Sun-Moon Empire.
Imperial Palace, Chengde Gate.
The sky gradually dimmed, the setting sun slanting down, and the soldiers guarding the city were idly chatting.
"Today's my mother's birthday, you know. Too bad it's also His Majesty's birthday today. I was hoping I could go home..."
"You're dreaming. Just forget it tonight. All the princes are here, even the two who've been stationed at the borders training have come all the way back to celebrate. Your old lady doesn't mean squat by comparison."
"A mother's love is greater than the heavens."
"You bold now? That's your sovereign and father, you dare joke about that?"
"Heh, not unless you repeat it to anyone else..."
The two joked without once realizing someone was approaching.
After all, this was the imperial city of the Sun-Moon Empire, and the core of the imperial palace at that—no unusual events for thousands of years. That "peace" had made the guards completely complacent.
But in the next instant...
"Psshh!"
One royal guard suddenly clutched his throat, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, terror in his eyes as he pointed behind his comrade.
"You alright? Ah Zhu, don't scare me—"
"Mmm-mm..."
A shadow quietly crept closer.
The remaining guard, panicking, didn't even bother to look back at the attacker. He grabbed a signal gun to launch, but his eyes rolled back and he collapsed.
On the ground, only the soldier with blood pouring from his neck struggled, the sound bubbling in his throat, as he was finally dragged into the shadow.
"Clean this up! Not a drop of blood left..."
Said the leader of the black-robed intruders, his tone harsh.
"Yes!"
Nearly a hundred figures split up, one handling the cleanup, the rest moving stealthily to other posts.
The soul tool lamps illuminated all key spots under the gate, scanning back and forth. Some special areas even had sensory alarm soul devices—but for these truly elite soul masters, it was child's play.
Not to mention—they had an inside man.
They precisely avoided all alarms.
The slaughter took seconds.
Dozens of black robes flickered, transforming into tightly wrapped palace guards with exoskeleton armor, disguised seamlessly.
Even the weakest among them were rank 4 soul tool engineers; the best, even ranks 7 and higher.
This was Xu Tianran's true hidden force...
"Return to your posts. Wait for orders!" Xu Tianran finally lifted his hood, revealing a pitch-black face. Satisfied, he looked around; a force trained for years, deployed for this one moment.
"When this is over, everyone will be rewarded!"
"Understood!"
The elite squad moved in unison, replacing all guards without anyone noticing.
They also took over the level-8 soul tool laser defense at the gate.
And other defensive soul tools as well.
More black-robed figures, radiating cold, crawled from the shadows by the wall, climbing up to the gate to lay in wait.
If someone else had witnessed this, they'd first be shocked—not by the coming coup, but by the sight of Xu Tianran, former crown prince scorned as a cripple trapped in a wheelchair, now standing up.
"Tsk tsk, never expected Sun-Moon's soul tool tech to reach this level..."
Beside Xu Tianran, Ye Xishui narrowed her eyes, studying his legs. As another soul tool engineer, she understood how advanced this lifelike prosthetic was...
"Instead of gawking, Grand Preceptor, shouldn't you focus on the coup?" Xu Tianran grinned.
"From what I hear, Elder Kong will show up tonight."
"Kong Deming?" Ye Xishui frowned.
Kong Deming wasn't an ultimate Douluo, but apart from her, he was closest to a rank-10 soul tool engineer. If he noticed early, it would be trouble...
"Then we gamble—winner takes all." Ye Xishui snorted coldly.
"So long as we kill the other princes, you'll be the only legitimate heir left, and the old emperor, too weak to recover, will have to pick you out of sentiment."
Long Xiaoyao stood with hands behind his back, pale as if he'd been through hell lately.
At least he was an ultimate Douluo—with deep reserves, he survived…
"They're coming!"
In seconds, Xu Tianran looked out past the gates, joy flashing in his eyes.
If the princes are the first to show, the capital hasn't noticed yet...
We're secure!
"Grand Preceptor, please act quickly!" Xu Tianran urged. "As long as we kill them—"
But he suddenly froze.
As if he'd seen something.
Despair slowly filled his eyes.
"You—you all..."
"That's right."
Ye Xishui's lips curled in mockery:
"Crown Prince, before you came to us, the Fourth Prince already paid us a visit—and he was way more sincere."
"Sun-Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult have cooperated for nearly a century. Small things won't break our deal. You're just too weak..."
The Holy Spirit Cult had suffered too great a loss to risk everything for someone with such weak roots as Xu Tianran.
Not to mention, Ye Xishui knew the emperor well; he was far more cunning than Xu Tianran believed.
"You..."
Xu Tianran's face turned blue-black. He clenched his jaw—powerless.
His trump card, Xue Chen, the titled Douluo loyal to him—now looked like an old dog, being strangled and thrown in front of him by Scorpion Tiger Douluo Zhang Peng.
Half dead...
In the next instant.
Chaos broke out at the city gate.
Flames rose up, lighting the entire gate in an instant.
Countless hidden imperial soul tool soldiers wearing flight soul tools surged from every corner, filling the air above, looking down at Xu Tianran.
"It's over, Your Highness!"
"I..."
A battered city guard ran from a corner in terror.
"Shut up!"
Xu Tianran roared. The entire gate fell silent at once.
"My dear Imperial Brother, why the rage?"
Not far away, from among the armored imperial force, a young man with dark skin and handsome features, wearing exoskeleton soul armor, grinned at Xu Tianran.
"Fourth Brother, you win," said Xu Tianran, defeated.
From the outset, he never had a chance.
He'd gambled everything on the Holy Spirit Cult—a desperate attempt for a miracle. But obviously—
The other side never bought it.
"Tsk, Imperial Brother, give up. The entire outside is filled with my men," Xu Jiran said with a chuckle.
"Come, let's go into the palace. Our father wants to thank you in person for showing mercy..."
Xu Tianran's lips twitched violently.
He shot Xu Jiran a cold look.
Looking up, he sighed deeply.
From then on, there would be no more strife in the Sun-Moon Empire. All power would unite for a single purpose—
The battle of the continent.