"Auntie Wang, buying another new soul tool toy for your boy?"
On the street, a woman carrying a vegetable basket greeted her neighbor with a smile.
The woman addressed as Auntie Wang had a simple, honest smile on her face. She held up a small metallic ball that could run and glow on its own.
"That's right. The department store is having a promotion today. These glowing balls... back when we were in the Heavenly Soul Empire, we wouldn't even dare dream of them. Now, for just ten silver soul coins, that little rascal of mine can be happy for half the day. Come to think of it, life is much better now."
"Isn't that the truth?"
Another passerby joined in, sighing with emotion.
"Back when the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family was in charge, taxes got heavier every year. We couldn't even fill our bellies. Now that the Sun Moon Empire is here, not only have they waived agricultural taxes for three years, but they've also given jobs to city folk. There are even subsidies for the children to attend school. You tell me... this 'Heavenly Soul' being gone... for us common folk, it doesn't seem like a bad thing at all."
"Shh, keep it down."
The first woman quickly made a silencing gesture, looking around warily.
"What's all this talk of 'gone' or not? This is the Sun Moon Empire now. The old emperors are all dead. We just need to live our own lives. Whoever is emperor, as long as they let us eat our fill and dress warmly, they're a good emperor."
Such conversations were happening every day in every corner of what was once the Heavenly Soul Empire.
The Sun Moon Empire had used the most direct and effective benefits to rapidly win over the hearts of the masses at the bottom. They didn't care who the ruler was; they only cared if their lives had improved. When a new ruler could provide them with an unprecedentedly comfortable life, the term "homeland" quickly faded from their memories.
For those once-lofty soul master families and sects, the Sun Moon Empire's methods were even more direct—recruitment and division.
Inside a soul master sect that had once been a vassal to the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family, the Sect Master was currently handing out an appointment letter stamped with the Sun Moon Imperial Royal Crest to his elders with a beaming face.
"Everyone, the Empire has issued a formal appointment. Starting today, our 'Gale Sect' is officially a 'Vassal Combat Sect of the Sun Moon Empire's Heavenly Soul Province First Soul Engineer Legion.' Not only will we receive a large amount of rare metals and soul tool resources from the Empire every year, but all core disciples of the sect will also be granted spots for advanced study at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy."
The Sect Master's voice was filled with excitement.
"Sect Master!"
An ill-tempered elder stood up abruptly, his face full of humiliation and resentment.
"Have we forgotten the kindness the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family showed us? Have we forgotten how our disciples died in battle? And now we are going to be dogs for our enemies?"
The smile on the Sect Master's face vanished instantly, replaced by a cold indifference.
"Third Elder, watch your words," he said frostily.
"The Heavenly Soul Empire is gone; that is a fact. Should we hold onto that ridiculous loyalty and wait to be purged by the Sun Moon Empire, having our entire line wiped out? Or should we seize the opportunity to let our Gale Sect reach new heights in this new era?"
He surveyed everyone present, his voice becoming highly provocative.
"He who understands the times is a wise man. The Sun Moon Empire represents the future of soul tools, the future of the continent. If we join them now, we are founders, meritorious officials. If we wait until they have completely established their footing before joining, we will be nothing more than homeless dogs begging for scraps. Weigh the options yourself."
His words threw the hall into silence. The Third Elder's face flushed red, but he eventually sat back down in dejection. He knew the Sect Master was right. Not everyone had the status or the courage to prefer death over surrender. For sects like theirs, struggling to survive, living—and living better—was what mattered most.
Thus, under the combination of threats and incentives, the majority of the old powers chose to lean completely toward the Sun Moon Empire. As for those truly insightful individuals harboring deep-seated hatred who refused to yield, they were like candle flames in the night, blown into deeper darkness to hide and wait for an opportunity that might never come.
The situation on the continent formed a bizarre balance. The Sun Moon Empire immersed itself in integration, while the Dou Ling Empire trembled on the border, constantly sending envoys to the Star Luo Empire in hopes of forming an alliance to resist the strong enemy. As for the Star Luo Empire, they maintained an ambiguous attitude while silently preparing their armies for war.
Time passed quietly amidst this tranquil yet turbulent undercurrent.
...
One year later, Star Luo City.
As the only vast empire left on the continent capable of standing as an equal to the Sun Moon Empire, Star Luo City had not been directly affected by the war. Instead, due to the influx of wealthy merchants and soul masters fleeing from the Heavenly Soul and Dou Ling nations, it appeared even more prosperous and bustling than before.
However, deep within the imperial palace, inside a secluded and heavily guarded courtyard, the atmosphere was starkly different from the prosperity outside.
Dressed in luxurious palace attire, having completely shed her youthful greenness to reveal a mature charm, Xu Jiujiu stood personally at the gate of the courtyard, waiting for a special guest.
Soon, a plain carriage without any markings, guided by guards, slowly stopped at the entrance. The curtain was lifted by a slender hand, and a figure stepped down from the carriage.
It was a woman dressed in white. Her features remained beautiful, but the once sun-like, bright smile had completely vanished. Her face held a near-frosty calm, and only those eyes, once clear as water, were now as deep as an ancient well, with an indelible sorrow and hatred settled at the bottom.
It was the former Princess of the Heavenly Soul Empire, Wei Na.
Having not seen her for a year, she looked as if she had aged ten years in an instant. The agonizing pain of her country being destroyed and her family perishing had changed her significantly.
"Wei Na..."
Seeing the current state of her former best friend, Xu Jiujiu's heart stung uncontrollably. She stepped forward quickly, wanting to take her hand intimately as she used to. However, just as her hand was about to touch Wei Na, Wei Na subconsciously took a tiny half-step back.
The movement was small, but Xu Jiujiu saw it clearly. Her heart sank. She knew that some things, after all, could never go back to the way they were.
Wei Na also realized her lapse in composure. Looking at Xu Jiujiu's hand hanging awkwardly in mid-air, a flicker finally appeared in her eyes, and a look of sadness surfaced on her face.
"Jiujiu... I'm sorry." Her voice was somewhat raspy.
"Why are you saying sorry to me?"
Xu Jiujiu withdrew her hand and forced a gentle smile. She stepped forward and gave Wei Na a gentle, slightly cautious hug.
"Welcome to Star Luo City. Let's head inside first; it's windy out here."
Xu Jiujiu could only use the most mundane words to mask her internal sighs and complex emotions. She led Wei Na into the room that had long been prepared for her, which was as warm as spring.
Over the past year, escorted by Feixiao and Jing Yuan, Wei Na had escaped from Heavenly Soul City. However, those two powerhouses from another world did not stay with her forever. Feixiao had already done enough; her connection with Wei Na had reached its end with the fall of the Heavenly Soul Empire. They were not people of this world, after all, and could not forever carry the burden of Wei Na's national and familial grudges.
Having wandered the continent for a year, seeing the fickleness of human nature and the peace and happiness of her former subjects under the new regime, Wei Na's heart for restoration had completely died. She finally understood that the era belonging to the Heavenly Soul Empire was over.
Inside the room, top-tier soothing incense burned, making it warm and comfortable. But Wei Na seemed unable to feel any of it. The moment she entered the room, her gaze was drawn to a delicate small bed in the corner covered with soft blankets.
On the bed, an infant who looked only a few months old was sleeping soundly. He had a face as exquisite as carved jade, and his long eyelashes fluttered slightly with his breath like two small fans. Most striking of all was his unique, soft short hair that was as white as fresh snow.
That white hair made Wei Na's heart leap. A handsome and unfathomable figure flashed uncontrollably through her mind.
—Lu Jingming.
Noticing Wei Na's gaze, the social etiquette on Xu Jiujiu's face melted away instantly. She walked to the small bed and looked at her sleeping son, her eyes filled with the radiance of motherhood.
"He's very cute, isn't he?" Xu Jiujiu smiled, her voice full of the pride and happiness of a mother. "This is my child. His name is Lu Xingtong."
Lu Xingtong.
Hearing this name, the last shred of doubt in Wei Na's heart vanished. Looking at that small face that shared a resemblance with Lu Jingming, complex ripples spread through her heart. There was envy, there were blessings, and there was also a hint of sadness.
She managed to squeeze out a sincere smile and said to Xu Jiujiu, "He is indeed his child. Congratulations, Jiujiu. You... are very happy."
"Yes, I am very happy."
Xu Jiujiu made no effort to hide her happiness. She gently tucked the small blanket around her son and then turned back to Wei Na, her expression becoming serious once more.
The two sat down by the tea table. After the maid served hot tea, she quietly withdrew.
"Wei Na," Xu Jiujiu looked at her and asked directly. "What are your plans now that you've come to Star Luo City?"
As she asked this, countless thoughts flashed through Xu Jiujiu's mind. Back when Heavenly Soul was falling, Star Luo had indeed sent reinforcements. But those reinforcements were stopped by Ju Zi... that matter was a silent understanding between the Star Luo Empire and Ju Zi. They had stood by and watched. The power of Sea Abyss City, which could easily have changed the course of the war, was never utilized in the slightest from beginning to end.
From the standpoint of a friend, Xu Jiujiu felt some guilt toward Wei Na. But from the standpoint of a ruler, she had no regrets.
Xu Jiujiu picked up her teacup, her gaze profound. The Heavenly Soul Empire, the Dou Ling Empire, the Star Luo Empire... it was time for this old order to change. Even without the Sun Moon Empire, the original three Douluo nations would have eventually gone to war over resources and hegemony. She and Wei Na could never have been true best friends; the interests of their nations would always stand between them.
Lu Jingming's goal was to establish a brand-new, unified order led by him. Before this goal, everything old had to be reshuffled and broken. The fall of the Heavenly Soul Empire was an inevitability in this process. If the Sun Moon Empire hadn't acted, Sea Abyss City would have acted sooner or later. Politics was always cruel. Personal relationships were insignificantly small before the torrent of national interest.
Therefore, Wei Na... her coming here was definitely not for restoration. Wei Na knew better than she did that it was an impossible dream.
She came for revenge. She wanted to turn herself into a blade, a blade that could pierce Xu Tianran's heart.
Just as Xu Jiujiu expected, Wei Na set down her teacup. She looked up and met Xu Jiujiu's scrutiny with a calm gaze, her voice cool and steady.
"Jiujiu, I'm not here to beg you to send troops. Heavenly Soul is gone; I know that better than anyone."
"I also... no longer wish for restoration." At this point, there was a trace of an imperceptible tremor in her voice, but it quickly returned to calm. "An imperial family that cannot even protect its own subjects, a surname that will only become a burden to the people in the new era, has no right to rule that land again."
She took a deep breath, and the dormant flame of hatred in her eyes finally ignited.
"I have come for only one thing—revenge."
"Xu Tianran, and the entire high command of the Sun Moon Empire, they must pay a price in blood for my father's death, for the deaths of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers in Heavenly Soul City, and for the destruction of my Heavenly Soul Imperial Family."
"Since a year ago, this life of mine exists only for revenge. I hope to join the Star Luo Empire and become a knife in your hand, a spear, any weapon at all, as long as it allows me to see the end of the Sun Moon Empire."
Looking at the hatred in Wei Na's eyes—hatred that was almost overflowing and enough to burn a soul to ash—Xu Jiujiu felt conflicted. She hesitated.
Her hesitation was not about whether to accept Wei Na. With her current power, placing someone in the Star Luo Empire was as easy as turning over her hand. She hesitated because she wondered if she should personally push her friend into the abyss of revenge.
Accepting Wei Na was easy. But then what? Let her become a war machine driven by hate? Then her life would truly have nothing left but hatred. To her, would that be a release, or another, even crueler cage?
Moreover, Wei Na's status was too sensitive. She was the last bloodline of the Heavenly Soul Imperial Family, a living symbol. Using her was a double-edged sword. While she could be used to rally the remnants of Heavenly Soul, she could also cause unnecessary trouble and disrupt Lu Jingming's plans.
This matter... she could not decide alone.
Just as Xu Jiujiu's mind was in a turmoil of indecision, a calm and magnetic male voice resonated clearly in the quiet room without any warning.
"I agree."
The voice was not loud, yet it struck like a thunderclap in the ears of both Xu Jiujiu and Wei Na. Xu Jiujiu was startled at first, but then a mix of pleasant surprise and relief appeared on her face. She instinctively looked toward the direction of the voice.
-----------------------------------------------
I handpick only the finest and most captivating novels for you. Don't forget to check out my other novels!
p@treon HongMengZi