"Imperial Advisor, we truly have you to thank for this."
Within the Sun Moon Empire's court, Xu Tianran thanked Zhong Liwu, who was draped in a black cloak.
Fortunately, Zhong Liwu and his people had arrived with reinforcements at the first opportunity and helped him launch the coup. Otherwise, relying solely on the forces accumulated at the Crown Prince Mansion, he would have found it difficult to control the entire court.
Thus, after successfully bringing the situation under control, Xu Tianran naturally changed the way he addressed Zhong Liwu.
As stipulated in their prior secret agreement, the Holy Spirit Cult would be established as the Sun Moon Empire's state religion, while the Holy Spirit Cult's leader would inherit the post of Imperial Advisor to the Sun Moon Empire.
In response to Xu Tianran's gratitude, Zhong Liwu nodded noncommittally beneath his black cloak and said meaningfully, "Your Highness should make haste. Delays may breed unforeseen changes."
"Rest assured, Imperial Advisor. Once I have complete control of the situation and formally ascend the throne, the agreement reached with the Holy Spirit Cult will be fulfilled immediately."
Hearing the urging in Zhong Liwu's tone, Xu Tianran naturally understood what he meant.
What a pack of shortsighted fools. No wonder they deserve to be hunted down their entire lives.
Although Xu Tianran fundamentally looked down on the Holy Spirit Cult, he still could not do without its assistance for now. He could only go along with its wishes.
Once the tide has turned, I'll cut ties with these sewer rats! Xu Tianran had never held the Holy Spirit Cult in any regard.
Promising to establish it as the state religion after ascending the throne, to grant it a hereditary Imperial Advisor position, and to help legalize Evil Soul Masters after unifying the continent—those were all merely expedient measures.
Xu Tianran was also deeply wary of an ally like the Holy Spirit Cult.
It possessed too many high-level Soul Master combatants, and its evil martial souls were inherently bizarre and powerful. He had never underestimated the Holy Spirit Cult.
Moreover, the Holy Spirit Cult had two whole Limit Douluo.
Oh, there should only be one left now, but he was still enough to make Xu Tianran wary.
If such a Holy Spirit Cult became the state religion and gained a hereditary Imperial Advisor position, who knew how far it would develop?
Therefore, restraining it was something Xu Tianran would inevitably do.
Furthermore, and most crucially, Xu Tianran possessed not only ability, but also immense ambition.
His aspiration was to surpass every emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, achieve an earth-shaking feat, and unify the Douluo Continent.
The stain of joining forces with Evil Soul Masters and even honoring them as the state religion and Imperial Advisor would certainly have to be washed away in the future, allowing him to become a flawless, wise, and mighty emperor.
Therefore, from the very beginning of this partnership, Xu Tianran had intended to weaken them once he had finished using them.
Only after receiving a satisfactory answer did Zhong Liwu say, "Then I shall await Your Highness's good news."
Helping Xu Tianran successfully complete his coup was one of the few pieces of good news the Holy Spirit Cult had received lately.
As long as they publicly tied themselves to the Sun Moon Empire, then even if the Holy Spirit Cult was exposed at this stage, it would not need to worry for the time being about being jointly hunted down by the other powers of the continent.
After all, if they truly wished to act against the Holy Spirit Cult, they would first have to get past the Sun Moon Empire.
Even though Xu Tianran was not yet the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, his status as the Crown Prince who had completed a coup was already enough.
With his personal acknowledgment that the Holy Spirit Cult was the Sun Moon Empire's state religion and that Zhong Liwu was its Imperial Advisor, those powers would be forced to hesitate.
Of course, Zhong Liwu still hated the Heavenly Curtain Monologue for exposing everything.
Because of that damned Heavenly Curtain Monologue, the Holy Spirit Cult had been exposed before it was prepared;
It had caused the cult's Chief Grand Supporter, the Limit Douluo Long Xiaoyao, to part ways with them. Once he found his mother, a great battle might even erupt...
But the die had been cast, and Zhong Liwu could only accept these facts.
Although the plan was pushed forward in a far more hasty manner, we have at least tied ourselves to the Sun Moon Empire. The losses are not too great. At this moment, Zhong Liwu could only console himself.
All he could do now was accelerate the original arrangements and help Xu Tianran ascend the throne smoothly to become the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire.
At that time, they would have the entire Sun Moon Empire backing them, establish the Holy Spirit Cult as the state religion, and have himself serve as the hereditary Imperial Advisor.
If they could successfully launch the war to unify the continent as originally agreed upon, that would be even better for the Holy Spirit Cult.
During wartime, the Holy Spirit Cult would have abundant resources to rapidly increase its strength;
Once the war ended and unification was achieved, the Sun Moon Empire would announce to the world that the Holy Spirit Cult was the orthodox lineage of Soul Masters, abolish the title of Evil Soul Master, and completely legalize them!!
After unifying the continent, the Holy Spirit Cult could even rely on its powerful strength, its position as state religion, and the hereditary Imperial Advisor office to successfully rise above the Sun Moon Empire and seize the final fruits of victory.
That was right. When the Holy Spirit Cult approached Xu Tianran to cooperate, it had not merely wanted to strengthen itself and legalize Evil Soul Masters.
If possible, it also wanted to control the Douluo Continent.
Thus, both sides of this cooperation had harbored hidden agendas from the very beginning.
Of course, whatever contradictions or conflicts there might be, those would only arise after the continent had been unified.
Before this plan was realized, Xu Tianran and the Holy Spirit Cult were the closest and most inseparable of allies.
Therefore, even though Zhong Liwu had seen in the future exposed by the Heavenly Curtain that his mother had fallen into a trap laid by the Sun Moon Empire and perished alongside Uncle Long, he did not make any unnecessary moves.
Instead, the moment Xu Tianran asked for aid, he immediately brought people to help.
Regarding this matter, Zhong Liwu and Xu Tianran had sufficient tacit understanding. Neither would mention it.
After all, neither could do without the other at this moment. Each needed the other's help, and it was not yet time to tear off all pretenses.
Meanwhile, outside the Sun Moon Emperor's bedchamber.
An elderly man with a tall build, short gray-white hair, and a bright yellow robe strode quickly into the bedchamber.
Not a single guard outside dared stop him, including the Holy Spirit Cult supporter who had suddenly arrived to hide in the shadows and "protect" the Old Emperor.
That supporter, who possessed the strength of a Titled Douluo, wished only to leave this place as quickly as possible.
That reaction alone was enough to show how terrifying the elderly man who had entered the bedchamber was.
"Your Majesty, this subject arrived too late." The elderly man walked straight to the dragon bed and respectfully bowed.
Upon seeing him, the Old Emperor, who appeared frail, forced himself to perk up and said, "It does not matter, it does not matter. So long as Elder Kong has come, all is well."
Then the Old Emperor called out, "Someone, quickly bring Elder Kong a seat."
Before you continue