Powerful beings of the older generation like Chen Xinjie all understood that the seemingly irreversible worsening of the ecosystem was, in very large part, due to the gradual decline of soul beasts.

Soul beasts had actually existed in this world before humans did, but humans had since slaughtered soul beasts with reckless abandon, and the situation worsened significantly after the founding of the Spirit Pagoda.

The Spirit Pagoda's past goal was to facilitate peaceful coexistence between humans and soul beasts, but at some point, research into man-made soul spirits became a priority.

This research required a massive number of soul beast specimens, and the Spirit Pagoda used this reason to dispel the parliament's doubts and began to capture and slaughter soul beasts on a massive scale, using advanced technology to further cut down on the habitat of soul beasts.

The Great Star Dou Forest had once been renowned as the core of life on the Douluo Continent, but it was nothing more than a glorified pen now.

It certainly wasn't the case that no one had discovered this issue, but what could they do? The Spirit Pagoda was already too powerful; even the federation would find it extremely difficult to undermine them.

Chen Xinjie couldn't help but heave an internal sigh. How could this current situation be changed?

He had never set foot on the other two continents before, so he was unaware of the situation there. He had agreed to start a war in the hope of conquering those two continents and use life energy to reciprocate the Douluo Continent. At the very least, some immigration could be facilitated, and commercial manufacturing had to be significantly reduced. On top of that, the Spirit Pagoda had to be restrained.

All of this required a unified rule as a prerequisite.

He had constantly been searching for a figure that could lead the federation in a better direction, and he had found one. She was a member of the opposing faction, but for the sake of the federation's future, she was the right choice. Unbeknownst to her, she would've already been assassinated countless times had she not been protected by the Battle God Hall in secret.

Thinking back to her resolute expression as she vigorously lashed out at the Eagle Faction in parliament, a faint smile appeared on Chen Xinjie's face.

Her resilience and stubbornness really reminded him of a certain someone in their youth. Unfortunately, her past had been extremely tragic. His intervention had come too late in the end!

However, it was exactly due to those tragic experiences that Mo Lan was bound to become an extremely important figure in the future.

All of a sudden, Chen Xinjie seemed to have detected something, and a sharp look appeared in his eyes. At the same time, it was as if a series of massive waves had erupted within the carriage, all of which were surging toward a single direction.

In that direction, light and darkness were intertwining incessantly, and a door of light was forcibly torn open.

Chen Xinjie quickly withdrew his power upon sensing this familiar energy, and an incredulous look appeared on his face.

He was just thinking of her, and now, she was here!

Even though he already knew who it was, his pupils still contracted drastically at the sight of the person who emerged from the door of light. He had already seen her in her youthful form during the clash between Shrek Academy and Spirit Academy, but seeing her at such close quarters still struck him with an unprecedented sense of awe.

Her long hair, her fair skin, her stubborn lips, her haughty disposition, and those jaded eyes that were in stark contrast to her beautiful appearance...

"You, you...

" A lump suddenly appeared in Chen Xinjie's throat, rendering him unable to muster up a coherent sentence.

Long Yeyue also stood in silence and appraised him from across the carriage.

The train was still rapidly advancing, and the two of them continued to look at one another.

In the end, it was Chen Xinjie who broke the silence first.

"I'm so glad to see you again, Yeyue. Is it really alright for you to maintain this form? Wouldn't it expend more of your life force?

"

All of a sudden, a film of tears welled up in Long Yeyue's eyes.

Chen Xinjie was the undisputed leading figure of the Eagle Faction, the commander-in-chief of the united fleet, the commander of the Sea God Legion, and the Battle God Hall Master. He was one of the figures who stood at the very pinnacle of the federation, yet he was left scrambling at the sight of those tears.

"Don't cry, Yeyue! What's going on?

" He strode over to her and reflexively raised a hand to wipe her tears away, only for Long Yeyue to slap his hand aside, while her tears evaporated amid a burst of light elements.

However, she continued to appraise Chen Xinjie in silence, and he was beginning to grow rather uneasy.

"What is it, Yeyue? Talk to me! Do you not want me to participate in this war?

"

No, that couldn't be the case. She was so resolute and stubborn, to the point that he had never seen her display any vulnerability during all of the years they had known one another.

If it hadn't been for their mutual stubbornness, they would've already been together. It was their own fault that their relationship had reached a dead-end.

Long Yeyue merely continued to appraise him, and his eyes gradually lost their focus.

He was suddenly struck by the feeling that it wouldn't be bad to just look at the woman of his dreams forever.

As he had aged year by year, his stubbornness had gradually waned. Otherwise, that confession to Long Yeyue would've never happened. He was trying to fulfill his ultimate wish in the twilight of his life, and even though it was already too late, he couldn't give up.

In contrast, Long Yeyue was just as stubborn as she had been in her youth, but that was part of why he loved her!

There were many factors behind their failed relationship in the end, but the most prominent wedge between them was that they each had their own responsibilities.

Back when she had married the Sea God's Pavilion Master of that generation, Chen Xinjie had fallen into a severe depression and went into seclusion for 10 years. After he emerged from seclusion, he had already become the youngest Limit Douluo in the history of the Battle God Hall. After that, he became the new Battle God Hall Master, and ever since then, the two of them had rarely ever met.

However, his love for her had never changed.

This was the first time that he had seen Long Yeyue shed tears. What kind of situation could drive such a strong woman to display such vulnerability?

Chen Xinjie's heart was aching so much that he was unable to breathe. He felt like he had returned to his youth, when he had just received news that she had married the Sea God's Pavilion Master.

Both of them were immersed in their own memories and remained silent for a long while.

"Chen Xinjie.

" Long Yeyue's voice was quite hoarse as she spoke.

"What is it?

" Chen Xinjie finally returned to his senses upon hearing her voice.

"I'm here to ask you about the location of Eternal Heaven; are you willing to tell me?

" It seemed to have taken all of Long Yeyue's energy to muster up those words, and her eyes were filled with stubbornness and indignation as she spoke.

It was no wonder that she had been driven to the point of tears; she had most likely never had to beg anyone for anything in her life.

Chen Xinjie suddenly realized that she was here for Eternal Heaven, not for him, and that her indignation only stemmed from the fact that she was being forced to submit to him.