Returning to his office, the Federation Speaker no longer had his previous stern expression. He looked somewhat tired, pinching the bridge of his nose with two fingers, and was about to continue handling affairs.
Recently, with the news from Xingluo regarding Shrek and the evil soul masters, he had been quite busy.
Now, with the theft of the Eternal Heaven, the Federation Speaker felt like he was being overwhelmed by various matters.
Just as he opened the pile of documents before him, the internal line soul communicator suddenly vibrated urgently.
He pressed the answer button and heard a tense voice on the other end.
"Speaker, General Chen Xinjie has sent word that Qingtian Douluo wishes to speak with you."
The Speaker was silent for a moment before saying, "Put him through."
Soon, the soul communicator line switched, and another voice came through.
"Speaker, sorry to disturb you."
At the Shrek City Mayor's residence, Qingtian Douluo Chen Xinjie stood beside Chen Xinjie, greeting him in a tone that revealed no emotion.
The Federation Speaker's tone, however, was not disguised. It was very cold.
"To contact me proactively at a time like this, are you planning to turn yourself in, hand over the Eternal Heaven, or do you have another bright idea?"
"Teacher went missing a hundred years ago. The person who attacked the War Temple cannot be him." Atlas Douluo's tone was heavy.
The Federation Speaker was noncommittal. "There are indeed many doubts in this matter. But the fact that people from the Shrek faction provided cover for that Heaven Favored Douluo is not false."
"And the news from Xingluo, how do you explain your deal of spirit souls with Xingluo, helping them develop and improve military strength? Is the Federation unjustly accusing you in all this?"
Yun Ming heard the questioning from the other end and was silent for a long time.
These were things Shrek had done. With his personality, he would not refute.
The Speaker continued, "Shrek seems to have never forgotten the role it played ten thousand years ago. You are still assisting them in resisting the Federation, as a collaborator of Xingluo and Douluo. You have never stood on the Federation's side."
"No, it should be said that since the Sea God's descent ten thousand years ago, Shrek has never changed. Because the Sea God stopped the Sun Moon Empire's unification of the continent, your Shrek regards that as correct. After all, the first generation Shrek Seven Devils are your pride. Among them, the Sea God is your faith."
Yun Ming, who had not originally intended to rebut, upon hearing the Speaker talk about Shrek's ancestors, frowned deeply and had to say, "Speaker, the Sea God had his considerations. Perhaps in his view, that was not the time for continental unification. Moreover, war is never right. All wars are about interests. And the ones who suffer are always ordinary people."
"So, you arrogantly appoint yourselves as justice, become a supervisor, a balancer?"
The Federation Speaker's words grew more agitated as he spoke. He even ignored Atlas Douluo's status and strength, as if venting all his anger from these years, his tone full of sarcasm.
"But who supervises your Shrek? Who balances your near divine power judgments? Do not forget, no one is infallible."
"When you think the timing is not right, you can influence the pattern of the continent. When you think it is necessary, you can trade with the Federation's potential opponents. Shrek is no longer a simple academy, but a shadow empire, relying on historical glory and powerful force, free from the rules."
"And the Sea God's considerations? What considerations could a superior god have?"
The Speaker sneered. "If the Sea God had not descended back then, what time or opportunity would Xingluo and Douluo have had to go to sea, find a new continent, and migrate? Would they still exist today? The ordinary people you claim would suffer would not be living, as they are now, because of the hostility between the two continents, in greater fear and uncertainty."
"Nor would they become cultivation resources for evil soul masters."
The Speaker's words were like ice cones, piercing Shrek with pent up resentment and questioning.
Yun Ming's hand holding the communicator slightly tightened. His knuckles turned somewhat white.
From a single example, one could infer the whole. Even a calm and steady person like the Federation Speaker harbored such deep anger, even hostility, toward Shrek. The attitude within the Federation toward Shrek had probably risen to the strategic level of a "must be resolved" issue.
The last shred of hope in Yun Ming's heart, of trying to bridge the gap through communication, was extinguished like a candle in the wind.
Replacing it was a heavy feeling.
Shrek's ten thousand year legacy might be destroyed by him.
Beside him, Chen Xinjie, who had only been listening to their conversation, furrowed his brow more and more tightly. Suddenly, he interrupted in an indifferent tone, "Speaker, be careful with your words."
The Speaker, who had been about to continue, was somewhat surprised to hear this.
According to what those experts said, had the divine realm not already disappeared? Saying a few disrespectful words about a god was nothing, was it?
Ever since hearing about the Sea God's descent ten thousand years ago and the Sun Moon Empire being renamed the Tiandou Empire, he had not had much reverence for that Sea God.
When he was on the Douluo Continent, he had not brought transformative benefits to the continent. After going to the divine realm, he came down to the mortal world to throw his weight around and interfere in the affairs of "mortals." Where had he been all this time?
If you had the ability, you should have let the Tiandou Empire unify the continent twenty thousand years ago. Then, when the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent, could the Sun Moon Empire have overcome a unified Douluo Continent?
Renaming the Sun Moon Empire. What a damaging-to-divine-might spiritual victory.
In the Speaker's view, the Sea God Tang San's "descent" was more like a gross interference based on personal selfish interests (protecting the Tang Sect and Shrek), rather than truly for the well-being of the continent. The result was the creation of a division and opposition that lasted ten thousand years, planting the seeds for all the chaos of today.
Looking sideways at it, the founding members of the Spirit Transmission Tower from ten thousand years ago had more divinity than the Sea God.
Thinking this, the Speaker still gave the face of the War Temple Master.
If not for their orders, the other party would not have left the War Temple. So the responsibility for the theft of the Eternal Heaven had nothing to do with Chen Xinjie. He naturally needed to maintain due respect for this Near Divine expert of the Federation.
Moreover, he had almost calmed down.
So, he changed his tone.
"Facts have proven that Shrek was wrong. Xingluo did not become what you hoped. They have already cooperated with the Holy Spirit Cult, bearing their fangs, trying to tear a piece off the Federation. And the people of the Shrek faction, believing that Shrek could not be wrong, made the wrong choice when Heaven Favored Douluo stole the Eternal Heaven. And when you make a mistake, you must pay a price."
"Your Majesty Atlas, I know the purpose of your communication. But it is already too late. What the Federation wants is an account that satisfies. Please prepare yourself, give Shrek as dignified an end as possible."
Atlas Douluo looked at the disconnected communicator. The last light in his eyes seemed to dim with it, leaving only a heavy, bottomless burden, and a faint trace of relief?
"A dignified end."
Yun Ming repeated quietly, a bitter smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
What the Federation expected as an account was not confrontation, not war, but for Shrek to take the initiative, quietly, in a manner that met everyone's expectations, disappear.
They wanted to erase Shrek's existence, turning Shrek's ten thousand year legacy into a page in history that could be glossed over or even criticized.
But he was the current Sea God Pavilion Master. Was he supposed to personally bury Shrek Academy?
...
On the other side, Demon Emperor, having shaken off pursuit, also had complex emotions.
He had succeeded.
He had successfully taken the most powerful God Slaying Grade soul tool shell, the Eternal Heaven, from the War Temple.
Even now, Demon Emperor still found it somewhat Unbelievable.
Even though they had done a lot of preparation for today, and he had paid a price during theft, he still felt it was too easy.
Shaking his head, suppressing these inexplicable doubts, Demon Emperor looked at the strange cube shaped device in his hand.
This seemed to be technology from Mingde Hall, specifically designed to preserve the Eternal Heaven.
He observed it with his spiritual power for a while but did not find a way to open it.
"It seems I need to find a specialized researcher to study it."
Demon Emperor was not too worried. He put it away again.
Since he had obtained it, he had plenty of patience to wait.
Just then, a message from his subordinate made Demon Emperor's mood even better.
"Lord Demon Emperor, the Federation has begun blockade on Shrek."
"Ha ha ha."
Upon hearing this, Demon Emperor could not help laughing heartily.
All progress was even smoother than they had anticipated.
He had succeeded in obtaining the Eternal Heaven. The already fragile trust between the Federation and Shrek, pried open with the key of the Eternal Heaven, had completely shattered, revealing the cracks deep enough to see bone.
He laughed at the Federation for its lack of wisdom and Shrek for its lack of strategy.
...
While the Holy Spirit Cult was secretly rejoicing, on the Xingluo side, Huo Yuhao put down his soul communicator, walked to the window, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The Eternal Heaven had changed hands. The Holy Spirit Cult's attention would shift away from the God Slaying Grade soul tool shell. The gift he had prepared for the Holy Spirit Cult had also been taken away by them.
Shrek was about to face its final judgment. He could also further clear the threat from Tang San.
"Heaven Favored Douluo," was it?
Well done.
***
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