Douluo Continent, Huo Yuhao who returned from Sekiro

Chapter 620 Six Steamed Buns (Daily 10,000 words)

Mingdu, the imperial palace of the Sun and Moon Empire, and its back garden.

The wheelchair moved slowly along the wide bluestone path in the back garden. Plants of all shapes and sizes were neatly scattered throughout the garden.

Every design element is ingenious. From the miniature waterfalls in the artificial hills and the clusters of royal patterns, to the towering trees, the entire Sun Moon Empire's royal garden feels like stepping into a beautiful forest.

"How is Father?" Xu Tianran, sitting in a wheelchair, closed his eyes, a thin blanket covering his legs, exuding a faint sense of ease.

The one pushing his wheelchair was none other than Orange.

Today, Orange wore a pale yellow long dress that accentuated her fair and delicate skin, making her look noble and elegant. Compared to before, she now possessed a more composed demeanor. Occasionally, a captivating glint of wisdom would flash in her beautiful eyes.

"His Majesty's health is probably failing. The imperial physician said that His Majesty has been frequently unconscious in the past few days," Orange said softly.

Xu Tianran kept his eyes closed, as if the frail old man Ju Zi mentioned had nothing to do with him at all.

"My father worked diligently his entire life, seeking neither merit nor fault. How many golden opportunities he missed!"

"In the future, he will only be a mediocre emperor."

Ju Zi remained silent. Was His Majesty really as mediocre as the Crown Prince said? Perhaps not. Seeking no merit but avoiding mistakes was the wisest choice while the Dragon God Mu En was still alive.

Building upon the accumulated achievements of six generations, the last emperor brought Douluo Qiuhaitangye under unified rule. His accomplishments deserve praise, but that doesn't mean the achievements of the previous five emperors are unimportant.

Is it possible that a person can be full after eating six steamed buns, or is the reason simply because they ate the sixth steamed bun?

If Xu Tianran is truly that powerful, surpassing even the late emperor in literature and the three armies in martial arts, why would he frequently ask Long Xiaoyao to inquire about the Dragon God's condition? Why did he almost fly into a rage when he heard that the Dragon God was attempting to break through to the level 100 and become a god?

Oh right, he can't jump.

If Xu Tianran were placed in the current emperor's position for thirty to fifty years, he would probably only be more conservative than the current emperor.

Ju Zi let out a barely perceptible sigh. This Crown Prince was indeed a man of great talent and ambition. He had only one goal in life: to unify the entire Douluo Continent.

Moreover, he is intelligent, patient, and ruthless. More importantly, he is lucky enough to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel, having reached Shrek Academy's weakest point.

She wanted revenge, and she needed the support of a madman like him. In front of Xu Tianran, she was always very careful and diligent, concealing her true thoughts very well.

Despite his disability, Xu Tianran possessed almost all the prerequisites for success.

Ever since he lost his legs and his sexual ability, his personality has become increasingly cold and sinister. The occasional glints of violence he exudes are so menacing that even Orange doesn't dare approach him easily.

The Xu Tianran of the past was not like this, and it is even more impossible for him to express his contempt for the current emperor so openly. As the saying goes, the heart of an emperor is like a needle at the bottom of the sea, and serving a ruler is like serving a tiger. Which monarch would put his thoughts in the open?

The broken leg drove Xu Tianran mad, making him increasingly paranoid. He believed that only by sealing Shrek City (sealing 'Wolf Dwelling Mountain') and offering sacrifices to Heaven and Earth could he be considered to have achieved the merit he deserved, allowing supreme glory to cover up the fact that he was disabled.

However, this world is cruel to Xu Tianran. It is a world where force can almost determine everything. As long as the Dragon God Mu En is still alive, no matter how strong the Sun Moon Empire is, it must suppress the fire of ambition in its heart.

The deaths of ordinary people are just numbers to Xu Tianran. For those who are driven by power, the battles on the battlefield are always about the amount of merit they have. But it's different for Limit Douluo.

Even the Dragon God Mu En, whose life was already at its final moment, according to Long Xiaoyao, still possessed the terrifying power to destroy the entire Mingdu in a single day if he burned everything and unleashed his full power.

Even if he and the Supreme Elder joined forces, they couldn't stop a Limit Douluo who unleashed his power by burning his life force. That kind of power might even touch the realm of the legendary gods.

Faced with such power, mere schemes and laughable tricks are as insignificant as anything else; only with sufficient strength can one be qualified to contend with it.

This is precisely what makes Xu Tianran feel desperate. The previous six emperors all believed that the Sun Moon Empire was capable of flattening the entire Douluo Continent, but the Sea God Pavilion continued to prosper, producing one Limit Douluo after another.

Finally, the time has come for Xu Tianran to ascend to the throne. After outliving so many monarchs of the Sun Moon Empire, Mu En is finally about to die, which is exciting news for everyone in the Sun Moon Empire.

A new distribution of benefits is about to emerge, and the long-established social classes of the Sun Moon Empire will once again have upward mobility channels, beginning a reshuffling.

Without war, there are no military merits; without military merits, there are no noble titles; without noble titles, how can one enjoy a forest of beauties and a cloud of fine wine?

When will the scramble for fame and fortune end? Early to rise and late to bed, there is no freedom.

Riding a donkey and mule thinking of a steed, the official residence and the prime minister met the prince.

I only worry about the toil and hardship of food and clothing; why should I fear the King of Hell's summons?

The adopted sons and grandsons, seeking wealth and status, are all unwilling to turn back.

However, the nobles of the Sun and Moon Empire are currently unaware that while they may not know whether wealth and honor are on their way, Yama, the King of Hell, is indeed about to arrive.

"Is the preparation for the competition almost complete? Has the Master of the Red Dust Hall sent any updates?"

Xu Tianran continued to ask. When there was no war, Ju Zi had practically become his most important intelligence officer. Xu Tianran wasn't exaggerating when he said that he truly trusted Ju Zi implicitly.

Orange nodded and said, "Everything is ready. Everything is proceeding according to plan."

Xu Tianran said calmly, "A wise bird chooses a good tree to perch on. Hopefully, they'll make a smart choice. Otherwise, it would be a real shame. Have the Shrek Academy people arrived yet? They were the champions last year."

"Furthermore, if the intelligence is correct, the team representing Shrek Academy this year should be the same ones who won last year. If that's the case, their chances of winning are very high! It's just a pity that the people from Shrek Academy are probably hard to use for my purposes!"

Orange's lips twitched slightly, almost uncontrollably.

You expect Shrek Academy to work for you, a cripple? Why don't you take a piss and look at yourself in the mirror?

Do you really think that you've become arrogant after betraying your own country's interests to gain the support of the Holy Spirit Cult, and that the two Limit Douluos and a bunch of titled powerhouses are following you because of your crippled personal charisma?

Do the souls of those citizens of the Sun and Moon Empire, whose souls have been forever plunged into the abyss because of your choice, still weep every night and every day without ceasing?

Orange closed her eyes slightly, ignoring Xu Tianran's crazy words.

(End of this chapter)