A World Worth Protecting

1

The fusion wasn’t entirely smooth. It was brutal and forced, without any prior acknowledgment or permission obtained. The process was far from effortless. However, based on Wang Baole’s understanding of Dharmic Armaments, he knew how difficult it was to acquire a Dharmic Armament’s acknowledgment of one’s ownership. The broken arm would be equally challenging.

It was likely that no one except its original master could have gotten it to submit readily. Wang Baole wasn’t looking for a willing submission though. He only needed to be able to wield it.

What he had found problematic was the potential expenditure in energy as well as the backlash from wielding the arm. That was why he had decided to fuse it with his Flame Snatch Thearch Armor, so using the arm would expend the armor’s power instead. Similarly, the backlash would fall on the armor as well.

This meant that Wang Baole wasn’t only able to wield the arm, he was also able to minimize any damage or injury to himself. This idea of his, and his way of achieving it, succeeded.

It might not be a perfect fusion, but Wang Baole was nevertheless pleased with the results. He realized that the meridians and white strands residing within his Flame Snatch Thearch Armor had rapidly wormed their way into the arm. It looked like a natural extension of the armor. This tightly bound connection also meant that he could feel a consciousness resting inside the broken arm, deep in slumber.

It was likely the Artifact Spirit. Due to reasons yet known, it remained asleep and unaware of the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor’s invasion.

<em>As long as this consciousness is around, I won’t be able to fully master and own this arm… There’s no rush though. Let’s wait until I break through the Core Formation realm to the Nascent Soul realm. We’ll see if I can exorcise it then, </em>Wang Baole thought. He lowered his head, staring at the right arm attached to his Thearch Armor and smiling.

He had the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor on, and its shell was formed from blood-colored meridians, save the right arm. The right arm was shriveled up but full, looking extremely creepy! Wang Baole sucked in a deep breath. He ignored the giant tree, who appeared to be shocked by his fusion with the arm. Instead, he activated his cultivation and the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor completely. The armor was bathed in a blood-red light instantly.

An aura of violence erupted in the air. Waves of energy that surpassed Wang Baole’s cultivation were unleashed and surged outwards. Wang Baole’s eyes flashed. He steered the entirety of the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor’s Spirit Qi into its right arm while evading the slumbering consciousness inside. With the aid of the armor’s meridians and the white bone strands… the armor’s right arm began to tremble. In the next moment… Wang Baole began to experience a sensation, as if the armor’s right arm had become his own.

A thought surfaced in his mind. The giant tree watched in disbelief as the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor’s right hand tightened into a fist!

An incredible power burst forth from Wang Baole’s person, which transformed the skies. The winds howled, the clouds rolled, and the seas of fire around them began to resonate with the sudden unleashing of power.

The immense power of this aura made Wang Baole’s breathing stutter. The power came not from Wang Baole himself but from his armor’s right arm. Wang Baole calmed down quickly enough, his eyes flashing with joy. It was unfortunate that he wasn’t able to fully master the arm, but he wasn’t particularly bothered.

<em>Who cares as long as I can wield it? Besides, it’s now in my possession. Where can it run off to? </em>Wang Baole observed the effects of the arm’s power on his surroundings excitedly. He basked in the incredible power unleashed by his right hand. This was a power that could wipe out everything in its path once unleashed!

Wang Baole was overcome with excitement. He believed that should he face Sun Hai in a battle again, their fight wouldn’t require so much effort on his part. He only needed to give him a slight punch… to destroy him and end the fight!

Wang Baole didn’t test the power of his punch. However, the mere tightening of his fist had unleashed such power that it transformed the sky and land around him. The giant tree stood a distance away, trembling uncontrollably. His cultivation had been suppressed by the display of strength. His head buzzed. It was as if Wang Baole had the ability to destroy both his body and soul with a single punch from his right fist.

His sense of awe and fear towards Wang Baole intensified. As he stood trembling, Wang Baole’s eyes suddenly flashed. Wang Baole turned towards the giant tree and said suddenly, in a cold voice, “Show me what else you took from the tomb.”

The giant tree’s mind went numb when he heard what Wang Baole said. Anxiety and doubt exploded in his mind as a sense of danger stronger than what he had felt earlier loomed over him. He pulled out all his storage bags without hesitation. He even loosened his clothing to prove that he wasn’t hiding anything on him as he spoke frantically.

“Elder, I’m not hiding anything on me. All my storage bags are here. You can inspect them. You may punish me as you see fit if you find anything hidden in those bags!”

An expressionless Wang Baole raised his left hand and made a grab through the air, causing the storage bags to fly towards him. He inspected them one by one and confirmed that the giant tree hadn’t taken anything else from the tomb secretly. He didn’t reveal anything on his face though. He gave the giant tree a long look, then unleashed the power from his right arm again. The giant tree trembled. Then, Wang Baole said slowly, “Tell me everything you saw in that tomb!”

The giant tree shook with awe. Terrified that Wang Baole wouldn’t believe his words, he immediately started telling Wang Baole everything.

“Elder, there is an underground palace beneath the tomb. The green mist was too thick, however, and I wasn’t able to get near the palace. The furthest I was able to venture was where the broken arm was found, and it was the only thing I was able to take with me. I really do not know what else lies within the palace.”

“I had the idea of infiltrating the place and recording everything that I’ve seen with the voice transmission ring, but the device couldn’t be activated…” At that point, the giant tree became worried that Wang Baole wouldn’t believe him. Frantically, he began to search through his memories in greater detail. After a moment, he seemed to recall something and continued hurriedly.

“There’s another thing. I saw a stone stele inside as well. The mist was too thick, and I couldn’t read what was written on it clearly. I could only see three words—Dao Disciple Chen… The only reason I was able to decipher that was because the third batch of Seedlings had to learn the Vast Expanse Dao Palace’s spoken and written languages before our arrival,” the giant tree explained hastily. He had spoken the truth and had withheld nothing from Wang Baole. Having finished speaking, he stood there, filled with fear and anxiety as he observed Wang Baole.

Wang Baole froze when he heard the giant tree mention “Dao Disciple Chen”. His pupils contracted suddenly, and his head started buzzing. It was as if he had just been struck by lightning. Fortunately, he was hidden safely inside his armor, away from the giant tree’s eyes. Else, with the giant tree’s intelligence, the giant tree might begin to suspect something.

The giant tree might remain unaware, but Wang Baole had been shocked by what the former had told him. The giant tree knew nothing about the three words he had seen, but Wang Baole had immediately thought of something when he had heard those words.

“Dao Disciple Wuchen…” Wang Baole muttered to himself secretly. He stared at his armor’s right hand with incredulity. He couldn’t believe it.

<em>Damn it… did I just raid the tomb of Li Wuchen’s past self?</em>

The realization horrified Wang Baole. It continued to plague his thoughts and loom at the back of his mind as he led the giant tree away and back towards the Vast Expanse Dao Palace.

<em>Does this arm belong to Li Wuchen’s past self? If that’s really the case, how powerful exactly was Li Wuchen in his past life… </em>Wang Baole fretted. It seemed like he had just dug his own grave. There was already tension between him and Li Wuchen, and with what he had just done, the grudge between them… had just ballooned.

He couldn’t just give up the arm though. Wang Baole was caught in a dilemma, as he couldn’t simply kill Li Wuchen either. First of all, Feng Qiuran knew who Li Wuchen was. Secondly, they hadn’t yet reached the point where he had to kill Li Wuchen. Besides, even if they were to truly battle it out, Li Wuchen was a Dao Disciple in his past life. Wang Baole believed Li Wuchen would have some trick up his sleeve that he could use to save his own life.

Perhaps Li Wuchen himself wouldn’t know that he had these tricks until he regained his memories of his past life, but that was also what made him a terrifying opponent.

<em>This entire thing is just trouble. I have to think of a way to guarantee my own safety so that Li Wuchen can’t do anything to me even after he regains his memories…</em>

Wang Baole kept sighing inwardly. He wasn’t in the mood to bother with the giant tree. He fell into contemplative silence as they rushed back to the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. The giant tree followed closely behind, sighing secretly as well. He was being troubled by similar worries. The Dao Palace was too dangerous a place for him, so he had to find a way to make it safer for him to remain, and ensure that Wang Baole wouldn’t simply off him once he’d outlived his usefulness.

He thought for a while and suddenly recalled the scandals he had heard back on Mars, between Wang Baole and the Head Senator’s daughter, Li Wan’er. An idea flashed in his head, and he started to speak with great care.

“Elder, during the two years you spent in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, I’ve managed to get myself a goddaughter. She especially idolizes you. Perhaps it might be possible for you to send for her the next time the Federation sends someone over. She could follow you around and take care of your every need?”