A World Worth Protecting

Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. He stared at the door, then looked at the stone statue. After a long moment of silence, he suddenly asked, “Kong Dao, how long do you need to push open the stone door?”

“I won’t be able to do it within ten breaths. Based on my past attempts though, I should be able to do it… if you give me fifteen minutes!” Kong Dao said in a low voice after some thought.

Wang Baole had a considering look on his face as he did some calculations. Even with him in the picture, it would be a challenge for them to push open the door within the span of ten breaths. Since the stone statue could come to life, it remained a danger to them.

With my current strength, I wonder if I’ll be able to fight… someone at the late-stage Core Formation realm! Wang Baole’s eyes shone with anticipation at that thought. He truly wanted to know the extent of power he possessed now in a fight.

However, he would take the shortcut if there was one. He raised his right hand, and a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament flying sword appeared in his hand. With a single slash, a force that could cut through anything erupted and gathered in the flying sword. The sword shone with a dazzling light as it flew towards the stone statue.

There was a loud thud. The stone statue moved slightly, but it was undamaged. Auras that seemed to imply that it was stirring awake began to exude from the stone statue.

“Seems like it’s not really possible to hack it into pieces before it can wake. Since that’s the case…” As Wang Baole muttered to himself, the cultivation inside his body began to churn. As he activated his Lightning Core, vast quantities of lightning bolts appeared, filling the air. Icy Dark Fires appeared as well. Blood Qi surged from Wang Baole’s body at the same time. Lightning, Dark Fire, and Blood Qi combined to form a fearsome power around Wang Baole!

Alarm flashed across Kong Dao’s face then, and his pupils contracted in shock. Wang Baole had grown much more powerful since he had arrived at the Vast Expanse Dao Palace.

“Kong Dao, push the door open. I’ll handle the stone statue when it comes to life,” Wang Baole said as his eyes shone with a bright light. Kong Dao thought for a bit and stared at Wang Baole. He didn’t question Wang Baole. Instead, he nodded and headed straight for the stone door. He stood before it and took a deep breath. Then, he raised both his palms up and roared. He unleashed his cultivation and the power of his physical body and pushed the door.

The stone bat statue shook again as Kong Dao began pushing, and waves of spirit energy began to spread from the statue. It seemed connected to the stone door. Once someone started pushing the door, it would wake from its slumber.

Wang Baole’s eyes flashed. He took a few steps forward and stood behind Kong Dao, right in front of the stone statue.

Kong Dao would have found it difficult to unleash his full power if the person standing behind him wasn’t Wang Baole. He would have continued to keep an eye on his back and made preparations to escape as soon as something went wrong. At the moment though, his eyes stared straight ahead. His whole focus was on the door before him, and he paid no attention to the statue behind him.

He trusted Wang Baole. He unleashed his full cultivation and pushed madly at the door with a strength he had never exhibited before. The span of ten breaths passed swiftly as Kong Dao unleashed his full power.

As soon as the tenth breath was released, the stone bat statue suddenly released a piercing shriek. Waves of spirit energy surged from the statue as its shut eyes opened. Overpowering spirit energy exploded from the statue before it shifted and charged straight at Kong Dao!

Kong Dao was clearly not as powerful as the bat. Without any life-saving means, his body and spirit would have undoubtedly been destroyed in the fight. As soon as the bat came charging for him, Wang Baole unleashed his full cultivation once again. He took a step forward and sent his fist flying out!

He unleashed Supernova with his punch. Numerous lightning bolts surged outward even before his fist landed. They appeared to transform into an electromagnetic hurricane, spreading outward and colliding with the approaching bat.

A loud explosion erupted. The resulting shock wave sent dust flying in the air, and the bat was flung back. Wang Baole’s laughter erupted in the air. He dashed forward, through the flying dust, towards the bat.

A red light appeared in the bat’s eyes. The gash on its chest began to glow with a similar light. As soon as Wang Baole approached, it let loose a piercing noise that seemed like it could cut through diamond and shatter stone. The space between the bat and Wang Baole began to ripple with energy. They surged towards Wang Baole.

The waves of spirit energy were swift and their power terrifying. They hit Wang Baole instantly. Wang Baole shuddered, and his organs quaked in his body. He could sense the difference between this aural attack and his megaphone. Besides the aural shock waves, the spirit energy seemed to contain the power to drain one of his vitality. It could seal his cultivation as well. It had the ability to seal Wang Baole’s cultivation shut and drain him dry until he died.

Any other mid-stage or even late-stage Core Formation realm cultivator might have been alarmed in the face of this attack, as it was clearly one of the bat’s most powerful attacks.

With a sudden burst of speed, the bat transformed into what seemed like a dying rainbow and came charging. It was about to tear its way through Wang Baole’s chest. However, as soon as it drew near, Wang Baole, who had been affected by the aural attack, suddenly smiled. A duplicate image of him could be seen over his physical body. A semi-illusory hand formed from lightning raised into the air and grabbed the approaching bat by its neck!

That was Wang Baole’s Lightning Avatar!

Everything happened too quickly. From the beginning of the fight, to when Wang Baole’s avatar raised its hand, everything took place within a split second. From afar, the hand made out of lightning that Wang Baole had raised exuded terrifying power. Lightning bolts filled the air and made it difficult for one to tell that it was an avatar. It looked like a spirit exiting from its physical form instead.

The bat hadn’t expected the sudden attack, and it was too late for it to free itself. A single word slipped out from Wang Baole’s mouth.

“Explode!”

The right hand that he had grabbed the bat with exploded immediately. The power of lightning that was within the hand, and flames from Wang Baole’s Dark Core, erupted at the same time. Dark Fires surged out and enveloped the bat. Lighting bolts descended like a fierce storm, flooding it with electricity.

The bat released a shrill shriek of agony amidst the thundering booms. It fell back swiftly as red light surged forward, battling Wang Baole’s lightning and fire. While that happened, the bat was also able to manipulate some of the red light, gathering it into the shape of a fang. The bat sent it flying forward with startling speed. It pierced through the air and charged right at Wang Baole.

The fang exuded a spirit energy tinged with blood. The blood in Wang Baole’s body solidified, resulting in his momentary immobility just as he was about to attack. The fang hit him directly.

There was a loud thud. Wang Baole stumbled back as blood spilled from his lips, and the shield in front of him began to crack. It was one of his many disposable, one-time-use-only eighth-grade Dharmic Armaments. It shattered and turned to dust after taking the hit for him.

Seems like it’s going to be a difficult fight if I don’t use any Dharmic Armaments. Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. He took a big step forward. The megaphone appeared in his hand instantly, and he hollered into it. As aural shock waves rippled out, his tri-colored flying swords came swooping in, slicing through the air and charging at the retreating bat. It tore through space. The bat drew its wings back and tried to shield itself against the attack as danger approached.

It was then that Wang Baole’s avatar approached it from behind soundlessly. The avatar walked out and sent a punch forward. A hurricane formed from lightning enveloped the bat, rendering it helpless against the tri-colored flying swords.

With a thunderous boom, the bat pushed its wings wide open. An immense force surged from its wings, driving Wang Baole’s avatar back and away from it. Two of the three flying swords were sent flying into the distance as well. However, Wang Baole’s avatar had succeeded in holding the bat back. The bat had no choice but to unleash its attack earlier. The remaining flying sword continued its path and pierced right through the bat’s right wing!

An agonizing shriek rang in the air. The bat retreated hastily, staring unblinkingly at Wang Baole, with fear and caution in its eyes.

What a pity. If I’d managed to master the third level of the Lightning Immortal Transformation, I’d be able to switch places with my avatar and kill this monster! Wang Baole’s breathing quickened slightly as he stood and stared at the most powerful opponent he had fought since his arrival at the Vast Expanse Dao Palace.

Their staring contest was short-lived. Just as a cold light colored Wang Baole’s eyes and he was about to strike once again, Kong Dao’s voice, filled with excitement and urgency, rang out behind him.

“Open!”

With a loud rumbling, under Kong Dao’s persistent pushing, the stone door finally budged open, revealing a narrow opening. As soon as the opening appeared, extremely rich Spirit Qi, trapped for too long inside the cave, escaped through the sliver of an opening and surged out!