Time passed little by little as the cups were exchanged and the sun gradually rose into the sky, its rays shining into the hall.
Everyone present was a powerful soul master, so naturally, they did not feel tired. Moreover, each of them was waiting for this moment.
Dai Feng and Xu Mingxi looked at each other, then stood up simultaneously and walked out of the hall. The coronation ceremony was about to begin.
The scene of the ceremony had long been surrounded by the residents of Star Luo City and soul masters from across the land. Only the path leading from the palace to the high stage remained untouched—no one dared step on it.
They were excited, they cheered, and they looked forward to the coronation of the new emperor to bring a better future for the Star Luo Empire.
In the minds of the people, former Emperor Dai Feng led the Star Luo Empire to victory, and the successor he valued must be even better than him.
The joint leadership of these two dignitaries would certainly strengthen the national power of the Star Luo Empire and bring a better life to its people.
The soul masters who knew part of the inside story understood the power of the Star Crown Sect and knew it was best not to speak of these matters.
As the guests entered, the attendants led them to the viewing stands to find their seats.
Xu Mingxi stood in the palace, looking at the grand scene, unable to hold back his excitement. His long-cherished dream had finally come true. Whether he would succeed depended on this day.
He looked at Dai Feng, whose expression was serious and thoughts unknown, then turned to the side, swung his arm downward, and made a welcoming gesture.
"Your Majesty, please proceed. The White Tiger Duke will always be the leader of all the nobles in the Star Luo Empire."
"Xu Mingxi, I only hope you can lead the Star Luo Empire and pass it on forever."
Dai Feng, head of the Dai family and emperor of the Star Luo Empire, was able to relinquish the throne easily because he knew he could no longer steer this mighty ship.
The power of the Wuhun Empire was not something he could resist, and only by choosing a newer, stronger leader could the Star Luo Empire survive this hardship.
Suppressing all his sharpness, he walked out of the palace gates first, stepped onto the red carpet, and walked to the high coronation platform.
Dai Feng looked at the cheering crowd below with mixed emotions. This would be his last public appearance as the Emperor of Star Luo.
In the future, there would no longer be Emperor Dai Feng of Star Luo—only the leader of the White Tiger Corps, the White Tiger Duke.
"My subjects, in the battle of Tianxing City, due to my command errors, our Star Luo Empire suffered great losses.
I feel deep guilt and know I can no longer lead the Star Luo Empire to prosperity, so I will hand over the throne to Star Douluo.
Star Douluo is very powerful and has captured several unmatched Wuhun Empire rulers on the battlefield. He will surely lead us and the Star Luo Empire to everlasting survival."
As soon as Dai Feng finished speaking, the crowd erupted in thunderous applause and cheers.
Whether it was the powerful soul masters or the common people, all showed great enthusiasm for the new Star Luo Emperor.
Xu Mingxi, dressed in golden imperial robes, stepped forward from behind Dai Feng, slowly walked to the front of the stage, basked in the cheers of the crowd, and gave his oath.
"My subjects, I will lead the Star Luo Empire toward a better tomorrow, so that there will be no more wars on this Douluo Continent."
The coronation ceremony proceeded with grandeur, and other places were not quiet either. The Star Crown Sect took this opportunity to formally establish Xu Mingxi's title as Star God.
At the beginning of the ceremony, branches of the Star God Temple across the Star Luo Empire opened simultaneously. Due to the war's impact, many who had been unable to awaken their powers came forth.
"Everyone, His Majesty who has now ascended the throne is our great Star God. He will guide us forward and bring us peace and stability."
Under the guidance of the temple followers, people worshiped the statue of the Star God. Then, led by members of the Star Crown Sect, they awakened their martial spirits one by one.
After this, the hearts of most people were filled with awe toward the new Emperor of Xingluo and the great Star God.
Many who succeeded in awakening their martial spirits and possessed innate soul power knelt before the statue of the Star God and offered their devout faith.
His Majesty Xu Mingxi was the Star God. It was the Star God who protected them, allowing them to awaken their innate soul power and change their family's fate.
As belief gathered, Xu Mingxi, standing on the high stage, felt something stir within him, but he chose to wait until the coronation ended, then said farewell and returned to his retreat chamber.
He took out a dark crystal orb given by the Sun God and Moon God and saw a faint light slowly radiating from it.
The orb looked like a dark sky, and its light like twinkling stars adorning the night sky.
Xu Mingxi felt a strong pull from the orb and tried channeling his soul power into it. Unlike before, when the orb remained unmoved no matter the method, this time his soul power easily entered the orb.
In other words, the crystal orb was now actively absorbing Xu Mingxi's soul power—and not slowly.
"No, this crystal orb is like a bottomless pit. Most people would've been drained dry by it already."
Xu Mingxi frowned, sensing the loss of soul power within him. Though he had level 98 soul power and a complete 100,000-year soul bone, most of his power had been consumed.
If it wants to absorb, let it. Xu Mingxi sat cross-legged in his retreat chamber and began to cultivate. The newly generated soul power in his body was drawn into the crystal orb.
Had he opened his eyes, he would have seen that the stars on the orb's surface were growing in number and brightness.
The new Star Luo Emperor had fallen into deep retreat immediately after taking the throne. Fortunately, according to the previously set policies, Xu Mingxi was responsible for cultivation, and state affairs were entrusted to Dai Feng and Xu Mingjie.
Dai Feng needed no introduction. As for Xu Mingjie, Xu Mingxi's younger brother, though slightly inferior in cultivation, had sufficient status.
He had studied at the Star Luo Royal Academy and was well-acquainted with high officials of the empire. Now married to Zhu Zhuqing, he had gained the full support of the Zhu family and could handle state affairs with ease.
His wife, Zhu Zhuqing, was also pleased that he was busy with state matters and didn't disturb her.
Although she had been forced to marry a stranger due to family pressure, she still aspired to become a Title Douluo and reach the peak of the Douluo Continent.
She even thought that if Xu Mingjie remained busy, it would be a good thing.