Ju Zi and Xu Tianran

"Although I spent money to buy those houses, I do not feel even the slightest attachment to them.

I spend over a hundred days each year living in other empires outside the Sun Moon Empire, but it is merely a critical residence, allowing me to experience the narrow-mindedness of the Douluo Three Kingdoms and gain a deeper understanding of the gap between them and the Sun Moon Empire!

Rest assured, everyone—no matter where I live, I have only one nationality. I am still an upright and proud Sun Moon Person!

Moreover, I can swear a blood oath: if the empire ever needs it, every house under my name can be sold to contribute to the empire's Holy War. Should I break this oath, my Martial Soul will shatter, and my Soul Power Level will never advance for the rest of my life!

And because I have always had faith in the Sun Moon Empire, I can make a precise prediction here: as long as His Majesty launches the Holy War, the torrent forged by Soul Guidance Technology will completely crush the Douluo Three Kingdoms. The advantage is ours!" Chen Wei declared passionately.

All the Sun Moon citizens present were moved, and they applauded one after another. "Good! Well said! As expected of Teacher Chen Wei, easily doing what we could never do!"

"I'm going back to sell my ancestral Soul Tools right now! I want to contribute to the Holy War too!"

Huo Yuhao watched the fanatical expressions on their faces and silently detoured around them, heading farther down the long street. He felt that the Sun Moon Empire's internal propaganda was truly a little absurd. An expert who had bought fifty houses in other empires could still speak with such righteous conviction.

He had no idea where the Sun Moon Empire had recruited such a Hidden Dragon and Fledgling Phoenix.

Of course, based on what he had learned during this period, the atmosphere within the Sun Moon Empire was fundamentally centered around "launching the Holy War and unifying the Douluo Continent." Voices calling for peace had long since vanished without a trace.

However, because the Sun Moon Empire's accumulation was still insufficient, it had not launched a war outright. To give a simple example, creating a Rank 9 Soul Cannon Shell not only consumed a vast amount of rare metals, but also required a Rank 9 Soul Engineer to spend three to six months completing it.

That was why Rank 9 Soul Cannon Shells were so precious. Even the Beast King Tier Soul Guiding Master Group from the original work possessed only a few Rank 9 Soul Cannon Shells. Within the Sun Moon Empire, Rank 9 Soul Cannon Shells were undoubtedly extremely important strategic resources.

He still remembered how Huo Gua in the original work had participated in the Soul Engineer Great Competition, taken the Holy Spirit Cult's Rank 9 Soul Cannon Shell reward, and run off instead of becoming the Holy Son. That incident had driven the Holy Spirit Cult elders into a frenzy.

"Brother Sky Dream, have you found anything worth picking up cheaply?" Huo Yuhao asked Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in his Sea of Consciousness as he walked.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's lazy voice came through. "I haven't found anything. Little Yuhao, just keep walking. The moment I find something, I'll let you know right away. Of course, if you don't have enough money, there's nothing I can do.

After all, I can't exactly possess you and go rob someone. I can sense the auras of several Titled Douluo nearby. If I make a move, we'll be dead for sure. You know I'm not good at fighting—I've just lived a long time."

In a pavilion above the shops, a man seated in a wheelchair watched the scene below through the window.

Behind the man stood a black-haired young woman. She had delicate features and a lovely figure, and she exuded a languid air. Combined with her beautiful face, that temperament was enough to captivate any man.

"Ju Zi, Father has put some effort into changing the Sun Moon Empire's public opinion environment over the years. This man is one of the people Father arranged. What do you think of him?" Xu Tianran asked calmly.

Ju Zi's expression shifted slightly. She knew that Crown Prince Xu Tianran was testing her judgment, so after pondering briefly, she said, "Although this man's remarks are somewhat biased, they are indeed beneficial for creating a public opinion environment where the people yearn for the Holy War. The Sun Moon Empire and the other empires are bound to fight eventually. His Majesty is making a grand move, paving the way for war between the Sun Moon Empire and the Douluo Three Kingdoms.

Compared to the Late Emperor, His Majesty today is a man of remarkable talent and great vision, truly worthy of being called a Wise Ruler."

A cold smile curled across Xu Tianran's lips. "You're right. As for the Late Emperor... that foolish uncle of mine knew only how to blindly seek peace. He even cultivated an atmosphere of public opinion claiming that peace was the proper path, while obstructing the development of military Soul Tools.

As a result, he offended the interests of every faction, so his entire family was killed! That incompetent fool naturally could not compare to my father."

"Do you think that if I became emperor, I could do better than my father?"

Hearing this, Ju Zi replied gently, "Crown Prince, you will naturally do even better than His Majesty. You are destined to become an Eternal Emperor!"

Xu Tianran's expression softened. He took Ju Zi's soft, jade-like little hand and stroked it a few times. "That's right. I will conquer every nation on this continent and wash away the humiliation of the Holy War's defeat more than four thousand years ago. One day, this continent will be called the Sun Moon Continent, and I will be the Eternal Emperor praised by all."

A beautiful smile appeared on Ju Zi's face as she parted her red lips. "I believe Your Highness can accomplish it. I will always stand behind you."

The warmth of Ju Zi's breath as she spoke brushed against Xu Tianran's ear. Looking at her smiling face and smelling her fragrance, his thoughts began to wander, and his breathing grew slightly hurried.

If not for the fact that he was impotent, he would have long since made Ju Zi his woman and fiercely injected her with the Crown Prince's genes.

To Xu Tianran, Ju Zi was the person he trusted most. Back when he had been assassinated, Ju Zi had protected him without regard for her own life. Therefore, anyone might betray him—except Ju Zi.

At that thought, a shadow appeared in his eyes. With a beauty by his side, he was nevertheless impotent. This was undoubtedly an enormous regret for him. Of course, this secret could not be leaked, since there were quite a few people competing with him for the throne.

Even though he currently held an overwhelming advantage, if word of his impotence spread, it would mean that his right of succession would be stripped away, and those who supported him would abandon him without hesitation.

After all, for an empire, its ruler had to possess the ability to produce heirs!

Without descendants, it meant that one's throne would not be secure, nor could the hearts of those beneath him be settled.

"Oh, right, Your Highness. Recently, I discovered a student at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. He passed the First-Level Soul Engineer assessment in just twenty days. I want to recruit him a little."

Ju Zi sensed Xu Tianran's grip gradually tightening and knew that the Crown Prince's emotions were somewhat unsettled, so she deliberately changed the subject.

"Oh? He passed the First-Level Soul Engineer assessment in just twenty days?" Xu Tianran's eyes lit up. "Not bad, not bad. That breaks the record since the founding of the Sun Moon Empire. He is indeed an exceptionally rare genius. Ju Zi, who is he?"

"His name is Huo Yuhao. He is currently studying under Teacher Xuan, and in the future, like me, he will become Teacher Xuan's disciple. He is also here at this Treasure Appreciating Fair."

With a smile on her face, Ju Zi smoothly pulled her little hand, which Xu Tianran had squeezed red, from his grasp. Then she pointed toward a direction along the long street. "That is Huo Yuhao."

Though Xu Tianran appeared weak on the surface, he was actually a pill-boosted Titled Douluo. He easily locked onto Huo Yuhao's figure within the crowd. "So this is Huo Yuhao? He looks rather young."