The first ray of morning sunlight filtered into the grand hall.
Dawn had just broken.
The ministers of the Star Luo Empire had already arrived one after another at the imperial palace, preparing for the morning court session.
Birds chirped and fluttered along the eaves of the palace corridors, adding a bit of liveliness to the otherwise silent and empty palace.
But the atmosphere among the people was heavy.
These individuals, normally powerful and high-ranking, all wore furrowed brows and kept their heads down in silence.
Not long ago, the frontier commander Dai Hao had rebelled. Overnight, the White Tiger Province changed hands, which in turn incited other factions to pounce like wolves, cutting off all escape routes. Even the two generals, who were about to lead troops in a counterattack, had no choice but to retreat and return.
In the grand hall.
Xu Jiawei sat upright on his throne, expression unreadable.
But the ministers were all uneasy. After all, just yesterday, several colleagues had been thrown into prison for various reasons. This alone showed the mood of the Emperor…
If he couldn't deal with the hidden clans, he could still deal with you.
He hadn't exploded in anger, but that was far scarier than if he had.
"Your Majesty, urgent report from the front lines!"
Just as the eunuch was about to announce the start of court—
A sharp voice echoed from outside the hall.
The voice arrived before the man did.
As everyone's attention, including Emperor Xu Jiawei's, was drawn, a flicker of shock swept through the eyes of the officials.
A figure burst into the hall like a streak of light and dropped to one knee.
On his head were three feathered plumes—marking an urgent military courier.
"Your Majesty, urgent news! The Sun Moon Empire has launched an assault on the Mingdou Mountains. They've encountered the forces led by Duke White Tiger, along with the powerful members of the Body Sect. A large-scale, intense battle has broken out. The scale is so massive that even soldiers stationed on the front lines in White Tiger Province can clearly feel the aftershocks."
The messenger knelt on one knee, his voice strong and clear.
"Wonderful! Hahahaha!"
Xu Jiawei couldn't hold back the grin tugging at his lips and burst into hearty laughter.
The cloud of gloom that had hung over him for days was instantly swept away.
The ministers joined in celebrating, and the hall filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
"Let them bite each other like dogs! Truly delightful!" Xu Jiawei punched the air in excitement, face full of joy. "With the strength of the Body Sect, the Sun Moon Empire will definitely suffer a heavy blow. Since the two sides are evenly matched, the result will surely be mutual destruction! Once the Sun Moon Empire retreats, that will be our chance!"
"Reclaiming our lost territory is an urgent priority!"
He had no doubt this was a genuine battle.
After all, the soldier had brought a letter from a newly appointed commander stationed at the border of Duke White Tiger's province. The letter described a clash involving tens of thousands of soul masters, with the Sun Moon Empire deploying multiple Level 9 soul engineers and even their elite unit—the Beast Soul Engineering Corps.
"But Your Majesty, what exactly is the Sun Moon Empire trying to accomplish with this?" an elderly minister stroked his beard and asked, puzzled.
"Could it be… they intend to start a war?"
"..."
Xu Jiawei paused in thought.
Then he chuckled and said, "The Body Sect isn't exactly easy to deal with. Back then, they ventured into the Star Dou Forest and killed dozens of 100,000-year soul beasts, nearly triggering a rampage from Di Tian himself. Unless the Sun Moon Empire sends out powerhouses like Jing Hongchen and Kong Deming, they'd be hard-pressed to win. Based on this report, the Sun Moon Empire's force is impressive, but lacks top-tier strength. Probably just a military exercise—or maybe they're trying to take advantage of the chaos to snatch some spoils…"
He said confidently.
"Still, we must be cautious. If both the Sun Moon Empire and the Body Sect suffer losses, and Shrek is tied up negotiating with the Sun Moon Empire over student exchanges, that will be our perfect opportunity to strike. That traitorous Dai Hao… I'll make sure he suffers a fate worse than death!"
"Wise words, Your Majesty!"
"Long live the Emperor!"
"..."
The ministers quickly chimed in.
The atmosphere in the court noticeably lightened.
A scene of harmony between ruler and subjects.
But less than half an hour later—
Another urgent voice rang out.
Another courier with three feather plumes.
But this time, after reading the letter, Xu Jiawei's smile quickly vanished. Suspicion crossed his face.
"It says here that the battle was incredibly fierce—on the scale of a full-scale war. Our scouts report the Sun Moon Empire deployed over three thousand elite troops. The Beast Soul Engineering Corps went all in. Huo Qing, Wang Yiheng, and Qing Zhi were all present… and the commander was Xu Jiangnian? That old man should be stationed in the capital!"
"Also, three Royal Court Worshippers accompanied them, all reportedly Level 9 soul engineers…"
The court fell into stunned silence.
Xu Jiawei frowned deeply, utterly confused.
This force gave off an odd feeling—like it was just shy of being a full invasion, yet too much for a mere raid.
"Your Majesty, no matter what, I still believe the Sun Moon Empire won't be able to defeat the Body Sect," said the Minister of Soul Tools. "They have over a dozen Title Douluo, all with body-based martial souls—stronger than standard martial souls. Not to mention, the Body Sect's master personally went there. Most likely, the Sun Moon Empire will retreat in defeat."
"That's true…" Xu Jiawei nodded after a moment.
The Sun Moon Empire was powerful, but the Body Sect was no pushover. Plus, there was still Dai Hao's 100,000-strong army…
"Forget it. Let's continue with court business," Xu Jiawei waved.
Another hour passed.
Another messenger arrived—but this one was different from the previous two.
He was soaked in blood, barely breathing. Just making it here was likely his final act.
As expected, he only managed a few words before collapsing face-first on the floor.
"Bring me the letter!" Xu Jiawei suddenly had a bad feeling and urged them, throat tight.
An attendant rushed to retrieve the envelope and handed it over with trembling hands.
"What? Impossible!!!"
Xu Jiawei cried out in horror, stumbling two steps back and slumping into his throne, eyes wide with shock.
"Your Majesty…" the prime minister rushed to his side.
"You read it." Xu Jiawei waved him off. The envelope was passed to the prime minister.
"The Body Sect was defeated in just a single hour. Even the Undying Poison was heavily injured. Of the sect's three Super Douluo, two are dead. Of the seven ordinary Title Douluo, four have fallen. Countless Soul Douluo and lower ranks were also slaughtered. Dai Hao's 100,000 troops were overrun just as easily—completely collapsed, many trampled to death in retreat…"
"With Dai Hao and the Undying Poison fleeing, the Sun Moon Empire advanced northward. In mere seconds, I discovered the true invincibility of the Sun Moon Empire—their shields are all linked into a single barrier stretching thousands of meters. Even a Title Douluo's full-strength blow is divided among thousands, tens of thousands—each soldier only takes a sliver of the damage."
"Our soldiers were brave, but in the face of such overwhelming power, it was like striking stone with an egg. I disbanded my unit to help them flee, but I will remain loyal until the end…"
After the reading, the prime minister's face turned ghostly pale.
The court descended into chaos. A shadow blanketed the entire hall.
"So this is the Sun Moon Empire? I foolishly thought we could bridge the gap between us… but to think the entire soul master system is this weak in comparison." Xu Jiawei slowly closed his eyes.
That feeling of fear, of helplessness, crushed him.
Because everyone knew—
To utterly crush the Body Sect's eleven Title Douluo and Dai Hao's 100,000-strong army in such a short time said everything that needed to be said.
There would be no turning point in the battles to come…
And indeed, that was the case.
With the arrival of twelve more messengers—
One after another, each brought news of the Sun Moon Empire's advancing forces.
They steamrolled through one province after another, sweeping all the way to the capital of the Star Luo Empire!
"Report!!!"
Another messenger knelt, his face pale with terror. "Your Majesty, the Sun Moon army… is at the gates!!!"
"..."
Inside the imperial court, it was deathly silent.
Everything had happened so fast—so fast it left everyone numb. Just five hours ago, they were still harmonious, monarch and ministers united. But in less than half a day, the distant war had already reached the city's doorstep.
Countless ministers swallowed nervously and exchanged glances.
The Sun Moon Empire was indeed powerful, but this powerful? To push their army to the imperial capital in half a day and steamroll through half the empire—this was terrifying.
From now on, their understanding of the Sun Moon Empire would rise to a whole new level…
Xu Jiawei sat on the dragon throne like a statue, dead inside.
Worse than death… was dying without dignity.
At this moment, all he could feel was mockery. He had once considered himself on par with the Sun Moon Empire. And now that they had arrived at his gates, it was like they were laughing and slapping him across the face—"Bro, you're really not it."
…
Outside the capital.
A dark mass of over ten thousand soul tool soldiers appeared in the sight of the city's defenders. The troops were divided into four regions based on armor color and style, along with a specialized mecha division.
Some soldiers on the wall felt their limbs weaken, hands trembling as they gripped their weapons.
Even if they didn't know the details, the fact that the enemy had reached the capital said everything…
Xu Jiawei stood in the center.
Surrounding him were seven Worships and a host of ministers, like stars encircling the moon.
Several of the Worships were dressed in black robes, completely concealing their faces.
"Your Majesty, this battle… there is no chance of victory." The lead black-robed man spoke with a hoarse voice. "If you wish to preserve the seed of Star luo's future, I suggest sending someone away as soon as possible—Princess Jiujiu, for example. She could seek asylum at Shrek Academy. Although the Body Sect was swiftly defeated, Shrek is different. They have ten thousand years of legacy—the Sea God's Pavilion, the Golden Tree—all of which are tied to the upper realm…"
"As ruler, I shall die on the battlefield. It's just… I cannot face my ancestors in shame." Xu Jiawei closed his eyes, his face flashing with sorrow.
"This cannot be blamed on Your Majesty," the black-robed man said slowly after a pause.
"Our Worship Hall will also fight to the end. We will not fail the royal family's years of trust."
As his words fell, the Worships' expressions remained calm, their auras slowly rising.
They were all Title Douluo. They had their pride. If they were to die, they would die standing—never kneeling.
"If that's the case, Senior Wang, I'll leave Jiujiu and the others in your care…" Xu Jiawei turned to Wang Xian'er and bowed deeply.
"Sigh…" Wang Xian'er let out a soft sigh.
Who could've imagined that the rise and fall of a nation would be so abrupt?
But with her status as the continent's greatest healing-type soul master, Shrek would surely accept her. After all, healing-type soul masters were invaluable wherever they went. Among the Worships, she was indeed the best choice for this task.
"In that case, everyone—"
Just as Xu Jiawei was building the tragic mood…
A series of roaring sounds rang out.
Not far outside the walls, the Sun Moon Empire's army suddenly began to retreat. All used flying-type soul tools, moving in perfect unison and at remarkable speed. Even during their retreat, they maintained coordinated defenses.
Within minutes, before anyone could process what was happening, the Sun Moon army had vanished from sight.
Xu Jiawei: "…"
The Worships: "…"
And all the soldiers on the wall: "…"
"What are they doing?" Cheng Gang was the first to shout, face turning red. "Are they mocking us? They've reached the capital and now they're backing off at the last second?!"
"Silence! If you're not convinced, you can go chase them. We won't stop you," the lead black-robed man said coldly.
"I—Cough, cough, maybe not…" Cheng Gang shrank back.
He wasn't afraid to die, but he didn't want to die for nothing either.
"Report—"
A messenger climbed the wall and landed in front of Xu Jiawei.
"Before the enemy left, they left a letter behind."
"Read it," Xu Jiawei said, eyes narrowing.
"There's only one sentence—'Just passing through.'" The soldier swallowed nervously and read the line carefully.
Boom—
Xu Jiawei's aura exploded without restraint.
The soul power of a Title Douluo surged out, forcing several nearby soldiers to stagger back. Only the Worships remained unmoved.
"Xu Cheng!!!"
…
Shrek Academy.
Sea God's Pavilion meeting.
The silence was unnervingly eerie.
"Ahem, Shaozhe, explain the situation to everyone," Xuan Lao coughed lightly, a hint of awkwardness flashing across his face.
"Just yesterday, the Sun Moon Empire launched a surprise attack on the Star Luo Empire. Within an hour, they crushed the Body Sect and the remnants of Dai Hao's forces, then advanced directly to the Star Luo capital. But… they did not fire another shot. Instead, they withdrew south of the Ming Dou Mountains. They didn't occupy a single inch of Dai Hao's White Tiger Province or the so-called New Star Luo Empire," Yan Shaozhe said slowly, his head bowed.
"This shows that the Sun Moon Empire has the power to easily overwhelm the entire continent—far more terrifying than we imagined. Four thousand years ago, Shrek could rally the whole continent to resist such threats. But now… can we?" Elder Lin spoke softly.
The Sun Moon Empire had only flexed its muscles briefly, yet the entire continent trembled like an earthquake.
Even though they retreated, the message was clear enough to make every faction shiver in fear.
"If I'm not mistaken, they're doing this for us," Lin sighed helplessly.
Looking at Elder Song and the other Pavilion elders—who had been loudly calling for a crusade against the Sun Moon Empire just yesterday, but were now obediently silent—he felt even more helpless.
"Shaozhe, what do you think we should do?"
Thus.
Later that same day, Xu Jiawei received an intelligence report on his desk.
Shrek stated: "We will actively cooperate with the Sun Moon Empire to investigate this incident. Fan Yu, He Caitou, and others falsified Shrek communications, attempting to sabotage relations between Shrek and the Sun Moon Empire. This is absolutely unacceptable…"
Xu Jiawei: I #%￥@…
(End of chapter)