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Bai Xu did not engage in battle with the Darknes Bell, one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Holy Spirit Cult, in Sky Dou City. His top priority was to find Yuanen Yehui and meet a certain person.
This person was a hawkish senator—one could even say the leader of the hawkish faction—named Qi Changping.
The Spirit of the Plane said, "He is someone who has received my guidance, much like the sea soul beast you encountered in the fishing village back then. Qi Changping has also been guided by me, all to correct the distortions of the Douluo Continent."
"Sounds like you brainwashed him," Bai Xu sighed.
"No, my lord. He was already such a person by nature. His destiny is clear. Perhaps in the future you've seen, the Federation's Speaker would be someone like Mo Lan, who is very close to Tang Wulin. But... that woman is indecisive and overly kind. She won't achieve anything politically and will only allow Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect to continue growing unchecked. Even ten thousand years later, nothing will change." The Spirit of the Plane patiently explained.
"You want to solve the problem at its root? Hand the plane over to the Federation?" Bai Xu was somewhat surprised. The Spirit of the Plane typically did not interfere with the course of human history.
It chuckled and said, "Once consciousness exists, so does self-interest. I, too, wish to do more for myself."
"Whatever. No matter what you do, I'll be behind you. Let him come."
"Thank you, my lord!"
---
Sky Dou City.
On a bustling street somewhere in the city, Xie Xie and Yuanen strolled along, discussing a certain topic, their expressions occasionally turning grave.
"The boss only stayed with us for a few days before leaving again. Our reunion was too short. And his power has grown even stronger. Yuanen, did you feel it during our spar?" Xie Xie asked.
Yuanen Yehui nodded. "I did."
Back then, when facing Tang Wulin's Dragon King True Body, even her Titan Giant Ape had felt a trace of fear deep within, making her hesitate. Moreover, his Golden Dragon Claw and Golden Dragon Spear were so sharp that they forced her to retreat.
The captain is still the captain—truly formidable. Even with lower soul power, he can defeat the strong as the weak.
"By the way... have you heard the news about Bai Xu, Yuanen?" Xie Xie suddenly brought up.
Yuanen Yehui froze for a moment before replying, "Didn't he become an evil soul master?"
"Yeah. Back when we were still studying at Shrek, though he was a bit aloof, he seemed like a decent guy. But after he dropped out, we never saw him again. Who would've thought that after all these years, he'd become a spy for the Holy Spirit Cult? Back then, seeing how close he was with Gu Yue, I even asked him for advice on how to pursue you!" Xie Xie joked.
"Idiot!" Yuanen scolded. "You needed someone else to teach you how to chase a girl?"
Xie Xie immediately backed down, grumbling, "Back then, your icy demeanor was practically identical to Gu Yue's back at East Sea Academy. But Bai Xu managed to win her over, so I thought I'd ask him for tips. Heh!"
"And? Were all those moves of yours later on taught by Bai Xu?"
Xie Xie grew flustered. "Of course not! He didn't teach me anything! I figured it all out myself!"
The two of them laughed, gazing at each other. At least in this lifetime, their relationship hadn't started with him accidentally seeing her naked.
Thud!
A figure suddenly bumped into them, colliding with Yuanen Yehui's left arm without warning.
"Sorry."
"It's fine."
The figure didn't linger, quickly disappearing into the crowd. Yet, there was something faintly familiar about that retreating back.
"Let's go, Yuanen. Time to train harder. You once said that if I ever beat you, you'd marry me. No take-backs!" Xie Xie grinned.
"Hah, of course. Come on, then! Let's see if you've got what it takes to take me home."
The affection in their words couldn't mask the intensity in their eyes. They both knew the heavy responsibilities they carried. Only through relentless training could they shoulder the task of rebuilding Shrek Academy in the future.
---
Elsewhere
"Well? Did the clone manage to test things out?" Bai Xu asked.
"Rest assured, my lord! We've obtained the exact coordinates of the Demon Plane. Once you reach rank 90, we can open a spatial passage to it at any time!"
This world wasn't one where only the Demon Plane could invade.
"Good. What about the person you mentioned?"
"Mm... he's almost here. I can sense his insignificant destiny."
It seemed the Spirit of the Plane had indeed guided Qi Changping. Dressed in casual attire, the man recognized Bai Xu with a single glance and hurried over, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, my lord."
The newcomer was a middle-aged man whose bearing carried a trace of nobility. However, his soul power was only at rank 4, and though his features were handsome, the weariness of age had begun to set in.
"My lord, this isn't the place to talk. Please, follow me."
Bai Xu allowed himself to be led away—not just out of Sky Dou City, but all the way to Sun Moon City.
---
Qi Family Residence.
The two sat in a conference room. Qi Changping had dismissed all attendants to ensure their conversation remained private.
Bai Xu spoke first. "Do you know what you're doing right now? I'm a wanted evil soul master in the Federation."
Qi Changping, however, remained unperturbed. "My lord, there's no need to test my loyalty. Since receiving the guidance, I've already resolved to change the Federation and alter the course of the Douluo Continent. Besides, the claim that you're a Holy Spirit Cult spy is nothing more than Qiangu Dongfeng's fabrication. Anyone with political insight wouldn't believe it—but neither would they dare expose the currently dominant Spirit Pagoda."
"Go on. What do you want?"
Despite Bai Xu's calm demeanor, Qi Changping still felt a trickle of nervousness. He continued, "My lord, having received the will of heaven, I know you are the one the Douluo Continent can rely on. Thus... I wish to borrow your strength to change the continent and reform the Federation."
"The current Federation is already riddled with flaws. Though its advanced soul technology still allows it to overpower the two empires, its internal structure is crumbling. After the destruction of Shrek Academy, the Spirit Pagoda's influence in the parliament expanded drastically. The hawkish faction, backed by the Spirit Pagoda, overwhelmingly suppressed the dovish faction and pushed through the declaration of war against the two empires. But behind the hawkish faction lies the Spirit Pagoda's shadow. Even the senators themselves rely on the financial backing of their respective factions and military groups. At times, it feels as though the senators are nothing more than a joke—expendable. A normal governmental system shouldn't function like this. Due to the existence of soul masters, many factions operate with a high degree of autonomy. Even though the Federation is a vast nation, many of its people lack a sense of belonging to it. Compared to the state, they are more loyal to their own factions. The most prominent examples are the three great powers: Shrek Academy, the Spirit Pagoda, and the Tang Sect."
"Shrek Academy is essentially a state within a state. Its Sea God Pavilion Master, Yun Ming, once wreaked havoc in the skies above Sun Moon City, yet no one dared to punish him. The Spirit Pagoda controls the distribution of spirit souls, amassing wealth rivaling that of nations. Even the Federation's soul masters rely on them for spirit souls, making the government hesitant to oppose them. As for the Tang Sect... according to my investigations, they possess many cutting-edge soul technologies—some even more advanced than the Federation's. Frankly, I worry that one day the Tang Sect might stand against the Federation, selling soul tech weapons to the other two empires and hindering the Federation's unification efforts. In my opinion, these factions should not exist—or at the very least, they should be under the Federation's control. The Spirit Pagoda's Tower Master, Shrek Academy's Dean, the Tang Sect's Leader—these positions should all be appointed by the Federal Parliament, ensuring their loyalty lies with the Federation rather than serving their own interests."
"Their actions are akin to parasites on a dragon, sucking the Federation's blood to strengthen themselves. I want to change this situation—to allow the Federation to go further."