The Abomination Douluo seemed to have only now realized what was happening. He cupped his hands toward Lin Xiao. "Sect Leader."
"Sixth Brother used to be an elder of the Holy Spirit Cult. You'll have to suffer some grievances under me now."
The Abomination Douluo smacked his lips. "The Holy Spirit Cult no longer exists. Sect Leader, you don't need to call me Sixth Brother anymore. Just call me Abomination. I've had no name since I was young; this is both my title and my name."
Lin Xiao paused slightly upon hearing this, then patted Abomination on the shoulder.
"Sect Leader, what should our sect be called? Still the Holy Spirit Cult?" Nana also looked toward Lin Xiao.
"The name…" Lin Xiao raised his head to look out the window. The heavy snow outside showed no sign of letting up.
"We were once all evil soul masters, our hands stained with blood that cannot be washed away. How could we presume to use the words 'Holy Spirit'?"
As he spoke, Lin Xiao withdrew his gaze and looked at Abomination and Nana. "I've heard people call the world where departed souls reside the Netherworld. Since our martial souls all linger on the border between life and death, why not call it… Tongming, the Tongming Cult."
"Tongming…" Nana was still pondering the name when she saw Lin Xiao suddenly take two steps forward and gently raise his hand, as though something faint and indistinct had appeared beside him.
"The Tongming Cult has just been established and has no real resources, but being a disciple of the cult isn't without benefits." Lin Xiao turned to Nana. "Your martial soul is the Ghost. Why don't you use the method you once used to gather intelligence and take a look at what's around me?"
Upon hearing this, Nana instinctively released her martial soul. Immediately afterward, she saw an unfamiliar figure appear out of thin air beside Lin Xiao.
No, upon closer inspection, the figure wasn't unfamiliar. He had once appeared in her dormitory to deliver a letter to Lin Xiao and had easily neutralized her attack.
"I'm not very skilled at close-combat soul guidance device fighting, but with him here, until your cultivation surpasses the eighth ring, there will be plenty you can learn from him."
"This is… a soul?"
"Correct." Lin Xiao nodded. His gaze toward the assassin carried a slight change. "He was also my first step on the path to achieving my current cultivation."
Only now did Nana fully understand the true purpose behind Lin Xiao's founding of the Tongming Cult.
Here, they did not need to conceal their methods that resembled those of evil soul masters, nor did they need to hide their past as evil soul masters. Yet at the same time, the Tongming Cult was completely different from the previous Holy Spirit Cult.
Lin Xiao stood with his hands behind his back in front of the window, slightly raising his head to look at the sky to the north.
Rebuilding a sect composed of "evil soul masters,"… he wondered whether such an action would satisfy that deity.
At the same time, in the distant Ming Capital of the Sun Moon Empire, another person was likewise gazing at the sky outside the window.
"Your Majesty, everything has been prepared."
Ju Zi's voice interrupted Xu Tianran's thoughts. He withdrew his gaze, readjusted his expression, his brows carrying a faint trace of sorrow—before raising his head again to look at Ju Zi.
"Then begin."
"Yes."
Afterward, with Ju Zi's support, Xu Tianran actually stood up from his wheelchair. His dragon robe unfolded as he took steps forward. Accompanied by the sound of soul guidance devices operating, the two of them walked step by step toward the door.
"I heard the front lines have fallen into a stalemate?"
"Yes, Your Majesty." Ju Zi slightly lowered her head.
"Since we cannot advance in a short time, you should remain in the palace for a while longer."
Xu Tianran did not blame her, but precisely because of this, Ju Zi's body trembled almost imperceptibly.
"Your Majesty, give me a few more months. Although the northern front has been stalled, in the south, we still hold the Heavenly Brightness City of the Star Luo Empire. Just one more step, and we can break through their defenses."
Xu Tianran smiled faintly and gently patted the arm Ju Zi was using to support him. "The Empress is overthinking. I have no intention of blaming you. Between you and me, why the need for such words?"
"However, having you remain in the palace is for another matter." As Xu Tianran spoke, a trace of unease flashed across his face.
Though his ambition had temporarily set aside the defect in his body, deliberately exposing his own scar was still something even Xu Tianran could not completely control in his expression.
"You've toiled and rushed about on the battlefield, and your body has inevitably accumulated some hidden injuries. I have already instructed the imperial physicians to stand by. After the enthronement ceremony concludes, they will examine and treat you."
"Once you have recovered and nursed your body back to health, the most important task is to bear an imperial heir for me, for our Sun Moon Empire, as soon as possible."
"You also know that, aside from you, there can't be any other women by my side."
Ju Zi kept her head lowered the entire time, so Xu Tianran could not see her expression. He could only hear her voice come softly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Very well. You need not keep supporting me the whole time. Soon we must face the assembled ministers. I want all the ministers and all the subjects to see that even though I am physically disabled, with the assistance of soul guidance devices, I can still stand once more."
"Just as our Sun Moon Empire, with the support of soul guidance devices, will ultimately unify the continent!"
After the previous emperor Xu Jing passed away, white mourning cloth covered the Ming Capital. The once bustling streets had become much quieter.
The ministers were all dressed in mourning attire, and both inside and outside the grand hall of the imperial palace was a vast expanse of white. Yet there was not much genuine sorrow in the words exchanged among them.
After all, Xu Jing had been gravely ill for a long time. For quite a while now, it had been Xu Tianran who held actual authority. Today's grand ceremony was merely a belated formality, a change of title, nothing more.
As Xu Tianran and Ju Zi took their positions together, the voice of a palace attendant reading the imperial edict echoed far from within the hall.
No one knew how Xu Jing had managed to leave this succession edict while gravely ill, yet no one pursued the matter excessively. Amid the thunderous cries of "Long live the Emperor," the enthronement ceremony came to an end.
"Hallmaster Jing Hongchen, please wait."
Jing Hongchen had just left the imperial palace and was about to head toward the direction of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy when a clear voice suddenly called out from behind.
Turning around, Jing Hongchen saw a woman walking out of the palace. From her attire, she did not appear to be someone from the imperial palace.
"You are…"
"Greetings, Hallmaster." The woman smiled and gave a slight bow. "Hallmaster, you have forgotten. This student once studied at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy and had met you once before."
At this point, Jing Hongchen frowned slightly, yet he also felt that the person before him seemed somewhat familiar.
Before he could fully recall, the woman spoke again. "My name is Ke Ke. Previously, I followed Teacher Xuan Ziwen."
"So it's you." Jing Hongchen finally remembered. "I recall you went with… the Empress to the battlefield."
"Yes. After graduation, I joined the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion. The Empress, considering our former schoolmate bond, kept me by her side ever since."
"What do you want with me? Or rather, is there something the Empress wants?"
Ke Ke did not answer Jing Hongchen. She merely smiled and shook her head. "I would like to inquire about someone with you."
"Who?"
"Teacher Lin Xiao."
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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