A World Worth Protecting

1

In the public square that was on the mountain peak on the main Vast Expanse Dao Palace island on the ancient greenish-bronze sword, an enormous vortex hung in mid-air, unleashing an incredible suction force. Within the blink of an eye, the six hundred cultivators in the public square rose into the air, powerless against the suction force, and flew towards the vortex!

Just as they were about to be sucked straight into the vortex, the vortex suddenly shook. With startling speed, it began to split into three smaller vortexes in mid-air.

The three vortexes unleashed their separate suction forces and separated the three factions before each sucking one faction right in. This meant that the three factions would be relatively secure when they first arrived at the location where the trial was to take place.

Dugu Lin and his faction were sucked into the first vortex, Zhou Chudao and his faction representing You Ran were sucked into the third vortex, and Wang Baole, as well as the faction under Feng Qiuran, were sucked into the second vortex.

Describing the entire process might seem like a long and tedious affair, but in reality, the time it took for the vortexes to split into three and suck the three factions in was but the blink of an eye. Instantly… six hundred cultivators that had been standing in the public square vanished. All of them had entered the vortexes.

After sucking in the cultivators, the three vortexes in mid-air began to spin. Vast quantities of images began to appear in the vortexes. They were akin to real-time security footage that showed everyone participating in the trial!

As images of the participants appeared in the vortexes, the hordes of disciples around the public square began to sit down. Everyone lifted their heads and stared skywards, and some began talking with one another. It was clear that they were trying to predict who the top three would be!

They weren’t the only ones settling in. Mie Liezi, Feng Qiuran, and You Ran, as well as the Nascent Soul realm cultivators, after having their disciples move some chairs over, sat down, and awaited the results of the trial.

It might take days before there was any outcome. However, to a cultivator, days went past in a blur. They seemed patient.

Mie Liezi was especially proud. His eyes were fixed on Dugu Lin only. He was his most powerful weapon, one that he had bet everything on. He was the secret weapon that he was going to use to overpower Feng Qiuran and You Ran!

“Our generation is just waiting for Lin’er to rise to his full potential!” Mie Liezi muttered secretly. The never-changing cold expression on his face shifted to accommodate a rare smile tinged with anticipation and hope.

Feng Qiuran, of course, wasn’t going to leave. This trial was too important. Even if she wasn’t hopeful of the outcome, she still stayed to witness it with her own eyes.

You Ran was the only one whose smile never faded from his face. He didn’t seem very concerned. He had a couple of looks before shutting both his eyes.

As the spectators outside watched attentively, the participants had entered the black holes. They experienced a brief dizziness as they were teleported. When their vision cleared again, they had appeared in a strange world!

The place seemed relatively small when compared to the ancient greenish-bronze sword. However, it was a sizable piece of land when compared to Earth. In fact, its size was comparable to that of Earth. There were mountain ranges scattered across the land, and oceans and forests filled the area. In the blue skies ahead, seven suns shone brightly, blasting the land with intense heat.

Three regions in the world shone with the light of recent teleportation. One of the regions was near a mountain range. As the light vanished, the initially blurry silhouettes of Wang Baole, Zhao Yameng, Kong Dao, Lu Yun, Xu Ming, and the other cultivators from Feng Qiuran’s faction grew clearer and clearer until their full forms completely materialized in the world.

The crowd had no time to adjust to their relocation. Immediately after they had been teleported to their new location, they were startled to find a shining key in their hands. It wasn’t an ordinary key. The waves of energy it exuded seemed comforting, and it appeared to have certain stabilizing effects on one’s cultivation.

The rules that Mie Liezi had mentioned surfaced in everyone’s minds as soon as the keys appeared. Everyone began to monitor their surroundings warily. After they ensured that there was no danger lurking nearby, they began to familiarize themselves with the surroundings. They also examined the key in their possession. Some tried to keep it in their storage bag, but they found that it couldn’t be done. They had to carry it with them.

Quite a few people, upon seeing the vast land and the suns in the sky, gasped in shock.

“The ground?”

“That’s too realistic… This is my first time seeing such a vast expanse of land…”

“And the seven suns in the sky—is this the Endless Possibilities Array Formation?”

As the others discussed in hushed tones, Wang Baole, Zhao Yameng, and Kong Dao quickly gathered in a circle. They confirmed that the key indeed couldn’t be kept in a storage bag. They kept the key near their hearts and looked around them. They had seen vast lands like this before and weren’t as shocked as the cultivators from the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. However, they did spend some time staring at the seven suns in the sky. They began to discuss via voice transmissions.

“Based on the rules, we have to be careful of everyone around us!”

“Let’s form our own team later instead of following the others!” As the three conversed, many disciples around them had completed their inspection of the area. Something flickered in their eyes. Even though they all were part of the same faction, many couldn’t help their caution. They began to retreat from one another and keep a safe distance from one another. Some chose to leave immediately, racing into the distance. Others, after some consideration, chose to approach their friends and form a team.

Soon, more than a hundred out of the two-hundred-strong faction chose to leave the area. Feng Qiuran’s personal disciple, Lu Yun, hadn’t spared Wang Baole and his group a single glance. He led more than thirty disciples, who chose to follow him, away.

Wang Baole and the other two looked at one another. They stepped back with the intention of leaving this place as well. A group of cultivators with Xu Ming as their leader stood nearby. A cultivator stood next to Xu Ming, seemingly conducting a quiet conversation with the latter. He turned his head, and upon seeing Wang Baole’s departure, suddenly dashed towards them in pursuit.

“Everyone, please wait!”

They weren’t standing that far away from him. His actions immediately drew Kong Dao’s hostility, and a sudden blood lust surged from Kong Dao’s person as he locked his eyes onto his target. Zhao Yameng’s eyes flashed as well. With a flip of her right hand, she summoned a compass. It gave off waves of inscriptions that flickered dark and bright.

Only Wang Baole remained unfazed as if nothing had happened. He turned and stared at the cultivator approaching them.

He didn’t slow down as they stared, coming to a complete stop only after nearing them. He was a young man and appeared to be at the early-stage Core Formation realm. Even though he was at the same level of cultivation as Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao, the expression on his face was clearly arrogant. The smile on his face did nothing to hide that. Instead, it gave others the impression that he was superficial and insincere.

“Our three fellow Daoists from the Federation. I am Liu Wenju!” the young man said, then cupped his fists and gave them a slight salute. He didn’t give them a chance to speak and continued immediately.

“Fellow Daoists, this trial is extremely dangerous. It tests not only one’s cultivation but also one’s understanding of its rules. I will speak the truth. You will not survive long here. Since that is the case, could you perhaps hand your keys over to Senior Brother Xu Ming?” He phrased his words as an inquiry, but his tone was assertive and full of confidence. It was as if he felt that there was nothing wrong with Wang Baole and his team handing over their keys. In fact, it was the right and natural thing to do.

“In fact, I’m not sure if you’re aware. Senior Brother Xu has promised his master Elder Feng that he will do his best to win one of the top three placements. Elder Feng will gift the Federation with the awarded leaf from the Hyacinthus Tree. You’ll be helping yourselves if you hand your keys to Senior Brother Xu.” Liu Wenju smiled as he spoke. He stretched his right hand out towards the three.

Upon hearing what he had said, Kong Dao narrowed his eyes then looked towards Wang Baole. There was a look of contemplation on Zhao Yameng’s face. The three of them looked at one another. They could see what they were all thinking. Zhao Yameng turned towards Liu Wenju and smiled faintly.

“Senior Brother, we are sorry, but we wish to help ease Elder Feng’s burden in this trial as well. This is also what Elder Feng has requested of us.”

Liu Wenju raised his eyebrow when he heard Zhao Yameng’s refusal. He eyed the three of them. With displeasure in his eyes, he turned and returned to Xu Ming. He whispered something to the latter, then pointed at Wang Baole and his team. Xu Ming laughed and shook his head as if he wasn’t bothered at all. He then spoke casually. His words fell straight into the ears of Wang Baole and his teammates.

“To each his own. I look forward to seeing how you’ll be easing my master’s burden. Haha! Take care!” Having said that, he turned and led the dozen or so cultivators away, flying off into the distance.