Why Are You Surrendering First, Crown Prince, When We Ministers Are Ready to Fight to the Death?!

Mu Xuan stood quietly where he was. The hand that had pierced through the Old Emperor was not stained with even a trace of blood, pale to the point of near transparency. No soul rings appeared around him, yet everyone present felt a profound terror—a sense that he was impossible to defeat.

Jing Hongchen stared fixedly at Mu Xuan, then turned to Kong Deming beside him. The shock in his eyes surpassed even his fear over the Old Emperor's death.

In that instant just now, he had clearly sensed Kong Deming's Soul Power erupt.

As a Rank 94 Titled Douluo, Silver Moon Douluo Kong Deming had yet to enter the realm of Super Douluo. Yet his mastery of Soul Tools was so extraordinary that he could stand against a Limit Douluo head-on. He was the true mainstay of the Sun Moon Empire, the pinnacle of the Soul Engineer world.

Yet just moments ago, Kong Deming had not even had the chance to deploy his defenses before the Old Emperor was already dead.

If Mu Xuan had targeted Kong Deming, Kong Deming likely would not have been able to protect himself either.

This guy's speed was so fast that even Kong Deming's spiritual power could not catch it!

"F-Father Emperor!"

From his wheelchair, Xu Tianran let out a shrill cry of grief. Yet beneath the carefully measured sorrow on his face lay an even greater terror and panic that he could not conceal.

Yes, terror.

He had dreamed of that old bastard dying sooner so that he could take the throne, but he absolutely had not wanted it to happen under these circumstances!

If the other party could crush the Old Emperor like an ant, could he not crush a crippled crown prince just as easily?

Before absolute strength, imperial schemes and sinister plots all seemed so pale and laughable.

Jing Hongchen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the fear in his heart. He suddenly turned toward Zhongli Wu, who stood behind Mu Xuan, and shouted sternly.

"Zhongli Wu! What exactly does your Holy Spirit Cult want?!"

"You openly murdered the emperor of our Sun Moon Empire. Are you trying to start an all-out war between the Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult?!"

Then his gaze shot like a blade toward the familiar figure on the other side.

"And you, Xuan Zi!"

Jing Hongchen gritted his teeth.

This Xuan Zi before him was considerably weaker than Evil Qi Xuan Zi had been that day. Combined with the chicken leg in his hand, this was the Sea God Pavilion Elder of Shrek Academy—Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi!

"As an elder of Shrek Academy, you actually participated directly in the assassination of the emperor of our Sun Moon Empire. You have utterly disgraced Shrek Academy!"

Jing Hongchen did not openly label the Holy Spirit Cult as an Evil Soul Master organization; such matters could not be brought into the open.

Hearing Jing Hongchen's furious rebuke, Xuan Zi suddenly gave a light laugh. A trace of disdain flashed through his eyes as he casually lifted the Wine Gourd hanging from his waist and took a swig, his tone brimming with arrogance.

"War? Hmph, a mere Sun Moon Empire dares speak of war with my Shrek Academy?"

"Let me tell you, Shrek Academy has endured for ten thousand years. When have we ever backed down? If you want to fight, then fight. This old man will accompany you to the end!"

However, the instant his words fell, Mu Xuan, who stood at the front, slightly turned his head and calmly swept his cold gaze over him.

Just that one glance.

Xuan Zi, who had been so imposing moments ago, instantly became like a rooster with its neck gripped. His voice cut off abruptly. He even shrank his neck and obediently retreated behind Mu Xuan, not daring to utter another word.

The sight made Jing Hongchen's and Kong Deming's eyelids twitch.

Even the unruly Taotie Douluo had been subdued to this extent. What kind of monster was this Mu Xuan?

At that moment, the silent Zhongli Wu slowly stepped forward. His voice rang out sinisterly from beneath his black robes.

"Elder Kong, Hall Master Jing, those who recognize the times are outstanding people."

"The situation on the continent has changed. I advise you two to submit to Lord Mu Xuan. Otherwise..."

He glanced at the Old Emperor's corpse on the ground, which was gradually turning cold, his tone casual.

"Your end will likely be the same as His Majesty's."

Even for the ruler of a nation, death was merely death in their eyes, as though they had casually crushed an insect.

That arrogance—their disregard for life and trampling of imperial authority—caused unprecedented fury to erupt in Kong Deming's cloudy old eyes.

"Live or die?"

Mu Xuan finally spoke.

He ignored their rage and merely uttered a few words in an indifferent voice. It was not loud, yet it echoed clearly beside everyone's ears.

Then his emotionless eyes slowly shifted toward Xu Tianran in his wheelchair.

Merely being watched by that gaze made Xu Tianran feel as though he had died an unknown number of times.

"In your dreams!"

Kong Deming violently struck the ground with his cane. His Rank 94 Soul Power erupted without restraint, silver-white light condensing behind him into a massive silver moon. Countless precise Soul Tool cannon barrels emerged from the void and locked onto Mu Xuan and the other two.

"Our Sun Moon Empire may cooperate with the Holy Spirit Cult, but that has always been on the basis that the Empire leads and you follow!"

"Now, you murdered the emperor first and threaten us afterward, yet you still dream of making us submit to a group of Evil Soul Masters who hide their faces? What wishful thinking!"

Soul Power surged around Jing Hongchen as well. Though afraid, as the master of Mingde Hall, he possessed his own pride and principles.

"That's right! Even if we die fighting today, we will never bow our heads to you!"

Just as these two pillars of the Empire prepared to fight to the death and defend the Empire's final dignity—

A trembling yet urgent voice suddenly rang out.

"I... I'm willing!"

?

The Soul Power Kong Deming had just gathered suddenly stalled, nearly backfiring on him.

Jing Hongchen also abruptly turned his head, staring incredulously toward the source of the voice.

There, Xu Tianran sat in his wheelchair, his face pale and his forehead drenched in cold sweat. Yet he struggled to climb down from the wheelchair and lower his noble head toward Mu Xuan.

"I... Xu Tianran, am willing to submit to!"

"As long as... as long as you can help me ascend the throne, from this day forth, the Sun Moon Empire shall follow the Holy Spirit Cult's lead! Everything will be done according to your orders!"

At that moment, the air seemed to freeze.

Jing Hongchen's mouth fell open, his eyes nearly bulging from their sockets.

We ministers were ready to fight to the death, so why had the Crown Prince surrendered first?!

What kind of move was this? This was the Sun Moon Empire's heir apparent?

Facing the cannibalistic gazes of the two high-ranking ministers, Xu Tianran took a deep breath. A sorrowful expression of righteous resolve suddenly appeared on his face.

"Elder Kong, Hall Master Hongchen, I had no choice!"

Tears streamed down his face as he spoke, his tone so sincere that it seemed he truly had the nation and its people at heart.

"Father is dead. If we continue to fight such an invincible powerhouse head-on, Mingdu will only run red with blood, and countless innocent civilians will be slaughtered!"

"For the continuation of the Sun Moon Empire, to spare the people from the ravages of war, what does Tianran's personal honor or disgrace amount to? Even if I must bear the condemnation of all, I can only... only endure humiliation and submit!"

His words were impassioned and deeply moving.

If one did not know Xu Tianran's true character, one might truly have been fooled by that hypocritical face of his.

"Heh."

Watching this scene, Xuan Zi could not help cursing inwardly.

This is the Sun Moon Empire's royal family? They're nothing but a bunch of spineless cowards! They knelt so easily. Compared to Shrek Academy's integrity, they're worlds apart!

Still, he only dared curse in his heart and remained obedient on the surface.

Mu Xuan showed not the slightest hint of pleasure at Xu Tianran's surrender. He did not even spare him another glance, as though all of this were only natural.

His calm gaze remained fixed on Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen.

"And you?"

Kong Deming snorted coldly. His silver hair flew about him, and his upright, unyielding presence did not yield in the slightest.

"Old Man may be old, but these bones are still hard! If you want Old Man to become your lapdog, you'll have to step over Old Man's corpse first!"

Jing Hongchen gritted his teeth as well. Though he was usually smooth and worldly, when it came to such matters of principle, he too possessed the pride of a Soul Engineer.

"Dream on!"

Just as Jing Hongchen prepared to mobilize all his Soul Power, determined to drag these madmen down with him even if it meant self-destruction, the corner of his eye suddenly caught sight of something in the distance.

A young man and woman were walking toward them.

They were Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, who had come looking for him!

"No—!"

Jing Hongchen's pupils instantly shrank to pinpoints, and an unprecedented terror surged through his heart.

Run! Don't come over!

He screamed wildly in his heart, but under Mu Xuan's oppressive aura, he could not even send out a sound.

It was only the slightest change in his expression.

Yet Mu Xuan caught it.

He slowly raised a hand and lightly grasped at the air.

Buzz—

An eerie ripple spread through space.

The next instant.

Xiao Hongchen, who had still been over a hundred meters away, felt his vision blur. Without any warning, he appeared directly before Mu Xuan!

That pale, slender hand clasped Xiao Hongchen's long neck with neither too much nor too little force.

Before Xiao Hongchen could even understand what had happened, his breathing seized up. His entire body was lifted into the air, his feet dangling, and his proud face instantly flushed bright red.

"This... is your weakness, isn't it?"

Mu Xuan tilted his head, looking at the deathly pale Jing Hongchen. His voice remained as cold and clear as ever.