Douluo Continent: The creation of Jixia Academy made Bibi Dong drool with envy.

Chapter 157 Level One Combat Readiness!
The air in the East Palace Hall froze solid because of Shangguan Wan'er's words, "I only accept submission."

The color drained from Crown Prince Xu Yun's face. He stared intently at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, who had spoken so rudely despite her gentle smile, and a storm raged within him.

Reason told him that he should immediately arrest these two arrogant fools, throw them into prison, and use the cruelest punishments to make them pay for their words.

However, the deep-seated fear of the unknown and the intense desire for power acted like an invisible hand, firmly restraining his impulses.

He recalled the intelligence that was enough to overthrow the empire, the mysterious "Tang Sect" that even the White Tiger Duke feared, and the "Jixia Academy" that, in the Heavenly Dou Tournament, had outshone all other geniuses with its god-like and demonic aura.

He had no doubt that if he turned against his country now, his Eastern Palace would follow in the footsteps of the Second Prince's residence.

And his own seemingly noble crown prince would probably suffer a hundred times worse fate than that foolish younger brother.

A long time, a long time.

Xu Yuncai managed to squeeze out a few words, his voice hoarse and barely audible.

"Why...why should I believe you?"

He knew that asking that question meant he had already lost, lost the last vestige of dignity belonging to the royal family.

But he had no other choice.

"We can get you into that position you've always dreamed of."

Shangguan Wan'er's smile remained gentle. She seemed to have anticipated Xu Yun's reaction and said calmly, "It is because we can enable you to truly grasp the power of this empire, instead of living in Dai Hao's shadow like you are now, and even... your own brother dares to plot against you in secret."

She paused, her voice becoming increasingly seductive.

"Your Highness, this is a choice, a choice that concerns your life, death, honor, and disgrace, and the future destiny of the Star Luo Empire."

"You will continue to be a puppet crown prince who could be deposed and replaced at any time, barely surviving under Dai Hao's thumb, and ultimately end up like your father and your second brother."

"Or...choose to cooperate with us and become the first wise ruler on this continent to embrace the new era and establish an everlasting dynasty?"

"Submission is not a form of humiliation."

Looking at Xu Yun's drastically changing expression, Shangguan Wan'er spoke softly, yet her voice was like a devil's whisper, each word striking his heart.

"Instead... a new life."

Xu Yun's breathing became extremely heavy, and his eyes were filled with a struggle between heaven and man.

Ultimately, the thirst for power and the fear of death overwhelmed everything.

He slowly sat back down in his seat, picked up the cup of tea in front of him, which had long since gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp.

"it is good!"

He slammed his teacup on the table, his eyes flashing with an unprecedented light—a light that was a mixture of ambition, madness, and a gambler's resolute determination.

"I... I promise you!"

"From this day forward, the Xingluo royal family will respect Jixia Academy above all others!"

……

That night, in Xingluo City, at the residence of the Second Prince.

A sudden yet logical "mutiny" quietly unfolded.

Crown Prince Xu Yun, accusing the Second Prince Xu Wei of "secretly possessing armor, communicating with enemy countries, and plotting rebellion," personally led the Royal Knights to surround the entire residence of the Second Prince.

The Second Prince Xu Wei, whose body had already been weakened by wine and women and who was terrified by the scene before him, offered almost no respectable resistance before being captured by his own elder brother and thrown into the imperial prison.

All of his cronies were also uprooted in this thunderous purge personally directed by the Crown Prince, with none spared.

Overnight, all voices opposing the Crown Prince vanished completely from the court of the Star Luo Empire.

Xu Yun, the future emperor of Xingluo, finally, for the first time, truly and firmly grasped the power of this empire in his own hands.

As the masterminds behind all this, Jixia Academy and the New Tang Sect seemed to have never appeared at all, once again remaining hidden behind the scenes, their achievements concealed. ...

The next day, the Star Luo Empire held its morning court session.

When Crown Prince Xu Yun publicly presented the "ironclad evidence" that Second Prince Xu Wei "intended to rebel," the entire court was in an uproar.

Although everyone knew perfectly well that this was nothing more than a continuation of the power struggle among the princes.

However, faced with such convincing "evidence," and under the increasingly firm iron fist of Crown Prince Xu Yun, no one dared to raise any objections.

Ultimately, with the "heartbroken" tacit approval of Emperor Xu Jiawei of Xingluo, the Second Prince Xu Wei was stripped of all his titles, demoted to a commoner, and imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison for life.

Crown Prince Xu Yun has completely cleared the last obstacle on his path to the throne, and his prestige in the court has reached an unprecedented peak.

However, just as the Star Luo Empire was rife with undercurrents and people were filled with anxiety due to this sudden palace intrigue.

An even more shocking piece of news, however, swept in like a hurricane from the northwestern border of the continent!

After the Qin Empire had completed the integration and assimilation of several surrounding kingdoms, its monarch, the First Emperor Ying Zheng, officially issued a declaration of war to the entire Douluo Continent, filled with supreme domineering power and iron will!

"I, appointed by Heaven, shall live long and prosper!"

"The world is in chaos today, heroes are rising up everywhere, and the people are suffering. I, the Emperor, shall use my sword to sweep across the land, conquer all corners of the world, standardize cart axles, unify the written language, and unify weights and measures, thus creating a unified empire that will last for ten thousand generations!"

"Wherever the sun and moon shine, wherever rivers flow, all of this is Qin territory!"

"Heavenly Soul Empire, Star Luo Empire, if you are willing to submit and become my subjects, I may spare your lineage. If you dare to resist stubbornly, you are like a mantis trying to stop a chariot..."

"I will personally lead a million Iron Eagle warriors to raze your capitals to the ground and burn your royal temples to ashes!"

This declaration of war, personally delivered by the Qin envoy to the imperial palaces of Xingluo and Tianhun, was so domineering in its content, so arrogant in its wording, and so blatant in its ambition that it instantly caused an uproar among the high-ranking officials of both empires!

"Arrogant! How dare this brat speak like that?!"

"Great Qin? What the hell is that? A nouveau riche that just annexed a few small border states dares to talk about unifying the continent?!"

"We must teach them a lesson and let them know that the majesty of our two great empires cannot be challenged!"

However, when detailed intelligence about the Qin Empire's "Mechanical Soul Guidance Legion," which was capable of overturning the entire continent's warfare paradigm, was gradually placed on the desks of the two countries' high-ranking officials.

All the shouting and anger turned into... deep fear and... solemnity.

They knew that an unprecedented and terrifying enemy, capable of changing the world order, had quietly risen.

Just as the two great empires were plunged into a huge strategic passivity and panic due to the Qin's strong declaration of war.

Xingluo City, inside the Eastern Palace.

Crown Prince Xu Yun looked at the "gift" in his hand, sent by the Jixia Academy, or rather, the Qin Empire—a detailed defensive strategy and countermeasure plan on how to deal with the Qin "mechanical army".

On his handsome face, a smile appeared... extremely complex, yet full of determination.

He knew that he had no choice but to board the pirate ship that was Jixia Academy and the Qin Dynasty.

He slowly rose, walked to the window, gazed at the swirling clouds in the northwest, and murmured to himself:
“Father, Dai Hao… your era has passed.”

"Next, I, Xu Yun, and this continent will witness the arrival of a... new era!"

He suddenly waved his hand and gave his trusted confidants behind him the first order that, as the crown prince and future emperor, was enough to change the fate of the empire!
"Relay my order!"

"Effective immediately, the Star Luo Empire enters... Level One combat readiness!"

"All border corps, withdraw your defenses and do not engage in any direct conflict with the Qin army!"

"At the same time, envoys were secretly dispatched to the capital of the Great Qin..."

"Tell him that I wish to discuss a deal with His Majesty the First Emperor... concerning the future of the Star Luo Empire!"

(End of this chapter)