Chapter 65: Gate of Over-the-Heavens (Seeking Monthly Tickets)

The news that Crown Prince Xu Tianran was to be the new Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire quickly spread far and wide. No one was particularly surprised by this; after all, if the crown prince did not ascend the throne, who else could possibly be the emperor?

Furthermore, Xu Tianran had always enjoyed a good reputation among the common people, with many fiercely supporting him. Upon learning of his ascension, joyous crowds gathered everywhere to celebrate.

However, where there is joy, there is also despair and sorrow. This was especially true for Xu Tianran's imperial brothers. Upon hearing the news, they were instantly struck as if by a thunderbolt, their faces turning ashen and lifeless.

In a certain manor, an imperial prince bearing the surname Xu was anxiously commanding his servants to pack their belongings, preparing to flee to the provinces to lie low.

"Hurry! Leave nothing of value behind!"

The prince gritted his teeth in fury. "Damn it! How could things happen so suddenly?"

The old emperor had died far too quickly, leaving him utterly unprepared. When he finally caught wind of the news, the palace guards refused to let him enter, claiming it was the decree of the new emperor.

At that very moment, a sense of impending doom had gripped him. Disregarding everything else, he immediately rushed back to his estate to prepare his carriage, hoping to slip out of Ming Du before his crown prince brother caught up with him.

"Clang!"

With the chilling sound of a sword being drawn, this prince was suddenly freed from all his anxiety.

The surrounding servants watched in horror as a burst of crimson bloomed before their eyes, a severed head tumbling down the stone steps. Instantly, piercing shrieks tore through the air.

A squad of soldiers surged into the courtyard. Their leader gazed coldly at the head on the ground and shouted, "The prince has been assassinated! Seal off the entire area!"

The entire manor was placed under strict lockdown. Before long, the restriction was lifted, but those who entered later found not a single living soul. Only a heavy smell of rust lingered in the air. Overcome with terror, people fled the estate in a panic, not daring to linger for another second.

Such scenes played out in various imperial residences across Ming Du. Some princes were assassinated, while others were convicted of treason. Within a single day, every single royal bloodline with the qualifications to contest the throne vanished from the world.

When this news reached the ears of the high ministers and nobles, their blood ran cold. Never had they imagined that Xu Tianran would be so ruthless, nor that he would strike with such terrifying speed.

With the bloodshed still fresh before their eyes, those who harbored hidden ambitions instantly quieted down, banishing any lingering thoughts of opposing Xu Tianran.

Under the current circumstances, even without that final imperial decree, Xu Tianran was the sole surviving prince, leaving the throne to him by default.

Back within the imperial palace, standing before the solemn coffin, Xu Tianran looked down at the old emperor resting within. "Father, what you refused to grant me, I will take with my own hands."

"Rest in peace. This empire will rise to even greater heights of glory in my hands!"

Suddenly, an eunuch stepped forward, bowing deeply. "Your Majesty, word has come from the Crown Prince's Mansion outside the palace. A young woman has been waiting for you for quite some time."

Hearing this, Xu Tianran instantly knew who she was. A faint smile touched his lips as he nodded. "Send someone to escort her here."

Not long after, Ju Zi, now dressed in plain white mourning attire, arrived in a hurried rush. The moment she stepped into the grand hall, she was greeted by the sight of countless white silk streamers hanging from the beams, the massive coffin, and Xu Tianran standing before it, smiling warmly at her.

Her footsteps faltered for a fraction of a second. Taking a deep breath, Ju Zi walked forward and bowed deeply.

"This humble subject greets Your Majesty!"

Xu Tianran gracefully accepted half of the formal bow before immediately stepping forward to support her by the arm. His voice was gentle. "Between us, such formal courtesies are entirely unnecessary."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Ju Zi replied respectfully, her gaze flickering as it swept past the colossal coffin behind him.

Not daring to look him directly in the eye, Ju Zi was acutely aware of his temperament. Although she had once saved his life, she had no guarantee of how he might treat her if he ever suspected that she had deduced the dark truth behind the throne.

Moreover, along the way, she had already heard rumors of the bloody purge Xu Tianran had carried out in secret. Facing this cold-blooded and suspicious man, she dared not lower her guard for even a single second.

Despite this, Ju Zi managed a faint, gentle smile. "Congratulations, Your Highness, on ascending the throne. With this, you are one step closer to fulfilling your dream."

Sometimes, a touch of calculated intimacy was the best remedy when dealing with those in supreme power.

Xu Tianran did not feel offended in the slightest. Instead, he chuckled happily, "It is not just my dream, Ju Zi, but yours as well."

He gazed at her tenderly. "I once promised you that if I ever became master of this empire, no one would ever be left destitute and wandering as you once were, nor would anyone else be forced to suffer the agony of war."

"And the hatred burning in your heart will one day be put to rest."

"These promises, I will certainly fulfill."

Before Ju Zi could utter words of overwhelming gratitude, Xu Tianran's gaze suddenly deepened, his voice taking on a distant, enigmatic tone. "I am certain that with your sharp intellect, Ju Zi, you have already figured out the truth behind these recent events."

"Do not rush to deny it; I know very well that you have long since understood."

His blunt words sent a shiver down Ju Zi's spine and caused her heart to sink, yet she kept her expression blank, feigning confusion. "What is Your Highness implying? This humble subject does not understand."

Seeing that she was still playing dumb, Xu Tianran did not press her further. Instead, he said gently, "Rest assured, Ju Zi, you are one of the people closest and most trusted by me. No matter what, I would never harm you. Because of this, there is an important task I need you to undertake."

True to his word, he seemed to place immense trust in her, actually revealing the "Mechanical Ascension Project"—a classified initiative known to fewer than five living souls—and even delegating a portion of its administration into her hands.

Staring at him, completely dumbfounded and struck numb by the sheer magnitude of the plan, Ju Zi could only listen as Xu Tianran smiled lightly, waving his hand for her to withdraw so he could resume his vigil.

Though the hidden truths behind the imperial succession could not be spoken aloud, putting on a show of grief was necessary.

A gust of breeze swept through the hall, causing countless white silk streamers to dance gracefully in the air. Kneeling before the coffin, Xu Tianran blinked, and an inexplicable, heavy drowsiness suddenly washed over him.

In the next instant, he drifted off to sleep right there on the stone floor.

Somewhere in the ethereal void, his consciousness detached, rising higher and higher until it broke through an invisible barrier and plunged into a realm of absolute darkness.

Here, countless other consciousnesses drifted like him, though very few retained even a shred of lucidity. Those mindless entities moved forward by pure instinct, as if treading upon a solid path rather than a bottomless abyss, marching forward in eerie, uniform unison.

Where is this place?

This is a dream. You are dreaming.

The moment the thought crossed Xu Tianran's mind, an inexplicable answer echoed in his own mind, as if he were answering himself.

This bizarre phenomenon made him instantly vigilant. Watching the direction in which those wandering souls were heading, he decided to follow and investigate.

Just as the surrounding darkness was boundless, this path seemed to have no end. The only things guiding his way were the faint, flickering lights emitted by the consciousnesses around him.

Xu Tianran walked onward, realizing after a while that he had been journeying for four or five hours, yet he felt not a single trace of fatigue.

This truly was a dream.

Only a dream could explain such bizarre mechanics. He pressed forward, and gradually, he lost all track of time, forgetting why he was even here. His mind held only a single, overriding compulsion: to keep moving forward.

As he sank deeper into this trance-like state, a low, hypnotic murmuring began to ring in his ears.

*...The Gate of Heaven... cross the celestial threshold... enter the heavenly court...*

Somewhere in the ethereal ether, forbidden knowledge from beyond the mortal world poured into his mind.

Bathed in these strange utterances, his soul felt as though it were achieving transcendence, breaking free from the dark realm and climbing ever upward.

"Whoosh—"

Suddenly, a brilliant light burst before Xu Tianran's eyes. The darkness vanished, replaced by an endless expanse of azure, accompanied by the ceaseless roaring of ocean waves.

No! That's not right! Those aren't waves of water!

Xu Tianran's eyes suddenly widened in horror. Whatever he was witnessing, his pupils contracted in sheer, unadulterated terror.

Countless surreal visions flooded into his body, expanding until they threatened to tear his physical vessel apart!

Inside the imperial palace of the Sun Moon Empire, right before the solemn coffin, Xu Tianran let out a piercing shriek.

"Aaaaaah!!!"