Douluo Continent: Long Live the Spirit Hall

In the vast and spacious palace, the tall pillars on all sides were covered with gold. However, the candlesticks, each taller than a person, were lit by strange flames. Under the firelight, the once magnificent palace seemed lifeless.

The opulent atmosphere emanating from the gold and jade walls was tinged with a sense of oppression. Sitting there, one could almost smell the stench of decay.

Of course, these were just psychological effects. On the throne inside the palace, Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire sat quietly without speaking, and below him, the Holy Son Yan of the Spirit Hall did not take the initiative to start a conversation.

Emperor Xueye was over sixty years old and his cultivation level was not high. After experiencing the palace coup today and the royal family's utter defeat, his energy and spirit had been almost completely worn down.

His old face appeared sallow in the candlelight, a color full of withering. His eyes had lost all their luster, filled with a hazy, aged look, as if they could barely open.

Yan, who was opposite him, was in his prime, full of youthful vigor. The two were in stark contrast, yet they both remained silent, as if by unspoken agreement.

For a long time, the only sound in the room was Xue Ye's labored breathing, like a bellows. Yan squinted at Emperor Xue Ye, the former powerful ruler of the continent, who was now nothing more than a frail old man, his robes askew, his face wrinkled like tree bark, and his ashen complexion devoid of any trace of his former imperial spirit.

This old man had caused Yan pressure and trouble in the past, but as time passed, he grew old and was no longer a match for Yan. This time, he will be swept into the dust of history along with the Heavenly Dou Royal Family.

Time seemed to freeze, as if the Emperor and Yan were testing each other's patience. However, Yan was younger and in control of the situation, and in the end, only Emperor Xueye could yield.

Finally, after a very long time, Emperor Xueye suddenly sighed, his voice tinged with complexity and difficulty.

"Your Highness, what decree do you want me to issue? I am utterly defeated and willing to abdicate and become the ruler of a fallen kingdom. All the blame lies with me. I only hope that Your Highness will show mercy, keep your promise, and spare my child and the royal family members, including Xue Xing."

"Your Majesty, you are overthinking it. Since I have already made a promise, I will naturally let Xue Xing and the others go. Their lives are safe, at most they will lose their power and become wealthy idlers." Yan shook his head and said calmly to Emperor Xue Ye, "Your Majesty, you may not believe it, but I am actually the one least willing to launch such a coup. Originally, according to the Pope's idea, it was to directly destroy the two great empires and establish the Martial Soul Empire."

"The Martial Soul Empire." Emperor Xueye murmured these four words, his fists clenching involuntarily. Although Yan had only mentioned it casually, he was an extremely intelligent man and naturally understood that if the Martial Soul Empire were established, the Heaven Dou royal family and the like would probably be wiped out.

“However, I am unwilling to do so. The Spirit Hall is inherently detached from worldly affairs, why should we directly engage in the struggle for power and profit?” Yan continued, “Moreover, the position of Emperor of the Spirit Empire is not a good one. It would delay cultivation. The Pope is unsuitable, and I have no interest in it. The Holy Maiden is also out of step with the times, so I persuaded them against it. However, the affairs of this secular dynasty always need to be resolved, especially as my Spirit Hall grows increasingly powerful, while the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires become more and more disobedient. This day will come sooner or later, and you should be mentally prepared.”

"So, what exactly do you want?" Emperor Xueye's face was filled with a complicated expression, his cloudy old eyes were full of despondency and emptiness, and he had obviously given up resisting.

“Xue Xing is power-hungry, Xue Qinghe has considerable prestige and ability, and Xue Beng is ambitious. None of the three seem willing to be puppets.” Yan spoke again after a moment of silence, his words blunt and direct.

"In my plan, the future Heavenly Dou Empire—no, it should be called the Douluo Empire—won't need too much power from the royal family. This will require an obedient emperor to cooperate. I can tell Your Majesty frankly that in the future Douluo Continent, while the emperor will have power, he will no longer be supreme. The continent's current prosperity is due to the blessings of the gods. In the future, the continent will inevitably be ruled by divine right of kings." (The administrator will correct the chapter content shortly after the report is submitted.)

Chapter 416 Princess Xueke

"The divine right of kings, fine. Who do you intend to support to inherit the throne?" Emperor Xueye closed his eyes in pain. Even though he had long expected Yan to depose his son, he still found it hard to accept when it was said so bluntly.

Yan slowly stood up and said in a deep voice, "Rest assured, Your Majesty, we have known each other for many years. I wouldn't go too far. The next emperor will still be of your blood." Upon hearing this, Emperor Xueye immediately perked up.

"Qinghe and Xuebeng don't have any children yet, but I can get them to try now. Qinghe has quite a few concubines, and Xuebeng, though frivolous, has many lovers. Try for a year or two..." Yan shook his head.

"There's no need for such trouble. Their bloodlines are incompatible. Don't you already have a princess? Both princes have plotted rebellion, so your successor to the throne can only be a princess. Although there are few empresses in the empire, there are precedents."

"Xue Ke." A strange expression flashed across Emperor Xue Ye's face. He glanced at Yan before him, then seemed to realize something, a look of sudden realization crossing his face.

"That child is innocent and adorable, and the most obedient. He certainly won't go against the Holy Son's wishes. Is that alright?" Although Emperor Xueye still hesitated this time, he no longer resisted. He had four sons and one daughter. Princess Xueke had just come of age and was his most beloved child. It was a stroke of good fortune that she was able to inherit the throne after such a dramatic turn of events.

"Establish Princess Xueke as Crown Prince, and thereafter all state affairs shall be decided by the Crown Prince, who shall act as Emperor." A moment later, a yellow silk cloth was spread out in Yan's hand, on which this sentence was written hastily, the handwriting somewhat crooked, and the signature below even more hastily, but the seal on it was quite clear.

"Your Majesty, rest assured, you may retire comfortably in this imperial city from now on. With the elders of my Spirit Hall protecting you, your safety and that of the royal family are certainly guaranteed. In that case, I shall take my leave." After obtaining what he desired, Yan nodded slightly to Emperor Xueye, then turned and left the magnificent palace.

After he left, Emperor Xueye, as if he had exhausted all his strength, slumped on his throne and sobbed for a long time, laughing and crying at the same time.

Inside the palace council hall, the nobles and officials who had been waiting for a long time finally welcomed His Highness the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall. Yan looked around at the countless people below, casually summoned an inner court guard, and then conveyed the decree of Emperor Xueye.

"Gentlemen, His Majesty's decree has been issued. In the days to come, I hope you can adjust your mindset, assist the Crown Prince in stabilizing the court, and prepare to unify the continent." Yan said casually, but the meaning he revealed was quite alarming. Unifying the continent? Did the Spirit Hall really intend to bring Xingluo under its control as well?

However, Yan was too lazy to answer these people's questions. After conveying the decree, Yan left the palace hall, leaving behind a noisy multitude of officials and nobles who continued to discuss the matter.

“Establishing a princess as the crown prince is a rare occurrence in the empire.”

"The previous empresses were all established after the princes died unexpectedly. Could it be that those two have already..."

"After all, the two princes were involved in the treason, which is known throughout the capital. No matter how tragic their fate may be, it can only be said that they deserved it."

"What a well-deserved punishment! I remember you were a guest of the Crown Prince just a few days ago."

"You can't talk nonsense. The empire only has a crown prince now, where would a crown prince come from?"

"Don't talk nonsense about the Crown Prince. The Empire doesn't have a Crown Prince, only the heir apparent. But I've heard that this Holy Son is notorious for being a womanizer."

"The Crown Prince is of good age and has a kind and understanding personality. In the future, the royal bloodline might even have some of the Pope's blood."... The news of the newly established Crown Prince quickly spread with Emperor Xueye's personal order. Various departments in the capital were quite surprised by this news. It was very rare for a princess to be established as the Crown Prince. Many people had not thought of this before.

Moreover, there are countless anecdotes and stories about the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, and the princess's age is just right, so it's no wonder that some people can't help but speculate.

The Spirit Hall isn't a charity; after going to such lengths, it can't just be for the sake of changing the empire's heir.

Various voices mingled throughout the palace, but the Spirit Hall paid little attention to these noises.

After receiving the emperor's personal decree, His Highness the Holy Son briefly acted as the new crown prince, and orders were passed down in rapid succession.

Prince Xuexing, the deposed crown prince, the fourth prince, Marshal Gelong of the Empire, and many other powerful figures who were originally part of the empire's backbone have had their powers revoked and have been temporarily imprisoned to observe their future conduct.

Those who had their power revoked, apart from the two princes, were mostly older generation loyalists of the empire who were most resistant to the various policies of the Spirit Hall. So, taking advantage of this opportunity, they were all imprisoned.

In addition to the power players who directly participated in the palace coup, high-ranking nobles who were observing the situation were also imprisoned. At the same time, numerous Spirit Hall warriors supervised the prisoners' residences, prohibiting them from entering or leaving.

However, to everyone's relief, the newly appointed crown prince did not seem to have any intention of going on a killing spree for the time being. Of all the orders, some were to be imprisoned and others to be taken into custody, but no one was ordered to be killed.

...The Moon Pavilion in Tiandou City is a place highly regarded by nobles. As the Imperial Etiquette Academy of the Tiandou Empire, those who can study there are basically the most respected figures among the nobles.

It is said that the owner of Yuexuan, Madam Yue, has a special close relationship with Emperor Xueye, so very few people have ever dared to cause trouble at Yuexuan.

Inside the Moon Pavilion, Madam Tang Yuehua, dressed in a silver palace gown, stood at the highest point of the building, gazing towards the direction of the Heavenly Dou Imperial City, her brows furrowed with indescribable sorrow.

"Madam." A middle-aged man in a purple robe walked up behind Tang Yuehua. His expression was not good, and he was obviously troubled by something.

"Has the news spread?" Tang Yuehua didn't turn her head, still gazing in the direction of Tiandou Imperial City. She really wanted to find out what the current situation was in the imperial palace.

The middle-aged man in purple smiled wryly and bowed in response.

"Madam, the Spirit Hall guards the four gates and has sealed off the entire Heaven Dou City with a soul-guided barrier array. Furthermore, several Title Douluos are stationed in various directions. Not even a fly can get out, let alone a message."

"The Spirit Hall, the Spirit Hall, these guys are getting harder and harder to deal with. They actually managed to seal off the entire Heaven Dou City. This is Heaven Dou City!" Tang Yuehua couldn't help but clench her soft hand upon hearing this. As someone who came from an opposing force to the Spirit Hall, she had always harbored hostility towards this power. However, despite her years of secretly making things difficult for the Spirit Hall, the results were unsatisfactory, and she could only watch helplessly as this behemoth continued to grow stronger.

After gazing at the imperial city for a while, Tang Yuehua looked out over the various streets.

"Is the city still in chaos? Is there any chance to get out?" The middle-aged man in purple reported, "Madam, there's not much of a chance. The Spirit Hall must have been preparing for this for a long time. After this operation, entry into the capital was restricted, but leaving was not. However, apart from nobles and officials' families, the movement of ordinary people was not too restricted. Although the city was sealed off, all kinds of supplies and accommodations were fully provided. Despite the strict security measures, the public order was much better than usual. The sordid acts of bullying men and women have basically disappeared. The common people in the city are not only not panicked, but are extremely supportive of the Spirit Hall." A hint of disdain flashed in Tang Yuehua's eyes, and she sneered, "Heh, all they know is to use these petty favors to win over those ignorant people. By the way, what is the reaction of the powerful and wealthy in the city now? Are they really just sitting and waiting to be killed?"

"Madam, most of the powerful and influential people in the city are under house arrest. The Spirit Hall has dispatched special experts to guard them, and hundreds of experts above the Soul Saint level are patrolling. No one dares to cause trouble now." The middle-aged man in purple swallowed as he said this, then pointed downstairs.

"Among the students currently stranded at Yuexuan, some parents have been imprisoned by the Spirit Hall. Everyone is in a state of panic, and after receiving the news, they basically dare not leave."

"These guys from the Spirit Hall, really... How did he end up here?" Tang Yuehua was about to mock the Spirit Hall when she suddenly saw a group of people heading towards her Yuexuan from the sparsely populated street in the distance. The person in the lead was someone she recognized; it was none other than Yan, the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, who was now the true ruler of the capital.

"Madam, we..." The middle-aged man in purple was one of Tang Yuehua's confidants and knew her quite well. Seeing the situation, he was also extremely flustered.

"What are you panicking for? Come downstairs with me and see what that guy is up to." Although Tang Yuehua was also very panicked, she could only pretend to be indifferent in front of her subordinates. After adjusting her hair ornaments, she gracefully went downstairs.

At this moment, on the third floor of Yuexuan, a group of young men and women dressed in silver were looking out the window. They had obviously noticed the arrival of the Spirit Hall warriors. The most distinguished people on ordinary days were actually the most flustered at this time.

"Madam is here! Madam is here!" Just as a group of Yuexuan students were in a state of great panic, Madam Yue, Tang Yuehua, came downstairs. Looking at the noisy and disorderly students, a flash of displeasure crossed her beautiful eyes, and she was about to reprimand them.

"This place is really tacky. What's the use of decorating it nicely if it's useless?" A sudden voice rang out downstairs. When Tang Yuehua heard these words, a trace of disgust flashed across her eyes. However, after hesitating for a moment, she did not utter any sarcastic remarks.

A moment after the sound rang out, a group of warriors from the Spirit Hall came upstairs. Looking at the fully armed golden-armored warriors, the nobles who usually prided themselves on their elegance and demeanor were now all like timid little chicks, truly proving the saying that they were all show and no substance.

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Chapter 417 The Princess's Night Visit

"You don't need to say anything. I didn't come here today to see you." After Yan arrived on the third floor of Yuexuan, he looked around. Everyone he saw, including Tang Yuehua, shrank back. As if realizing that this was showing weakness, Tang Yuehua mustered her courage and stepped forward, but Yan's casual remark left her speechless.

"Nobles are all show and no substance, just like the Clear Sky Sect. They gave those guys a chance, but only the half-crippled Tang Hao went to Spirit City. Trash is trash, even after more than ten years, they're still just a bunch of trash." Yan's casual remarks almost made Tang Yuehua lose her temper, but in the end, reason prevailed, preventing her from arguing with Yan recklessly.

In truth, she couldn't win an argument with him, since Yan had been so blunt, and no one from the Haotian Sect other than Tang Hao had appeared. To argue with him would only be to humiliate herself.

"Where is Princess Xueke?" Yan's gaze swept around. The students in Yuexuan were all quite good, with no bad apples or freaks. With his cold shout, the students of Yuexuan quickly made way, exposing a pretty and charming girl to his gaze.

Princess Xueke was probably only eighteen years old. She wore a silver palace dress that fit her perfectly, making her look very charming and cute. When Yan's gaze came over, she lowered her head and looked timid, which aroused a desire to bully her even more.

"By order of His Majesty Xue Ye, the eldest prince Xue Qinghe and the fourth prince Xue Beng have been found guilty of participating in a palace coup. Their royal status has been revoked, and Princess Xue Ke has been appointed Crown Princess to act as Emperor. Princess Xue Ke, please come with me back to the palace." Yan looked at the princess, who appeared timid like a small animal, a slight smile playing on his lips, and then loudly announced the order from the Emperor.

"Xue Ke became the crown prince."

"My God, how could it be her?"

"Both princes have been deposed, and His Majesty has no other sons. If he wants to keep the throne from being passed on to others, the only option is Xue Ke."

"Xue Ke is the future emperor, so aren't we the future emperor's classmates?"... As Yan's order was given, a commotion broke out throughout the Moon Pavilion. The students, who were originally afraid, became bolder and began to whisper among themselves. Countless eyes immediately turned to the slender Xue Ke.

As for Princess Xueke, the protagonist who has attracted everyone's attention, she is still confused and has no idea what is going on.

This girl was Emperor Xueye's most beloved daughter and the most innocent member of the royal family. She grew up in luxury and didn't need much ambition or power as a girl. She was well protected by her parents and brothers and never participated in any imperial affairs.

She never imagined that one day she would become the crown prince of the empire, and under such circumstances, become the future master of the empire.

"Your Highness, please come with me to the palace to see His Majesty!" Princess Xueke was still in a daze, but Yan had no intention of waiting any longer. After saying this again, he took a few steps forward to Xueke's side and reached out to pull the petite princess up.

"Ah!" Xue Ke was clearly never treated like this before, and was panicked and at a loss. However, since the Holy Son Yan had acted this way, no one present dared to stop him.

Finally, after the princess's almost non-existent struggle, Yan carried her in his arms, perfectly demonstrating what a princess carry is.

"How dare this guy be so rude! Xue Ke is the future Empress!"

"This is the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall, the future Pope. If you're unhappy, you can go and play the hero to save the damsel in distress."

"That's right, that's right, but you'd better write your will before you go up, so as not to implicate us."

"Looks like everyone's chances are over. Xue Ke seems to be being targeted."

"That's true. With her gentle nature, she's the most obedient. Who knows how this future Pope will bully her in the future?" After Xue Ke was taken away, the Yuexuan students felt much more relaxed, and one by one they reverted to their aristocratic nature. There were hardly any clean people among the men and women.

……

"Father." When Princess Xueke saw Emperor Xueye again, the former great ruler of the empire was much better. However, in Princess Xueke's memory, she had never seen her father so weak.

The princess was only with him for one night. Emperor Xueye, who was originally quite healthy, is now emaciated and looks like he has just recovered from a serious illness.

The actual situation was similar. Last night's ordeal nearly cost Emperor Xueye his life due to the mixed poison from his two sons. Then came a series of blows. The fact that he could still sit up was already a sign of good fortune.

"My daughter, you're back." Emperor Xueye looked at his daughter, whose face was covered in tears, and was also filled with excitement. He forced a smile, trying to present a good image to his daughter, but reality was not so pleasant.

"Your Majesty, you still have things to tell the princess, so I won't stay here any longer." Yan nodded to Emperor Xueye, and then left the side hall without hesitation. In any case, the entire Tiandou City was now under the control of the Spirit Hall, so even if Emperor Xueye wanted to rebel, it would be impossible. So why bother monitoring him so closely and leaving no room for anyone?

After Yan left, Emperor Xueye and Princess Xueke were indeed much more relaxed. The father and daughter embraced and wept bitterly, whether for their current experiences or their future fate, no one knew.

...In the bright and magnificent side hall of the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace late at night, only one person was reviewing various documents. This person, who was handling the key affairs of the empire, was naturally the current ruler of Heaven Dou City, His Highness the Holy Son of the Spirit Hall.

Under the bright candlelight, Yan carefully reviewed the documents submitted from various places. Although the Spirit Hall had taken control of Tiandou City, the entire Tiandou Empire had not yet been conquered.

Following this internal strife in the imperial city, it is foreseeable that the Heavenly Dou Empire will be in chaos for a while, and the surrounding kingdoms, duchies, and even the opposing Star Luo Empire will likely not behave themselves.

Although the Spirit Hall had made various plans in advance, it still could not let its guard down until everything was settled.