Seizing Control of the War God Temple

"You..."

At that moment, Chen Xinjie's voice trembled slightly. He opened his mouth, only to realize he did not know what to say.

His mind was in complete chaos, countless thoughts tangling and colliding within it, yet he could not sort out a single thread.

Chen Yu looked down at Chen Xinjie from above.

His expression was calm as still water, without the slightest emotional fluctuation in his eyes, as though Chen Xinjie's appearance had been expected, as though everything was under his control.

He did not speak.

He merely looked quietly at Chen Xinjie.

That gaze was so calm that it made people panic.

And under Chen Yu's gaze, Chen Xinjie felt his throat go dry.

He felt an unprecedented pressure.

That was not the gaze of one opponent looking at another.

It was the gaze of a lofty existence looking down upon an ant.

He even felt that Chen Yu's gaze was more oppressive than the pressure brought by the Sea God Helmet.

At last, he forced himself to speak.

"Chen Yu, the War God Temple has already joined forces with Shrek."

"If you dare harm me, you will offend both of our great powers!"

There was a tremor in his voice, yet he still tried to maintain the dignity of a Peak Quasi-God.

He mentioned the War God Temple, Shrek, and these two great powers.

He was reminding Chen Yu.

What you are facing is not one person—

But the two strongest forces on the entire continent.

Chen Yu smiled.

That smile held nothing but mockery and disdain.

He looked at Chen Xinjie with utter contempt.

"Chen Xinjie."

"If I remember correctly, the War God Temple belongs to the Federation. For thousands of years, the Federation has provided its resources and nurtured its people."

"And now, as the master of the War God Temple, you have colluded with Shrek Academy to threaten This Speaker."

"What?"

"No one ever taught you how to sit?"

"You can't even keep your ass on straight?!"

Every word he spoke was like a resounding slap, striking Chen Xinjie viciously across the face.

Because Chen Yu was speaking the truth.

From the day it was founded—

The War God Temple had been the Federation's War God Temple.

The War God Temple's resources came from the Federation, its talent came from the Federation, and everything it possessed had been given by the Federation.

Yet Chen Xinjie, as the master of the War God Temple, ate the Federation's food, received the Federation's salary, enjoyed the Federation's benefits, and still joined outsiders to threaten the Federation's Speaker.

What was that, if not betrayal?

Chen Xinjie's face immediately flushed red, the color spreading from his cheeks all the way to his ears.

It was not the red of embarrassment, but the red of fury and shame after having his sore spot exposed.

His lips trembled. He wanted to refute him, but could not find suitable words at the moment.

Finally, he craned his neck, his voice carrying an almost hysterical lack of conviction.

"That is because you, Chen Yu, have acted recklessly, killing innocent people without distinguishing right from wrong, and even moved against ancient powers like Shrek and the Tang Sect."

"I am doing this for the good of the Federation!"

He said the five words "for the good of the Federation" especially loudly, as though raising his voice enough could conceal the hypocrisy within them.

As Chen Yu listened to Chen Xinjie's excuses, the coldness in his eyes deepened.

He did not rush to refute him. He merely looked quietly at Chen Xinjie, at that flushed face reddened by agitation.

He suddenly found it amusing.

These lofty children of great clans, these pampered so-called powerhouses, always had grand-sounding reasons to package their selfishness.

Was Chen Xinjie truly doing this for the Federation's sake?

No.

He resented having been kicked out of the Tianhai Legion.

He wanted revenge for Long Yeyue's death.

The so-called "for the good of the Federation"...

Was merely a fig leaf.

All these years...

He had been occupied with the Federation's livelihood and military affairs. Moreover, Chen Xinjie was, after all, the master of the War God Temple. Unless he committed a grave mistake, Chen Yu could not simply dismiss him.

The War God Temple had its own rules, and the military had its own system. Though the two intersected, they were ultimately two separate establishments.

As Speaker, he possessed absolute command over the military, but he did not have direct authority over personnel appointments and dismissals within the War God Temple.

That was a problem left behind by history, and one he had never found the time to resolve.

But now, Chen Xinjie had come courting death and delivered himself right to his door.

This gave him the chance to openly and properly bring the War God Temple's authority back under his control.

Chen Xinjie had joined forces with Shrek against the Federation and against the Speaker. That was an indisputable fact.

With that leverage in hand, Chen Yu had more than enough reason and legal grounds...

To carry out a thorough purge of the War God Temple!

But since that was the case...

Chen Xinjie could not be allowed to live!

Chen Yu slowly spoke, his voice calm as water yet carrying an irresistible majesty.

"Chen Xinjie, the people of the Federation have seen everything This Speaker has done."

"Whether I am right or wrong is not for you to decide."

"And now, you have violated the duties of the War God Temple's master."

"Therefore, This Speaker declares—"

"You are guilty!"

The final three words were like three heavy hammers striking fiercely against Chen Xinjie's chest.

A trace of fear flashed through Chen Xinjie's eyes.

He instinctively took half a step back, his voice nearly rising into a hysterical shriek.

"You are only the Speaker!"

"Chen Yu, you have no right to judge me!"

He was the master of the War God Temple, a Peak Quasi-God, an existence standing at the pinnacle of the continent.

In his understanding...

No one could judge him!

Much less condemn him!

And although Chen Yu was powerful.

His position as Speaker...

Was still not enough to make Chen Xinjie bow his head and admit guilt.

But Chen Yu could not be bothered to waste words on Chen Xinjie any longer.

His figure flashed, vanishing from where he stood in an instant.

Chen Xinjie only felt his vision blur as an incomparably terrifying pressure crashed toward him.

He did not even have time to react.

The next moment...

Chen Yu appeared directly before Chen Xinjie.

He threw a punch!

That punch was plain and unadorned.

A simple punch.

It shot straight toward Chen Xinjie's chest.

At that instant...

Chen Xinjie felt as though it was not Chen Yu throwing a punch at him, but the entire world crushing down upon him.

The fist grew larger and larger in his vision.

Until it blotted out the sky and sun...

Enveloping his entire body.

He seemed to see a towering mountain collapse from the heavens, carrying world-destroying force as it buried him completely.

He even forgot to resist.

Because before that immense power...

He could not make a single move.

Like a rabbit caught in a tiger's gaze, he could only watch helplessly as the shadow of death descended.

Boom—!

The force of the punch exploded against Chen Xinjie's chest.

At that instant, the Four-Word Battle Armor on Chen Xinjie's body activated automatically. Azure light bloomed across him, while the power of the Sea God Helmet desperately resisted as well.

But before that punch force, every defense...

Was as fragile as paper.

The sound of the Battle Armor shattering was crisp and piercing, while the Sea God Helmet's glow instantly dimmed.

Chen Xinjie's body flew backward like a kite with its string cut...

Drawing a long arc through the sky.

Blood sprayed from his mouth, and he instantly lost consciousness, falling completely unconscious.

And this...

Was merely one punch.