A World Worth Protecting

1

The battleship spanned a ten thousand feet. It flew slowly and cast a forbidding and imposing aura. It was clear that it had been modified before and was fueled by Spirit Stones, and its body was painted in black. The sight of it sent everyone quaking in fear.

As soon as the battleship appeared, the senators’ children’s pupils contracted. The surrounding observers and the residents of the Ethereal City gasped in shock when they saw the cruiser.

“My god, using a miniature battleship for transport…”

“Who’s the one sitting inside…”

Amidst the heated discussion, the battleship gradually slowed to a halt. Zhuo Yixian, dressed in white robes and exuding an air of elegance and charm, walked out with a smile. He was not alone. A dozen other disciples from the White Deer Dao College followed behind him. Li Yi was one of them.

Lin Tianhao’s face broke into a smile as they walked out. He went forward immediately to welcome them. He started chatting happily with Zhuo Yixian while leading them into the residence.

There was no need for introductions. Zhuo Yixian was well known in their unique social circle. The senators’ children soon approached, smiling, and started trading stories.

The names of Li Yi and company had been made known to the public during the selection of the Federation’s hundred seedlings. As a result, many came forward to get to know them better soon after they entered the residence. The sounds of laughter and conversation rose in the air.

The city lord’s residences were alight with laughter and conversation. Members of the Holy River Dao College and the White Deer Branch College gradually made their entrances, and their cruisers had been chosen carefully as well. The Holy River Dao College’s disciples came in a cruiser that seemed to be made from crystal.

The entrance of the White Deer Branch College was even more dramatic. Their cruiser was a metal horse carriage which charged towards the venue with a series of rumbling roars.

The purpose of having the entire feast seemed to have changed even before the actual feast had officially begun. Instead of putting them away, the cruisers were left to lay out in the open… The sight invited intense scrutiny from almost everyone. Many even took pictures and posted them on the Spirit Intranet, stirring a greater storm on the intranet.

Due to the Ethereal Dao College’s close proximity to the Ethereal City… a majority of the students arrived via their own cruisers. They had obviously not been prepared, and their cruisers paled immeasurably when compared against the other cruisers. Next to the others, they felt almost embarrassed to land…

They clearly ranked bottom in the competition. Even though it was all a game, the young heroes were still youths. It was natural that while some were pleased, others would be embarrassed by it all.

The entire affair quickly spread throughout the Spirit Intranet. Many from the Ethereal Dao College who had arrived at the feast quickly contacted the college to find out if there were any others who hadn’t yet embarked on their journey. Some even reached out to Wang Baole and informed him what was going on.

When Wang Baole received the news, he had just found Zhuo Yifan and Zhao Yameng. The three of them had been about to travel out on their cruisers when their voice transmission rings vibrated urgently. Even Zhao Yameng received news from someone else.

The three of them read their messages and were taken aback. Wang Baole raised an eyebrow.

<em>A bragging contest?</em>

Zhuo Yifan frowned. He had received news that Zhuo Yixian from the Five Generation Sky Clan would be attending the feast as well. A cold glint flashed in his eyes when he found out about the news.

Zhao Yameng felt nothing for such ostentatious gloating of one’s wealth. She couldn’t care less. In her entire life, except one person, the rest of her peers… were simply not as rich as she was. She was used to it.

“What’s all this rubbish? Aren’t we just going to eat some fruit? When did this become some sort of pissing contest?” Wang Baole shook his head and smiled. His expression was one of disdain, like a grown-up watching children fight over whose toy was the best.

“These people are just too childish. It’s just a party, what’s with showing off their cruisers? So what it’s made from black gold? So what it’s a limited edition… what’s all this about? This is all so silly, so superficial!” Wang Baole read the news and started lamenting.

“We cultivators should aspire towards the Great Dao. We should be carrying the baton of the past forward into the future. We should be striving for the ultimate good of the universe. How could we waste our lives on such meaningless competitions?” Wang Baole spoke with great force. Intense conviction emanated from his person.

“Today, the three of us will use the simplest and plainest possible way to travel there. We must let these youngsters know that showing off their wealth is a crime. Simplicity is the most absolute and truest purity. The greatest truths are the simplest!”

Zhuo Yifan was slightly stirred when he heard Wang Baole’s words. Even Zhao Yameng eyed Wang Baole with surprise. Before they could voice their agreement though, Wang Baole lifted his head arrogantly, raised his hand, and placed his fingers in his mouth, blowing fiercely.

A shrill whistling rang out from Wang Baole’s mouth instantly, piercing through the air and traveling far into the distance.

As the whistle pierced through the air, amidst the shock of Zhuo Yifan and Zhao Yameng, a thundering roar sounded from the direction of the Beast Taming Pavilion. A towering figure charged out from the pavilion, a swift and awesome shadow appearing in the sky.

It was… the Diamond Ape!

Towering a hundred-odd meters and covered in black fur, a pair of wings sprouting from his back, the Diamond Ape exuded a fearsome aura that was amplified by his domineering stance that surpassed the True Breath realm and was, in fact, of… the Foundation Establishment realm!

It approached, a fierce wind heavy with the scent of blood like it was riding a tornado towards Wang Baole and his friends. It arrived in the blink of an eye. The Diamond Ape hovered in mid-air, its wings fluttering and stirring vicious winds. It seemed happy. It cupped its fists and thudded its chest repeatedly, its thudding causing loud rumbling in the air. Its actions made it seem even more ferocious.

Zhuo Yifan and Zhao Yameng’s breaths stilled when they came face to face with the Diamond Ape, and they unknowingly took a few steps back. The Diamond Ape’s immense physical form was terrifying.

It might even be able to put up a decent fight if it met the perfected Foundation Establishment realm giant tree in the Coulomb Basin.

As Zhuo Yifan and Zhao Yameng stood, stunned, Wang Baole lifted his head nonchalantly and greeted the Diamond Ape. The Diamond Ape was overjoyed. It had long buried the hatchet with Wang Baole. Their friendship had grown, especially after Wang Baole had returned a while back and had not forgotten to send a few puppets over.

The Diamond Ape had started to feel that Wang Baole was treating him too well, and started to become friendlier to Wang Baole. At that moment, it grinned widely and roared.

“Diamy, someone’s trying to bully me. We’ll going to bring you along. Take your cue from me. If there’s anyone who’s mean to us, just smack him!” Wang Baole said arrogantly.

The Diamond Ape was a sentient creature. Even though it wasn’t particularly intelligent, it could make out the general meaning behind Wang Baole’s words. Upon hearing that it was being summoned to fight, the Diamond Ape got excited immediately. It thundered at the sky before it turned around and raced straight into its cave at the Beast Taming Pavilion.

Wang Baole stood there, stunned. It returned quickly with its appearance dramatically transformed!

On its body was an armor of gold that turned his originally immense hundred-meter figure into a small gold mountain instantly. Its figure had become even more fearsome and awesome than before!

The armor had clearly been painstakingly crafted by the Dharmic Armament Pavilion, made from costly materials and lined with complex inscriptions. The entire armor appeared to be a sixth-grade Numinous Treasure, which meant that the ape’s original battle capabilities would be augmented exponentially with it on. A ferocious, terrifying aura emanated from the Diamond Ape as it hovered in mid-air, stirring whirlpools of spirit energies around him.

The ape wore a huge helmet on its head and metal gloves on its hands. Every accessory and armor came together to transform the Diamond Ape into a truly formidable being!

That was the first time Wang Baole had seen the Diamond Ape in such attire. He was shocked speechless before excitement overtook his senses. Letting loose a great laugh, he leaped up and landed directly on the Diamond Ape’s shoulder. He sat down and gestured towards Zhuo Yifan and Zhao Yameng.

“Yifan, Yameng, come on, we have a feast to attend. We’re going to go in this simple and plain manner, a bit casual and informal, and meet those people trying to show off their wealth. Fear not, because we have our dreams, and we have the Dao in our hearts!” Wang Baole was completely taken in by his words. He truly felt how pure and simple he was being…

Zhuo Yifan slapped his forehead. He realized he shouldn’t have wasted his emotional energy being roused by Wang Baole’s speech about grand truths and absolute simplicity… Zhao Yameng was speechless as well. Silently, the pair leaped into the air and landed on the Diamond Ape’s shoulder. They sat behind Wang Baole. Then, Zhao Yameng seemed to have suddenly understood something. She smiled faintly.

“What Baole said is right. We may be poor, but we have our dreams!”

“…” Zhuo Yifan’s lips started twitching at the edges. He stared at Zhao Yameng and felt the similarities between Wang Baole and Zhao Yameng keenly at that moment… he couldn’t help muttering silently, “If you’re considered poor, there can be no wealthy people in this world…”

Wang Baole heard Zhao Yameng’s affirmation of his words and almost pulled her into a hug and kissed her out of sheer happiness. Fortunately, his reason was still intact. He suppressed the impulse, gave the Diamond Ape a pat and said, his spirits soaring.

“Diamy, let’s go. Our destination… the Ethereal City Lord Residence!”

The Diamond Ape lifted its head abruptly and let loose a thunderous, earth-shattering roar that rang out across the skies, startling countless people on the Upper Academy Island and drawing their attention. Then, with a leap, the wings on its back started flapping. With an imposing manner, it charged… straight for the Ethereal City!

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