After stepping off the soul-guided bus, Gu You walked for quite some distance, following the address marked on his new communicator. Eventually, he arrived at a quiet, remote location: the Heaven Dou Parliament.
He couldn't help feeling surprised — who would have thought that such an important national institution would be tucked away in such an out-of-the-way, unassuming corner?
The building itself wasn't tall, only three or four stories, but it covered a vast area of land. Even more striking was the atmosphere: no guards, no foot traffic, no bustling staff or visitors. The entire perimeter was deserted, eerily quiet.
And no one stopped him.
Carrying a strange mix of curiosity and tension in his chest, Gu You stepped forward, pushing open the old wooden doors.
Inside, the scent hit him immediately.
Wood.
Simple, pure, polished wood.
It wasn't until he stood in the heart of the building that he realized: the entire structure, from floors to ceilings to walls, was made of carefully shaped wood. There were no steel beams, no iron pillars, no visible reinforcements, yet the hall stood tall and unshakable, exuding a kind of quiet, timeless strength. The air carried a faint, calming fragrance, like the scent of an ancient forest.
Vast. Silent. Empty.
Anyone stumbling into this place by accident would never guess that this was the beating heart of the Federation — the seat of its highest authority.
But perhaps that was the point. The most dangerous places were often the safest, precisely because no one thought to look at them.
Gu You ascended the staircase, his footsteps echoing faintly in the empty hall. At the top, a massive blue flag came into view, hanging proudly. Pale blue, with two clasped hands over a table — the seal of the Federal Parliament, symbolizing unity and governance.
As he reached the landing, a calm voice greeted him: "You've arrived."
Guided by instinct, Gu You followed the voice to a small wooden door. Without hesitation, he pushed it open and stepped inside, where a familiar figure was waiting.
Chen Shilin sat calmly at a simple table, eyes warming as he saw Gu You enter. He raised a hand and gestured for Gu You to sit down. "Come, have a seat."
Gu You nodded silently, settling into the chair. For a long, heavy moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them seemed to thrum with unspoken thoughts.
Finally, Chen Shilin sighed softly and broke the silence. "You're probably wondering why I asked you to come here, aren't you?" he said, his voice low but steady.
Gu You gave a small, careful nod, his sharp gaze fixed on the older man.
Chen Shilin leaned back slightly, gazing up at the ceiling, as though sorting through his own thoughts. "To tell you the truth," he murmured, "I'm honestly impressed by how far you've come. A level-four-and-a-half forger already — you've shattered every old record, kid. That's no small feat. And, to be honest… I regret it. I regret sending you to Shrek."
Gu You's heart gave a sharp jolt, his body tensing involuntarily. He had the sudden, sinking feeling that another massive secret was about to drop — and crash down hard.
Chen Shilin folded his hands, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Back then, when I helped send you to Shrek, I thought that would be the end of it. I never imagined you'd end up apprenticing under Leng Yaozhu. I was surprised, sure, but I figured it wouldn't change much." He gave a bitter chuckle, shaking his head slightly. "But then I heard the next news: that you'd formed close bonds with Yun Ming and Ya Li, calling them your godparents. And that… that gave me a terrible sense of foreboding."
"Later, when I sat down and thought it through carefully, I realized something. It was already too late."
"When I first gave you my contact card, it was with the hope that one day, after you graduated, you'd come back and serve the Federation — that you'd use your extraordinary talents to strengthen this country. But now… your identity has shifted."
"You're not just some promising young student anymore."
"You've become Zhen Hua's personal disciple, And frankly, that terrifies me."
Chen Shilin's eyes locked onto Gu You's, sharp and unblinking. "Kid, the Federation has never wronged you. So here, today, I want to ask you one thing. Just one."
Gu You stiffened slightly, his heart pounding so hard he felt it in his ears. A thousand questions raced through his mind, but none settled into shape. He swallowed hard and forced himself to speak quietly. "Go ahead," he said.
Chen Shilin drew a deep, measured breath. "When the time comes — when you've grown into your full power, when you stand as a giant among men — will you stand with the Federation? Will you serve the Federation?" His voice tightened, raw emotion flickering at its edges. "I hope you understand, Gu You. Among the three great powers today, Shrek remains relatively steady. But the Tang Sect and the Spirit Transferring Tower? They've already dipped their hands into arms trafficking. They've already begun to collude with evil soul masters."
"They probably think they've hidden everything perfectly, that the Federation knows nothing. But they're wrong."
"If a nation can't even monitor the shadows inside its own borders, then it's already halfway to collapse."
"Gu You, the Federation has never betrayed the people of the Douluo Continent. But for ten thousand years, we've faced the interference of the God Realm, the instability of our world's energy, the threat of invading enemies, endless internal division… and all of it has kept us from unifying the continent."
"Yes, our ambition is real. We want to build a vast, thriving Federation — one filled with strength, with prosperity, with peace. And now, with the God Realm gone, with the Federation stronger than ever, this is our best chance."
"I've read the old records. I once thought your martial soul matched the legendary Purple Emperor Extinguishing Dragon — but I was wrong. And yet, as your talent has bloomed, as I've watched your character unfold, I've realized something else. I can't lie to you anymore. You have the right to choose."
"If you want to stand with us, we would welcome you. If you don't… I won't stop you."
The words hung between them, thick and heavy.
Gu You rose slowly, his heart hammering inside his chest, his breath catching. He wasn't even sure how to answer, wasn't sure what the right answer was. He took a breath, steadying himself.
"Chen-ge," Gu You said softly, carefully, "that's… a heavy question. And honestly… I don't know yet. But I can tell you this: as long as the Federation stands for unity, for strength, for the good of the Douluo people — I will support that."
"This world doesn't change because of one person. Sometimes, I wonder… when you stand at the very top, when you look back, how many people can truly see you? How many can truly understand you? Most of the time, it's just ideas, just illusions, just dreams people hold onto."
He let the words settle between them, forcing himself to meet Chen Shilin's gaze. He wasn't lying. As long as the Federation worked toward peace, he would shield it without hesitation. But if its path twisted into conquest, into blind expansion, into ruthless war — that was another matter entirely.
Gu You wasn't opposed to the idea of unification. History itself pointed in that direction. But war? War always meant death. And a lot of it.
Some might say, "Isn't death just part of war anyway?" And sure, they'd be right. But Gu You knew better. He wasn't just any ordinary soul master. He knew the butterfly effect was real. He knew that one misstep, one untimely death, could ripple outward into chaos — could even unleash something as devastating as an Eternal Heaven–class catastrophe, a disaster that might reduce the entire world to ruin.
In the end, the truth was simple. In this world, no one was purely right. No one was purely wrong. People only piled their frustrations, their anger, their blame onto the world itself.
Chen Shilin stepped forward suddenly, his eyes glowing bright. He grasped Gu You's hand tightly and said with a firm, passionate voice, "Kid, the future of the Federation belongs to you — to the young. The future of the world belongs to your generation."
"One day, when I'm old, when I've stepped aside, I hope I live to see the Federation unified — to see the Douluo Continent truly whole. In the past, I'll admit, I resented Tang San, the Sea God. I even resented Huo Yuhao. The Sun and Moon Federation never welcomed divine faith. But even I have to admit… their ideals were admirable."
"They fought for the weak. They tried to stop war. They warned the old Sun and Moon Empire, forced it to sign treaties promising not to invade its neighbors. But they all overlooked one thing: there is no such thing as absolute peace. Even the most unified empire will eventually fracture under the weight of its own internal struggles."
"But the Sun and Moon Federation… we forged a brighter path. Our system — the Federation system — I believe in it. We all believe in it. It won't fall into the old cycles of empire, the endless rise and fall of kingdoms."
"Unification is inevitable. And we… we will live to see it. A world without war. A Federation that thrives. One day, we will lift our hands to the stars — and we will go farther than any of us ever dreamed."
(End of Chapter)
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