Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City.
Inside the Imperial Study deep within the palace, candlelight flickered, stretching the shadows into long, thin silhouettes.
A faint scent of sandalwood permeated the air, but it couldn't dispel the heavy gloom gathered between the two people's brows.
Emperor Xu Jiawei, dressed in casual attire, unconsciously rubbed a white jade paperweight on the desk with his fingertips, making a slight rustling sound.
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze falling on the woman standing opposite him—his sister, Xu Jiujiu.
Xu Jiujiu wore a moon-white palace dress, her long hair tied up with just a single jade hairpin; her neat appearance exuded a touch of heroic spirit.
At this moment, she was looking down at the ground, her fingertips tightly clutching a silk handkerchief, its edges slightly wrinkled from her grip, revealing her inner turmoil.
The Imperial Study was so quiet that only the crackling of the burning candles and the slightly heavy breathing of the two could be heard.
After an unknown amount of time, Xu Jiawei finally spoke slowly, his voice low and raspy, carrying a hint of fatigue that was hard to hide:
"There are only three months left until the opening of the All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."
"Given the Star Luo Empire's current state of preparation, wanting to pull the Sun Moon Empire down from the champion's throne is almost a pipe dream."
As his words fell, the silence in the Imperial Study was broken again, but this time, it was filled with a heavy sense of helplessness.
Xu Jiujiu slowly raised her head, her eyes, which usually sparkled with lively smiles, were now filled with sorrow and indignation.
She took a deep breath, her voice carrying a faint, imperceptible tremble: "First there was Xu Tianran, and then Xu Tianhao; the Sun Moon Empire truly has good fortune."
At the mention of the Sun Moon Empire, a complex mix of emotions flashed in Xu Jiawei's eyes—apprehension, anger, and even a touch of resolve.
He suddenly sat up straight and tapped the desk heavily with his fingertips, producing a crisp sound:
"Jiujiu, pass on my decree: immediately notify the envoys of Shrek Academy, the Heavenly Soul Empire, and the Dou Ling Empire to come to Star Luo City for a meeting."
Hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Xu Jiujiu's eyes, which quickly turned into understanding.
She bowed slightly, her tone respectful and firm: "Your sister obeys your command."
"To completely crush the Sun Moon Empire's arrogance, the academies of our Three Great Empires alone are far from enough."
Xu Jiawei's gaze grew even more determined: "Since the Sun Moon Empire first won the tournament championship five years ago, their development speed has been meteoric."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the map of various powers distributed across the desk, and continued:
"Furthermore, according to reports from secret agents, among our Three Great Empires, there are already many opportunists who, for their own benefit, have secretly shown goodwill to the Sun Moon Empire, even covertly sending intelligence and providing resources."
"If these vermin are not restrained, they will sooner or later ruin our great cause."
Xu Jiujiu's face instantly darkened, her eyebrows arching in anger, her tone full of indignation:
"A bunch of traitors who care nothing for national righteousness! In my opinion, we should just send troops to wipe them out as a warning to others!"
"That's not ideal." Xu Jiawei shook his head gently. "They are just a bunch of fence-sitters, following the wind."
"Right now, our primary task is to prepare for the tournament. If we resort to large-scale military action, it will only cause internal strife and give the Sun Moon Empire an opportunity."
"As long as we show them our strength and make them understand that siding with the Sun Moon Empire will lead to no good end, they will naturally settle down."
Hearing this, Xu Jiujiu calmed her anger slightly and nodded: "Brother is absolutely right; I was too impulsive."
Xu Jiawei continued: "For ten thousand years, the old-established Sects on the original Douluo Continent have weathered the test of time; their foundations are deep, and their strength is not to be underestimated."
"The Clear Sky Hammer of the Clear Sky Sect, the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon of the Tianlong Gate... every Sect possesses power that cannot be ignored."
His voice became increasingly impassioned, his eyes shimmering with light: "I believe that as long as these Sects fight alongside us, we will surely be able to strike a heavy blow against the Sun Moon Empire's arrogance."
"Let those ambitious wolves of the Sun Moon Empire understand that the Douluo Continent is not dominated by the Sun Moon Empire alone!"
Xu Jiujiu nodded heavily, the sorrow on her face dissipating a bit, replaced by a firm conviction: "Good! This matter is of great importance; I will handle it personally."
"Thank you for your hard work." Xu Jiawei looked at his sister, his tone carrying a hint of gratification.
"You also need to prepare for the competition. Time is tight, so move quickly and do not delay this important matter."
"I understand." Xu Jiujiu responded solemnly, then turned and walked out of the Imperial Study.
Her moon-white figure vanished outside the palace doors, leaving behind only a faint fragrance.
Silence returned to the Imperial Study once more, the candlelight still flickering.
Xu Jiawei slowly stood up, walked to the window, and pushed open the heavy wooden casement.
Outside, the once clear sky had been covered by thick dark clouds at some point; the oppressive black clouds felt like a thousand-ton boulder pressing down on Star Luo City.
A fierce wind howled through the streets, swirling fallen leaves from the ground and making a wailing sound, as if foretelling an impending storm.
Xu Jiawei looked at the scene outside, his eyes deep and his tone low and firm, as if proclaiming to himself and to those hidden forces in the shadows:
"It's time to let the Sun Moon Empire once again feel the power of traditional Spirit Masters."
"Clear Sky Sect, Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Tianlong Gate... I hope you don't disappoint me."
His gaze swept across the distance, as if piercing through layers of mist to see the direction of the Sun Moon Empire.
"If this tournament cannot suppress the Sun Moon Empire's arrogance, then it won't be long before they fully reveal their fangs. When that time comes, the peace of the original Douluo Continent will cease to exist."
With those words, he gently closed the window, turned back to the desk, picked up a brush, and wrote four large characters on the rice paper: 'United as One'.
The ink was perfectly balanced in shade, and the brushstrokes were powerful enough to penetrate the paper, as if carrying all his current determination and hope.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
On the streets of Star Luo City, people in various styles of clothing could be seen everywhere; most of them had arrived early to watch the tournament.
Outside the Star Luo Empire's palace, the honor guard was neatly arranged, and guards stood in rows, every part exuding imperial majesty.
The envoy from the Heavenly Soul Empire, the envoy from the Dou Ling Empire, and the representative from Shrek Academy, Yan Shaozhe, arrived at the Star Luo Empire's palace one after another.
Guided by the guards, they walked together into the grand assembly hall that had already been prepared.
Inside the hall, Xu Jiawei sat in the main seat, with Xu Jiujiu standing solemnly by his side.
Once everyone was seated, Xu Jiawei spoke slowly: "I have invited you all here today because there is a major matter concerning the future of the original Douluo Continent that needs to be discussed together."
He explained his thoughts clearly, his tone sincere and serious.
The envoys of the two great Empires and Yan Shaozhe did not object; subsequently, everyone engaged in a detailed discussion regarding tournament preparations, Sect coordination, and resource allocation.
From the formation of competing teams to the adjustment of tournament rules and the arrangement of logistical support, every detail was repeatedly scrutinized and confirmed.
Finally, after an urgent consultation, everyone reached an agreement.
The upcoming All-Continent High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament would undergo a major reform.
Competing teams would no longer be limited to high-level Spirit Master academies from across the continent; other major Sect forces could also form teams to participate.
The Star Luo Empire's government immediately released an announcement, declaring the reform of this tournament.
The announcement clearly stated that the tournament reform aimed to promote the fighting spirit of Spirit Masters, showcase the style of the continent's Spirit Masters, and facilitate exchange and cooperation among major Spirit Master forces.
As soon as the announcement was made, the entire Douluo Continent instantly boiled over.
Various major Sects responded one after another, actively forming teams and preparing for the upcoming tournament.
The Heavenly Soul Empire and the Dou Ling Empire quickly followed suit, releasing corresponding mobilization orders to fully support this tournament reform.
As for the Sun Moon Empire's opinion, it had become unimportant at this moment.
After all, the host of this tournament was the Star Luo Empire, and with the full support of the Heavenly Soul and Dou Ling Empires, the tournament reform was set in stone; there was absolutely no need to seek the Sun Moon Empire's opinion.