New Connection

Liuxing had spent the past year studying the history of the Sun and Moon Empire. The previous emperors and the current emperor of the Xu family were known for their dark complexion, a distinguishing trait that set them apart from the people of the original three Douluo Continent nations. However, after centuries of intermarriage, their genetic traits had begun to change.

Just as Liuxing was deep in thought, the purple-haired little girl ran up to him and Liuying. She tilted her head, blinking her large eyes with a playful yet innocent expression.

"Hello! My name is Xu Tianzhen!"

Liuxing, accustomed to dealing with outspoken girls like Nan Qiuqiu, responded smoothly.

"Hello, Your Highness the princess . My name is Liuxing, and this is Liuying."

Xu Tianzhen immediately pouted in dissatisfaction, crossing her arms over her waist. With an exaggerated frown, she declared, "You can call me by my name 'Tianzhen,' but don't call me 'princess!'"

Liuxing revised his initial impression, this little girl was anything but naïve. However, she was undeniably cute. Despite her young age, she was sharp and perceptive, as expected from a royal child raised under elite education.

Clearly, Xu Tianzhen had noticed her brother's failure to get closer to Aunt Feng and had taken the initiative to assist him.

Liuxing sighed inwardly. Having a little sister this cunning would undoubtedly make Xu Tianran even more difficult to deal with.

He didn't want to be involved with the royal family at all, especially not when he had just arrived in this world. More importantly, he didn't want to put Aunt Feng and Aunt Yu in a difficult position.

From what Liuxing had heard, this emperor was known for his broad-mindedness and governance through benevolence and righteousness.

He had not only upheld agreements with the original Douluo Three Empires and suppressed warmongering careerists, but he also treated his siblings well.

The most telling sign of his trust was that he had entrusted most of the military power to his younger brother—Xu Tianran and Xu Tianzhen's father.

This level of trust was exceedingly rare in royal families. Of course, Liuxing had never met the emperor personally, so he couldn't judge the man's character.

But if the emperor's reputation was genuine and not just a façade, then he likely wouldn't care about something as minor as a few children befriending each other.

Since Xu Tianzhen had made her stance clear, continuing to call her "princess " would just make Liuxing seem ignorant. He nodded helplessly and relented.

"Then, I'll call you Tianzhen!"

Hearing this, Xu Tianzhen's face lit up with joy. She clapped her hands enthusiastically and declared with a proud grin,

"That's more like it! From now on, in Mingdu, I'll cover for you! If anyone dares to bully you, just report my name! And if that doesn't work, I'll beat them up so badly that even their parents won't recognize them!"

Before she could continue boasting, Xu Tianran frowned and lightly smacked the back of her head.

"Tianzhen!"

Xu Tianzhen's body tensed instantly. She silently berated herself for getting carried away. Her brother valued his image greatly, and she had just made a crude remark in front of others.

'That was dangerous,' she thought. 'I need to be more careful next time.'

Xu Tianzhen immediately turned around, took Xu Tianran's hand, and said coquettishly, "Brother, I was wrong. There won't be a next time. Please don't tell Father, okay?"

"And yet you still talk about 'next time'?"

Xu Tianran said with a smile.

"No, no! This is the last time, the absolute last time!" Xu Tianzhen hurriedly assured.

Xu Tianran shook his head. His sister had always been mischievous and rebellious since childhood. He had heard her say "last time" more than ten times already. He had even lost count of how many times she had said the same thing in front of their father.

Xu Tianzhen was the youngest daughter of Xu Tianran's lineage and had been pampered since birth.

Whether it was their father or their uncle, the current emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire, they all adored her. Even Xu Tianran, as her eldest brother, was indulgent toward her and often covered for her mistakes.

The only one who received more favor than her was the emperor's son and crown prince of the Sun and Moon Empire, Xu He.

Xu He had no older brothers, only seven older sisters, and had been crowned prince at the age of eight.

Once he came of age, he would ascend the throne as the new emperor of the Sun and Moon Empire.

At just six years old, Prince Xu He had awakened the Sun Martial Soul, one of the three great martial souls of the royal family, and possessed innate full soul power.

With both unparalleled status and exceptional talent, he was the undisputed favorite of the current emperor. Even Xu Tianzhen, despite being the youngest and most pampered among the Xu royal family, could not compare.

One could say that Prince Xu He was born with a golden spoon in his mouth, standing at the pinnacle of the Douluo Continent from the moment he was born.

After all, the Sun and Moon Empire, with the strength of a single nation, was capable of standing against the original Three Empires of Douluo.

Their national power was so formidable that they held an undeniable place at the very top of the continent. And as the future ruler of the empire, Xu He would naturally stand at the apex as well.

"Fire Phoenix Douluo and Ice Phoenix Douluo, I apologize for my sister's behavior. She has been spoiled since childhood."

Xu Tianran turned to Fire Phoenix Douluo and Luan Yu with an apologetic smile. His demeanor was calm and refined, exuding the elegance of a gentleman.

It was difficult to associate him with the eldest son of a powerful prince, let alone someone embroiled in the ruthless struggles of the royal court.

Although Fire Phoenix Douluo preferred to avoid direct involvement with the imperial family, she couldn't deny that Xu Tianran left a good impression on her.

Compared to other royal children, who often carried an air of arrogance, Xu Tianran was the most approachable and well-mannered prince she had ever encountered.

Besides, a simple friendship between children was of no real consequence. It wouldn't affect her position. As the head of the Fire Phoenix Soul Engineer Legion, her standing was not so easily shaken.

"Your Highness is too kind," Fire Phoenix Douluo replied with a polite smile. "Her Highness, the Princess, is lively and full of youthful spirit, it's quite endearing. It is an honor for these two little ones to befriend her."

Getting too close to Xu Tianran was not advisable, but Xu Tianzhen was different. She was merely a princess, only six years old, and befriending the high-ranking heirs of the Sun and Moon Empire was both a duty and an expectation for the royal children.

After all, the future always belongs to the young.

"Xu Tianzhen!"

A Soul Awakening Master stepped out of the Awakening Hall, glancing at the form in his hands before calling out the name.

"It's my turn!" Xu Tianzhen's eyes lit up, and she jumped excitedly.

"Lady Fire Phoenix, Lady Ice Phoenix, we will take our leave."

Xu Tianran took Xu Tianzhen's hand, nodded respectfully to Fire Phoenix Douluo and Luan Yu, even smiled and waved at Liuxing and Liuying before turning to leave.

After watching Xu Tianran take Xu Tianzhen into the Awakening Hall, Luan Yu sighed in admiration.

"This prince... he's not simple."

Fire Phoenix Douluo nodded in agreement. "Among the royal children, very few are as humble and personable as he is. It's a pity that..."

Luan Yu frowned. "What's the pity? Sister, don't get involved. You two little ones as well, stay away from Xu Tianran. But as for Xu Tianzhen, befriending her is beneficial. Knowing a royal family member could help you both secure a better future in the Sun and Moon Empire."

Luan Yu looked at her sister though Fire Phoenix Douluo was not officially aligned with the pro-war faction, she still advocated for military strength.

Only with a well-equipped force could they ensure security.

However, the emperor was determined to uphold the treaty signed after the Holy War.

In order to demonstrate that the Sun and Moon Empire had no intention of aggression, he had proactively reduced military spending and redirected soul tool research toward civilian applications.

Despite her high-ranking position, Fire Phoenix Douluo did not dare to speak out against these policies, as doing so would risk being labeled as part of the pro-war faction. Thus, she kept her emotions in check and suppressed her dissatisfaction.

Fire Phoenix Douluo gave her sister a deep, meaningful look and said in a low voice, "Just take care of yourself. I know what I'm doing."

She understood Luan Yu's concerns, but she had her own principles. The women who followed her were all exceptional warriors, no less than their male counterparts. As their leader, it was her duty to protect their interests and ensure they were properly armed.

What Fire Phoenix Douluo had not told Luan Yu, however, was that Xu Tianran's father, the prince of real power and the emperor's younger brother, had contacted her in secret.

Although this prince was not openly part of the pro-war faction, he was one of its silent backers behind the scenes.