Why the Hell Would I Still Fight My Fourth Brother for the Throne?

Du Busi was a man of swift, decisive action. Not long after returning to the Body Sect, he brought its several hundred disciples, from top to bottom, to the Sun Moon Empire.

The Body Sect's wholesale relocation did not escape the notice of Prince Purple Brilliant—Xu Tiance's father, Xu Chengjing.

That fool Xu Chengye had stopped asking questions once he heard Kong Deming had sent people to construct the building, but Xu Chengjing had kept an eye on it. So when the entire Body Sect moved in, Xu Chengjing immediately sensed that there was more to the place than met the eye.

Xu Tiance, meanwhile, had finally returned to Prince Purple Brilliant's Manor after his Martial Soul Awakening.

Xu Chengjing had sent people to investigate when he saw Du Busi arrive with the whole sect. But once that group entered the new sect compound, they kept to themselves and rarely appeared. His men could learn nothing about what was happening inside, and he could hardly go straight to Kong Deming and ask. He had no choice but to summon Xu Tiance back and sound him out.

The instant Xu Tianran saw Xu Tiance, his expression stiffened slightly. But he soon put on the air of a warm, caring elder brother and began asking after Xu Tiance's well-being.

Xu Tiance stifled a laugh as he played along with Xu Tianran's show of concern.

After a few brief pleasantries, Xu Chengjing could no longer contain his curiosity. "Tiance, you're Elder Kong's disciple now. Do you know anything about the sect residence he had built not long ago?"

A look of understanding immediately appeared in Xu Tiance's eyes.

He could have guessed that this was what his father cared about most.

For now, only he, Kong Deming, and a few members of the Offering Hall under Kong Deming knew that the Body Sect had relocated to Mingdu. Even Xu Chengye, the reigning Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, was in the dark.

Xu Tiance had no intention of hiding it from Xu Chengjing. "When my teacher took me to obtain a Soul Ring, we happened to meet Du Busi, the Body Sect's sect master. My teacher and Senior Du hit it off at once and regretted not meeting sooner. At my teacher's urging, the Body Sect has officially chosen to move its entire sect to the Sun Moon Empire."

The Body Sect?

Confusion spread across both Xu Chengjing's and Xu Tianran's faces.

It was not that they had never heard of the Body Sect. Quite the opposite: the Soul Master factions of the Douluo Continent were among their chief concerns. Though the Body Sect had withdrawn from the world in recent years, it remained the undisputed second-greatest Soul Master faction on the continent, surpassed only by Shrek Academy. Of course they knew about it.

What they could not understand was what Xu Tiance had just said.

They understood every word on its own, yet somehow the words made no sense together.

What did he mean, Du Busi and Elder Kong had regretted not meeting sooner? What did he mean, the entire Body Sect had moved to the Sun Moon Empire?

A matter this momentous, a sect that large—and it had simply packed up and moved?

The Sun Moon Empire had worked tirelessly to catch up with the Three Great Empires in the quality of its Soul Masters. It had accepted that its native Soul Masters could not compare, so it had turned its attention to the Soul Master factions within the Three Great Empires.

Apart from Shrek Academy, it had spent centuries approaching nearly every Soul Master faction, trying to win them over. Every attempt had ended in failure.

And now the Body Sect had joined the Sun Moon Empire just like that?

"Is this true?!"

Xu Chengjing grew excited at once. His breathing quickened, and naked ambition filled his eyes.

The Sun Moon Empire could already contend with the Three Great Empires combined, perhaps even hold the advantage. With the Body Sect joining it, it was a tiger given wings!

When he became Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, he would command an empire more powerful than any before it!

Perhaps, under his rule, the Sun Moon Empire could truly stand at the summit of the continent! Even if he failed, his successor would surely fulfill that ambition and unite the entire continent!

Future histories of the Sun Moon Empire would record him and his heir as mighty rulers whose names would live forever!

Beside him, however, Xu Tianran frowned in thought.

The Body Sect... moving its entire sect to the Sun Moon Empire... Something's wrong. Very wrong!

Xu Tianran had admired Shrek Academy since childhood and had once even longed to become one of its students. He knew a great deal about the academy and everything connected to it.

That included the Body Sect, which had once clashed with Shrek Academy.

The Body Sect was best known for admitting only Soul Masters with Body Martial Souls. Its members firmly believed that Body Martial Souls were the mightiest weapons and had always rejected Soul Tools.

How could a sect like that join the Sun Moon Empire, which poured its efforts into developing Soul Tools and practically embodied them?

Unless... Elder Kong offered something the Body Sect couldn't possibly refuse—or there's a person or object it wants badly enough!

If it wasn't an offer, what would attract the Body Sect most?

Xu Tianran quickly found the answer: someone with a Body Martial Soul!

Fourth Brother went with Elder Kong to obtain a Soul Ring. They met Du Busi, and then Du Busi moved the whole Body Sect to the Sun Moon Empire. Could Fourth Brother have had a hand in this?

But Fourth Brother awakened the Sun-Moon Radiance Martial Soul. That has nothing to do with a Body Martial Soul.

Surely Fourth Brother can't have Twin Martial Souls like Xu He, with a Body Martial Soul that just happens to be his Second Martial Soul—and that's why Du Busi brought the Body Sect here?

Xu Tianran startled himself with the absurd thought.

He could not help looking up, only to meet Xu Tiance's eyes.

Xu Tianran forced a smile and hurriedly pushed the far-fetched notion out of his mind.

If Fourth Brother really has the Sun-Moon Radiance Martial Soul and a Body Martial Soul, and the Body Sect came here because of him... I might as well stop trying.

He has Elder Kong and the Offering Hall behind him. Mingde Hall might back him too, and now he'd have the powerful Body Sect.

How the hell am I supposed to fight Fourth Brother for the throne?

If that's true, there's no point playing at all. I might as well give up now and wait to inherit the title of Prince Purple Brilliant!