The smile on Xu Tianran's face froze for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure.
He hadn't expected the people from the Holy Spirit Cult to treat him with such disdain, showing him absolutely no respect.
Truly, a dragon stranded in shallow waters gets mocked by shrimps.
If he were still the Crown Prince of the Sun Moon Empire, who would dare speak to him like that!
Rage surged in Xu Tianran's heart, but he still didn't dare turn against the Holy Spirit Cult.
After all, he was the one seeking their cooperation now.
If the Holy Spirit Cult refused to cooperate with him, it would have little impact on them—but for him, Xu Tianran, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Without their help, his plan could never succeed.
Therefore, no matter how angry or humiliated he felt, he could only endure it with a smile, swallowing his pride and pretending to be agreeable.
He couldn't afford to fall out with them or end their cooperation.
Even so, Xu Tianran still intended to fight for as much advantage as possible.
He still had some bargaining chips.
For one, he could provide cover for the Holy Spirit Cult.
Because of their identity, the Holy Spirit Cult could not openly interfere in the imperial succession struggle.
That was an internal affair of the Sun Moon Empire—if outsiders meddled in it, it would be considered political interference.
Although Xu Tianran wasn't entirely certain of his father Emperor Xu Jing's thoughts, he reasoned that if he himself were emperor,
he certainly wouldn't allow the Holy Spirit Cult to meddle in the princes' competition for the throne.
The emperor let the princes struggle precisely to determine which one was the most talented, intelligent, and powerful—worthy to rule the empire.
If the Holy Spirit Cult got involved, that test would become meaningless.
Thus, Xu Tianran asked himself honestly: if he were emperor, he definitely wouldn't allow it.
As for whether Emperor Xu Jing actually thought the same, Xu Tianran couldn't be sure.
After all, he wasn't a worm living inside Xu Jing's stomach—how could he possibly know his father's exact thoughts?
Aside from that, Xu Tianran still held one more crucial card in his hand—
the most suitable prince to serve as a puppet.
After some time spent observing, he had found the perfect candidate to support: the Ninth Prince, Xu Tianxuan.
The Ninth Prince's mother was just an ordinary palace maid—beautiful, but of low birth—
who happened to catch the emperor's fancy once and by sheer luck became pregnant.
Thus, Xu Tianxuan had no powerful maternal clan backing him.
Moreover, Xu Tianxuan had no ambition whatsoever. He was addicted to pleasure,
spending his days drinking and indulging in women.
At fifteen, he was only a three-ring Soul Elder, utterly disgracing the royal family.
He had neither powerful family support nor any real talent or strength—
so no ministers or nobles supported him either.
Xu Tianran had secretly sent people to observe the Ninth Prince several times—
he had even dispatched female spies to infiltrate his residence and seduce him in bed, using pillow talk to extract information.
The final conclusion was that Xu Tianxuan truly had no ambition at all.
His greatest life dream was simply to receive a decent fiefdom someday,
to live in comfort, wield authority within his domain,
and spend his days indulging in wine and women.
All the affairs of his princely residence were handled entirely by his chief eunuch.
Even the stipends and rewards sent by the palace were being embezzled by his own servants—and he didn't even know!
He was, without a doubt, a complete good-for-nothing.
He barely trained at all—three days fishing, two days drying the net—lazy beyond compare.
Such a waste made anyone who saw him shake their head.
Compared to Xu Tianran, they were polar opposites.
Xu Tianran had extraordinary talent.
He trained diligently every day and had reached the Soul Sage level by the age of twenty.
By day, he handled government affairs, recruited talented people, and expanded his influence.
In secret, he also schemed to weaken his brothers.
He was so busy he barely had time to rest—he wished each hour could be doubled.
Thus, for an ambitious and power-hungry man like Xu Tianran,
someone like the lazy and useless Xu Tianxuan was utterly contemptible.
However, while Xu Tianran looked down on Xu Tianxuan,
he also saw that the Ninth Prince was the perfect puppet.
He had no influence, no strength, no talent, no intelligence—
he couldn't even manage his own servants, and spent his days playing with women.
If such a man became emperor, he would almost certainly be a foolish ruler
who ignored politics and sought only pleasure.
When that day came, Xu Tianran's own time would arrive.
If the emperor didn't care for governance, Xu Tianran would happily handle it himself—
and with power in his hands, he might even become a regent.
In time, with the right cultivation of allies and the consolidation of power,
there was even a chance to completely sideline the emperor.
As for the other princes, Xu Tianran had investigated them all.
While most lacked great power for now, some had strong talent or ambition—
all of which made them far harder to control.
If one of them were to ascend the throne and gain command of the Imperial Worship Hall or the National Protection Hand,
then Xu Tianran would have no way to compete.
Thus, he chose to give his full support to the Ninth Prince Xu Tianxuan.
With his backing, Xu Tianxuan's influence grew rapidly.
Though still weaker than that of the Second and Third Princes,
he now had enough standing to contend for the throne.
The only thing that irked Xu Tianran was that the first thing Xu Tianxuan did
after his newfound power and resources was to gather all the women he couldn't previously get—
and then spend his days drinking and feasting with them in utter debauchery.
Watching that, Xu Tianran—crippled and impotent as he was—felt nothing but bitter jealousy.
Still, despite his irritation, Xu Tianran felt increasingly assured.
A fool like Xu Tianxuan was easy to control.
In addition, Xu Tianran's understanding of the Sun Moon Empire far surpassed that of the Holy Spirit Cult.
He knew the hidden rules of the court, the limits of what the imperial elite would tolerate—
all valuable bargaining chips.
Armed with these, Xu Tianran believed he had the right to negotiate terms with the Holy Spirit Cult.
Sitting in his wheelchair, Xu Tianran looked at Zhongli Wu,
who stood before him in black robes, exuding dominance as he tried to seize the conversation.
Xu Tianran laughed heartily.
"Hahaha, Cult Master Zhongli Wu, of course I can listen to your Holy Spirit Cult."
Zhongli Wu nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself,
At least this useless former prince knows his place.
The reason Zhongli Wu could so brazenly demand Xu Tianran's obedience
was because he had absolute confidence.
In his eyes, Xu Tianran was already on the brink of ruin.
Without the Holy Spirit Cult's help, he'd be killed sooner or later by his royal brothers.
Holding the advantage, Zhongli Wu naturally believed he could manipulate Xu Tianran at will,
making him a mere vassal of the cult.
But just as Zhongli Wu was feeling smug, Xu Tianran suddenly shifted his tone completely—
his face expressionless as he said,
"Cult Master Zhongli Wu, I do have a few questions for your Holy Spirit Cult.
Does your cult truly understand the hidden rules of the Sun Moon Empire?
Do you understand the officials and nobles of the imperial court?
Do you understand my father, Emperor Xu Jing, and the high command of the Sun Moon Empire?
If you truly understand all of these, then I'll gladly follow your Holy Spirit Cult in everything—what harm is there in that?"
Though Xu Tianran sought the Holy Spirit Cult's cooperation,
he refused to be reduced to a spineless puppet.
He needed autonomy—and to gain it, he had to show a degree of firmness.
Otherwise, the Holy Spirit Cult would see him as a pushover to be toyed with at will.
Zhongli Wu frowned deeply.
A crippled, impotent, former Crown Prince dared speak to him in that tone?
Who gave him such courage?
What Xu Tianran said wasn't wrong—Zhongli Wu admitted the Holy Spirit Cult indeed lacked sufficient understanding of the empire's upper echelons—
but that didn't justify such insolence from a discarded prince.
In Zhongli Wu's eyes, Xu Tianran was a weakling, and he himself was the strong.
As an evil soul master, Zhongli Wu lived by the law of the jungle—
the strong ruled over the weak.
So for a weakling to question him so boldly was nothing short of an offense.
Zhongli Wu glared coldly and barked,
"Xu Tianran, do you still think you're the Crown Prince of the Sun Moon Empire?
If you still were, I'd admit you had the right to speak to me as an equal.
But now you're just a discarded prince.
Without my Holy Spirit Cult, your brothers would've killed you already.
What right do you have to speak to me as an equal?"
Xu Tianran kept a smile on his lips, though his heart burned with fury.
Good… very good, he thought darkly.
You've finally said what you really think. Fine then.
All of you lowborn vermin—just wait.
The day I regain power, I'll slaughter you all to the last one!
He wanted nothing more than to tear Zhongli Wu to pieces,
but outwardly he continued to smile.
In an instant, Xu Tianran shifted from firmness to softness.
A man must know when to bend and when to stretch—
to be soft or hard as the situation demanded.
When it was time to lower himself and please others, he would do so willingly.
Xu Tianran said gently,
"Cult Master Zhongli Wu, your Holy Spirit Cult is indeed powerful.
But my father and the Sun Moon Empire's high command all fear and suppress you—they'll never let your cult rise too high.
That's the situation you face now.
If we cooperate, your cult provides strength, while I provide strategy.
Together, we can elevate a weak prince to the throne—
a plan that benefits both sides.
I once defeated the Second and Third Princes to become Crown Prince—
that alone proves my capability in strategy.
The only reason I fell to this point
is because I lacked sufficient protection.
Now, with the Holy Spirit Cult's support,
that weakness will be completely covered.
When that happens, helping a prince ascend the throne will be effortless.
Your cult isn't familiar with the empire's politics—but that's my area of expertise.
Each of us has our strengths. Together we complement one another.
Cooperation brings mutual gain; separation benefits neither side."
After that, Xu Tianran and Zhongli Wu held a heated discussion.
They talked for a full two hours before finally reaching an agreement—
a mutually beneficial partnership.
Xu Tianran sat in his wheelchair, parched and exhausted,
his lips nearly chafed from the effort.
It was clear that persuading Zhongli Wu had taken a great deal of effort.
At last, Xu Tianran relaxed inwardly, thinking,
I've finally passed the greatest hurdle.
With the Holy Spirit Cult's support, I'll definitely be able to place Xu Tianxuan on the throne—and rise again!
With a sincere smile, he said,
"Cult Master Zhongli Wu, I look forward to our cooperation."
Zhongli Wu snorted,
"Xu Tianran, you have quite the silver tongue.
I just hope your actions prove as good as your words."
After reaching their agreement, they began discussing the next steps—
how to help the useless Ninth Prince ascend the throne.
Xu Tianran handed over Xu Tianxuan's dossier for Zhongli Wu to review.
Zhongli Wu was curious about the Ninth Prince his partner had chosen—
after all, this man would be the Holy Spirit Cult's key investment for the foreseeable future.
He carefully read the documents, forming a preliminary impression.
Still, hearing was one thing—seeing was believing.
To verify the information, he and Xu Tianran personally made a secret visit
to Xu Tianxuan's residence,
observing firsthand the prince's decadent, sensual, and lavish nightlife.
After watching for a while, Zhongli Wu nodded repeatedly,
clearly pleased with this pleasure-seeking prince who excelled in indulgence.
He clicked his tongue in amazement.
"To think Emperor Xu Jing would have such a son."
Then he looked back at Xu Tianran—
at the crippled man with sharp, intelligent eyes,
whose spirit remained unbroken despite his fall from grace.
It was almost unbelievable that these two completely opposite men
were actually half-brothers.
Xu Tianran smiled.
"Cult Master Zhongli Wu, isn't this kind of emperor the best kind?"
Zhongli Wu laughed heartily.
"Haha, yes, yes—such an emperor is indeed the best kind."
After laughing for a while, Zhongli Wu said,
"I'll assign one of my Holy Spirit Cult experts to stay by Xu Tianxuan's side—
to protect him, and also to monitor his every move. What do you think?"
Xu Tianran instantly understood—
this was Zhongli Wu's way of keeping an eye on him.
But he pretended not to notice and smiled.
"Cult Master Zhongli Wu, your foresight and caution command my admiration.
Everything shall proceed according to your plan.
However, the most urgent task right now
is to weaken the other princes.
If any of them gains the position of Crown Prince before we act,
it will cause us great trouble."
Xu Tianran said coldly,
"Among all the princes, the most powerful and popular is the Second Prince, Xu Tianyu.
The first step must be to weaken him—
to break his wings!"