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

The main gate of the palace had already been specially opened for him.

Upon seeing the familiar figure in white from afar, the guards on duty instantly straightened up, bowed respectfully, and skipped the reporting procedure, stepping aside to make way for the palace passage.

Xu Yanli walked through the palaces with practiced ease and headed straight for the Imperial Study.

Pushing open the door, Xu Tianran sat upright at his desk, a scroll of memorials in his hand, his brows furrowed, clearly troubled by trivial matters of the court. Hearing the noise, he looked up, and only after recognizing Xu Yanli did his tense brows relax slightly, and he casually put the memorials aside.

"coming."

"Hmm." Xu Yanli responded and walked forward, sitting down directly. He picked up the teapot on the table, poured himself a cup of hot tea, and drank it all in one gulp. "Brother, are you still handling official business so late?"

“There’s no way around it, there’s just too much to do.” Xu Tianran leaned back in his chair and rubbed his throbbing temples. “The Heavenly Soul Empire was only recently conquered, and there’s a mess everywhere. We need to sort things out slowly. There’s also that group of old officials from Dou and Xingluo. They appear docile and respectful on the surface, but they’ve never stopped making underhanded moves behind the scenes.”

He glanced sideways at his carefree younger brother, his tone tinged with a wry smile: "Only you can be a hands-off boss and live such a leisurely life."

Xu Yanli simply smiled faintly, without replying, poured himself another cup of tea, and sipped it slowly, his demeanor extremely relaxed.

The imperial study fell silent instantly, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight and the intermittent chirping of insects outside the window, making the night even more tranquil.

"Brother." Xu Yanli put down his teacup, his tone casual as if chatting about everyday matters, "How are the wedding preparations going?"

Xu Tianran paused abruptly as he held the teacup, looking up at him with a hint of surprise in his eyes.

That's quite strange.

Ever since the wedding date was set, this guy hasn't asked a single question from beginning to end. He acted like it was none of his business and left all the complicated and trivial matters to his older brother.

Today, surprisingly, he took the initiative to ask.

"It will be held in three days." Xu Tianran put down his teacup and tapped the armrest of his chair with his fingertips. "The location is set at the military review platform outside the south gate of Mingdu. You didn't use it when you ascended the throne, so this time it's perfect for your grand wedding ceremony."

Xu Yanli raised an eyebrow slightly: "Why use a high platform instead of the Prince's residence?"

“The palace is too small to accommodate so many guests,” Xu Tianran said calmly. “The number of people who have come to witness this ceremony is even greater than the number of people who came to your coronation ceremony. All the former officials and ministers of the four kingdoms of Sun Moon, Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, and Fighting Spirit are present, all the sect leaders of the major sects are present, and even those veteran powerhouses who have been living in seclusion for many years have all made a special trip to attend.”

He looked at his carefree younger brother and a half-smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "To put it bluntly, they all came for you, just to catch a glimpse of your face and charm."

Xu Yanli rolled his eyes, leaned back, crossed his legs, and said nonchalantly, "Look if you want, it won't hurt you."

Xu Tianran chuckled softly, shook his head slightly, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

The two brothers then chatted for a few more minutes about the wedding procession: the heaven-worshiping ceremony, the wedding procession, the wedding ceremony, the banquet—each step meticulously detailed and complicated. Xu Yanli listened absentmindedly, his fingertips lightly tapping on the armrest, his mind clearly elsewhere.

"elder brother."

He suddenly spoke, interrupting Xu Tianran's rambling.

Xu Tianran immediately fell silent and looked up at him.

Xu Yanli abandoned his relaxed and lazy demeanor, sat up straight, and his expression became more serious and solemn.

"There's something I need to tell you."

The Imperial Study fell silent once again.

After a moment, Xu Yanli's gaze became steady, and he said, word by word, "There is a God of Destruction in the God Realm who intends to pass on his divine position. The person he has chosen is you."

boom!

Xu Tianran's pupils suddenly contracted, and his heart jolted.

His wrist, which was holding the teacup, froze in mid-air. His fingertips trembled slightly uncontrollably, and the tea in the cup swayed gently. A few drops of tea splashed onto the desk, spreading out a small dark watermark.

Actually, he did have some fantasies.

On the day Xu Yanli was conferred the title of god, a five-colored divine light pillar shot into the sky and pierced the earth, and a chaotic divine rain showered over the entire Ming capital.

Standing atop the high tower of the Crown Prince's residence, he witnessed firsthand the grand spectacle of thousands kneeling in worship and the nation praising him.

At that moment, he couldn't help but think, "My younger brother has already been deified, so what about me?"

Will they be able to benefit from this, just like the people who followed the Sea God Tang San ten thousand years ago, and be able to enter the God Realm, possess endless lifespan, and transcend the shackles of the mortal world?

He was full of anticipation, but never dared to ask.

Some blessings, if actively sought, are of a lower quality and a loss of one's true nature.

But he never expected that Xu Yanli would take the initiative to deliver this tremendous opportunity to him.

A divine position, exclusively for him, Xu Tianran.

Xu Tianran slowly put down his teacup, lowered his eyes to stare at the water stain on the desk, and remained silent for a long time.

The silence lasted so long that Xu Yanli thought he wouldn't respond.

After a long while, Xu Tianran finally spoke, his voice hoarse and low, filled with complex and unreadable emotions: "There are countless talents in the God Realm, and there are many people who are more talented and stronger than me. Why did you choose me?"

Xu Yanli looked at him quietly, her eyes open and pure.

"Because you are my brother."

Six simple words, without any grand excuses or well-thought-out considerations.

Not for qualifications, not for achievements, not for the greater good.

Simply because he is Xu Yanli's only older brother.

In an instant, Xu Tianran's five fingers suddenly gripped the armrest tightly.

He opened his mouth, but his throat felt blocked by something, and a thousand words were stuck in his throat, unable to utter a single word.

Chapter 214 Bowing to Heaven and Earth

The secrets and schemes that had been building up in his heart for years suddenly surged out.

The schemes and plots about the artificial divine machine in the secret room, Kong Deming's calculations and plans, Meng Hongchen's involvement in the game, those hidden calculations and games that cannot be seen in the light, those paths he carefully considered and walked step by step in the dead of night...

He always thought he had hidden himself perfectly.

But after that parting in the study, Xu Yanli's casual reminder had already pierced through all his pretense.

"I won't pursue the matter of that machine. But this is a one-time thing; there shouldn't be a next time."

It turns out he knew everything.

Everything was crystal clear from beginning to end.

I saw through him but didn't say anything, out of brotherly affection, and forgave him.

How could he not know that Xu Yanli suspected him? Because he also suspected Xu Yanli, but Xu Yanli had grown up too fast.

There was simply no time to act or suspect.

Xu Tianran closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, all the surging guilt in his eyes had faded away, leaving only a calm and composed demeanor.

“Alright.” He nodded emphatically, his tone firm. “I will definitely accept this position of the God of Destruction.”

Xu Yanli nodded slightly, stood up, and raised his hand to brush off the wrinkles on his robe.

"Then you should focus on your cultivation and break through the level 99 limit as soon as possible. The God of Destruction will personally test your character. If your character fails, this opportunity for a divine position will be wasted."

He strode towards the palace gate, but paused slightly just before stepping out, without turning back.

"elder brother."

Xu Tianran looked up and gazed at his retreating figure.

"Regarding the machine, I've said it only once."

Xu Yanli's voice was very soft, as calm as a casual admonition, yet it contained an unquestionable bottom line and weight.

"There must be no next time. Creating life in violation of the rules is against the law, even if that machine is named Nuwa."

After he finished speaking, he pushed open the door and went out.

The cool moonlight bathed the long palace path, casting his shadow long.

He walked calmly, without looking back, heading straight for the main gate of the palace.

The door to the Imperial Study slowly closed, shutting out the light and shadow from inside and outside.

Xu Tianran sat alone at his desk, staring blankly at the empty doorway, lost in thought for a long time.

He looked down at his hands.

These hands, which have wielded great power, been stained with countless blood, and made decisions on countless lives and deaths, are now trembling slightly, unable to stop themselves from doing so.

It wasn't fear, it was a bone-chilling lingering dread.

He almost betrayed his only relative.

After a long while, Xu Tianran closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.

The imperial study was silent, save for the flickering candlelight that crackled softly.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, picked up the tea that had long since gone cold, and drank it all in one gulp.

The bitter, cold tea soup slid down my throat, and the coolness instantly permeated my limbs and bones, suppressing all the turmoil in my heart.

He put down his empty cup, picked up his pen, and continued to review the mountain of memorials.

The soft rustling sound of the brush tip gliding across the rice paper filled the air, as if the soul-stirring conversation that had just taken place had never happened.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

On the day of the grand wedding, before dawn, the vast Ming capital city had already fully awakened.

Without any gradual build-up of noise, the entire city seemed to be instantly ignited by the festive atmosphere.

The old lanterns along the street were still lit, and brand-new red ribbons stretched from the city gate all the way to the palace. Every household had red lanterns hanging in front of their doors, and even the branches of the withered trees along the street were tied with red ropes that fluttered in the wind.

A gentle breeze swept by, and the whole city was bathed in crimson, a scene of joy and celebration.

The grand wedding platform had already been erected in the huge square outside the south gate of Mingdu.

Unlike the solemn and cold silver-white altar used for the coronation ceremony, this high platform was entirely vermilion, adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes, exquisitely beautiful. A brand-new red carpet stretched from the top of the platform all the way to the end of the square, and the roadsides were lined with blooming flowers, their sweet fragrance mingling with the morning coolness, permeating the entire area.

As the first faint glimmer of dawn appeared on the horizon, the vast square was already packed with people.

Officials from the Sun and Moon, remnants of the old ministers from the Star Luo Sect, sect leaders, family heads, and leaders of various forces stood densely packed throughout the venue, all dressed in neat attire and with respectful and solemn expressions.

On both sides of the high platform, the legion of angels stood in silver armor, their swords held high.

One hundred and eight six-winged angels with golden hair and white skin, their holy wings half-open, shimmering with white light, enveloped the entire square in a sacred aura, making it seem like a fairyland.

At the very top of the platform, Xu Yanli stood quietly.