On the other side, Ice Empress heard their discussion and frowned. "Even just from the paper strength Yuhao has described, the strength of Shrek Academy and its affiliated forces is not to be underestimated. If it truly develops into a full scale war, even the Spirit Transmission Tower would find it very tricky to deal with. Having the Federation lead the handling of this matter would not be easy either."
The Federation's strength was certainly not weak. Take the Central Army Corps, used to counterbalance the War Temple, for example. A large number of strategic soul tools, including high level Fixed Type Soul Tool Shells, were concentrated in the Central Army Corps and directly under the command and dispatch of the Council.
At the Central Army Corps' base, there were over one hundred ninth grade Fixed Type Soul Tool Shells, as well as a super launch silo capable of delivering a ninth grade Fixed Type Soul Tool Shell to any location on the Douluo Continent. This showed the strength of the Central Army Corps.
But not to mention whether these corps, each with their own defensive duties, could be mobilized, even if they could be,weapons of mass destruction could easily have counterproductive effects when dealing with such matters.
Or rather, what Ice Empress feared was the Federation going to extremes, thereby planting seeds of future disaster.
Huo Yuhao could understand Ice Empress's thoughts.
If, like in the original work, the Federation dared to release God Slaying Grade Soul Tool Shells at Shrek City, Huo Yuhao did not know whether Shrek Academy would be destroyed. But he did know that every single one of the Federation's high ranking members would have to step down, or even die to atone for their crimes. Their descendants would be cursed for a lifetime, and even greater turmoil would arise within the Federation.
This time, there would be no Holy Spirit Cult to take the blame. Everyone would know it was the Federation's operation to Settle Accounts with Shrek Academy. And no one could take responsibility for the lives of millions of civilians.
Not to mention Shrek City. Even just the students of Shrek Academy, if they were indiscriminately killed along with the outstanding juniors of various soul master families, without giving these people a chance to "return from their misguided path," it would cause quite a few incidents.
Take Le Zhengyu, for example. If they directly labeled him an evil soul master, would the Angel family, whose face would be slapped, agree?
The biggest problem with a place like an academy was connections. Having developed for so many years, there were many people and soul master families connected to Shrek Academy.
There were Shrek students among the military high ranking members. There were Shrek students in other academies. There were even Shrek students among the councilors. If they did not want to leave ammunition for criticism or give Shrek an opportunity to overturn the verdict and rebuild, the Federation could not use extreme methods to kill everyone with one fell swoop.
This operation must be a trial against Shrek, not a massacre. The starting point must be just, and the process and outcome must also be just.
Only then could they shut everyone's mouths and, from the root, nail shut the hope of Shrek's revival.
"A single move can affect the whole situation. The actual controllers of the Federation now are the soul master families large and small. The Federation high ranking members have finally obtained a suitable knife. They will handle it carefully."
Huo Yuhao said, "As for the inevitable labor pains along the way, how can one eliminate a force that has stood in the Douluo Federation for tens of thousands of years without paying a price?"
In any case, the current situation was much better than the original work.
In the original work, the total strength of forces related to Shrek Academy was at least equivalent to half the Federation's entire strength. In the end, they ended up with the bizarre situation where the Federation's four major powers all belong to the same family.
In that kind of situation, without a scapegoat, they would have to carefully consider whether to act.
Ice Empress shook her head. "What I worry about is not just this. Since the Holy Spirit Cult and Xingluo have schemed against Shrek Academy, they may not interfere again later, causing more chaos during the Federation's internal strife."
"If that is the case, why not let Shrek first use its residual heat to destroy Xingluo and the Holy Spirit Cult before settling accounts?"
Huo Yuhao and Snow Empress exchanged a glance and smiled at each other.
"Ice Empress, you have it wrong. Xu Chengzhi's approach was very clever. The knife he handed us forces us to choose the latter between dealing with Xingluo, the Holy Spirit Cult, and Shrek. After all, some opportunities, once missed, may not come again."
Ice Empress was started, then understood and thoughtfully.
So that was it. She had been mistaken.
What was the knife Xu Chengzhi handed the Federation?
Shrek's treason. Some of its soul masters falling into evil soul masters, suspected of being involved with the Holy Spirit Cult.
Then, under these circumstances, could they finish off the Holy Spirit Cult and Xingluo first, then come back to deal with Shrek?
No. Because there would be no reason left.
If Shrek participated in the war and used actual actions to destroy Xingluo and the Holy Spirit Cult, how could you say they were colluding with the Holy Spirit Cult and Xingluo?
That would become slander.
Shrek would also have more room to argue. Dealing with them then would be much more difficult than now.
The other spirit souls nearby suddenly understood. Skydream clicked his tongue in admiration.
"It is indeed an Open Stratagem. Even after following Yuhao for ten thousand years, I still cannot match you humans in these twists and turns."
Look how dirty these schemes were. The purpose and intention were laid out right there, yet the other side grasped the Federation's demands, forcing the Federation to proceed according to the plan. Truly worthy of being the Emperor of Xingluo.
Huo Yuhao and Snow Empress discussed the matter of settling accounts with Shrek for a long time and sent the news back to the Spirit Transmission Tower.
The initial shock might erupt before they returned to the Douluo Federation. They needed the Spirit Transmission Tower to prepare early.
After finishing this, Huo Yuhao also returned to the delegation's quarters in Xingluo City. Then he was immediately dragged before Leng Yulai, who looked at him with strange and shocked eyes, pointing at Jia Lin being held by Gu Yuena in the distance.
"Where did that child come from?"
Although it had already been explained that Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena's actions did not need too much attention, how could she remain calm when the two went out and came back with a child with Innate Level Twenty?
A soul master's innate spirit power of Level Ten was the limit. The only record of Innate Level Twenty was the Six Winged Angel martial soul from twenty thousand years ago. That was a divinely bestowed martial soul.
Jia Lin's origin was obviously not ordinary. It was likely related to a deity.
"Found her."
Seeing Leng Yulai's unconvinced expression, Huo Yuhao shrugged and smiled. "Your Majesty Dark Phoenix, if not found, then where else could she have come from?"
Leng Yulai was momentarily speechless.
She very much wanted to say, how could a monster like Innate Level Twenty appear in this broken place like Xingluo?
But apart from this explanation, there was no other reasonable one.
After all, it was not as if Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena had given birth to her.
After thinking about it over, Leng Yulai did not dwell on this topic.
"The surrounding and annihilate operation is about to begin. You will both be going into battle. Leave the child in my care."
Regardless of where the child came from, now that Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena had found her, she belonged to the Spirit Transmission Tower.
Innate Level Twenty, coupled with the Innate Spirit Connection realm spiritual power and equally impressive physical strength she had detected, this child was a monster on par with Gu Yuena and Huo Yuhao. Her starting point was even higher than theirs. Her future achievements would be absolutely incalculable.
With Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena before, and Jia Lin after, their Spirit Transmission Tower might be ushering in its most prosperous era.
***
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