A World Worth Protecting

1

“A big one?” The expression on Zhao Yameng’s face shifted slightly. She was a smart woman, skilled at analysis. She was also a numinous being. She was a master at both cultivation and research in array formations, both came easily to her. If Wang Baole weren’t one of the participants in this trial, based on her analytical mind, she stood a good chance of being placed in the top ten.

That was why she immediately understood Wang Baole when he said that. She could guess vaguely what he was trying to say. Kong Dao caught on slightly later, but his keen animal instincts allowed him to arrive at a rough guess as well.

“Baole, you mean you want to…” Kong Dao started speaking and then stopped. He didn’t finish what he had planned to say. His eyes narrowed and shifted from Wang Baole to the aerial map and the five clusters of stars representing the five prodigies!

Wang Baole narrowed his eyes and did some calculations. Then, he took a deep breath and suddenly said, “Follow me. Let’s go get him!” Upon saying that, Wang Baole’s eyes flashed. He took a step off the mountain peak and into mid-aid. His cultivation erupted, and he dashed into the distance.

Even though Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao had confirmed their guesses were right, they couldn’t stop their hearts from racing. They didn’t hesitate, however, and followed Wang Baole hurriedly. There were less than two hours to the next teleportation. The entire world could be said to be relatively quiet and calm. Wang Baole’s team’s movements were like a pebble flung into a peaceful lake, stirring ripples across the peaceful surface of the lake and drawing everyone’s attention!

Wang Baole cared nothing for these hidden, watchful eyes. He advanced with extraordinary speed, racing towards one direction. His speed increased steadily. There seemed to be a fire burning inside him. It was clearly not fury, but battle lust!

The “big one” that he had been talking about was… the five personal disciples of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!

After all, they were the only five people in the trial who had collected nearly two hundred keys. Regardless of who was eliminated, it would be sufficient to increase their opponent’s number of keys multiple times, transforming the latter into the focus of the most attention.

Wang Baole didn’t care for becoming the focal point of everyone’s attention. However, he knew something clearly. If his opponent… were any of these five people, even though he was confident he could take them in a fight, they were different from other disciples. If they lost their keys and became hidden from the map, they would become extremely dangerous threats when they tried to rise to prominence or ambush him later in the trial.

The only exception was if he maimed them. However, Wang Baole knew that he might be able to explain away his killing of ordinary disciples, but if he did maim a personal disciple, even Feng Qiuran wouldn’t be able to contain the murderous intent coming from that personal disciple’s master.

<em>That is why… the timing is critical! </em>As he raced ahead, a faint smile appeared on Wang Baole’s face. He had been thinking about this problem earlier. He had an answer now. What he had been waiting for was the present, when the teleportation was about to occur!

To be exact, the most ideal time was half an hour before the next teleportation!

Half an hour wasn’t too long or too short a time. It was just right for an intense fight, and enough for one to become frantic with madness. This was especially so for the half an hour before the next teleportation. Every participant hidden on the map would go mad within this half an hour. That was because they would be eliminated if they didn’t get a key within this period!

Similarly, during this half an hour prior to teleportation, everyone holding keys would be on high alert. No one wanted to have their keys snatched at the final moment and be teleported away and eliminated in the trial. They wouldn’t even have time to save themselves from elimination!

As a result, any ordinary person would conclude after analysis that within this half an hour prior to teleportation, those without keys would go mad and seek fights frantically. On the other hand… unless those with keys were indeed crazy, they wouldn’t choose to engage in any fighting or snatching of keys during this period. They would wait for the teleportation to take place, then attack after.

To attack before teleportation would be risky and dangerous—regardless of whether one ultimately won or not. If one lost, he or she would be eliminated. Even if one won, he or she would have to be wary of participants, who were hidden from the map, attacking them with mad frenzy. The risks outweighed the gains.

After all, depending on whether one had a key or not, one would be in a completely different mental state when facing the impending teleportation. That was why… be it the cultivators in the trial or the spectating disciples, they all determined that during this period before teleportation, the ones who would seek battle fiercely and frantically would be those hidden on the map!

There was a saying in ancient times in the Federation—madness was required for success. To a certain extent, this saying could be used to describe some prodigies as well. Like Wang Baole… he was exactly like that!

What he was waiting for was now. He was going to go against the laws of reason. He was going to make use of the approaching teleportation to eliminate the presence that was a threat to his!

After some consideration, he decided that his target would be… the personal disciple nearest him. He didn’t know who that was going to be, and he had no need to know. He only knew… that no matter who the other party was, and which faction he or she belonged to, he would attack!

Just as Wang Baole dashed across the skies and raced towards his target, somewhere else in the sky, there was another personal disciple who had chosen to do exactly what Wang Baole was planning to do!

This person was Dugu Lin!

He noticed Wang Baole’s cluster of keys on the map, situated far from him and moving at high speed. Even though he couldn’t tell who it was, he immediately realized Wang Baole’s intentions after having noticed the cluster of keys.

<em>That’s interesting. Who could that be? Is it Zhou Chudao? No matter who it is, to be able to go on the offensive now, he or she must not be a simple character! </em>Dugu Lin narrowed his eyes. Truth be told, he had been surprised to find another cluster of keys besides those belonging to the five prodigies on the aerial map. He had believed that only five people, including himself, would have been able to achieve this.

<em>I hope this person lasts until the end. I want to know who exactly has hidden his or her strength so well! </em>Dugu Lin smiled faintly. He leaped into the sky and, with a sudden burst of speed, rushed towards the personal disciple nearest him!

His and Wang Baole’s locations were too far apart. That was why they had not chosen the other as their target and had instead chosen a different personal disciple nearest them. As Dugu Lin released a sudden burst of speed, he transformed into a lightning bolt shooting across the aerial map. Both he and Wang Baole did nothing to conceal their intentions. Their actions sent cultivators in the trial reeling back. The disciples outside watching the trial were completely stunned.

They saw clearly on what had been a calm and peaceful aerial map, two stars suddenly shifting and approaching the star nearest them speedily!

“It’s Wang Baole and Dugu Lin. Heavens, they’ve chosen to attack now!”

“Wang Baole’s target is… Zhou Chudao!”

“Dugu Lin’s target is… Xu Ming!”

The disciples in the public square reeled back with shock. They had predicted that this calm before the storm would persist until the teleportation was over and that the fight would start again after the teleportation had ended. They hadn’t expected Wang Baole and Dugu Lin to choose this moment, the most inappropriate and also the most appropriate moment, to strike!

It had been a completely unexpected move. After some thought though, it seemed like a completely reasonable move to make. That being said, it still surprised and shocked many people. This included some Nascent Soul realm cultivators, whose eyes were shining with a bright, intense light. Feng Qiuran’s, Mie Liezi’s, and You Ran’s focus on the trial had also intensified considerably.

One not only required sufficient cultivation to make a move now, one had to have the guts to do it!

The most excited and nervous of the lot were the Federation Seedlings. It had been an emotional roller coaster ride for them. The cause of this was Wang Baole. Presently, some of them were anxious while others were high-spirited.

With tens of thousands of eyes watching him, Wang Baole continued to race across the skies. He had noticed Dugu Lin doing the same. What was different was how when Wang Baole saw the other move, an image of Dugu Lin immediately appeared in his mind. This was a result of his instincts and the analysis he had done previously. It had led to his conclusion!

<em>It should be him!</em>

Wang Baole withdrew his gaze and slowed down. After Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao caught up with him, he began to pick up speed again. They sped across the night sky like fiery shooting stars, approaching ever nearer to where Zhou Chudao was!

Time passed speedily as they raced onwards. There was another half an hour to the next teleportation. On the aerial map, the star that represented Dugu Lin finally neared its target. He struck instantly. Even though Wang Baole couldn’t hear the sounds of battle, he could guess at the intensity of the fight!

<em>Now, it’s my turn! </em>Wang Baole took a deep breath. His battle lust erupted at that moment, and he charged forward. From a distance, he could see a mountain peak ahead of him. Sat there facing him was Zhou Chudao, his moping face resembling that of an old peasant!

When Zhou Chudao saw Wang Baole, he sighed. His low voice echoed in the air.

“Why are you doing this… As I expected, it’s you!”