A World Worth Protecting

1

The murderous aura oozing from the men in black terrified the disciples guarding the teleportation array formation. They immediately recognized them as cultivators from the Disciplinary Hall. They answered to the three Elders and only appeared when there was a need to mete out large-scale punishments.

Wang Baole was alarmed as well. Thoughts started racing through his head as he tried to think of anything he had done that might have broken any of the sect laws. He couldn’t come up with anything. It was clear that he was in a tight spot at the moment. He narrowed his eyes as his mind raced through possible ways to resolve his current problem. He raised his right hand, his voice transmission jade slip already out and ready for him to send a voice transmission to Elder Feng Qiuran.

One of the men in black frowned when they saw the jade slip in Wang Baole’s hand and was about to scold Wang Baole impatiently. The middle-aged man leading the team raised his hand, silencing his subordinate. He leveled an icy stare at Wang Baole and spoke again.

“Let’s not kick up a fuss. You can either come willingly, or we can make you come with us.”

Upon hearing that Wang Baole raised his eyebrow. He was about to speak when he heard a voice transmission in his ear.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, do not resist. This is nothing serious. Elder Mie Liezi simply has a few questions for you. You should contact Elder Feng Qiuran as soon as possible… right, Yun Piaozi, he’s my clansman.”

The person speaking to him was the middle-aged man who was leading the party. Despite his cold eyes, he had secretly sent a message to Wang Baole. Wang Baole could see the imperceptible hint of kindness in his eyes, but it vanished the next moment and was replaced by a chilly stare.

Wang Baole didn’t hesitate. He immediately sent a voice transmission to both Yun Piaozi and Feng Qiuran. Then, with an unhappy look on his face, he followed the men in black without a word.

They weren’t far from the grand hall atop the mountain peak. If they traveled at top speed, it wouldn’t take them long to reach their destination. The middle-aged leader kept a leisurely pace though. The delay was minimal, but he did give Wang Baole an additional fifteen minutes.

This further proved his good intentions. His subordinates clearly sensed what was going on. They looked at one another but didn’t say a word. However, the chilly hostility towards Wang Baole lessened slightly. They pretended not to notice his sending and receiving voice transmissions as they headed to the grand hall.

Yun Piaozi’s voice transmission arrived. After verifying the middle-aged man’s identity, Wang Baole received a voice transmission from Feng Qiuran. She had only a few words for him.

“So be it. I’ll be there shortly!”

Wang Baole still felt uneasy. However, he had done all that he could. He continued to mull over what he had done wrong. He followed the men in black to the grand hall. They arrived at the halls, but the men in black didn’t enter. The middle-aged man in the lead eyed Wang Baole and stopped in his tracks as well.

Wang Baole took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes. He didn’t enter immediately. He stood outside the hall, cupped his fists and bowed deeply.

“Wang Baole seeks an audience with the Elder!”

The gates flew open as soon as Wang Baole spoke. A strong suction force surged past the open gates. It ignored Wang Baole’s cultivation and whatever protections he had and grabbed Wang Baole like an enormous, invisible hand. It yanked and dragged Wang Baole into the great hall.

Wang Baole heard a loud buzzing in his head. His entire body ached, and his flesh and bones felt as if they were being crushed. He shook violently as if he had been dragged into a tornado. As he reeled back in shock and terror, he heard Feng Qiuran’s snort echoing from afar. Then, another strong force approached and began to battle with the invisible hand that was holding him prisoner.

Wang Baole shuddered as a series of loud booms thundered. The invisible hand didn’t disappear after it had dragged him into the hall. He staggered and fell to his knees. Blood surged in his body. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his face turned pale. He lifted his head and saw, seated at the front of the hall, an expressionless Mie Liezi!

Behind him, Feng Qiuran marched through the gates with a dark look on her face.

“Mie Liezi, what do you mean by this?”

Mie Liezi didn’t spare Wang Baole a single glance. He lifted his head, his eyes landing on Feng Qiuran as he spoke with a raspy voice.

“Feng Qiuran, you should ask this ambassador from your dear ally what I mean by all this. He’s truly gone too far.”

Feng Qiuran frowned and looked at Wang Baole with a questioning look. Wang Baole was breathing heavily. He took a while to settle the blood churning inside his body. Mie Liezi and Feng Qiuran’s presence exerted an immense pressure that overpowered him and left him helpless. He couldn’t help his bubbling resentment. He grimaced, then cupped his fists and saluted Feng Qiuran.

“Elder Feng, I… truly have no idea what’s going on.”

“You have no idea?” Mie Liezi laughed suddenly. His laughter was laced with ice.

“Wang Baole, let me ask you. Where did my disciple, Liang Long, go?”

“Liang Long?” Wang Baole froze. He had been thinking during the entire trip here. He had considered many things, but Liang Long had not been one of them. In fact, he had almost forgotten Liang Long entirely.

Now that Mie Liezi had just reminded him, Wang Baole, startled, came to a sudden realization. He recalled he had been ambushed by Liang Long during his first trip to the sword body, and that he had tied him up and left him on a deserted island. The rope he had tied him with could seal all Spirit Qi. With the sword handle spanning such a vast area, trying to find him would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

That wasn’t the important point. The important point was… after he had entered the sword body, he had suffered many obstacles, but he had also gained much from the trip despite all the near setbacks. He had forgotten completely about his encounter with Liang Long. It had been six months since their last encounter.

He had half a mind to deny everything, but Liang Long’s master was asking for him now, which wasn’t a small matter. This was a mid-stage Core Formation realm cultivator, one of Mie Liezi’s disciples. Wang Baole tried to look confused as if he was trying to recall something. Then, after some time, he suddenly looked as if he had suddenly realized something.

“Liang Long… I remember now. He started a fight with me when we first landed on the island. I didn’t want to break any rules, and I couldn’t beat him in a fight. That’s why I tied him up and then avoided him. But he continued to challenge me. He ambushed me during one of my missions, and I was forced to engage in battle with him. He wounded me heavily. I almost died. Finally, I used one of my artifacts to trap him without hurting him. That was how I managed to escape with my life…” The expression on Wang Baole’s face was one of resentment and grudge. It was as if he was angry about what had happened but helpless to do anything about it.

“Is that why you killed my disciple in cold blood?” Mie Liezi’s expression remained unchanged as he spoke slowly.

“I wouldn’t dare! I was only at the early-stage Core Formation realm then. Liang Long was at the mid-stage Core Formation realm. I left my home, my family, and my friends in the Federation, and traveled all the way here to a foreign land. Liang Long, on the other hand, is a true member of the sect, with extensive connections. I have no master here. Liang Long’s master is the eminent Elder, yourself!

“With such unequal status and level in cultivation, would I dare to kill him? Can I? I don’t know why Liang Long is faking his death, and why he hasn’t reappeared. I don’t wish to make guesses about why he’s doing this, but I do know that I was nearly killed just now. My body and spirit were nearly destroyed.” Wang Baole grew increasingly agitated and aggrieved as he spoke. His entire body began to shake. Finally, he cupped his fists and bowed towards Feng Qiuran.

“I seek Elder Feng to release me from my duties as island lord. I… dare not hold onto this office any longer. I’ve done my best to stay away and avoid causing trouble for anyone. When the sect had its eye on my business, I handed it over without saying a word. I made no complaints even when the acquisition fees were clearly unfair and unreasonable!

“What else would you have me do? What should I do? I seek Elder Feng’s mercy and permission to return to the Federation. Perhaps I… am not suited for this place.” Wang Baole ended his last words with a bitter laugh. He lowered his head and fell silent. Then, he secretly extended his senses and tried to control the rope remotely. The distance separating them might be too great, as he couldn’t sense it clearly.

The gears in his head started spinning furiously. Everything he had said earlier both implicitly and explicitly stated that he had been the victim of Liang Long’s malicious ploys. He was still thinking about how he could make that seem like it was the truth.

His mind continued to work while he kept an expression of utter misery on his face. He looked utterly defeated. Feng Qiuran fell silent at the sight. She had had her doubts initially, but after hearing what he said, she sighed inwardly.

Even Mie Liezi started to frown. He hadn’t believed his disciple, Liang Long, either. He had a clear advantage, but even so, he had been defeated. Mie Liezi knew that his disciple was still alive. He had only gone missing and couldn’t be found.

<em>Could it be that Liang Long intended for this to happen? </em>Mie Liezi thought as he narrowed his eyes.