A few days later, Emperor Xue Ye announced to the world that he had officially passed the throne to Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
Thus, the Heaven Dou Empire finally welcomed a new emperor, along with the Grand General, a pillar of strength for the nation.
As the grand coronation ceremony concluded, Qian Renxue, unable to contain her excitement, hurriedly pulled Lin Mu back to her palace, not even having time to change back into women's clothing.
"Lin Mu, I never imagined that my years of scheming would be no match for your few days of trickery."
Inside the palace, Qian Renxue looked at the calm Lin Mu, her eyes overflowing with admiration, yet also tinged with worry.
According to their previous agreement, Lin Mu only needed to help her seize the Heaven Dou Empire; he wouldn't need to stay by her side anymore.
Thinking of this, the joy of her wish being fulfilled vanished instantly, replaced by a sense of panic. She feared that Lin Mu would leave without saying goodbye again, just like last time.
"This isn't some kind of trick; it's just a calculated move."
Facing Qian Renxue's admiration, Lin Mu shook his head slightly and said calmly, "Although the Heaven Dou Empire is stable now, it is actually beset by internal and external troubles. The Spirit Hall is growing stronger every day, and Emperor Xue Ye is seriously ill."
"The reason he didn't pass the throne to you was simply because he had reservations. And I just happened to break this deadlock. As long as he doesn't discover your true identity, he will definitely pass the throne to you."
Hearing Lin Mu's explanation, Qian Renxue suddenly understood. She never expected that the throne she had been plotting for so many years would be accomplished so easily.
For a moment, Qian Renxue's beautiful eyes sparkled, and she became even more infatuated with the man before her.
"Lin Mu, I said... as long as you help me seize the Heaven Dou Empire, I'll do anything you ask. Now I'll repay you!"
Before she finished speaking, Qian Renxue suddenly pounced on Lin Mu. She hadn't even taken off her dragon robe yet, which, combined with her noble and domineering temperament, made her no different from an empress.
Faced with Qian Renxue's sudden advance, Lin Mu did not dodge, but instead seized the initiative.
"Since that's the case, then don't blame me for deceiving the emperor!"
"Lin Mu, how dare you defy your superior! I will never forgive you. Tomorrow I will punish you for deceiving the emperor, be gentle—"
"Tsk, I didn't expect His Majesty to have such a fetish."
Spirit City.
After rescuing Hu Liena from the Slaughter City, Bibi Dong and the others rushed back to the Supreme Pontiff's Palace.
Unexpectedly, before they even returned to the Supreme Pontiff's Palace, they heard some earth-shattering news: Emperor Xue Ye had abdicated in favor of Xue Qinghe!
In addition, Lin Mu had also publicly served the Heaven Dou Empire.
Although she knew that Xue Qinghe was Qian Renxue in disguise, Bibi Dong was not happy at all; instead, her face was so gloomy it could drip water.
On one hand, the mother and daughter were not on good terms, even having irreconcilable conflicts.
On the other hand, Lin Mu had repeatedly hindered her and damaged her relationship with Xiaogang, leaving no room for reconciliation.
If she wanted to settle scores with Lin Mu, Qian Renxue would definitely side with him.
Therefore, it is clear that Qian Renxue becoming the ruler of the Heaven Dou Empire would only bring her harm.
Moreover, there's that old fox Qian Daoliu. If she were to become Qian Renxue's enemy, Qian Daoliu would most likely strip her of her power as Pope.
At that point, the Spirit Hall she had painstakingly built up over the years would become a stepping stone for Lin Mu and Qian Renxue.
"No! Absolutely not!"
The thought of that possibility caused Bibi Dong's jade-like hand gripping the scepter to tighten instantly, a cold glint flashing in her beautiful eyes.
Since things had come to this, she could only initiate the Soul Hunting Operation ahead of schedule, first eliminating the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and then establishing the Spirit Empire in one fell swoop.
Only by establishing her own Spirit Empire could she have her own core group and no longer worry about being restricted by Qian Daoliu.
Suddenly, Bibi Dong glanced at Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo beside her, a slight smile playing on her lips.
Fortunately, she had the foresight to bring Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo under her wing. Not only were they utterly loyal to her, but their soul power had also broken through to level ninety-six, placing them among the top combatants.
"Yue Guan, Gui Mei, I've decided to launch the Soul Hunting Operation."
Hearing the words "Soul Hunting Operation," Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo were startled, exchanged a glance, and then said in unison,
"Your subordinates will obey Your Holiness the Pope's arrangements."
Hearing this, Bibi Dong nodded slightly, a hint of satisfaction on her face.
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo, as her right-hand men, had indeed saved her a lot of trouble, and now that the Soul Hunting Operation was about to begin, they were of paramount importance.
A moment later, she parted her red lips slightly and said magnanimously, "The soul bones plundered from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect during this Soul Hunting Operation will be yours to choose from first."
Hearing this reward, Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo exchanged bewildered glances. Was this some kind of empty promise?
The deal was barely finalized, yet Bibi Dong could speak so confidently, demonstrating not only her stinginess toward her subordinates but also her shamelessness.
Even though Hu Liena lost the competition, she still received a skull soul bone.
And they, serving Bibi Dong, had to wait until after destroying two Upper Sects to choose soul bones from the spoils.
Did this kind of boss even deserve their service?
Compared to Lin Mu, Bibi Dong was practically nothing.
"Thank you for your grace, Your Holiness the Pope,"
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo said outwardly respectfully, but inwardly they had already decided to tell Lin Mu about it.
Meanwhile, after several days of in-depth discussions with the newly crowned Emperor, Lin Mu left the palace, supporting his aching back.
Just as Lin Mu was preparing to head to the Star Dou Great Forest, two figures suddenly flew in from afar and landed in front of him. It was Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo.
"Your Majesty, I have something important to tell you," Chrysanthemum Douluo said respectfully.
Seeing the two making such a fuss, Lin Mu immediately became interested and said calmly, "Speak, what kind of trouble is Bibi Dong up to this time?"
"Your Majesty, Bibi Dong has decided to launch the Soul Hunting Operation, which is to cleanse the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan."
"Oh?"
Upon hearing the words "Soul Hunting Operation," Lin Mu's expression instantly turned serious. He hadn't expected it to be so soon.
Perhaps it was because Qian Renxue's ascension to the throne had provoked Bibi Dong, leading her to choose such a risky move.
Lin Mu had no intention of interfering in the Soul Hunting Operation, as he had almost no connection with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
However, for the sake of the Royal Fighting Team, he could remind the two sects to strengthen their defenses or evacuate in advance.
In addition, Lin Mu also planned to inform Qian Renxue to see her decision.
Since Bibi Dong had initiated the Soul Hunting Operation, it meant she intended to establish the Spirit Empire.
Given Bibi Dong's madwoman-like personality, she would inevitably attack the Heaven Dou Empire, thus igniting the conflict between mother and daughter.
"Your Majesty, Yu Tianheng and Ning Rongrong are your students. Should we show them mercy? Or betray Bibi Dong?"
As he said the last half of the sentence, Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes suddenly turned cold, clearly indicating that he harbored deep resentment toward Bibi Dong.