Outside the academy gate.
Xu Tianyang took Xu Nianshuang into a mechanical spirit tool car and slowly headed towards the Crown Prince Residence.
spirit tool cars were a new mode of transportation that had emerged in recent years. Unlike horse-drawn carriages, they weren't cumbersome, and unlike high-tier Spirit Beasts, they weren't expensive, making them the first choice for many low-tier Spirit Masters.
For higher-tier individuals, flying spirit tools could be used for travel.
However, flying was prohibited in Ming City, so the streets were filled with these mechanical cars.
"There are quite a lot more people from Douluo Continent in Ming City lately," Xu Nianshuang said, turning her head to look at the bustling crowd outside the car window.
"When there are more people, it's easier for chaos to erupt," Xu Tianyang also noticed, his brows furrowing slightly. However, he was thinking about the recent conflicts in Ming City, a large portion of which were clashes between people from the Sun Moon Empire and the Douluo Continent.
"What are you thinking about?" A pair of slender hands gently caressed his head. It was hard to imagine these were hands that had held a sword for a long time, completely free of calluses.
Xu Tianyang was startled, then chuckled, "I'm wondering when the 'chicken' for 'killing the chicken to warn the monkeys' will appear."
"That's not for us to worry about. Uncle Xu and the others will figure something out." Xu Nianshuang hesitated for a moment, looking at Xu Tianyang's profile, and her soft voice came, "Do... do you want a lap pillow?"
"Hmm?" Xu Tianyang was slightly taken aback, turning to look at Xu Nianshuang's somewhat flushed cheeks, and asked curiously, "Where did you learn that?"
"Zui Hongchen said that boys all like that..."
"That kid," Xu Tianyang cursed with a laugh.
"Do you want to...?" Xu Nianshuang's slightly annoyed voice rang out, and Xu Tianyang keenly sensed that her earlobes had reddened a bit... "Alright, let's try it." Saying this, Xu Tianyang leaned back, directly resting his head on Xu Nianshuang's lap. A delicate fragrance wafted over, followed by softness and resilience... "Mmm~" Xu Nianshuang gently pursed her red lips, looking down to see only half of Xu Tianyang's face, a hint of joy flashing in her eyes.
The mechanical car moved unhurriedly, and for a moment, the interior of the car was filled with a tranquil atmosphere.
"Your Highness..."
Just then, a low voice came from outside the car.
The next second, the car window opened, and Xu Tianyang and Xu Nianshuang sat up straight. A calm voice emanated from Xu Tianyang's mouth, "What is it?"
"His Majesty has ordered Your Highness to attend a court discussion in the palace," the voice sounded again.
Xu Tianyang was slightly startled upon hearing this. Xu Yunxiao usually didn't involve him in government affairs. His most important task right now was cultivation. He exchanged glances with Xu Nianshuang, both seeing confusion in each other's eyes.
"Who else did Imperial Father summon?"
"The adults from Mingde Hall and all the legion commanders of the military department who are in Ming City."
Upon hearing this, a sharp glint flashed in Xu Tianyang's eyes. This meant a major move was coming... At this moment, a heated discussion was unfolding in the main hall of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial palace.
The people standing in the hall were all generals above the rank of legion commander in the Sun Moon Empire. To become a legion commander in the Sun Moon Empire, one needed at least the cultivation of a Spirit Saint or a seventh-rank Soul Engineer.
The few white-haired elders at the very front were even eight-ring Spirit Douluo and eighth-rank Soul Engineers.
And besides the military bigwigs present, several top Soul Engineers from Mingde Hall were also among them.
These individuals, famous in the outside world, were now bickering like shrewish women, spittle flying.
"Your Majesty, the Star Luo Empire is going too far! Just seven days ago, another fifty-person squad of our army went missing. Since the continent merged and the Ming Dou Mountain Range was established, do you know how many people in the Empire have disappeared without reason?"
"Five hundred... a full five hundred people!!!"
"After the Empire achieved the great feat of unifying the continent, not only did we fail to bring a stable life to our citizens, but we also shattered five hundred families..."
"My lords, tell me, should we not be angry!!!"
In the imperial palace hall, a young high-ranking military officer looked at his colleagues around him, roaring furiously.
"Your Majesty, let's fight! I only need two hundred thousand troops, and within three months, I can conquer Star Luo City and capture the Star Luo Emperor." An old man, dressed in the Sun Moon Empire military uniform, with a full head of white hair, spirited and vigorous, and his chest covered with numerous medals, stared intently at Xu Yunxiao, who was seated on the throne.
"Your Majesty, I only need one hundred thousand troops to conquer their city and kill their ruler."
"I'll take ten thousand troops..."
"I'll take five thousand troops..."
"I'll go myself..."
Seeing his colleagues becoming increasingly outrageous and confrontational, the old man who had spoken first instantly burst into curses, like an enraged lion.
"You scoundrel, Old Man Ma, are you deliberately trying to provoke me? Don't think that just because His Majesty is here, I won't hit you!"
"Hit me? You think I'm afraid of you?!"
"Bang! Ouch... you actually hit me?"
"Go to hell..."
"Bang bang bang!" Watching the chaotic court, Xu Yunxiao's forehead was covered in black lines. They had been discussing things so well, how did it suddenly turn into an all-out brawl?
"Enough!"
Seeing that several people were about to summon their Spirits and the battle was about to escalate, Xu Yunxiao's deep and majestic voice resounded throughout the hall. At the same time, the terrifying pressure of a ninety-fifth rank descended upon everyone.
Xu Yunxiao had successfully condensed a destruction-attributed Spirit Core within this year, and his strength had reached the peak of ninety-fifth rank. With the enhancement of the Spirit Core, he could even contend with a ninety-sixth rank.
Instantly, the Sun Moon generals who had just been fighting fiercely were as if choked, kneeling on the ground in fear and trepidation.
"Your subjects are guilty, for being disrespectful before the Emperor!"
"You are all commanders of a region, yet you are brawling in court. What kind of decorum is this?"
"Those who fought today will each be fined one year's salary. If it happens again, your noble rank will be reduced by one level," Xu Yunxiao slowly said, looking at the people confessing their sins below.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
He knew in his heart that the Sun Moon Empire's military had always been radical. For the army, were they afraid of war?
No, what they desired most was war. Almost ninety percent or more were hawks.
The Sun Moon Empire was not like the Star Luo Empire, where the military was firmly controlled by the aristocratic class, with the same old generals circulating, making the entire army bloated, with intertwined interests, and full of decay.
In addition to the problems that existed in the Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire had an even more serious issue: there were several grand duchies within its borders. They were like independent small kingdoms, ignoring the commands of the Heaven Dou imperial family, making them even more difficult to deal with.
Compared to the two great Empires of the Douluo Continent, the Sun Moon Empire had been at war with the Moonflow Empire for many years, and the military had more fresh blood, including many newly emerging military forces in recent decades.
It could be said that in the past, the military department of the Sun Moon Empire had a great deal of influence. It was thought that after the Moonflow Empire's demise, the Sun Moon Empire would put its military to pasture, focus on its own development, and the military's influence would begin to wane.
Who knew that at this time, the Douluo Continent suddenly appeared? For the military, the Douluo Continent was a huge piece of fat. These crazy guys couldn't wait to start a war immediately to earn more benefits.
If it weren't for Xu Yunxiao holding them back, perhaps two years ago, the Empire's naval fleet would have already sailed to the territories of Heaven Dou and Star Luo.
This time, the incident with the Star Luo Empire was just a fuse. Xu Yunxiao knew exactly what happened to those five hundred people. The incident was probably real, but whether there were that many people was questionable.
Moreover, the military department didn't mention the Star Luo Empire's losses at all.
War needed an excuse. Whether the excuse was truly valid or not was not important.
Furthermore, at the Ming Dou Mountain Range on the border between the Sun Moon and Star Luo, friction between the two nations indeed existed, unlike the Sun Moon and Heaven Dou, where both sides temporarily exercised restraint to conduct free trade.
After everyone stood properly again, Xu Yunxiao looked at Old Chen, who was at the forefront on the right, and said, "Old Chen, what attitude do you think our Sun Moon Empire should take regarding this matter?"
Old Chen heard this and no longer remained silent, stepping forward slowly and saying, "Your Majesty, after years of development, our new generation of Spirit cannons has begun mass production. If we don't build new warehouses, the existing ones will be overflowing. Moreover..."
"Moreover, several new spirit tools have been completed and still lack some experimental data."
Upon hearing Old Chen's statement, everyone in the court looked at him with a hint of admiration. It had to be him, Old Man, to express the desire to set off fireworks so subtly.
The new spirit tools he mentioned were probably not high-altitude detection spirit tools, all-terrain detectors, and spirit tool chariots, were they?
Xu Yunxiao nodded imperceptibly. What was the Sun Moon Empire researching Spirit cannons for all these years?
Of course, it was to measure the national territory.
"Imperial Father, this battle must be fought!" At this moment, a firm voice came from outside the hall. Everyone turned to look and saw Xu Tianyang walking in from outside the hall with a serious expression.
As he walked with powerful strides, a faint aura of authority condensed, causing many battle-hardened generals in the hall to be slightly startled, as if they saw Xu Yunxiao sitting above.
"The Crown Prince advocates war?" Although he had already made up his mind, Xu Yunxiao still wanted to hear Xu Tianyang's opinion.
"Your son advocates war."
He had already learned what had happened on his way here. Since the Star Luo Empire had delivered themselves to their doorstep, there was no reason not to fight.
Now that the atmosphere had been set, and the rulers of the Sun Moon Empire, the largest violent organization, and the arms dealers were in agreement, if he didn't fire a cannon, then he wouldn't need to be Emperor.
"Clang!"
Xu Yunxiao suddenly stood up, drew the long sword from his waist, pointed it directly in the direction of the Star Luo Empire, and his majestic yet indifferent voice once again resounded throughout the hall.
"The Star Luo Empire has wantonly harmed the citizens of the Empire. This crime deserves execution..."
"Mobilize the army, and demand retribution from Star Luo..."
"War! War! War!"
In the main hall, everyone present, whether they were generals from the military, Soul Engineers from Mingde Hall, or officials in charge of internal affairs, their emotions were immediately stirred by Xu Yunxiao, boiling with excitement.
The pressure of the aura condensed by numerous Spirit Saints and Spirit Douluo would make even a Super Douluo change color.
After today, the Sun Moon Empire, the most terrifying war machine on Douluo Star, began to operate frantically.