Jing Hongchen looked at Xiao Hongchen, who was still held in Mu Xuan's grasp. His face was now pale and utterly dejected.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but found his throat so dry that not a sound came out.
That was his pride, the future hope of the Hongchen Family, and, above all, his beloved grandson.
If Xiao Hongchen died here, then even if he fell in battle for his country today, how could he face his ancestors in the afterlife?
"Enough."
An elderly sigh broke the silence.
Kong Deming took a long look at Jing Hongchen, who seemed to have aged ten years in an instant. A hint of helplessness and sorrow flashed through his cloudy old eyes.
He slowly reined in the terrifying Soul Power fluctuations around him. The Silver Moon phantom behind him, poised to strike, faded away as well.
"Hall Master Hongchen, don't blame yourself."
Kong Deming's voice was somewhat low, yet carried the reassurance of an elder.
"Circumstances are beyond our control. Today's outcome isn't your fault."
Jing Hongchen trembled, his eyes reddening slightly.
He knew Kong Deming was giving him a way out—and making this concession to protect Xiao Hongchen.
"I... understand."
Jing Hongchen forced out those words, and the glow of Soul Power around him dimmed.
He slowly lowered his head, no longer looking at Mu Xuan, nor daring to look at his grandson in Mu Xuan's grasp. A deep sense of defeat radiated from him.
And so, the Sun Moon Empire's two greatest powers—the Offering Hall's Hall Master, Kong Deming, and Mingde Hall's Hall Master, Jing Hongchen—had completely yielded before absolute strength and cruel reality.
"That's... it?"
Xuan Zi, hiding behind Mu Xuan, stared wide-eyed in disbelief.
He looked at the two old men who had just been ready to fight to the death rather than bend, and now they'd actually caved just like that? All because he'd grabbed a kid?
Xuan Zi couldn't help slapping his thigh in regret.
If he'd known these two old men cared so much about this brat, he should've just grabbed the siblings himself back then! Then the Sun Moon Empire's lot would've been at Shrek's beck and call long ago!
As he thought this, he sneaked another glance at Mu Xuan's back, and his fear deepened.
This really was a far more effective approach than the one his own brain could come up with, what with all its drinking and chicken legs.
Standing to the side, Zhongli Wu still looked grim, but the hand hidden beneath his black robe trembled slightly.
As the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, he understood human weakness inside out. But he knew even better that though Xiao Hongchen had been the catalyst for Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen's swift surrender, the true reason was Mu Xuan's utterly despair-inducing strength.
That utterly unreasonable power—one could even call it a terrifying, dimensional mismatch.
Even Mother, or Long Xiaoyao, the Chief Worshipper currently in seclusion... would probably be no match for him.
Zhongli Wu was secretly aghast.
This man was absurdly strong—strong enough to make you choke.
"Cough... cough, cough..."
Just then, Mu Xuan let go.
Xiao Hongchen crumpled to the ground like a puddle of mud, gasping for air and coughing violently.
His mind was completely blank. He stared at the ground, eyes vacant. For a moment just now, he'd truly felt as though he'd taken a trip to the gates of hell.
That murderous intent, bursting straight through him, had shattered his mental defenses. Even now, he couldn't gather his thoughts again.
The boy who was usually arrogant and self-proclaimed Genius was now utterly fragile. So this was the difference in strength?
"Are you satisfied now?"
Mu Xuan paid no attention to Xiao Hongchen on the ground or to what the others were thinking.
He spoke calmly, his tone still utterly even, as if he'd just done something trivial.
Yet those few simple words hit everyone present like a heavy hammer, sending the oppressive weight in the air climbing to its peak once more.
"S-satisfied! More than satisfied!"
Xu Tianran had by now been helped back into his wheelchair by the guards behind him. Though his face was still pale, he reacted quickly and immediately put on an utterly obsequious smile.
Since he'd already knelt, he might as well kneel all the way.
As long as he could take that seat and wield the supreme power that came with it, what difference did it make whose dog he was?
Especially when he could cling to such a powerful backer!
"Your Excellency is peerless. It is the Sun Moon Empire's good fortune to serve you!"
Xu Tianran groveled as much as he could and asked cautiously,
"I wonder what Your Excellency wants...? Soul Tools, rare metals, gold and silver, beauties, status—whatever the Sun Moon Empire has, just say the word! I... I mean, I'll do everything in my power to satisfy you!"
Jing Hongchen and Kong Deming looked even more displeased at those words and turned their heads, unable to bear the sight of the New Emperor's utter shamelessness.
Mu Xuan lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze passing over that obsequious face. There was no emotion in his eyes. He never cared what others thought. As long as they did what he said, that was all that mattered.
"What I want is simple."
His voice echoed across the empty riverbank, clear, cold, and beyond question.
"Starting immediately, declare war on the Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire, the Dou Ling Empire, and Shrek Academy..."
Mu Xuan paused.
Silence.
A deathly silence.
Jing Hongchen snapped his head up, his eyes nearly bulging out. Kong Deming almost lost his balance. Even Xu Tianran, who had been all smiles just moments before, went stiff, mouth agape.
Declare war?
And all at once, on the three great empires of the original Douluo Continent, as well as Shrek Academy, with its ten thousand years of history and reputation as the continent's foremost academy?!
He was insane!
This was sheer madness!
The Sun Moon Empire was indeed powerful now, and its Soul Guidance Technology was advancing by leaps and bounds. It had also been at odds with the neighboring empires, with even minor clashes breaking out along the borders.
But those were regional conflicts!
An all-out war meant the entire continent would be engulfed in flames, and hundreds of millions of lives would be dragged into the conflict.
And it would be one against four? That was practically suicide!
"Y-Your Excellency..."
Xu Tianran swallowed, his voice trembling.
"Isn't this... a little too..."
He wanted to say it was too rushed, that they weren't ready, that it would drag the Sun Moon Empire into an abyss.
But he didn't dare.
Mu Xuan's cold gaze rested on him, as still as if he were looking at a dead man.
"Three days."
Mu Xuan's tone was indifferent, yet utterly domineering.
"If you can't do it within three days..."
He lowered his hand and turned away from them, leaving only a despair-inducing silhouette.
"I'll destroy the entire Sun Moon Empire with my own hands."
Destroy the entire Sun Moon Empire?
Naturally, no one thought Mu Xuan was simply making an idle threat. He really did have that kind of power.
A chill rose in Jing Hongchen and the others' hearts. Though they were among the continent's top powerhouses, they now felt utterly powerless.
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