"More than two months have passed, and you still haven't found those people who escaped from the Holy Spirit Cult?"
In the imperial palace, Xu Tianran's expression was gloomy as he looked at Xu Tianyuan standing in front of the desk. Extremely dissatisfied, he slammed the intelligence report in his hand onto the table.
"Your Highness, please forgive me." Xu Tianyuan immediately knelt, burying his head deeply.
"Your Highness." Kong Deming stood up from the side. "Back then, Ye Xishui was gravely injured in Mu En's hands. I never expected she still had other methods to forcefully break through our encirclement. In that regard, I also bear some responsibility."
Hearing Kong Deming's words, Xu Tianran's tone softened somewhat. No matter how dissatisfied he was inside, he could not possibly openly reprimand Kong Deming.
"Ye Xishui is an Ultimate Douluo after all. Having such means is not surprising. It's just that… back then at the Holy Spirit Cult headquarters, I spoke with Zhong Liwu and never heard of the Holy Spirit Cult having such an expert."
"Your Highness, I dare not deceive you. That day, every soul engineer in the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion personally witnessed that scene—"
"Enough." Xu Tianran gave a light shout, interrupting Xu Tianyuan's words. "If it weren't for everyone's accounts being completely consistent, do you think you could remain in the position of legion commander now?"
"Calamity… calamity…" Xu Tianran repeated the words under his breath, then lowered his head again to look at the report on the table.
"Your Highness, although Commander Xu encountered such an expert, that does not necessarily mean it was someone from the Holy Spirit Cult. The fact that they allowed the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion to return means either that person was not as strong as they appeared, or their hostility toward us was not particularly great."
Kong Deming spoke while standing up. "No matter which possibility it is, neither is bad news for us. The one we truly need to be wary of is Ye Xishui, who escaped back then."
"We destroyed the Holy Spirit Cult. If we provoke her revenge, we must be even more cautious."
"I naturally understand." Xu Tianran nodded slightly, then looked toward Xu Tianyuan once more. "What about Shrek Academy?"
"Reporting to Your Highness, ever since Zhong Liwu exposed Yan Shaozhe's identity in front of Heaven Dou City, all kinds of news about Shrek Academy has spread across the entire continent in these past two months."
"Have our messages been successfully disseminated?"
"They have already been successfully spread. Now, whether within the empire or in the other three great empires, everywhere people are discussing the matter of the evil soul master saintess being a student of Shrek Academy."
"According to reports from the scouts we sent out, there are already some different voices emerging within the three great empires. Shrek Academy has still not issued any explanation, and their experts seem to have rarely appeared."
"Good." Xu Tianran finally heard some good news, and his expression eased a little.
Although Shrek Academy was fighting alongside the three great empires against the Sun Moon Empire, Shrek Academy did not belong to the three great empires, nor was it completely aligned with everyone.
Even though traces of Shrek graduates could be seen everywhere in the three great empires, there were ultimately some differing voices.
"Since it is an academy, they should just do the work of an academy. When the continent is unified in the future, perhaps Shrek Academy can still be preserved."
Xu Tianran seemed to think of something and revealed a faint smile.
"Report—"
Just as Xu Tianran was still thinking about unifying the continent in the future, a guard's voice suddenly came from outside.
"Enter."
As the voice fell, a figure hurriedly rushed into the room. After taking only two steps, he immediately knelt down. "Your Highness, victory report from the front lines! The surprise attack force has broken through the Dou Ling Empire's defensive line and entered Dou Ling territory."
"According to the Marshal's plan, within half a month at most, the entire northern region of the Dou Ling Empire will be occupied."
"Good!" If earlier his expression had merely eased, now Xu Tianran's face was filled with irrepressible joy.
He gestured for the palace attendant beside him to bring the intelligence from the guard. Xu Tianran couldn't wait to open the soul tool that sealed the battle report.
"Your Highness, how is the situation on the front lines?"
Kong Deming also looked over with some curiosity.
"Haha, as expected of Juzi." While speaking, Xu Tianran handed the battle report in his hand to Kong Deming.
"The battle at Heaven Dou City attracted too much attention, especially since the Sun Moon Empire concentrated its forces below Heaven Dou City, forcing the Heavenly Soul Empire to fully defend."
"I never expected Juzi would use the same strategy again, sending troops to launch a surprise attack on the Dou Ling Empire and open a third battlefield."
"The interior of the Dou Ling Empire was empty. Our army advanced as though entering an uninhabited land. Presumably, it won't be long before we approach their capital, Ling Dou City."
After reading the report, Kong Deming frowned slightly but said nothing more, simply setting the report down. "Congratulations, Your Highness."
"When I was at the front lines, I exchanged views with the Imperial Consort. She truly possesses great talent. Your Highness, having such assistance is truly the fortune of the Sun Moon."
"Indeed." Xu Tianran nodded, not stingy with praise for Juzi.
"Your Highness." Xu Tianyuan, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "His Majesty has been ill for a long time. You should consider the great affairs of the Sun and Moon. Without an heir to the state, I fear the ministers in the court will find it hard to feel at ease."
Hearing this, Xu Tianran's expression suddenly darkened.
The foundation of the state, what Xu Tianyuan referred to, was naturally the issue of Xu Tianran's successor. Although Xu Tianran was called the Prince Regent, everyone with eyes could see that there was hardly any difference between him and the emperor.
Xu Tianran did not keep women around him. Apart from the Prince Regent Consort Juzi, there was no one else by his side. Now Juzi was commanding the war at the front lines and had been unable to bear a child for a long time.
To others, delaying having children might not matter, but for the imperial family, it was different. After all, he truly had a throne to inherit. Having a child would not only put his mind at ease.
Of course, Xu Tianyuan did not come with entirely pure intentions.
Apart from Juzi, Xu Tianran had no other consorts. If he wanted an heir, Juzi would have to return to the palace.
At that time, the frontline army would need someone Xu Tianran trusted to take command. And that person would very likely be Xu Tianyuan himself, who was Xu Tianran's trusted confidant.
With just two simple feint-and-strike operations, Juzi had caused the Heavenly Soul Empire and Dou Ling Empire to lose nearly half their territory, while Xu Tianyuan himself couldn't even handle the matter of the Holy Spirit Cult properly.
Seeing the Sun Moon Empire overwhelmingly crushing the three great empires, he naturally wanted to claim some military merit as well.
But as he knelt on the ground, he failed to notice that Xu Tianran's expression was growing darker and darker.
"Enough, this matter will be discussed later." Xu Tianran patted the table, refusing to continue on this topic. "Contact the Illustrious Virtue Hall. You must find Ye Xishui's whereabouts throughout the entire empire."
"Yes."
Xu Tianyuan accepted the order and left. Kong Deming, seeing this, spoke softly again. "Your Highness has already sent people to eliminate most of the evil soul master strongholds within the empire. They are already duckweed without roots. There is no need to worry too much."
"Even so, as long as Ye Xishui lives, I will never be at peace…"
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