The offensive from the three great empires was exceptionally fierce. The remnants of the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Dou Ling Empire, along with more than ten experts, joined forces with the support of the Star Luo Empire to counterattack the Sun Moon Empire's positions.
They seemed to have firmly believed that Xu Tianran would not appear, intending to seize this opportunity to turn the tide. Without pausing their steps, they charged straight toward the Heavenly Soul Empire's capital, Heaven Dou City.
Just as the people were in a state of panic, the matter that countless citizens of the Sun Moon Empire had been worrying about ultimately became reality.
The news that the Sun Moon Empire's emperor, Xu Tianran, had been assassinated less than two years after ascending the throne spread across the entire continent.
And at this critical juncture, the Sun Moon Empire's pillar, Kong Deming, stepped forward. With his own power, he supported the not-yet-one-month-old imperial prince, the sole heir of Xu Tianran, Xu Chengye, to ascend the throne as emperor.
On the day of Xu Chengye's full month, a baby still sucking on a pacifier completed his enthronement ceremony amid a burst of crying.
The common people who did not know the truth felt some doubts in their hearts, but since it was the late emperor Xu Tianran's heir and with the Class 10 soul engineer Kong Deming standing behind it, they naturally would not suspect anything.
As for the court officials who knew a bit more about the truth, they did not dare to say much.
Those who could set foot in the imperial court naturally had some discernment. They were all clear as mirrors in their hearts.
No one would care whether the person sitting on the throne had reached one month old, whether he could speak, or even whether he could lift the Sun Moon Empire's imperial seal.
What everyone cared about was the one who held the emperor in her arms and walked step by step to the throne, the Empress Dowager.
On the day of the enthronement, besides the Empress Dowager and the emperor beside the throne, two other figures appeared. One was precisely Kong Deming, while the other, although his appearance was concealed, was clearly seen by Xu Tianyuan, the leader of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment among the court officials.
That person possessed a title that made all the soul engineers of the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment tremble in fear: Heavenly Disaster.
When such a person appears in the world, it is like a heavenly disaster descending, beyond what ordinary people can resist.
Xu Tianyuan did not know why the Heavenly Disaster Douluo he had encountered outside the Holy Spirit Cult back then would appear at the Sun Moon Empire's enthronement ceremony, nor did he know why he stood beside the Empress Dowager.
He only knew that after the new emperor ascended the throne, the first imperial decree issued by the Empress Dowager in the new emperor's name was to establish a new state religion, named Tongming.
In just one day, the name of the Tongming Cult spread throughout cities large and small. Only some extremely remote places remained unaware of the changes in Ming Capital.
Many people speculated whether this Tongming Cult, which they had never heard of before, would be another Holy Spirit Cult. However, the orders in the Sun Moon Empire to search for and arrest evil soul masters had not been withdrawn to this day and had even become stricter, which reassured many people considerably.
There were also rumors spreading. Some said the Tongming Cult was created by people from the Holy Spirit Cult, while others said the Tongming Cult was clearly established by the Sun Moon Empire specifically to pursue and kill evil soul masters.
As for which were true and which were false, no one could say clearly.
Yet in the process of debating truth and falsehood, everyone seemed to subconsciously accept the existence of the Tongming Cult as the state religion.
As for the matter of Empress Dowager Juzi taking power... ever since Xu Tianran had stopped appearing, it had always been Juzi handling the important affairs. Apart from the change in title, it was actually the change with the least impact.
Something that should have been a very major event saw no one raise any objection. Perhaps just as Juzi had thought, what those people were loyal to was not Xu Tianran, but merely the lofty position.
Or perhaps just as Lin Xiao had thought, in this world, only strength is the foundation of everything, even the emperor is something that can be decided with a single word.
Heaven Dou City. Dense killing intent seemed to condense into substance, permeating inside and outside the city walls, just like when the Sun Moon Empire's great army had advanced to the foot of Heaven Dou City back then.
However, the situation at this moment was exactly the opposite. On the city walls, the Sun Moon Empire's army was bitterly defending using soul guide cannons. Below the city, it was instead the allied forces of the three great empires that were continuously attacking.
More than ten figures occasionally revealed themselves in the air, clearly all possessing the cultivation of Titled Douluo.
The experts from the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Dou Ling Empire had mostly gathered here.
On the city walls, dense white light rose from countless soldiers' bodies, then quickly merged into one, forming a massive protective shield that enveloped Heaven Dou City.
"Boom—"
A deafening sound spread far into the distance. Ripples appeared on the protective shield. Many soldiers on the city walls instantly turned pale, and some could not hold on and collapsed to the ground.
Other soul engineers who had been prepared on the side quickly took over their positions, while others carried the soldiers who had just retreated into the city.
"Your Highness, our attacks are still having no effect."
In the allied army's camp, outside the command tent, the Star Luo Empire's princess Xu Jiujiu stood at the entrance watching the situation at Heaven Dou City.
Lowering the far-seeing soul guide device in her hand, she let out a long breath. Her tone carried not the slightest ripple.
"Continue the attack. Although it looks ineffective, the Sun Moon Empire is still suffering great consumption."
"Even if every one of their soldiers has a recharging soul guide device, our attacks can still drain their recharging soul guide devices dry."
As Xu Jiujiu spoke, her brows unconsciously furrowed.
Although the news of Xu Tianran's death was something she had obtained first and also released, she likewise knew that with the Sun Moon Empire having already occupied so much territory, they probably would not halt the war just like that.
If they wanted to stop the continental war, they could only reclaim Heaven Dou City in this battle and tell the Sun Moon Empire that the three great empires were not as weak as they imagined.
Just as Xu Jiujiu was pondering, a commotion suddenly arose around her. Xu Jiujiu immediately picked up the far-seeing soul guide device and looked toward Heaven Dou City. She saw that on the Heaven Dou City walls, a figure wearing fiery red armor adorned with sun-moon battle patterns ascended the city walls, accompanied by others.
"That is—"
"The Sun Moon Empire's commander, Juzi."
Clearly, others besides her had also recognized the figure that had appeared on the Heaven Dou City walls.
"Juzi?" Xu Jiujiu found it somewhat hard to believe. "She is the empress of the Sun Moon Empire, yet she would... No, she is now here in the capacity of Empress Dowager."
The protective shield on the Heaven Dou City walls slowly disappeared. The allied forces of the three great empires did not know for a moment what the Sun Moon Empire was doing and temporarily halted their attacks.
More than ten figures vaguely emerged in the air, seemingly wanting to take this opportunity to ascend the Heaven Dou City walls.
However, right at this moment, a figure slowly rose from within Heaven Dou City.
A gray cloak concealed that person's appearance, making it hard to see clearly. Only Xu Tianyuan and the others from the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Regiment who had accompanied Juzi here looked toward the figure in the air with somewhat fervent gazes.
Only they knew what the person in the air was about to do, and only they knew what kind of terrifying power that was.
When Heavenly Disaster stood with them, the past fear and the shadows in their hearts transformed at this moment into waves of delight.
"One person?"
Whether it was the Titled Douluo in the air or Xu Jiujiu and the numerous generals watching from afar, a trace of doubt rose in their hearts.
Then, they saw the gray mist that permeated between heaven and earth.
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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