Sun Moon Empire

Biodata

Feature	Value
Name	Sun Moon Empire
Original Name	日月帝国
Affiliation	Sun Moon Imperial Family; Mingde Hall; Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy; Imperial Soul Engineer Legions
Status	Active
First Appearance	Chapter 2

Background / History

The Sun Moon Empire is an imperial power centered on Ming Capital, ruled by the Sun Moon royal family. Its upper echelon includes royal-clan elders, high-ranking officials, great families, palace soul masters, and soul engineer forces. The empire treats the awakening of its elite children as a matter of state, viewing them as the foundation of its future 2.

Its royal lineage possesses inherited martial souls including the Sun and Silver Moon. The twin Sun-Moon combination is regarded as an exceptionally powerful royal inheritance, while the Silver Moon is specifically identified as the royal family’s inherited martial soul 5 31.

The empire’s technological advantage is based on soul guidance devices. It possesses advanced martial-soul awakening equipment, maintains vast soul-tool infrastructure in Ming Capital, and fields specialized Soul Engineer Legions 2 13 76. Kong Deming, the continent’s only Level 10 Soul Engineer and the “Father of Soul Tools,” is regarded as both the empire’s pillar and its true guardian 5.

The state’s rapid soul-tool industrialization has also created major resource pressures. The empire requires large numbers of soul masters as engineers, industrial workers, and military personnel, providing even mediocre awakened soul masters with state-supported training and, in some cases, cultivation medicine. However, its expanding industry and resource exploitation have accelerated the depletion of native soul beast habitats, making soul beast smuggling a highly profitable underground trade 127.

Succession crisis and Xu Tianran's accession

The old emperor’s later reign was defined by a conservative foreign policy, weakened control over princes and ministers, and escalating royal infighting 4. When Xu Tianyao awakened the twin Sun and Moon martial souls with innate soul power level fifteen, the court celebrated him as an invaluable royal asset; he was named Prince Ming and ranked first among the princes, though not made Crown Prince 3.

While Xu Tianyao and Kong Deming were absent for a year of cultivation, the Second and Third Princes launched a palace coup against Crown Prince Xu Tianran. Xu Tianyuan returned with the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion—known as the “Hand of the Empire”—to crush the rebellion 13. The old emperor abdicated, and Xu Tianran succeeded him after a nationwide purge of coup participants and their families 13 14.

At Xu Tianran’s coronation, Xu Tianyao received an unprecedented princely throne beside the imperial throne. The ceremony publicly established Prince Ming’s status above other nobles and royal clansmen, presenting the two brothers as joint pillars of the dynasty 16 17.

Growing imperial division

The post-coup image of royal unity has progressively deteriorated. Xu Tianran views Prince Ming’s growing public prestige, military links, and support among aristocratic and soul engineer factions as a threat to imperial authority, while Xu Tianyao expects that Xu Tianran may eventually move against him 112 113.

This division is particularly pronounced over Evil Soul Masters. Xu Tianran has treated the Holy Spirit Cult as a potentially controllable instrument for his ambitions, whereas Prince Ming has repeatedly advocated open suppression of Evil Soul Masters and has considered forming a specialized Soul Engineer Legion to hunt them 111 121 126. Despite the rivalry, Xu Tianyao acknowledges that Xu Tianran remains necessary to preserve the empire’s stability during its present stage of development 124.

Power Progression

Chapter	Advancement
2	Demonstrated the empire’s elite cultivation and technical capacity through its advanced royal martial-soul awakening ceremony and core-array awakening device 2
13–14	Survived the palace coup, purged the rebel coalition nationwide, and centralized authority under Emperor Xu Tianran 13 14
16–17	Publicly elevated Prince Ming through his unprecedented throne beside the emperor, while opening regulated trade and initiating the Shrek exchange program 16 17
38	Conducted the first formal student-exchange handover with Shrek Academy and the three Douluo nations under the protection of the Dreadclaw Soul Engineer Legion and royal-level powerhouses 38
57	Advanced future military concepts through Prince Ming’s proposals for super-large high-temperature fusion strategic soul cannon shells and unmanned soul flight vehicles 57
77	Expanded its prospective talent base when the Xiao Clan chose to relocate to the empire and place Xiao Xiao in the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy 77
130	Conducted a major Ming Capital crackdown through Prince Ming and the Royal Soul Engineer Legion, dismantling criminal networks and rescuing nearly a thousand civilians 130
131	Clarified the deployment of the Five Hands of National Defense, with the Imperial and four border Soul Engineer Legions forming the core of national defense 131

Government and Institutions

Institution	Function
Imperial Zenith Hall	Site of major court ceremonies, including the royal martial-soul awakening and Xu Tianran’s accession 2 16
Ming Capital	Imperial capital and major soul-tool center, protected by extensive soul-tool installations 13 76
Mingde Hall	Crucial soul guidance institution; its access and technology are restricted from foreign visitors 16 17
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy	The empire’s principal soul engineer academy, centered on soul-tool training 17
Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion	Elite force called the “Hand of the Empire”; returned to defend Xu Tianran during the palace coup and is stationed on the empire’s borders 13 131
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion	One of the Five Hands of National Defense; principally protects the imperial family and is effectively held by Kong Deming despite nominally answering to Xu Tianran 131
Dreadclaw Soul Engineer Legion	Border Soul Engineer Legion that escorted the exchange delegation; also rendered as the Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Legion in accounts of the Five Hands of National Defense 38 131
Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion	Border Soul Engineer Legion responsible for defending the empire and a potential future posting for Prince Ming 131
Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion	Border Soul Engineer Legion responsible for defending the empire; its fire-oriented capabilities are considered a potential fit for Ma Xiaotao 110 131
Consecration Hall	High-level protective institution whose presence, alongside Mingde Hall, deters overt action against Prince Ming in Ming Capital 111 113
Imperial Ministry of Commerce	Audits foreign trade conducted with the empire 17

Military and Technology

The empire combines soul masters with large-scale soul guidance technology. Its soul engineer legions use soul tools in combat, while its elite students can employ abundant equipment to contend with stronger opponents across rank gaps 13 39.

The Five Hands of National Defense comprise the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion, Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, Dreadclaw/Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Legion, Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion, and Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion. The Imperial Legion protects the royal family, while the other four are deployed along the borders with the Heavenly Soul and Star Luo empires 131.

• Advanced soul-tool development — The empire’s martial-soul awakening device is described as its most advanced model, engraved with dense core magic arrays 2.
• Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device — Kong Deming’s lifetime work, created to address the incompatibility between Solar and Lunar Soul Power. Its core auxiliary component, the Sun Moon Ring, links the user to the device 8.
• Strategic resource policy — The empire permits foreign trade but strictly controls rare metals, strategic resources, and high-level soul-tool materials 17.
• Ming Capital defenses — The capital contains extensive soul-tool installations and is described as the continent’s foremost soul-tool capital 76.
• Future warfare research — Prince Ming has proposed a super-large high-temperature fusion strategic soul cannon shell for decisive destructive force, as well as unmanned soul flight vehicles as a new mode of warfare. Thousand Machines Douluo regarded these concepts as technically insightful and strategically significant 57.
• Soul engineer education — The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy is considered the continent’s foremost institution for training soul engineers, even though Shrek Academy remains stronger in traditional soul master education 77.
• Resource vulnerability — The empire’s dependence on rare metals, imported materials, and soul beast-derived resources constrains continued industrial and military expansion. Its native soul beast resources are being rapidly depleted by development and habitat exploitation 106 127.

Foreign Relations

The empire has maintained peace with the Heavenly Soul, Douling, and Star Luo empires for many years, despite generally holding an advantage over Star Luo during wars or border friction 4. Following Xu Tianran’s accession, foreign powers sent envoys both to congratulate him and to assess whether his rule would bring peace or war 14.

Xu Tianyao stated that the newly stabilized empire prioritized domestic development and did not intend to initiate a major war in the immediate future 14. However, foreign observers interpreted the empire’s internal consolidation as a potential prelude to future full-scale war 15.

The empire has continued expanding its influence despite avoiding open large-scale war. Its border forces have inflicted repeated losses upon Star Luo, while the Heaven Dou Empire has struggled to maintain its defensive lines against the empire’s pressure 98. Xu Tianran’s stated long-term ambition is to develop superior military soul engineering technology, annex the three Douluo empires, and unify the continent 111.

Trade

The empire agreed to open trade with the three Douluo nations. Xu Tianran viewed the arrangement as a means of exchanging soul-guidance industrial products for minerals and raw materials needed for civilian development and military expansion 16 17.

Shrek Academy exchange

The empire approved a student exchange with Shrek Academy while refusing Shrek’s request to visit Mingde Hall, which Xu Tianran considered too strategically important to expose 16. The first formal exchange was conducted at the Mingdou Mountain Range under heavy protection from both sides 38.

Shrek restricted Sun Moon students to auditing ordinary classes rather than creating a dedicated program, limiting their access to core curricula and monitoring them for possible intelligence activity 45. Nevertheless, the exchange students completed a year of study at Shrek before returning to Ming Capital 112.

The exchange has also heightened friction between the two academies. Shrek students and staff protested when Xiao Hongchen repeatedly used Soul Tools during an assessment match despite agreed restrictions, exposing the competitive and political tensions surrounding the empire’s technological advantage 80.

External recruitment and influence

Prince Ming has sought to develop ties with influential groups beyond the empire’s borders. The Xiao Clan agreed to relocate to the Sun Moon Empire under his protection, and Xiao Xiao was promised training at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy alongside major cultivation resources 77.

He has also pursued a longer-term arrangement with the Heaven Dou Empire’s Wang Family. Rather than require its immediate defection, Prince Ming offered the family future influence and resource redistribution should the Sun Moon Empire defeat the three Douluo empires, seeking a commitment that could fracture the Heaven Dou Empire’s internal unity at a decisive moment 106 107.

Notable People

• Xu Tianran — Emperor following the palace coup; consolidated central power through a nationwide purge. He seeks to centralize military authority, advance military soul engineering, and eventually unify the continent, while treating the Holy Spirit Cult as a tool he believes can be controlled 13 14 111.
• Xu Tianyao / Prince Ming — First-ranked prince and later regent; represented the empire diplomatically, promoted trade and the Shrek exchange, and held a throne beside the emperor at the coronation. His growing prestige, support network, and anti-Evil Soul Master position have made him a political rival to Xu Tianran 3 14 17 121.
• Kong Deming — The empire’s guardian, only Level 10 Soul Engineer, and creator of the Sun-Moon Dual Coexistence Device. He effectively controls the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion and remains a critical source of protection for Prince Ming 5 8 131.
• Jing Hongchen — Senior figure associated with Mingde Hall; oversaw the royal awakening ceremony and supported Xu Tianran following Xu Tianyao’s engagement to Meng Hongchen. He later encouraged Xu Tianyao to contend for the throne 2 13 116.
• Xu Tianyuan — Commander associated with the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion; led its return to defeat the coup forces 13.
• Ye Yulin — Level 9 Soul Engineer known as Starry Sky Douluo; publicly led the Sun Moon exchange delegation at the Mingdou Mountain Range 38.
• Thousand Machines Douluo — High-level soul engineer who has collaborated with Xu Tianyao on advanced soul-tool and future warfare concepts 57.
• Ye Guyi — Angel Spirit master recruited into Prince Ming’s circle; her ability to restrain and purify evil power is central to his plans for combating Evil Soul Masters 121 126.
• Ju Zi — Xu Tianran’s concubine; proposed using an imperial campaign against Evil Soul Masters to gain public support and pressure the three Douluo nations 48.

Political Character

• The empire publicly emphasizes royal unity under Xu Tianran and Prince Ming, particularly after the succession crisis 16 17.
• This public unity conceals an increasingly serious struggle between Xu Tianran and Prince Ming, whose respective supporters include imperial, aristocratic, academic, military, and soul engineer factions 121 123.
• Its government tightly protects strategic technology and materials while using trade to acquire external resources 16 17.
• Its rapid technological and industrial growth has produced a powerful new soul engineer interest class that controls technical knowledge, wealth, and significant influence over policy 106.
• The empire’s leadership views soul guidance technology as its principal comparative advantage 17 76.
• It is widely associated with continental expansion; Shrek Academy considers it a long-term obstacle to the unification of the continent 45.
• The Holy Spirit Cult seeks to exploit imperial tensions and provoke war between the Sun Moon Empire and the three Douluo nations 39 43.
• The imperial court’s attitude toward Evil Soul Masters remains publicly ambiguous. Xu Tianran considers their power usable if controlled, while Prince Ming advocates their systematic suppression and has proposed a dedicated anti-Evil Soul Master Soul Engineer Legion 111 126.
• The empire has used major anti-crime operations to strengthen domestic legitimacy and exert political pressure on the upper classes of the three Douluo nations 130.