Although he was surprised that the Speaker had recalled Hades Douluo, a god of death, Yu Guanzhi had to admit that he was indeed relieved.
When Chen Xinjie had done what he did, for a moment, Yu Guanzhi had even felt some doubt toward his companions around him.
Would they also, like the Lord of War Temple, explode over some old feelings?
This thought had even appeared in his mind, showing the impact of that scene on him.
Fortunately, Hades Douluo would not be like that.
And Hades Douluo's past ensured his loyalty to the Federation.
Hades Douluo Harossa was originally born in a small city of the Federation. At birth, he seemed to have been contaminated by something unclean. His entire body was snow white, without any color, looking very strange.
Unfortunately, his parents were ordinary people. Seeing such a child, they naturally felt fear.
Fortunately, because spirit souls and spirit beasts had gradually integrated into the Federation over the millennia, even ordinary people had seen many strange life forms. Was a child without color really stranger or more terrifying than a Human Faced Demon Spider spirit soul appearing on the street?
Human Faced Demon Spider said, "I feel offended."
Moreover, uniqueness sometimes also meant talent. The Spirit Transmission Tower's welfare was well known. If a child had the talent to become a soul master, it was practically a beacon of hope for an ordinary family to change their fate and cross class boundaries.
Harossa's fate changed here. Unlike his original fate of being abandoned, after initial shock and struggle, his parents ultimately could not bear to abandon the child.
However, the child's abnormality still caused them concern. They consulted various sources, asked some official friends and soul masters, wanting to know the reason for their child's special condition. Ultimately, they first attracted the attention of a Federation Dark Department member.
That Dark Department member visited them, examined Harossa's origin, and discovered that he might awaken a powerful evil martial soul.
Harossa's parents were filled with mixed feelings. They were happy that their child might possess spirit power, and from the Dark Department member, they learned that evil martial soul possessors could now cultivate and that the Federation would provide support.
What worried them was naturally the danger of an evil martial soul. Not everyone could restrain themselves. Once they fell into evil, there was no turning back.
But overall, after learning about their child's situation, the burden that had hung over Harossa's parents for years was half lifted.
The fear of the unknown often tormented people more than known dangers. Now, the root of the child's "abnormality" had a clear explanation within the soul master world. Even if that explanation came with the unsettling label of "evil martial soul," it was still within the scope of official Federation recognition and promised intervention.
Afterwards, Harossa spent over five peaceful, carefree years with his parents, reaching a turning point in his life.
At this time, he was about to awaken his martial soul. For this, a Dark Department member communicated with them in advance and took him to a Dark Department base for the awakening.
After all, most evil martial souls were uncontrollable. No one expected a six year old child to have self control. If something went wrong during the awakening, the consequences would not be something ordinary people could bear.
And in fact, the Dark Department's lessons learned from history were indeed correct.
Harossa's martial soul awakened. But it was not awakened by someone else. It awakened on its own when he reached the age of six.
The moment Harossa's martial soul awakened, he also awakened an innate domain. Twelve skeleton warriors appeared around him, about to go on a killing spree, devouring all life around them.
Harossa himself was also shocked, because he could not control this domain. Those skeleton warriors seemed to be filled with hatred for life, directly treating all life within their sight except himself as enemies.
If this awakening had not been brought to the Dark Department base, if he had been allowed to awaken at home, the consequences could be imagined.
Fortunately, there was no if.
The twelve weak skeletons were no match for the Dark Department members. They easily suppressed them.
Then, Harossa was pre reserved by the Dark Department amid their pleased and complex expressions.
Any soul master knew what a genius capable of independent awakening and possessing an innate domain meant.
Although in the Federation, Harossa could not rapidly increase his cultivation through evil soul master methods, at least he could enjoy other resources.
As long as Harossa did not fall in the future, the Federation would inevitably gain a peak expert.
And indeed, even without using evil methods, Harossa's talent was decent. Under the Dark Department's supervision, he did not fall and grew step by step.
Moreover, because his appearance was relatively alien to the outside world, Harossa developed a sense of belonging to the Dark Department, which was full of outsiders. Coupled with the Dark Department helping him awaken his martial soul, saving his parents from disaster, and providing him with systematic training and a relatively "normal" growth environment, Harossa developed a deep sense of belonging and loyalty to the Dark Department and the Federation behind it.
This was also the main reason why, despite his martial soul being inherently evil, he was entrusted with the important position of Dark Department Head after reaching the Limit level.
This was a Near Divine expert personally cultivated by the Federation. In a certain sense, he was more trusted by the Federation than the Lord of the War Temple.
Precisely because of this, when Chen Xinjie committed an act of betrayal due to personal old feelings, Yu Guanzhi felt reassured by Harossa's return.
"Let us go as well." Yu Guanzhi quickly reported the situation. Looking at the Federation's reply, he was silent for a moment, then called to Dong Zi'an beside him. Together, they flew to the sky above Sea God Lake, blocking Chen Xinjie's path.
Harossa glanced at them and slightly slightly, as if understanding the Federation's intent. His gaze then moved back to Chen Xinjie.
There were many experts gathered for this Federation operation. Even some unfamiliar faces that he could not see through were present. With them, the frontal battlefield had more than enough combat power. He had not needed to intervene. So initially, he had thought he would not have a chance to act in this operation against Shrek.
But he had not expected Chen Xinjie to, in this way, practically hand him the "opportunity to act" on a silver platter.
But to be honest, Harossa did not wish to see this scene unfold.
After all, this was Hanhai Douluo, another pillar of the Federation. Even if they had no deep friendship, and were even somewhat distant due to different departments and styles of operation, there had always been the recognition of being fellow peak combatants of the Federation, together supporting this sky.
Harossa was not an emotionless machine. He simply buried his emotions deep beneath rationality and the iron laws of the Federation. Even standing only from the Federation's standpoint, watching Chen Xinjie act this way over an old flame did not bring him any satisfaction.
Facing the encirclement of the three, Chen Xinjie did not immediately respond. His entire being was shrouded in a suffocating low pressure. Azure law power filled the space around him, making it difficult to approach.
Chen Xinjie manipulated the waters of Sea God Lake, lifting Long Yuye's head from the lake and connecting it to her body.
Buzz.
At that moment, a faint, unwilling spiritual fluctuation emanated from Long Yuye's body, connecting with Chen Xinjie's spiritual power as he sensed the outside world.
Long Yuye was, after all, an expert close to the Near Divine level. Her spiritual power had also advanced quite far in the Spiritual Domain realm. Even in death, some things would not immediately dissipate. Thus, Chen Xinjie perceived the other's unwillingness and Long Yuye's obsession from this faint remnant of spiritual power.
Carrying out the Ten Thousand Year Plan. Reviving Shrek. Reuniting with him.
This stirred Chen Xinjie. His reason, which had been burned by endless fire and grief, was like ice being thrown into it, suddenly bringing a hint of cool clarity.
"These were your final obsessions?"
Chen Xinjie murmured.
Seeing Chen Xinjie's actions, Yu Guanzhi noticed he seemed calmer. He frowned, then stepped forward and said, "Hanhai Douluo, as the Lord of the War Temple, your achievements and contributions to the Federation over the years are obvious to all. If it were an ordinary request, the Federation's high ranking members would naturally grant it. But Long Yuye is a rebel of Shrek. She has neither the will to repent nor the intention to accept Federation judgment. The Federation will not accept it."
"Moreover, what you have done now is no longer a matter of personal feelings deserving leniency. It is openly defying Federation military orders and betraying the Federation. Considering your merits, and that you have not yet caused substantial losses to the Federation, if you surrender and come with us to the Supreme Council for review, you may receive lenient treatment."
Chen Xinjie was different from the people of Shrek Academy. After all, the mistakes he had made were not comparable to Shrek's serious crimes. His contributions to the Federation were also incomparable.
Chen Xinjie was now over two hundred years old. He had spent nearly two hundred years serving the Federation, constantly contributing. His seniority was even older than Hades Douluo's. Many of the Federation's younger generation had grown up watching Chen Xinjie.
Excluding special cases like spirit beasts and spirit souls, Chen Xinjie was the most senior existence in the Federation. His achievements were outstanding. Within the current Federation, no one could claim to surpass him in merit. At most, they could say they were on par with him.
Such a meritorious elder, almost synonymous with the Federation's modern history, had influence permeating every aspect of the Federation. Touching him would affect the whole situation. It would not only chill the hearts of countless veterans but also potentially trigger unpredictable internal turmoil and a trust crisis.
Chen Xinjie had made a principled error. But without substantial losses, given his achievements, identity, and status in the Federation, he was absolutely not deserving of death.
Hades Douluo's action had also been to prevent Chen Xinjie from going down an irreversible path and making things worse.
After contacting the Federation's high ranking members, Yu Guanzhi's instructions were to do everything possible to persuade Chen Xinjie, or to use force to bring him back to the Federation.
Even facing a peak Near Divine, if the other party did not cooperate, the latter was usually not very realistic. The Speaker had not given the order of "life or death regardless." He had only given Yu Guanzhi more autonomy.
Fortunately, there were enough experts at Shrek Academy now. There were even true gods present. If they asked for help, there might be a chance.
Hearing Yu Guanzhi's persuasion, Chen Xinjie snapped back to reality. He glanced at Yu Guanzhi, then quickly looked away, turning his cold gaze to Harossa.
Did he hate the Federation?
No. No matter how deeply he loved Long Yuye, he would not hate the Federation for this. That would be a negation of his life's dedication to the Federation. But facing Harossa, he could not suppress his killing intent.
If he surrendered and returned to Mingdu to accept punishment, he might never have the chance for revenge.
So, what should he choose?
Should he return to Mingdu and forget the hatred?
Or should he fight to the death, try to kill Hades Douluo here, and eventually die at the hands of Federation experts, dying for love with Long Yuye?
Or should he leave here and help Long Yuye fulfill her final regret?
These were the options that Chen Xinjie repeatedly pondered in his cold, dead heart in an instant. Each option seemed to lead to a different abyss, each carrying an unbearable weight.
"Xinjie, you need to make a choice quickly. The other experts should be heading this way soon. If you wait too long, you may not be able to leave."
At this moment, an anxious female voice sounded in Chen Xinjie's Sea of Spirit.
"Do you want me to leave?" Chen Xinjie frowned slightly.
His final spirit soul had little connection to the Spirit Transmission Tower. It was a ruler of the ocean, the previous Sea God's mount, the Demon Soul Great White Shark King.
Because of the Spirit Transmission Tower, the humans of this world had not targeted the spirit beast habitats on land like the Star Dou Great Forest. Instead, the sea spirit beasts had suffered.
As one of the sea spirit beast rulers, the Demon Soul Great White Shark could not escape this fate. The Demon Soul Great White Shark King's clan encountered experts. For the safety of her clan, she fought alone. If not for meeting someone from the Sea God Family, she would have nearly died.
The Sea God Family and the Demon Soul Great White Shark King were both believers of the Sea God. Their alliance was natural. The Sea God Family protected her and her clan.
However, her condition at the time was indeed not good. Bringing her back to the Douluo Continent for treatment was already too late. To repay the favor and integrate into this era, she chose to become a spirit soul.
Later, when she learned that the Sea God's divine seat was damaged, the Demon Soul Great White Shark King was almost despairing. It was only when someone proposed the plan to collect Sea God Divine Persona Fragments and reshape the Sea God's divine seat that she regained her spirits.
The Demon Soul Great White Shark that Huo Yuhao had once encountered was related to the Sea God Family. They were searching for and guarding Sea God Divine Persona Fragments, with the goal of handing them over to Chen Xinjie. So after that Demon Soul Great White Shark discovered that Huo Yuhao was approaching the fragment, it redirected its target.
After all, a human taking away a Sea God Divine Persona Fragment and a sea spirit beast taking it were two different concepts.
"Yes. Do not forget what you represent now. You are at the Divine Origin level. You are probably the most likely person to reshape the Sea God's divine seat. The Sea God's news, the Sea God Family's expectations, and our clan's future. All these rest on you."
The Demon Soul Great White Shark continued, "I do not know what the great plan the Shrek people speak of is, but since it is related to the Sea God, you can certainly participate. As long as you reshape the Sea God's divine seat or become a god through the great plan, you can resurrect your beloved."
Chen Xinjie's whole body trembled.
Yes. True gods were said to have the power of resurrection. So perhaps he could.
Chen Xinjie took a deep breath. Under everyone's attention, his aura changed.
It became more dangerous.
Suddenly, the azure light on him surged wildly, surging like stormy waves. The next moment, his eyes turned into brilliant golden pupils. Sharp light burst out. The surrounding lake surface was instantly dyed blue gold. Spiritual pressure swept in all directions like a tide.
The sky also darkened. Without the help of planar power or the ability to conceal heavenly secrets, the plane's suppression was already manifesting on Chen Xinjie.
Harossa's pupils contracted slightly. His hand gripping the sword tightened.
This was truly unexpected.
If he had still had confidence and a chance of victory against the previous Chen Xinjie, now it was almost nonexistent.
"The Divine Origin realm?"
Beside him, Dong Zi'an exclaimed in shock, his entire body tense.
Hanhai Douluo and Yun Ming had once fought. Later, Chen Xinjie said he had lost. Everyone thought it was a gap in spiritual power. They had not expected that they were both at the Divine Origin realm.
What was going on today?
Yun Ming briefly broke through to true god. Di Tian revealing a trump card comparable to a true god. Then the Plane Lord and a true god's reincarnation.
And now Chen Xinjie, who everyone had thought was only a peak Near Divine, was also revealing divine consciousness related to the divine level.
When had the Douluo Continent become so strange? Were all these divine level experts just pretending all along?
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(End of Chapter)