A World Worth Protecting

1

Even though Wang Baole didn’t know the other man’s exact rank and office, he had been working in the Federation administration for such a long time. He was long used to the social etiquette required of him at such events. After stepping off the cruiser, he first stood and returned a bow to those who had greeted him. Then, he cupped his fists and saluted the middle-aged man with a smile on his face.

The leading middle-aged man saw his reciprocal bow and smiled lightly. He had heard Wang Baole’s name many times. Now that he was finally meeting him, he could tell from this small detail that Wang Baole was someone who knew how to conduct himself and play the crowd.

He liked such people. Even though they were more complicated, they suited the current Federation climate. As a smile surfaced on Wang Baole’s face, he too laughed aloud. He took a few quick steps forward and approached Wang Baole. Wang Baole got to know who he was after a brief cordial exchange.

He was also a Secondary Rank Two Noble. However, unlike Wang Baole, who had been sent into space as an ambassador to colonize new lands, he was the head secretary of the Federation President’s office. He was akin to the capital city’s chief minister, and the loyal subordinate to the Federation President.

His reception was an expression of the Federation President’s attitude towards Wang Baole. After realizing who he was, Wang Baole also realized what his presence meant. His smile widened as they chatted merrily. After clarifying why Wang Baole was heading towards Phoenix City, the middle-aged man immediately made arrangements for a cruiser to send him over.

“Even though we are tasked with protecting the whole of humanity and the Federation, we are still cultivators at heart. We are unable to travel through space, that’s why we use cruisers, but now that I’m back on my home planet, there’s no need for cruisers. I’ll simply fly there.” Wang Baole smiled as he turned down the offer tactfully. The middle-aged man gave his answer some thought and didn’t insist further.

Wang Baole instructed the Combat cultivators who had escorted him back to Earth to await further orders in the capital city. He then bade farewell to the head secretary. With a single step and a wave of his hand, a flying sword flew out from his storage bracelet. He lifted one foot and got onto the flying sword before it dashed through the sky like a sudden rainbow arc and sped into the heavens.

The reception party gazed from the grounds beneath as Wang Baole stood on his flying sword. With the wind in his face, his hair stirred. Despite his rotund figure, he still appeared as if he were an immortal wandering the lands, ethereal and without a tinge of the earthly desires and needs that ruled the ordinary folk. In that manner, he disappeared gradually into the distance.

“We cultivators should be just like that!” the head secretary of the Federation President’s office smiled and said. His words resounded in the air, and envy colored everyone’s eyes when they heard what he had said.

After all, only a Core Formation realm cultivator could travel the skies via long-distance flight. A Foundation Establishment realm cultivator might be able to do the same for short distances, but once the journey lengthened, they would find it difficult to sustain such a mode of travel.

“I wonder when we’ll get to be just like City Lord Wang Baole, traveling between cities on a flying sword!” The crowd sighed and slowly dispersed. As for Wang Baole, he was currently on his flying sword and had just left the parameters of the capital city—speeding towards Phoenix City.

His mood was merry, and his spirits high. He hadn’t chosen to travel on a cruiser because he felt that, as he was already a Core Formation realm cultivator, it would be beneath his status to still take the cruiser.

<em>Core Formation realm cultivators should be flying. That’s the only method that befits their status. </em>Wang Baole was brimming with happiness and pleasure. He increased his speed against the incoming winds.

He stirred a series of rumbling as he shot through the air, causing the beasts on land to freeze as they listened to the thunderous booms resounding above their heads. The Core Formation realm cultivation that Wang Baole exuded drove the Ancient Martial realm and True Breath realm beasts cowering, too frightened to lift their heads from the ground.

When he passed some of the smaller cities, the people in the cities also heard the loud thundering in the sky. When they looked up, they saw an indistinct figure dashing across the heavens like a bolt of lightning.

Gasps rose to the air. In the Federation, it was common to see a cultivator at the Ancient Martial realm. True Breath realm cultivators were also regular sightings. One might even cross paths with a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator. Core Formation realm cultivators though… were all important figures and numbered in the few. Rarely could anyone see one in person.

Wang Baole’s flight via flying sword naturally drew too much attention during his journey back home. Even though there were many who didn’t know Wang Baole’s actual level of cultivation and didn’t get a clear look of him, the Foundation Establishment realm cultivators inside the cities could still clearly sense the overpowering authority that exuded from the fleeting figure passing over their cities! It was a power that made them quake in their boots!

“A Core Formation realm cultivator!”

“There’s a Core Formation realm senior flying past on his sword!”

Gasps of shock resounded in the air. As Wang Baole flew faster and faster, like a lightning bolt snaking through the air, he even managed to glimpse a few long-distance passenger cruisers as he passed them by. As he overtook them, he would catch the shocked looks in the passengers’ eyes.

News began to appear on the Spirit Internet and even on some media outlets.

It didn’t take too long before Wang Baole began to regret his decision… He had imagined a flight via flying sword being an incredibly enjoyable experience. However, when he finally did it—especially over such a long distance—Wang Baole got to know what it meant to have violent winds lashing him in the face, and what it meant to feel extreme, piercing cold.

The faster he flew, the stronger the winds got, and the stronger the resistance became. The idea of having the wind in one’s face might seem somewhat poetic, but after a while, the winds became a chill that pierced deep into one’s bones. If he were to activate his cultivation now as a protective barrier, he would be expending even more Spirit Qi.

Wang Baole muttered to himself, then decided to give up halfway on the plan to fly the entire way home. Compared to showing off his abilities, he felt that comfort was of greater priority. He corrected his earlier mistaken views that had arisen due to his just reaching the Core Formation realm and becoming a Secondary Rank Two Noble, and hurriedly pulled out his cruiser. Sat comfortably inside, he pulled out a bag of snacks and began snacking as he steered the cruiser towards Phoenix City.

While there was a considerable distance separating Phoenix City and the capital city, with the augmentation of Wang Baole’s cultivation, the cruiser’s speed increased considerably. The entire journey took but two hours, and Phoenix City soon came within sight.

There were hundreds of people waiting for him outside the city, but Wang Baole wasn’t surprised to see that. Having read the high officials’ autobiographies, he knew that as a Secondary Rank Two Noble, and having just returned to the Phoenix City, the City Lord would have to receive him personally. If not, it would mean that something had gone wrong somewhere.

When Wang Baole’s cruiser landed outside Phoenix City, he was warmly received by the city officials, who were led by Liu Daobin’s father. Liu Daobin’s father was leading the reception party because he had been promoted to the City Lord of Phoenix City.

Naturally, this had a lot to do with Liu Daobin, who was Wang Baole’s trusted subordinate, and Liu Daobin’s appointment on Mars.

After a round of warm reception, Liu Daobin’s father, aware that Wang Baole had returned to reunite with his parents, didn’t take up too much of Wang Baole’s time. He had ensured that the reception was brief while sufficiently expressing their attitude regarding Wang Baole’s return.

Wang Baole was pleased as well, as he was also unwilling to spend too much time here. His heart was already looking forward to home, and he quickly withdrew from the group and headed home.

The area that his home was located had changed, and it was no longer the same as what he had remembered. There were many more unfamiliar faces around him, most of them at the True Breath realm, though he saw three Foundation Establishment realm cultivators. They appeared from around a corner, dressed in the robes of the Ethereal Dao College. They cupped their fists and saluted Wang Baole.

They were the disciples charged with protecting Wang Baole’s family by the Ethereal Dao College. There were also city guards surrounding the residential area, which was clearly very well protected.

Wang Baole nodded. He cupped his fists and saluted the guards before walking towards his home. As soon as he approached, he could hear his father’s voice, and the unhappiness in it, resounding inside their house.

“What’s wrong with me receiving my own son? That Little Liu, he’s too fixated on formalities. The moment I expressed my intention of receiving my own son, he had a look of panic on his face. He went on about how they can do it, and how he was worried that Baole might come to the wrong conclusions if I went!”

“Stop that. He has a difficult job as well. Besides, you’re only the head of an archeology team. For a City Lord to show you so much respect whenever he sees you, what else do you want?” The voice of Wang Baole’s mother rang out as well. The tone of voice seemed normal, but as soon as she spoke, his father didn’t say another word.

Wang Baole’s face split into a wide grin when he heard his parents’ conversation. At that moment, he forgot that he was a Secondary Rank Two Noble, that he was the City Lord of a special regional city, and that he was a Core Formation realm cultivator. He had returned to who he had been as he pushed the door open and shouted.

“Mom, Dad, I’m home!”

As the door was flung open, the first thing that appeared before Wang Baole was a couch. His father sat on the couch, his arms crossed, while his mother wore an apron and had just placed a plate of pig’s trotters on the dining table. They turned their heads and saw Wang Baole at the door.

“You little rascal, why did you greet your mom before your dad?” Wang Baole’s father was delighted at the sight of his son. He was about to get to his feet when he sensed that something was wrong. He straightened his face and asked as he glared.

However, as soon as he glared at Wang Baole, Wang Baole’s mother immediately glared at him.

“Quick, get the food in the pot out!” Wang Baole’s mother ignored her husband and walked in front of Wang Baole, pinched his round face with pain in her eyes.

“Baole, is the food on Mars not to your taste? Look how thin you’ve gotten. Your old mother almost didn’t recognize you…”