The Old Emperor's Tacit Approval

The one the Old Emperor treated with such solemnity was naturally Silver Moon Douluo Kong Deming.

Kong Deming, the head of the Sun Moon Empire's Hall of Worship, was not only a Rank 94 Super Douluo but also the Sun Moon Empire's strongest Soul Tool Master, the foremost among all Level Nine Soul Tool Masters, and the one closest to becoming a Level Ten Soul Tool Master.

He was already over one hundred and forty years old. Even the current emperor of the Sun Moon Empire was his junior.

More importantly, Kong Deming possessed one-quarter of the royal bloodline. Loyal to the imperial family, he was the guardian deity and stabilizing pillar of the present-day Sun Moon Empire!

Before taking his seat, Kong Deming took out a soundproof shielding device from his storage Soul Tool.

Only after setting everything up did he begin discussing the Crown Prince's coup today with the emperor.

"Elder Kong, I never expected that child Tianran to secretly cooperate with such a terrifying Evil Soul Master organization. Sigh..."

Before Kong Deming, the Old Emperor was unusually at ease as he poured out his grievances.

It was clear just how greatly it had struck the Old Emperor to learn that his own son had gotten involved with Evil Soul Masters.

"Your Majesty, do you need me to intervene?" Kong Deming asked tentatively.

Though he was only a Rank 94 Super Douluo, with the enhancement of Soul Tools, he would not be the least bit intimidated even if he had to trade blows with a Limit Douluo.

"Forget it. Perhaps cooperating with that Evil Soul Master organization is not necessarily a bad move. Besides, perhaps my son has already thought of how to handle things in the future."

Just as Kong Deming had expected, the Old Emperor rejected the suggestion without a second thought.

Like father, like son. The Old Emperor was no kind man either.

Back then, he had led others in a coup, overthrowing the former royal family and seizing the imperial throne.

For rulers like them, it did not matter whether they were Evil Soul Masters or not. So long as they could be used, they were good Soul Masters.

Practical benefits would always matter more than anything else.

Of course, wolves like them had to make preparations on two fronts. When the crucial moment came, they would weaken what needed weakening and punish what needed punishing.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Kong Deming did not take it to heart.

Compared to the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, although the Sun Moon Empire also understood the danger posed by Evil Soul Masters, its suppression of them was far less severe.

This was also one of the important reasons why the Holy Spirit Cult's headquarters had been established in the Evil Forest.

After all, the Sun Moon Empire was more suitable soil for the expansion of Evil Soul Master forces.

Naturally, Kong Deming understood the Old Emperor's thinking.

By drawing upon the power of those Evil Soul Masters, they could make up for the Sun Moon Empire's weakness in high-level Soul Master combat strength.

As long as they could completely control those Evil Soul Masters and prevent any accidents, why not do it?

For the Sun Moon Empire, even after thousands of years, they still harbored ambitions of unifying the entire continent.

If they could truly use this as an opportunity to unify the entire continent, the Sun Moon Empire would certainly be willing to seize it.

"And what about the Crown Prince?" Kong Deming then continued asking about the Old Emperor's stance.

Though Xu Tianran and the Holy Spirit Cult had launched their coup with astonishing speed, it had little effect on those who truly stood at the very top.

After all, trying to force them through violence would only drive those people to side with the Third Prince.

Thus, the key to this coup was that Xu Tianran had used the opportunity to directly eliminate the Third Prince.

With that, for the major figures in the Sun Moon Empire's court, their only choice in choosing a side was Xu Tianran.

As for choosing someone from another branch of the royal family? First of all, with the Old Emperor still alive, he would certainly not agree to it.

Having launched a coup to ascend the throne himself, the Old Emperor naturally hoped that the throne would be inherited by his own children.

"Let that child handle things himself," the Old Emperor said with a sigh.

The die had been cast. No amount of patching things up would help, so he might as well let his capable son act as he saw fit.

Of course, the most important point was that, in the future revealed by the Heavenly Curtain Monologue, the Old Emperor had seen that Xu Tianran would be his successor.

Furthermore, in that future, Xu Tianran seemed to have joined forces with the Holy Spirit Cult to launch a war of invasion against the original Douluo Three Kingdoms.

If not for that, the Old Emperor would never have so readily agreed to relinquish power.

Especially after learning that the Crown Prince had allied himself with an extremely powerful Evil Soul Master organization.

In the end, it was still profit that swayed people's hearts.

For the Sun Moon Empire, if they could truly accomplish such a great undertaking, then even if they had to cooperate with Evil Soul Masters, so what?

[After the secret alliance was formed, the Holy Spirit Cult and Xu Tianran each made their own agreements, which were written into the Alliance Treaty.]

[In the future, the Holy Spirit Cult would help Xu Tianran ascend to the imperial throne; if the Sun Moon Empire launched a war of unification, the Holy Spirit Cult would also provide its full support!]

[But likewise, after Xu Tianran ascended the throne, he was to proclaim the Holy Spirit Cult the state religion, and the position of Imperial Advisor was to be hereditary under the Holy Spirit Cult's leader;

After unifying the continent, he would also need to help legitimize us Evil Soul Masters, declare us to be the orthodox lineage, and completely abolish the original title of Evil Soul Master...]

[Thus, with the help of the Holy Spirit Cult, Crown Prince Xu Tianran's power continued to grow; at the same time, with Xu Tianran's assistance, it also became easier for the Holy Spirit Cult to act and expand its influence.]

"The Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult truly harbor the ambitions of wolves!!"

Inside the Sea God Pavilion, Elder Song's fury surged as she watched the Heavenly Curtain.

If such a Crown Prince inherited the throne in the future, he would surely unleash a catastrophe upon the continent and leave countless lives in ruin.

The glimpse of a future war that had appeared in the Heavenly Curtain before now seemed confirmed—it would be launched by the Sun Moon Empire.

At the same time, the Holy Spirit Cult was even more detestable.

They actually wanted to completely overturn the sacred profession of soul masters and make Evil Soul Masters the orthodox path.

Each of them was more delusional than the last.

The only good news was what they had seen in the Heavenly Curtain before: the conflict between the Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult, and the latter setting a trap to assassinate Ye Xishui.

Mu En, when will you emerge from seclusion? Elder Song could not help thinking of Mu En, who was currently in closed-door cultivation.

Given the current situation, the most important thing was for Mu En to emerge and take overall command.

The Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult had formed an alliance; the forces of the former Douluo Three Kingdoms had to find a way to respond as well.

With Xuan Zi alone outside right now, it was simply not enough!!

Only if Mu En emerged from seclusion—and did so with an additional hundred years of lifespan—could he use his decisive strength and prestige to unite the former Douluo Three Kingdoms and face this crisis.