A World Worth Protecting

1

A look of fear flashed across the black bird’s eyes as it unleashed its full speed to escape. However, having lost its physical body, and coupled with the Nascent Soul suffering severe injuries due to backlash, the black bird was now without a base to fall back on. No matter how fast it was, it was affected. If its opponent were someone else, the effect wouldn’t have been as devastating. However, of all people, its opponent was Wang Baole, a Dark Child.

After all, to a certain extent, a Nascent Soul was formed from a soul. As Wang Baole charged out, he raised his right hand, and the Soul Guidance Hand instantly emerged at high speed. Dark Fire also spread in all directions, blocking the black bird from all corners, such that regardless of how it struggled and how it used the black sword, it was useless. It merely made it a bit more troublesome for Wang Baole.

Soon, as the black bird grew progressively weaker after using the black sword multiple times, Wang Baole managed to grab hold of it!

<em>Let’s see if you’re still able to create chaos! </em>A chilly glow was revealed in Wang Baole’s eyes as he activated Thearch Armor without hesitation. Instantly, the black bird screamed painfully as it was gradually absorbed by Wang Baole’s Flame Snatch and integrated into Thearch Armor.

At that moment, the entire Thearch Armor glowed as if it had received large amounts of nourishment. Several white threads were produced and interlaced with each other. Even though there was still some way to go before bone armor was eventually formed, it was now clearly moving towards completion.

At the same time, Wang Baole also had a strong interest in the black sword. After inspecting it, he realized that the sword didn’t have a core and was entirely different from how one would refine artifacts in the Federation. It was as if the sword was a whole on its own and had been produced naturally.

That made Wang Baole surprised. Eventually, after combining his understanding of Dharmic Armaments and linking it with how Patriarch Black Wind had activated the sword, Wang Baole suddenly narrowed his eyes.

<em>Could it be… This is a treasure that can only be controlled in the presence of a Nascent Soul? </em>Wang Baole’s curiosity was piqued by the Dharmic treasure. Therefore, he kept the black sword cautiously. At the same time, he realized that after destroying Patriarch Black Wind, no signs of teleportation had appeared.

He suddenly grew anxious and worried about the possibility that no teleportation would happen. He even asked Little Missy about it and came to realize that after the time limit of one month had passed, teleportation would definitely occur.

That made Wang Baole heave a sigh of relief, despite still feeling that everything seemed a little bizarre. However, since there was no way to change things, Wang Baole decided to continue his scavenging.

<em>Perhaps I’m thinking too much. Since the teleportation would definitely happen, then I should collect more materials before that happens. After all, all this exists in reality. If I could bring all the items back, then I would really have struck gold! </em>With that thought, Wang Baole was filled with excitement once again, and he continued charging ahead.

Several days passed in that manner. Wang Baole had scavenged every single place that he could find. Even though there would definitely be more that he could pick up in regions that were further out, he didn’t have time, and he was also worried about the teleportation issue. Therefore, he decided to end the sweep and even purposefully returned to the location where he had first landed to await the teleportation.

Without waiting for too long, and while Wang Baole was still feeling somewhat nervous, a loud boom suddenly sounded between the heavens and earth from the sky. It formed a huge vortex, and as the vortex rotated noisily, Wang Baole immediately raised his head. Instantly, an extremely strong suction force began spreading outwards from the skies, enveloping his body.

Amidst the loud boom and Wang Baole’s nervousness, he flew into the air and towards the vortex. Immediately, he vanished within the vortex. Gradually, even the vortex disappeared. The skies returned to normalcy. The ground was still pitch-black as if no one had come before. Only those ghost spirits that survived, and those who resided in villages that hadn’t been scavenged, slowly began to realize that Patriarch Black Wind had vanished.

At the same time, a bloody and ruthless legend began to spread. In the legend, a monster that ate the spirits not only ate Patriarch Black Wind but even ate most of its companions. The ghost spirits were frightened for a long time after hearing the legend.

The strange beast in the future legend of the Black Spirit Dwarf Planet heaved a sigh of relief when he realized that everything before his eyes had returned to normal. He had reappeared in front of the great hall of the fifth palace.

After that, Wang Baole hurriedly lowered his head to look at his storage bracelet. After noticing that it was filled with sculptures, a look of delight appeared on his face. His body trembled, and after a moment, he began to laugh hysterically.

<em>I really managed to bring them back! </em>Wang Baole’s excitement and exhilaration were indescribable. Those feelings were even stronger than him eating a chicken leg with a soy egg.

In his exhilaration, Wang Baole checked his storage bracelet in detail again to confirm what he had seen. He felt energised and grew even more excited to enter the trial in the next palace. However, due to the peculiar circumstances of the trials, Wang Baole tried very hard before he was able to suppress his agitation. He didn’t rashly take on the trial in the fifth palace. Instead, he turned to look behind him.

Wang Baole didn’t see Zhao Yameng or Kong Dao, and that made him turn from happy to worried. Thankfully, without waiting too long, he saw Zhao Yameng outside the great hall of the fourth palace, just as she was transported back.

When Wang Baole turned to look, he saw that Zhao Yameng seemed beaten as she vomited a mouthful of blood and sat down with her face pale. It could be seen very clearly that there were many scratches on her body. Clearly, the fourth palace was very challenging for her, and from where she had emerged, it could be guessed that Zhao Yameng had failed in the trial.

Wang Baole remained silent and didn’t speak. However, he understood that in the trial of the fourth palace, Zhao Yameng’s opponent was also a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, which increased her chance of failure.

<em>It’s alright as long as she’s safe. </em>Wang Baole took a look at Zhao Yameng from a distance before turning to look towards the first palace. Then, he sat down with his legs crossed, meditating while cultivating so that he would return to his best state.

Two days passed. Zhao Yameng regained her consciousness, and Kong Dao also emerged from the first palace. The three of them were far from each other. After looking at one another, Kong Dao decided to enter the second palace, while Zhao Yameng laughed bitterly as she looked at Wang Baole. She decided to give up on the trial and end it then.

However, she didn’t leave immediately. Apparently, she wanted to wait and see how Wang Baole and Kong Dao would perform.

After looking at Zhao Yameng with a comforting look in his eyes, Wang Baole took a deep breath and ended his period of rest. He gauged his current status, and also had the intention to ask Zhao Yameng for a storage bag. However, as he was one palace away, and the entire place was so bizarre, he couldn’t backtrack unless he chose to give up. Therefore, Wang Baole regrettably gave up on the thought as he rose and charged towards the great hall of the fifth palace without hesitation.

The instant Wang Baole entered, Little Missy’s voice reverberated in his mind.

“Take out your intrinsic scabbard!”

Without hesitation, Wang Baole raised his right hand and pressed it hard on his body. When he lifted his hand again, his intrinsic scabbard was glowing as it was taken out.

As the scabbard was taken out by Wang Baole, the fifth palace suddenly shook before returning to a state of silence. Wang Baole blinked as he looked at the emptiness surrounding him. He tried to call for Little Missy but to no avail. After waiting for the time of ten breaths, the cold and emotionless voice slowly arrived by his ears.

“The trial to become a personal disciple in the fifth palace will begin after the time of a hundred breaths.

“Trial taker, please prepare. You will be sent to the only main star of the Vast Expanse Galactic system, the Vast Expanse Dao Planet. You are to retrieve the civilization stone tablet and return in order to complete the mission!

“The Vast Expanse Dao Planet has already become barren, but the Never-Ending Clan is still present, with the guardians having cultivations at the Planet realm. This trial is extremely challenging, and the trial-taker is to be vigilant!

“If the trial-taker doesn’t voice his rejection within the time of a hundred breaths, it will be taken that he accepts and is willing to take on the trial! Please note that this is not an illusion but reality. If the trial-taker dies, he will be deemed to have fallen. If he gives up during the trial, he will still have to persevere for ten days!”

As the voice reverberated, Wang Baole suddenly widened his eyes, and his breathing also grew urgent. The mission in the fifth palace seemed to him like a trial that had a high chance of death!

It involved returning to the galactic system that the Vast Expanse Dao Palace was once at. In the barren land where the Never-Ending Clan remained, Wang Baole was to retrieve the required item. That, to Wang Baole, was extremely challenging, and that was needless to say with the presence of guardians at the Planet realm cultivation.

With that thought, Wang Baole immediately grew anxious. Just as he was about to reject the mission, Little Missy’s calm voice reverberated in his head.

“Relax. This time, let me use your intrinsic scabbard to influence the mission. Only then will you receive the refinement material to upgrade your intrinsic scabbard to the seventh grade!

“In other words, only when you’re there can you use the remnant energy of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace to complete the refinement of your intrinsic scabbard. Otherwise, even if you have all the materials, your chance of success is less than ten percent due to the difference in the laws of the star system!”

Wang Baole was shocked and remained silent for a while. As the time of a hundred breaths was about to end, he gritted his teeth, and a look of determination appeared in his eyes.

“I’m going!”