Six years passed since the bloody wars that built the Sun and Moon Empire. The land was now quiet. Villages rebuilt, cities grew, and the people lived under one banner. At the heart of it all stood the capital, a city of stone walls and golden towers.
In the highest palace lived the Crown Prince, Xu Tianran.
Though only six years old, Xu Tianran was already known across the empire. Ministers called him a prodigy. Nobles praised him as the hope of the empire. Servants whispered about his sharp eyes and calm nature, saying he was unlike any child they had ever seen.
And they were right.
Because hidden in his heart, Xu Tianran carried memories not his own. Memories of a man from another world, and the will of Xu Tianran, the future Emperor who once brought fear to the world. Sometimes the dreams were faint, only flashes of light and shadow. But sometimes they were sharp, teaching him things no child should know.
Yet in this life, he was still a boy.
One morning, sunlight spilled across the palace courtyard. Xu Tianran sat on a stone bench, reading a scroll far too advanced for his age. His small hands held the paper steady, his red eyes scanning every word with focus.
A soft laugh came from behind.
"You read again, my son? Most children your age run around chasing birds, but you…"
Xu Tianran turned. His mother, Empress Yuexin, stood there with her gentle smile. Her long black hair shimmered with golden strands, her martial soul's light flowing in her blood.
"Mother," Xu Tianran said with a calm bow. "If I play all day, I will remain a child. Father says the empire will one day rest on my shoulders. I cannot waste time."
The Empress shook her head, though her smile grew. "So serious, Tianran. Sometimes I fear you grew up too fast. But perhaps… that is what makes you special." She placed her hand on his cheek. "You carry both my sun and your father's dragon. You were born to shine."
Not long after, the deep voice of the Emperor echoed across the courtyard.
"Tianran!"
Xu Longhai, the Crimson Dragon Emperor, entered. His presence was overwhelming, yet his gaze softened when it fell on the boy. His armor glinted faintly, even though he no longer rode to war.
Xu Tianran rose quickly. "Father."
The Emperor looked him up and down, pride in his eyes. "Six years. Six short years, and already the ministers call you a genius. I have seen it myself. Your memory is sharp, your words wise. You are not like other children. That is good. An Emperor cannot afford to be like others."
The boy bowed. "I will not disappoint you."
The Emperor chuckled, rare warmth in his tone. "Disappoint me? Hah. I only fear you will surpass me too soon."
The Empress laughed softly, slipping her arm through her husband's. "Do not frighten him with your pride, Longhai. Today is an important day. Today, our son awakens his martial soul."
The royal court gathered in the great hall. Nobles, generals, and even Zhang Peng, the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult, stood among them. Whispers spread like fire.
"The Crown Prince will awaken today."
"They say his bloodline is pure, stronger than any before."
"Perhaps he will awaken the dragon… perhaps even more."
At the center of the hall stood Xu Tianran. His father and mother watched from golden thrones, their faces solemn.
A soul master from the Azure Sky Department stepped forward. He was old, with thin hair and steady hands. He carried the awakening crystal, glowing faintly with spirit energy.
"Your Highness," he said respectfully to the boy, "please step forward."
Xu Tianran obeyed, calm despite the weight of countless eyes.
The crystal lit with bright light as his soul power flowed into it. The hall fell silent. The first shadow rose behind him, spreading wide, vast, and violent.
A dragon's roar shook the air.
The Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon appeared. Its scales shone violet-gold, its eyes burning with fire. Its body coiled like an ancient beast ready to devour the world. The court gasped, many falling to their knees in awe.
"A true Purple Brilliant Dragon!"
"Not seen in a hundred years!"
"The bloodline is complete!"
But before their voices faded, a second light appeared.
The boy's eyes glowed gold and silver. Above his head formed the image of twin orbs, one blazing like the sun, the other cold as the moon. They spun together, reflecting endless light.
The Sun and Moon Eyes had awakened.
The hall fell into stunned silence. Even the Emperor rose from his throne, his face unreadable. The Empress covered her mouth, her eyes wet with emotion.
Twin martial souls.
The Crown Prince had awakened twin martial souls.
The silence broke as Zhang Peng laughed darkly. "Hah! As expected of the Emperor's son. Heaven favors him. The empire is secure."
The generals shouted. "Long live the Crown Prince!"
The nobles bowed deeply. "The heavens bless our dynasty!"
The Emperor stepped forward, his steps echoing like thunder. He placed a hand on his son's shoulder. His voice carried through the hall.
"Today, my son Xu Tianran awakens not one, but two martial souls. The Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon. The Sun and Moon Eyes. He is the true heir of the Sun and Moon Empire. From this day, his path begins."
The court erupted in cheers.
Later, in the quiet of the palace garden, the Empress held Xu Tianran close.
"My child… you carry so much already. I worry for you."
Xu Tianran looked up, his eyes calm and steady. "Do not worry, Mother. I was born for this."
He looked toward the horizon, where the sun was setting behind the towers of the capital. Deep inside, a voice whispered. A memory of another life. A desire for power, for destiny.
This time, I will rise higher than anyone.