In truth, Liu Yuan had always been resistant to war.
He understood all too clearly the devastation war brought. It was not merely the attrition of Spirit Masters on the battlefield, but a crushing blow to the civilization of the entire continent and to the lives of countless ordinary people.
Liu Yuan was not some so-called "holy saint" overflowing with boundless compassion, willing to sacrifice everything for the common folk. But neither was he a cold-blooded monster who treated human lives like grass.
In his view, if an issue could be resolved through balance and deterrence, there was no need to exchange it for rivers of blood and mass slaughter.
Unfortunately, such a grand question was not something the current Liu Yuan had the authority to decide.
He knew very well that unless he one day truly attained godhood, or possessed absolute power capable of suppressing every force on the entire Douluo Continent single-handedly, his personal will would remain insignificant in these conflicts of national and racial interests.
Because of this, Liu Yuan believed the Sun Moon Emperor's attitude would be the decisive factor. It would determine whether the colossal Sun Moon Empire continued maintaining a posture of restraint—or transformed into an uncontrollable chariot of war.
Thinking of the Sun Moon Emperor, Liu Yuan's brows knit slightly, a trace of doubt surfacing in his mind.
He searched through his memories of the original plot.
If he remembered correctly, the Sun Moon Emperor was supposed to die shortly after the conclusion of this Soul Master Tournament. Following that, Xu Tianran would swiftly ascend the throne and begin his campaign to unify the continent.
Yet based on the intelligence Liu Yuan currently possessed, although the Emperor's health was not robust, it had not reached the point of terminal decline.
Moreover, Liu Yuan distinctly recalled that when he first met the Emperor in Bright Capital several years ago, the man's constitution could even be described as healthy. It was only in recent years that the Emperor's condition had deteriorated inexplicably—and at a disturbingly rapid pace.
Liu Yuan did not want to indulge in excessive cynicism or baseless conspiracy theories, but he could not help forming a hypothesis.
If the Sun Moon Emperor fundamentally opposed a full-scale war, yet later died under mysterious circumstances, could his death be connected to the extreme, war-hungry Xu Tianran?
After all, for Xu Tianran, who sought to launch war early and remove all obstacles to his hegemonic ambitions, even a biological father might be nothing more than a symbol standing in the way.
Liu Yuan slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air and rubbed his temples, refusing to continue expending his mental energy on speculation.
For him, grasping the present was far more important than predicting the future.
No matter what, he first needed to see the Sun Moon Emperor's stance after learning of tonight's intelligence before making any further judgments.
—
Meanwhile, deep within the palace under cover of night.
Jing Hongchen's carriage came to a halt before the palace gates. Holding a special golden medallion, he moved quickly through the checkpoints and soon arrived at the bedchamber where the Sun Moon Emperor was recuperating.
The chamber was thick with the scent of medicinal herbs. Draped in a heavy fur cloak, the Sun Moon Emperor sat beneath a lamp, reviewing memorials.
Upon hearing Jing Hongchen's request for a late-night audience, the Emperor permitted him to enter the inner hall.
Jing Hongchen did not conceal anything. He presented all the evidence he had gathered regarding the secret convergence of the Body Sect, the Star Luo Empire, and Shrek Academy within Bright Capital.
Throughout his report, Jing Hongchen emphasized that these abnormalities had first been brought to his attention by Liu Yuan.
"Your Majesty," Jing Hongchen concluded solemnly, "these forces have completed their combat deployments. They could launch a surprise attack during the finals tomorrow at any moment."
When it came to the most sensitive matter—Xu Tianran's unauthorized troop movements and his private coordination with the Holy Spirit Cult to prepare assassinations of elite geniuses from other nations—Jing Hongchen handled it with great tact.
He did not question the Emperor's stance toward the Crown Prince, nor did he insert any personal judgments. He merely laid out the documented troop movements and the confirmed activity routes of Xu Tianran's confidants.
The moment the Sun Moon Emperor finished listening, the sickly pallor on his face flushed red with rage.
He slammed his hand violently against the dragon bed, the force triggering a fit of intense coughing.
"Unfilial son! To think he would dare do such a thing!"
The Emperor was furious.
He was not a fool. He understood perfectly well what Xu Tianran was attempting.
This was no longer about eliminating dissent—it was an outright challenge to imperial authority, making the decision to wage war on behalf of the Emperor himself.
Without hesitation, the Sun Moon Emperor issued an immediate order for the commander of the Imperial Guards to summon Kong Deming, the master of the Empire's Hall of Worship.
Before long, Kong Deming arrived at the bedchamber as well.
After an urgent consultation between the Sun Moon Emperor and Kong Deming, a series of ironclad directives were issued.
Jing Hongchen and Kong Deming were ordered to secretly activate the Class 9 stationary soul tools embedded within Bright Capital's defense system, maintaining round-the-clock surveillance of Poison Undying's group. Should the enemy make the slightest move, they were to be eliminated without mercy.
At the same time, as a monarch who prioritized the Empire's long-term stability, the Sun Moon Emperor had no intention of plunging the nation into a war of annihilation.
He knew that although the Sun Moon Empire was powerful, prolonged warfare would severely drain its foundations.
Thus, the Emperor personally issued an imperial decree bearing the Jade Seal. In his own name and through the highest administrative authority, he suspended all of Xu Tianran's recent private arrangements within the military and Imperial Guards, stripping him of all troop-mobilization rights during the Soul Master Tournament.
—
The perspective shifted to the Crown Prince's Mansion.
Xu Tianran sat in his wheelchair, listening as his subordinates reported the obstruction of his plans.
Upon learning that the Emperor himself had ordered an immediate halt to all actions, Xu Tianran's eyes filled with icy fury, tinged with twisted madness.
He did not reflect on his own conduct. Instead, he swiftly traced the source of the report and confirmed that Jing Hongchen had gone behind his back to inform the Emperor.
"Jing Hongchen… the Hongchen Family," Xu Tianran murmured coldly. "Since you choose to be loyal to that old, stubborn fool, then there's no reason for you to continue existing."
In his heart, Jing Hongchen was immediately placed on his must-kill list.
Soon after, Xu Tianran's thoughts shifted back to the Emperor himself.
He looked toward the direction of the palace, the long-suppressed hunger for power erupting without restraint.
In his eyes, this aging and cautious Emperor had already become a stumbling block obstructing the Sun Moon Empire's march toward glory.
"Imperial Father," Xu Tianran muttered softly, "since you are already old… you should rest early."
He raised a hand toward a dark corner.
From the shadows, Ye Xishui—the Supreme Pontiff of the Holy Spirit Cult—slowly emerged.
Xu Tianran looked at her and spoke in a tone devoid of emotion.
"I want to discuss something with you."
"Is there a way to completely eliminate the Emperor?"
"As long as I ascend the throne, you will become Imperial Preceptors. The Holy Spirit Cult will no longer need to hide in the shadows. I will build the grandest cathedrals for you in Bright Capital and officially legalize the authority of Evil Soul Masters."
A cruel smile spread across Ye Xishui's aged face.
For the Holy Spirit Cult, supporting a ruler who craved slaughter and war was far more advantageous than dealing with a cautious and restrained monarch.