Vast Sea Douluo, Chen Xinjie!

On the other side, inside the interrogation room at the Federation branch.

Tang Wulin sat in a chair with a plate of fruit, a plate of pastries, and a steaming cup of soul beast milk placed in front of him. He crossed his legs, taking a bite of pastry and a sip of milk, eating to his heart's content.

The soldier guarding him stood at the door, the corner of his eye twitching. Was this brat here to do time or to go on vacation?

It had been less than a day since he was dragged in, yet he ate well and slept well, even complaining that the fruit wasn't sweet enough and demanding a replacement plate. If not for the higher-ups instructing them not to mistreat him, he really wanted to slap him across the face.

"These pastries are pretty good," Tang Wulin swallowed a mouthful and smiled at the soldier. "Big Brother, are there any more? Bring out another plate, won't you."

The soldier: "..."

He silently pulled a pack of compressed biscuits from his pocket and handed them over. "Only these."

Tang Wulin glanced at them with disdain. "Forget it, I'll stick to the pastries."

The soldier: "..."

Just then, the door was shoved open violently. Lieutenant General Li Tian strode in, his military uniform stained with dust, a bruise at the corner of his mouth, and blood still on his body, obviously having just come through a fierce battle.

He looked at the pile of food in front of Tang Wulin, then back at his own disheveled state, his face turning as black as the bottom of a pot.

"You're having a damn fine time eating, aren't you!" Li Tian gritted his teeth.

Tang Wulin put down a pastry and blinked. "It's all right, I guess. Uncle, you look injured? Would you like a piece too?"

Li Tian: "..."

He took a deep breath, fighting hard to suppress the surge of evil fire in his heart, and said in a deep voice, "You can leave."

"Oh?" Tang Wulin tilted his head. "Why?"

"No why." Li Tian pulled a long face and lied, "The higher-ups decided to let you go. Hurry up and pack your things and get lost."

Naturally, Li Tian couldn't admit that he had chickened out. This brat seemed to really not be lying, and his backing was truly massive.

In such a short time, two major factions had stepped up to bat for him, and there was also the Divine Craftsman and that god-level Mecha Master, neither of whom were simple.

He regretted it, and intended to sneakily release Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin didn't move. He leisurely picked up a pastry, took a bite, and said vaguely:

"Uncle, what you're saying isn't right. Didn't you guys say I was some kind of Evil Soul Master? Didn't you say you were going to investigate thoroughly? How come you're letting me go after only a day?"

Li Tian's face stiffened. "This is a decision from above, stop spouting nonsense!"

"That won't do." Tang Wulin put down the pastry and looked at him with complete seriousness.

"I'm a very meticulous person. You guys said I was an Evil Soul Master, arrested me, and now you're saying you'll let me go? Wouldn't I lose an awful lot of face? I figure it's better to investigate carefully, it's good for everyone. What if I really am an Evil Soul Master? If you let me go, wouldn't that endanger society?"

Li Tian: "..."

He felt his blood pressure soaring. Looking at the little bean-sprout in front of him, he wanted nothing more than to slap him to death. But he knew he couldn't.

That chef-uniformed man outside was still causing a ruckus, and Shrek Academy and the Spirit Pagoda were still applying pressure. If he really dared to harm a single hair on Tang Wulin's head, the Federation headquarters would probably be dismantled tomorrow.

"Are you leaving or not?" Li Tian suppressed his rage. "Don't be ungrateful!"

Tang Wulin shook his head. "Not leaving. Like I said, getting me in was simple, but wanting me out won't be so easy."

"You!" Li Tian's eyes bulged with fury. "Just what do you want?"

"It's very simple." Tang Wulin spread his hands. "Before, when I wanted to leave, you wouldn't let me out. Now that you want me to leave, fine-have the Federation Chairman come personally to apologize to me."

Tang Wulin delivered those final words with ringing clarity.

"In your dreams!" Li Tian roared furiously. "What kind of thing are you? Are you worthy of an apology from the Chairman?"

Tang Wulin shrugged. "Then forget it. I'm staying here just fine, there's food and drink, and people to keep me company. Uncle, if you don't have anything else to do, you can head out first; don't delay me eating."

"You..."

Li Tian shook with anger, pointing at Tang Wulin and unable to speak for a long time. In the end, he flicked his sleeve, turned on his heel, and strode away, the slamming door echoing through the entire hallway.

Tang Wulin looked at the tightly shut door, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly. He picked up the last piece of pastry, took a leisurely bite, and muttered to himself:

"What's the rush, this has only just begun."

He put down the pastry, leaned back against the chair, and gazed blankly at the ceiling, knowing that things outside must be in absolute chaos by now.

Teacher Wu Changkong should have already informed Teacher Leng Yaozhu, Teacher Zhuo Shi, and Teacher Zhen Hua of his situation. Given those teachers' tempers, the Federation was probably being turned upside down right about now.

"I wonder just how much of a scene the teachers are making," Tang Wulin muttered to himself. "It ought to be enough to give the Federation a headache."

If he didn't fleece the Federation hard this time, he certainly wouldn't leave. Tang Wulin did not have the temperament to take a loss lying down.

He yawned, picked up another pastry, and continued eating.

Outside the Federation headquarters, the plaza was a sea of people.

Mu Ye stood in the center of the plaza, his white chef's uniform still clean and neat, as though those five battles just now had merely been a warm-up.

With his hands behind his back, his breathing steady, and his complexion ruddy, his whole body's Blood Essence surged like a dragon, a faint, scorching aura flickering around him.

The Body Sect excelled above all at protracted battles. Never mind fighting five lieutenant generals in a row-even if five more came, he could still hold his ground.

On the outer perimeter of the plaza, countless citizens stood on tiptoe to peer inside, all sorts of soul guidance recording devices aimed at that figure in the center.

The reporters' faces were flushed with excitement. This was earth-shattering news: a mere chef had single-handedly challenged five Federation lieutenant generals and was even standing right at the gates of the Federation headquarters issuing a challenge. If this were broadcast, the entire continent would explode.

"Just what background does this guy have?"

"No idea, I heard he came to demand justice from the Federation."

"Demand justice? What kind of justice?"

"Seems it's because the Federation arrested his disciple..."

"A chef, and his disciple got arrested by the Federation? What crime did his disciple commit?"

"Who knows, but at any rate, this is one hell of a spectacle to watch."

The murmur of discussion rose and fell, but Mu Ye turned a deaf ear. He simply stood there quietly, his calm gaze fixed on the doors of the Federation headquarters as though waiting for someone.

Just then, the sky suddenly grew dim.

An indescribable pressure rolled in from afar, like a piece of the firmament collapsing.

The originally clear sky instantly churned with dark clouds and fierce winds rose, blowing the citizens in the plaza this way and that amid a chorus of startled cries. Everyone involuntarily raised their heads to look at the sky.

A figure stepped through the heavens.

With every step he took, the air trembled, as though the entire universe shook beneath his feet.

His figure was not tall, even somewhat lean, but the moment he appeared within everyone's field of vision, everyone felt a suffocating sense of oppression.

He landed before the gates of the Federation headquarters, standing in a distant standoff with Mu Ye.

His temples were streaked with grey and his features were ordinary, making him look just like an ordinary middle-aged man.

Yet those eyes were as deep as if they concealed a starry sky. He released no soul power fluctuations whatsoever around his body, yet he gave the illusion that simply by standing there, he was an insurmountable mountain.

He stood there, his entire being radiating just two words: invincible.

"It's Chen Xinjie!"

Someone in the crowd recognized him and let out a shriek.

"Vast Sea Douluo Chen Xinjie! The War God Temple master!"

"A Four-Word Battle Armor Master, a quasi-god-level powerhouse!"

"The Federation's stabilizing divine pillar! He actually came personally!"

"They say he's truly the number one powerhouse under heaven..."

The plaza instantly boiled over. Countless people trembled with excitement, their gazes filled with fanaticism and adoration as they looked at that figure.

In the Sun Moon Federation, Chen Xinjie's name was a legend. He was the master of the War God Temple, the Federation's strongest trump card, and a god in the hearts of countless people.

Inside the Federation headquarters building, the Chairman stood by the window, watching that figure, and nearly jumped for joy. He clenched his fists, unable to conceal the wild elation on his face:

"The Temple Master himself has come! We're secure! This time we're completely secure!"