A World Worth Protecting

After grabbing hold of the key, Wang Baole didn’t speak a word. Instead, he stood on the rock beside Dugu Lin and raised his head to look at the night sky, where ripple-like waves were spreading in all directions. That caused the night sky map to be blurred and slightly warped. That wasn’t the first time something similar had happened in the night sky. It had happened once twelve hours ago, and that was… a sign that the teleportation was about to occur.

“This is the end.” Wang Baole spoke softly while retracting his gaze from the night sky and lowering his head to calmly look at Dugu Lin, who was lying there. Wang Baole shook his head as he looked at his opponent, who had blood flowing out of his body and who was struggling to even stand up. Wang Baole shook his head, and based simply on his life experiences and not the teachings of the high officials’ autobiographies, he naturally extended his hand to Dugu Lin.

Dugu Lin, who had lost all his strength and was still struggling to stand up, was momentarily surprised when he saw Wang Baole extending his right hand towards him. He was silent for a while before laughing suddenly. Without even wiping off the blood from the corner of his mouth, he grabbed onto Wang Baole’s right hand. Even though his body was still trembling, when he grabbed hold of Wang Baole’s hand, Wang Baole pulled, and Dugu Lin managed to sit up.

The pulling seemed to have affected Dugu Lin’s injuries slightly, and he twisted his mouth. He looked at Wang Baole while panting, his eyes carrying a mix of complexity, emotion, and relatability.

“Are there others in your Federation who are as capable as you?” Dugu Lin couldn’t help but ask.

“In terms of looks, if I, Wang Baole, claim to be number two, no one would dare to claim that they are number one! However, if it was in terms of combat capabilities, there are many who could defeat me.” Wang Baole raised his head and spoke calmly. If those words were said by someone else, they would have felt embarrassed. However, as Wang Baole had hypnotized himself countless times, he truly believed what he said about his own appearance. That was especially so as, right now, he had really lost weight!

Dugu Lin hadn’t interacted with Wang Baole previously, and now that he heard those words, he was visibly thrown into a blur. With a weird expression on his face, a loud boom was heard, reverberating within the trial grounds. As the power of teleportation grew stronger, and as everyone was still in a state of surprise after having watched the process and ending of the battle, the teleportation… began!

That was the second teleportation that had happened in the trial grounds. Everyone who didn’t possess a key would be eliminated, and right now, Wang Baole was the only one there who had a key.

Seeing that the teleportation had begun, and as he felt the force of teleportation and rejection from the trial grounds, Dugu Lin took a deep breath. He dazedly looked at Wang Baole, who had obviously slimmed down, before nodding his head at him.

“The definition of beauty in your Federation… Hah, I understand now. There should have been deep hatred between us.” Dugu Lin spoke softly before shaking his head. He wasn’t someone who didn’t dare to concede defeat. Even though there was a huge price to pay for this battle, whatever had happened had happened. Soon, a desire to battle burned in his eyes again, and he looked at Wang Baole and spoke.

“Wang Baole, this has been an exhilarating battle. I will go into seclusion after returning. You must work hard too, as I will battle you again once I emerge from seclusion!” As Dugu Lin spoke, the intention to battle grew stronger in his eyes. His body began to turn blurry as the teleportation array formation was activated, but the adamant desire for battle was something that the teleportation array formation couldn’t remove.

“I’ll await our next battle!” Wang Baole spoke calmly, and Dugu Lin laughed. His body turned into a blur completely and disappeared. At the same time, the surrounding on-lookers were also being turned into a blur. However, before they were teleported away, they bowed at Wang Baole with cupped fists, without prior agreement with each other.

Their eyes carried a complex look of respect and awe. That was because they understood deeply that, from now on, no one would dare be scornful of the name ‘Wang Baole’. Even though there were some who were unwilling to concede, they still had to be courteous to him, at least on the surface. After all, the survival of the fittest was how the Dao Palace worked!

People continually disappeared, including Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao, who vanished with happiness and excitement in their eyes, until Wang Baole became the only person left on the trial grounds!

There was nothing else remaining between the heavens and earth within the trial grounds. That quietness calmed Wang Baole instantly. He raised his head to look at the night sky, recalling everything that had happened since entering the trial grounds. Gradually, a peculiar glow appeared in his eyes, and he asked silently in his heart.

“Little Missy, is it possible that once I become more powerful, my intrinsic scabbard could hold the ancient greenish-bronze sword within it?”

Little Missy, who didn’t react ever since Wang Baole entered the trial grounds, was silent for a brief moment before she spoke softly into Wang Baole’s mind.

“Yes!”

Wang Baole smiled. Without hesitation, he stepped forward. As he was the only person remaining in the trial grounds, the trial had ended with the other people being teleportation away. The teleportation array formation didn’t dissipate like the day before and was instead waiting for Wang Baole to step into it.

As he stepped forward, he seemed to have crossed into thin air from the mountains. His body turned blurry, starting from his legs. When his limbs and body had vanished completely, the trial that everyone in the Dao Palace had placed great emphasis on was concluded!

Wang Baole saw nothing but a blur. When the teleportation ended, and as everything before his eyes regained clarity, he saw the unique appearance of the Dao Palace’s skies, the Sea of Fire in the distance, the great hall at the peak of the mountain, and the gazes that everyone had laid on him as he stood in the public square!

Of those people, there was Zhou Chudao, Dugu Lin, and others whom he had defeated, as well as Zhao Yameng, Kong Dao, and the other Federation Seedlings. However, regardless of whether Wang Baole knew them or not, at that moment, their eyes were all on him. That was the case for those Nascent Soul realm cultivators, as well as Mie Liezi and company.

There was silence in the public square.

Even though Wang Baole was from the Federation, he had managed to demonstrate a combat power that deeply shocked most Dao Palace disciples, many of whom were elites themselves. However, there were still a few of them who felt jealous of Wang Baole, though they didn’t show it on their faces. After all, right now, Wang Baole was different from before!

It wasn’t an exaggeration to call him the top person after defeating Zhou Chudao and Dugu Lin!

Even those Nascent Soul realm cultivators looked at Wang Baole with a profound look in their eyes. Without a doubt, the wave that had been produced from the battle between Wang Baole and Dugu Lin had surpassed that of the Core Formation realm and had reached the standards of the Nascent Soul realm!

They respected such an elite. Even Mie Liezi, who was looking extremely solemn, carried a look of appreciation towards Wang Baole when he looked at him. However, he still felt regret and pity that such a talent didn’t belong to his lineage.

As for Daoist You Ran, he had his eyes closed while smiling. No one knew what he was thinking about in his mind.

Amidst everyone’s silence, Wang Baole took a slow, deep breath before bowing deeply with cupped fists at Feng Qiuran and company who were in the higher seats!

His greeting made Feng Qiuran feel a torrent of emotions. She stood up immediately, and Mie Liezi also rose slowly while sighing, followed by Daoist You Ran. With the three of them standing up, the Nascent Soul realm cultivators also followed suit, and that was the same for all the other disciples who were around!

“Ring the bell!” Feng Qiuran spoke without waiting for Mie Liezi. If it were some other scenario, Mie Liezi would definitely be displeased. However, right now, the fact that he didn’t say anything meant that he silently approved of Feng Qiuran’s action.

“Congratulations to my disciple, Wang Baole, for placing first in the trial for the Hyacinthus Tree leaves. You will be given three Hyacinthus Tree leaves and can distribute them according to your own preferences!” Feng Qiuran smiled warmly as the ringing of the bell reverberated throughout the entire Dao Palace.

The sound of the bell was loud and spread in all directions. That caused ripples in Wang Baole’s heart, who had become the center of attention of the masses. He looked at Zhao Yameng and company and smiled, before greeting Feng Qiuran and company with cupped fists again!

“Thank you, Elders!”

As Wang Baole spoke, cheers erupted from the Federation Seedlings. The cheers reverberated, and the other Dao Palace disciples recovered from the silence as well. They experienced different emotions as they began to talk, and some of them even took the initiative to begin a conversation with the Federation Seedlings. Amidst the buzzing activity on the public square, Xie Haiyang, who was within the crowd, also began to reap his gains from the bets that he had made with excitement.

Someone also brought up the three bowls that Xie Haiyang had turned over back then. Xie Haiyang laughed and flipped the first bowl over. There was a jade slip under the bowl, and the words ‘Wang Baole’ were written on it!

Then, the second and third bowl were also turned over. Similarly, the words ‘Wang Baole’ were also written on them!