A World Worth Protecting

1

Mie Liezi trembled. As a Soul Conduit realm cultivator, it had been a long time since he had been so shaken. There was no way he could have expected this, that Wang Baole had attained the rank of an adopted disciple!

He had previously predicted the immense challenge Wang Baole was going to face just to attain the core disciple rank. However, Wang Baole had now attained the rank of an adopted disciple—two ranks higher than a core disciple and a rank secondary only to a Dao Disciple!

He still found the entire thing incredulous. As a disciple who had lived through the glorious days of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, he knew that a core disciple enjoyed an immensely elevated status in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. A personal disciple, who was ranked higher than a core disciple, was granted an even greater status. There had only ever been three to five personal disciples at any single time.

Adopted disciples… were the stuff of legends in the sect. Each held extreme power and authority. They weren’t people he had the privilege to come into contact with. He remembered how he had been a follower of a personal disciple and how they had prostrated themselves before an adopted disciple. They had been like ordinary people in the face of a cultivator!

His preconceptions were the cause of Mie Liezi’s current shock. It was as if he had been struck by lightning. He stood there, dazed.

Feng Qiuran had a similar reaction. Compared to Mie Liezi, at least she had seen the purple identity token quite a few times. This was because one of the elders in her family clan had been an adopted disciple!

That had also contributed to her current state of shock. In fact, the extent of her surprise and shock far exceeded that of Mie Liezi. She almost gave in to instinct and extended a greeting to Wang Baole—one normally reserved for elders.

Even Wang Baole was shocked by what he had caused. He knew that an adopted disciple’s rank was extremely high, but he was still recovering from his regret of not passing the final palace and obtaining a Dao Disciple’s rank. He had pulled out the token only to have the final word on the dispute with Sun Hai.

He hadn’t imagined that the mere appearance of the purple identity token would send the Hyacinthus Tree swaying and the array formation resonating with the token. Even the ancient greenish-bronze sword had shaken. From the looks on Mie Liezi’s and Feng Qiuran’s faces, they looked like they were about to fall to their knees and prostrate themselves before him.

Wang Baole sucked in a breath of cold air. He quickly calmed himself down. Then, he blinked, raised his token in the air, and said casually, “Elder Mie Liezi, I would like to know, is Sun Hai an inner sect disciple? Or a core disciple? Or perhaps even an outer sect disciple?”

Wang Baole’s voice was calm. In the past, he didn’t have sufficient authority. Now, with his position as an adopted disciple, there was authority and power behind every word he said!

Mie Liezi opened his mouth and tried to speak, but he had only bitterness in his mouth. There was nothing he could say to that. Feng Qiuran was the one who replied Wang Baole.

Feng Qiuran had barely recovered from her shock. She instinctively cupped her fists and saluted Wang Baole. Then, she said softly, “Sun Hai isn’t considered a true disciple of the Dao Palace. He has not acquired a Dao Palace disciple’s rank…”

“He hasn’t?” Wang Baole nodded. An icy glint flickered in his eyes.

“If that’s the case, it means he’s just a mere random servant. To think that a mere servant would dare challenge me and try to use an adopted disciple’s intrinsic sacred beast for refinement? That is what I call a revolt! That is what I call offending one’s superiors! Elder Mie Liezi, what do you think? How should punishment be meted out?” Wang Baole said forcefully. He had both reason and authority on his side, and he had turned the tables on the other side with mere words. Everyone began to sweat.

This was the case especially for the Nascent Soul realm cultivators who had sensed something amiss and had rushed over. Surprise flashed across their faces when they heard what Wang Baole just said. When they looked at Wang Baole, it was with a different set of eyes.

This was all because… of the extreme prestige and elevated status of an adopted disciple!

Even Sun Hai, who had been saved by Mie Liezi, began to quake in his boots despite his being a Nascent Soul realm cultivator. An alarming sense of danger began to drive him mad with anxiety. He hadn’t expected his moment of greed to cost him his physical body, or that he might be accused of committing a grave crime because of it.

<em>How could he be an adopted disciple? Damn it, it’s impossible!</em>

Sun Hai trembled and cried for Mie Liezi’s help. A myriad of emotions flashed across Mie Liezi’s face. He was both shocked and bewildered. There was also slight hesitation on his part. Wang Baole’s new status had sent him spiraling into confusion.

Even though Wang Baole was only at the Core Formation realm, the Vast Expanse Dao Palace placed great importance on one’s status and rank. Mie Liezi knew very well whom it was who held the greater authority in this situation. It might be that the true Dao Palace had already perished, but the old elders still lived. They might be deep in slumber at the region of the sword tip, but they would one day awoke from their sleep.

Caught in a confusing mix of feelings, Mie Liezi fell silent.

Wang Baole didn’t rush him. He coughed, then walked towards the alchemical cauldron. The surrounding cultivators dared not stop his approach. They stepped back and allowed Wang Baole to make his way to the front of the cauldron. He raised and waved his right hand, and the cauldron split open in a deafening thunder, then exploded.

The donkey leaped out from the cauldron. It looked haggard and miserable, and a great portion of its fur was singed. Its spirit seemed drained as well. However, Wang Baole could sense that those were only superficial injuries and that it was going to be fine.

The donkey was clearly excited to see Wang Baole. It was about to start braying again when Wang Baole glared at it. It immediately drooped its head and looked sheepish. It nuzzled Wang Baole’s leg as if it was trying to gain Wang Baole’s favor.

<em>How did I manage to rear such a glutton! </em>Wang Baole was furious. He was an adopted disciple, the most good-looking man in the whole of the Federation. To think that he was being followed around by this glutton. The odd match they must make in other people’s eyes. He was about to send a kick flying in the donkey’s direction when Mie Liezi, having noticed the relatively unharmed donkey, spoke with his raspy voice.

“Wang…” He was stumped after saying the first word. He wasn’t sure how he was to address Wang Baole. He froze, then decided not to think too much about this.

“Wang Baole, Sun Hai is indeed the one at fault here. I’ll have him apologize to you right now.” Having said that, Mie Liezi raised his right hand in a wave. Sun Hai’s Nascent Soul flew out. Hovering in mid-air, he began to bow profusely at Wang Baole, his pleading eyes shining as he apologized repeatedly.

“Please be merciful, Elder Wang. Your humble disciple was unaware of your esteemed status. I beg your forgiveness for the offense that I have committed towards you…”

Mie Liezi felt slightly comfortable as he listened to Sun Hai’s apologies. However, Wang Baole not only had rank on his side, but he also had reason. Getting Sun Hai to apologize was the only way to resolve the matter peaceably.

After a moment of silence, Feng Qiuran turned and looked at Wang Baole as well. She and Mie Liezi might be of separate factions, but Sun Hai was still a Nascent Soul of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. Feng Qiuran would have her reservations if Wang Baole decided to punish Sun Hai.

Wang Baole knew what she was thinking. He also knew that it wasn’t impossible for him to kill Sun Hai, though it would require some effort. It wasn’t as simple as finding an opportunity to assassinate him secretly.

He wasn’t going to just let him off the hook like that, though. After some thought, he said slowly, “My intrinsic sacred beast has suffered an immense and unjustified tragedy. This will cause it great…” Sun Hai immediately knew what Wang Baole was trying to do before the latter was even done speaking. He shouted hastily, “Elder Wang, this humble disciple is willing to compensate… fifty thousand battle credits!” Sun Hai’s heart ached as he shouted out the figure. However, it was clear he wasn’t going to get away with paying nothing.

Wang Baole rolled his eyes and continued speaking.

“…emotional harm, from all the fright it has experienced. It’ll result in its failure to attain future breakthroughs in cultivation!”

Wang Baole cued the donkey secretly after saying that. The donkey blinked, then suddenly screamed and fell to the ground. Foam started to bubble around its lips, and its limbs twitched. The donkey looked like it might drop dead at any moment. It looked exactly like the performance it was.

Feng Qiuran smiled wryly, while Mie Liezi turned his head away. He couldn’t be bothered with the sight. The Nascent Soul realm cultivators around them all had odd looks on their faces. Sun Hai was dumbfounded. His heart had progressed from a mere ache to a full-blown bleeding out. There was a moment of silence. Then, he clenched his teeth and said, “A hundred thousand credits. I’ll compensate you a hundred thousand battle credits!”

As he said that, the donkey cried out and spat out a large mouthful of blood…

“A hundred and fifty thousand…” Sun Hai was on the verge of tears. His voice trembled. That was the entirety of his fortunes.

“A hundred and fifty thousand credits to be delivered within the next three days. Do take note, though… Sun Hai, I’m not pursuing this matter further because it’s your first offense. But if you do this again…” Wang Baole left his sentence hanging. He leveled a meaningful look at Sun Hai, and murder flashed across his eyes. Then, he cupped his fists and saluted Feng Qiuran, put away his identity token, turned around, and left—leaving behind a group of silent cultivators with unfathomable looks in their eyes.

The donkey leaped into the air and hurried after Wang Baole. It was no longer throwing up blood. It trotted after Wang Baole and left with its master. Cries of joy punctuated the air now and then. The cultivators listened to the donkey’s jubilant cries as they watched Wang Baole disappear into the distance. They shared a single thought.

<em>In the near future, the Vast Expanse Dao Palace… might receive its fourth Grand Supreme Elder, one even if he were only be at the Core Formation realm!</em>