Staring at the Evil Emperor before him, Jiang Shengyu smiled faintly and said,
"The Evil Emperor really doesn't let himself suffer even the slightest loss, does he?"
The Evil Emperor replied solemnly,
"For the sake of the Evil Demon Great Forest, I must be cautious. But you have already shown me the power to convince me."
He gazed at Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong. It wasn't merely the strength of their fused martial souls—the combined might of an Ultimate Douluo—that swayed him. What truly moved him was the recognition of heaven and earth that came when their souls merged.
That meant that Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong were children of destiny—and not ordinary ones.
The very power of heaven and earth seemed to respond to their will.
It was precisely because the world itself acknowledged them that the Evil Emperor chose to ally with them.
Jiang Shengyu regarded the Evil Emperor calmly.
"Evil Emperor, opportunities don't wait in place. The terms of cooperation now are no longer the same as before."
The Evil Emperor shook his head with a low chuckle.
"It doesn't matter. As long as my children of the Evil Demon Great Forest aren't sent out as cannon fodder, I can accept lesser benefits. I don't care about that. So long as they have a better future than now, that's enough for me."
Among the three great ferocious beast sovereigns of the world, it could be said that the Evil Emperor cared the most for the younger generation of his kind—far more than Snow Empress or Ditian.
His protectiveness toward his kin was absolute.
It was precisely this sense of responsibility that made him choose to cooperate with Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong, even though he had already missed the best timing for an alliance—because he truly believed they might succeed.
Seeing how frankly the Evil Emperor expressed his intentions, Jiang Shengyu couldn't help but laugh.
"Then let's wish for a pleasant partnership, Evil Emperor."
The Evil Emperor nodded, then gestured toward Xie Lingling, saying,
"I must remain here to guard the Evil Demon Great Forest and cannot leave freely. Let this child act as my envoy and go with you. Though she's still young, she's quick-witted."
Special Envoy of the Evil Demon Great Forest to the Sun Moon Empire—Xie Lingling.
The title suddenly flashed through Jiang Shengyu's mind.
Jiang Qingtong gently patted Xie Lingling's shoulder and said to the Evil Emperor,
"Rest assured, Evil Emperor. We'll take good care of Lingling. We promise to return her to you safe and sound—fat and healthy."
Xie Lingling pouted.
"I'm older than you! Who's taking care of whom?"
Though she had lived for a hundred thousand years, Xie Lingling—sheltered all her life under the Evil Emperor's wings—was even more innocent than other spirit beasts of equal age. Most Evil Eyed Tyrants were like that—proud to the point of arrogance, believing themselves supreme under heaven.
Sun and Moon Empire – Mingdu.
The ruins of the old imperial palace had long been leveled by massive soul-guided machinery. With the relentless labor of engineers, soul masters, and earth-attribute artisans working day and night, the new imperial palace—though still unfinished—already had its main hall completed.
The majestic hall stood tall amid a vast sea of construction, a shining symbol amid desolation.
This was to be a coronation like no other—
one born of war and ruin.
Across the immense plaza, the Evil Monarch Soul Engineer Legion and the Terrorclaw Legion stood on opposite sides, while the Royal Soul Engineer Legion maintained security. Civil and military officials lined both sides in reverent silence.
From the distant sects, envoys had come—members of the Body Sect, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and others. Ning Haoyu stood shoulder to shoulder with Du Busi.
Beyond them, tens of thousands of Mingdu's citizens crowded the square, gathered to witness the rise of their new Emperor.
Jing Hongchen, leading a group of ninth-level soul engineers, waited below the high platform for the imperial couple to arrive.
Kong Deming, now the last surviving elder of the royal family, led Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong forward slowly from afar. Jiang Shengyu wore a gold-embroidered ceremonial robe adorned with the sun-and-moon motif; Jiang Qingtong was radiant in her resplendent gown.
Hand in hand, they followed behind Kong Deming through the crowd.
The ceremonial music swelled to life.
At the foot of the high dais, Kong Deming halted and stepped aside, yielding the path. Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong inclined their heads slightly to the assembled soul engineers, then ascended to the topmost platform.
As the music reached its grandest peak, the two released their martial souls—Moon in the Water and Flower in the Mirror—which rose gracefully into the air.
Jiang Shengyu's calm yet resolute voice resounded over the vast square:
"From this day forth, We ascend the imperial throne!"
"Long live His Majesty!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"May the Sun Moon Empire endure for ten thousand years!"
At that very moment, the once clear and brilliant sky began to change.
Kong Deming frowned.
"The heavens… it can't be rain, can it?"
At his side, Jing Hongchen looked up and shook his head.
"Impossible. I had Elder Hong and Elder Ye observe the heavens—these next few days were to be cloudless and bright."
"Then… what is happening?"
Kong Deming lifted his gaze toward the sky.
Above them, the clouds began to churn. What had been a serene sky was now swallowed by rolling black clouds that spread with terrifying speed, shrouding all of Mingdu in moments—and the darkness continued to spread outward.
Within just a few breaths, the entire Sun Moon Empire was engulfed in gloom. Yet the lands of the three nations of the Douluo Continent remained as bright as ever.
At the border where Mingdou Mountain divided the realms, soldiers looked up in astonishment.
Juzi immediately dispatched messengers to carry word back to Mingdu.
Meanwhile, panic spread among the people of the capital—black clouds blotting out the sun on coronation day could only be taken as a dire omen.
Seeing the murmuring crowds and the signs of unrest, Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong understood full well what this phenomenon signified.
They clasped hands tightly. Jiang Shengyu's voice thundered across the square like a great bell:
"If the heavens have no sun, then I shall become the new sun! Fear not, my people!"
In an instant, the Pure Lotus Demon Flame ignited above the heavens, coalescing into a vast and holy sun of white fire. Its divine radiance illuminated all of Mingdu.
Yet it could only reach so far—the rest of the empire lay drowned in darkness, lit only by the faint glow of soul lamps.
To truly cast the light of that sacred fire over the entire Sun Moon Empire was beyond Jiang Shengyu's current strength—his seven-ring cultivation could not sustain it.
Even so, he continued to draw upon the power of heaven and earth, keeping the celestial fire burning and sending its glow wandering across the empire, bringing warmth and light wherever it passed.
His soul power was rapidly consumed—but where his hand gripped Jiang Qingtong's, their two energies fused, giving rise to a new strength.
That power made the celestial fire blaze even brighter.
After the ceremony concluded, the empire's central administration immediately began its work—so ominous a heavenly sign demanded widespread reassurance among the people. Fortunately, since the great explosion of Mingdu, Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen had already helped Jiang Shengyu consolidate authority over the imperial capital.
Even if the omen truly heralded misfortune, no one could use it to attack Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong's rule.
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