A World Worth Protecting

Initially, no one on the public square in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace would have willingly paid attention to Wang Baole and his team. The most they would do might be to spare a passing glance as their eyes browsed past other projections.

That was why even though the spectators could see the aerial map as well, not many noticed when their three keys turned to six. Only the group of Federation Seedlings that had gathered at the periphery of the public square had their eyes fixed constantly on the images showing Wang Baole’s team.

They had seen with their own eyes when Wang Baole had charged out, how he had struck instantly, broken the legs of three disciples from the Vast Expanse Dao Palace and doubled their number of keys. They had been invigorated by the scene, but they hadn’t made a loud fuss. Even Li Yi had been silent. They had already realized the key to this trial from Wang Baole’s team.

Then, they had seen the battle between Wang Baole and Li Bin’s party. They had seen the terrifying blood-colored meridians and Wang Baole’s brutal massacre. The sight had made their breathing turn uneven and quick, and they had grown agitated. That had drawn the attention of the surrounding disciples from the Vast Expanse Dao Palace.

Wang Baole’s massacre had ended by the time the disciples who had noticed something strange was going on had looked over. However, on the aerial map, Wang Baole’s team’s keys had increased from six to thirteen keys. The discovery of that… caught many people’s attention. They gasped in shock!

“The keys held by the participants from the Federation… their numbers have increased!”

“Hmm? Thirteen keys! Are my eyes playing tricks on me? I haven’t been paying attention. How did they suddenly get so many keys without anyone’s notice!”

“Something’s not right here!”

The gasps of shock drew more people’s attention. Soon, increasingly more disciples in the public square had their eyes on the projection showing Wang Baole’s team. They were all stunned by the thirteen keys. Currently… in the trial, the participant with the greatest number of keys was Dugu Lin. He had more than forty keys!

The next person with the most number of keys was Zhou Chudao and the other prodigies. Each had two dozen keys or so. Their presences were extremely visible on the map. Wang Baole’s team… with their number of keys, actually placed six!

To possess so many keys in such a chaotic situation was seen as an unwise move by many. It had a great likelihood of drawing too much attention. Despite their shock, most of them shook their head secretly. Many, who looked down on the Federation, displayed scorn and mockery on their faces openly.

That was why no one had really paid attention to Wang Baole’s violent murders. Even Mie Liezi himself was the same. After all… there were six hundred projections. It was impossible to pay attention to all of them at the same time. Those who had lost their keys, especially, had vanished from the map. They typically found a hiding spot and stayed there without moving a single inch.

The matter couldn’t be hidden for long though, especially with more people paying attention to Wang Baole. They wanted to see how their factions had been robbed of their keys. Wang Baole’s strength and power were exposed. The spectators saw with their own eyes as he attacked instantly, injuring four participants heavily and snatching another four keys. That brought the tally to seventeen keys. Many spectators caught those scenes. Soon, a wave of shocked gasps stronger than the previous erupted in the spectating crowd.

“This Wang Baole is hiding his true strength!”

“He only took three seconds to crush four other cultivators at the same level as him, at the mid-stage Core Formation realm. Heavens!”

With the rising commotion, Feng Qiuran, Mie Liezi, and many other Nascent Soul realm cultivators began to notice the strange happenings occurring around Wang Baole. They were all taken aback. Feng Qiuran, especially, was stunned. Her eyes widened as she stared at a screen. Wang Baole and his team were racing forward.

“Wang Baole? That’s quite interesting…” Mie Liezi said suddenly. He raised his right hand and pointed. Suddenly, amongst the many screens showing what the disciples from Feng Qiuran’s faction were doing, the one showing Wang Baole’s team expanded in size. It took up half the entirety of the vortex. Mie Liezi waved his right hand, and the image began to rewind. The events that had taken place since Wang Baole’s team had entered the trial and everything that had happened after were being replayed!

Everyone’s eyes zoomed onto the enlarged screen. They saw Wang Baole strike and break the legs of those three cultivators, and Wang Baole’s battle with Li Bin!

They saw with their own eyes the blood-colored meridians extending out from Wang Baole’s body and his massacre of the other participants. A wave of shock and fury instantly erupted amongst the spectators. Many got to their feet and began shouting.

“What cultivation technique is that?”

“He killed him!”

“The cultivator from the Federation dares to kill our fellow disciples from the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!”

As these cultivators raged, the Federation Seedlings clenched their fists and fumed secretly. They could do little to help though. Even a few Nascent Soul realm cultivators were staring with icy, murderous light in their eyes. A few turned towards Mie Liezi and the other two Elders with the intention of saying something. They soon stopped themselves as they saw the myriad of emotions flashing across the Elders’ faces. Feng Qiuran stood up, her breathing clearly agitated and her eyes shining with an intense light.

The sight sent the Nascent Soul realm cultivators, who had been planning to say something, thinking. They didn’t speak but continued to observe closely. The disciples around them also noticed the Elders’ reactions. The entire public square fell silent. Mie Liezi’s breathing quickened slightly, and his eyes revealed the complicated feelings he was experiencing. He said, with a low voice, “Is this… the legendary… Thearch Armor inheritance?”

“It might look slightly different from what’s documented in our records, but there is no doubt that this is the ultimate inheritance that our Vast Expanse Dao Palace has placed in the Eye of Infinite Techniques—the Thearch Armor inheritance!” Feng Qiuran’s eyes shone brightly. She seemed overwhelmed with emotions.

“This kid must have been to the Eye of Infinite Techniques and uncovered a golden opportunity. Not bad, not bad at all. To be able to earn the recognition of our sect’s sacred land. He is indeed a true disciple of our Vast Expanse Dao Palace!” Feng Qiuran burst out into laughter. She took a deep breath and sat down again. Her eyes showed her strong approval as she watched Wang Baole through the projection!

She believed that this was the reason why Wang Baole had suddenly become so strong!

As for the massacre… after a moment of silence, Mie Liezi decided not to mention it. He knew that to be recognized by the Land of Inheritance and receive an inheritance was, to a certain degree, to gain the status akin to a core disciple. The sect had collapsed. Else, if they were to follow the traditions of old, one who had his name written on the Dao Plate would be promoted to the status of a core disciple after walking out from the Land of Inheritance.

This was a status that was vastly more elevated and esteemed than theirs, which was that of inner sect disciples!

Mie Liezi might harbor ill will towards the Federation, but his loyalty to the Vast Expanse Dao Palace was eternal and unchanging! Even though he held no goodwill towards Wang Baole, in his silence, he couldn’t help but observe the latter. He wanted to know… what made one who had earned an inheritance in the Land of Inheritance special!

You Ran was silent as well. He narrowed his eyes, and a flicker of cold light flashed in the hidden depths of his eyes, hidden from discovery. It vanished in an instant. The smile on his face remained, and he seemed unfazed by it all.

The Nascent Soul realm cultivators and the other disciples around them watched as the three Elders chose not to pursue the matter of the massacre. They stared at one another and kept quiet. The Federation Seedlings, after a moment of stunned silence, began to grow hopeful amidst their confusion and doubt.

The entire public square descended into silence. All eyes watched the five personal disciples as well as the projection showing Wang Baole.

Time passed swiftly, and a day soon went by. The first teleportation was going to occur… in two hours’ time. The aerial map showed the five personal disciples each staking their own territory in a corner of the map. Countless keys shone on the map. They looked like stars in the night sky, dazzling beyond measure!

Wang Baole had acquired twenty keys by now. He stood out like a dazzling cluster of keys on the aerial map as well. He was the sixth star on the map in the eyes of the spectating cultivators!

The world where the trial was taking place began to grow increasingly quiet. There were still plenty of keys scattered across the map, but their exchanges were growing more infrequent. This was like the calm before the storm. The silence seemed to contain a mad violence that could turn the heavens and earth upside down!

The spectators could sense the tense atmosphere before the storm. Streaks of tension began to appear amidst the silence. Everyone stared unblinkingly at the screens, waiting… for the storm to descend!

In the trial, Wang Baole was presently standing atop a mountain peak. He lifted his head and stared at the aerial map, a deep look in his eyes. Behind him were Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao. They were slightly injured. Kong Dao appeared as he had always been. On the other hand, Zhao Yameng’s eyes had become fiercer after half a day.

They were going to be the main attack force in the coming days. Their targets were the participants who were hidden from the map and planning to ambush them. Wang Baole would only interfere if they came across someone they couldn’t handle. Otherwise, the both of them would fight the enemy. This resulted in not only Kong Dao’s but also Zhao Yameng’s will to fight intensifying rapidly!

They were both silent at the moment. Zhao Yameng stared at Wang Baole’s back as she recalled everything that had happened in the trial. A strange light began to appear in her eyes. She was about to say something when Wang Baole, with his back facing them and his eyes on the night sky, suddenly said, “Yameng, Kong Dao, how about we… do a big one?”