For the ordinary people in Mingdu City, everything happening in the imperial palace felt somewhat distant.
From afar, they could see continuous flashes of light near the palace, but with ordinary people's eyesight, they could not discern the power contained within.
It wasn't until a chill permeated the air and crystalline flakes began falling from the night sky.
Snow?
Although it was already night, quite a few people were still outside. They slightly raised their hands, feeling the coolness in their palms, and muttered to themselves in confusion.
Even though Mingdu was not like Xingluo City with its eternal summer, the snowing season had long passed. How could snowflakes suddenly fall now?
"Hu—"
Someone suddenly shivered and exhaled lightly. A noticeable puff of white mist sprayed from his mouth and nose.
Only then did the others react. Even if what the eyes saw could be deceiving, the tangible chill around them was undeniably real.
Though they didn't know what had happened, the entire Mingdu felt as though winter had returned, with snowflakes slowly drifting down.
Inside the imperial palace, the hundred-plus members of the Imperial Soul Engineer Legion suddenly had their hair stand on end, feeling endless killing intent surrounding them, yet unable to pinpoint the enemy's exact location.
Only when their gazes fell on Kong Deming ahead did they feel slightly more at ease.
But how could they know that even Kong Deming himself could not detect from which direction the opponent would attack?
Just moments ago, after the Imperial Soul Engineer Legion had rushed in and rescued him from Lin Xiao's battle technique, before he could fully react, another figure suddenly appeared beside Lin Xiao.
With a raise of that figure's hand, boundless heavy snow instantly filled the surroundings. Kong Deming, the Imperial Soul Engineer Legion, and even the entire palace were enveloped in chilling cold.
Countless snowflakes obscured everyone's vision, while the killing intent permeating them disrupted their senses.
Every single snowflake around seemed harmless on the surface, yet each one appeared to conceal a meticulously prepared attack from the opponent.
Faced with Lin Xiao's endless array of methods, Kong Deming had no other choice. With Xu Tianran still inside, he could only recall the Silver Moon Divine Light Barrier to protect himself, then flew straight into the sky full of snowflakes.
Following the remembered layout of the study, he advanced without encountering any trace of Lin Xiao until suddenly two figures lying on the ground appeared in Kong Deming's field of view.
"Your Majesty—"
Xu Tianran and a consecrator lay not far apart on the ground. Kong Deming had no time for further thought. With a cry of alarm, his eyes widened instantly as he rushed forward regardless of everything.
Reaching out slightly, he felt no breath from Xu Tianran's nostrils. His chest had already stilled, with only the expression frozen on his face still conveying the unwillingness in his heart.
"Your Majesty."
Kong Deming, having received no attack from Lin Xiao, called out again, but unfortunately, Xu Tianran could no longer respond.
He reacted instantly. Radiance burst from his body as silver-white light pierced through the heavy snow, illuminating the entire palace. For a moment, it was as if dual moons hung in the sky, dispersing all the snowflakes.
Yet when the snow cleared, where was Lin Xiao's figure to be seen?
"Elder Kong !"
At that moment, a voice suddenly rang out from outside the palace. Kong Deming looked up to see several figures flying through the air.
They were precisely the few who had earlier been lured out of Mingdu by the Death God Tower.
"Did you catch the enemies outside Mingdu?"
"This..." The few exchanged glances and slightly shook their heads. "There was no one else outside Mingdu at all..."
As their words fell, the arriving consecrators looked at Xu Tianran lying on the ground, then at Kong Deming's face full of rage, momentarily unsure how to speak.
Only Jing Hongchen stepped forward a couple of paces. "Elder Kong, His Majesty he..."
Upon hearing this, Kong Deming abruptly turned his head, his gaze locking tightly onto Jing Hongchen. He stared for a long time, yet saw no trace of anything unusual on Jing Hongchen's face.
"What did you encounter?"
"A few of us were drawn out by the Death God Tower. We originally thought it was Ye Xishui making a move, and then we saw other people from the Holy Spirit Cult appear. At first, everyone proceeded with caution and probing."
"However, after clashing, we discovered those people didn't have the strength a Titled Douluo should possess, or rather, those things weren't human at all."
"Later, we realized something was wrong and were preparing to hurry back to the palace when..."
"What happened when you returned?"
Jing Hongchen paused slightly at this point. Seeing this, Kong Deming hurriedly pressed him.
"The opponents each of us encountered were different." Jing Hongchen sighed lightly before recounting in detail what had happened when they entered Lin Xiao's soul domain.
In that soul domain, they once again encountered the few who had appeared beneath the Death God Tower.
Within the soul domain, everyone existed in soul form. As soul engineers, they had no soul tools available, and naturally were no match for Lin Xiao.
"His Majesty was also there..."
Jing Hongchen did not continue. Upon hearing this, Kong Deming suddenly closed his eyes and let out a long sigh.
He understood. He now understood everything. Tonight's assault on the palace had involved only one person, and that person's target had been only one.
While clashing with him, the opponent not only took Xu Tianran's life, but even the consecrator who had rushed to Xu Tianran's side had not escaped.
"Calamity... what a calamity..." Recalling the report from the Imperial Dragon Soul Engineer Legion about the Calamity Douluo, Kong Deming finally realized just how troublesome such an opponent truly was.
"Elder Kong, what did you say?" Jing Hongchen frowned slightly and took another two steps forward.
"His Majesty is gravely injured. Seal off the entire city, thoroughly investigate all incoming and outgoing personnel, and search for the assassin's whereabouts." Kong Deming suddenly raised his voice.
"Yes."
Jing Hongchen and the others glanced from afar at Xu Tianran lying on the ground without asking further questions, then accepted the order and departed. Kong Deming looked around, squinting slightly at the lingering snow on the ground as the rage on his face gradually faded.
He was now nearly two hundred years old. Over these years, he had seen far too many emperors ascend to that position and then fall from it.
To him, as long as the throne of the Sun Moon Empire remained with the imperial family, it did not matter who occupied it, just as when Xu Jing had usurped the throne back then.
However, for an outsider to so brazenly assassinate the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, this matter could not simply be let go.
In the rear palace, Ju Zi had been standing by the window the entire time, watching the changes near Xu Tianran's study. Only when the commotion outside gradually subsided did she turn back to look at the imperial physician kneeling to the side.
"Lady... Lady..."
The imperial physician's voice trembled uncontrollably. Though Ju Zi's cultivation was not high, in her presence, he did not dare lift his head.
"You know what to say in a moment."
"Yes... yes..."
The imperial physician nodded repeatedly. Just then, a sudden knock sounded at Ju Zi's door.
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Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are chapters available on Patreon."
"From Douluo to Godhood by Defy 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo: Far North Invincibledo 30 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Peerless: Living as an Evil Soul Master 40 Advance chapters."
"Douluo Dalu 2:Peerless Tang Sect Dawn of Sun and Moon 40 Advance chapters."
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