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"This could be considered my ambition—I want to unify the world, to bring all the major powers under the Federation, and to push even further." Qi Changping suppressed his excitement, forcing himself to calm down.
"Before receiving the guidance of destiny, I was nothing more than an incapable man, with a soul power that hadn't even reached level 10. If not for the accumulated prestige of my family over generations, I wouldn't even have been able to secure a seat as a Federation councilor. And even after obtaining that position, I lacked the strength to realize my ambitions—I could only go with the flow and join the Hawk faction."
"But with your support, I believe I can achieve it." Qi Changping's eyes burned with fervor as he bowed respectfully to Bai Xu.
"Are you saying you want me to be your backer?"
"Yes. As a member of the Hawk faction, my current backing comes from the Spirit Pagoda. I already understand your true intentions. These major powers will never willingly surrender their authority to the Federation. A major reshuffling is inevitable, and for that, I will need to borrow your strength. In return, I will provide you with political support."
Qi Changping had watched the recording of Bai Xu dissolving the Spirit Pagoda in Beihai City, part of the Douluo Empire. At the time, Bai Xu had made no effort to conceal his actions. A great sun had hung in the sky, seemingly encased in an array formation. The Title Douluo, a level 94 powerhouse, had attempted to rise and resist—only to be slapped back into the ground with a single strike.
The key detail was that Bai Xu had harmed no one. No one had stepped forward to oppose him, and he had taken no further action. After the great sun had melted away the entire Spirit Pagoda structure, he had simply left.
"Originally, I found these political struggles quite dull. I don't care about reputation either—no matter how much they talk, without the power to judge me, their words are meaningless. But I do owe a karmic debt, so I will help you. I'll only handle the major reshuffling. As for how you reclaim power, that's up to you. I'm somewhat curious... just how far you can take the Federation."
"Thank you, my lord!"
Qi Changping bowed deeply and said, "Please take this encrypted soul communicator. If there's anything you need, just give the order."
A black soul communicator was placed before Bai Xu. He accepted it and was about to leave when a thought suddenly struck him. Turning back, he asked, "By the way, I have a question for you."
"Please speak freely, my lord."
"What is your stance on spirit beasts?"
Qi Changping was momentarily taken aback before replying, "I believe spirit beasts are on the brink of extinction and should be protected. Even if we succeed in developing artificial ten-thousand-year spirit souls, once the last of the Star Dou Forest's beastly overlords disappear, research on spirit souls will likely stagnate at the ten-thousand-year level. Hundred-thousand-year spirit souls and overlord-level spirit souls will never come into existence. However, we must not be overly lenient. The Beast God of the Star Dou Forest is no ordinary foe. Right now, he's holding back for the sake of his last remaining habitat, but if pushed too far, he could turn hostile. We must remain wary."
"Oh, I see. Good answer. Until next time."
Though puzzled by Bai Xu's sudden inquiry about spirit beasts, Qi Changping had answered truthfully. He believed that within controllable limits, spirit beasts could be given more space to recover, perhaps through the establishment of nature reserves. But excessive tolerance was out of the question.
Spirit beasts were still spirit beasts—especially that Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, the legendary Beast God who stood at the pinnacle of the continent. It was impossible not to be wary of him.
"Those who are not of our kind will surely have different hearts."
This was not just an empty saying.
Qi Changping would ensure humanity's dominant position on the continent. He would not allow spirit beasts to recuperate only to turn around and bite the hand that fed them.
His perspective was entirely that of a Federation citizen working for the Federation's benefit. Whether it was his stance toward Shrek Academy, the Tang Sect, the Spirit Pagoda, his attitude toward the war between the two empires, or his views on spirit beasts, he was undeniably a man of great ambition.
What he wanted to change was the current situation where the Federation was nothing more than a puppet. Right now, the influential figures within the military and official organizations all hailed from major factions—especially Shrek Academy alumni, who were the most numerous and the most deeply indoctrinated. He sometimes wondered: if Shrek Academy were to rise from the ashes one day, would these people abandon the Federation and rush to support its reconstruction? Such scenarios had happened before.
The Federation's standing in their hearts could never compare to Shrek's.
This was a terrifying thought. If the Federation's decisions ever conflicted with those of the three great powers, whose side would they take?
For example, the Dove faction, backed by the Tang Sect, opposed the Federation's unification of the continent. Moreover, the Tang Sect had established arms factories in both empires.
Would they actively obstruct the Federation's unification?
Would they sell weapons to the two empires?
Even the mere hypothesis was absurd enough. If it ever became reality, it would be a true disaster.
A few parasites on a dragon's body were no major issue—but if those parasites grew powerful enough to suppress the dragon itself, then drastic measures would be needed to eliminate them and restore the dragon's dominance.
"My lord, are you satisfied?" The Spirit of the Plane asked cautiously.
"It's acceptable. Though I'm not particularly interested in these matters myself, life is long, and it's not bad to occasionally witness the tides of history. I did promise to support you."
The Spirit of the Plane sighed in relief. Fortunately, it hadn't provoked any displeasure from Bai Xu. In the past, when it lacked consciousness, it wouldn't have interfered in such affairs. It would have only vaguely guided the general direction of the plane, never bothering with the schemes and struggles between factions.
But now that it had gained self-awareness, it had inevitably developed selfish desires—it wanted to steer the plane toward progress and development in a better direction.
"My lord, what shall we do next? We've already obtained the coordinates of the Demon Plane..."
"To the Star Luo Empire. To discuss the Dao, and to kill evil soul masters," Bai Xu replied.
"Discuss the Dao?" The Spirit of the Plane was surprised. Who in this world could possibly discuss the Dao with Bai Xu?
"I recall there's a soul master in the Star Luo Empire who also wields the power of the Five Elements—the same as mine. I'd like to see him. If I remember correctly, he's called something like... the Qilin Douluo?"
Bai Xu was somewhat interested in this individual. How did his Five Elements differ from his own? Only a direct confrontation would reveal the answer.
The Spirit of the Plane could not sense this Qilin Douluo, but it suspected he wouldn't stand a chance. It was merely the similarity in their abilities that had piqued Bai Xu's curiosity.
As Bai Xu approached level 90, the Spirit of the Plane's rebirth drew nearer. Once it separated from Bai Xu's body, the otherworldly demon would instantly attract the attention of the current Plane Master, Tang Hao. Thus, Bai Xu had to make thorough preparations during this time and accelerate his cultivation progress.
The Spirit of the Plane knew that Bai Xu's Three Yin Meridians of the Foot had entered the second stage. His desire to discuss the Dao with the Qilin Douluo was likely to break through into the final stage—the Supreme Yin Realm. Once the Yin-Yang meridians of the hands and feet were fully opened, allowing energy to circulate freely throughout his body, his meridian expansion would be complete.
The next challenge would be the Eight Extraordinary Meridians—the final hurdle. Success meant life; failure meant death.
Now that they had the coordinates of the Demon Plane, they at least had a fallback option. If the worst came to pass, the Spirit of the Plane could flee with Bai Xu to the Demon Plane. They could always return ten thousand years later to settle the score.
No matter what, it would never let Tang Hao and Ah Yin off easily.