Douluo Continent: Lin Dong transmigrates into Huo Yuhao

Chapter 105 Is this putting Shrek in a difficult position?

Xu Tianran was overjoyed upon hearing this. This competition had undoubtedly been a successful test of the strength of the original three kingdoms, which would lay a good foundation for him to launch a war in the future.

Seeing that his ministers had fallen silent, the old emperor spoke again and added:

"My beloved ministers need not worry. My purpose in this competition is to prove to the world that we, the Sun and Moon, are not like the Stars and the Luos, who need to resort to tricks to achieve victory."

However, perhaps the competition format could be changed this time. Master Hongchen, how are your students' preparations going?

Jing Hongchen stepped forward and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, according to your decree, our competition will only consist of three-on-three and one-on-one matches. I have already selected these three people, but they are a bit too young."

The old emperor waved his hand grandly and said with boundless pride:

"Age is not a problem. Our prodigy can defeat the strong with the weak. Doesn't that prove to the world that the Sun and Moon Academy's ability to cultivate talent is no less than Shrek Academy's, and may even be better?"

It's time to shed that "perennial runner-up" label. I'm so tired of that girl praising Shrek Academy to me every day.

"Your Majesty is wise!"

Seeing that the emperor had already spoken to this extent, the ministers naturally could not utter any further objections. The old emperor then loudly announced:

"By imperial decree, Jing Hongchen, the head of Mingde Hall, shall be in full charge of this competition. If he succeeds in winning the championship, in addition to the original rewards, I will bestow even greater rewards."

A hint of joy flashed in Jing Hongchen's eyes. He already had the perfect candidates for this competition. If nothing unexpected happened, this reward was tailor-made for the three of them. He immediately replied in a deep voice:

"Yes, Your Majesty! This old minister will certainly instruct them to do their utmost."

The old emperor nodded in satisfaction, patted Xu Tianzhen's head, and said gently:

"Once this competition is over, you'll understand that the gap between us and Shrek Academy isn't as big as you might think."

The old emperor issued an edict ordering that no trickery be allowed in the competition, and Xu Tianzhen, grumbling, helped him back to his palace.

Xu Tianran's face turned cold. His father's participation in this competition clearly showed that he was unwilling to start a war and needed to test the waters before making a final decision.

However, if he disagrees with his father's ideals, his position as crown prince is ultimately not secure. His third brother has the support of relatives and princes, so he has a better chance of winning.

But... the moment he touched the wheelchair, a chilling glint flashed in Xu Tianran's eyes:

This broken leg will eventually be brought up and criticized by those old bastards. The Emperor's attitude is still unclear. Although he is old, if nothing unexpected happens, he probably has at least five more years to live.

There are simply too many unexpected events in this situation, leaving him no choice but to be extremely careful. This task of conquering the entire world must be undertaken by him; if things don't go smoothly, I'm afraid…

He glanced at Master Kong with apprehension, instantly dismissing the idea. With him around, he knew he couldn't resort to any underhanded tactics; he could only hope that his father wouldn't change his mind…

After the old emperor led Xu Tianzhen and Kong Deming back to his palace, he dismissed Xu Tianzhen and then looked at Kong Deming with a worried expression, saying:

"Deming, do you think that my holding of this competition is a bit too indulgent towards naivety?"

Kong Deming looked at him calmly and said:

"Your Majesty did this not just because of the princess, but to use this competition to promote national prestige and discover and introduce talents from the other three countries. This is of utmost importance."

Of course, the biggest purpose of this competition is to test whether Zhongli Wu's claim about Shrek Academy's Limit Douluo level is true. Are you planning something big again? The majority in the country are ultimately peacemakers, so this matter may still be open to discussion.

A smile appeared on the old emperor's face as he spoke to himself:

"I know the situation, but I am no longer young. I want to do something for my son and Tianzhen in these last moments, especially for Tianzhen, who has been spoiled since she was a child."

If I leave, the Crown Prince is too ruthless. Although it is not clear now that he will do anything to Tianzhen, once he ascends the throne, given his unpredictable personality, Tianzhen may also be in danger.

If I could unify the country sooner and bring peace to the land, then whoever succeeds to the throne, I imagine Tianzhen will be able to live a happy life. That would be a way for me to give the Empress a proper ending…”

Kong Deming stood quietly beside him, his eyes flickering slightly, but he did not say anything. The emperor's words undoubtedly indicated that he was considering changing the crown prince, but he was struggling to find a suitable candidate.

His own words could very well influence the future emperor, so it was best not to interfere. He then replied softly:

"Your Majesty is overthinking it. Your health is good right now, and it is too early to worry about these things. Let's focus on the competition first. Even if Shrek Academy doesn't have two Limit Douluos, now is not the time to start a war."

We can be certain that the true leader of Shrek Academy is definitely not that idiot from class 98.

"If we can truly suppress this person, then Shrek Academy will at least have one Limit Douluo. Moreover, all our weapons are still in the production stage; rushing into war would not be a wise move."

Seeing that Kong Deming did not mention the Crown Prince, a hint of interest flashed in the old emperor's eyes. He understood that Kong Deming could not make a decision for him either, so he had no choice but to put the matter aside for the time being and nodded.

"I understand the reasoning. Let's use this competition to recruit talents for us. The Sun Moon Academy and Shrek Academy will eventually clash. I have committed countless murders in my life. If possible, I will be the one to wield the sword."

Looking into the sharp glint in the old emperor's eyes, Kong Deming felt as if he had returned to that night many years ago when he made the decision to seize the throne.

He was just like he is today, his eyes fierce and resolute, uttering those words that left a deep impression on him:

"The development of soul tools and the unification of the continent are inevitable trends. If my royal brother is unwilling to facilitate this, then I will be the one to take the lead in this chaotic world. When the continent is unified, I will personally apologize to my royal brother from the afterlife."

The old emperor's imposing manner had returned to normal. He looked at Kong Deming and said softly:

"Alright, Deming, you may leave now. I need to think things over by myself for a while."

"Yes, Your Majesty. Please take care of yourself. This old minister will always be by your side."

"Deming, perhaps you'll have to work a little harder..."

A slight ripple appeared in Kong Deming's eyes. After so long of being together as emperor and subject, how could their feelings not be deep? Hearing the old emperor's words undoubtedly stirred up a wave in his heart.

Watching his departing figure, the old emperor sighed deeply, looking frail and aged.

"Is this great undertaking of unification truly beyond my control? If the gods granted me ten more years of life, I would surely complete this grand undertaking of unifying the world. Right now, all I can do is worry about is finding a successor."

Villa area.

"Lin Dong, would you be willing to bring my two good-for-nothing grandchildren to participate in this competition? His Majesty said that if you win the championship, he will grant you a special reward. What do you think?"

Lin Dong looked at Jing Hongchen, who looked uneasy, hesitated for a moment, and then asked:

"What was the original reward, Dean?"

Jing Hongchen hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "Fifty million gold soul coins, three rare soul bones, a level nine soul tool, and several level eight soul tools."

Lin Dong pondered for a moment and then asked, "Do you know what the special reward the Emperor mentioned is?"

After hesitating for a long time, Jing Hongchen said mysteriously:

"If I am not mistaken, it should be a legion of Soul Masters secretly trained by the Empire."

Hearing this, Lin Dong raised an eyebrow in surprise. He had heard of the Soul Master Legion before, and it would be a great help in settling scores with the Zhu family and Xuanzi in the future. He then stopped hesitating.

"Okay, I agree to participate. Could you please explain the specific competition rules to me?"

Seeing that Lin Dong agreed, Jing Hongchen nodded repeatedly with some delight:

"No problem. This competition is a bit special. We may travel all over the continent, challenging each opponent one by one, and only holding three-on-three and one-on-one matches."

Lin Dong was also surprised by their audacious arrangement and frowned.

"Won't there be any security issues?"

Jing Hongchen smiled mysteriously: "Don't worry, having learned our lesson last time, we won't give that beast Xuanzi another chance. This time, Jia Yi, Starry Sky Douluo Ye Yulin, and I will personally lead the team, so safety is absolutely guaranteed."

Lin Dong was somewhat taken aback upon hearing this; the academy was actually being so generous.

These are three level-nine Soul Masters, who can be considered among the top five strongest in the Sun and Moon Realm. The fact that three of them were assigned to protect them immediately raised some questions.

"If you, the Director, and that Starry Sky Douluo all leave, won't the Emperor worry about his safety?"

Jing Hongchen smiled with a hint of pride:

"Don't worry, with Elder Kong and the Mingde Hall's jointly developed defensive soul tool, no one can succeed in the assassination."

Lin Dong didn't say anything after hearing this, he just nodded. He was just wondering, but the emperor's worries had nothing to do with him.

I'm currently reading the error-free version! This is the first time I've published this novel.

He participated in this competition mainly because of the generous rewards, and he was also more accustomed to improving his cultivation level through combat.

Although it wasn't a life-or-death struggle, it was still more suitable for him than quiet cultivation. Of course, the prestige of the Hongchen family also played a significant role.

Seeing that Lin Dong remained silent, Jing Hongchen tentatively asked:

"By the way, Lin Dong, we might need to bring Her Highness the Princess along on this trip, but don't worry, I won't let you have too much contact with her. You shouldn't mind, right?"

Lin Dong nodded calmly:

"No problem, as long as this princess doesn't put on airs like a princess, I won't say anything."

Hearing this, Jing Hongchen nodded in relief. He still remembered what Elder Kong had said that day. He had thought that Lin Dong had a dislike for the royal family, but it seemed that he had been worrying too much about Lin Dong's feelings.

Seeing that Jing Hongchen said no more, Lin Dong chuckled softly, "Then is there anything I need to bring, Dean?"

Jing Hongchen waved his hand decisively and said, "The academy will arrange everything for you. By the way, although you are no longer restricted from needing to acquire a soul ring to level up, you might want to see if you can encounter a suitable soul beast for some special soul skills."

Lin Dong did not refuse, but simply nodded with a faint smile. He was not very concerned about these kinds of soul skills at the moment, but this time he could take advantage of the protection of three level nine soul masters to try to find the whereabouts of other ancestral symbols.

Seeing Jing Hongchen leave satisfied, Lin Dong's eyes narrowed slightly, and he secretly pondered: "I wonder if there will be any unexpected surprises this time. Perhaps I can also take a look at what's so remarkable about the Zhu family, who are willing to send out so many Soul Saints and Soul Emperors."

Three days later.

Sea God Pavilion.

Mu En looked at Tang Ya, who was still undergoing purification and was about to complete it, with trepidation in his eyes. Although Tang San's ancestor had achieved a high level of accomplishment in devouring a Dao.

This dark blue silver grass is also known for devouring life force, but after all, not everyone is as talented as Tang San's ancestor.

Alas, now that she has awakened, she can only follow the path paved by Tang San's ancestor. However, with the Golden Tree around, she won't lose her mind due to evil thoughts entering her body.

Perhaps after absorbing the human-faced spider's soul ring, we could try switching to a cultivation method that absorbs the life force of soul beasts. But who should we choose as the instructor this time?

Just as Mu En was considering suitable candidates, Yan Shaozhe rushed in, his face grim, and said:

"Elder Mu, something terrible has happened! This old emperor of the Sun and Moon, after lying low for so long, is probably about to cause trouble!"

Moon glanced at him indifferently, her tone reproachful, and said, "What happened? You're so old, yet you're still so immature."

Hearing this, Yan Shaozhe calmed down a bit, but the coldness on his face did not diminish at all. He handed a newspaper to Mu En and said in a solemn tone, "You can read it yourself."

Moon took the newspaper, and it clearly stated:

[Imperial Edict of the Sun and Moon Emperor]

In light of the unfair treatment our Sun Moon Empire has received in this Continental Soul Master Tournament, the ministers have discussed and decided that the Emperor will personally appoint three people: Jing Hongchen, the head of Mingde Hall; Lin Jiayi, the director of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy; and Ye Yulin, the Starry Sky Douluo.

Protect our prodigies as they journey to various factions for fair 3v3 and 1v1 matches. Rewards are offered for this tournament:

Fifty million gold soul coins, three soul bones, several level-eight soul tools, and one level-nine soul tool.

Furthermore, His Majesty's appreciation for talent is well-known. If any talented individuals formerly belonging to the Three Kingdoms wish to abandon their allegiance and join the righteous cause, they may bring their families. Our Sun and Moon Empire warmly welcomes them.

Even the usually composed Moon frowned at Riyue's arrogant behavior:

"Heh, what a grand gesture! This is putting us Shrek in a difficult position."

Yan Shaozhe nodded in deep understanding:

"That's right. In my opinion, these damned bastards just want to use the competition as an excuse to find out the true strength of the forces on the entire continent, so as to prepare for their wolfish ambitions."

But wasn't there a rumor that the Sun and Moon Emperor was old and feeble, having lost his vigor? Is this a sudden resurgence of his vitality, a desire to accomplish something great?

Moon frowned slightly, looked at him, and shook his head:

"It's hard to say why the situation has suddenly become so tense. A few days ago, Xiaoya told me that the evil soul master seems to have an organization called the Holy Spirit Cult, and its headquarters are in the Sun Moon Empire. It always makes people uneasy."

Yan Shaozhe's expression changed: "Are you saying that the Sun and Moon Emperor is colluding with the Holy Spirit Cult?"

Mu En nodded with a complicated expression: "The evil spirit master who tried to take Xiao Tao away that day probably wanted to take her away and train her to become the saintess they called her."

Yan Shaozhe clenched his fists, his face grim, and said in a low voice, "Elder Mu, this is a matter of utmost importance concerning the lives of all people. Can Shrek Academy simply stand by and do nothing?"

Moon glanced at him sideways, his tone as usual:

"What's the rush? This also tells us some good news: the matter of those two seniors from the Clear Sky Sect has probably already been reported back to the Sun Moon Empire by the evil soul masters. Heh, the Sun Moon Emperor really has a good plan."

After a moment's thought, Yan Shaozhe tentatively asked, "I am slow-witted, please enlighten me."

(End of this chapter)