The Sun Moon Palace Changes, a New Era Begins! (Seeking Collections, Votes!)

After absorbing his first soul ring, Kong Deming wasted no time in bringing Xu Tianyao back to Ming Capital, returning to his private laboratory.

In the year that followed, Kong Deming and Xu Tianyao would vanish from the Sun Moon Empire entirely, but by the time they emerged once more, the empire would have undergone a world-shaking transformation.

One year later...

Ming Capital, Imperial Palace!

"Your Highness, we have discovered the Second Prince's and Third Prince's men at the East and North gates. You guessed correctly—they are preparing for a coup!"

The moment the hands on the great clock tower of Ming Capital struck midnight, a dazzling white light tore through the sky, and countless soldiers surged over the city walls.

The cold aura of soul guidance devices enveloped the entire palace; the empire was about to welcome its rebirth!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

A series of explosions erupted, plunging the entire palace into a sea of flames.

Xu Tianran stood upon the grand hall usually reserved for receiving court officials, watching the soul masters and soldiers below locked in a desperate slaughter.

His two younger brothers were leading their respective soul engineer legions, battling against the Imperial Soul Engineer Legion he commanded.

Countless princes and ministers had staked everything on the three princes, betting their lives and fortunes on the outcome.

This made the rebellion unprecedented in its cruelty and bloodshed!

All the Soul Douluo by Xu Tianran's side had been dispatched to intercept those attempting to assassinate him.

Standing beside him now were only two individuals. One wore a mask, obscuring his true features.

Yet, from his aura, one could discern that this person was a formidable Title Douluo.

On the other side stood the actual power-holder of the contemporary Mingde Hall, Xu Tianyao's grandfather-in-law, Mingde Hall Master Jing Hongchen.

Jing Hongchen watched the battlefield below with a grave expression, while remaining constantly vigilant of the man with the eerie aura standing beside Xu Tianran.

If Jing Hongchen's guess was correct, that man's strength surpassed his own, and he was a practitioner of evil soul arts.

"Hall Master Hongchen, look at my two younger brothers. They are truly resourceful, managing to split the Imperial Soul Engineer Legion—personally commanded by our Father Emperor—and turn them into their lackeys for this treason!"

Xu Tianran looked down with a sinister expression, then turned to look at Jing Hongchen with an inscrutable gaze.

"Hall Master Hongchen, do you think my two younger brothers will succeed in this coup today?"

Jing Hongchen's expression shifted slightly as he bowed respectfully to Xu Tianran. "Your Highness protects the safety of His Majesty; your merit benefits the nation. Victory always stands on the side of justice."

Jing Hongchen truly did not want to be involved in this; after all, in a coup for the throne, one wrong step meant total destruction.

But he had no choice; his precious granddaughter had insisted he come to protect her husband-to-be.

It was a pity that he hadn't seen his grandson-in-law anywhere, so he had no choice but to stand from the Emperor's perspective and follow Xu Tianran in suppressing this rebellion.

He was forced to board the war chariot of Xu Tianran and Xu Tianyao.

Facing Jing Hongchen's refusal to take a clear stance, Xu Tianran did not mind; having Jing Hongchen stand by his side was already enough.

Come to think of it, Tianyao had truly done him a great service by using marriage to bind Jing Hongchen to their chariot.

Xu Tianran glanced at the clock tower; four full hours had passed since the coup began.

The flames and explosions within the palace had never ceased.

"Dawn is approaching, the sun and moon are about to trade places. The light of a new day for the Sun Moon Empire is about to arrive."

"It is time to end this farce."

Xu Tianran took a deep breath and signaled to the man in black. The man nodded at Xu Tianran and vanished into the night.

A streak of light cut across the sky, and a magnificent dragon shadow appeared above.

It was the symbol of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, known as the Hand of the Empire!

Xu Tianyuan, Xu Tianran's direct subordinate, had successfully taken command of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion before the coup began.

He had brought them back to the empire to defend the throne!

Wielding the Sun Moon Sword, Xu Tianyuan led the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion in a pincer attack from the ground and the air.

Xu Tianyuan himself was operating at full power.

Eight soul rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black—rose up, and a red sun ascended from the dark palace.

"By order of the Crown Prince!"

"Defend the throne and purge the traitors!"

"Kill! Kill! Kill!"

Amidst the shouts of slaughter, Xu Tianran unfastened his cloak, revealing a black dragon robe underneath.

Under Jing Hongchen's gaze, he slowly ascended the steps symbolizing imperial power, walking step by step toward the location of his father.

He reached the highest point of the palace and pushed open the great doors.

His father, the Emperor of the Sun Moon, lay there with his life hanging by a thread, staring at him with vacant eyes as he watched his son walk toward him, step by step.

As Xu Tianran reached the Emperor's bedside, the sounds of slaughter outside the hall finally ceased.

The shouting and killing ceased. This meant that the two princes, four royal relatives, and tens of thousands of rebel soldiers involved in this insurrection had all been executed.

At this moment, the area outside the palace had been transformed into a living hell.

Covered in blood, Xu Tianyuan strode to the entrance of the palace, knelt on one knee, and reported to those inside.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, reporting to the Crown Prince: all treacherous rebels have been executed, with none escaping. This subject prays for Your Majesty's well-being!"

As Xu Tianyuan's voice faded, a flicker of sorrow finally crossed the old Emperor's eyes, and he closed them in agony.

After a bout of violent coughing, he finally murmured with great difficulty: "Tianran, why go to such lengths... why go to such lengths..."

Xu Tianran knew that he knew these things, and the Emperor knew that Xu Tianran knew them as well.

Xu Tianran was too radical, and with Kong Deming, the number one soul master, backing him, he posed a threat to the princes, the royal uncles, and even the Emperor himself.

The Emperor had been aware of the second and third princes' plans. He had strictly ordered that royal relative not to harm his eldest son's life, suggesting imprisonment at most, and had even tacitly approved their actions, going so far as to provide them with partial support from the Royal Soul Engineer Legion.

Even if he had intended to scheme, witnessing his own sons slaughtering each other and brothers turning against one another was a pain the already exhausted Emperor could not bear.

After his coughing fit, the Emperor collapsed listlessly onto his bed.

The bedchamber of Taiji Palace fell into silence. Xu Tianran, who had not a single drop of blood on him, withdrew his gaze of utter disappointment from his father.

Looking at his father, the man who had ruled the Sun Moon Empire for thirty years, Xu Tianran said coldly:

"This son respectfully requests that Father abdicate, rest your body and mind, and enjoy your remaining years in peace!"

The Emperor raised his head listlessly, his sickly, pale eyes filled with nothing but emptiness.

He agreed numbly; with only this one son left, what else could he do?

Xu Tianran turned and walked out of the palace, heading toward the Imperial Zenith Hall, which symbolized supreme power, step by step, step by step.

Meanwhile, Xu Tianyao had finally arrived. He had succeeded; with the full assistance of Kong Deming over the past year and a half, he had successfully condensed a Sun-Moon Soul Core. His soul power had now broken through the twentieth level, making him a level 24 Great Soul Master.