Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu.
As the Continental Youth Advanced Soul Master Elite Competition drew near, this undisputed largest city on the continent became bustling.
Team after team arrived in Mingdu from all directions of the continent, and because of the Soul Master Competition, a grand event that occurs only once every twenty years, the people of the Sun Moon Empire also flocked to their nation's capital, causing Mingdu's population to surge.
The slogan and theme of this Soul Master Competition was "Return," which literally meant that the Soul Master Competition would revert from a competition exclusively among Soul Master academies to one open to all Soul Masters.
The return of Sect forces doubled the number of participants in this competition, and its excitement was sure to be incomparable to previous competitions.
In fact, the Soul Master Competition has a very long history.
For a long time in the past, it allowed Sects to participate.
During the Spirit Hall era ten thousand years ago, there were Seven Great Sects.
Among these Seven Great Sects, the Upper Three Sects were irreplaceable due to their Spirits and Sect strength, but the lower four Sects were different.
At that time, the Soul Master Competition was the primary way to select the lower four Sects.
However, a thousand years ago, the Soul Master Competition underwent reforms, beginning to restrict Sect participation, and eventually completely prohibiting it, which led to the Soul Master Competition becoming a contest between various Soul Master academies.
Now, the Sun Moon Empire, as the host, brought up the old rule, wanting to allow Sects to participate again.
Although the other Three Great Empires had reservations, they couldn't directly refuse.
After multiple rounds of negotiations, the Sun Moon Empire's proposal was approved, allowing Sects to participate.
As a result, this Mingdu Soul Master Competition will be the one with the most participating teams and individuals in nearly a thousand years, because Sects are one of the most important components of the Spirit Master's world.
The number of Soul Master academies and Soul Engineer academies on the entire continent is less than half the number of Spirit Master Sects.
For the vast majority of Spirit Masters, academies are merely a temporary stop; Sects and families are their true homes.
Families, of course, are another major component of the Spirit Master's world, on par with Sects.
Oh, right, Shrek Academy is an exception.
Although it is nominally an academy, in the eyes of most Spirit Master Sects and Spirit Master families, it is no different from the Spirit Hall of ten thousand years ago, at most it can cultivate talents for them, while Spirit Hall would not.
After the reform of this competition was confirmed, almost every Sect on the continent with some ambition or idea signed up to participate.
These Sects accounted for about 60% of the total number of Sects, including some reclusive Sects.
Of course, the reason only 60% of Sects participated, besides a small handful of truly reclusive Sects, was primarily because more did not meet the registration requirements of the competition.
The competition stipulated that all members of a participating Sect team must be under or equal to twenty years old, and the team must have at least five Spirit Ancestor level contestants.
This rule prevented over 30% of smaller Sects from simply showing up, and also limited the number of participants to some extent.
Otherwise, even if Mingdu is the largest city on the continent, it would probably be difficult to accommodate so many Spirit Masters.
Even now, the number of Spirit Masters in Mingdu has already far exceeded the numbers of the past few millennia.
The last time Mingdu welcomed such a massive number of Spirit Masters was four thousand years ago, when the Golden Crow Douluo led the allied armies of three nations to besiege the city.
After the registration deadline, the final number of participating teams for this competition was set at three hundred and sixty-seven, exactly double the number of participating teams in the previous Star Luo City Soul Master Competition, with over two hundred of them being Sect teams.
The Sun Moon Empire's officials seemed to have anticipated this.
As the wealthiest and most powerful nation on the continent, hosting such a competition and entertaining so many guests was effortless for them.
Mingdu's hotels and restaurants were sufficient to accommodate all participating teams and tourists.
At the same time, as the nation with the most developed spirit tool technology on the continent, the Sun Moon Empire also went all out to host this competition.
The final reward for the competition was no longer the typical Spirit Bone, but rather a spirit tool.
The champion team would receive a ninth-grade spirit tool, the runner-up team an eighth-grade spirit tool, and the third-place team a seventh-grade spirit tool.
In terms of value, a Spirit Bone comparable to a ninth-grade spirit tool would have to be from at least a 100,000-Year Soul Beast.
This shows that the Sun Moon Empire indeed attaches great importance to this competition.
The value of a ninth-grade spirit tool lies not only in its expensiveness but also in the technology and power it contains.
If Shrek Academy could obtain this ninth-grade spirit tool, it would be an opportunity for the Soul Tool Department.
You should know that, so far, in the original Douluo Continent region, there isn't a single ninth-grade spirit tool! Not even one!
With such rich rewards, all the teams were eager to try their hand.
Imperial Palace, Imperial Garden.
A wheelchair slowly moved along the wide bluestone path in the back garden.
Plants of various shapes and sizes were neatly arranged throughout the garden.
On the wheelchair sat a handsome young man in luxurious clothes.
A faint smile played on his face, and his eyes surveyed the various exotic flowers and plants in the garden, as if he hadn't lost hope in life because of his disability.
However, the gloom in the depths of his eyes could never be completely hidden.
Pushing the wheelchair was a pretty woman.
She wore a goose-yellow long dress, which accentuated her delicate, fair skin, making her appear noble and elegant, while also adding a touch of composure to her demeanor.
Her beautiful eyes occasionally flashed with captivating wisdom, as if she was constantly contemplating something.
They were none other than the current de facto rulers of the Sun Moon Empire, Crown Prince Xu Tianran and Crown Princess Ju Zi.
"How is Father Emperor doing?" Xu Tianran, sitting in the wheelchair with his eyes closed and a thin blanket covering his legs, exuded a faint sense of leisure.
"The imperial physicians say His Majesty's body may not be able to hold on much longer.
In recent days, His Majesty has frequently fainted and lost consciousness," Ju Zi said softly.
"Father Emperor worked diligently his entire life, seeking no merit, but also no fault, missing many opportunities!
In future historical records, he is only fit to be a mediocre emperor.
What is the military's reaction?"
"Our army is operating as usual.
Of the remaining three-fifths, two-thirds of the army are still observing, and only one-third have clearly sided with the Second Prince," Ju Zi paused, then continued, "that is, the Imperial Moon Soul Engineer Legion in the south and the South Sea Fleet.
Under the leadership of Xu Tianxuan, their momentum is significant, and many great nobles are contacting them."
"Hmph! Clowns!" Xu Tianran snorted coldly upon hearing this.
"Just that good-for-nothing Second Prince, and that Moon Lineage remnant who appeared out of nowhere?
Oh, and the ungrateful wretches of the Imperial Moon Soul Engineer Legion and the traitorous dogs of the South Sea Fleet, they are not worthy to contend with me!"
"Even so, they still control one-fifth of the army," Ju Zi said with some concern, "and, according to the intelligence received, that Xu Tianxuan seems to have sidelined the Second Prince and also proposed a slogan."
"Oh? What slogan?" Xu Tianran asked indifferently.
"..." Ju Zi hesitated, weighing the pros and cons in her eyes, but still said, "They say, 'Four generations of the Sun Lineage produced nine emperors, slaughtering each other... their descendants cut off.
The Moon Lineage pities the imperial people, returning things to their original owner will eliminate the sins!'"
"..." Xu Tianran fell silent, but Ju Zi clearly noticed his hand clenching into a fist, though he quickly released it.
Evidently, his inner feelings were not as calm as his exterior.
"Heh heh, a good-for-nothing is a good-for-nothing.
That foolish Second Prince, to actually be sidelined by a Moon Lineage bastard, what a waste!"
Ju Zi's body trembled, because Xu Tianran's final tone was filled with icy killing intent.
Even she, a "close" person, couldn't help but be intimidated by this murderous aura.
"Have you found out where this Xu Tianxuan came from? Also, has there been any unusual activity from Kong Deming's side?" Xu Tianran calmed down, his tone becoming flat again as he asked.
"According to our investigation, this Xu Tianxuan first appeared among the Yin Clan on the Yue Nan Islands.
It is said that she is the great-great-granddaughter of Xu Yidong, the pseudo-king of the former dynasty.
Her great-grandfather was Xu Yidong's youngest son, who fled Mingdu and has been hiding on the Yue Nan Islands ever since.
For nearly a hundred years, they have been relatively law-abiding, until this Xu Tianxuan appeared.
There seems to be a mysterious force behind this Xu Tianxuan, and we currently cannot determine if this force is from within the country or abroad.
However, it can be confirmed that Kong Deming has no contact with them," Ju Zi said.
"Is that so, Yue Nan Islands, Yin Clan, heh, truly born with rebellious bones!" Xu Tianran finished listening, and with a sigh, said, "Great-grand-uncle was truly too benevolent.
Families like this, with intricate ties to the Moon Lineage, should have been directly wiped out!"
"Yes!" Ju Zi's heart tightened, but she still agreed, "Oh, right, the intelligence also says that behind Xu Tianxuan there is also a Titled Douluo, who seems to be a princess of the former pseudo-emperor, named Xu Jianwei."
"Oh? Is that so?" Xu Tianran was a little surprised, then laughed, "So, she's my Great-grand-aunt, huh?
Heh heh, when I ascend the throne, I'll definitely invite her to the ceremony, hahaha!"
Ju Zi did not speak.
At this moment, a team stopped at a location over one hundred kilometers from Mingdu.
They descended from the sky and then proceeded on foot towards Mingdu.
They were none other than the Shrek Academy team led by Zhu Ziyang!