The cabin broadcast sounded. "Passengers, we are about to arrive at Mingdu Airport. Please prepare yourselves. The Federation Council and military will send representatives to greet you. Please follow directions and disembark in an orderly manner."
The voice was still the standard announcement tone, but the phrase "the Federation Council and military will send representatives to greet you" made the atmosphere in the cabin suddenly grow heavier. Why such a formation for the delegation's return?
Duoqing Douluo gazed at the people below. They had come for him and the other Shrek teachers and students, had they not?
The soul powered aircraft landed smoothly, taxied, and finally docked at designated berth. The cabin door opened. A gust of metallic air, unique to Mingdu, rushed in.
At the bottom of the gangway, a team of people was already waiting. Leading them was an elderly man with shining epaulets and a stern face.
Federation three star general, Central Army Corps Commander Yu Guanzhi, a Semi Divine, titled Divine Brush.
Huo Yuhao noticed him immediately.
From the more detailed information he had learned over the past two days, if not for this Central Army Corps commander arriving at the War Temple in time to deter those who had provided cover for "Heaven Favored Douluo," the War Temple's casualties would have been higher.
Divine Brush Douluo's attention was also momentarily drawn to Huo Yuhao.
This was his first time seeing the future heir of the Spirit Transmission Tower.
And with just this one look, a surge of emotion passed through Divine Brush Douluo's heart, and his eyes showed surprise.
This aura on Huo Yuhao. An almost completed second soul core?
The second soul core, which even Titled Douluo or Super Douluo condensed, he wanted to condense at the Soul Sage level?
Yu Guanzhi was inwardly shocked. As a Semi Divine, his eyesight was naturally sharp. At such close range, he caught that faint but extremely pure spirit power fluctuation, as if it was about to form its own loop.
Condensate a second soul core at the Soul Sage level? This was practically unheard of. Even Spirit Ice Douluo, who had reorganized the soul core system ten thousand years ago, had only begun to condense his second soul core at the Titled Douluo level.
No wonder the Spirit Transmission Tower valued him so highly.
After quietly marveling, Yu Guanzhi stepped forward. "Welcome back, members of the delegation. Due to special circumstances that occurred while the delegation was in Xingluo, we require your cooperation in an investigation. Please follow the guidance to designated areas in turn for a brief account of the situation. During this time, please follow the arrangements of the staff. The Federation will protect your legitimate rights and interests."
Duoqing Douluo exchanged a glance with this old friend, knowing that he was showing him respect by not making things public.
This old friend standing here was meant to block him, to prevent him from returning to Shrek and introducing variables into what would follow.
Others might be going through the motions, but he and the Shrek teachers in the delegation would probably be temporarily confined until they had thought things through.
The reality was much as Duoqing Douluo had imagined.
Apart from him, Huo Yuhao, Gu Yuena, and Soul Calming Douluo, who had fought the Holy Spirit Cult, were all allowed to leave after reporting the information they knew.
The other delegation members outside of Shrek also simply went through the motions before being allowed to leave. Even those few from the Dawn Society were no exception.
As for the Shrek teachers and students in the delegation, the teachers were detained, while the students were taken to a large hall to meet with some people who had been waiting there.
When Le Zhengyu arrived at the hall and saw one of the elderly men there, his whole body was trembled.
"Grandfather, why are you here?"
That elderly man was none other than the Southern Army Corps Commander, Limit Douluo Le Zhengen, titled Angel.
"Stop asking questions. Come to my side. You are coming home with me afterward."
Le Zhengen's expression was indifferent as he nodded to the Federation staff member who had brought the children over.
The latter said nothing.
A first year student of Shrek Academy, compared to Le Zhengen and the Le family, meant nothing.
Since Le Zhengen had already shown with his actions that he would firmly stand with the Federation and not go along with Shrek, that was enough.
Le Zhengyu shrank his head, quietly greeted his companions, and walked to Le Zhengen's side.
Not only Le Zhengyu, but Shrek students with family backgrounds basically met their own clansmen here.
Ye Xinglan looked at the elderly man before her, her expression changing slightly.
"What is the matter, Xinglan? Have you forgotten me after not seeing me for so long?"
The elderly man had a sturdy build, wearing a crisp dark gray suit. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's.
"Uncle."
Ye Xinglan's eyes lowered.
After returning to the Federation, Duoqing Douluo's demeanor and the Federation's actions both revealed a trace of strangeness. She was quick witted enough to understand that something might have happened to the academy.
Otherwise, her elders would not have sought her out.
The head of the Ye family, Ye Xiaoyuan, whom Ye Xinglan called uncle, had deep eyes. "Heh. So formal. It seems your thoughts have not changed much over the years. That is right. The longer you stay at Shrek, the more devoted you become to it."
Ye Xinglan was silent.
"That Ye Xinglan has such a side?"
In the Spirit Transmission Tower group, which had gone through the process and arrived at the hall, Xie Xie watched this scene, clicking his tongue in wonder.
"I thought she always had that icy face."
The people beside him nodded in agreement. Xu Xiaoyan tilted her head, observing the surroundings. "Something feels off. The ones here are all elders of Shrek students."
Upon hearing this, Tang Wulin thought of something. He directly took out his soul powered light screen and began searching for recent hot topics on the Spirit Transmission Tower's internal network. Seeing one piece of news, his expression changed slightly. He exclaimed, "Shrek stormed the War Temple and stole the Eternal Heaven?"
Wang Jinxi and Xu Xiaoyan's eyes widened. Xie Xie scratched his head.
"What is the Eternal Heaven?"
"Idiot. This is what happens when you do not study history properly."
Xu Xiaoyan's shock had not yet subsided, but she instinctively said, "That is the Federation's strategic weapon. A twelfth grade God Slaying Grade soul tool shell."
Their voices were not muted and were especially clear in the rather quiet hall. Not only them, but many Shrek students who had been brought in vaguely heard words like "Eternal Heaven" and "God Slaying Grade soul tool shell."
Instantly, the subtle atmosphere grew even more tense. Whispers arose. Many Shrek students showed expressions of disbelief and panic.
On the other hand, the family members who had come to pick them up showed no reaction, clearly already aware.
Ye Xinglan naturally heard as well. She suddenly looked up at the soul powered light screen in Tang Wulin's hand, then quickly turned to her uncle Ye Xiaoyuan. Her lips moved, as if she wanted to ask, but she held back and did not speak. Yet the defiance and questioning in her eyes were almost overflowing.
Ye Xiaoyuan's expression showed no surprise. He simply looked at Ye Xinglan, his voice deepening slightly. "You once said that you hated the family's power struggles and deception. You liked Shrek. You liked its quiet and peaceful special atmosphere. That was why you wanted to stay at Shrek."
"Then tell me now. Do you still like the quiet and peace of a place that storms the Federation's highest military institution and brazenly seizes the Federation's most powerful deterrent weapon?"
Ye Xinglan opened her mouth, but found that she could not make a sound.
Her uncle's words were like a cold chisel, cracking open an ugly fissure in the spiritual world where she had always dwelled. Outside the fissure was a howling storm of reality she had never imagined.
Did she like it?
She liked the tranquility of Sea God Lake. She liked the inner courtyard. She liked the pure joy of sweating on the training ground with her companions. Those images were clear and warm. They were the foundation of her clear sword heart, the "quiet and peace" for which she was willing to stay.
But if the background of these images was built on Shrek's mad act of seizing a God Slaying grade weapon and making an enemy of the entire Federation.
Then beneath that tranquility, was there not an undercurrent capable of overturning everything?
"I... I do not know."
Ye Xinglan's voice was dry. "I do not believe our academy would do such a thing. Someone must be slandering us."
"Slander?" Ye Xiaoyuan let out a short, mocking laugh. He pointed at the family representatives in the hall, each with different expressions. "Look here, Xinglan. Why are we here? Have we all been convinced by slander? Or do you think you are smarter than all of us?"
"This is not the accusation of one or two people. It is an attack on the Federation's highest military institution. Theft of the Federation's ultimate weapon. The War Gods of the War Temple saw it with their own eyes. The spirit power records and video evidence at the scene cannot be faked."
Ye Xiaoyuan's voice was very low, but each word was like a hammer, striking Ye Xinglan's heart. "Shrek has already nailed itself, and the entire academy, to the Federation's opposite side with its actions. This is not a question of whether you like it or not. It is a question of survival or destruction."
Ye Xinglan felt dizzy.
Her uncle's words stripped away all emotional filters, leaving only the cold, cruel logic of reality. She could not refute, because the evidence, the reactions of those families, even Duoqing Douluo's calm statement of facts and Shen Yi's sudden communication earlier, all coroborated this desperate "reality."
"The family can give you one last chance."
Ye Xiaoyuan's voice pulled her back from her dizziness. "Leave Shrek. Accept the family's arrangements and the Federation's review. You can still pursue your swordsmanship."
"What if I do not?" Ye Xinglan looked up. Her eyes were red, but also carried a trace of defiance. "I want to go back to Shrek and find out the truth."
"Then the family will publicly announce that it has severed ties with you. All your actions will have nothing to do with our Ye family. You will face the Federation's investigation and possible charges alone."
Ye Xiaoyuan coldly interrupted. "If you think a mere Soul Ancestor can change anything, can face the Federation's power, then go ahead and try. The Ye family will not be responsible for your actions. We cannot afford that risk."
Watching Ye Xinglan lower her head as if drained of all strength, her classmates could not bear it. Among them, Le Zhengyu turned his head to look at his grandfather, hoping he would extend a helping hand. But he found his expression equally cold.
"Zhengyu, if you want to go back to Shrek, then the family's next heir should be replaced."
Le Zhengen's tone was indifferent. "Do not forget, our family is part of the Federation."
Le Zhengyu's expression changed slightly. Finally, he nodded gently.
"I understand."
***
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