A World Worth Protecting

1

With his blue shirt and gray hair, an indescribable air of classiness emerged from his back view. It was elegant, yet prideful, as if all the different qualities had combined and formed a unique charisma that made everyone before him lower their heads with unworthiness.

That was so for Jin Duoming. After meeting Zhao Pinfang, he immediately greeted him respectfully.

“Little Ming hereby greets Uncle Zhao.” Jin Duoming spoke hurriedly. In reality, he knew very clearly that this man before him didn’t rely on his relationship as someone’s Dao partner to attain his current status. Instead, it should be said that Zhao Pinfang’s importance to the Federation resulted in him having a Dao partner. Other than his exceptional qualities, his progression process was also extremely smooth.

However, compared to the fame of the Martian Colony Governor, Zhao Pinfang wasn’t well known amongst the commoners. He was only prominent in the upper ranks of every faction of society.

Wang Baole had wanted to greet him too. However, hearing that Jin Duoming addressed himself as ‘Little Ming’, he couldn’t help and almost laugh out loud despite Zhao Pinfang’s back view making him feel immense pressure. Wang Baole was still well aware of what he needed to do and immediately greeted Zhao Pinfang as well.

“Little Le hereby greets Uncle Zhao.”

Wang Baole’s words caused Jin Duoming to raise his eyebrows as he glanced at Wang Baole. Noticing Wang Baole’s facial expression upon addressing himself as ‘Little Le’, he didn’t say much, instead, preparing himself for a good show.

At the same time, Zhao Pinfang, who had his back to them and was looking at the mural, had a look of bewilderment flash across his face. However, he regained his composure quickly and slowly turned around.

The moment he turned around and Wang Baole saw his looks clearly, even he, who thought of himself the most handsome person in the Federation, felt guilty of that thought. Despite having reached middle age, Zhao Pinfang’s handsome facial features and appearance showed that he was extraordinary. It wasn’t difficult to imagine that he was definitely an extremely suave man in his younger days!

Even though he was middle-aged and covered with a head of gray hair, he was still elegant, which made the impact of his handsome looks even greater.

<em>Everyone here is a man… </em>Wang Baole sighed deeply as feelings of jealousy surged continuously in his heart. He quickly suppressed it, but still felt that Zhao Pinfang looked familiar, just that he was unable to recall when he had seen him.

While Wang Baole felt bewildered, Zhao Pinfang, who had turned around, looked calmly at Jin Duoming and Wang Baole.

His gaze merely swept across Jin Duoming, but it was more focused on Wang Baole as he inspected him in detail for a moment. In the end, he snorted.

That shocked Wang Baole and sent chills into his heart. Zhao Pinfang retracted his gaze and turned around again to face the mural. From the beginning until the end, he didn’t say a word.

That made Wang Baole even more nervous and uneasy. He quickly glanced at Jin Duoming, his eyes revealing his intention to ask about the situation. Jin Duoming also blinked, trying to convey the message that he wasn’t sure what was going on either.

Wang Baole took a deep breath. He felt that something was amiss but didn’t know where the problem lay. He began making speculations in his mind.

<em>Why is he staring at me? He even snorted… That’s not right. There’s something wrong here. Could it be… </em>Wang Baole thought about it, and a thought suddenly flashed in his head. He was thinking about whether Zhao Pinfang, like his Dao partner, had really wanted to ask him to be their son-in-law!

Seeing that Wang Baole was growing concerned again, Jin Duoming laughed and didn’t bother to explain the situation. He stood obediently at the side. As for Zhao Pinfang, he didn’t care about the worries written clearly on Wang Baole’s face. Instead, after staring at the mural for a long time, he opened his mouth slowly and spoke the first sentence since the trio had met.

“Come closer, the two of you. Tell me what you see in this mural.”

As Zhao Pinfang’s calm voice reverberated, Jin Duoming stepped forward immediately and looked extremely serious as he inspected the mural. Wang Baole also quickly put aside the emotions that he was experiencing and stepped beside Zhao Pinfang, raising his head to look at the mural.

He had glanced at the mural previously, and now that he was looking at it up close—at the devastated planet, and at spirits from the planet’s deceased individuals accumulating into a river as they blended into the cosmos—the mural looked a little bizarre. However, it was difficult to see what was going on exactly, especially since Wang Baole was still thinking about the weird glance that Zhao Pinfang threw at him. Therefore, Wang Baole didn’t speak; instead, he pretended to look at the mural in detail.

However, as he looked, Wang Baole’s pupils suddenly constricted. He was previously a distance away and didn’t feel it strongly, but now that he was near it and observing the mural, he suddenly felt an aura emanating from the mural…

That aura was so weak that others were unable to sense it. However, to Wang Baole, who was trained in the Dark Art, it was extremely familiar. To confirm what he had felt, he even went forward to touch it. The moment he touched the mural, Wang Baole was shocked. He was very sure that it was Dark Qi that was being given off by the mural!

“Little Ming, you go first.” As Wang Baole was still reveling in shock, Zhao Pinfang spoke calmly.

Jin Duoming quickly responded. After thinking about it for a brief moment, he spoke with a deep voice.

“Uncle Zhao, to me, there is a deep meaning being conveyed by the mural. Even though I am somewhat ignorant, I can tell that this mural is conveying a message of hope. For example, the death of this galaxy, as well as the emergence of the spirits, all these are extreme expressions. I feel that revolt would occur when things become serious, and this extreme description perhaps encompassed hope as well as an opportunity that I am still unable to fathom!”

Jin Duoming’s reply sounded exciting to Wang Baole. That wasn’t simply viewing the mural. Instead, it was a profound interpretation of the depiction on the mural. At the same time, Wang Baole also noticed that after Zhao Pinfang heard the reply, he nodded his head slightly. Instantly, Wang Baole realized that it was a form of assessment!

<em>Prominent figures all like to throw out assessments upon meeting someone, huh? </em>Wang Baole sighed and was thinking about what to say when he heard Zhao Pinfang’s voice.

“Wang Baole, it’s your turn!”

“Tsk…” Wang Baole was unhappy. He felt that Zhao Pinfang was biased against him, referring to Jin Duoming as Little Ming and sounding warm when talking to him. In contrast, when speaking to him, he called his name directly. It appeared that Zhao Pinfang had some preconceived notions about him.

Even though he didn’t know where the preconceived notion arose from, but his temper was worked up as he turned to look directly at Zhao Pinfang.

“Master Zhao, different people would have different interpretations about the meaning of this mural. Little Ming feels that it conveys a meaning of hope, while I feel that it is more like a ritual. However, regardless of the varying views, all these are guesses. I have a different interpretation of this mural!”

“This mural hails from the Divine Armament Catacombs on Mars!” The first half of Wang Baole’s sentence didn’t generate any reaction from Zhao Pinfang. However, the second half made Zhao Pinfang immediately turn to look at Wang Baole.

This time, his eyes no longer carried an intent to inspect Wang Baole. Instead, a look of curiosity was apparent.

“Why do you say that?”

“Based on my intuition!” Wang Baole raised his head, speaking calmly with his hands behind his back, trying to hint that Zhao Pinfang was biased and that he had a temper as well.

Jin Duoming blinked and stepped back. He felt that the way Wang Baole was speaking to Zhao Pinfang would easily earn him a beating. As for Zhao Pinfang, he looked even more curious, and that look of curiosity gradually transformed into a look of appreciation, as if he was very satisfied with Wang Baole’s answer. While Jin Duoming was still bewildered, Zhao Pinfang laughed.

“There were many before you from the Federation who have viewed this mural previously. However, Wang Baole, you are the first one who managed to point out the origin of this mural without knowing about its background!

“You’re no doubt the City Lord of Divine Armament New City who suppressed the catacombs. Your exploration of the catacombs seems profound, which has helped to hone this intuition of yours!

“You’re right. This mural indeed originated from the Divine Armament Catacombs on Mars. It was one of the items discovered by the various factions when they first entered the catacombs those years back!”

“This mural is unique. It is ever-changing, and under different lighting conditions, other hidden images can be seen on it!” As Zhao Pinfang spoke, he raised his right hand and flailed. Instantly, in research room number three, the lighting was transformed. The surrounding caves disappeared, replaced by the cosmos!

It was as if the trio had been teleported into space. As they stood in the vast cosmos, the surroundings and the mural were completely integrated together. Rather, to a certain extent, it could be said that the trio had been transported into the world within the mural.

It was also at this moment that the image on the mural was transformed. Even though the planet was still devastated, and the uncountable spirits were still flowing into a river, outside the planet, at the end of the spirit river, a black Lone Boat appeared in the cosmos!

On this black Solo Raft stood a man in a black robe. This black-robed man was holding a unique oar, where a light hung!

Lone Boat, Black Robe, Lantern Oar!

The path of the Lone Boat seemed to be able to separate light from darkness. The glow from the Lantern Oar was like the guidance from a light tower. As the black-robed man proceeded forward, the river of spirits behind him no longer looked to be in pain. Instead, they seemed to be in peace as they moved along.

“Have either of you heard about the Dark Sect?” In the cosmos, Zhao Pinfang’s voice, which carried a meaning of utmost respect to the point of addiction, reverberated softly. It wasn’t a question; he was just mumbling to himself.