The Imperial Family Is the Most Heartless

Time passed second by second. A quarter of an hour later.

Xu Tianshi looked at Xu Tianran and said, "Fine. I agree to cooperate."

After forming their alliance, Xu Tianran and Xu Tianshi exchanged smiles. Everything was understood without words.

They had reached an unspoken agreement: eliminate the most powerful faction, the Second Prince, first, then decide the victor between themselves.

Immediately afterward, Xu Tianran and Xu Tianshi discussed the details of their cooperation in the pavilion, as well as how to deal with the Second Prince, Xu Tianyu.

Just as their discussion grew heated—

Behind a rockery not far away, a figure dressed in the exclusive robes of a Sun and Moon Empire worshipper silently hid in the shadows, observing their every move.

Time flashed by, and evening arrived.

By then, Xu Tianran and Xu Tianshi had finally finished discussing how to deal with the Second Prince, Xu Tianyu.

After declining Xu Tianran's offer to see him off, the Third Prince, Xu Tianshi, left the garden with his guards.

Xu Tianran watched Xu Tianshi's departing back, a trace of mockery flashing through his eyes.

Whether he was mocking Xu Tianshi for overestimating himself and trying to challenge him, or mocking Xu Tianyu for serving as a pawn clearing the way for another king, no one knew.

At that moment, the powerful expert who had been standing behind Xu Tianran, guarding him, said, "Your Highness, it's getting late. Rest here tonight."

Hearing this, Xu Tianran turned to look at the speaker. When he saw that the man had not bowed, he could not help feeling somewhat displeased. However, remembering that the man was an independent cultivator accustomed to living unrestrained outside, he suppressed that bit of displeasure.

Xu Tianran said with a broad smile, "I appreciate Master Song's kindness, but I've just finished discussing matters with the Third Prince, and there are still things I need to handle. I won't stay any longer."

Immediately afterward, Xu Tianran took out a Level 7 Flying Soul Tool from his Storage Soul Tool, then merged into the darkness and swiftly flew toward Mingdu.

(In the original work, during the second Soul Duel Tournament, Xu Tianran was just over thirty and could already use a peak Level 9 Soul Tool. His cultivation was at least at the peak of Soul Douluo. Here, he was only in his early twenties, so being able to use a Level 7 Soul Tool was perfectly reasonable.)

Master Song watched Xu Tianran fly away, so shocked his eyes nearly popped out. "What incredible flying speed! That's a Level 7 Soul Tool—the Wings of the Night Sky! I never expected the First Prince to possess enough Soul Power to activate a Soul Tool of this level. My judgment was indeed correct. Not only was the First Prince the wisest, but he was also the strongest. In the future, he would surely become the crown prince, and then the emperor!"

After Xu Tianshi and Xu Tianran left one after the other, the figure in the exclusive robes of a Sun and Moon Empire worshipper, who had been hiding behind the garden rockery, also quietly departed and flew toward the imperial city.

Evening, Imperial Palace, study of Mingde Hall.

The emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire—Xu Jing—was seated inside.

He wore magnificent, noble dragon robes. His face was weak and sickly, yet his entire presence was filled with majesty. Even without anger, he inspired awe, making others dare not look directly at him.

At that moment, he was reading a report submitted by a worshipper.

The report recorded nothing other than the cooperative plot devised that afternoon between Crown Prince Xu Tianran and the Third Prince, Xu Tianshi.

As the emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire and the most powerful man in the land, nothing in all of Mingdu could be hidden from him.

The princes were naturally no exception. Xu Jing only needed to dispatch a powerful Ninth Level Soul Engineer skilled in concealment to easily learn every move the princes made.

If he wished, he could even know exactly when the princes went to the toilet and what they said at any given time.

After Xu Jing finished reading, his expression remained utterly calm. He did not seem angered by the struggle among his sons.

As emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire, he had long grown accustomed to such matters. He had personally experienced this kind of struggle himself.

In his view, such struggles were a good thing, because only the prince who emerged victorious in the end was the strongest, and only he was qualified to become the new emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire.

Only such an emperor could lead the Sun and Moon Empire to grow stronger step by step. Otherwise, if a useless fool inherited the throne of the Sun and Moon Empire, its future would inevitably decline.

However... this struggle had to be kept within reasonable bounds.

For instance, the princes could fight however they wished, as long as they stayed within the rules. But Ninth Level Soul Engineers absolutely could not be allowed to participate.

If Ninth Level Soul Engineers became involved, then should conflict erupt among the princes in the future, even escalating into an armed struggle for the throne—

If the Ninth Level Soul Engineers behind them were dragged in as well and began fighting, it would inevitably gravely damage the national strength of the Sun and Moon Empire.

He would never permit such a thing.

Fortunately, the ministers were sensible enough to know to avoid suspicion.

Among them, Jing Hongchen had done quite well. As the dean of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and the master of Mingde Hall, he shut his doors and turned away all visitors when faced with the princes' attempts to recruit him, refusing to meet anyone.

Xu Jing was very satisfied with this approach.

However, in contrast, certain princes did not know their place.

They truly dared to recruit anyone and try anything.

His health might be poor, but he was not dead yet. Yet at a time like this, they already dared to recruit important court ministers and Ninth Level Soul Engineers. If he became gravely ill and fell unconscious, would they not turn the heavens upside down?

Xu Jing said coldly, "Someone, draft an imperial decree for me."

At Xu Jing's command, several eunuchs entered from outside the study. One by one, they knelt on the ground and listened carefully, preparing to record the emperor's decree.

Xu Jing said slowly, "Effective immediately, no prince may have contact with Mingde Hall, the Five Great Nation Protecting Soul Engineer Corps, the Palace Worship Hall... Any prince who disobeys this order shall be expelled from Mingdu and sent back to his fief."

The meaning of Xu Jing's decree was clear: the princes could fight among themselves, but they could not involve Ninth Level Soul Engineers.

Should any prince dare violate it, he would directly lose his qualification to compete for the throne and be sent back to his fief to retire.

After issuing the decree, Xu Jing said to the eunuchs, "Go. Show my decree to the princes."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Outside, the night was deep and the Imperial Palace was silent. The Soul Tool lamps in the study illuminated the entire room as brightly as day.

They also cast light over Xu Jing's weak yet stern face.

With the emperor's decree issued, the First Prince Xu Tianran, the Second Prince Xu Tianyu, and the Third Prince Xu Tianshi were all badly startled.

They had all, openly or secretly, attempted to recruit Ninth Level Soul Engineers. The emperor's decree was clearly a warning that they had gone too far.

For a time, all the princes felt uneasy and did not dare contact Ninth Level Soul Engineers again, fearing that the emperor would strip them of their qualification to compete for the throne.

Unlike the uneasy princes, the Ninth Level Soul Engineers all breathed sighs of relief. They no longer had to worry about being dragged into the struggle for the throne.

Upon hearing it, Meng Hongchen immediately ran to her grandfather Jing Hongchen and asked, "Grandfather, can I go see Wang Chen Gege now?"