A Grand Coronation Ceremony!

The next day

Before dawn had fully broken, the entire imperial city had already awakened.

Today, the golden morning light shone with a brilliance unlike any before, bathing the plants, animals, and people of the Sun Moon Empire below.

For the people of Mingdu, today was a day of universal celebration. Whenever a new emperor ascended the throne, certain policies were usually relaxed, allowing the people to live more prosperous lives.

Before the sky had even fully brightened, people followed the dense, unbroken streams of crowds to the southern outskirts of Mingdu, ready to welcome this grand national celebration.

Now that the Five National Guardian Hands, Virtue Hall, and the Consecration Hall all answered to Xu Chengjing, even those harboring crooked intentions did not dare make any secret moves.

Overall, public opinion in Mingdu and throughout the Sun Moon Empire remained favorable toward Xu Chengjing.

For the many nobles and high-ranking figures of the Sun Moon Empire, today marked the beginning of a different future. The time had come for their previous investments to pay off, and every one of them was filled with hope.

Of course, the ascension of a new emperor was not only extremely important to the Sun Moon Empire. It was also of particular importance to the Three Douluo Kingdoms and the major powers, especially Shrek Academy.

What mattered most was the new emperor's attitude toward them, as well as what kind of personality and capabilities he possessed.

Xu Chengjin had previously expressed his desire to negotiate peace with the three kingdoms, coexist peacefully, and even open the Sun Moon Empire's advanced soul engineering technology for the other three kingdoms to study. This had left the powers of the original Douluo lands both delighted and surprised.

Although undercurrents still surged in secret during that period, at least on the surface, the Douluo Continent had displayed an unprecedented tranquility and peace.

Thus, on the day of the Sun Moon Empire's new ruler's coronation, the three kingdoms had each sent their own envoys to attend the ceremony.

There was also Shrek Academy, the number one Spirit Master academy on the Douluo Continent. It claimed to remain neutral and refrain from interfering in other nations' policies in any form, but in truth was the "Pacific Police" and openly supported the royal families of the three kingdoms.

The scale of this coronation ceremony was extraordinarily grand. All Five National Guardian Hands had assembled. At the southeast, southwest, northwest, and northeast of the altar stood the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion, Terrorclaw Soul Engineer Legion, Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion, and the Evil Lord Soul Engineer Legion, which had been reorganized through fresh recruitment and was commanded by Wang Yiheng.

The strongest Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion guarded the very center, preventing any unexpected incident from disrupting the coronation ceremony.

As time passed, the surrounding spectators, the delegations from the Three Douluo Kingdoms, and the Sun Moon Empire's officials of every rank, nobles, and powerful soul engineers all arrived at their assigned positions.

This coronation ceremony, jointly organized by the empire's Foreign Affairs Ministry, Protocol Ministry, Ministry of Technology, and several other departments, officially began with great fanfare.

"Dong—dong—"

The bells echoed across Heaven-Sacrificing Square outside Mingdu, stirring the spirits of everyone present.

Upon the altar stood a massive nine-zhang cauldron engraved with images of the sun, moon, and a purple-gold colossal dragon. Below the altar, on the left, stood high-ranking ministers from every department, military commanders, senior researchers, and the governors of the major provinces who had entered Mingdu from across the empire to observe the ceremony.

Xu Tianchen and Xu Tianran stood closer to the altar. Not only were they nearer to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legion, but they could also watch the coronation and crowning ceremony from up close.

On the right stood the diplomatic delegations from the Three Douluo Kingdoms, emissaries from the continent's major powers, and highly respected high-level soul engineers and Spirit Masters from civilian circles.

The Star Luo Empire had sent its crown prince, Xu Jiawei, along with two Star Luo imperial consecrators: the level 95 Shattering Star Douluo and the level 94 Xuanji Douluo.

The Heavenly Soul Empire had sent one of its princes and two Title Douluo who had reached level 94. The Dou Ling Empire was even weaker. Although it had also sent a prince accompanied by two Title Douluo, their cultivation levels were relatively low—one was level 93, while the other was only level 91, clearly a Title Douluo who had only recently broken through.

The people Shrek had sent this time were not only of high status, but also immensely powerful. One was Lin Huiqun, the master of Shrek's Treasure Gathering Pavilion, whose strength had reached level 96. The other was Xian Lin'er, dean of the Soul Engineering Department of Shrek Academy, a level 95 Super Douluo with the title War God.

Around the outer perimeter stood the people of the Sun Moon Empire who had come from all over to witness the ceremony.

As the ninth bell toll ended, Xu Chengjing, dressed in a dragon robe embroidered with a sun and moon shining together and soaring dragons, strode toward the altar where emperors of every generation had offered sacrifices to Heaven. He moved with majesty, dominance, and unhurried composure.

Kong Deming was responsible for crowning Xu Chengjing. This was not only because he was the head of the imperial Consecration Hall and the Sun Moon Empire's strongest soul engineer, but more importantly, because Kong Deming also possessed one-quarter imperial blood.

Kong Deming looked at Xu Chengjing as he approached, handsome and spirited, and nodded in satisfaction. He placed the Nine-Tassel Imperial Crown, the symbol of imperial authority, upon Xu Chengjing's head and softly said:

"From this day onward, this vast empire will be entrusted to you!"

Xu Chengjing nodded. His voice was filled with confidence as he replied firmly:

"Please rest assured, Elder Kong. In the future, I will certainly lead the empire to heights never before seen."

With that, Xu Chengjing turned around to face the assembled ministers and the envoys from the original Douluo lands. He shouted:

"Today, I, Xu Chengjing, ascend the throne as emperor. I will cast aside the cowardice of the former false emperor and restore a bright and glorious order to our Sun Moon Empire!"

"We pay respects to Your Majesty!"

Led by Ye Yulin and Jing Hongchen, the Sun Moon Empire's many researchers and high-level soul engineers knelt on one knee before Xu Chengjing, who stood upon the altar in his dragon robe. They then directly cried out long live the emperor three times.

"Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!"

The Sun Moon Empire's high-ranking officials, princes, and nobles also fell to their knees. Finally, the countless soldiers of the Five National Guardian Hands raised their weapons in perfect unison and shouted long live the emperor!

"Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor! Long live the emperor!"

At last, the countless Sun Moon Empire citizens watching from the outskirts were swept up by the impassioned atmosphere and fell to their knees before their supreme emperor. As far as the eye could see, the ground was a sea of black-clad figures.

The cheers of the people rose like crashing waves. The roar formed by tens of thousands of voices swept into the distance like a mountain-shaking tsunami.

The people from the original Douluo lands immediately felt a wave of pressure at the sight. As the surging cries washed over them, it was obvious from this alone that this new emperor's attitude toward them was completely different from that of the previous one.

The coronation ceremony came to an end amid the thunderous cheers. As the soul engineer legions orderly dispersed the crowds, everyone left in an orderly fashion, returning home and going their separate ways.

As for the ministers present, apart from the envoys from the original Douluo lands, all of them hurried toward Taiji Hall for the next event—the one everyone had been most eagerly awaiting: the reward settlement segment—

The investiture ceremony!!!