The next day, the enthronement ceremony.
Before the Pope's Hall—now the palace of the Douluo Empire—amid a sea of people, representatives of the Spirit Empire, Hu Liena and Qian Renxue; the Star Luo Empire's White Tiger Emperor Dai Tianjue; the Heaven Dou Empire's last remaining royal, Princess Xue Ke; and the new heads of the top four sects—Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Tang Xiao of the Clear Sky Sect, Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan, and Tuoba Xi of the Saint Dragon Sect—
These leaders of the continent's greatest powers stood in a line, quietly waiting for the palace gates to open.
Only one person could make such figures wait like this: the supreme emperor who unified the continent.
"His Majesty arrives!" With a shout, the guards sounded the horn and the gates slowly opened.
A figure in golden robes walked out. Handsome features, a severe expression—yet he still looked too kind, lacking in majesty. This, of course, was Tianlin.
Yes, in the end, he still became the founding emperor of the Douluo Empire—at Gu Ran and the others' strong insistence.
Gu Ran was indeed ambitious and desired the throne; like Gu Rong, he had a strong appetite for power, which he had never hidden from Tianlin. That's why he'd studied governance so earnestly when Tianlin and Ning Fengzhi had taught him.
Yet while he craved power, he also valued loyalty and brotherhood. To Gu Ran, Tianlin was like Chen Xin was to Gu Rong—his most important brother and the leader he sincerely acknowledged.
It was obvious that Tianlin was the true greatest contributor to the unification of the continent. If he hid in the shadows, a hundred years from now, aside from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect being remembered for a prodigy, who would remember him?
Gu Ran would never allow Tianlin to be forgotten by history. So he firmly rejected the identity of founding emperor. Even if Tianlin held the throne for a year, a month, or a day, the title of First Emperor must be his. Only then would Tianlin's name be etched into memory.
As for Gu Ran himself, he'd wait for Tianlin to lay down the burden and become the second emperor.
Watching Tianlin's feigned severity, Qian Renxue stifled a laugh. This guy's easygoing temperament had already set; now that he was emperor, even his assumed dignity had no oppressive feel. Only in battle would his pressure fully reveal itself to the enemy. In daily life, he was the boy next door.
Hu Liena grumbled inwardly, "No wonder Tianlin didn't want to be emperor. Despite being dressed so formally, I only feel like walking up to say hi. This isn't the temperament an emperor should have—he doesn't have a third of Master's domineering air."
"This kind of emperor, it's my first time seeing one. Hehe, who knew Big Brother Tianlin had such a cute side—completely different from Father. But perhaps this type of ruler can really bring a different life to the people," Xue Ke thought with a smile. She had no attachment to being a Heaven Dou princess; her father and brother had abandoned her long ago.
Now, she was completely free, no longer bound by endless rules. Qian Renxue had even given her a Worship Hall token, allowing her to freely enter and receive protection.
The war was over, and Qian Renxue hadn't forgotten this little sister. Even if she'd felt nothing at first, she had raised Xue Ke with her own hands. She wasn't cold-blooded. Henceforth, Xue Ke's life and safety would be guaranteed by her.
As Tianlin walked to the front of the Pope's Hall, the residents of Spirit City recognized him at once—wasn't he the hero who had saved hundreds of thousands in the city not long ago?
For their savior, they acknowledged him from the bottom of their hearts. And yesterday, the Douluo Empire had already promulgated new laws—an enormous boon for commoners.
Though soul masters still enjoyed many privileges, they also faced many restrictions. At least under these laws, ordinary people were also human in the eyes of the lofty soul masters, not stray dogs to be trampled at will.
"Paying respects to Your Majesty!" A roar like a mountain and a tsunami rose below, expressing their recognition of Tianlin.
"Paying respects to Your Majesty."
Qian Renxue, Hu Liena, Dai Tianjue, Xue Ke, Ning Fengzhi, Tang Xiao, Yu Tianheng, and Tuoba Xi all bowed.
Representing the continent's strongest—one hall, two former nations, seven great sects—now all under Tianlin's banner. His title as the continent's emperor was well-deserved.
Tianlin raised his hand and pressed down slightly. The scene fell silent. He spoke slowly, "Everyone, I…"
"Ahem." Xue Ke lightly coughed a reminder. "Brother Tianlin, at this moment you should say 'We'."
"All right, so troublesome." Tianlin relented and began again, "We are very pleased today. The Douluo Continent, divided for millennia, has finally been unified. From now on, there will be no distinction between Heaven Dou and Star Luo among the people of the Douluo Continent. You are all citizens of the Douluo Empire—one nationality, one people. We hope everyone will let go of past grudges and work for the prosperity of the continent."
"The war is over, but battle never truly ends. There is still a hidden evil on the continent. I will lead you to eradicate it and return peace to our land. Beyond the Douluo Continent, there are other continents as well. One day, they will meet ours; when that day comes, we will need everyone's strength to defend our home. Therefore, never abandon the mindset of vigilance in peace—especially those who would be kings."
Tianlin's gaze fell on Gu Ran, his tone admonishing. "If one basks in worship on high and does nothing, clutching so-called 'royal power,' then an emperor is nothing but a rotten thing."
"A spear's tip cuts all things; a steadfast heart founds a nation and home!"
"As a king, one lives by the people's fat and blood. One must exhaust one's mind and strive for good governance to be worthy of the word 'sovereign.' A nation cannot stand without its people, nor flourish without a king. A king is the sacrifice the people offer to the nation. To receive the people's fat and blood is to exchange the king's sacrifice for the nation's prosperity. Otherwise, if the ruler does not serve the people, why should the people serve the ruler?"
"Let these words today be the ancestral precept of the Douluo Empire. Hereafter, anyone lacking this awareness is unqualified to inherit the imperial throne. Let future emperors remember."
"As you command! Long live Your Majesty!" The masses bowed sincerely; Tianlin's words reached into their hearts.
"Boss, don't worry. I'll firmly remember every word you said today. A steadfast heart founds a nation and home!" Gu Ran nodded to Tianlin. He knew each sentence was a reminder to him.
Watching Tianlin in his prime, Meng Shenji felt both gratified and wistful. "Ah, Old Bai, Old Lin… perhaps we should have come to Tianlin's side long ago. Then you two would not have suffered such calamity."