Douluo Jueshi: I Don't Want to Be an Evil Soul Master

Chapter 396 The Empress Dowager's Personal Campaign
The attacks of the three great empires were particularly fierce. The remaining forces of the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Fighting Spirit Empire, along with more than ten experts, joined forces with the help of the Star Luo Empire to counterattack the Sun Moon Empire's position.

They seemed certain that Xu Tianran would not appear, and thinking of taking this opportunity to reverse their decline, they continued their march straight towards Tiandou City, the capital of the Tianhun Empire.

Just when everyone was filled with anxiety, the fears of countless citizens of the Sun and Moon Empire finally came true.

The news that Emperor Xu Tianran of the Sun Moon Empire had been assassinated less than two years after ascending the throne spread throughout the entire continent.

At this critical juncture, Kong Deming, a pillar of the Sun Moon Empire, stepped forward and single-handedly supported the ascension of the emperor to the throne of Xu Chengye, the prince who was not yet a month old and Xu Tianran's only son.

On the day Xu Chengye turned one month old, a baby who was still sucking on a pacifier completed his coronation ceremony amidst a burst of cries.

Although the uninformed public had doubts, since he was the son of the late Emperor Xu Tianran and had the support of the level 10 Soul Master Kong Deming, they naturally had no reason to doubt anything.

As for the courtiers who knew even a little about the truth, they dared not say a word.

Those who have the ability to enter the imperial court naturally have a certain eye for detail, and they are all very perceptive.

No one cares whether the person who sits on the throne is a month old, whether he can speak, or even whether he can lift the imperial seal of the Sun and Moon Empire.

What everyone cared about was the Empress Dowager, who had carried the Emperor step by step to the throne.

On the day of his coronation, besides the Empress Dowager and the Emperor, two other figures appeared beside the throne. One of them was Kong Deming, and although the other person concealed his appearance, Xu Tianyuan, the leader of the Imperial Dragon Soul Instructor Corps, could see him clearly among the assembled officials.

That person had a title that made all the soul masters in the Imperial Dragon Soul Master Corps tremble with fear: Calamity.

Such a person's arrival in the world is like a natural disaster, something no ordinary person can withstand.

Xu Tianyuan didn't know why the Calamity Douluo he had met outside the Holy Spirit Cult was appearing at the coronation ceremony of the Sun Moon Empire, nor did he know why he was standing beside the Empress Dowager.

All he knew was that after the new emperor ascended the throne, the first imperial edict issued by the Empress Dowager on behalf of the new emperor was to establish a new state religion, named Tongming.

In just one day, the name of the Tongming Sect spread throughout cities large and small, with only some extremely remote areas still unaware of the changes in Mingdu.

Many people speculated that this previously unheard-of Tongming Church might be another Holy Spirit Cult, but the orders to search for evil spirit masters in the Sun Moon Empire have not been withdrawn and have even become more stringent, which has reassured many people to some extent.

Rumors also spread, with some saying that the Tongming Sect was founded by people from the Holy Spirit Sect, while others said that the Tongming Sect was clearly established by the Sun Moon Empire specifically to hunt down evil soul masters.

As for which are true and which are false, no one can say for sure.

In the process of debating whether it was true or false, everyone seemed to subconsciously accept the existence of the Tongming Sect as the state religion.

As for the matter of Empress Dowager Ju Zi taking power... ever since Xu Tianran disappeared, it has been Ju Zi who has been handling important matters. Apart from the change in address, it is actually the least affected change.

It was a matter that should have been of great importance, yet not a single person raised any objections. Perhaps, as Orange suspected, those people were not loyal to Xu Tianran, but merely to that high and mighty position.

Or perhaps, as Lin Xiao thought, in this world, only strength is the foundation of everything, and even the emperor is nothing more than someone whose word can decide everything.

The intense killing intent permeated the city walls of Tiandou City, almost solidifying into a tangible force, just as it had when the Sun Moon Empire's army attacked the city.

However, the situation was exactly the opposite at this time. On the city walls, the Sun Moon Empire's army was desperately defending with soul-guided cannons, while below the city walls, the allied forces of the three great empires were constantly attacking.

More than ten figures occasionally appeared in the air, all of whom were clearly titled Douluo.

Most of the experts from the Heavenly Soul Empire and the Fighting Spirit Empire have gathered here.

On the city walls, countless soldiers were enveloped in a white light, which quickly merged into a massive protective shield enveloping Heavenly Dou City. "Boom—"

The deafening sound carried far and wide, and ripples appeared on the protective barrier. Many soldiers on the city wall turned pale instantly, and some even collapsed to the ground.

Other Soul Masters who were already prepared quickly took their places, while others led the soldiers who had just retreated into the city.

"Your Highness, our attack is still ineffective."

Inside the allied forces camp, outside the command tent, Princess Xu Jiujiu of the Star Luo Empire stood at the door watching the situation in Tian Dou City.

She put down the telescope she was holding, let out a long breath, and spoke without a trace of emotion.

"Continue the attack. Although it doesn't seem to be working, the Sun Moon Empire is still suffering significant losses."

"Even if each of their soldiers has a charged soul tool, our attack can deplete their charged soul tools."

He spoke for a long time, his brows furrowing unconsciously.

Although she was the first to receive news of Xu Tianran's death and it was she who spread it, she also knew that the Sun Moon Empire, having already occupied so much territory, would probably not stop the war.

The only way to stop the war on the continent is to reclaim Tiandou City in this battle and show the Sun Moon Empire that the three great empires are not as weak as they imagine.

Just as Xu Jiujiu was pondering, a commotion suddenly broke out around him. Xu Jiujiu immediately picked up his telescope and looked towards Tian Dou City. He saw a figure wearing fiery red armor with sun and moon battle patterns painted on it climbing the city wall, accompanied by a group of people.

"That is--"

"Commander of the Sun and Moon, Orange."

Clearly, others nearby also recognized the figure that appeared on the top of Tiandou City.

"Ju Zi?" Xu Jiujiu was somewhat incredulous. "She is the Empress of the Sun Moon Empire, yet... no, she is here now as the Empress Dowager."

The protective shield atop Tiandou City slowly disappeared, and the allied forces of the three great empires, unsure of what the Sun Moon Empire was up to, temporarily halted their attack.

A dozen or so figures vaguely appeared in the air, seemingly wanting to take this opportunity to climb up the top of Tiandou City.

However, at that moment, a figure slowly rose from within Heaven Dou City.

The gray cloak concealed the person's appearance, making it difficult to see clearly. Only Xu Tianyuan, who accompanied Ju Zi here, and the members of the Imperial Dragon Soul Instructor Group stared at the figure in the air with a somewhat fanatical gaze.

Only they knew what the person in the sky was going to do, and only they knew how terrifying that power was.

When the heavens stand with them, the fears and shadows of the past transform into waves of joy.

"one person?"

Whether it was the titled Douluo in the air or Xu Jiujiu and the generals watching from afar, a sense of doubt arose in their hearts.

Then they saw a gray mist that filled the sky and the earth.

(End of this chapter)