A World Worth Protecting

The Federation capital sat in the southeastern regions of the Federation. It spanned a large area, spreading out as far as the eye could see and beyond. The large city stood towering, a majestic sight that inspired awe.

There were a hundred huge, inverted mountain-shaped metals under the great city. They looked as if they had been impaled into the ground and were connected to one another, covering the entire area.

The size of each mountain-shaped metal was comparable to that of the Ethereal City, towering thousands of meters tall—it was a stunning sight.

The hundreds of mountain-shaped metals spread across a vast area, presenting a striking image. The city that was built above it held its title proudly… the top city in the Federation!

Below the metal mountains was a thick fog that cloaked the lands. It was as if an ethereal mist had blanketed the area, lending it an air of the mysterious and unfathomable.

Before the Cultivation Era, it had been a beautiful place filled with tall mountains and clear streams. With the arrival of the ancient green-copper sword and the landing of large quantities of broken sword fragments, the rich Spirit Qi transformed the landscape. With the Divine Armament a permanent fixture in the city, the land flourished. Within the fog were many bird beasts that possessed a kind nature, luxuriant foliage, a thriving forest, and streams with water that tasted sweet as if containing Spirit Qi.

One could see, faintly, the lands within the fog. There were eight roads running from the forest to all directions, and countless small stations spread out in circles around the city.

It was like stars clustering around the moon. The scale of it was so grand that comparing the size of the Federation capital to that of an ancient kingdom would not be seen as an exaggeration!

There were more intricacies that could not be discerned because of the fog. However, anyone who went there would be awed with a single glance. The fog-blanketed forest seemed to exude an intense and overpowering atmosphere. It was as if it held a power that could wipe out all who were powerful in the Federation!

Besides that, the most eye-catching thing within the Federation capital was, above the hundred inverse metal mountains and built within the city moat… one hundred and two statues that stood tens of thousands of feet tall!

The statues all looked different. There was the eastern mythological Nüwa, the western mythological god Zeus, and so on and so forth… it could be said that the statues gathered there were the hundred gods that most captured the people’s imagination throughout the history of the earth!

Despite not knowing why the Federation capital had built such statues, it was still clear that their reason wasn’t merely for religious tribute. That was especially because of the two statues in the center of the city; one was actually that of the Grand Supreme Elder of the Ethereal Dao College!

The other was of a middle-aged man who gave off an imposing and overpowering aura. That man… was the current Federation President!

The majestic fog forest, the spectacular great city, as well as the hundred statues within that inspired awe and fear, everything came together to form… the Federation Capital!

Similarly, the population size of the top city in the Federation was the highest in the world. Be it the population size of cultivators or the military, or even that of the common folk, they were so great that only the statistics department of the Federation knew the exact figures. Outsiders only had an estimate.

The great city and the fog beneath it appeared before Wang Baole and his friends’ eyes. Standing on the deck of the cruiser, they were all, except Zhao Yameng, blown away by the sight.

Zhuo Yifan was born of the Five Generation Sky Clan and had seen images of the city in the news many times before. However, it was his first time visiting the city. As he witnessed the grand sight of the great city, so sprawling and majestic that it was almost a kingdom unto itself, waves of excitement and awe stirred in his heart.

Wang Baole was stunned speechless. He gazed out into the Federation capital, breathing profusely.

“This… this is just too big! The houses over here, how much do they actually cost in Spirit Stones…” Wang Baole rubbed his eyes and stared at the city that stretched endlessly into the horizon. He was standing aboard a flying cruiser, and he still couldn’t see an end to the city. He was blown away.

“A house here will cost more than a hundred houses in Ethereal City!” Zhuo Yifan had some knowledge of such matters. He replied upon hearing Wang Baole’s shocked comment.

“What the… a house here costs as much as a hundred droplet cruisers?” Wang Baole trembled in shock, his flesh quivering. Suddenly, he was seized by the realization that everyone living in the city… must all be really wealthy!

Zhao Yameng didn’t say a word as she listened to their exchange. The Foundation Establishment realm cultivators who were escorting them to the city stood at one side and suddenly smiled. They were also moved by the sight. It didn’t matter how many times they had been to the city; every time they gazed upon it, waves of emotions would rise inside them.

The Federation capital could be said to be the heart of the Federation. To the common folk, it was the center of government and business. To cultivators, it meant even more; it… possessed the only Divine Armament in the whole of the Federation!

The Divine Armament’s existence guaranteed the authority of the Federation President, as well as inspired awe and respect throughout the lands. It was the reason why, while internal political turmoil plaguing the Federation had led to talks of separatism, the Federation as a whole was still relatively stable and secure.

The cruiser approached the vicinity of the capital city amidst Wang Baole and Zhuo Yifan’s quickened breathing and frequent gasps of shock. Gradually, it slowed down. After going through a series of inspections and scans—Wang Baole had no idea what exactly each one was for—the cruiser was allowed entry. It landed in the designated bay for the Ethereal Dao College.

Ethereal Dao College disciples who had been stationed in the capital were already there waiting. After Wang Baole and the rest arrived, they were immediately intercepted and received. After a series of arrangements, they finally reached the manor managed by the Ethereal Dao College.

The manor environment was refined and quaint, with the twittering of birds and the fragrance of flowers in the air. There was also a strong Spirit Qi in the air. The manor wasn’t opened to the public on ordinary days and served as a residence for Ethereal Dao College disciples only. Many disciples from the Ethereal Dao College who were taking part in the Federation’s hundred seedling selection had already checked in when Wang Baole and the rest arrived.

After everything was settled, Zhao Yameng didn’t move into the residence allocated by the college. Instead, she bade Wang Baole and Zhuo Yifan farewell and looked as if she was leaving.

“Where are you going?” Wang Baole got curious, and Zhuo Yifan turned and looked over as well.

“My family lives in the capital.” If it had been someone else, Zhao Yameng might not have answered the question, but it was Wang Baole and Zhuo Yifan, whom she had survived a death-or-life situation with; they were not other people.

Upon hearing Zhao Yameng’s words, Zhuo Yifan’s eyes widened. Wang Baole could hear something exploding in his mind and was dazed.

“Your family… must be really rich!” After a pause, he said with great envy. Zhao Yameng caught the tone in Wang Baole’s voice. She smiled, bade farewell to Zhuo Yifan, and left at a leisurely pace.

It would have been fine if it had been an ordinary departure, but as Zhao Yameng stepped out of the Ethereal Dao College’s manor, Wang Baole and Zhuo Yifan witnessed seven to eight gold cruisers appearing instantly. They approached swiftly, then stopped, and more than a hundred strong men quickly marched out of the cruisers.

Be it its appearance or structure, Wang Baole, who had the eye of a Dharmic Armament Pavilion’s Armament Soldier, could tell immediately that the gold cruisers were not ordinary cruisers. The cruisers had taken him by surprise. Then, the hundred strong men appeared. Almost every single one of them had a True Breath realm cultivation.

Amongst them was an elderly man who had an especially strong cultivation aura that seemed comparable to the giant tree. He seemed to be a butler of sorts, bowing at Zhao Yameng with kindness and concern on his face.

“Welcome home, young missus.”

Zhao Yameng nodded and boarded the cruiser. She waved goodbye to the stunned Wang Baole and Zhuo Yifan… then departed in a grand and spectacular manner.

Wang Baole was dazed, and Zhuo Yifan silent. After a moment, when the cruiser that had Zhao Yameng in it had disappeared into the horizon, both of them looked at each other with strange looks on their faces.

“What’s her background?”

“She’s so rich!”

The pair spoke almost simultaneously. In the end, they returned to their residences—each feeling different emotions about the entire matter—and managed to settle down to a certain extent. However, both young men had their guesses and suspicions regarding Zhao Yameng’s family background.

They rested for the night. The next morning, Wang Baole set aside his suspicions regarding Zhao Yameng and went in search of Zhuo Yifan. He dragged Zhuo Yifan out of the manor and started strolling through the city.

They wandered and looked at the stores in the capital. The wealth and scale of the place surpassed that of Ethereal City. The materials necessary for cultivation, especially, were available in great variety there. It was as if everything that could be found and sold in the Federation could be found and sold there.

The pair, who had suffered the battle at the Coulomb Basin and expended their stock of materials and armaments, was immensely tempted. Zhuo Yifan had his eyes on some pills and a jade slip documenting a mystic technique.

However, as soon as he inquired about their prices, he was stunned speechless. Despite having come from considerable wealth, they were still much too expensive.

It was the same for Wang Baole. He stared at the items displayed in the store excitedly, exclaiming from time to time.

“Tempered Gold Clay!”

“Streaming Light Liquid!”

“God, there’s Heaven Crystal Sand as well!”

All these are rare materials that could give Numinous Treasures extra abilities and features if used during the crafting process, and augment the Numinous Treasures.Wang Baole swiftly and eagerly browsed through the stores. He paused when he saw something. Something exploded in his mind, and he could hear sudden buzzing in his head.

This… this is…

The sight that his eyes saw was that of a potted plant, an arm’s width thick, resembling a palm tree but red in color. What had sent him trembling was what was embedded within the trunk of the palm, no larger than a finger… a black fragment!

Wang Baole felt a strong calling the instant he saw the fragment. He felt, in that instant, as if… that fragment was made from the same material as the black mask!

He fought back the temptation he felt, made another round in the store, and then casually pointed at various materials. It was when he had almost completed his shopping and was about to inquire about the price of the fragment, prepared to add the red palm tree to his shopping cart and buy it as well.

It was then…

Outside the store, the laughter of an old man rang out.

“So the two of you are actually here.”