceptors will handle them in a moment. Go back and get some rest, or you can put on a human skin mask and do something that interests you."
An Zhen was not harsh on Xu Tianzhen.
As he promised before, as long as one is obedient, these restrictions will gradually loosen, and one will have more and more freedom. However, now that his status is different, he still needs to conceal his identity when he goes out.
"Let's go back."
Unlike the first time, Xu Tianzhen did not struggle; he lay quietly in An Zhen's arms.
So, does this count as True Hongchen serving her?
A hazy atmosphere enveloped the two, obscuring the view of others. The palace guards were already used to the Regent's usual mysterious demeanor, and they passed through without hindrance.
"It seems that no Evil Soul Master appeared today."
Xu Tianzhen suddenly said.
An Zhen looked at the girl in his arms.
"No." Sensing that An Zhen had misunderstood, Xu Tianzhen hurriedly explained, "My father told me that he did indeed do something wrong, I—"
"I have no misunderstanding," An Zhen said, a thoughtful look in his eyes.
" The Evil Soul Master has indeed been very quiet lately."
In fact, this applies not only to today.
Even amidst the various major events that have occurred within the Sun Moon Empire over the past few days, the Holy Spirit Church has vanished without a trace, remaining completely silent. If it weren't for the presence of two Titled Douluo -level Evil Soul Masters within the Sunset Water Alliance, An Zhen would have assumed that the Evil Soul Masters had absconded.
"Perhaps--"
An Zhen suddenly stopped speaking.
In the Virtual World where he retained a portion of his consciousness, he discovered that two people seemed to be following him: a beautiful woman who looked very attractive and an old man who looked to be over fifty years old and had a weathered face.
Check Spirit.
' Dark Holy Dragon?!'
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.
Fortunately, he is usually very cautious when he is out and about.
"Perhaps what?"
Xu Tianzhen was puzzled. Why did he stop halfway through his sentence?
"Perhaps we will know the answer today." An Zhen's voice carried a hint of excitement.
I thought it would take a long time, but I didn't expect these two guys to jump out so quickly.
"Walk!"
The next second.
The deathly, ethereal power that did not belong to An Zhen suddenly erupted, carrying Xu Tianzhen away at an extremely fast speed towards the outskirts.
If he continues at the same speed, his opponent will catch up with him soon, but the battle cannot break out in the city.
"He's spotted us?!"
The middle-aged beauty, or rather Leaf Evening Water, revealed a fierce look on her face. The next moment, a soaring evil aura suddenly erupted, like a black pillar of light shooting into the sky. A soul-stirring aura emanated from it, as if countless ghosts were wailing in despair and savagery. The terrifying power directly reversed the celestial phenomena in this area, and dozens of humans who were nearby had their souls extracted.
"Sigh." Another elderly person sighed softly.
To the general public, the Evil Soul Master was indeed an extremely bad thing. But since it was Xishui's request, he was determined to help.
" Leaf Evening Water, you slut! I heard you climbed to your current position by trading your body with the former Holy Spirit Church leader." Seeing Leaf Evening Water's behavior, An Zhen, trying to steer the conversation to the suburbs, cursed, hoping to attract attention. But what he said was true; Zhongli Wu had gotten his position that way before.
The Evil Soul Master should never exist.