Douluo Continent: Copying Ya Li, the Carefree King of the Sun and Moon

"I'm going to the site to take a look and check on the construction progress."

Xu Tianran watched his figure disappear into the moonlight, gently shook his head, picked up his teacup and took a sip. The tea had long since gone cold, just like his complicated feelings at that moment.

For the next three months, the entire Ming capital city was in full swing.

At the parade ground in the south of the city, tens of thousands of craftsmen worked day and night to build a three-zhang-high viewing platform, covered with a bright red carpet and surrounded by the flags of the Sun and Moon Empire. When the evening breeze blew, the flags fluttered, creating a magnificent scene.

The entire city has been transformed. The main streets are spotless, and festive red lanterns hang in front of every household. Shops have polished their signs, restaurants have stocked up on delicacies from the mountains, and inns have tidied up all their rooms. The whole city is in perfect order.

The people of Mingdu were even more excited. In the streets and alleys, and during their leisure time, everyone was talking about the upcoming continental competition.

"I heard that over a hundred sects have come this time! Almost all the top powers are here!"

"Of course! Even Shrek Academy is here! They were utterly defeated by our Prince Xiaoyao four years ago. I wonder if they still have the confidence to compete this time."

"Hey, who cares about them! With the Carefree King in charge of Sun and Moon, this year's champion is a foregone conclusion!"

Inside the Prince Xiaoyao's Mansion, the teams' training and practice for team cohesion entered the final sprint stage.

On the spacious training ground, six figures crisscrossed each other, their movements swift and their coordination impeccable.

The four sisters of Yue Zhengxuan fought side by side, drawing their four angelic holy swords simultaneously to form an impenetrable golden sword net. The sky was filled with sword light, covering the entire field. Their offense and defense were perfectly integrated, leaving no openings.

Ye Guyi stood quietly at the rear, the Angelic Holy Sword hovering in front of her, ready to provide support at any moment. She deliberately suppressed her cultivation to the Soul Douluo level, but the top-level sword intent that had been accumulating for many years had already transcended the shackles of cultivation, its awe-inspiring sharpness hidden in the formless.

In the corner, Yan Feng stood alone, his dark bone dragon martial spirit appearing and disappearing, the phantom of the dragon bones swirling around him, faintly exuding a chilling pressure from the ancient dragon race, making people's hearts tremble.

Huo Yuhao was the only one absent from the training ground.

His talent for mental detection had already reached perfection, requiring no repeated practice. For the past three months, he had spent all his time at Mingde Hall, diligently studying new mental interference soul tools with Xuan Ziwen, clearly intending to deliver a major "surprise" to all his opponents in the competition.

Under the eaves, Xu Yanli stood with his hands behind his back, quietly watching the training in the arena, toying with a jade carving knife between his fingers, his expression indifferent.

"Your Highness." Yue Zhengling strode into the courtyard, bowed, and reported in a low voice, "The first group of guests has arrived at the gates of Mingdu City. They are delegations from several major sects of the Tianhun Empire."

Xu Yanli put away his carving knife, casually straightened his robes, and strode outside: "Let's go, let's go greet him personally."

At this moment, the city gates of Mingdu were already crowded with onlookers.

Chapter 163 Opening Ceremony

The long procession of carriages stretched for dozens of meters, with various sect banners fluttering in the wind, their colors dazzling the eye.

Disciples and elders from various sects disembarked one after another from the carriages and horses. There were people of all ages. Some were dressed in magnificent sect attire, while others wore simple animal skins. Some had an imposing presence, while others were silent and reserved. People from all walks of life in the martial arts world gathered here.

Upon seeing Xu Yanli walking slowly towards them, the sect leaders who were leading the group immediately stepped forward, bowed deeply, and greeted him with utmost respect: "We greet Your Highness, the Carefree King!"

"You have all come from afar and must be tired from your journey." Xu Yanli said with a gentle smile and a calm tone, "Your accommodations have been prepared. Please come into the city and rest first. I will host a banquet for you on the day of the opening ceremony."

The sect leaders thanked them repeatedly, and then followed the guiding officials into the city in an orderly manner to settle in.

Xu Yanli stood beneath the city gate, watching the procession depart into the distance.

This is just the first batch of guests.

Over the next ten days or so, sects, academies, and delegations from all over the continent poured into Mingdu.

The three months of preparation passed in the blink of an eye, and by the time the competition was about two weeks before it started, the huge city of Mingdu was completely packed with people.

All the inns, big and small, in the city were fully booked, and even ordinary people's homes were making room for visiting guests. Restaurants and eateries were packed from morning till night, and the streets were teeming with people, their accents from all over the country blending together, making the whole city as lively as a grand market.

Xu Yanli was extremely busy every day, receiving several waves of guests from dawn till dusk, often without even having time to drink a cup of hot tea.

Finally, the much-anticipated opening ceremony of the competition arrived as scheduled.

Before dawn, as the first rays of sunlight appeared, the parade ground outside the south gate of Mingdu was already packed with people, including ordinary citizens and guests from all over the country who had come after hearing the news.

A red carpet was laid on the high platform, with seats neatly arranged on both sides. Three main seats were left in the very center, while the very center was empty—those were the exclusive seats reserved for the emperors of the Sun and Moon Empire.

Xu Tianran, dressed in a black dragon robe and wearing an imperial crown, sat upright to the left of the emperor's throne. His face was cold and stern, his aura imposing, and he exuded imperial authority, commanding respect without anger.

Xu Yanli sat beside him, wearing a moon-white brocade robe with a matching cloak, his golden hair tied up, his posture upright, and a jade fan hanging at his waist. Today he was not wearing a mask, and his stunningly beautiful face, which bore a seven-tenths resemblance to Princess Xu Wangshu, was displayed before everyone's eyes without any concealment, stunning the entire audience.

The empty imperial throne was covered with bright yellow brocade, which shone brightly in the morning light, making it extremely eye-catching.

On both sides of the high platform, delegations from various countries and top sects were all seated.

Shrek Academy's seats remained firmly in the top ranks.

Wang Dong sat upright in the center of the group, her long, light blue hair cascading over her shoulders. Her pale gold dress accentuated her ethereal beauty, making her appear like a solitary flower blooming atop a snow-capped mountain. She looked up at the high platform, her gaze falling on the familiar figure in white. Her eyes were filled with a complex mix of emotions, a cacophony of feelings.

Beibei sat beside her, her aura of the Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex subdued, her expression gentle and calm. Xu Sanshi leaned back with his eyes closed, looking relaxed and unresponsive, revealing no emotion whatsoever.

The group remained silent throughout, the quiet atmosphere concealing an unspeakable heaviness and complexity.

Dai Yueheng did not come. He had already graduated from Shrek Academy and returned to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion. The person leading the Shrek team this time was Bei Bei.

On the other side of the square were the seats for the Body Sect.

Poison Undying sat at the head of the table, his white hair slightly disheveled by the morning breeze, yet his posture was upright, his spirit vigorous, and his aura commanding. Behind him, the elders and disciples of the Body Sect sat in neat rows, each possessing a powerful aura and profound foundation, clearly top-tier experts.

Long Aotian sat upright beside him. After the last incident, the entanglement with the princess of the Heavenly Soul Empire was completely severed by Du Busi. Now, the Body Sect has completely submitted to the Sun Moon Empire and firmly stood on Xu Yanli's side.

Further back is the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Ning Tian sat quietly in the front row, dressed in an elegant gown. The aura of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was completely concealed, and her face remained calm and expressionless. However, when her gaze fell upon the white-clad figure on the high platform, complex emotions still surged in her eyes.

The scene from the final four years ago instantly flooded my mind.

The young man stood atop the Soul Arena, surrounded by the phantom of a twelve-winged angel, his holy radiance illuminating the entire arena and stunning everyone.

Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er sat behind her, their faces both dark and grim.

It wasn't nervousness or trepidation, but rather the omnipresent power of the Sun Moon Empire that made it hard to breathe.

Not far away, rows of golden-haired, fair-skinned angelic soul masters sat neatly. Some had two wings, some had four wings, and some even had six wings. Their holy yet powerful aura was overwhelming, making the people of various sects wary.

“Miss, these angel soul masters…” Wu Feng lowered his voice, his tone full of solemnity.

Ning Tian shook his head slightly, his gaze fixed on Xu Yanli, with only one question in his mind: What exactly does he want to do?

At the third quarter of Chen Shi (7:45 AM), a powerful and long-lasting horn suddenly rang out, piercing through the clouds and resounding throughout the entire Ming capital city!

All eyes in the room turned to the end of Chengnan Avenue.

At the end of the avenue, a well-organized team slowly appeared, beginning a grand military parade.

The first to enter were three hundred close-combat Soul Master cavalry.

They were all dressed in uniform dark blue standard military uniforms, their silver epaulets gleaming in the morning light, and riding impeccably black warhorses. There was no fierce charge, only perfect discipline; the horses' hooves clattered rhythmically over the cobblestones, steady and powerful.

At the very front of the column, Huo Yuhao rode forward on horseback. His crisp military uniform accentuated his upright posture, his epaulets were striking, his face was stern, his eyes were sharp as a blade, and he exuded an aura of authority.

Three hundred cavalrymen followed closely behind, advancing steadily in a square formation.

The ultimate neatness is the only feeling in everyone's heart.

There was no oppressive force of soul power, no intimidating power of martial souls, only the discipline and order honed through countless trials day after day. Three hundred men and three hundred horses moved in perfect unison, each hoof landing precisely on the same beat, without the slightest deviation.

On both sides of the viewing platform, the expressions of the guests who originally belonged to the three countries changed slightly.

They had seen Soul Masters fight fiercely, Title Douluos clash in epic battles, and Soul Fusion Techniques destroy the heavens and the earth, but they had never seen such a standardized and militarized Soul Master team.

This is not a group of scattered soldiers relying on individual bravery, but an extremely sophisticated war machine, where every link is perfectly fitted and flawless.

On the high platform, Xu Tianran nodded slightly, his eyes showing a hint of approval.

Xu Yanli leaned back in his chair, a faint smile playing on his lips, calm and composed.

Huo Yuhao's cavalry formation steadily passed the reviewing stand and then lined up neatly on the left side of the square, standing silently awaiting orders.

Chapter 164 Shouting "Long Live the Emperor!"

Following closely behind, the second echelon entered the field, consisting of the long-range soul-guided artillery unit led by Orange.

There were no galloping warhorses, only rows of well-modified soul-guided artillery vehicles.

Each cannon carriage is pulled by four strong horses, with two heavy, dark, gleaming soul-guided cannons mounted on its body. The cold muzzles point straight to the sky, exuding a chilling aura of killing intent.

Three hundred artillery vehicles, arranged in six columns, slowly drove past the reviewing stand.

The wheels rolled over the bluestone ground, producing a deep, heavy rumble that made the ground tremble slightly.

On the viewing platform, the faces of the people who originally belonged to the three kingdoms grew increasingly grim.

Someone recognized the patterns engraved on the cannon at a glance, and their heart sank.

Level 7!

They were all level seven or higher high-attack soul tools!

Moreover, it wasn't just a few guns, but a full three hundred artillery vehicles and six hundred level-seven soul-guided cannons—elite equipment of all types and in full coverage!

Such a terrifying foundation, such formidable national strength, how frightening!

Everyone was filled with fear and dared not even think about the hidden ambitions and strength behind it.

Orange, dressed in a neat military uniform, with her long orange-red hair fluttering in the wind, held a command flag and rode at the very front of the column.

With a stern face and sharp, piercing gaze, he led the team forward without looking to the side, exuding a powerful aura.

The artillery convoy moved to the right side of the square, lined up neatly, and stopped. The dense array of cannons pointed skyward, a dark and imposing sight that instantly enveloped the entire area with a chilling atmosphere.

Neat and orderly, as if each person were a precise part fitted together.

The third echelon consisted of Xiao Dingtian's Imperial Guard heavy cavalry.

Compared to Huo Yuhao's light cavalry, this team is heavier, more stable, and has a greater sense of pressure!

The three hundred heavy cavalrymen were all clad in thick black iron armor, and even their warhorses were fully armored, covered in iron armor, making them look majestic and awe-inspiring.

The sound of hooves landing was no longer the crisp clatter of hooves, but a dull, heavy thud, each step feeling as if it were stomping on everyone's hearts.

Xiao Dingtian was dressed in heavy black general's armor. His aged face was full of majesty, and his sharp eyes were intimidating. He was imposing without being angry.

He looked up and nodded slightly to Xu Tianran on the high platform, then spurred his horse forward.

Three hundred heavy cavalrymen filed past behind him, their armor rubbing against each other and producing a crisp metallic clang. The morning light shone on the iron armor, making it gleam coldly and captivatingly.

Many people in the audience swallowed hard, deeply moved.

The weakest member of this heavy cavalry unit is a Soul Emperor!

If a heavily armored cavalry formation of three hundred Soul Emperors were to charge at full strength, how many people in the world could withstand it?