Palace Coup

Night, dark as ink, shrouded all of Mingdu.

Inside Prince Purple Brilliant's Manor, Xu Chengjing sat in the seat of honor, his calm expression edged with steel.

He had already heard Kong Deming's position from Tiance.

With that, every preparation was complete.

The Sea-Calming Divine Needle had given his nod, Mingde Hall backed him, and all four elite Soul Engineer legions had pledged their loyalty.

The time was right, the ground was theirs, and the people stood with them. Everything was in place. Nothing held him back.

"Send the signal. Prepare to move!"

Xu Chengjing's low voice rang through the room without a trace of hesitation.

A guard outside soon accepted the order. He took out the Soul Tool signal prepared in advance and fired it into the sky.

The device was a Soul Tool Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin had made offhand. It launched without a sound, and only those carrying matching devices could detect its signal.

It was the signal Xu Chengjing had prepared for the uprising.

In an instant, all of Mingdu sprang into motion.

In Mingdu's central district, a somewhat portly elder emerged from Mingde Hall, followed by several of its core Soul Engineers.

He was none other than Jing Hongchen, the master of Mingde Hall.

Having promised to help Xu Chengjing rise up, Jing Hongchen did not hold back. He brought two Level 9 Soul Engineers and six Level 8 Soul Engineers with him.

Many of Mingde Hall's core Soul Tools had also been quietly transported to the various Soul Engineer legions.

On the northern side of the imperial city, silver armor stood in ordered ranks, and a solemn hush hung over the camp.

Xu Tianyuan strode out of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps' encampment, clad in gilded armor, his bearing steady.

As a member of the imperial clan, Xu Tianyuan had long been dissatisfied with Xu Chengye's actions. The emperor was weak, clung to old ways, and refused to move forward. The Sun Moon Empire's expansion had stalled, while resentment festered throughout the court.

With such an emperor on the throne, the Sun Moon Empire could only sink toward ruin.

Xu Chengjing, bold in his ambitions and deep in his schemes, was the ruler who could truly lead the Sun Moon Empire back to the pinnacle of glory!

Besides, Elder Kong had taken Xu Chengjing's fourth son as his disciple.

The moment Xu Tianyuan received the secret order to rise, his eyes flashed. He did not hesitate.

"Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps, form ranks! Follow me into the palace!"

At his command, thunderous footsteps shook the earth.

The corps' elite Soul Engineers marched out in formation, their murderous aura surging to the heavens as they advanced steadily toward the palace's main gate.

On the southern side of the imperial city, firelight blazed across the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Corps' encampment. At its head stood its commander, the Level 9 Soul Engineer Luan Feng.

Dressed in a crimson battle skirt, Luan Feng looked fierce and dashing. Without the slightest hesitation, she called out:

"All Fire Phoenix troops, heed my order! Follow me into the palace. We rise tonight!"

On the eastern side of the imperial city.

Within the Terror Claw Soul Engineer Legion's encampment, Liao Mengkai stood in jet-black armor, his face cold and a chilling air of slaughter radiating from him.

Like Xu Tianyuan and Luan Feng, Liao Mengkai gave his order the instant he received the Soul Tool signal. His gaze was unwavering. "Terror Claw Legion, follow me and breach the palace! Wipe out the palace guards and cut off every collaborator's escape route!"

Mingde Hall, the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps, the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Corps, and the Terror Claw Soul Engineer Legion—these four formidable elite forces had, without anyone noticing, become Xu Chengjing's to command!

That was the source of his confidence.

Outside Prince Purple Brilliant's Manor, Xu Chengjing stepped slowly through the gate in purple robes. Xu Tianran followed behind him, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes.

Though the throne would not be his, the man about to claim it was still his father. He, too, had poured his heart into making this happen.

With the throne so close, how could he not be excited?

Xu Chengjing raised his eyes toward the brilliantly lit Sun Moon Imperial Palace. A cold smile touched his lips.

"Enter the palace."

At those two quiet words, Xu Chengjing rose into the air and flew straight toward the palace. Xu Tianran pressed his lips together and followed without a word.

Outside the palace, the imperial guards on duty were already scared out of their wits by the forces bearing down on them.

"Enemy attack! Take up defensive positions!"

The guard commander roared himself hoarse. Countless guards hurriedly activated their Soul Tools and Defensive Soul Tools, hoping to hold the palace gate.

But before their defenses could fully form, the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Corps' Breach Soul Cannon finished charging. A dazzling golden beam crashed down.

An earthshaking explosion followed. The Imperial Palace Outer City Defensive Array shattered instantly, and the heavy jade palace gate collapsed amid flying stone and billowing dust.

The Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Corps and Terror Claw Soul Engineer Legion pressed in behind them, forcing the guards back step by step. They could not hold them off at all.

Meanwhile, Jing Hongchen led Mingde Hall's high-level Soul Engineers in sealing every approach. No outside force could come to the palace's aid, and no one could escape the imperial city. The entire palace had become an isolated island.

Jing Hongchen swept a cold gaze over the fleeing palace attendants and guards. His expression did not change.

"Xu Chengye has defied all that is right and lost the people's support. He even tried to share our Soul Tool technology, surrendering our power and disgracing our nation! Today, Prince Purple Brilliant will cleanse the palace and restore peace beneath a clear sky! Anyone who resists will be killed without mercy!"

Xu Tianyuan's roar shattered the resolve of the guards who had meant to fight to the death. They threw down their weapons one after another, no longer daring to stand in his way.

The tide had turned. No one could reverse it.

Xu Chengjing walked through the clouds of dust and entered the palace's main hall, one step at a time.

Broken jade tiles lay beneath his feet. Palace attendants and guards knelt in terror around him. In the distance, palace lamps flickered as though on the verge of going out.

The seat of imperial power that had once seemed beyond his reach now stood before him.

Deep within the palace, in the emperor's bedchamber, Xu Chengye had been considering which chambers to visit for the night. Now his face had gone deathly pale, his body cold. Only boundless fear and disbelief remained in his eyes.

He had never dreamed that so soon after appointing a Crown Prince, Xu Chengjing would storm the palace!

Xu Chengjing actually dared to rebel!

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Dragon, Terror Claw, and Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer forces, along with the master of Mingde Hall, have all sided with Xu Chengjing. What do we do now?"

Xu Chengye drew a deep breath and forced himself to calm down, but his voice still trembled. "Go and summon Elder Kong! Ask Elder Kong to defend the palace!"

"Elder Kong will surely suppress the traitor Xu Chengjing!"

But as soon as the words left his mouth, Xu Chengye's face grew paler still.

Elder Kong was in the Offering Hall, right here in the palace. If he had been willing to act, matters could never have reached this point.

Not one member of the Offering Hall had appeared. That told him everything.

He... had lost.