Over the course of a month, Gu Xuan spent his time refining pills with Yang Wudi and strengthening his bonds with his wives. Of course, the matter of finding soul bones for Ning Rongrong was not neglected, though Gu Xuan did not handle it personally.
Ning Rongrong already possessed a left arm bone. Although a month was short, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's current influence allowed them to secure three suitable soul bones for her: a right arm bone, a left leg bone, and a skull bone. All three were gem-type soul bones, making them a perfect match for her.
The skull bone was a treasure from the clan's private collection, originally prepared by Ning Fengzhi for Ning Rongrong to use when she encountered a bottleneck. However, her advancement had been so rapid that she never needed it until now, as she neared Rank 90. The other two soul bones were collected from within the Heaven Dou Empire for a total of ten million gold soul coins. Their actual value far exceeded that price, but the sellers provided them at a discount to curry favor with the powerful clan.
This was the advantage of a great power; while it involved interests and transactions, it made things much more convenient. Having absorbed the three soul bones and completed a month of hard cultivation, Ning Rongrong reached Rank 90. She only needed a ninth soul ring to complete half of her eighth trial. Finding the final torso bone and right leg bone would complete the trial entirely. While these last two seemed difficult, Ning Rongrong had three years, so there was no need for excessive worry.
The month passed in a flash, and the Heaven Dou Empire's grand army was fully assembled. They officially launched their conquest of the Star Luo Empire. On the eve of the invasion, Gu Xuan, acting as Prince-Regent, sent a letter of surrender to Star Luo, aiming to subdue the enemy without a fight.
However, the situation in Star Luo had shifted slightly. The struggle between the Third Prince Dai Mubai and the First Prince Dai Weisi had reached a fever pitch. The appearance of Bibi Dong and Tang San had given Dai Mubai the confidence and hope he needed. Faced with Heaven Dou's invasion, the two brothers resolutely chose a temporary truce to face the external threat together.
Only when they began to assemble their forces did the Star Luo Emperor realize that Heaven Dou's recent military movements were not internal conflicts but long-standing preparations for this conquest. Gu Xuan had used small schemes to mask the mobilization. Since the kingdoms and duchies within Heaven Dou were already controlled by the clan, news had not reached Star Luo. The troops had been moving under the guise of suppressing internal rebellions. By the time the surrender letter arrived and the army was fully arrayed, Star Luo was a step behind in its response.
Furthermore, the civil strife between the two princes had already drained some of the empire's strength. While not enough to cripple the nation's overall power, it was a significant blow to the princes' personal forces. Despite the temporary alliance under the Star Luo Emperor, they were too slow.
Three days after the emperor received the surrender letter, the Heaven Dou army was already at the border. Just as Star Luo organized its counter-attack, hunting squads led by Titled Douluos and composed of Soul Douluos directly assassinated Star Luo's generals and commanders. Led by nine Titled Douluos, the army swept through Star Luo's territory as if entering an uninhabited land. Every city taken was quickly occupied, with the army sustaining itself on captured resources to strike again.
The speed of the advance was also due to the fact that they ignored traditional supply lines, adopting a strategy of 'sustaining war through war.' While this consumed the resources of Star Luo's cities, they did not harm the commoners, so the social impact was manageable.
Within a month, the Star Luo Imperial City was surrounded. Chrysanthemum Douluo, Ghost Douluo, Zuo Yi, Mi He, and Long Wu had encircled the capital, with the main army close behind. With fifteen Titled Douluos in total—not even counting the likes of the Bone and Sword Douluos, Ning Fengzhi, or Yang Wudi—Star Luo was completely overwhelmed.
As Prince-Regent, Gu Xuan arrived outside the gates. The Star Luo Imperial Family only possessed three Titled Douluos. Fifteen against three was a total slaughter.
What Gu Xuan did not know was that Bibi Dong, Tang San, and the others, who had originally come to Star Luo to build their power, had already fled as the invasion began. Since there had been no prior news of them, Gu Xuan was unaware of their presence and didn't suspect Bibi Dong, allowing them to escape the encirclement. Bibi Dong took Hu Liena, Tang San, and Dai Mubai with her. Their departure wasn't even discovered by the Star Luo Emperor until a week later; with such secrecy, Gu Xuan had no way of knowing.
The Star Luo Emperor chose not to surrender, resisting to the death. Ultimately, Gu Xuan stepped forward and personally took on the three Titled Douluos of the imperial family, ending Star Luo's reign.
With that, the world-shaking war ended. The two empires were unified under Heaven Dou. Gu Xuan's achievements surpassed those of any previous ruler in the history of the Douluo Continent. After the war, the spoils were collected for the national treasury.
Three months later, Gu Xuan's fame reached every corner of the continent. On this day, following the unification, Gu Xuan established a single empire and ascended the throne. He named the nation the Sun Moon Empire, with the era name Ming. It signified that 'wherever the sun and moon shine upon the mountains and rivers, all is the territory of the Great Ming.'
The capital was set at the former Heaven Dou City, renamed Mingdu. Since the Sunset Forest was adjacent to the city, the reconstruction expanded the city's area threefold, incorporating a third of the forest into the new capital.
Gu Xuan's choice of the name Sun Moon Empire was borrowed from the empire of the same name ten thousand years in the future in the original story, but he also favored the 'Great Ming' style from his previous life. The titles resonated with his vision.
There was no Mount Tai in the Douluo Continent, nor the complex rituals of his past world. He simply drafted a proclamation and ascended the throne at the newly built Heaven and Earth Altar outside Mingdu. The day was clear and cloudless as countless citizens gathered for the ceremony. Standing at the center of the altar, Gu Xuan declared loudly.
"To the High Heavens and the Gods of the Earth. The late Emperor passed suddenly, and the civil and military officials, the elders, and the people have urged me to take the throne. The land is newly unified, yet the people are scattered. To stabilize the chaos and bring peace, I acknowledge the mandate of heaven. I shall not forget the grace of past rulers. Today, I inform heaven and earth, sacrifice to the ancestors, and ascend the throne as Emperor!"
Upon the completion of the rituals, Gu Xuan officially became the Sun Moon Emperor of the Great Ming. The Douluo Continent was finally unified.
(End of Chapter)
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