A World Worth Protecting

by Stayrr

By the year 3029 CE, Earth’s technology has developed rapidly, borders no longer exist, and Earth has been unified, marking the beginning of the era of the Federation. At that time, a huge sword flew from the heavens, piercing the sun and causing a huge sensation on Earth. Perhaps because the scabbard of the sword was already in tatters, countless shards have broken off from it f

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Chapter 405: The Family Name of the Governor's Partner is Zhao?

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The matter involving Zhuo Yifan ended. Suddenly, every political force in the Federation began to view Wang Baole, this rising star from Mars, with greater importance. Finally, they had all decided not to offend him without good reason.

Chen Mu had his own plans, but he too had received a stern warning from his family clan. He was to keep a low profile in the new city and stop doing things that might result in conflict or tension.

Chen Mu was resistant towards the instructions. However, his connections and power all stemmed from his family clan. He could only swallow his pride. But he couldn't help but think about the segments of the video that hadn't been restored. The more he thought about it, the more resentful he felt. He was powerless to do anything, though.

Time passed slowly. Everything seemed peaceful. Be it the construction of the new city or the autonomous zones, it was all moving along well as improvements were made and the city was steadily perfected. The Federation and the Martian administration scheduled a mass migration of new residents to the new city.

Wang Baole had intended to go into seclusion and train until his cultivation broke through from its current late-stage Foundation Establishment realm to the perfected Foundation Establishment realm. However, there were many administrative matters he had to deal with. Even though he could delegate the majority of those tasks to his mayors, he still had to be the one making decisions for the mass migration.

After two weeks of seclusion, Wang Baole finally had to leave his residence one fine morning and head for his office. He had to go through the proposals for the mass migration with his mayors. In addition, Jin Duoming had sent him a voice transmission yesterday. He had wanted to speak to Wang Baole about something after the meeting.

The sky was bright and clear when he walked out of his residence. It looked like a sunny day, but there was a chilly breeze with a cold that pierced straight into one's bones. Winter was approaching on Mars.

Wang Baole felt the cold winds. He watched the cultivators who were stationed in the area to guard his residence and patrol the area approach from afar. He watched as they noticed his presence and immediately stopped in their tracks, saluting him respectfully. He was overcome with emotion.

Without knowing it, he had spent more than a year on Mars. Too many things had happened during this period. He sighed as he thought back on what had happened.

I've turned old. Wang Baole patted his tummy. He thought about how he had already reached his twenties. He couldn't help but lament at how swiftly time was passing. Life was like a dream…

Immersed in his thoughts, Wang Baole, who had just stepped out of his residence and was about to retrieve his cruiser, felt someone's eyes on him. He turned his head. An odd expression settled on his face.

Behind him, or more specifically, the residence next door to his, the doors to the pavilion had just swung open. Li Wan'er, dressed in uniform, stepped out. Her eyes fell on Wang Baole as well. She frowned. Then, expressionless, she walked over.

The area Wang Baole was residing in was a special residential area in the new city set aside for those with the rank of a mayor or higher. However, Kong Dao and the rest typically resided in their own city zones, leaving this area unoccupied most of the time. Only Li Wan'er continued to reside here after she arrived in the new city.

Wang Baole only returned occasionally when he needed to go into seclusion and refine Dharmic Artifacts, and this was the first time the two of them had seen each other here. Wang Baole had been stunned at first as well, before he realized that Li Wan'er was his neighbor.

Wang Baole didn't speak as he watched Li Wan'er walk over. Li Wan'er was silent as well. She seemed to be ignoring Wang Baole's presence as she brushed past him, retrieved her cruiser, and prepared to leave.

Wang Baole was unconcerned with Li Wan'er's attitude. Because of Chen Mu, she had threatened him twice. Their relationship might not be considered hostile, but it was definitely distant and cold.

Their tense relationship hadn't stopped Wang Baole from watching Li Wan'er with regret in his eyes. His eyes had followed her as she walked past him and landed on the cruiser she retrieved.

Regret filled Wang Baole's heart as he stared at the familiar cruiser. He had taken a ride in the cruiser before. He remembered the elegantly decorated interior and comfortable chairs—they had been extremely soft and cushy.

What a pity. Don't think I'll get a chance to do it again. Wang Baole shook his head and was about to withdraw his gaze. He didn't know why, but he instinctively stared at Li Wan'er's back.

It might have been because of the uniform, but it made Li Wan'er's already alluring figure seem even more attractive. The uniform seemed to hold within it everything that was beautiful and perfect. Anyone of the opposite sex, upon the sight of her, wouldn't be able to control the fire burning in their hearts.

This was a beauty that belonged entirely to Li Wan'er. There were similarities with the beauty Li Yi possessed, but Li Wan'er surpassed her vastly in this aspect. The coldness exuding from Li Wan'er's person made her appear like an icy rose with thorns. It was both a danger and a fatal temptation.

She was that to Wang Baole as well. He had only glanced over instinctively, but his eyes instinctively looked at Li Wan'er's bottom first.

He couldn't help but sigh then. He remembered… he had touched it, and patted it. It had been soft and bouncy. Everything had been so great. Something so wonderful was going to be possessed by the hateful Chen Mu. Wang Baole was annoyed and depressed. It was likely he would never get a chance to smack it again.

Whatever, whatever. There are plenty more fish in the sea. I, Wang Baole, am an upstanding and honorable man, the most good looking man in the entire Federation. It's her loss. I can see it now, how she's going to regret this for the rest of her life, Wang Baole thought. He could instantly feel how right he was as he withdrew his gaze. It was then that Li Wan'er seemed to sense something. She turned and glared at Wang Baole, then stepped into her cruiser and flew off.

Wang Baole raised his eyebrow. He retrieved his cruiser as well and left his residence, heading for the office. There, he saw Li Wan'er once again, as well as Kong Dao and the others. Wen Huai and Fang Jing had arrived as well. Only Chen Mu was absent. He had sent one of his men to participate in the discussion and examination.

Wang Baole could hardly care to dig further into such petty matters. He was a man who didn't act recklessly. However, when he did act, he would make sure his enemy suffered or got out of his sight.

No problems surfaced during the examination of the proposal for the mass migration. Everyone soon reached a consensus, and Wang Baole submitted the finalized proposal to the Governor.

After the meeting adjourned, Li Wan'er left immediately without an expression on her face. Wen Huai extended a nod towards Wang Baole as a friendly gesture before leaving the office with Fang Jing, who had done the same, albeit reluctantly.

Finally, with the departure of Kong Dao and Lin Tianhao, only Wang Baole and Jin Duoming remained in the office. Jin Duoming loosened his collar and sat in front of Wang Baole. There was a deep, unfathomable light in his eyes. He gave Wang Baole a considering look, then laughed suddenly.

"Baole, I heard you and Li Wan'er had something going on in the past…"

"Why? You're interested in Li Wan'er?" Wang Baole threw Jin Duoming a look. He pulled out a bag of snacks, then started eating while speaking in a rather unfriendly tone.

"How's that possible!" Jin Duoming shivered inwardly and shook his head hastily.

"Even you know that's impossible. Let's get back to business. When are you going to bring over a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament in exchange for my amazing donkey?" Wang Baole said, rather impatiently. Jin Duoming had to bring the topic up. Besides, the both of them had gone through so much together. Their relationship had since grown more casual, and it felt normal to switch topic randomly.

Jin Duoming felt slightly frustrated when Wang Baole brought up his donkey again. He had been conducting businesses his entire life, but this was the worst deal he had tried to make. He stopped talking about Li Wan'er and instead, whispered.

"Baole, have you heard of… the Anti-Spirit Bomb?"

As soon as Jin Duoming said that, Wang Baole's eyes flashed. He nodded.

"I knew it. I knew you must have heard about the Anti-Spirit Bomb. Baole, do you know, this Anti-Spirit Bomb was jointly developed by the Trilunaris Corporation and the Federation. We have many research facilities studying and testing it…

"I want to invite the Spirit Research Department of the Federation to set up an Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility in my city zone in our new Martian city!"

"With this facility in place, it'd be a great boost to the reputation of our new city and to my status in the Trilunaris Corporation!" Jin Duoming's eyes were bright as he whispered. It was clear that he had been preparing for this for a long time. He only lacked Wang Baole's permission now.

"An Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility?" Wang Baole's expression was serious. He placed his snacks down, pondered for a moment, then asked.

"Is it safe?"

"There's no issue with safety. I can promise you that. In fact, there's an Anti-Spirit Bomb facility in the main Martian city. If it's unsafe, could they even have built it there in the first place?"

"Besides, I've dug up some information. The top expert on the Federation's Anti-Spirit Bomb, Zhao Pinfang, Master Zhao… he'll be visiting Mars in a few days to inspect the Anti-Spirit Bomb project at the Martian facility and resolve any issues. This is an important figure we're talking about. He's the Martian Colony Governor's partner… I've already submitted a request to tour the facility and personally meet Master Zhao. If he gives us his support for this proposal of ours, we'll be guaranteed a research facility in our new city!"

"Zhao Pinfang? The Governor's partner, his family name is Zhao?" Wang Baole asked curiously.

"Yup. This Master Zhao resides on Earth most of the time. Now that you've mentioned it, even the Federation President has to treat the couple with some degree of respect. After all, one of them is in charge of Mars, and the other is the top expert on the Anti-Spirit Bomb!" Jin Duoming sighed. He glanced at Wang Baole, then said suddenly.

"They have a daughter…"

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Chapter 406: The Art of Longevity

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

What does that mean? Wang Baole was a little suspicious, sensing that something wasn't right from Jin Duoming's gaze. He was initially speaking normally but suddenly mentioned that they had a daughter. It wouldn't have been much if it was just a recount, but when he mentioned it, the way he looked at Wang Baole implied that there was a more profound meaning behind it.

"Do you mean Little Sister Zhao? I am close to her, but this matter is a secret. You know, she has a peculiar family background, so it's enough that you know that." After thinking about it, Wang Baole suddenly cleared his throat and spoke.

When he spoke, Jin Duoming was shocked, looking somewhat incredulous. He hesitated for a while but decided to speak despite that.

"That… Baole, I've only met the daughter of the Governor once when I was young. I heard that since she was seven, she has been sent for training on the ancient greenish-bronze sword, and hasn't returned until now… How did you know her?"

Wang Baole was shocked. What Jin Duoming said allowed him to heave a sigh of relief, realizing that he had been too sensitive just now. At the same time, he felt regrettable, for he thought previously that the Governor's daughter was Zhao Yameng.

After all, they had the same last name, Zhao. Furthermore, Zhao Yameng had a similarly mysterious background. Even though he was now Primary Rank Three, he was still unable to find out about it. Right now, with regret, Wang Baole hurriedly avoided the question and began asking about the research facility for the Anti-Spirit Bomb.

An incredulous look remained on Jin Duoming's face as he took another glance at Wang Baole. He appeared to have understood the situation and didn't continue harping on it. However, deep inside his heart, not only was he gloating about his acting skills, but he also felt extremely delighted. He felt that he finally had the chance to take revenge for all the times Wang Baole had deployed the donkey to create trouble for him without reason. He had made up the story of the Governor's daughter being sent to the ancient greenish-bronze sword.

Jin Duoming knew very well that the more he said, the more loopholes he would expose. Therefore, he stopped elaborating once he put his point across and began talking about his plans, as well as the details of the Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility. Wang Baole's eyes lit up when he heard his description, and he realized the importance of the research facility to the new city.

It could be said that once the research facility had been built in the new city, the Federation would have to send more personnel to protect the area, as well as more research staff. This would significantly increase the value to the new city, and the protective covering would also be strengthened. In addition, the importance of the new city, and to a certain extent, the scope and development of Wang Baole's authority, allowed Wang Baole to know why Jin Duoming was so passionate about it, even if it wasn't laid out in an obvious manner by him.

After all, the internal affairs of the Trilunaris Corporation were complex, with many factions that each with their own leaders. Even though Jin Duoming had the rights to inheritance, he wasn't the sole heir. It wasn't known how the Trilunaris Corporation would eventually assess and choose a successor, but it was clearly related to one's accomplishments and the power that one holds. Therefore, once Jin Duoming managed to build the all-important Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility in his region, it would be immensely advantageous to him.

It could be said that it was a win-win situation, and that alone made Wang Baole's mind active with thoughts. Jin Duoming extended the invitation to Wang Baole to accompany him on a trip to the Martian City again, to view the research facility in the main city, as well as to pay a visit Zhao Pinfang.

However, there is still something strange about this. Theoretically, it would be enough for Jin Duoming to view the research facility and make the visit himself. Why is he repeatedly inviting me along? With that, Wang Baole grew suspicious, but when he noticed Jin Duoming's appearance, he quickly found the reason.

It must be because I am the most handsome person in the entire Federation, and I have such a high status, which makes me an elite despite my young age. I am well known in the entire Federation and am so shockingly handsome that Jin Duoming felt that if he went with me, it would greatly increase his chances of succeeding. He is making me his wingman! Wang Baole touched his chin, full of himself as he patted Jin Duoming's shoulder. His eyes conveyed a message of praise, as well as one that hinted that it was an exception, not the rule.

That gaze made Jin Duoming a little guilty, as thoughts darted about his head. After confirming that he hadn't exposed a loophole, he smiled, but he was still nervous as a result of how Wang Baole was looking at him.

D*rn it. After this Wang Baole became the city lord, he seems to have become smarter than before and learned how to manipulate his authority. He couldn't have realized the reason why I'm trying to ride on his fame and power, could he? He must not have realized that. The most he must have sensed is that I'm taking advantage of his power, but not which aspect of it. Otherwise, he wouldn't be carrying that expression.

With that thought, Jin Duoming relaxed slightly, smiling modestly at Wang Baole. As they looked at each other, the duo decided to head to the main Martian City together.

As this matter had to be kept a secret, the two of them only notified Kong Dao and Lin Tianhao so that they would be mentally prepared. They didn't inform Li Wan'er and departed immediately that afternoon.

Li Wan'er didn't seem to notice Wang Baole's departure. In the entire new city, other than Lin Tianhao and a portion of the cultivators from the four Dao Colleges, no one knew about it.

However, the donkey knew. The instant Wang Baole left, the donkey, which was hiding in the corner of a street, its body like a chameleon that blended completely with the surroundings, suddenly raised its head to look at the skies. It sneezed loudly and shook its tail vigorously, apparently very happy as it continued staring at a house not far ahead.

The donkey had arrived where it was after tracking the smell of food for the past few days. However, it felt a sense of danger here and didn't take further action. Instead, it planned to wait for the right opportunity so that it could swiftly take a huge bite out of it before fleeing.

Right now, the donkey was staring at a blue-robed youth sitting with his legs crossed in the shed. Before him were three middle-aged cultivators kneeling expressionlessly and motionlessly.

Without looking at the three cultivators before him, the blue-robed youth narrowed his eyes slightly, his right index finger tapping on his knee, as if he were in deep thought. After a brief moment, he smiled.

That old Boat Spirit suffered serious injuries back then such that his main consciousness couldn't be awakened, with only a portion of his consciousness capable of being revealed… It is said that it detected the scent of a Dark Child. Right now, in the new city, the one that fits best into its description is Wang Baole, the City Lord.

This is utterly absurd. The Dark Sect has long fallen. The battle back then was so destructive, and it's impossible for a Dark Child to appear now! Only that old Boat Spirit would be so adamant that the Dark Sect has been released into the cosmos to control the reincarnation process and lure the spirits to rebuild its former glory!

However, speaking of it, the array formation of this city is interesting in that it can gather Dark Qi. This way, it's still necessary to pay notice to Wang Baole's status. However, testing that hypothesis would exhaust a lot of my energy. Furthermore, it is highly likely that Wang Baole isn't the Dark Child, which would make direct testing too wasteful. As he sighed, the blue-robed youth thought about it. Suddenly, he revealed a smile, a cold one that carried a sinister meaning.

Regardless of whether he is the Dark Child, I want to carry out my plan. It won't be too late to test it out even after he realizes it! From the bottom of his heart, the blue-robed youth didn't believe that the Dark Child still existed in the universe. Therefore, he planned to carry out the first plan that he made after emerging from the catacombs, one that he made after studying the new city in detail.

That was… polluting the Great Baole Array Formation in Divine Armament New City, the one that could gather Dark Qi!

If it succeeded, he could make use of the Great Baole Array Formation and indirectly gain control over the Great Martian Array Formation. After all, those two were linked together, which allowed him to wield the greatest control over the Great Martian Array Formation in the boundaries of the new city. Furthermore, as others wouldn't be able to detect it, it would have a miraculous effect when a crucial juncture was reached.

The first step to polluting the Great Baole Array Formation required tainting the cultivators in the new city. Once they were tainted, he could make use of the unique characteristic of the Great Martian Array Formation, which continuously absorbed the aura of the people in the new city to absorb the tainted aura off them. The more of it absorbed, the more successful it would be.

That was the only loophole he had found after observing the Great Baole Array Formation!

The fastest and best way to do it is to create a cultivation technique, and garner believers and followers from there. The blue-robed youth smiled slightly, looking at the three expressionless middle-aged cultivators before him.

The three cultivators were the source of pollution that he had carefully chosen over this period of time. They were also the first batch of people he was directly in control of. They had all come from different regions and had different backgrounds.

As he looked at them, the trio seemed to have realized it as they raised their heads. Their originally stiff facial muscles began to relax, and a look of passion burned in their eyes.

"Go, disseminate the cultivation technique that I have taught all of you using your status!"

"This cultivation technique is known as the Art of Longevity!" The blue-robed youth spoke calmly. The three passionate cultivators before him stood up, greeting him with cupped fists.

"Yes, State Preceptor!"

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Chapter 407: Research Facility!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Even though there was no lack of cultivation techniques in the Federation during the Spirit Inception Era, they weren't plentiful either. Furthermore, the different factions kept their own techniques a top secret from each other, preventing the cultivation techniques that they had developed from being leaked to others. Therefore, it resulted in difficulty for other small factions and vagrant cultivators to gain access to even a single cultivation technique if they weren't cultivators from the four Dao Colleges or the various major factions.

In the new city, despite there being numerous cultivators from the different factions, most of them were from the group of trillion people that had been scattered after being relocated previously. At the same time, even though the cultivators from the various factions had no shortage of cultivation techniques, if there were one technique that was different from the rest, no one would reject it. Of course, it was a given that there must be no issues with the cultivation technique.

That was the basis for how the Art of Longevity was disseminated. Not many people knew how this cultivation technique spread, but somehow, unknowingly, everyone started to talk about it, and some even began to practice it.

Needless to say, the Art of Longevity encompassed every quality that made it suitable to be passed on. Firstly, it was simple to cultivate it, and secondly, there were no prerequisites needed to cultivate it. Regardless of whether it was a cultivator or a commoner, it could be cultivated. Lastly, it wasn't a technique that was used to activate spirit energy. Instead, it was a technique that trained one's physique!

This broadly reduced many people's concerns. After all, physical training was only used to strengthen one's physique, and even if there were other disadvantages that weren't apparent, it was far less damaging compared to cultivating other cultivation techniques that involved Spirit Qi.

Furthermore, most importantly, it didn't take long to see the effects of this cultivation technique. Once it had been mastered, one could immediately feel that their bodies had been significantly strengthened. At the same time, they would look radiant and injected with youth, and that in itself was miraculous. Many cultivators in Divine Armament New City had also researched on it previously and found that there were no major issues with it. The only aspect highlighted was that after mastering this cultivation technique, one's appetite for food would increase.

However, to the masses, this wasn't a big problem, as not only did it not make one obese, it also matched up to people's judgments. After all, there must be a source of fuel in order to make one energetic, and this so-called disadvantage made sense to the law of energy intake and expenditure. Therefore, the Art of Longevity was immediately popularized, making it a favorite of females.

The rate at which it was being passed between people increased significantly. Initially, it was only within Jin Duoming's region, but gradually it spread to Lin Tianhao's region and then Kong Dao's region, where many military cultivators were practicing it with obvious effects.

It even spread to the autonomous zone. The Art of Longevity completely garnered the attention of Li Wan'er, as well as Kong Dao and company.

With Wang Baole and Jin Duoming having left, Li Wan'er, who learned about their departure later, immediately assumed the responsibility as the Deputy City Lord and began a research meeting focused on the Art of Longevity.

During the meeting, they thoroughly researched the details of the Art of Longevity. They even sent it to be interpreted by the various factions. However, in the entire Federation, with the exception of Wang Baole, no one had cultivated the Dark Art. In addition, even Wang Baole couldn't see through this cultivation technique, as only someone who had seen the art being practiced would know the ins-and-outs. Therefore, even though many disadvantages were discovered, on the whole, the Art of Longevity seemed like a legitimate technique to strengthen one's physique.

However, on Earth, the various factions found that there was no significant effect after testing the technique out. It was only on Mars that an extraordinary effect was produced. At the same time, through the investigation carried out by Li Wan'er and company, they found out that there was only one person who was disseminating the Art, and that person had a clean background, only experiencing one miraculous encounter on Mars.

At the same time, he merely taught the cultivation technique to two of his best friends. Therefore, the spread of the cultivation technique at such a large scale was likely due to the two friends instead. Everything seemed to be developing normally, the only issue being that… the speed at which it spread was just too fast.

Even though there were no issues with this cultivation technique, Li Wan'er eventually still decided to temporarily prevent it and control the speed at which it was spreading. However, she didn't forcefully ban it, as she planned to make a firmer decision after a period of observation.

However, the suppression of the speed of dissemination still dampened the spirits of people who were cultivating this cultivation technique. Despite that, the leader of this whole incident, the blue-robed youth, wasn't anxious at all and didn't even step out of his residence. This kept the donkey waiting outside the residence. However, the donkey wasn't anxious either, as it felt that it was worth the wait as long as it could get a taste of the delicacy!

On the other hand, right now, Wang Baole had heard news about the Art of Longevity. Through Lin Tianhao, he obtained the cultivation mnemonic, and after taking a look, he didn't discover anything amiss. In addition, after arriving at the main city with Jin Duoming, they had submitted the application to view the research facility as well as to visit Zhao Pinfang, both of which had been approved. Therefore, with Jin Duoming's urging, Wang Baole put aside the matters related to the Art of Longevity and arrived at the heavily guarded research facility with Jin Duoming.

Even though it was rumored that the research facility was located in the main Martian City, it was built below ground. In addition, it was so heavily guarded that even though Wang Baole and Jin Duoming had applied, they only managed to pass through the teleportation array formation and enter the facility after going through rounds of checks.

Wang Baole only knew that the facility was underground, but wasn't sure if it was directly beneath the Martian City. In addition, the area covered by the facility was extremely large. What was presented before Wang Baole and Jin Duoming the moment they stepped out of the teleportation array formation was something that looked like a mini-city covered with metallic planks that formed numerous passageways, which each led to a vast space at their ends.

There, innumerable research staff dressed in their white uniforms were walking about. Occasionally, screams that seemed like those of ferocious beasts could be heard from an unknown location. The instant the duo stepped out of the teleportation array formation, Wang Baole immediately felt the suppressive force from tens of Core Formation realm cultivators focused on him and Jin Duoming, dissipating only after they had inspected them both.

In addition, Wang Baole had only taken a breath of the Spirit Qi and immediately felt that his body was floating, and his cultivation was swiftly being activated. Even without him trying, the Spirit Qi entered his body directly.

That made Wang Baole extremely surprised.

The Spirit Qi was so concentrated that it was unimaginable. If it were somewhere outside, it could probably already form the Spirit Fog. However, right here, there seemed to be a unique Dharmic Artifact that could somehow filter this concentrated Spirit Qi such that it didn't become a fog.

It went without saying that, within this research facility, there must be an astonishing number of fragments from the large sword. If not, such a concentrated cloud of Spirit Qi wouldn't exist.

That wasn't what made Wang Baole most shocked. The thing that completely overwhelmed his mind and threw him into utter disbelief was that, right here, he sensed the aura from Dharmic Armaments, one that wasn't of seventh- or eighth-grade, but of a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament. In addition, it appeared that there was more than one.

This is the research facility? How extravagant! Between breaths, Wang Baole looked at Jin Duoming and realized that even a tycoon like Jin Duoming was dumbfounded. Apparently, this was also his first time in the Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility.

"Welcome to the Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility." As the duo stood in shock, a brilliant glow appeared before them. The glow swiftly concentrated itself, forming an illusory figure of a woman who looked extremely beautiful—her beauty on the level that was probably unattainable by humans. Right now, she was wearing the same uniform as the other research facility staff, smiling at Wang Baole and Jin Duoming.

Wang Baole's eyes widened, and his mind buzzed with activity as he looked at the illusory glow that had appeared before him.

Little Missy? Wang Baole gasped, preventing himself from shouting that thought out loud.

However, his facial expressions still caught the attention of the illusory figure. The figure slanted her head and looked at Wang Baole, and Jin Duoming, who was beside him, had also grown suspicious. After looking at Wang Baole, he couldn't help but wave his hand across the illusory figure. Unable to grasp anything, he cleared his throat.

"Baole, this is fake. It's smart technology… You can't be so desperate that you're interested in playing the fool with smart technology, can you?"

Wang Baole didn't bother about Jin Duoming. Right now, a torrent of thoughts and emotions were crashing in his mind. The illusory female figure that had appeared before him looked completely identical to Little Missy in the mask!

However, Wang Baole was sufficiently thick-skinned that even though he was shocked, he quickly adjusted his emotions and tried to mend the situation after realizing that he hadn't made a good impression. He blushed, trying to appear as if he had fallen in love at first sight with the illusory female figure.

"I have already received the application sent by the both of you. Master Zhao is now in research room number three. Please follow me." The illusory female figure didn't care about Wang Baole and instead spoke calmly. As she spoke, she stepped forward, and Wang Baole and Jin Duoming followed closely behind. Under the lead of the illusory figure, they traveled through the golden passageway and entered the Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility.

Along the way, the curiosity and shock in Wang Baole's heart was indescribable. Had this location not been so inconvenient, he would have long entered the mask and inquired about the matter with Little Missy.

He took a moment to suppress his shock. However, as he entered the metal passageway, Wang Baole suddenly stopped in his tracks, as if sensing something. He suddenly looked at the metallic wall on the right, realizing that this metallic wall was an illusion. In reality, inside that wall, many specimen-like objects were sealed within.

Most of them were corpses of ferocious beasts, but Wang Baole wasn't familiar with any of them. One of them even appeared to be a dragon!

"These…" Wang Baole took a deep breath, his heart trembling with shock.

"These are the corpses of the more valuable ancient beasts that have been discovered throughout Earth's history. There are also some of them that have originated from space. On the other hand, some were from the ancient greenish-bronze sword." The illusory female figure before them explained while smiling. It was then that Wang Baole saw that, in a metallic wall not far away, a black jellyfish was sealed inside. The jellyfish wasn't large, only palm-sized, and looked like any ordinary jellyfish—except for its color.

"That is also an ancient beast?" Wang Baole pointed at it in bewilderment.

"This creature originated from outer space. We have named it 'Sea Glutton', and as you can see, it is still juvenile. Its mature form is as large as a cruiser, possibly bigger, and its use is also similar to that of a cruiser. According to our analysis, its speed is unimaginable, and according to investigations by the Federation, there is a seventy percent likelihood that an undiscovered civilization from outer space arrived using this creature!"

The illusory female spoke calmly.

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Chapter 408: Revealing!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

As Wang Baole and Jin Duoming were looking at the black jellyfish and listening to the illusory female figure calmly describing it, outside in the vast galaxy, beyond Mars and the Sun, an almost identical black jellyfish was cruising quickly in space.

This black jellyfish was extremely large, almost as large as a celestial cruiser. Numerous tentacles were flailing as its body moved, as if it could reduce the distance between space bit by bit. It looked like it was charging forward, but was actually shape-shifting continuously!

This black jellyfish was the Sea Glutton mentioned by the illusory female figure!

Right now, even though the body of this jellyfish was pitch-black such that outsiders weren't able to see through it, in reality, there were actually three cultivators sitting with their legs crossed inside it!

The three people were all middle-aged men with solemn expressions. They were clearly individuals who had been stained with blood and were proficient at killing. That was especially so for one of them, who had a red centipede crawling on his face, as if connected to his flesh and blood. Occasionally, it wriggled, making him look extremely frightening.

Their manner of dress was different from that on Earth. Instead of long robes, they donned scale-like armor, which seemed to have other miraculous functions. In addition, as the three of them meditated, waves emerged from their bodies. Those waves appeared to have been hidden by the black jellyfish, but inside the jellyfish's body, it was extremely obvious, and sufficient to suppress all Core Formation realm cultivators.

The trio were… Nascent Soul realm elites that were superior to Core Formation realm cultivators!

It was also at this time that the jellyfish, which was shape-shifting in the galaxy, suddenly stopped. When that happened, waves emerged from its body, breaking the meteoroid in its path to powder.

In reality, this jellyfish didn't even care about the meteoroid that it had broken to pieces. It stopped momentarily in the galaxy and was no longer black. Instead, a brilliant light glowed from it while it adjusted its head position slightly, as if trying to find something.

Finally, after deciding on a direction, the colorful glow from its body grew even more brilliant. At the same time, the trio who were meditating with crossed legs opened their eyes almost simultaneously, revealing their pupils that were of a different color than that of people on Earth!

Their pupils were red, and perhaps it was due to the color, but after the trio opened their eyes, a vicious force that was extremely ruthless emerged. One of them even licked his lips and began laughing.

"Who would have thought that there were still signs of civilization here…"

"Shall we go take a look?" Another person followed. The two of them eventually looked at the last person, the cultivator with a red centipede crawling on his face.

This person's eyes were distinctively redder. He touched the centipede on his face gently and began speaking calmly.

"Go and take a look. If there are no high-level cultivators, then destroy it and take away its Stellar Source. If a high-level cultivator is present, then decide the course of action based on the situation!"

As he spoke, the other two people nodded their heads. Soon, they adjusted the state of the black jellyfish. Before long, the black jellyfish which had stopped in mid-air suddenly picked up speed, shifting forward. Its goal this time was… the Solar System!

At the same time, in the Anti-Spirit Bomb research facility on Mars, Wang Baole's gaze had already shifted away from the black jellyfish within the metal walls. He exchanged glances with Jin Duoming and felt like they had widened their world view.

In reality, no matter how widely knowledgeable Jin Duoming felt about himself, he was still immensely shocked by everything in the research facility. The duo moved continually along the passageway, entering the research facility while following the illusory female figure's lead.

Along the way, they saw countless research staff who were wearing their uniforms. They didn't care much about Jin Duoming and Wang Baole's arrival. Instead, they were busy moving around, as if there were so many things on their hands that they had no time to pay attention to their surroundings.

The reason Wang Baole and Jin Duoming had come was to view the research facility, as well as pay Zhao Pinfang a visit. Therefore, the illusory female figure had received the notice and didn't bring them to research room number three. Rather, she led them on a tour of the research facility, starting from room number one.

Soon, as Wang Baole and Jin Duoming reached the end of the passageway, a region half the area of Dao Mountain Mist Academy appeared before their eyes. There were many people here, as well as many pieces of high-level equipment that Wang Baole wasn't familiar with.

Of these, the most eye-catching were the tens of giant crystal vats erected in the region. The vats were transparent, each with the circumference that approximated the arm lengths of tens of people. It was touching the ceiling and the ground from top to bottom, and was filled with a translucent fluid that was submerging a frightening corpse that took Wang Baole by surprised when he saw it!

Every one of those corpses looked extremely frightening. There were some who were very well built but were headless, others who had nipples as their eyes and belly buttons as their mouths, and there were even a few who had the upper body of a female but a lower body of a snake!

At the same time, there were also fire-men whose bodies were made of flames despite being submerged in fluid, as well as fierce three-headed giant dogs.

Wang Baole even saw a dragon with wings, a creature from the West as described in the ancient myths!

"This… This…" Wang Baole's first thought was that he had entered the wrong place, as he pointed at the headless burly man while looking with shock at the illusory female figure.

Jin Duoming, who was beside him, also gasped. However, he seemed to have heard about the research room one and managed to remain calm somehow.

"Research room one, also known as the Mythical Research Center, is the place where research on every single mythical creature that has been discovered on Earth is done. In addition, attempts at recreating them will be made based on the Spirit Inception Era's unique methods. Of course, you can even consider it as a form of revival!

"Only a portion is shown here. The hundreds of sculptures in the Federation cannot be placed randomly. In reality, we have found signs of existence for every single mythical god placed there!"

Wang Baole's breathing quickened, his heart trembling vigorously. The tour of the research facility hadn't ended, but to him, it had already opened up a whole new world before him. He even felt that he was starting to get into direct contact with the real secrets of the Federation!

It was also after seeing everything that Wang Baole suddenly realized that what he knew about the Federation previously was just the tip of the iceberg!

Even though Wang Baole had made similar guesses previously, it was never as shocking as seeing it with his own eyes.

This shock remained strong, shaking Wang Baole's emotions and thoughts long after he had left research room number one. It kept churning until he arrived in research room number two with Jin Duoming

The moment they stepped in, Wang Baole's riled emotions were once again thrown into chaos. He stared with his eyes wide. If research room number one allowed Wang Baole to notice signs of ancient mythical beings existing, then research room number two showed him the glory of the Spirit Inception Era!

There was a mountain here!

The mountain was located in the heart of research room two. It wasn't very big, only over a hundred feet tall, and was completely black. However, any cultivator who saw this mountain would have their cultivation being activated uncontrollably, as if it had been strongly attracted. That was the case for Wang Baole and Jin Duoming as well, as their cultivation now seemed impossible to control and on the brink of breaking out of their bodies.

Their minds instantly buzzed with activity, as if they were about to explode. Thankfully, research room two seemed to have been specially equipped. The illusory female figure, seemingly having expected this to happen, immediately waved her arm. Instantly, a suppressive force was felt, alleviating the raging cultivation in Wang Baole and Jin Duoming's body.

After a while, Wang Baole and Jin Duoming finally managed to compose themselves. Their breathing quickened, and before Wang Baole could speak, Jin Duoming hurriedly asked.

"Could that be the… Stellar Source?"

"Stellar Source?" Wang Baole was shocked. It wasn't the first time he had heard those words. Now, as he looked at the mountain, his heart was beating with shock. He turned to look at the illusory female figure for an answer.

"The arrival of the Spirit Inception Era means that not only humans, but any creature can cultivate. This is the case for the star as well. The star could be deemed as another form of life, and the so-called Stellar Source is its core, which is also a very precious item in a star!

"It's a pity that the Spirit Inception Era is still in its juvenile stage. Therefore, there aren't many Stellar Sources that were formed from the planets in the Solar System. What you see are parts of the Stellar Source from Mars!"

As the illusory female figure explained, Wang Baole's heart trembled. He wanted to speak, but was immediately shocked as he vaguely felt that there was another form of existence in the interior of this Stellar Source!

"Is there something else inside?" Wang Baole raised his hand and pointed at the Stellar Source, before looking towards the illusory female figure.

Jin Duoming was shocked. He didn't sense anything, while the illusory female figure glanced at Wang Baole several times. Her facial expression suddenly changed. It appeared that she had never imagined that Wang Baole would be able to see through part of the Stellar Source's interior!

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Chapter 409: The So-Called Heavenly Evocation!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"City Lord Wang has graduated from the Dharmic Armament Pavilion of Ethereal Dao College. Is there a possibility that you can already sense the Heavenly Evocation segment now?" The illusory female figure suddenly spoke as she looked at Wang Baole.

Wang Baole was shocked, and soon noticed Jin Duoming's bewilderment. Therefore, he took a look at the Stellar Source mountain and immediately realized that Jin Duoming couldn't sense the object present in the Stellar Source.

Through the words of the illusory female figure, Wang Baole instantly understood what existed inside the Stellar Source.

"Dharmic Armament?" Wang Baole spoke softly.

"There are three ninth-grade Dharmic Armaments in the Stellar Source. Segregated from the outer environment by the Stellar Source, even Core Formation realm cultivators are unable to sense them. Only those Dharmic Armament cultivators who are capable of refining Dharmic Armaments, or those who could sense the Heavenly Evocation segment would be able to sense it." As the illusory female figure spoke, she glanced at Wang Baole several times. The fact that Wang Baole had reached the state where he was able to sense the Heavenly Evocation at his tender age shocked her.

On the other hand, Jin Duoming was even more surprised, and he widened his eyes and looked incredulously at Wang Baole. Wang Baole didn't tell anyone about his attempts at refining a Dharmic Armament, and therefore few people knew about it. Wang Baole had unknowingly reached a high level in the refinement of Dharmic Armaments.

"Why are the Dharmic Armaments placed in the Stellar Source? Could it be related to the Anti-Spirit Bomb?" Wang Baole didn't care about Jin Duoming's facial expressions, instead, expressing his queries immediately.

In reality, coming to this research facility, seeing the Stellar Source, and realizing that there were Dharmic Armaments within it, he suddenly had a premonition that perhaps… the Heavenly Evocation segment—which he wasn't particularly clear about, and didn't have a complete understanding of—could gain some traction here.

If it was a question asked by others, the illusory female figure might not answer it. That would be the case even though Wang Baole and Jin Duoming's application had been approved. However, after thinking about it, she looked at Wang Baole, seemingly realizing that Wang Baole was now caught in a bottleneck. She sighed and gestured before nodding her head.

"Before introducing the relationship between the Anti-Spirit Bomb and the Dharmic Armament, you must first know what the Dharmic Armament is exactly!" As the illusory female figure spoke, she raised her right hand and pointed. Instantly, the black-colored Stellar Source mountain became blurry and gradually turned translucent, revealing the three ninth-grade Dharmic Armaments within it!

"These are Dharmic Armaments!" Wang Baole turned to look immediately. After seeing them clearly, his pupils constricted. Even Jin Duoming, who had seen a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament before, was also shocked by everything that laid before his eyes.

Right now, in the transparent Stellar Source, extraordinary Dharmic Armaments were present. There was a black dragon the length of one's arm, a firebird covered in golden flames that was giving off a golden glow, and a stone man who was holding a flash of lightning in his hands!

Regardless of whether it was the black dragon or the firebird, a suppressive force emanated from them. Like the stone man wielding the flash of lightning, an astonishing aura radiated from their bodies. Even though it was blocked by the Stellar Source, it was still as if the gods had awakened, and could easily send shock waves in all directions.

"All these are Artifact Spirits? Impossible! They're not Artifact Spirits!" Wang Baole's breathing quickened. He suddenly felt that there was something incorrect about everything he had learned about Dharmic Armaments!

According to the sayings of the four Dao Colleges, the Dharmic Armament combined Heaven and Earth power and was a supreme Dharmic Treasure formed after integrating the Artifact Spirit within it, which was why it was termed 'Armament'!

The Dharmic Armament originated from the refinement technique recorded on the fragments of the ancient greenish-bronze sword. That led to the clan involved in refining treasures, and as more fragments related to treasure refinement were discovered, Dharmic Armament cultivators from each faction emerged. At the same time, it continued using the same naming convention as that recorded on the ancient greenish-bronze sword fragment.

"The Dharmic Armament knowledge that the Federation is teaching now isn't wrong. However, it lacks a core ideal. It is not that they were ignorant. Instead, it is the Federation's rule that they couldn't disseminate the skills willy-nilly. For seventh- and eighth-grade Dharmic Armaments, there would be no effect on the refinement process regardless of whether they are aware of this core principle. It is only important to understand this core principle when refining a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament." The illusory female figure spoke softly, with a hint of chilliness in her voice. She didn't do it on purpose but based on instinct.

"What you're seeing is indeed not the Artifact Spirit, but the bare image formed through the transmogrification of a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament. In reality, the so-called Heaven and Earth power are formed by the combination of the will of every single item, which naturally includes all those mythical beings that had existed since ancient times. After their deaths, they didn't dissipate. Instead, they integrated into the will of Heaven and Earth!

"However, even though their will existed before the Spirit Inception Era, we are unable to sense or use it. The emergence of the Spirit Inception Era and the progress of the cultivation civilization allowed us to now have the ability to feel it, and also gives us the right to use it!

"The Heavenly Evocation segment in Dharmic Artifact refinement, in reality, requires one to sense the will of the mythical beings that exist between Heaven and Earth and draw their will into the Dharmic Artifact to transform it. They use the Artifact Spirit as a medium for their will so that, to a certain extent, they would reincarnate and allow continuation to occur!"

"This is the core of a Dharmic Armament!" Jin Duoming was a little confused about what the illusory female figure was saying, but to Wang Baole, her words were like a bolt of lightning that struck his head strongly, making his body tremble and his mind buzz noisily with activity. Even his breathing stopped momentarily.

He widened his eyes even more. The feelings he experienced when researching the Heavenly Evocation resurfaced in his mind right now. There seemed to finally be an answer for those failures. There was finally a lead to all those sensations.

"So this is it!" Wang Baole felt that the confusion he had about Dharmic Armaments had significantly dissipated. He seemed to be able to catch a glimpse of his path ahead, and it could be said that this trip to the research facility was a golden blessing, even if it were to end right now.

Noticing that Wang Baole had understood it, the illusory female figure's cold voice sounded once again.

"There are many mythical beings that have existed since the beginning of Earth. Furthermore, they differed in power. Therefore, the draw needed to refine the seventh-grade Dharmic Armament is relatively easy, and if one was lucky, it was even possible to refine an eighth-grade Dharmic Armament. However, since ancient times, there are just too few Heavenly Evocations capable of supporting a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament…

"At the same time, there is a very high demand in terms of the materials and Artifact Spirits needed. All these restrictions resulted in the fact that there are now less than thirty ninth-grade Dharmic Armament in all the factions of the Federation, including those amongst commoners!

"As for the relationship between the Dharmic Armament and the Anti-Spirit Bomb… To a certain degree, you can equate the power of the Anti-Spirit Bomb to the force that forms after a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament implodes…"

"This involves the theory of refining a Dharmic Armament, which is also how the will of the gods are being carried. However, that isn't all. At the same time, it involves the collision between Spirit Restriction and antimatter." With that, the illusory female figure didn't continue. In reality, the reason she revealed those core top secrets was that she had received notification that she was allowed to say them.

Just that information alone had a significant impact on Wang Baole. When he heard about the collision with the antimatter, for some unknown reason, the first thought that surfaced in his mind was the Spirit Qi and Negative Spirit Qi, which was also known as the Dark Qi, colliding together. He wondered if that could also produce an astonishing force.

However, he was unable to test it out right where he was. After committing it to his memory and as the illusory female figure left, he carried on, occasionally turning to look at the Stellar Source mountain. He was thinking about when he would have a Stellar Source mountain of his own. He vaguely guessed that it might be the key to him refining a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament.

Even though Jin Duoming wasn't very clear about this matter, he had seen Wang Baole's reaction and how deep in thought he appeared. He immediately realized that this trip was immensely helpful to Wang Baole, and with that, he began to think actively and concluded that he had to place a higher bet on Wang Baole.

In this way, the duo who had different thoughts followed the illusory female figure and left research room number two. As they continued down the passageway, they entered research room number three, which Zhao Pinfang was in and was also the final destination of their journey.

Even though there were many research rooms in the research facility, with at least tens of them at one glance, they weren't all accessible to Wang Baole and Jin Duoming. Looking at where Zhao Pinfang was located, one would know that they would only be able to view three research rooms at most.

Research room number three looked different from the previous two rooms. The moment they stepped in, a research room that had no equipment, no Stellar Source mountain, and no research staff was presented before Wang Baole. It couldn't even be considered a research room, and was more like an ordinary mountain cave!

However, on the walls of the cave, a mural of the cosmos was carved. On that mural, numerous stars dotted the night sky, and there was a gray planet amongst it. The planet seemed to have reached the end of its lifespan, and was now in the process of breaking apart. Uncountable spirits who looked to be in excruciating pain were emerging from the disintegrating planet and congregating into a stream.

Wang Baole didn't pay much attention to all that. The moment he entered, his gaze, as well as that of Jin Duoming's, uncontrollably landed on a middle-aged man whose back was facing them. He was looking at the mural and the spirit stream!

A blue-shirted man, who looked like a scholar and had a head of gray hair that appeared like a silver river, stood there, like a mountain. Even though he didn't turn back, an indescribable suppressive force was emanating and spreading in all directions from his body!

He was the lead spirit researcher, the Dao partner of the Martian Colony Governor, Zhao Pinfang!

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Chapter 410: Lone Boat, Black Robe, and Lantern Oar!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

With his blue shirt and gray hair, an indescribable air of classiness emerged from his back view. It was elegant, yet prideful, as if all the different qualities had combined and formed a unique charisma that made everyone before him lower their heads with unworthiness.

That was so for Jin Duoming. After meeting Zhao Pinfang, he immediately greeted him respectfully.

"Little Ming hereby greets Uncle Zhao." Jin Duoming spoke hurriedly. In reality, he knew very clearly that this man before him didn't rely on his relationship as someone's Dao partner to attain his current status. Instead, it should be said that Zhao Pinfang's importance to the Federation resulted in him having a Dao partner. Other than his exceptional qualities, his progression process was also extremely smooth.

However, compared to the fame of the Martian Colony Governor, Zhao Pinfang wasn't well known amongst the commoners. He was only prominent in the upper ranks of every faction of society.

Wang Baole had wanted to greet him too. However, hearing that Jin Duoming addressed himself as 'Little Ming', he couldn't help and almost laugh out loud despite Zhao Pinfang's back view making him feel immense pressure. Wang Baole was still well aware of what he needed to do and immediately greeted Zhao Pinfang as well.

"Little Le hereby greets Uncle Zhao."

Wang Baole's words caused Jin Duoming to raise his eyebrows as he glanced at Wang Baole. Noticing Wang Baole's facial expression upon addressing himself as 'Little Le', he didn't say much, instead, preparing himself for a good show.

At the same time, Zhao Pinfang, who had his back to them and was looking at the mural, had a look of bewilderment flash across his face. However, he regained his composure quickly and slowly turned around.

The moment he turned around and Wang Baole saw his looks clearly, even he, who thought of himself the most handsome person in the Federation, felt guilty of that thought. Despite having reached middle age, Zhao Pinfang's handsome facial features and appearance showed that he was extraordinary. It wasn't difficult to imagine that he was definitely an extremely suave man in his younger days!

Even though he was middle-aged and covered with a head of gray hair, he was still elegant, which made the impact of his handsome looks even greater.

Everyone here is a man… Wang Baole sighed deeply as feelings of jealousy surged continuously in his heart. He quickly suppressed it, but still felt that Zhao Pinfang looked familiar, just that he was unable to recall when he had seen him.

While Wang Baole felt bewildered, Zhao Pinfang, who had turned around, looked calmly at Jin Duoming and Wang Baole.

His gaze merely swept across Jin Duoming, but it was more focused on Wang Baole as he inspected him in detail for a moment. In the end, he snorted.

That shocked Wang Baole and sent chills into his heart. Zhao Pinfang retracted his gaze and turned around again to face the mural. From the beginning until the end, he didn't say a word.

That made Wang Baole even more nervous and uneasy. He quickly glanced at Jin Duoming, his eyes revealing his intention to ask about the situation. Jin Duoming also blinked, trying to convey the message that he wasn't sure what was going on either.

Wang Baole took a deep breath. He felt that something was amiss but didn't know where the problem lay. He began making speculations in his mind.

Why is he staring at me? He even snorted… That's not right. There's something wrong here. Could it be… Wang Baole thought about it, and a thought suddenly flashed in his head. He was thinking about whether Zhao Pinfang, like his Dao partner, had really wanted to ask him to be their son-in-law!

Seeing that Wang Baole was growing concerned again, Jin Duoming laughed and didn't bother to explain the situation. He stood obediently at the side. As for Zhao Pinfang, he didn't care about the worries written clearly on Wang Baole's face. Instead, after staring at the mural for a long time, he opened his mouth slowly and spoke the first sentence since the trio had met.

"Come closer, the two of you. Tell me what you see in this mural."

As Zhao Pinfang's calm voice reverberated, Jin Duoming stepped forward immediately and looked extremely serious as he inspected the mural. Wang Baole also quickly put aside the emotions that he was experiencing and stepped beside Zhao Pinfang, raising his head to look at the mural.

He had glanced at the mural previously, and now that he was looking at it up close—at the devastated planet, and at spirits from the planet's deceased individuals accumulating into a river as they blended into the cosmos—the mural looked a little bizarre. However, it was difficult to see what was going on exactly, especially since Wang Baole was still thinking about the weird glance that Zhao Pinfang threw at him. Therefore, Wang Baole didn't speak; instead, he pretended to look at the mural in detail.

However, as he looked, Wang Baole's pupils suddenly constricted. He was previously a distance away and didn't feel it strongly, but now that he was near it and observing the mural, he suddenly felt an aura emanating from the mural…

That aura was so weak that others were unable to sense it. However, to Wang Baole, who was trained in the Dark Art, it was extremely familiar. To confirm what he had felt, he even went forward to touch it. The moment he touched the mural, Wang Baole was shocked. He was very sure that it was Dark Qi that was being given off by the mural!

"Little Ming, you go first." As Wang Baole was still reveling in shock, Zhao Pinfang spoke calmly.

Jin Duoming quickly responded. After thinking about it for a brief moment, he spoke with a deep voice.

"Uncle Zhao, to me, there is a deep meaning being conveyed by the mural. Even though I am somewhat ignorant, I can tell that this mural is conveying a message of hope. For example, the death of this galaxy, as well as the emergence of the spirits, all these are extreme expressions. I feel that revolt would occur when things become serious, and this extreme description perhaps encompassed hope as well as an opportunity that I am still unable to fathom!"

Jin Duoming's reply sounded exciting to Wang Baole. That wasn't simply viewing the mural. Instead, it was a profound interpretation of the depiction on the mural. At the same time, Wang Baole also noticed that after Zhao Pinfang heard the reply, he nodded his head slightly. Instantly, Wang Baole realized that it was a form of assessment!

Prominent figures all like to throw out assessments upon meeting someone, huh? Wang Baole sighed and was thinking about what to say when he heard Zhao Pinfang's voice.

"Wang Baole, it's your turn!"

"Tsk…" Wang Baole was unhappy. He felt that Zhao Pinfang was biased against him, referring to Jin Duoming as Little Ming and sounding warm when talking to him. In contrast, when speaking to him, he called his name directly. It appeared that Zhao Pinfang had some preconceived notions about him.

Even though he didn't know where the preconceived notion arose from, but his temper was worked up as he turned to look directly at Zhao Pinfang.

"Master Zhao, different people would have different interpretations about the meaning of this mural. Little Ming feels that it conveys a meaning of hope, while I feel that it is more like a ritual. However, regardless of the varying views, all these are guesses. I have a different interpretation of this mural!"

"This mural hails from the Divine Armament Catacombs on Mars!" The first half of Wang Baole's sentence didn't generate any reaction from Zhao Pinfang. However, the second half made Zhao Pinfang immediately turn to look at Wang Baole.

This time, his eyes no longer carried an intent to inspect Wang Baole. Instead, a look of curiosity was apparent.

"Why do you say that?"

"Based on my intuition!" Wang Baole raised his head, speaking calmly with his hands behind his back, trying to hint that Zhao Pinfang was biased and that he had a temper as well.

Jin Duoming blinked and stepped back. He felt that the way Wang Baole was speaking to Zhao Pinfang would easily earn him a beating. As for Zhao Pinfang, he looked even more curious, and that look of curiosity gradually transformed into a look of appreciation, as if he was very satisfied with Wang Baole's answer. While Jin Duoming was still bewildered, Zhao Pinfang laughed.

"There were many before you from the Federation who have viewed this mural previously. However, Wang Baole, you are the first one who managed to point out the origin of this mural without knowing about its background!

"You're no doubt the City Lord of Divine Armament New City who suppressed the catacombs. Your exploration of the catacombs seems profound, which has helped to hone this intuition of yours!

"You're right. This mural indeed originated from the Divine Armament Catacombs on Mars. It was one of the items discovered by the various factions when they first entered the catacombs those years back!"

"This mural is unique. It is ever-changing, and under different lighting conditions, other hidden images can be seen on it!" As Zhao Pinfang spoke, he raised his right hand and flailed. Instantly, in research room number three, the lighting was transformed. The surrounding caves disappeared, replaced by the cosmos!

It was as if the trio had been teleported into space. As they stood in the vast cosmos, the surroundings and the mural were completely integrated together. Rather, to a certain extent, it could be said that the trio had been transported into the world within the mural.

It was also at this moment that the image on the mural was transformed. Even though the planet was still devastated, and the uncountable spirits were still flowing into a river, outside the planet, at the end of the spirit river, a black Lone Boat appeared in the cosmos!

On this black Solo Raft stood a man in a black robe. This black-robed man was holding a unique oar, where a light hung!

Lone Boat, Black Robe, Lantern Oar!

The path of the Lone Boat seemed to be able to separate light from darkness. The glow from the Lantern Oar was like the guidance from a light tower. As the black-robed man proceeded forward, the river of spirits behind him no longer looked to be in pain. Instead, they seemed to be in peace as they moved along.

"Have either of you heard about the Dark Sect?" In the cosmos, Zhao Pinfang's voice, which carried a meaning of utmost respect to the point of addiction, reverberated softly. It wasn't a question; he was just mumbling to himself.

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Chapter 411: The Legend of the Dark Sect

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"The Dark Sect?" Jin Duoming froze. This was the first time he had heard of this bloodline. He knew that Zhao Pinfang probably wasn't referring to any bloodlines found on Earth. The Dark Sect clearly had something to do with the Divine Armament Catacombs. Based on his deductions, it should belong to an extraterrestrial civilization!

All kinds of thoughts surfaced in Jin Duoming's head. He didn't notice how Wang Baole's eyes had narrowed slightly when the latter had heard the words "Dark Sect". Emotions surged inside Wang Baole. He hadn't expected Zhao Pinfang to know of the Dark Sect!

Wang Baole was still quite the adept at controlling himself. He simply appeared to look confused, opened his mouth, and asked a question.

"The Dark Sect?"

Zhao Pinfang hadn't been paying attention to Wang Baole and Jin Duoming. His words might have seemed like a question, but he had actually been speaking to himself. He didn't believe Wang Baole or Jin Duoming would know anything about the Dark Sect. This was a mysterious bloodline of the past, after all. Even he, who had spent years researching it, had only managed to come across a few clues after the discovery of the Divine Armament Catacombs and after studying the ancient greenish-bronze sword's history accumulated in countless fragments.

"The Dark Sect… at the height of its glory, it controlled the universal cycle of rebirth, guarding the souls across the galaxies… one might even call the Dark Sect the master of death in the universe!

"In fact, I feel that there's another name that suits them better… Heavenly Dao!

"Perhaps, they are the Heavenly Dao, perhaps, they are the Heavenly Dao given form, or perhaps, they are the ambassadors of the Heavenly Dao, tasked to protect and carry out the laws of the entire universe!"

"Based on the records found in some fragments, some initially believed the Dark Sect to be a fabrication, something that didn't exist. However, as more and more ruins were discovered, and with the discovery of Dark Artifacts, there was conclusive evidence that the Dark Sect really did exist. Not only that… during the period when it existed, the height of its glory likely surpassed the imagination of those who came after it!" Zhao Pinfang had a look of dazed adoration in his eyes. His voice grew more agitated. It was heavy with anticipation, yearning, and reverence.

"Can you imagine that? Those of the Dark Sect wandering across the entire universe. Where there is death, there is someone from the Dark Sect guiding them… this wall painting depicts one of the Dark Sect, guiding countless souls of the dead beyond this dying, soon-to-be-dead star…

"Unfortunately… I'm unable to discern more from the few documents I've found… a long, long time ago, this person of the Dark Sect… disappeared. Perhaps he died, or perhaps he left. Regardless, he no longer exists."

"But even if the Dark Sect no longer exists… what they left behind still remains. The Martian Divine Armament isn't an ordinary Divine Armament. Based on my analysis and assessment, there's a high chance of it being a Dark Artifact that was left behind after the Dark Sect period!" Zhao Pinfang inhaled a deep breath. He muttered softly to himself, then lifted his right hand and waved. Suddenly, the starry skies around them vanished and transformed back into the side of a cave. The black-robed man and the boat on the wall paintings had all disappeared as well. Everything had returned to normal.

Be it Jin Duoming or Wang Baole, their breathing quickened, and their heartbeats raced. To Jin Duoming, the Dark Sect seemed like a story from a long time ago. But this story had a direct relation to the Divine Armament Catacombs beneath the new city. It was as if the ancient past and the present had come together and layered themselves over each other. His eyes shone with a strange, brilliant light. Awe and yearning for the distant time which belonged to the Dark Sect, when the Dark Sect had wandered the universe, rose in his heart.

He also wanted to be so powerful that he could control death and reincarnation.

Wang Baole seemed as surprised as Jin Duoming was. However, the shock he was feeling inside his heart vastly exceeded what he was showing on his face. That was because he knew of the Dark Sect, and was practicing the Dark Art himself. Sometimes, he even felt that he himself might be somehow related to someone from the Dark Sect.

The impact and shock to Wang Baole was greater as he listened to the Dark Sect's history with his current status. After all, Little Missy hadn't revealed such details. She had only spoken briefly about it.

Zhao Pinfang's words seemed to have opened a door for Wang Baole, towards a greater understanding of the Dark Sect. He had a greater knowledge of the Dark Sect. His yearning was different from Jin Duoming's. He somehow sensed that if he continued to practice the Dark Art and reached the pinnacle of the mystic art, he might perhaps… be able to wander the universe as well?

The thought sent Wang Baole's heart racing. His panting grew heavier. He and Jin Duoming stared at each other. Then, they turned and looked at Zhao Pinfang.

Zhao Pinfang had calmed down. He turned, his eyes falling on Wang Baole and Jin Duoming. He seemed to want to speak more about the Dark Sect, but his voice transmission ring vibrated then. He checked it and frowned. He ended the conversation and chose to leave.

Before he left, he summoned the illusory girl and got her to bring the two to visit three other labs. He also approved the construction of a research facility in the new city.

"I can approve the new research facility, but you must remember, the Divine Armament Catacombs concerns the Dark Sect. You have to be on your guard constantly. Once the wall disappears, perhaps we'll be able to uncover part of the veil… the mysterious veil that has been concealing the Dark Sect for such a long time!" Having said that, Zhao Pinfang turned and was about to leave. There was anxiety in his eyes. The transmission had clearly contained news that was important to him. But as he reached the entrance to the third lab, Zhao Pinfang stopped in his tracks. He turned and looked at Wang Baole, suddenly saying.

"Wang Baole, cut down on your snacks and do more exercise. You're a Primary Rank Three Noble and a city lord. You shouldn't be snacking all the time. That's hardly proper. You should work harder on your cultivation as well, and reach the Core Formation realm as soon as possible!" He glared at Wang Baole, then left.

Wang Baole was slightly dazed. He thought there was something wrong with the final few words that Zhao Pinfang just said.

Why does he sound like my dad when he's not my dad! Besides, I'm already so slim, why do I need to go on a diet?

With doubts and grievance in his heart, Wang Baole and Jin Duoming followed the illusory girl and toured another three labs. However, the last three labs seemed more focused on the research and lab work, so they couldn't really understand what was going on. At the same time, they were still reeling from their knowledge of the Dark Sect. They were in no mood to check out what was going on in the last three labs. The illusory girl soon led them away and out of the research facility.

Only when they stepped into the teleportation array formation did Wang Baole finally feel his heart calm down. He turned and stared at the illusory girl who looked exactly like Little Missy. He turned and stared at the endless research facility, which seemed to hide countless secrets. He could sense that… there must be more secrets the Federation was hiding inside that it didn't wish to make public!

Maybe there's a Nascent Soul here. Who's to know? Wang Baole muttered secretly. He teleported alongside Jin Duoming and left with questions plaguing him.

When both of them appeared in the main Martian city again, they both released their breath at the same time. They didn't linger in the city. They boarded a cruiser and headed straight for the new city.

Jin Duoming was very satisfied with the visit. He had learned many pieces of secret information. The most important thing was that their proposal for a research facility was approved. He felt he had made a smart move by bringing Wang Baole along for this trip.

He hadn't told Wang Baole, but he had previously requested to visit Zhao Pinfang before, but the latter had ignored him. That was why Jin Duoming had thought hard about it. When he had applied again, he had included Wang Baole's name.

This round, Zhao Pinfang had agreed to have them over.

Jin Duoming had done quite a lot of preparations after obtaining the approval. He had thought about how Wang Baole might be embarrassed in front of Zhao Pinfang. He would have done something good if that had happened. The great Master Zhao didn't seem like the sort to kill the donkey when the grinding was done.

But Master Zhao only did a visual assessment without making any other moves… maybe he thinks that Wang Baole's not bad? That can't be possible. But if that's not the case, why would he reveal so many secrets, and even indirectly help Wang Baole come to an understanding of how to refine Dharmic Armaments… Jin Duoming had many doubts, but he was still happy with his gains.

As for Wang Baole, he felt that he had gained much as well. He had learned about a part of the Dark Sect's history and gained enlightenment on the Heavenly Evocation of Dharmic Armaments.

The former expanded Wang Baole's horizons while the latter was an immense practical help to his current stage in studying Dharmic Armaments.

But Wang Baole still felt that the way Zhao Pinfang had looked at him, and his final words, had been slightly strange. He thought about how Jin Duoming had invited him along. Even though he couldn't discern the details, he could still tell that Jin Duoming had made use of something special he had to gain an opportunity for the visit and also the approval for his request.

At that thought, Wang Baole raised his eyebrow. He suddenly patted Jin Duoming on the shoulder. He had something resembling a smile on his face as he spoke.

"Old Jin, you know, I've been studying Dharmic Armaments recently. I lack proper samples. Why don't you lend me fifty of those?"

Jin Duoming, who had been in a good mood, instinctively and hastily voiced his refusal when he heard Wang Baole's tone of voice.

"You might as well rob me blind. Do I look like I have so many Dharmic Armaments? No!"

"Really? Well, actually, I feel that there isn't really a need for a research facility in the new city, and I think Master Zhao seems to have some misunderstanding about me. It's alright, I'll just speak to the Governor when I get back. We won't go ahead with the research facility," Wang Baole said casually while snorting inwardly. He thought about how Jin Duoming had been planning to use his influence for his pet project. Why would Wang Baole agree to that without him coughing up something in return?

As soon as Wang Baole said that, Jin Duoming smiled wryly. He finally realized that Wang Baole was expressing his discontent. He was adamant about getting something out of this, by hook or by crook.

"One, I swear… I only have two on me. My family's not going to give me anymore. I can only lend you one!"

"You're giving me one? That's not appropriate. It's such a valuable thing. Fine, fine, since you're so sincere, I can't turn the gift down. It'll hurt your heart. Fine, I'll accept the gift. There's no next time." Wang Baole patted his tummy and shrugged. He had a look of exasperation on his face.

Jin Duoming was about to go crazy. He said he would lend it to him, not give it to him… but this wasn't the first time he had witnessed Wang Baole's complete lack of shame. Still, he couldn't bear the pain of losing a Dharmic Armament. He knew though, that if Wang Baole didn't get what he wanted, this jerk would really do something like send a voice transmission to the Governor. He thanked the heavens that Wang Baole didn't know the truth. Else, he would be asking for more in return… Jin Duoming gritted his teeth.

"Fine, but you have to promise you will let this rest!"

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Chapter 412: Disturb the Grass, Startle the Snake!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

It would have been all right if Jin Duoming hadn't said that. His words immediately sparked Wang Baole's suspicion. Upon seeing the expression on Wang Baole's face, Jin Duoming hastily waved his right hand and immediately pulled out a Dharmic Armament from his storage bracelet.

It was a flying sword!

It was red and exuded waves of heat as soon as it was pulled out. There seemed to be indistinct, piercing shrills ringing in the air. Within the waves of heat, one might even see the blurry image of a large phoenix appearing behind Jin Duoming. It stood within a vast ocean of fire that appeared to threaten to burn everything.

It was also a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament!

Wang Baole's eyes brightened at the sight of the Dharmic Armament. He knew how valuable a Dharmic Armament was. This flying sword was a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament, like his saber. However, it was clearly of better make than the saber. This difference was visible from the aura that the Dharmic Armament exuded.

With the Dharmic Armament before his eyes, he couldn't be bothered to analyze Jin Duoming's words to find the trap in them. Even if there was a trap, so what? If this really turned out to be a losing deal for him, he'd simply come and ask for another Dharmic Armament. There were perks to being friends with the rich and wealthy.

Wang Baole nodded with satisfaction. He seemed to have agreed to what Jin Duoming said. Jin Duoming understood that such verbal agreements weren't reliable, but having one was still better than none. Regardless of the loss he was feeling, he could only sigh and throw the flying sword at Wang Baole. He sighed. He must have been in Wang Baole's debt in his past life. There was no other explanation for why he kept handing Dharmic Armaments over to him.

I'll just have to see this as an investment! With that thought in mind, Jin Duoming felt a lot better.

The two of them sat in the cruiser and headed straight for the new city. On the way back, Wang Baole played around with the flying sword. He even studied and extended his senses towards it. He could immediately tell the difference between the two Dharmic Armaments. When combined with his gains inside the research facility, he could barely wait to go into seclusion and conduct even more in-depth research.

Wang Baole had a feeling that he would definitely reach a breakthrough in his refinement of Dharmic Armaments after this seclusion!

The cruiser carried his anticipation as it sped forward and steadily approached the new city. While Wang Baole was studying the Dharmic Armament, Jin Duoming also started thinking about his own plans. He had come to Mars partly because of the head of his family's request for him to keep an eye on the Divine Armament Catacombs, and partly because he wanted to try and fight for the right to become the successor to his family clan.

After all, he wasn't the only one qualified to become the heir. He had to do his due preparations. Compared to what the other potential successors had chosen, Jin Duoming had initially planned to stake a firm claim over the family's businesses on Mars. However, his father had reminded him to tag along more often with Wang Baole. That was what had resulted in their first contact on Mars.

From the way he saw it, this mobile investment was a steal. He was an important key in breaking up the Martian stalemate!

But how did the old man know that Wang Baole would fly through the ranks on Mars? Jin Duoming had his doubts regarding the matter. He couldn't figure this out. He knew that regardless of how much the old man approved of him, if the latter chose not to reveal the truth to him, he would never get an answer out of the latter, no matter how persistently he asked.

This Wang Baole is really quite an interesting fellow… At that thought, Jin Duoming snuck a glance at Wang Baole, who was busy studying the Dharmic Armament. He thought about the series of events that had happened after Wang Baole had arrived on Mars. He felt a tinge of envy. At the same time, he also recognized Wang Baole for what he had done.

Time passed steadily as Wang Baole studied the Dharmic Armament and the other studied Wang Baole. Divine Armament New City soon appeared before their eyes.

The cruiser approached the city steadily and slowly landed in the port within Jin Duoming's city zone. Even though Wang Baole had made this trip secretly, there were still many people from the four Dao Colleges waiting alongside Lin Tianhao in the port for his arrival.

As soon as Wang Baole stepped out of the cruiser, he saw a smiling Lin Tianhao as well as other familiar faces. A sense of belonging and warmth rose in his heart. He gazed at the buildings around them. This was his city, he thought, and his spirits soared.

"Greetings to the City Lord!" Lin Tianhao said loudly. Those behind him quickly cupped their fists and saluted.

Wang Baole smiled and nodded at the crowd. He was about to announce the outcome of the visit, and inform everyone that a research facility was to be built in the city. However, just as he was about to speak, he frowned suddenly. His eyes fell on one of the Foundation Establishment realm cultivators from the four Dao Colleges in the crowd that had come to receive him!

He was a middle-aged man. His expression was that of respect, his eyes brimming with enthusiasm and passion. He was no different from what Wang Baole had remembered him to be. Except… he exuded a faint but, to Wang Baole's eyes, clear… Dark Qi!

Wang Baole's pupils contracted immediately. He was about to take a closer look when he sensed others exuding Dark Qi in the crowd. There were as many as five of them!

Wang Baole's heart leaped to his throat. He might have discounted one as an accident, but to have five in the group receiving him—that was simply horrifying. Wang Baole didn't act recklessly. He quickly retracted his gaze and continued to smile, but he was no longer in the mood to announce the new research facility. He left the port with Lin Tianhao.

During the return trip, Lin Tianhao stayed by Wang Baole's side, reporting the various incidents that had taken place in the city during his absence.

Wang Baole seemed normal while he listened to Lin Tianhao's reports, but he was observing Lin Tianhao closely as well. He verified that there was no Dark Qi on Lin Tianhao and let loose a breath of relief. He boarded the cruiser headed back for the City Lord's Office. As the group of people sped past, Wang Baole stood at the edge of the cruiser. His expression revealed nothing out of the ordinary. Secretly though, he had made use of his access rights to the array formation and merged with the array formation. He began to inspect and gaze over the entire city.

Upon merging with the array formation, Wang Baole could immediately sense his Great Baole Array Formation filled with Dark Qi. The Dark Qi didn't originate from the catacombs but from within his city and its countless cultivators…

It was coming from them and being absorbed by the Great Baole Array Formation. This sent Wang Baole reeling. He immediately inspected the Great Martian Array Formation. Based on his sensitivity towards Dark Qi, he could also immediately sense a similar spirit energy within the Great Martian Array Formation.

Something's wrong! Wang Baole's breathing quickened. He turned and looked at Lin Tianhao. The latter was about to report on the Art of Longevity.

There's also this Art of Longevity. It suddenly appeared and was taken up very quickly by the population. We found nothing out of the ordinary after investigation, but together with the Deputy City Lord, we still decided to control its dissemination. Wang Baole's eyes suddenly narrowed when Lin Tianhao mentioned that point. He didn't interrupt the latter but continued to listen to Lin Tianhao's report. They reached the City Lord's Office. That was when Wang Baole suddenly issued an order. They would not be going to the office and would head to his residence instead.

When the cruiser reached his residence, Wang Baole got off as usual. He waited for Lin Tianhao and the rest to leave before entering his residence. The expression on his face immediately shifted to one of extreme seriousness. He activated the array formation and entered the chamber for seclusion. He sat down and crossed his legs, activating his access rights and merging with the array formation once again.

Once again, through the new city's array formations, he sensed Dark Qi inside countless cultivators in the entire city. With a solemn face, he pulled out the Art of Longevity that Lin Tianhao had sent to him. He studied it and found something amiss.

There's nothing wrong with this technique… nothing wrong if you practice it elsewhere. Only when you practice it in the new city, above the catacombs, where the air is heavy with Dark Qi, will something terrible and wrong happen!

It exploits the unique feature of the Great Martian Array Formation, which absorbs the population's Spirit Qi, and sends Dark Qi inside the Great Martian Array Formation… this cannot be the work of someone from the Federation. There's a great likelihood that it's the work of the Divine Armament Catacombs… but the monsters inside the cave are all without intelligence. How could they have come up with such a plan? This was what alarmed Wang Baole the most. He thought for a while and decided that the most important thing now was to expel the Dark Qi inside the practitioners of the Art of Longevity inside the new city!

Compared to finding the mastermind, this was a task more urgent. After all, as long as the array formation remained standing, the new city would remain safe and impenetrable. That was an unchangeable basic principle.

Perhaps I can kill two birds with one stone, and make the mastermind reveal himself! Wang Baole thought and finally came to a decision. He was going to be decisive about this. He was going to make a rash move and alert the enemy!

Before that though, he was going to have to make some preparations and refine a few special Dharmic Artifacts. It was fortunate that the entire city was a vast Eternal Fortress. Within it were core parts that only Wang Baole could access, where countless construction puppets were. Wang Baole had the ultimate advantage when it came to refining Dharmic Artifacts!

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Chapter 413: To Overpower with Lightning!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Three days later, Wang Baole had readied himself. With the construction puppets and with adequate resources, he created ten thousand disc-shaped Dharmic Artifacts!

These special Dharmic Artifacts were linked to the central, smaller Great Baole Array Formation. Their purpose was singular. They were meant to counter the Dark Qi and absorb all Dark Qi from all practitioners of the Art of Longevity!

They also possessed a search function that allowed them to sense people with Dark Qi in them within a certain radius of the artifact. For those who had been practicing the art for a long time, they might face the risk of exhaustion and injury after Dark Qi was absorbed from their bodies. However, this would only happen to those who had reached a high level of the Art of Longevity. Else, there shouldn't be too much damage. He or she would only feel weakened temporarily.

Wang Baole planned to use these ten thousand Dharmic Artifacts to do a thorough search of the entire city and forcibly clear the city of Dark Qi. He was doing it using the artifacts instead of the Great Baole Array Formation. This was because he had assessed and knew that he shouldn't be utilizing the array formation so easily at the moment. If he left the array formation alone, the Dark Qi within it would remain dispersed. Once he activated it… it might increase the speed it was being contaminated and corrupted.

In order to clear the root of the problem, he would only activate the array formation after the entire city had been cleared of most of the Dark Qi exuding from his residents. When it seemed as if the source feeding into the array formation had been dealt fully with, Wang Baole would then have the confidence to get rid of the problem completely.

After having prepared everything, Wang Baole immediately issued his first order as the City Lord after his return. He didn't consult Li Wan'er or the other mayors. He had the power to make such unilateral decisions in such moments of crisis!

"The Art of Longevity is an evil art. Practicing such an art will have great adverse effects on one's body. It will suck one dry of life. It is like a poison. As long as it's not treated, it will forever plague and harm one's body!

"Every city zone will be receiving its first batch of Dharmic Artifacts that will remove the adverse effects of the Art of Longevity. Practitioners may approach for treatment!

"I want to emphasize again. This is an evil art. Anyone who continues to practice it will harm his or her own body and, at the same time, be breaking the law. Those who teach it will be punished more heavily!"

After the order was issued, an arrest warrant for the first three practitioners who had been spreading this art was also sent out. Li Wan'er and the rest were shocked. Wang Baole sent out a second order to them almost simultaneously.

"Kong Dao, Lin Tianhao, Jin Duoming, Wen Huai, Fang Jing, Chen Mu!

"The six of you are to immediately collect the Dharmic Artifacts. You will be responsible for your own city zones. Find all practitioners of the Art of Longevity and get rid of all signs of this evil art in their bodies. You have one day. You must complete this task within the day. This is an order! This art is an evil art. It is also corrupting the Great Martian Array Formation. You must know the consequences!

"Li Wan'er, you are responsible for supervising the mission and conducting an investigation. I want this Art of Longevity completely gone from the city tomorrow! If anything happens, don't blame me for what I do next. This was something that happened during my absence!"

Lin Tianhao and the others were all alarmed upon receiving the series of voice transmissions. Jin Duoming, on the other hand, handled them better. The rest all became solemn—Li Wan'er, especially. Her pupils contracted. She didn't hang around. She immediately got her people and started her supervisory work.

The Dharmic Artifacts that Wang Baole refined were all collected by the various city zones speedily. There were large-scale sweeps and elimination of the Dark Qi. Meanwhile, Wang Baole sat cross-legged in meditation in his residence. He narrowed his eyes and sank deep into thought. He sent a polite message to the few Core Formation realm cultivators whom the four Dao Colleges had sent over to guard him. Amidst the whole uproar, their task was to seek out the three initial practitioners with an arrest warrant. At the same time… they were also to locate the mastermind behind this entire incident!

A dramatic search-and-extermination exercise unfolded across the entire city, swift like lightning. Wang Baole's reaction to his discovery had been harsh and brutal. He had first declared the Art of Longevity an evil art. This would shock and alarm most practitioners. After all, they knew very clearly that to practice an evil art in the Federation was a heavy crime!

Wang Baole had also pointed out that practicing such an art would severely affect and wear on one's body. It would drain one of life. It was like a poison that spread throughout the entire body, difficult to drain. This would inspire the practitioners' terror. They wouldn't only stop practicing, but they would begin to feel anxiety and fear.

The moment when they were feeling anxiety and panic, Wang Baole revealed a glimmer of hope. That was the first batch of Dharmic Artifacts in each zone that could treat this disease. Such hope, at such a critical moment, was enough to move passive practitioners into action. This would increase the ease and efficiency of those tasked to seek out the practitioners.

With such a series of implicit hints and explicit orders, if there remained those who were stubborn and couldn't be persuaded, Wang Baole also presented a stern and serious warning in his orders. The arrest warrant for the three original initiators was a fine example!

The lightning-swift exercise soon erupted across the entire new city. Bans and searches commenced in every city zone. There were plenty of cultivators who approached the administration of their own accord.

As the search went on, the Core Formation realm cultivators from the four Dao Colleges were also taking note of any clues that surfaced. They followed the tracks and began their hunt for the mastermind.

In the midst of this sudden exercise, Wang Baole didn't once make an appearance. He continued to sit cross-legged in his residence. He merged with the array formation and was waiting for the moment when the root of the problem was exterminated. That was when he would address and resolve the hidden dangers in the array formation.

He had also made other preparations. He got Kong Dao and Jin Duoming to instruct their guards and escorts to stand guard around the residence. This was to prevent the mastermind from trying to attack him, the leader of the exercise.

Time passed steadily. Wang Baole's orders had been issued decisively, and Li Wan'er also realized the seriousness of the matter. She pushed the investigations and search on forcefully. Finally, late that night, the search of the entire city was completed. Almost all practitioners of the Art of Longevity were rid of the Dark Qi inside them.

Li Wan'er had even led the team into the autonomous zones and conducted the search personally. Chen Mu, who hadn't been diligently following orders, also finally completed the search in the autonomous zone.

Kong Dao and Lin Tianhao were the ones who had been the most thorough in the entire exercise. The search in their zones had been beyond rigorous. Even Jin Duoming couldn't compare. Kong Dao, especially, had sent a voice transmission to Wang Baole late in the night. He had reported decisively that there wasn't a single person in his zone who continued to practice the Art of Longevity. All past practitioners had been rid of the Dark Qi in their bodies!

Wang Baole heard Kong Dao's report. Lin Tianhao's and the others' reports followed swiftly. When Li Wan'er reported on behalf of the three autonomous zones, Wang Baole finally let loose a sigh of relief in his heart. However, he knew that this was still not over. He continued to wait.

Two hours passed. He finally received the voice transmission from the Core Formation realm cultivators of the four Dao Colleges.

"We've arrested all three perpetrators, but we didn't find the mastermind. After interrogation, we found that the three… were only puppets!"

Wang Baole frowned when he heard the news. He had created a great spectacle and destroyed the other's plans within a single day. The mastermind should have retaliated. Be it attempting to come after him or through any other methods; there should have been traces of his presence. With so many Core Formation realm cultivators searching and keeping a lookout, such traces would have been difficult to hide. They should have been able to follow such tracks and caught him.

Who would have known things would turn out this way…

Unless the mastermind immediately hid himself as soon as trouble started brewing, he didn't care about the destruction of his plans… or perhaps, he has already achieved his goals? Wang Baole frowned. He pondered for a while but didn't have an answer. He knew that this wasn't the time for deep thoughts. He took a deep breath and immediately activated the array formation over the entire city. The array formation roared to life and attempted to cleanse itself of all hidden dangers!

This is the mastermind's last chance. Let's see if he's able to control himself! Wang Baole knew that once the array formation was cleansed of all hidden dangers, it would revert to its original secure state. Even though it had suffered damages, but its foundations were strong. This meant that the efforts of the other party had all been for nothing.

That was why he had concluded that the other party would definitely make a move now. He had prepared for that. It was as Wang Baole had predicted, with a slight variation… the black-robed man didn't interrupt Wang Baole's attempt to cleanse the array formation. At that moment, he appeared soundlessly in mid-air above Wang Baole's residence!

He stood in the air, clothed in black robes, clearly visible yet undetected by anyone. It was as if he didn't exist.

His eyes, hidden beneath the black robes, glimmered with a ghostly light. They seemed to be able to pierce through all walls, see right into the hidden chambers of Wang Baole's residence, and stare straight at the meditating Wang Baole!

"Is that really a Dark Child?" The black-robed man murmured. He seemed hesitant. After a while, he seemed to have made up his mind. He raised his right hand suddenly and pointed a finger towards Wang Baole.

"We'll just have to find out!"

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Chapter 414: Continue Bragging

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Intuition wouldn't be able to accurately assess whether one was a Dark Child. One needed to sacrifice part of his vitality from his very core to reach for and nudge at the other's true essence. If that didn't trigger a response, one would then be able to conclude firmly that the other wasn't a Dark Child!

The black-robed man hadn't intended to make use of his own life essence as he hadn't thought that Wang Baole was a Dark Child. The Dark Sect had fallen a long, long time ago, becoming a mere legend. There remained few signs in this world that still proved it had existed before.

The sudden appearance of someone who might be a Dark Child invited incredulity from the black-robed man. After all… even during the height of the Dark Sect's glory, there had been few who had been able to become a Dark Child.

Due to his rank and status, the black-robed man didn't know what conditions existed that allowed one to become a Dark Child, but in the depths of his memory remained the fear and horror the Dark Sect inspired during those days in the past. He could never forget the days when he hadn't become an Artifact Spirit. He had trembled before a mere ordinary disciple of the Dark Sect.

Now that so much time had passed, and with him falling into a deep sleep then waking up again and continuing this cycle repeatedly, his memories had grown blurrier when he tried to remember the past. His awe and fear of the Dark Sect hadn't faded away though, regardless of how much time had passed.

In fact, it could be argued that… the Dark Sect was his prison, and the Dark Child, his master!

Any Dark Child could easily control it. He had no means of fighting back. He couldn't devour his host and master. This was the scars of the past, the laws that had been branded deep into his life essence in the distant past.

He couldn't fight back. He couldn't make them stir. This was his fate!

That was why he didn't want to and indeed didn't believe that there was still a Dark Child in this world!

But the corruption of the array formation had been exorcised in a lightning-swift manner. He had secretly sensed the creation of those Dharmic Artifacts as well. Despite thinking it impossible, he still felt uncertainty over the matter. He knew what it meant if a Dark Child really appeared. He found that unacceptable. That was why he had come here. That was why he was sacrificing his own life essence to test the truth and set his heart at ease.

That was why he had pointed at Wang Baole!

It seemed like an ordinary action, and it didn't draw the attention of any of the Core Formation realm cultivators. However, it appeared to form a link with the heavens and earth. It spoke to the stars and formed an indescribable, strange energy wave. The black-robed man's pointing of a finger seemed to pierce through space, the walls, disregarding everything as it raced towards the secret chambers where Wang Baole was!

The energy wave suddenly flooded the insides of the secret chamber. It was infused heavily with Dark Qi. It held the black-robed man's life essence and contained him in his entirety. It appeared before Wang Baole and transformed into a wide gaping mouth that no one else could see. This wide mouth was an illusion. It was about to swallow and devour Wang Baole, who was sat in meditation and cleansing the array formation, whole!

It was as the wide mouth was about to swallow him whole that Wang Baole seemed to sense something amiss. He opened his eyes suddenly. Others might not be able to see this wide gaping mouth, but he immediately saw it, clear as day, when he opened his eyes. His pupils contracted immediately. His heart stuttered. Before Wang Baole could do anything, suddenly, the Dark Fire inside his body seemed to wrestle free from his control and erupted inside his body!

As if sensing the violation from a subordinate, the Dark Fire instinctively showed its power and authority!

A ghostly light appeared instantly in Wang Baole's eyes. Where his pupils were, appeared, instead, the Dark Fire. An indescribable cold erupted at that instant. It plunged the entire secret chamber into an iciness. The Dark Fire that had just erupted surged out from Wang Baole's body alongside the chill, expanding and surging outwards!

Inside the secret chamber, away from the eyes of others, Wang Baole's entire body was covered in a towering Dark Fire. An endless and overwhelming air of authority surged from his person. He seemed invincible and impenetrable. The wide mouth clamped over the Dark Fire and let loose a scream of agony.

It was like an ordinary person swallowing fire, and the screaming wide mouth started to melt before one's eyes. Everything happened in a blink of an eye. The gaping wide mouth that had been formed from the life essence of the black-robed man was burned to crisps. It tried to fall back, but the Dark Fire came after it, seemingly with an intention to punish it for its offense!

At that critical moment, the wide mouth—in its desperation to escape, and in its fear and panic—collapsed into itself, dodging the Dark Fire's relentless pursuit and saving itself!

This was only possible because the black-robed man was simply that powerful, while Wang Baole's Dark Fire was only in its infancy. Else, even if the black-robed man had allowed his life essence to scatter and disperse, he would still not have been able to escape the attack of the Dark Fire.

Everything had happened extremely quickly—from the appearance of the black-robed man to his test, and finally to the retaliation of the Dark Fire. Outside, in the sky, no one could see the black-robed man and how he had self-destructed a part of his life essence. His face was colored in alarm. He instinctively fell back hastily, retreating hundreds of yards. His eyes, hidden beneath his robes, were colored with indescribable horror and incredulous shock.

"The Dark Fire… this… this is impossible!" The black-robed man shouted. The flames that no one could see, that were rising to the skies from Wang Baole's residence, were clear in his eyes. It was a black fire. It exuded not heat but an incomparable chill. It seemed to be able to stir spirits and send the wheels of rebirth spinning. This fire held an important meaning for the black-robed man. It exerted a control that he couldn't fight against!

The sight of it sent the black-robed man, already shaking in his soul, trembling once again. His breathing quickened significantly, and his whole body was swaying. His inner world seemed to have been ripped apart.

Dark Fire. How can there still be Dark Fire in this world? He… he truly is a Dark Child! The black-robed man trembled. He was besieged by a sense of incredulity.

The Dark Sect has fallen. How can there still be a Dark Child?

"Damn it!" The black-robed man roared in fury and madness. He couldn't control the indescribable fear that was taking over his body. He didn't wish for a master to appear so soon after he had obtained freedom. He found that impossible to accept. Madness and a fierce murderous intent slowly appeared in his eyes.

It was colored with caution. After a long while, he gradually calmed down. He stared unblinkingly at Wang Baole's residence. He was silent for a long while. Then, he slowly disappeared.

So what if he's the Dark Child… I can't go near him, and I can't attack him for fear of inviting a backlash… but I can still strike indirectly and get him killed!

As the black-robed man departed, inside the secret chambers of his residence, the uncontrollable Dark Fire inside Wang Baole gradually disappeared and returned inside his body. Wang Baole gasped. He had an ugly expression on his face. He knew that the mastermind behind the Art of Longevity must have tried to attack him.

He pondered for a long while. Then, Wang Baole continued to cleanse the array formation. He finally completely cleansed the array formation late that night. Staring at the array formation as it finally resumed normalcy, his heart was finally at ease.

My Dark Fire attacked without prompting. It seemed to be able to counter the attacker… Wang Baole fell deep into thought. He lowered his head and stared at the ground. Deep beneath the ground was where the Divine Armament Catacombs lay.

The Dark Sect and the Dark Artifact… Wang Baole fell silent. He thought for a long while before he took out the black mask and entered the hallucination realm. He found Little Missy.

This time, Little Missy appeared. She was still her beautiful self. Her back was towards Wang Baole, and she seemed to be gazing into the distance, thinking.

Before Wang Baole could speak, Little Missy's cold, clear voice rang out.

"The research facility that you visited earlier. There is a piece… a shattered fragment of the mask in the facility. It contains a part of my original essence…"

"Ah?" Wang Baole immediately realized what was going on when he heard that. He had compared both and come to similar conclusions, but he wasn't here for this. He quickly spoke.

"Little Missy, is the person who attacked me earlier also a Dark Art practitioner? And, Master Zhao said that the Divine Armament here is a Dark Artifact… and, just now, my Dark Fire appeared automatically without any prompting. Didn't you say that we shouldn't reveal our Dark Fire easily? But it erupted on its own. What happened there?" That was what Wang Baole was desperate to find out at the moment.

"…" Little Missy, who had her back towards Wang Baole, was clearly stunned. There was suspicion and doubt in her eyes. She hadn't noticed or sensed any attack. She hadn't sensed the Dark Fire inside Wang Baole suddenly appearing without prompting. After all, she wasn't one of the Dark Sect!

Her reaction was swift, though. She got a vague idea of what had happened from what Wang Baole said. She felt sour with envy and bewildered at the same time. She thought to herself, You're asking me? Who do I get the answers from… Regardless, she had to keep up her pretense. She was silent for a while. She felt that she should give Wang Baole an impossible task that would end this entire topic about the Dark Sect. Else, if this continued, she'd be exposed for a fraud one of these days…

She lifted her chin and said casually, with a deep unfathomable air about her.

"Fine, since you already know, I'll stop with the hiding. There indeed is a Dark Artifact here. I left it here ages ago. It's nothing fantastic, but it would be appropriate for you to use it. If fate allows it, you can simply take it!

"I can't even be bothered to deal with whatever tried to attack you earlier. It's just a lowly Dark Servant!

"Don't overreact the next time. Remember, we cultivators of the Dark Sect wander the galaxies. Stars may collapse, but space remains constant. You should be calm and firm in whatever you do!

"Alright, I'm tired. You can leave."

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Chapter 415: Take Responsibility for One's Actions!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Little Missy waved her hand after saying that. The hallucination realm grew blurry instantly, and a wave of spirit energy surged outwards, shoving Wang Baole out of the realm.

As the hallucination realm resumed its peace and quiet, Little Missy, the ethereal beauty in Wang Baole's eyes, hastily let loose a breath of relief. She patted her chest as her exquisite brow frowned. There was a troubled and frustrated expression on her face. She even stomped her foot.

Someone attacked him earlier? Why didn't I sense that… and the sudden appearance of the Dark Fire, how would I know about that? This freak, hasn't he got other things to do? Why is he asking me all these questions?

Luckily, the guy surnamed Zhao revealed quite a bit. Else, I'd have been exposed today… Little Missy was troubled, and her head throbbed. She was beginning to regret her past braggings and exaggerations.

That can't be on me. Who would've thought that he would really be able to master the technique? Doesn't that make him a freak?

Luckily, I'm smart and gave this freak an impossible task! I don't believe he can really retrieve the Dark Artifact down there! At that thought, Little Missy's heart was set at ease. But soon, it dropped again. She began to doubt herself. Every time she felt that something was impossible to accomplish, this guy would quickly prove her wrong and show her what a freak was truly capable of…

That can't be possible… even though I don't know if what's lying below is indeed a Dark Artifact or not, but I can sense the terrifying aura that's resting below… right, it should be fine. He can't possibly succeed! Little Missy quickly comforted herself. She laughed. She must have slept for too long. Her head must be muddled. Else, why would she think that Wang Baole, at the Foundation Establishment realm, had any chance of getting his hands on what was obviously a rare treasure?

I'm trying to let him understand that he should do things slowly and play by the book. Right, that's right. This is all for his own good! She grew pleased with herself at that thought. Without knowing it, she started humming a tune. Then, she started to feel weird. This was a tune that freak Wang Baole had hummed before. She was irked momentarily and changed to another tune…

While Little Missy remained pleased with her quick wit, Wang Baole, pushed out from the hallucination realm, was sitting inside the secret chamber. He went through what Little Missy had said. He began to see reason in her words. At the same time, he felt slightly incredulous.

She said the treasure underground was something she'd left behind in the past? That's a bit too fantastical, isn't it? Her bragging knows no bounds… Wang Baole's first reaction was disbelief, but he soon began to doubt himself. He thought back to his interactions with Little Missy. He realized that she had never deceived or misled him, not once. As long as it was something she said, he would be able to get it done.

These repeated incidents led to Wang Baole's self-doubt. He began to consider the possibility that Little Missy had really left the artifact behind.

If that's really the case, there's nothing wrong with me trying to get my hands on it. Perhaps this really is what it is. Little Missy has always been right. Her origins are a mystery. She might have been some really important figure who had come from the ancient green-bronze sword. Wang Baole grew excited at that thought. He remembered the Dark Servant that Little Missy had mentioned. He suddenly felt that the guy who had tried to sneak attack him hadn't been that impressive or powerful.

I thought he must be someone impressive, but he turned out to be a servant. Wang Baole immediately felt a sense of superiority. He slapped his tummy happily. He increasingly felt that Little Missy had been a great help to him.

But the reason that I'm able to achieve what I've achieved is through my own blood, sweat, and tears! Wang Baole took a deep breath. He reminded himself not to be overcome by pride. He also shouldn't shirk the responsibilities and burdens that came with his achievements and throw said responsibilities onto Little Missy. After all, he was a good man who was capable of shouldering his own burdens and taking responsibility for his own actions.

Since I've worked so hard, I'm not going to pretend that I wouldn't have become what I have become today even if I didn't have Little Missy. Wang Baole believed that his system of values and morality had always been positive and on the right path. At present, he was on cloud nine. He remembered what he learned about the Anti-Spirit Bomb theory at the research facility.

The collision of antimatter and matter…

Wang Baole thought for a bit. He decided he would try to create a collision and fusion between Spirit Qi and Dark Qi, and test for any changes that might result from it. However, regardless of the number of attempts, he didn't earn any conclusive findings. The two energies counteracted the other naturally. As soon as they collided with each other, they vanished.

Wang Baole found that unfortunate and was at a loss. However, he still believed that his theory should be correct. The reason he didn't achieve the results he expected was because of insufficient knowledge on his part. He was missing something.

Fine, let's just set this matter aside. When the time is right and the conditions ripe, I can come back to this again. Wang Baole set aside his experimentation with matter and antimatter. He inspected the city's array formation again. Finally, with his heart set at ease, he retreated into seclusion and began his study of Dharmic Armaments.

After his recent trip to the research facility, he had gained great knowledge and understanding regarding the Heavenly Evocation step in the cycle of creating Dharmic Armaments. He had intended to immediately retreat into seclusion and mull over his findings after he had returned. He had wanted to test out his understanding. This had unfortunately been delayed by the incident of the Art of Longevity. Now that everything had been resolved, despite not being able to capture the mastermind, Wang Baole clearly felt that he held the upper hand over the other. Little Missy had said so, that he was only a lowly servant.

He set his emotions aside and began the process of understanding and testing out the Heavenly Evocation step in the refining of Dharmic Armaments.

Time passed slowly, and three days went by. The clean-up following the Art of Longevity fiasco continued. It was impossible to clean everything out within a single day. There were still a few areas scattered here and there, and a few stray cultivators not yet identified. They required the respective zones to continue with their investigations. They didn't pose that great of a problem, however.

There was also the proposal for the mass migration of residents to the new city, which had been approved by the Federation and the Martian administration. Soon, batches of cruisers carrying the new population arrived in the new city.

They were mainly the residents from the main Martian city, though a portion of them had come from Earth. They had been able to amass such a huge population due to the strong promotional efforts by the Federation and the Martian administration. In addition, great perks and subsidies were also being given out. That had led to a smooth migration process.

As the batches of residents arrived, great numbers of low-ranking Federation officials also arrived. With the surge in population, the lower administrative levels were clearly understaffed even though the upper levels were sufficiently staffed. The combined efforts of the four Dao Colleges and the other political forces wouldn't be enough to handle everything. The Federation and the Martian administration had to provide their people as well.

Li Xiu… was one of them. He didn't seek his father's help but had relied on his own strength and ability. He followed the newly migrated residents and arrived on Mars. The first thing he did when he arrived wasn't to seek out his own sister or his brother-in-law in name, but went to find Wang Baole.

He had known Lin Tianhao previously. That was why after Lin Tianhao had reported the findings from the first round of the Art of Longevity incident at Wang Baole's residence, he then opened the floor for Li Xiu's entrance.

"City Lord, I'm still in the midst of tidying up the data on the practice of the Art of Longevity in the various city zones. I'll be able to consolidate the detailed information in a few days and report them to you then. In addition… Li Xiu has arrived on Mars. He's approached me and requested to see you."

"Li Xiu?" There was a strange expression on Wang Baole's face after he heard what Lin Tianhao said. He agreed to see Li Xiu. Li Xiu, having heard the news, immediately arrived at Wang Baole's residence with great excitement and eagerness.

Upon seeing Wang Baole, Li Xiu quickened his steps. He cupped his fists in greeting and said loudly.

"Xiu'er greets his brother-in-law, the City Lord!"

Lin Tianhao was dazed. Wang Baole raised his eyebrow. He had a half-smile on his face as he studied Li Xiu. He said casually.

"Speak properly. Your brother-in-law isn't the City Lord, he's a mayor!"

Li Xiu didn't seem the slightest bit embarrassed. He raised his head and thudded against his chest. There was a look of indignation on his face. He said quickly.

"Li Xiu only knows one brother-in-law in his heart, and that's you, City Lord. Chen Mu, that rascal, I don't approve of him at all. What's up with him, anyway? He isn't as good looking as my brother-in-law, he's not as capable, and he's not as slim. There's his rank as well. He's only a Primary Rank Four Noble at his age. He's trashier than trash!

"Don't worry, brother-in-law. I've come to Mars to station myself in his autonomous zone. I'm going to keep a close watch on that bastard. There's no need for you to do anything. I'll find a chance and get rid of him myself. This bastard should try looking into a mirror. He's an absolute toad. How dare he try to fight my brother-in-law for my sister!"

Lin Tianhao seemed not to have reacted to Li Xiu's words, but his eyes narrowed slightly. He could sense, slightly, the arrival of another threat after Liu Daobin's arrival…

Wang Baole eyed Li Xiu. He felt extremely pleased. Even though he thought Li Xiu had many areas requiring further improvement, he wasn't without his positive qualities. This honesty of his, for example, in speaking the truth, was quite a good trait.

"Mayor Chen is a Federation official as well. It's not appropriate, you calling him a bastard. Don't do it when you're in public." Wang Baole was clearly inwardly soothed, despite his stern words.

Li Xiu's eyes flashed. He knew that he had done a good job with his flattery. He hastily voiced his agreement.

"Since you have such a grudge against Mayor Chen, as a City Lord, I'm not in a position to interfere. Even if something should happen, it'll be seen as a domestic dispute. The most I can do is to mediate the situation." Wang Baole gave Li Xiu a meaningful look, then picked his teacup up.

Li Xiu was a smart person. Else he wouldn't have paid a visit to Wang Baole as soon as he had arrived on the planet. He immediately knew what Wang Baole was trying to say. He knew that Wang Baole had accepted his declarations. After musing carefully over Wang Baole's words, he realized that Wang Baole was hinting that he still needed a guarantee.

"City Lord, brother-in-law, don't worry! I'll get this done quickly!" Li Xiu thudded his chest. He felt invigorated and excited. He had thought this through clearly before he had arrived. He was going to declare loyalty to Wang Baole. He was a much better option than Chen Mu.

After all, he only had one sister. That meant he could only trade her once. Compared to selling her to Chen Mu, he might as well choose Wang Baole. He and his father diverged in their views. The lunar incident had inspired an indescribable sense of awe and respect on Li Xiu's part with regard to Wang Baole. The degree of this awe and respect had grown with the elevation of Wang Baole's status and rank. It had reached the heights of adoration.

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Chapter 416: Knocking on the Door in the Middle of the Night!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Seeing that his charisma had prompted Li Xiu to greet him so respectfully, Wang Baole felt that, other than being equipped with the quality of being the most handsome person in the Federation, he had other qualities that were worthy of being learned by others.

In his delight, he sent Li Xiu away and handed other miscellaneous matters over to several other mayors. He then went into seclusion to research the Heavenly Evocation step of Dharmic Armament refining.

He had thought about the insights gained in the research facility during his tour of the research facility previously. However, there were time constraints then. This time, he planned to completely master the Heavenly Evocation, and at the same time, he didn't plan on neglecting his cultivation. He increasingly felt that he was close to reaching the perfected Foundation Establishment realm.

As for the refinement of his Intrinsic Dharmic Artifact, Wang Baole had always been on it. Now that he had completed the other tasks at hand, he meditated with his legs crossed and took out a red flying sword and a black saber. The moment he took the two Dharmic Armaments out, an astonishing suppressive force was given off. Previously, Wang Baole didn't know of the source of the suppressive force and had thought that it belonged to the viciousness of the Artifact Spirit.

However, right now, after understanding the Heavenly Evocation, Wang Baole was extremely clear that the Dharmic Armament was merely a carrier, and that was the same for the Artifact Spirit as well. The real suppressive force that emerged and made the force of the Dharmic Armament so astonishing originated from the so-called god that existed previously!

The so-called god is perhaps a ferocious beast or a has-been cultivator… Wang Baole was deep in thought. As he murmured, he felt for the two Dharmic Armaments once again. Vaguely, he seemed to be able to see the former figures of the two gods ruling heaven and earth.

Even though all of it was just Wang Baole's imagination, he was very clear that he was on the right path now. Since it was difficult to imagine the will of the gods that had previously existed, the only way to achieve that was through the two Dharmic Armaments.

Therefore, with that sensation and thought, Wang Baole gradually allowed himself to blend together with the two Dharmic Armaments in order to seek the will that existed inside and find signs of its consciousness. He wanted to sense the will of the gods while in the space between heaven and earth, so as to call the others over.

This process was a slow and long one. Even though Wang Baole was aware of the right direction, he still needed time before truly mastering the Dharmic Armament's Heavenly Evocation segment.

He was clear that he couldn't rush through this matter. However, he was confident that as long as he carried on, it was just a matter of time before he succeeded. Therefore, as he meditated and gained insights, days flew by.

Three days passed quickly.

In those three days, Wang Baole set aside all other miscellaneous matters. As he immersed his heart and soul fully in gaining insights into the Dharmic Armaments, his consciousness seemed to be truly integrated with the Dharmic Armament. It was as if he had left Divine Armament New City and was now loitering in between the heavens and earth on Mars. As he loitered, he heard murmurs and seemed to have noticed some illusory figures, as well as felt the remnants of the consciousness of the gods that had once existed on Mars.

However, all of this was general and not detailed. Wang Baole had only managed to feel it briefly, and even though he had wanted to attract it, he was unable to accomplish it. It was as if he was transformed into a similar kind of consciousness, floating continuously under the laws of heaven and earth.

After an unknown period of time, as he loitered, Wang Baole's body suddenly shook. He sensed the existence of a very strong consciousness that was on a scale that surpassed everything else a distance away!

This consciousness was strong like the sun and was like a bonfire compared to other forms of consciousness. Even though Wang Baole had only gently touched it, the ferocity of this consciousness was sufficient to make him tremble. At that moment, a loud shrill reverberated in his mind.

"Kill, kill, kill, kill!"

The screams that emerged from this consciousness were extremely ruthless, and its killing intent was so strong that it could destroy the heavens and earth. Wang Baole was unable to withstand it at all, and as he trembled, he spewed a mouthful of blood. He opened his eyes immediately, and even his breathing was extremely rapid. He quickly lifted his head, as if his vision could pass through the wall to look at the Mars firmament.

Which god did that consciousness belong to? Wang Baole took a deep breath, extremely shaken. He managed to calm down briefly after a long while, but as he recalled the madness and ferocity of that consciousness, he was still gripped with shock.

It should be the Heavenly Evocation stage that I reached just now, right? Or rather, was that the legendary fugue state that is similar to that in the Spirit Inception Era? Wang Baole wiped the perspiration off his forehead. He had qualms but also realized the danger of the Heavenly Evocation. At the same time, he was filled with curiosity and anticipation towards that deranged consciousness.

If I could attract it and create a carrier for it, then… my Dharmic Armament megaphone could possibly succeed! With that thought, Wang Baole was filled with hope. He thought that perhaps he had proceeded with the wrong step. He should first complete the carrier, as if setting a trap in place…

That's not right. I am a master, and my intentions must be upright… what I'm creating is not a trap. I am trying to allow the gods that have passed to reappear, so that they could, to a certain extent, reincarnate! With that thought, Wang Baole instantly felt that he had a duty, and he was pleased with his realization.

With that satisfaction towards himself, Wang Baole ended his seclusion. Thoughts about the material needed to make the Dharmic Armament carrier darted around his mind. The material should have two aspects. Firstly, it must be a precious refinement material, and second, it should contain the Artifact Spirit.

Regardless of whether it was the first or second aspect, it wasn't easy for Wang Baole to fulfill them despite him being the City Lord. As he thought about how to go about doing it, he suddenly grew alert and lifted his head to look at the door of the secret chamber.

The moment he turned to look, he seemed to have heard loud sounds of someone knocking on the door of the secret chamber. The voice that followed sounded urgent and even affected the simple array formation that he had set for his residence.

Why is she here? Wang Baole thought. Through the array formation of his residence, he could sense that it was his neighbor, Li Wan'er, that was outside his secret chamber.

It was now the wee hours of the night. It was pitch-black outside, and Li Wan'er's sudden visit made Wang Baole frown. He thought about it as the knocking grew even more urgent. Li Wan'er had even sent a voice transmission to Wang Baole through the voice transmission ring. In that voice transmission, there was only one sentence…

"Help me…"

With that sentence, the knocking stopped suddenly. Through the array formation, Wang Baole saw that Li Wan'er, who was outside, had already fallen unconscious.

That shocked Wang Baole. He immediately stood up and stepped out of the secret chamber. With all his focus, he activated his cultivation and the two Dharmic Armaments. He even notified the Core Formation Dao guardians from the four Dao Colleges before opening the door of his residence.

Even though he didn't sense any external threat the moment he opened the door, he still activated his two Dharmic Armaments, forming a suppressive force that swept the outside environment.

When he made sure that there was no danger, he suspiciously approached the unconscious Li Wan'er. Li Wan'er looked pale as she trembled. She had lost consciousness, and her lips were black.

She's poisoned? Wang Baole was taken aback. He lowered his head and placed his hand on Li Wan'er's forehead. The moment he touched her skin, his eyes widened and his breathing quickened, a look of disbelief on his face.

He didn't hesitate and immediately carried Li Wan'er into his residence. At the same time, he notified the Core Formation elites from the four Dao Colleges to guard the outside environment. After that, he carried Li Wan'er into the secret chamber.

When he reached the secret chamber, he grew solemn, frowning as he looked at the unconscious Li Wan'er.

There is no Dark Qi coming from her body. However, it's as if there's a bottle filled with Dark Qi in her body, extremely chaotic and on the brink of breaking open at the slightest touch!

That was the reason Wang Baole was shocked. It was obvious that when he saw Li Wan'er previously, he didn't sense any Dark Qi from her. Even now, he still couldn't sense it just by looking at her. It was only when he touched her and released his Spirit Qi to take a detailed look in her body that he sensed it.

Why is she in this state? Could it be that she cultivated the Art of Longevity as well? However, even so, why is she different from others? Doubts arose in Wang Baole's mind, but he didn't hesitate. Li Wan'er was the Deputy City Lord, and even though there were conflicts between them, he couldn't leave her to die—especially so considering the experiences they had been through together.

Therefore, he took a deep breath and raised his right hand, pressing it once again on Li Wan'er's forehead. The devouring seed in his body instantly exploded, forming a suction force to absorb the Dark Qi in Li Wan'er's body in order to remove the danger!

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Chapter 417: Healing Injuries…

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The concentration of the Dark Qi in Li Wan'er's body shocked Wang Baole as he absorbed it. It was so concentrated that if he were a little bit later, Li Wan'er would have died!

It was perhaps inappropriate to call her a dead corpse. Rather, she would have become a living dead person, with the possibility of being controlled by others without the hope of redemption.

That made Wang Baole extremely solemn. Not only did he have to save Li Wan'er, but he also had to get to the bottom of what exactly happened to her. At the same time, he had to find out whether an incident like this was the exception or the norm, and if it was the future plans of the mastermind.

It was as if another crisis was happening even before the previous one was settled. Wang Baole took a deep breath and further activated the devouring seed. However, even if he put in all his effort in absorbing it, the Dark Qi inside Li Wan'er's body was so concentrated it was almost viscous, and her body was weak and unable to withstand the continuous absorption by Wang Baole's devouring seed.

Therefore, it was challenging to return everything to normal in a short period of time. The only option was to let her rehabilitate after every absorption and carry on the next day. Several days passed like this in order to remove the danger while restoring her foundation.

Even though he was unable to remove everything at once, Wang Baole could still allow her to regain consciousness. Therefore, as Wang Baole continued absorbing and healing her, after five minutes, Li Wan'er's body moved, and her eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes.

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Wang Baole. That was especially so as the two of them were very near each other, and because Wang Baole was rushing to save her just now and didn't bother too much about other things, directly placing Li Wan'er on his lap.

Therefore, when she opened her eyes and noticed how intimate she was with Wang Baole, Li Wan'er took a deep breath. Even though she remained calm on the surface, she sat up naturally and moved back, sitting opposite Wang Baole, before revealing a complicated look in her eyes.

"Go on, tell me what happened." Wang Baole stared at Li Wan'er, asking with a low voice, in no mood to care about other things.

Li Wan'er lowered her eyelids slightly. After taking a brief moment and calming down, she looked at her own body and began talking about what had happened.

"In order to prove the Art of Longevity, I personally cultivated it for a period of time, but I stopped after just a brief moment. However, for some unknown reason, the speed of my cultivation was unbelievable…"

"I have only practiced it for two days, yet I have reached another level…" Li Wan'er frowned, incredulous at that.

"Another level?" Wang Baole was confused. He hadn't practiced the Art of Longevity himself and merely studied its mnemonic. Therefore, he wasn't as acquainted with it, unlike Li Wan'er, who had experienced it personally.

"Only the first part of the Art of Longevity has been made known. If cultivated to the extreme, it is possible for one to break through to the second part. However, the cultivation technique for the second part doesn't exist."

"At the same time, once the second part is reached, all aura will be kept within, without any abnormalities…" Li Wan'er explained. Listening to her words, Wang Baole frowned yet again.

"Why didn't you say so earlier? Do you know that if I were just a minute late in saving you, you'd perhaps not be how you are right now?"

Li Wan'er was silent and didn't speak.

Wang Baole looked at the stubborn Li Wan'er and sighed. Even though she didn't say anything, he could guess the reason. The two of them were now so distant and were considered enemies to a certain extent. Therefore, with Li Wan'er's personality, she wouldn't have approached him for help and would have tried to resolve everything by herself.

In reality, that was just the case. Li Wan'er hadn't thought about asking Wang Baole for help. On one hand, she wanted to suppress it with her own cultivation, and on the other, she wanted to use the Dharmic artifact that Wang Baole had refined to dispel the evil aura by herself.

However, after trying it for a few days, not only did she not succeed, the situation made a turn for the worse. That was especially so tonight, as when she tried to dispel the evil aura, she felt a sense of something luring her!

That sensation wasn't clear cut, and it was as if she had lost control of her body. With sheer will, she forcefully regained control of her own body and realized that she was like a bag filled with acid, with the acid continuously corroding her internal organs and making her extremely weak. At the same time, she was unable to resolve the problem. In that life and death situation, she had little choice but to seek Wang Baole's help.

As a stubborn person, that was an extremely difficult thing to do. She felt embarrassed to reply to Wang Baole and therefore kept her silence. However, she knew her limits, and suddenly spoke after remaining silent for a while.

"Before I lost consciousness, I felt something luring me. While I was still awake, I arranged for someone to go to the place where that sensation originated from. However, I only know the general direction, and am not sure if they found the source of it."

"Don't fret about this for now. Take care of yourself first." After Wang Baole heard the details, he immediately sent out instructions using his voice transmission ring, before looking at Li Wan'er again.

"Your injuries are severe, and it isn't possible to cure everything in a day. I need about half a month's time. For now, let's continue."

"… Thank you." Li Wan'er lowered her head and spoke softly.

Soon, the process of healing continued. Previously, Li Wan'er was in a coma and unconscious and didn't feel much. Now that she was extremely alert, she blushed, and her body trembled. Wang Baole inevitably felt something unusual as well.

As Dark Qi infiltrated not just her body, but also occupied all her flesh and blood to the extent that it was about to combine with it, Wang Baole had to touch every part of Li Wan'er's body. This was to make the process of healing even more effective and for his devouring seed to absorb the Dark Qi from her flesh and blood…

The contact was separated by clothing, but gradually, in the silence of the secret chamber, Li Wan'er's hurried yet suppressed breathing became louder. Wang Baole also couldn't help but feel his heart palpitating even more rapidly, especially when he thought about the incident where the both of them warmed each other up in the evil cultivator's cave.

Right now, it was more intense than before. After all, in the evil cultivator's cave back then, it was pitch-black. However, in Wang Baole's secret chamber, everywhere was well lit…

Seeing that Li Wan'er had shut her eyes and feeling the tremble of her body, Wang Baole blinked as his heart rate increased. An evil thought uncontrollably arose in his mind…

Li Wan'er seemed to have sensed something and opened her eyes suddenly. Biting her lips, she stared sternly at Wang Baole.

"Wang Baole, you…"

"Quiet! Do not talk during the healing process." Wang Baole stared, slapping hard at Li Wan'er's buttocks. He felt its bounciness while frowning as he spoke.

Being slapped and hollered at by Wang Baole, Li Wan'er, who had wanted to warn him not to take advantage of her, was taken aback. As she hesitated, Wang Baole sighed, waving his hand and extinguishing the lights in the secret chamber.

"I hope that this would calm you down. I'm trying to heal you here!" Wang Baole was thick-skinned. Even though his heart was beating quickly and he was thirsty with lust, he appeared stern and serious on the surface, despite the lights being extinguished.

It might have been the dark surroundings or the bewilderment caused by Wang Baole, but Li Wan'er chose to stay silent. Even though her breathing grew more rapid, she didn't say anything further. To a certain extent, she seemed to have reached acquiescence…

However, Wang Baole felt that he was an upright gentleman with values. He continued the healing process in extreme detail; it was just that the process took quite a while. He felt that he was being responsible and serious, and in this way, after treating Li Wan'er by touching her all over her body, an hour had passed.

In the process of Wang Baole healing Li Wan'er, the cultivators sent by the both of them had already completed the search in the specific region that they were ordered to go to, but they didn't find anything.

However, in another direction within Chen Mu's autonomous zone, there were over a thousand people in a secluded location standing expressionlessly. There was no Dark Qi given off their bodies, but if Wang Baole were there and contacted their bodies to sense what is going on inside, he would definitely find that each one of them was like Li Wan'er, with Dark Qi contained in their bodies like a Dark Qi bomb!

On the ground before them, a large array formation was drawn. The black-robed man stood beside the array formation and spoke calmly.

"Let's begin!"

The moment he said that, the over one thousand expressionless individuals immediately lifted their heads. Within their empty gaze, a look of madness was revealed. Each one of them stepped into the array formation slowly, and the array formation instantly absorbed every part of their bodies into nothingness…

When these thousand-odd individuals had all disappeared in the array formation, a blue glow emerged from the center of the array formation.

Taking a closer look at the glow, it looked like a seed!

Picking up the seed, the black-robed man examined it briefly, looking a little regretful but still revealing a smile.

It's a pity that we don't have much time and only managed to produce one of these. However, it should be enough to destroy the Dark Child…

What's next, is to choose a cooperative individual to carry out the task…

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Chapter 418: Able Man!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

After seeing Li Wan'er off, Wang Baole felt a headache. The mastermind that was in hiding made him feel that the matter was urgent. Thankfully, he felt that he had an advantage, as, after all, it was merely a Dark Servant. From that term, it could be seen that in the eyes of the Little Missy, that person was just a servant, while he was the master.

That thought made him feel a sense of relief.

That is nothing much. I still have Little Missy. If anything doesn't go well, I'll get Little Missy to help, and suppress that servant!

However, if I were to engage the help of Little Missy, I'll have to put in some effort to convince her. Wang Baole was deep in thought about the matter, and also felt that his life was filled with challenges. He had to depend on himself for everything in order to remove all obstacles through his own effort.

With that sentiment, Wang Baole began thinking about how he could coax Little Missy. At that moment, Lin Tianhao also sent a voice transmission requesting to visit Wang Baole to report the details of the investigation, as well as the results of the investigation of the various zones.

Due to the frequency of Wang Baole going into seclusion, his residence had become his office to a certain extent. Soon, Lin Tianhao arrived. Having stuck with Wang Baole for a considerable period of time, Lin Tianhao had changed from the person he was back in the Dao College. Right now, he was no longer as arrogant and quiet, and instead was dependable and experienced.

However, that was just an image he put on in front of Wang Baole. In reality, when he was in the company of others, Lin Tianhao didn't speak much. His quiet demeanor hadn't disappeared and was simply buried deep in his bones. To others, he was like a poisonous snake, and the relationship that he shared with Wang Baole meant that if he protected Wang Baole's interests, he could protect his own as well. Therefore, names like 'lapdog', 'crazy dog', and 'poisonous snake' were often applied to him by people who were unhappy with Wang Baole.

Right now, as he arrived, Lin Tianhao first poured a cup of tea for Wang Baole, placing it in front of him. Then, he stood in front of him instinctively, without even thinking that it didn't match his status or that he was trying to get into Wang Baole's good books. Instead, he felt that as a subordinate, he should reciprocate the things that the superior he respected had done for him, and the act of pouring a cup of tea reflected the respect he had for his superior.

Wang Baole was also accustomed to this treatment. Therefore, he took a sip of tea as he listened to Lin Tianhao's report.

"City Lord, there were no abnormalities found during yesterday's inspection of the area…"

"In addition, the inspection of the various regions in the entire city has been completed. The data acquired, as well as the conclusion, are detailed here…" As he reported, Lin Tianhao passed a jade slip to Wang Baole.

"In the six regions of the new city, the people who cultivated the Art of Longevity are unevenly distributed. Most of them are located in Chen Mu's autonomous zone, followed by that of Fang Jing's. It is then followed by my zone, then Mayor Kong Dao's, and lastly Mayor Jin's… As for Mayor Wen Huai's region, there is no one cultivating the Art of Longevity at all, which seems weird…" With that, Lin Tianhao looked as if he was bewildered. It appeared that he felt that the findings were bizarre and unimaginable.

Hearing that, Wang Baole also felt somewhat confused. After looking at the data listed in the jade slip, he realized that just like Lin Tianhao had reported, there ranged from tens to hundreds of thousands of Art of Longevity cultivators in the various zones, but none at all in Wen Huai's zone.

It might be a little too much of an exaggeration to say that there were none of them at all, but since there were no records, it meant that in reality, the number of people who cultivated the Art of Longevity was extremely low. If not, even if the data was faked, it wouldn't be possible to be fabricated to this extent.

"What's going on? Wen Huai is capable." Wang Baole was curious. He thought that he had perhaps belittled Wen Huai, and he swept his gaze at Lin Tianhao.

Lin Tianhao had a weird expression on his face. He hesitated for a moment and began to speak softly.

"I have tried to find out the details of the matter, but… Vice Mayor Liu Daobin would like to invite you to take a look at the situation by yourself…" Lin Tianhao knew the reason behind the matter. After all, he was in charge of handling the intelligence, and if it were in a different scenario, he would definitely not have passed on Liu Daobin's message.

However, right now, he felt that it would be better for him if he were to be more cautious around people like Liu Daobin. There was no point in offending or tricking him on a whim, as he felt that he saw a brand new face of Liu Daobin through this incident.

"Oh?" Wang Baole laughed. He recalled that Liu Daobin was now Wen Huai's assistant. Liu Daobin didn't send a voice transmission directly to him and instead leveraged on the outcome of this incident to invite him for an on-sight investigation through the proper procedures. Wang Baole was not at all opposed to that, as he had also wanted to see for himself what exactly was going on in Wen Huai's zone.

Therefore, arrangements were made. Since it was an official visit, many people were sent. A notice was also given to Wen Huai beforehand, informing him to make preparations to receive Wang Baole.

An hour later, accompanied by Lin Tianhao, Wang Baole and company arrived at Wen Huai's autonomous zone with much fanfare. When they reached, Wang Baole and Liu Daobin were already waiting to receive them. Having seen Wang Baole from afar, and even before Wen Huai said anything, Liu Daobin had already run forward, greeting Wang Baole a distance away. He was extremely agitated and spoke loudly.

"Daobin hereby greets the City Lord! City Lord, please allow Daobin here to speak my mind. It is such a surprise to see you, and I have so much to say that I would like to seek your approval to express my thoughts!" Liu Daobin's voice could be heard in all directions. Wen Huai, who was scolding Liu Daobin for moving so quickly under his breath. He had originally wanted to greet Wang Baole as well, but after hearing what Liu Daobin said, he was slightly taken aback. He began thinking about whether Liu Daobin had any dirt on him and had wanted to take the chance to report against him.

Wang Baole, who was initially approaching from afar with a smile on his face, suddenly had a flash across his eyes the moment he heard Liu Daobin's words. Even Lin Tianhao and company, who were following behind him, were somewhat shocked.

"Daobin, speak your mind, whatever it is!" With huge strides, Wang Baole approached Liu Daobin, helping him up as he spoke amiably.

Liu Daobin was so agitated that he was trembling a little. Looking at Wang Baole, his voice reverberated, filled with excitement.

"City Lord, Daobin would like to seek forgiveness from you. When I saw you approaching from afar, I was indeed taken aback and was a little delayed in greeting you. I haven't seen you for so long and felt a little adrift when I suddenly noticed you. It was as if I had seen a god, one that was so handsome that it surpassed every single person in the entire Federation. The thought that such an extraordinarily handsome individual was my City Lord made me so excited that I wasn't able to maintain my image, and for that, I would wholeheartedly accept any punishment you give me!"

Hearing Liu Daobin's words, Wen Huai's eyes widened as he gasped. It was as if he had just seen a different side of Liu Daobin. He wasn't the only one who felt this way. Regardless of whether it was Wen Huai's subordinates or Lin Tianhao and company, everyone who heard what Liu Daobin had just said was surprised. They all looked at Liu Daobin with bewilderment, and many were cursing him for being shameless under their breaths.

Even Wang Baole was shocked. He was thick-skinned, but even he felt embarrassed hearing what Liu Daobin had just said. Despite that, satisfaction and pleasure arose in his heart naturally upon hearing Liu Daobin's words. He was extremely satisfied, but on the surface, he remained stoic and even chided Liu Daobin.

Liu Daobin hurriedly accepted Wang Baole's scoldings, and a look of relief appeared on his face. He felt that Wang Baole's criticism towards him was an honor, and he didn't forget to curry Wang Baole's favor after Wang Baole was done chiding him.

"You're right, City Lord. City Lord, you carry great responsibilities on your shoulders, and your legacy impacts everyone from past to present. Your future is also vast and full of hope! Daobin here is direct in my words, and I couldn't hold back the words in my mind, and that was why I revealed everything that I was thinking in my heart."

Upon hearing that, Lin Tianhao gasped. He felt that the threat that Liu Daobin posed towards him had grown even stronger. As for Wen Huai, he threw several more glances at Liu Daobin. As he cursed Liu Daobin under his breath, he also felt jealous. He thought about how he was Liu Daobin's direct superior but was immediately disregarded by him the moment he saw Wang Baole. He had also never heard Liu Daobin say something pleasing to him before…

Coupled with that sentiment, Wen Huai also felt even more helpless as he thought about the situation in his autonomous zone. He felt so embarrassed that he didn't want to be responsible for bringing Wang Baole on a tour of the zone. Liu Daobin, on the other hand, also seemed to have no intention of inviting Wen Huai along. Liu Daobin took the initiative to accompany Wang Baole, taking on the responsibility of introducing the autonomous zone to him.

In this way, the group of people gradually entered the autonomous zone after Liu Daobin's exaggerated act of currying Wang Baole's favor. They had only just entered the zone when gasps of shock emerged from the mouths of the visitors, and they widened their eyes.

What made them so surprised was that in the autonomous zone, there were two giant sculptures erected on either side of the main pathway. The sculptures were both of Wang Baole!

Wang Baole was taken aback once again. He looked at Liu Daobin, who was full of respect for him, and then back at the surrounding buildings. He looked confused but didn't say anything. Instead, he continued walking down the path, and that was when his mind, as well as that of his followers, began to buzz noisily with activity.

In that autonomous zone, there was an uncountable number of sculptures of Wang Baole, and they were all of varying sizes… There was one every few hundred meters, each of them in a different pose, all of them trying to showcase how heroic Wang Baole was!

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Chapter 419: The Icing on the Cake!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Seeing the surprise on the visitors' faces, and that even Wang Baole had widened his eyes in shock, Liu Daobin gloated secretly in his heart. He took a look at Lin Tianhao, laughing silently in his heart as he thought about how even though Lin Tianhao had achieved whatever he had now based on his abilities, he still fell short compared to himself.

After all, he wasn't only capable, but also had the ability to suck up to Wang Baole. The latter skill, to him, was equally important as the former skill. It was something that his father had exemplified and taught the importance of to him since he was young. He constantly reminded him about it, and he couldn't forget the words that his father had said while slapping his thigh one fateful day after he had a drink.

"Humans, they all like to hear pleasing words. Any human would love hearing them. Only horses and cows wouldn't like them. However, you have to remember these are all fluff. Do you know what fluff is? Do you know what it means by the icing on the cake? If you have the cake, and the icing, then I don't have to worry about your future anymore. So, Daobin, when you have mastered this skill, you are already a step ahead of everyone!"

At first, Liu Daobin didn't care much about what his father had said. When he first gained admission to Ethereal Dao College, his life plan was to become a Dharmic Armament Master, but as fate would have it, his plans were thrown off course after he met Wang Baole…

As such, he followed the path that his father had been on. On this path, he increasingly felt that his father didn't have it easy. At the same time, based on what he knew about sucking up, he developed his own extended theory about it.

Many times, there is no need to use words to suck up to others. Silent actions are superior to overt presentations, and that represents the highest level of skill! Liu Daobin gloated and didn't mention anything much regarding the sculptures. Instead, he continued leading Wang Baole and company, who were still in shock, and carried on with the tour. As they walked, statues of Wang Baole appeared before the eyes of the crowd one after another. Gasps of shock gradually vanished, and while still in that state of surprise, even Lin Tianhao conceded to a certain extent.

They felt that there was no need to continue viewing. It was imaginable that in Wen Huai's autonomous zone, Wang Baoles would be on every street and alley… Therefore, they all looked towards Wen Huai with pity.

Wen Huai was expressionless, as he had already grown numb to everything. From the time Liu Daobin had erected the first sculpture in the autonomous zone until now, where Wang Baole sculptures had grown innumerable, he had gradually gotten used to everything—including the fact that Liu Daobin was using this method to brainwash his subordinates…

That resulted in him losing more loyal followers. He even began to feel that even though the disciples from the Galactic Dusk Sect only knew how to kill, when compared to Liu Daobin, they were relatively purer and child-like.

It wasn't that no one had seen through those tricks. It was just, on the one hand, Wang Baole was authoritative, and on the other, Liu Daobin didn't try to hide his intentions; he was clearly telling everyone that he was sucking up to the City Lord, and there was nothing that anyone could do about it.

As such, the others were really at wit's end as to how to stop him. Only, there was no way they could stop Liu Daobin from sucking up to Wang Baole. At the same time, they didn't want to create misunderstandings between themselves and Wang Baole… Therefore, the number of sculptures grew.

While Wen Huai felt unhappy and experienced a complex of emotions, Lin Tianhao and company all remained silent. Wang Baole was surprised, but also felt curious. Looking at the sculptures, he felt that they were all extraordinarily handsome, and he looked at Liu Daobin with even more satisfaction in his eyes.

Having caught Wang Baole's gaze, Liu Daobin felt energized. He thought that his efforts this time around were extremely worthwhile. However, he was also clear of his limits, and that it was insufficient to merely suck up to others. Therefore, he began speaking cheerfully to Wang Baole.

"City Lord, are you here today to find out why there is no one cultivating the evil cultivation technique of the Art of Longevity?"

Hearing that Liu Daobin had taken the initiative to bring up the matter, Wang Baole grew even more satisfied, and the smile on his face grew even wider. He pointed at Liu Daobin and smiled, looking at Lin Tianhao and company who were beside him.

"Take a look at that. We didn't ask, but he has taken the initiative to answer our question."

Lin Tianhao smiled, and the people around also cooperated as they revealed a friendly smile while looking at Liu Daobin.

"City Lord, the reason why no one here is practicing the evil art is that I have strengthened everyone's understanding, such that everyone clearly knew what they should and shouldn't do. In addition, I have also perfected the system of reward and punishment, which resulted in this zone that is so full of energy!" Liu Daobin hurriedly spoke, and his words were extremely pleasing. However, everyone, including Wang Baole, had managed to catch something that didn't match up.

Lin Tianhao cleared his throat and sent out a voice transmission to Wang Baole, explaining the results of his investigation to him. As Wang Baole listened, his expression grew awkward. After combining that information with what Liu Daobin had said, he immediately understood what was weird about the situation.

In reality, since Liu Daobin arrived in Wen Huai's autonomous zone, he took charge of the local disciplinary department, and also perfected the whistle-blowing system, such that the process of doing so was extremely simple. At the same time, every piece of reported news was handled in the shortest time possible. Various degrees of punishment were meted out to those involved, while the ones who reported the news were rewarded!

He continuously advocated, and secretly found, many followers which he led personally. Gradually, after all the effort that he put in, he made whistle-blowing a collective consciousness in Wen Huai's autonomous zone…

Even though there were no whistle-blowers initially, as the number of people who began reporting grew, everyone became increasingly cautious and began whistle-blowing themselves. They would report everything that they were unhappy with, regardless of whether it was a trivial or serious matter.

At the same time, a group of people who had reaped the benefits turned into professional whistle-blowers. Through that, they accumulated large amounts of resources and Spirit Stones needed for cultivation.

Even Wen Huai was helpless. He had the intention to handle the matter, but when he recalled that Liu Daobin was a representative of Wang Baole, he gave up.

As everyone grew accustomed to whistle-blowing, the first cultivator who had come to spread the Art of Longevity was reported by hundreds of people as a result of his suspicious movements. He didn't even manage to stay for half an hour before he was taken away.

At that time, Wang Baole hadn't put in place the regulation to prohibit anyone from practicing the Art of Longevity. However, the sudden emergence of this cultivation technique, though not unusual in the other zones, was seen as a serious offense in this zone where everyone was engaged in the practice of whistle-blowing. Regardless of whether it was an issue, everyone chose to report it, as they would get rewarded if it ever became a problem.

Even if it wasn't a problem, it was a chance to prove that they were responsible and serious in their jobs.

After hearing about it, Wang Baole didn't know whether to laugh or cry. On the other hand, Liu Daobin was feeling extremely delighted, thinking that he had handled the matter with perfection. However, he still felt that he should further show off his efforts. As such, he tried to appear responsible and loyal, announcing loudly to Wang Baole.

"City Lord, when the Art of Longevity first emerged here, even though there were no civil regulations, Daobin here remembered the City Lord's teachings and didn't dare to let my guard down one bit. At the same time, I didn't want to disappoint you, and couldn't allow any mishaps to happen. Therefore, I prohibited all the cultivators here from practicing the Art of Longevity. I had wanted to come to a firmer decision after observing the situation, but something untoward happened."

"Thankfully, the City Lord is heroic and so capable that you managed to foil the sinister plan that could have shaken the foundation of Mars and the new city. Daobin hereby represents the thousands of cultivators in the zone to thank the City Lord for saving our lives!" As Liu Daobin spoke, he greeted Wang Baole deeply with cupped fists.

Seeing his act, the other cultivators in the zone who surrounded him hesitated briefly before bowing towards Wang Baole. Even Wen Huai and company were helpless, seeing that everyone had followed suit. They had no choice but to express their gratitude as well, no matter how unwilling they were.

Lin Tianhao was utterly dumbfounded by what he had just seen. His vigilance towards Liu Daobin grew, and he hurriedly bowed towards Wang Baole as well. Immediately, as words of gratitude sounded all around him, Wang Baole was speechless, but also extremely pleased. He chided Liu Daobin briefly, but his appreciation of him grew even more obvious.

They carried on with the tour for a while longer, and after confirming that everything in the zone was under Liu Daobin's control, Wang Baole left with Lin Tianhao after praising Wen Huai.

At the same time, as they left, in an office located inside Chen Mu's autonomous zone, Chen Mu was staring expressionlessly and coldly at a middle-aged cultivator in front of him.

"Who are you?" Chen Mu spoke slowly.

That cultivator was dressed in a Daoist robe from the Five Generation Sky Clan. He was one of Chen Mu's assistants and had always been cautious around him. However, today, without any instruction for him to come, he appeared suddenly and bizarrely in front of Chen Mu. His demeanor and expressions differed from usual, and he seemed to be an entirely different person. To a certain extent, Chen Mu could feel a sense of danger wafting off of him.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, it doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that I have links to the Art of Longevity. You can get someone to apprehend me and pass me to Wang Baole. Alternatively, you can give me, as well as yourself, a chance. Let me represent my master and have a discussion with you…"

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Chapter 420: Breaking Off Relations

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"Interesting…" Noticing that this former assistant of his had transformed into an entirely different person, and was speaking so calmly and confidently to him, Chen Mu gradually narrowed his eyes.

As the eldest son of the Chen family, he was well acquainted with knowledge related to cultivation from a young age. That was something that the four Dao Colleges was unable to teach. After all, the four Dao Colleges had so many people to nurture, but the Chen family of the Five Generation Sky Clan only had to focus their attention on nurturing their own child.

At the same time, there were suspicions that the Five Generation Sky Clan had once passed the ancient greenish-bronze sword and brought back a mysterious cultivation technique. No one, even Chen Mu, knew whether there was any truth to that. However, he was clear that the knowledge about cultivation that his family had surpassed that of other factions greatly.

For example, he knew that there was the saying of transferring one's soul to another physical body. Even though one had to be a Nascent Soul in order to achieve that, he also knew that there were numerous other methods of controlling puppets, as well as related skills that could allow one to control others' minds. He couldn't do any of that, but he knew that the people who could were elites.

Therefore, he didn't act carelessly in front of the subordinate that had suddenly appeared before him. He was vigilant, but he wasn't afraid. He was assured of his safety due to the fact that he had the protection of the Dao guardians around him, as well as that afforded by his Patriarch. It was possible for him to hold off an elite for a brief moment while help came.

At the same time, Chen Mu was genuinely curious about the master that this former assistant of his had mentioned. He didn't like Wang Baole one bit and was filled with hatred towards him. Therefore, naturally, he wouldn't apprehend a criminal for him. Chen Mu looked deeply at the subordinate before him and sat there without a word.

There was no need to elaborate further on this silent agreement. The intention had been made known clearly, and the middle-aged cultivator smiled in response.

"Fellow Daoist Chen, my master only has one target, which is Wang Baole. However, due to certain peculiar circumstances, he is unable to handle the matter personally, and will need your help.

"When the task is completed, my master promises to convey his gratitude with a puppet at perfected Core Formation realm!"

Chen Mu raised his eyebrows and laughed chillingly in his heart. He felt that the middle-aged cultivator's words were a little abrupt and unconvincing. Furthermore, he didn't even try to hide his intention of using him as a murderer. Even though Chen Mu wanted very much to kill Wang Baole himself, he wasn't a foolish person and could easily guess that he was being used.

This wiped out the interest that he had initially. He wanted to see the guest off, but at that moment, the middle-aged cultivator who stood before him laughed and made a move by himself. However, just before he left, he placed a small drum before Chen Mu!

The small drum was blood-colored. The moment it was taken out, a concentrated bloody aura was immediately given off. An indescribable level of evilness also spread from within. At the same time, an astonishing suppressive force emerged. The suppressive force was on the same level as that given off by someone who had perfected Core Formation realm, and that shocked Chen Mu severely.

"This item is the seed of the puppet. Dao Cultivator Chen, it is meant to aid you in your consideration. If you agree, you can sound the seed. In due time, my master will reveal to you the method of nurturing this seed." As the middle-aged cultivator spoke, he took a few steps back before turning to leave. As he went away, his body began burning without a sound. When he finally stepped out of the shed, his body had turned to ash, which was scattered into space.

Looking at the sinister-looking drum, and then at the body that was burning in flames, Chen Mu instantly grew solemn. He knew that he had no choice but to treat this matter very seriously.

However, he didn't touch the drum. Instead, after thinking deeply about what to do, he summoned someone over to bring the item back to his family clan, in order for them to study it and decide what to do with it.

At the same time, Wang Baole, who had left Wen Huai's zone after his inspection, satisfyingly returned to his residence with the intention to continue cultivating and researching Dharmic Armaments.

In the middle of that very night, with darkness shrouding the area and silence in the air, Wang Baole's voice transmission ring and the door of his residence sounded out simultaneously. It was Li Wan'er again…

Wang Baole was well prepared for this. After all, the Dark Qi inside Li Wan'er's body wasn't something that could be completely removed after one or two tries. He opened his eyes and took a look at his voice transmission ring before opening the door to his residence, where he saw Li Wan'er standing outside.

Li Wan'er didn't say a word and stepped right in expressionlessly. She didn't even need Wang Baole to lead the way and headed towards the secret chamber directly.

Wang Baole blinked. After closing the door, he felt that the entire situation was a little unusual. That was especially so when he thought about Li Wan'er's provocative figure, which made his heart pump even faster uncontrollably. He cleared his throat and entered the secret chamber, beginning the healing process…

The healing process this time around felt even more familiar for both Wang Baole and Li Wan'er, especially after the lights were extinguished. The process was exactly the same as yesterday's, shrouded in an indescribable atmosphere.

However, Wang Baole was still satisfied with his character. He felt that he was a gentleman and was doing all the healing in order to save someone. He was serious and responsible and didn't have any untoward thoughts. It was because he needed to heal Li Wan'er that he had no choice but to feel her all over.

Just like this, days passed. The healing that took place between Wang Baole and Li Wan'er seemed to have become their shared secret and their new norm. Their relationship grew even more unusual. In the day, when the two of them were in the office, everything seemed to proceed normally. Regardless of whether Li Wan'er was reporting her findings or discussing matters with Wang Baole, she was cold and expressionless, no different from how she was before.

Sometimes, she would even use harsh tones when the matter involved Chen Mu.

However, once night fell, Li Wan'er would come to Wang Baole's residence on her own and enter the secret chamber by herself. Even though she still appeared cold and distant, the moment the healing process started after extinguishing the lights, she seemed to have turned into an entirely different person. She panted and her body was hot to the touch, and even though the two of them didn't do anything out of character, the touchy healing process was even more intimate than the time they were trapped in the cave.

That often made Wang Baole confused as to which was the real Li Wan'er. However, he felt that it was all exhilarating. It was even more so if he had a very heated argument with Li Wan'er in the day, as during the night, he would grab Li Wan'er even more forcefully. Li Wan'er, on the other hand, would tremble vigorously after being forcefully grabbed by Wang Baole, but she didn't show any signs of rejection or resistance…

There were several times where Wang Baole almost lost control and lost his virginity. However, he still remained gentlemanly and controlled himself well. It could be a misconception, but it seemed that the more he acted that way, the more Li Wan'er would engage in an even more heated discussion with Wang Baole over issues regarding the city the next day.

Gradually, Wang Baole got used to it. Twenty-odd days like that passed, and as the Dark Qi inside Li Wan'er's body was cleared completely, Wang Baole ended the healing process with regret.

Before she left, Li Wan'er looked deeply into Wang Baole's eyes. Like all the other times, she didn't say a word and left.

How rude. She didn't even thank me for that. Over the month that passed, it was tough for me to heal her every day. Wang Baole thought in his mind while feeling extremely disappointed.

Three days passed in this disappointment. At noon on the fourth day, Wang Baole left his residence and headed to his office. Inside the office building of the City Lord, Li Wan'er—the beautiful yet cold lady who was wearing a tight-fitting uniform—was looking angrily at Chen Mu, who was now in his office.

"You don't need to look at me in that manner. The construction of the autonomous zone requires even more resources and support, and it's not overboard for me to ask you to transfer your manpower and authority of the new city to me." Chen Mu spoke calmly as he sat there. He was here today to ask for more manpower and authority from the new city, as that was the only way he could carry out preparations and plans to prevent Li Wan'er from turning against him.

In reality, he had already proposed this idea for over half a month. Every single time, Li Wan'er had rejected him, and that was why he had come personally today, angered by the matter.

Li Wan'er panted vigorously. She would have long exploded in anger based on her temperament. However, as she kept in mind that her father and the Chen family had formed an alliance, she simply took a deep breath to calm herself down, despite being extremely annoyed at how overboard Chen Mu was.

"Chen Mu, once I transfer the authority, I would be severely affected if any problems arose. We need to plan out everything and look at the whole picture. Furthermore, the purpose of me being here is to pave a smooth path for you…"

"Don't mention anything about helping me. Your aim of coming here is to make it convenient for you to have a secret relationship with Wang Baole!" Chen Mu frowned, and a chill flashed across his eyes. In order to accomplish his goal, he decided to agitate Li Wan'er.

"Chen Mu!" Hearing that sentence, Li Wan'er slammed the table, almost unleashing her wrath.

"Slamming the table at me?" Chen Mu laughed and slammed the table loudly as well. After that, he threw out a jade slip towards Li Wan'er.

"Look at the footage in the jade slip. Let me tell you, Li Wan'er, you have no choice but to hand over your authority to me, regardless of whether you're willing or not. If not, I'll hand over this jade slip to your father. I don't care whether he would be angry, but I will never be made a cuckold!"

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Chapter 421: What Does She Want?

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Li Wan'er trembled when she heard what Chen Mu had just said. Her cool, expressionless face turned pale. She stared at Chen Mu, rendered speechless for quite some time. She had a lost and dazed look in her eyes.

She had no idea how things had turned out this way. She didn't think that she liked Wang Baole. She merely didn't dislike him. The incident with Wang Baole in the cave had been an accident, and she had chosen to distance herself from him after that. However, the Art of Longevity incident had drawn them together again.

Despite that, she continued to retain a sensible and reasonable mind. She hadn't committed anything inappropriate with Wang Baole. She had even numbed herself and stopped herself from overthinking this.

Now, Chen Mu had ripped the concealment away and exposed everything in the open. He left her no room for explanation or defense. Li Wan'er's face grew paler, and the tone of her voice softened for the very first time.

"The relationship between Wang Baole and me is not as you imagined. Let me explain…"

"Silence, slut!" It would have been fine if Li Wan'er hadn't said that, but she did. That made Chen Mu even more sure of himself. His eyes shone with poison as he snorted.

"If you really don't feel any shame, you can retain your authority. I give you one day to think this through!" Chen Mu, done speaking, turned around and flung the door open. He was about to leave when he suddenly paused in his tracks. He turned and gave the pale Li Wan'er a look of contempt.

"Another thing. If you had found someone who had looked slightly better, I might have simply left it at that. Why did you choose the pighead Wang Baole? Some people just have perverse tastes." Chen Mu finished what he had to say, then shook his head. He felt at ease inside. He strolled out of the office, slamming the door shut with a heavy thud.

The slam was loud, but Li Wan'er didn't seem to hear it. She stood there silently, her face turning from a deathly pale to the color of cold rage. The lost look in her eyes turned to that of grim determination.

"If that's the case… so be it!" Li Wan'er murmured after a long moment of silence. The decisiveness in her eyes intensified. She seemed to be relieved as well. It was as if she had suddenly shed an invisible burden off her shoulders.

No one knew the dispute that had occurred between her and Chen Mu. Wang Baole wasn't aware of Chen Mu helping him unintentionally. When he reached the office, his mood had been bright as usual. He sat in his chair, munching his snacks while flipping through the proposal on the next batch of mass migration.

It was then that Li Wan'er arrived.

As usual, she had no expression on her face. As usual, she was cold and distant, as if trying to push everyone away. After entering Wang Baole's office, Li Wan'er threw a jade slip onto Wang Baole's desk.

"City Lord Wang, I received a complaint regarding what is happening in Mayor Wen Huai's city zone. Vice Mayor Liu Daobin has been abusing his authority and erecting statues. News of this has reached the Governor. She has ordered us to investigate this matter!"

Wang Baole frowned. He instinctively felt that something was amiss with Li Wan'er today. She was always cold, but she always tried to control her hostility. Today though, something seemed to have changed. Wang Baole couldn't tell what exactly the change was, though.

He only had a feeling that the Li Wan'er today was almost the same as the Li Wan'er who had first arrived at the Dao Mountain Mist Academy back then.

Maybe she woke up on the wrong side of the bed? Wang Baole thought. He picked up the jade slip and browsed through its contents. Indeed, there had been a few people who had lodged a complaint against Liu Daobin. There was also a reply from the Governor, instructing the administration of the new city to investigate this matter and handle it on their own.

From her reply, it seemed like this matter wasn't being treated that seriously. The Governor had no time for this and had therefore instructed the new city's administration to handle the matter. To a certain extent, this wasn't even really a problem. Wang Baole thought about it for a while. Then, he nodded.

"I understand. You can leave now."

Upon hearing Wang Baole's unconcerned tone of voice, Li Wan'er frowned and said coolly, "In that case, how does the City Lord feel that this matter should be handled?"

"How do you think it should be handled?" Wang Baole was instantly displeased by Li Wan'er's forceful stance. He raised his head, and his eyes had turned cold.

"Teardown all statues, remove Liu Daobin from office, and get him to agree to us investigating him," Li Wan'er answered bluntly, her tone harsh.

"Is it that time of the month?" Wang Baole raised his eyebrow and snorted. To think that she was handling such a small matter in this manner. She was clearly trying to make things difficult for him, which was why he had said something so sarcastic.

"City Lord Wang, please mind your words. I'm discussing a serious matter with you!" Li Wan'er was clearly not in her right mind today. The anger that she constantly carried with her, without reason or cause, was instantly ignited by Wang Baole's words. She slammed the desk suddenly and inappropriately.

"Li Wan'er!" Wang Baole was angered as well, slamming the desk with equal force. He rose to his feet and roared.

"Are you still aware that this is a serious matter? Just because of a few statues, you're not only proposing to tear them down but to strip Liu Daobin of his office? Are you unaware of his competency? Can you not see his contributions? Do you not know that there hasn't been a single practitioner of the Art of Longevity in the area he is in charge of?

"How about you? You're biting onto this matter like a rabid dog. He might be in the wrong, but he's done good things as well. We can simply issue a verbal reprimand. Is there a need to remove him from office and conduct an investigation?"

"Besides, this is the new city, not the Colony Disciplinary Order. Don't apply your rules in the Colony Disciplinary Order here. And, do remember this clearly, in this place… I'm the City Lord!" Wang Baole was angered as well. As a subordinate, she had dared slam her fist on his desk. She had gone too far.

"Leave now, immediately!" Wang Baole slammed his palm on his desk as he said that.

Li Wan'er's reaction was strange. She didn't continue to fight him. She had a strange look in her eyes as she stared at Wang Baole, then she began to discuss the matter of the next batch of mass migration.

Her tone was calmer than before, and she even gave a few suggestions. They were a great help to perfecting the proposal. Wang Baole was stunned. He couldn't get over the drastic and sudden change in attitude—the former forceful and interrogative tone of voice, to the sudden deferential and supportive attitude.

Wang Baole thought about it but was unable to come up with anything. He continued to put up with the entire thing. Li Wan'er left after giving her suggestions. Then, he sat down and scratched his head. There was suspicion and doubt in his eyes.

There's something wrong with this Li Wan'er. Why is she behaving like a mad person… is she plotting something? Wang Baole thought for a very long time, but there was no answer to this. He raised his guard, though. The skies turned dark, and nothing happened, causing Wang Baole to grow even more suspicious.

Maybe it's really that time of the month? Wang Baole found that highly possible. He tidied his desk up and left his office. He returned to his residence, set his thoughts aside, and began his meditation. He was going to train and study the Heavenly Evocation of Dharmic Armaments.

As he immersed himself in his learning, he sensed his understanding of the Heavenly Evocation deepening. He had already instructed Lin Tianhao to prepare the materials for the Dharmic Armament as well as the Artifact Spirit.

The search for materials and the Artifact Spirit continued to be in progress. That was why Wang Baole planned to send his mind out wandering again. He wanted to familiarize himself with the idea and also try to summon a few spirits.

With such a thought in mind, Wang Baole returned to his residence and immediately went straight inside his secret chamber. He began to meditate, continuing until late into the night. When he ended his training, he opened his eyes and retrieved his Dharmic Armament. He was going to rely on the aid of the Dharmic Armament and try to sense the remnants of the Artifact Spirit that remained between the heavens and earth. It was then that suddenly, his voice transmission ring and the main gates of his residence rang simultaneously, at a frequency he was familiar with.

Wang Baole froze. He stared at his voice transmission ring and heard Li Wan'er's voice traveling out. Through his residence's array formation, he saw Li Wan'er standing outside his main gate like she had every day in the past when she had arrived for treatment.

But I've told her the last time that there's no need for further treatments. She's recovered fully… Wang Baole hesitated as he rose to his feet and walked out. He opened his door and saw Li Wan'er at his doorstep. She didn't give him a chance to speak. She walked in, expressionless, and headed straight into the secret chamber…

Wang Baole stood at the door. He stared at the gates, then at the secret chamber. He felt lost. At the same time, his heart rate suddenly picked up without any reason. An incredulous, unbelievable thought popped up in his head.

What… does she want?

Wang Baole hesitated for a moment. He didn't expect himself to shut the main gates, but he did. He walked into the secret chambers, and a strange expression appeared on his face again. The lights in the secret chamber… had been turned off—by Li Wan'er.

A strange atmosphere permeated the air, in their silence, and in the darkness…

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Chapter 422: Old Wang, I've Grown Up!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

What's the situation?

What's going on?

If she tries to force herself on me, should I make a case of struggling? Should I try to at least fight back a little…

What should I do? Wang Baole slowly walked into the secret chamber as countless thoughts flooded his mind. His heart raced. He was torn.

With those thoughts in mind, Wang Baole walked into the secret chamber and coughed awkwardly. He pretended that he couldn't see that clearly. Then, he did what he had done in the past and helped Li Wan'er with her treatment.

However, even though the lights of the secret chamber had been turned off, he could still see clearly. He could see Li Wan'er's face and the reddening of her cheeks.

The treatment session started out normally. However, gradually, Li Wan'er's breathing grew heavier, as did Wang Baole's. He could barely control himself. After all, the treatment process meant he had to continuously touch her…

Time crawled. An hour passed. Based on the past few treatments, the current treatment should be coming to an end. Li Wan'er would get up and leave.

Li Wan'er seemed to have forgotten about that today. Wang Baole blinked. He seemed to have forgotten to end the treatment as well. Their breathing grew heavier. As Wang Baole's hands continued to wander, Li Wan'er continued to wait. She seemed to have waited for a long time. She suddenly frowned, seeming displeased. She spoke for the first time since she stepped into the secret chamber.

"Wang Baole, do you still call yourself a man?"

Wang Baole became instantly unhappy when he heard that. He felt insulted. He slapped Li Wan'er hard on her butt. He was about to say something, but that slap seemed to have made Li Wan'er's breathing grow heavier still. Her entire body was like an oven, giving off waves of heat.

Under the influence of the waves of heat, Li Wan'er wasn't the only one who made a move. Wang Baole lit the spark… a session of intertwining unfolded naturally…

The Spirit Inception Era had commenced with the arrival of the ancient green-bronze sword. Within the sword hid large quantities of ancient texts and inscriptions. That had caused the resurgence of the traditions of old. However, the mindset of the people had undergone the passage of time and history. They weren't as conservative as the people in the past with regard to romantic relationships between men and women. Wang Baole had secretly viewed many videos of this material in the past when he was younger, for educational purposes…

That was why he didn't seem too awkward and unfamiliar despite this being his first time. Li Wan'er, on the other hand, clearly showed her inexperience. But she had her strengths as well, and that was… forcefulness!

Wang Baole almost couldn't shoulder the entirety of her forcefulness and passion. But he didn't wish to lose. He unleashed the full extent of his cultivation and physical stamina and managed to keep up.

The night passed…

The next morning, a slightly weakened Wang Baole watched a frowning Li Wan'er get to her feet and dress herself. She seemed slightly uncomfortable. He was extremely pleased with himself.

"Li Wan'er, so, have I shown myself to be a man?" Pleased, Wang Baole couldn't help but ask that question.

Li Wan'er paused in the midst of dressing herself and tilted her head towards Wang Baole. Her face had once again resumed its cold, expressionless look. She glared at him and didn't say a single word. After dressing herself, she snorted, turned, and left.

Just gonna leave, just like that? Wang Baole patted his tummy, sighing inwardly. He felt that he had grown up overnight. He turned on his voice transmission ring and sent his father a voice transmission.

"Old Wang, I've grown up!" Wang Baole shouted loudly in his voice transmission.

"You little rascal, did you wreak havoc on someone's precious daughter?" Wang Baole's father immediately understood what Wang Baole was saying and asked hastily.

Wang Baole snickered at how well his father could read him. He didn't explain himself, merely ended the conversation happily. He tidied up the place, left his residence, and headed for the office.

He hummed a cheery tune on the way to his office. His spirits were high, and everyone looked especially pleasing to the eye. After he reached the office, Li Wan'er appeared soon after. Before he could receive her warmly, she began to discuss the matter of the statues in Wen Huai's zone with an expressionless look on her face. She emphasized the need to punish Liu Daobin harshly once again.

What's going on? Wang Baole's head throbbed. He tried to communicate properly with Li Wan'er, but her stance remained firm. She wasn't backing down. Her words were forceful and angered Wang Baole.

"Li Wan'er, do you have nothing else to do? This matter's settled. You can leave now!"

Li Wan'er seemed oblivious to Wang Baole's rage. Before she left, she reiterated the fact that she was holding firm to her views. If Wang Baole didn't handle the matter, she would report her views to the Governor and get the Governor to make a decision.

She's crazy. She's a completely different person from last night. Does this Li Wan'er have a sister or something? Wang Baole, in his anger, began to grow suspicious. The attitudes of Li Wan'er in the day and during the night were simply too drastically different.

After a moment of hesitation, Wang Baole sent a voice transmission to Li Xiu. He found out that besides Li Wan'er, Li Xiu had no other sisters. Wang Baole simply couldn't figure out what Li Wan'er was thinking.

He carried his bewilderment and doubt with him. That night, as Wang Baole was about to meditate, he heard a knock at his door. He saw through the array formation Li Wan'er standing at his doorstep. He was stunned.

What's the meaning of this? She fights with me with that cold attitude of hers in the day, then at night… Wang Baole was on the verge of anger. He snorted and unlocked the gates. He was about to say something, but Li Wan'er was already strolling in and heading for the secret chamber. She turned the lights off…

Wang Baole was dazed once again. He stood, bewildered and lost, outside the door. After a long while, he shut the door and turned towards the secret chamber. There was a strange expression on his face. He thought about how aggravating the other had been in the day. Then, he snorted and stomped into the secret chamber…

The night passed.

The days passed in this manner. The relationship between Wang Baole and Li Wan'er grew ever stranger. They continued to bicker in the day due to their differences in opinion over administrative matters, but when night arrived… Li Wan'er would turn up punctually—every time. She would head for the secret chamber without a word and turn the lights off.

Wang Baole finally resigned himself to Li Wan'er's behavior. He vented his frustrations with Li Wan'er in the day on her at night. Li Wan'er didn't seem to mind Wang Baole's behavior…

Finally, one night, inside Wang Baole's secret chamber, in the dark, his voice, filled with anger, rang out.

"Just follow my orders to handle the matter of Liu Daobin!"

Li Wan'er was silent. She seemed to be controlling herself.

"You're not saying a thing? I'm going to make you say something!" Wang Baole snorted. He did something, and soon, Li Wan'er's breathing quickened rapidly. It could be heard loudly and clearly even outside the secret chamber. Finally, she was reduced to a trembling mess. She seemed to have fallen into a daze.

"I'm going to say it again. Just follow my orders to handle the matter of Liu Daobin. Are you going to do as I said?" Wang Baole roared in a low voice. Li Wan'er's voice trembled. Her consciousness seemed to be slipping away, and her voice shook as she spoke.

"I'll… I'll do as you said…"

Wang Baole was immediately filled with satisfaction and snorted. Li Wan'er kept her word. When they met again the next day, despite her cold and expressionless face, she didn't bring up the topic of Liu Daobin again. She followed Wang Baole's instructions and didn't blow the matter up. She didn't pursue it further.

This finally allowed Wang Baole to piece together the way to interact with and engage with Li Wan'er. The two of them continued this strange dance. It was during this time that Chen Mu acquired his access rights to the array formation. He paid Li Wan'er another visit at her office.

This time, he wasn't here for resources and support, but to soothe the tensions between the both of them. He had even prepared a gift for Li Wan'er and invited her to have dinner with him.

Li Wan'er turned down Chen Mu's invitation directly, with no expression on her face.

"Wan'er, let bygones be bygones. We're engaged, after all. This is a fact that can't be changed." Chen Mu smiled. He ignored Li Wan'er's refusal. He never cared for her anyway. He only intended to soothe the tensions between them after obtaining his access to the array formation. He had been residing in the new city for quite some time and had been steadily growing hot and bothered watching Li Wan'er's beautiful face and her curvaceous figure.

As he spoke, Chen Mu got to his feet and came to Li Wan'er's side. He reached for her hand.

Just as he was about to touch her, Li Wan'er's face darkened. Her cultivation erupted and immediately drove Chen Mu back. For the first time, her eyes flashed with a harsh light. She said coolly.

"Mayor Chen, please control yourself!"

"Me? Control myself? Li Wan'er, I'm just trying to hold your hand, but you won't even allow that. Wang Baole touched you all over in that cave!" Chen Mu erupted in rage, his facial features contorting into a gruesome expression. He was about to step forward. However, this time, Li Wan'er didn't continue to hold herself back and slapped Chen Mu!

"Scram!"

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Chapter 423: Alliance!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"Li Wan'er!" The slap immediately made Chen Mu's right cheek balloon into a swollen lump. It landed a thunderous blow in Chen Mu's heart. At that moment, signs of fracture in the relationship between the Five Generation Sky Clan and the Senate seemed to appear!

But clearly, Chen Mu, who had been assessed as overambitious and lacking in ability by the Governor, wasn't thinking about the alliance between his family clan and the Senate. He was boiling with rage. He had never been at the losing end of a deal since he had been a child. In fact, no one had dared to so fearlessly slap him in the face.

The woman before him had dared to hit him, and she had hit him because of Wang Baole. Chen Mu's eyes reddened immediately. He stared at Li Wan'er unblinkingly. If looks could kill, he would murder Li Wan'er right now!

But his cultivation wasn't as high as Li Wan'er's. At present, Li Wan'er's eyes were icy cold, and a dangerous look glistened in them. Even Chen Mu felt threatened.

She's going to kill me! Chen Mu came to his senses suddenly. His breathing quickened. He could feel the murderous intent exuding from Li Wan'er. At that moment, such ideas did surface in Li Wan'er's mind. The way she saw it, as long as Chen Mu died, her father wouldn't be able to force her to marry him.

As long as he was dead, everything would be solved. She wouldn't have to trouble herself over this anymore.

As long as he was dead, all the problems that she had now would no longer be a problem at all. She could save herself from further trouble.

This thought continued to surface in her mind, and the light in her eyes grew more and more dangerous. Chen Mu shuddered and slowly retreated. He pulled out a jade slip, watching Li Wan'er cautiously as he quickly stepped out of her office. When he finally got out, he left in a sudden burst of speed, racing off without even turning his head.

Li Wan'er didn't pursue him. She stood there, watching coldly as the cowardly Chen Mu ran away like a dog with its tail between its legs. The dangerous light in her eyes didn't fade away but intensified instead. This was her true nature. In the past, when Jin Duoming had only teased her slightly, she had gone after him and almost castrated him. The incident showed the steely strength and the force of her character.

She had tolerated Chen Mu in the past because of her father's stern warnings and reminders. She had held herself back because she had to consider the bigger picture.

She no longer wanted to merely tolerate. Li Wan'er's character might be simple, but she was no fool. She knew how easy it was to kill someone. But to kill someone without implicating herself—that was the challenge.

That was why she hadn't struck immediately. She sat in her chair, rubbing at her forehead while thinking. An idea of how to set up the murder surfaced in her mind!

Chen Mu, who was the target of Li Wan'er's murderous ploy, was filled with terror as well as madness and rage. He returned to his city zone swiftly. He finally felt safer when he reached his autonomous zone. That was when he started cursing loudly.

"That slut, that prostitute. Li Wan'er, you dare think of murdering me. Wang Baole may be a pig, but you're no better than him!" Chen Mu panted. He pulled out his voice transmission ring and contacted his family clan. However, as soon as he pulled out his voice transmission ring, he tried to control himself and put it down. He knew that even if the family clan learned about Li Wan'er and Wang Baole, they wouldn't act as he wished them to.

Both he and Li Wan'er weren't important to the family clan. What was important was the alliance with the Senate. Chen Mu could even imagine his family clan finding out about this and asking him to ignore it and turn a blind eye. They might even issue a stern warning and ask him to apologize to Li Wan'er immediately.

The Head Senator would do the same. The objective of both parties was to establish an alliance through this marriage. There were plenty of political forces opposed to this marriage currently. That was why they were currently only engaged and not yet truly married.

The political situation in the Federation was complex and delicate. Everything must be done with the utmost care. Else, it might invite trouble and unforeseen consequences. The Head Senator and the Chen family had planned for a year and a half long engagement. This would allow the other political forces to adjust and accept the arrangement. Then, they would proceed with the marriage.

If anything were to happen during this period, even if they didn't wish for it, it would also allow them the freedom to step away from the marriage. Of course, neither of them would want to do that unless it was the last resort.

Chen Mu, who was clearly aware of all this, could only clench his teeth. However, he simply couldn't take this lying down. He sat there with his eyes narrowed. After thinking for a moment, decisiveness flashed in his eyes. He immediately contacted his family clan.

He didn't speak of his conflict with Li Wan'er but instead asked about what they had learned about the small drum—the small drum that had been presented to him by someone who had been his former subordinate and had represented his supposed master.

When Chen Mu had taken the drum, he had sensed the extreme evil and power within it. He had then secretly sent it back to his family clan for their study. He had also reported the encounter to his family clan and awaited their decision.

Now, his family clan gave him an answer after his inquiries. During this period, the entire Chen family had been busy studying the small drum, even seeking out the elder of the family. They had finally learned the identity of the person who had delivered the small drum to Chen Mu. He was someone related to the Divine Armament Catacombs.

They could see the advantages and disadvantages of the collaboration, but most importantly, they had verified repeatedly that the small drum was indeed the core device that controlled a certain puppet!

They didn't know what puppet it was, but its strength rivaled a perfected Core Formation realm cultivator!

This caught the Chen family's interest, as the elder of the Chen family was also at the perfected Core Formation realm. With this puppet, the Chen family's strength would double!

They discussed at length. Coincidentally, Chen Mu had come asking. Chen Mu's father stepped forth then and gave Chen Mu an answer!

"Mu'er, you can go ahead with this collaboration… but you must keep it a secret. If anything happens, this will be on your head. The family clan will have nothing to do with this!

"But the Grand Elder told me to tell you that if you're able to successfully wield this perfected Core Formation realm puppet and escape unscathed after this incident, you'll inherit the position as the head of the Chen family clan. There will even be a place for you in the clan's council of elders!"

Chen Mu's heart dropped when he heard the first half of what his father had said. After he heard the second half though, his breathing quickened. Blood colored the veins in his eyes, and they glowed with a fierce light. He knew the power that he would possess after becoming the head of the family. He also knew what it meant to have a place in the council of elders in the clan. This was the highest position one could aspire to in the entire Five Generation Sky Clan!

He would have the authority and power to speak to the Head Senator on equal footing.

A tinge of madness colored Chen Mu's eyes. After speaking further with his father and finding out that the family clan had analyzed the origins of the small drum, he ended the transmission.

Chen Mu placed his voice transmission ring down and took a deep breath. The rage and murderous intent he had felt because of Li Wan'er was unleashed without concealment that instant. He was filled with determination and decisiveness. He gritted his teeth and came to a decision.

So what if we're working with an unknown entity from the Divine Armament Catacombs!

Even if it turns out to be an evil demon, I don't care. As long as this succeeds, I'll be able to build a bright future for myself. I'm betting everything… on this!

A terrible light shone in Chen Mu's eyes. After he made up his mind, he contacted his family clan. Then, he waited. A few days later… the small drum was delivered to him by someone from the family clan. That night, with a tinge of madness in his eyes, Chen Mu began to sound the small drum!

As soon as the small drum sounded, the secret chamber that he was in suddenly turned ice cold. An invisible wind suddenly swept through the room, blowing in all directions. Frost appeared on the walls, the ice grew thicker, and finally, the entire secret chamber was transformed into an ice cave!

The chill was black and exuded an immensely cold and dark intent.

"I agree to the alliance. But… how are you going to guarantee that I'll be able to control this perfected Core Formation realm puppet that you speak of? You must let me have this puppet first!" Chen Mu was feeling slightly chilly. For his bright future, though, he gritted his teeth and said in a low voice.

As his voice rang in the secret chamber, a sudden blurry figure appeared in the frosted layers on the wall. It seemed to be inside the ice, as if the ice contained a separate world. It was a man in black robes. His features were indistinct. However, as soon as he appeared, Chen Mu's breath froze. He could feel a terrifying aura surging forward and overpowering him.

He shuddered. He couldn't control himself from staggering a few steps backward with shock in his eyes. Before he could speak further, the ancient, low and raspy voice of the black-robed man rang out from within the ice.

"The puppet that you want… must be crafted by yourself. I will teach you how to make it… as for the guarantee of control… you will use your own blood to feed and nourish the small drum. It will become yours and form the core of the puppet…

"But because of certain reasons, which your family clan may be aware of, you can only craft the puppet here… I only ask one thing of you… when the puppet is successfully made, you must kill… Wang Baole!"

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Chapter 424: Parasite!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

I'm not only going to kill Wang Baole, but I'm also going to kill Li Wan'er that slut too! Madness colored Chen Mu's eyes. It gave him a gruesome look. He hated Wang Baole, but he hated Li Wan'er even more.

He had to personally kill this adulterous couple so that he could feel the joy of ending them. Once both Li Wan'er and Wang Baole died, he would have a great chance of becoming the new City Lord of Divine Armament New City.

In fact, becoming the City Lord had become secondary. With a perfected Core Formation realm puppet under his control, he would become the next head of the family clan. He would become a member of the council of elders. Why would he care about a mere City Lord's position then?

Chen Mu might be crazy, but he still retained a basic shred of sanity… it would be a challenge to conceal the truth behind Wang Baole's and Li Wan'er's deaths. There were many eyes in the new city, and aid would come swiftly should the City Lord be in danger. After some thought, Chen Mu held back his murderous feelings and voiced his concerns.

"You have no need to worry. You don't need to be near to wield the puppet. You can do it from a distance, remotely!"

"In addition, on the day we execute the plan, I will also cast a spell to hold back the Governor and her people. This will delay their rescue efforts for some time!" The black-robed man in the ice said in his raspy voice. This made Chen Mu ponder. He asked suddenly, "Senior, you have such abilities, why do you not do this yourself?"

"If you can destroy the Martian array formation as well as the new city's array formation, I'll give you a puppet. You won't have to do anything. I'll take care of things myself!" the black-robed man said casually. His calm voice rang out in the room. Chen Mu's eyes flashed. He didn't continue with the topic and began to ask about the details of crafting the puppet.

With the black-robed man's lesson, Chen Mu soon figured out how to craft the puppet. A myriad of emotions flashed across his face without pause, and his breathing grew uneven. The method of crafting the puppet seemed too strange and bloody. It was no longer a simple refining but had become a sort of sacrifice. It was a sacrifice of one's blood and flesh!

This must be a dark art! Chen Mu sucked in a deep breath. He stared at the ice on the walls around him. After the black-robed man ended the conversation and left, the ice slowly melted. An hour later, everything resumed to normal—the air was no longer chilly.

Before he left, he didn't urge me to quickly refine the puppet… Chen Mu remained slightly hesitant. The number of people who had to be sacrificed was too many. According to what the black-robed man said, he had to use his own fresh blood to nourish the small drum for a period of time. The small drum would then blossom like a flower and bloom large numbers of dandelion-like creatures.

The dandelions were invisible to others' eyes. They would scatter and find a cultivator as a host, hiding inside the cultivator's body and absorbing their life energies. Finally, they would return to the small drum and fuse with it. That was how the perfected Core Formation realm puppet would be formed.

There were other areas requiring preparation as well, but they were supplementary. The dandelion was the key.

The black-robed man hides ill intentions. I cannot trust him fully and obey his words completely… what he wants is for me to send the dandelions scattering across the entire city, but that would be too great a scale at such an early stage. It would be uncontrollable. The Governor might realize that something is amiss…

I have to carry this out in a controlled and secretive manner. That's the right approach! After musing over this for a while, Chen Mu gritted his teeth and made up his mind. The Five Generation Sky Clan might lack in other areas, but one area they had no lack in was in the number of cultivators. Most were servants bound to the family clan, their loyalty to the family clan unquestionable. They were the safest hosts for the parasites.

Besides, Chen Mu sensed that the choice of hosts for such parasites was important. This was to ensure that he had ultimate control over the puppet. That was why he still felt that having the parasites reside in his own people was the safest bet.

Chen Mu felt that there was nothing wrong with using his own people for the blood sacrifice. If they were loyal enough to die for the family clan, they should then feel equally honored to sacrifice themselves to become part of the puppet.

With such thoughts in mind, Chen Mu began his seclusion. He followed the black-robed man's instructions and used his own blood to nourish the small drum… Time passed gradually during this period. A month soon went by.

Within that month, Chen Mu continued to remain in seclusion, and the construction of the new city continued. Everything was slowly coming into shape. As things began to run more smoothly, Li Wan'er and Wang Baole continued their bizarre relationship—hostile during the day and passionate in the night…

Li Wan'er's prudence also ensured that no one realized what was going on between the two of them. Wang Baole found their sneaking around behind others' backs intensely exciting.

Things remained the same with their political and administrative differences. If there were any differences in opinion, Wang Baole would display his prowess during the night and force Li Wan'er to submit and agree with him…

Wang Baole didn't stop his training either. He was close to reaching the perfected Foundation Establishment realm. Lin Tianhao had also accumulated most of the rare materials and the Artifact Spirits required for refining Dharmic Armaments. He reported to Wang Baole and told the latter that he would be able to collect everything that was required soon.

Everything seemed to be going well. At this time, Chen Mu's seclusion came to an end. During this month of blood-feeding, the small drum had turned blood red in color, and the evil aura within it intensified. Finally, one day, it was as if a seed inside it had burst into life and flowered. It released a vast number of dandelions!

The dandelions numbered in the hundreds of thousands. They were about to scatter and spread out, but Chen Mu was prepared for that. He immediately took control over the dandelions and restricted their movements to within his own autonomous zone. He had also arranged for a great number of Ancient Martial realm and True Breath realm cultivators under his charge outside, ready to intercept and receive the dandelions.

Even though there were still cases of parasites infiltrating the wrong hosts, with such an arrangement in place, most of the parasites entered his own people. The dandelions spread outwards, invisible and adrift in the air. They slowly entered the bodies of the cultivators.

As soon as the dandelion touched a cultivator's skin, it would immediately worm its way into his body. There was no pain or discomfort throughout the entire process. The host was unable to sense the invasion and didn't know that something had happened.

It was then that Chen Mu grew more confident in his chances of controlling the puppet. He realized that while he couldn't accurately control the whereabouts of the dandelions and order them to enter specific hosts, he was able to sense as soon as they settled on a host. It was as if a new light had come into being in his consciousness. He could sense the other's existence and presence.

He was excited by this. He was inside his secret chamber with his eyes shut. He felt more and more people becoming hosts to the parasites. It didn't take long. Suddenly, Chen Mu opened his eyes, turning and staring into the distance. He seemed to be able to utilize the extended senses and see through the walls. Somehow, some time ago, towards his autonomous zone had come running… a donkey!

The donkey had indeed entered Chen Mu's autonomous zone and had been there for quite some time. It had been searching for the scent of its food, but every time it had found it, it would narrowly miss it. This had driven the donkey mad, but it had continued to remain patient and continued its pursuit.

The donkey had followed the trail all the way to Chen Mu's autonomous zone. Despite not finding the food, a dandelion had landed before it when the dandelions had scattered. Before the dandelion had been able to find a host, the donkey had sensed its presence and swallowed it whole…

After eating it, the donkey's eyes shone. It thought the dandelion tasted quite good. It started racing about in the autonomous zone, swallowing up dandelions whenever it sensed them. It happily munched along, and the dandelions settled inside the donkey's body.

That donkey of Wang Baole's… Chen Mu's eyes narrowed. A flash of savagery flickered in his eyes.

Fine, since the donkey sent itself to my doorstep, I'll readily accept it as an offering! At that thought, Chen Mu tried his hardest to control the dandelions. Despite not being able to fully control them, he was able to steer them in a different direction and send tens of thousands of dandelions towards the donkey.

The donkey was beyond excitement. It ate crazily. Inside the secret chamber, Chen Mu sensed the growing light inside the donkey, and an ugly grin split his face wide open.

He knew that the parasitic dandelion would suck all life dry. The donkey had eaten so many of them that the parasites inside it were innumerable. He could almost imagine the moment when the plan was kicked into action, the moment the devouring took place. It would meet a gruesome end.

I'll kill it first, then I'll kill its master! Chen Mu's lips tilted upward into a cold, cruel sneer. His eyes shone with a terrible light.

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Chapter 425: The Perfected Foundation Establishment Realm

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

During this period of collaboration between the black-robed man and Chen Mu, Wang Baole was also reaching a critical stage of his cultivation. At the moment, he was sitting cross-legged inside his secret chamber. His cultivation roared and rumbled inside his body, churning continuously inside him. The fourth Heavenly Thunder was about to be formed!

The Lightning Dao: First Volume allowed him to form the first Heavenly Thunder during the early-stage Foundation Establishment realm and second during the mid-stage. In the late-stage, he was able to form the third Heavenly Thunder. The formation of the fourth Heavenly Thunder meant that Wang Baole was able to reach the perfected Foundation Establishment realm!

If he continued to practice the Lightning Dao: First Volume, when he finally broke through the perfected Foundation Establishment realm, reached the Core Formation realm, and became a Core Formation realm cultivator, he would be able to form a Lightning Core!

The power of the Lightning Core would be immense. Besides being in possession of such power and strength, the Ethereal Dao College would also let him have the next mystic art, the Lightning Dao: Second Volume. This mystic art… could be practiced until one reached the Nascent Soul realm. However, in the few decades of the Spirit Inception Era, no one had managed to do that.

However… within the Ethereal Dao College, the Lightning Dao: First Volume was one of the most appropriate and best mystic arts to practice. Not everyone could master it and had access to it. Only those qualified were able to practice it. The mystic art could be considered one of the more complete mystic techniques. It could bring one towards the Nascent Soul realm!

That was why the Ethereal Dao College had this mystic technique prepared for Wang Baole. To a certain degree, they had placed great hopes in Wang Baole. They hoped that he would be able to travel far on that Dao path. They hoped that he wouldn't only form a Lightning Core, but that he would also form a Lightning Soul!

Wang Baole's speed of cultivation had resulted in his achieving the perfected Foundation Establishment realm within a short period of time. This might have drawn slight attention, but it wasn't something too strange or shocking. The Spirit Inception Era might still be in its dawn, but it was filled with opportunities. There were others with an even more accelerated cultivation speed compared to Wang Baole.

However, to achieve the Nascent Soul realm within a few decades required almost a miracle as well as immense natural talents. Despite suspicions of many about the existence of Nascent Soul realm cultivators in this world, officially, there were none in the Federation.

There must be Nascent Soul realm cultivators in the Federation! Wang Baole opened his eyes abruptly. He could feel the continuous eruptions of cultivation inside his body. Pieces of a puzzle started surfacing in his mind, forming a blurry picture. However, with the increase of his cultivation and the elevation of his status, and with his increased understanding and knowledge of the inner workings of the Federation—especially after his trip to the Martian research facility—his belief regarding the presence of Nascent Soul realm cultivators in the Federation grew stronger.

This matter was still a distant concern to him. Wang Baole quickly set aside his distractions and focused fully on the impending breakthrough in his cultivation. His cultivation continued to churn, and he could feel the fourth Heavenly Thunder rapidly forming.

The path of the Lightning Dao must be taken… however, there's another path that no one else knows about, one that I must travel as well! Wang Baole took a deep breath. At that moment, Dark Fire appeared in his eyes!

The path that no one else knew was… the Dark Art!

He had formed three Dark Fires now. The next step was to fuse the three fires together to create a Dark Core. That… was the Dark Art's journey to the Core Formation realm!

Wang Baole could clearly see his path towards the Core Formation realm. He didn't want only a single Core… he wanted to form Cores using both the Lightning Dao and the Dark Art. He wanted twin Cores!

His twin Cores would allow him to surpass others vastly in the Core Formation realm. His strength and power would surpass his peers in the same realm, like what had happened when he was at the Foundation Establishment realm!

This might prove to be an almost insurmountable challenge to others, but Wang Baole felt that the Divine Armament Catacombs beneath the new city provided him with the perfect environment to achieve his goal!

His spirits soaring and his mood merry, Wang Baole continued to let his cultivation churn inside his body for the next nine days. Finally, a loud roar rumbled inside his head. His cultivation erupted at that moment and reached a breakthrough!

At that moment, his aura, his energy, his cultivation—everything about him swiftly reached its height of power and strength. It was akin to someone wearing tightly-fitted attire that bound their body tightly, and then continuing to exert force and eat until their body grew fatter and their clothes finally reached their limits—exploding!

As soon as the first set of clothes exploded, they formed a looser set of long robes. Wang Baole felt unimaginably comfortable as he felt an endless source of cultivation inside him unfurling outwards.

This wasn't yet the end of his breakthrough. The moment his cultivation passed the stage of late-stage Foundation Establishment realm and arrived at the perfected Foundation Establishment realm, the green lotus inside his body started to quiver violently. It exuded waves of vitality that filled Wang Baole's entire body. His physical body continued to strengthen. Every muscle, every bone, every meridian inside him seemed to be strengthened. Wang Baole's breathing quickened. The sudden eruption sent his vitality and life energy surging, and they reached terrifying heights.

It was like a vast ocean!

Such a thick and robust wave of vitality meant that Wang Baole's healing ability would be equally astonishing, and this was only a minor breakthrough in the Foundation Establishment realm. Wang Baole's future strength and power when he reached the Core Formation realm, should he continue to practice and cultivate in this manner, would be unimaginable.

The perfected Foundation Establishment realm! Wang Baole burst out into laughter. He could feel the formation of the fourth Heavenly Thunder as well as the vast quantities of lightning bolts inside his body. He could also feel the three Dark Fires surging into life with the elevation of his cultivation, seeming to show signs of fusion.

This cheered Wang Baole up immensely. He was about to test his power and compare it with his past strength, but before he could get to his feet—a moment after he had reached a breakthrough in cultivation and just as his Dark Fires were on the verge of fusion—suddenly, alarm flashed across Wang Baole's face. He lowered his head suddenly. He could hear distant, muffled murmurs. They seemed to be coming from deep beneath him, from deep inside the Divine Armament Catacombs!

"Dark Child… Dark Child…"

This was the first time Wang Baole had heard voices from the Divine Armament Catacombs during cultivation. It was clear that he was the only one who could hear the voice as nothing had changed around him. The entire new city remained as it was.

What made Wang Baole even more certain that he was the only one who could hear this voice was the implicit beckoning that seemed to accompany the voice rising from deep underground!

It was as if there was a presence deep inside the Divine Armament Catacombs that was beckoning Wang Baole, that longed-for Wang Baole to approach!

Wang Baole's breathing grew heavier. He had previously ventured into the catacombs and had experienced a similar, indistinct feeling, but that feeling was incomparable to what he was feeling now. The voice echoed in his head, its beckoning ringing out clearly.

The voice and its beckoning didn't persist. As the churning cultivation inside Wang Baole's body settled down, and as the fusion of the Dark Fires reached a certain point and ceased, the voice gradually faded away.

However, this meant something important to Wang Baole.

Both Master Zhao's prediction and my own gut feelings are saying that the Divine Armament lying below is likely a Dark Artifact. Little Missy also said that it used to belong to her… that means, maybe… this Dark Artifact could technically be seen as mine as well? Wang Baole blinked. He thought his analysis correct and his logic impeccable.

After all, this item belonged to Little Missy, and Little Missy belonged to him. That meant that this Dark Artifact naturally belonged to him as well.

At that thought, Wang Baole was instantly tempted, but he had a feeling that dangers lurked in the Divine Armament Catacombs. Even if he had mastered the Dark Art, he shouldn't enter the catacombs carelessly. He decided to wait for the wall to be fully eroded and for the powerful cultivators of the Federation to enter the catacombs, then, he would tag along. By then, his cultivation would have reached a certain level as well. With Little Missy's help, there was a great chance of him getting ahead of the rest and stealing the Dark Artifact away without anyone's notice!

I'll take the lion's share then. They can split what remains amongst themselves. Sounds fine to me! Wang Baole thought himself rather generous. He wasn't one to monopolize everything.

He got distracted by his wonderful character for a while before taking a deep breath and standing up. With a slight sway, he dashed out. There wasn't even time for the roar of the sound barrier being broken to thunder before he stopped inches before the wall. He assessed his speed and grew excited.

Quicker by more than two times! He tightened his fists, wanting to test how much his strength had increased. However, he considered the fact that he was currently at home. He left the secret chamber and went outside. He found Chen Mu's residence in the area, which Chen Mu had never visited, and sent a punch flying out!

A loud thunder rumbled in the skies. Array formations had protected Chen Mu's residence, but one punch from Wang Baole sent most of them collapsing. The sound of the punch drew the attention of the guards in the residential area. They hurried over and were about to start their scolding when they saw that the perpetrator of the crime was their City Lord Wang Baole.

Every one of them sucked in a deep breath and hurried away. They pretended not to have seen anything and ignored Wang Baole's loud laughter ringing out in the air behind them.

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Chapter 426: Half-Done Dharmic Armament!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

To Wang Baole, after he achieved a breakthrough in his cultivation and perfected Foundation Establishment realm, events that made him excited happened one after another. For example, Lin Tianhao sent a voice transmission to Wang Baole the next day to inform him that he had already prepared all the materials and Artifact Spirits needed for refining Dharmic Armaments!

The materials needed to refine Dharmic Armaments were exorbitantly priced. That was especially so for the core materials. To a certain extent, it was a controlled resource that was difficult to purchase. Even if one wanted to buy it, they didn't know where to find it.

The megaphone that Wang Baole wanted to refine required additional materials in order for its sound to be widespread. That caused Lin Tianhao to put in a lot of effort in garnering all the necessary materials, such that he activated all his connections, even roping in Kong Dao and Jin Duoming for the search. Even so, they took a long time before finding everything, which showed how challenging it was to find those materials.

In addition, the Artifact Spirits posed a challenge as well. Firstly, the beast spirits that could become an Artifact Spirit needed to be undamaged when extracted from the ferocious beast. That was difficult on its own, and the level of difficulty increased with the strength of the ferocious beast.

At the same time, in order to complement the Dharmic Armament, Wang Baole described the mightiness of his Dharmic Armament to Lin Tianhao, so that Lin Tianhao could understand what kind of Artifact Spirit to find to meet Wang Baole's needs. The one that could complement the Dharmic Armament must be able to give out a deafening roar. Therefore, after a long search and several delays, Lin Tianhao finally found the spirit of a tiger beast that was of Foundation Establishment realm cultivation.

Even though it wasn't a perfect match to use this spirit as the Artifact Spirit, it was the best he could find.

Wang Baole was already extremely pleased with all this. Therefore, when Lin Tianhao sent the items to him, he immediately went into seclusion. He was going to prepare for the initial refinement stage of the Dharmic Armament before integrating the Artifact Spirit to form a complete Dharmic Armament. The Dharmic Armament would then be used in an attempt to draw the remnant fragments of the god consciousness that existed between heaven and earth, so that with the clash formed by the Heaven and Earth power, it would eventually become a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament!

Wang Baole wasn't entirely confident of its success, but he decided to try it out nonetheless. Furthermore, in preparation for this round of refinement, he had played out and analyzed everything in his mind several times. He constantly thought about the steps involved at every stage. At the same time, with regards to the Heavenly Evocation segment, Wang Baole had entered a fugue state many times in order to further understand it since returning from the research facility.

Right now, with everything well-prepared, Wang Baole, who was in his secret chamber, took a deep breath as a look of anticipation was revealed in his eyes. However, he knew that the process of Dharmic Armament refinement shouldn't involve major swings in emotions, which could cause him to lose his calmness. The slightest mistake would lead to failure of the entire refinement process.

Therefore, Wang Baole didn't start the refinement process immediately. Instead, he shut his eyes and meditated in order to calm himself down. Two hours later, as the sun set, Wang Baole suddenly opened his eyes. A glow flashed across his face as he immersed himself in a state of extreme peace.

In that peacefulness, Wang Baole took out the materials that Lin Tianhao had sent and began the process of refinement. In his hands, every single piece of material was caressed in detail. In the process, his cultivation and his thoughts were integrated into the materials, which resulted in Wang Baole growing extremely familiar with them like the back of his hands. His confidence grew, and that was when he began making the Spirit Kernel!

The process of producing the Spirit Kernel had been played out countless times in Wang Baole's mind. Therefore, he was extremely efficient at refining it and could do it at a very fast speed. Wang Baole's hands were sturdy, and he knew which direction to proceed. There was no hint of chaos, and anyone who observed him would find the entire process pleasing, as if everything was following nature's course.

The Spirit Kernel, which was made from perfect Spirit Stones, formed gradually in Wang Baole's hands. With the completion of the Spirit Kernel, the next step would be inscribing the inscriptions. That was a difficult step, but to Wang Baole, who knew the formula, he could still proceed at high speed. Since he had already analyzed the process for a long time, he was ready to take on any difficulty.

Soon, inscriptions appeared one by one on the Spirit Kernel. The number of inscriptions grew and integrated with each other to a certain extent, even seeping into the Spirit Kernel's interior, but it was still not considered complete to Wang Baole—despite them densely covering the Spirit Kernel.

After all, a Dharmic Armament was different from a Dharmic Artifact, and there was naturally a difference in the requirements of the inscriptions. Therefore, despite the Spirit Kernel being densely covered by the inscriptions, Wang Baole continued to inscribe even more inscriptions on the existing ones—overlaying them!

Time passed quickly in this manner. He used four hours to refine the Spirit Kernel and four days to inscribe the inscriptions. When the inscribing process had been completed, Wang Baole grew pale. Even with his level of cultivation, he had already reached his limits, having focused wholeheartedly throughout the four days without stopping or making mistakes.

When dealing with a Dharmic Armament, the inscription process should never be interrupted and had to be completed in one go. The requirements were only met when momentum was kept and when the inscriptions were all carved in one go. That was an extremely challenging task for many refinement masters.

Having completed that, Wang Baole needed to shut his eyes and take a night's rest. On the morning of the fifth day, he opened his eyes and began the process of strengthening the materials. The whole process lasted three days. As the precious materials were integrated into the Spirit Kernel, the shape of the Dharmic Armament gradually appeared, growing clearer by the minute.

On the evening of the ninth day of his seclusion, a red-colored megaphone appeared before Wang Baole. It was crimson red, appearing as if it had just been taken out of lava. It was hot to the touch and looked extremely impressive.

Its ferocity far exceeded that of a sixth-grade Dharmic Artifact. However, Wang Baole also knew without a doubt that, as a result of using different materials, it surpassed a sixth-grade Dharmic Artifact. However, right now, the megaphone wasn't seventh-grade and could only be considered a perfect sixth-grade at most.

What's next is the Artifact Spirit… A flash appeared across Wang Baole's eyes. He picked up a jade box that was placed beside him. The jade box was blue in color and cold to the touch. It appeared that it had been specially made for storage purposes.

The spirit of the Foundation Establishment realm tiger beast was sealed within the jade box. As Wang Baole's cultivation was integrated within, the deafening roar of a tiger suddenly sounded by his ears. The roar carried a sense of madness and indignation, as well as the desire to break free.

A True Breath realm cultivator would be gripped with fear listening to the noiseless roar by the beast spirit. If they weren't cautious, they would be so shaken that their spirits would be devastated and broken into pieces.

However, to Wang Baole, someone who had reached the perfected Foundation Establishment realm, his cultivation was sufficient for him to suppress the spirit. Therefore, he remained calm as he opened the jade box, gripping it with his right hand. The tiger's roar grew even louder as a black fog emerged directly from the box, forming a black tiger beast. A ruthless cloud, which appeared to be backlash, charged towards Wang Baole's face.

However, before it neared, Wang Baole, who was sitting with his legs crossed, snorted coldly. The Heavenly Thunder in his body spun, and flashes of lightning gathered in Wang Baole's eyes. Instantaneously, the ferocious tiger beast trembled, revealing a look of fear. It wanted to retreat but was too late. Wang Baole raised his right hand and grabbed hold of the tiger spirit, pressing it towards the megaphone.

The instant he pressed the tiger spirit into the megaphone, Wang Baole immediately activated his hand seals to operate the inscriptions on the megaphone. At the same time, according to the process of Spirit Integration, he continuously activated the inscriptions while putting in all the materials that he hadn't included into the megaphone as he proceeded with the Dharmic Artifact's refinement!

This time, he was refining it together with the tiger spirit. The roar of the tiger spirit reverberated continuously, but Wang Baole remained calm. He steadily carried out the process of refinement. In this way, the roar of the tiger spirit gradually weakened. Three days passed, and the tiger spirit was eventually completely integrated with the Dharmic Artifact!

Finally, the megaphone that appeared before Wang Baole looked to have been transformed again. It was still red in color, but a light ray seemed to surround it. If one were to take a closer look, one could see that the light ray was that of a ferocious illusory tiger spirit!

The ferocity of the Dharmic Armament far exceeded that previously experienced. Even though it didn't become a Dharmic Armament, it was a seventh-grade Dharmic Artifact to a certain extent.

The next step would be to attract a god's consciousness! Wang Baole couldn't suppress his agitation and anticipation as he took a deep breath in an effort to calm himself down. He waved his hand, and his two Dharmic Armaments appeared. He pressed on them and entered a fugue state!

While he was in a fugue state, two weeks passed in seclusion. The new city was as before, but for Chen Mu, the dandelions that he had dispersed had all found an owner. That was especially so in the case of the donkey. It was personally taken care of by Chen Mu, and was such a glutton that thirty percent of the dandelions were in its body!

This even shocked Chen Mu. However, when he thought about the pitiful state that the donkey would soon be in, his smile grew even more cruel and cold, and a look of anticipation flashed extremely clearly in his eyes.

Soon, it will all be completed!

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Chapter 427: Unleashed!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

According to Wang Baole's understanding, Heavenly Evocation meant allowing one's consciousness to depart from one's physical body to loiter between the heavens and earth. There, they could, to a certain extent, become identical to the remnant god consciousnesses. That was the only way to sense their existence.

As for the real meaning of Heavenly Evocation, there was no need to complete the initial process of the fugue state through the help of a Dharmic Armament. Instead, one could shut his eyes and, through their own cultivation and level of familiarity, go in all directions as if in a fugue state.

However, Wang Baole lacked both in terms of cultivation and skill. Therefore, despite him surpassing his peers, he still needed to depend on a Dharmic Armament as a key in order to sense the god consciousnesses.

Despite that, Wang Baole's method was extravagant and involved deception; it was a method used by most Dharmic Armament masters in the Federation. After all, there were simply too few people who could sense the god consciousnesses through their own efforts, as that was a feat that perhaps only those who could create ninth-grade Dharmic Armaments could accomplish.

Right now, Wang Baole's consciousness had already been spread out with the help of the two Dharmic Armaments beside him, and he entered the fugue state. It wasn't the first time he had entered a fugue state, but Wang Baole always felt that being in the state was extremely bizarre, and it was no different this time. He felt that there were no limits to his thoughts and that they were so vast that they could cover more than half of Mars.

At that moment, it was as if the physical body had been rendered useless. The leaving of one's spirit from the body and its wandering between the heavens and earth was the happiest way for one to live. This feeling was so strong that the thought of abandoning his own body arose in Wang Baole's mind.

After all, in this state, the physical body was like a prison, and going into a fugue state was akin to being released from the prison into freedom.

I can't do that. My physical body represents the most handsome individual in the entire Federation. I can't give it up so easily! As the thought of giving up his body grew stronger in Wang Baole's mind, this other thought flew into his head and was several times stronger than the previous. It directly pushed out the previous thought.

Very vaguely, Wang Baole seemed to have heard the sound of a mirror breaking, as well as an indignant and angry roar. Wang Baole immediately felt that his surroundings had changed into a different state!

It looked like he was wandering between the heavens and earth when he entered the fugue state. However, in reality, something was surrounding his body—something different from the previous time. An invisible barrier was present, and it was like a bottle enveloping him within.

Right now, as he slowly awakened and gave up on the thought of ditching his physical body, cracks in his environment began to appear out of nowhere. The cracks were spreading so rapidly that they broke down immediately. It was as if the bottle that he was contained in shattered and broke apart right at that moment.

The moment it broke apart, it brought along and swiftly dissipated an indignant consciousness…

This instantly made Wang Baole tremble with shock, and he abruptly exited the fugue state. His body, which was in a meditative position, vibrated vigorously. His eyes opened with suspicion. However, this sense of suspicion immediately transformed into shock and fear, and his breathing quickened.

That's not right… Just now… Something isn't right! Wang Baole's heart palpitated furiously. He vaguely came to an answer as he recalled, with vivid detail, what happened the moment he entered the fugue state.

The answer that he arrived at made him frightened, and the fear in his eyes became even more prominent.

When I entered the fugue state just now, I might have met with the evil intentions from a god's consciousness. It must have sensed my presence and was using some means to trap my consciousness in a bottle. After that, it must have interrupted my thoughts and injected the idea of me giving up my physical body. If I really did that… Wang Baole took several deep breaths. Deep down, he knew the consequences. It meant that he would no longer be the same person when he opened his eyes.

This Heavenly Evocation segment is indeed dangerous… I thought too little of it previously… Wang Baole was silent. He had been successful the previous few times, but this time, he understood the dangers of the Heavenly Evocation segment. It usually didn't appear, but once it did, it meant death without the need for blood!

Thank goodness I can't bear to part with my gorgeous physical body. Wang Baole heaved a sigh of relief. As he thought about the indignant roar he heard just now, he was filled with emotion. He thought about how the other party would never have thought that he wouldn't get lured by it successfully.

Even Wang Baole himself was curious as to why that happened. He thought that the fact that he could resist the lure by the remnant god consciousness meant that he was very confident in his view of himself as the most handsome person in the Federation.

It seems like I think that way instinctively, and that is definitely the truth as well… I, Wang Baole, am the most handsome person in the Federation! This thought made Wang Baole shocked despite him just waking up from danger. Even though he often said that he was handsome, there were still people in the Federation who were comparable to him in terms of appearance.

However, right now, he suddenly felt that no one was worthy of comparison to him.

"Even if someone could compete with me, they wouldn't win. No one would, for I am the best in the Federation!" Wang Baole mumbled to himself as the idea solidified in his mind. He felt that this was no longer an issue regarding looks. Rather, it was an issue regarding resisting the lure of the god consciousness in the Heavenly Evocation segment.

Therefore, all his efforts were aimed at refining the Dharmic Armament!

With that thought, Wang Baole grew even more determined in his beliefs. In reality, that was the right thing to do. This was also the most dangerous encounter in the Heavenly Evocation segment. Going into a fugue state was akin to drifting in the open sea, with one's belief similar to a boat. Without a boat, or if the boat wasn't sturdy, it would be difficult to advance without damage to the boat or death as a very possible consequence.

However, the beliefs of others were different from Wang Baole's. Everyone held different beliefs, but none of them were as thick-skinned as Wang Baole.

After solidifying his beliefs, Wang Baole thought about it and decided that it would be safer for him to not enter the fugue state for the time being. Even though his beliefs were strong, he had also experienced the dangers of going into a fugue state. Therefore, he decided to find out information regarding this matter from the Ethereal Sect Lord and study it further to ensure that there wouldn't be any more problems arising.

Just like that, time passed and seven days went by quickly. Wang Baole had already been in seclusion for about a month. After he read up on the information and did his research, he grew even more confident of his next Heavenly Evocation attempt. On this day, he used the Dharmic Armaments and went into a fugue state in an attempt to find the remnant god consciousness. However, suddenly, Wang Baole felt, in the space between the heavens and earth on Mars, a red fog had unexpectedly appeared in the originally empty space!

Initially, the fog was still a distance away, but in the blink of an eye, it filled up the entire area. It wasn't directed to Wang Baole specifically. Instead, it was shrouding Mars entirely at an astonishing speed.

When Wang Baole noticed this happening while in the fugue state, he trembled in fear. He broke out of the fugue state once again and opened his eyes, which were now clearly filled with fear.

This fog… It seems familiar…

As Wang Baole slowly regained his consciousness, a raspy voice suddenly reverberated in the mind of Chen Mu, who was also in seclusion.

"The seed has matured, and the puppet will be completed soon… I will also honor my promise to restrain the Martian Colony Governor and her subordinates… Remember, our goal is to kill Wang Baole!"

As the voice reverberated, Chen Mu had already opened his eyes, which were filled with overflowing agitation and an intention to kill that were extremely obvious.

The moment his killing intent grew so strong that it could no longer be contained, the blood-colored fog that had once appeared insidiously shrouded the whole of Mars. Its scale far exceeded that of the previous time. Instantly, it spread through the endless wilderness. There were activated array formations that could block the blood-colored fog in both the main and new Martian Cities, but right now, the entire environment had been completely covered by the blood-colored fog!

This fog was extremely scary. Not only was it able to bar all Spirit Qi, but it could also block all forms of communication. Right now, even the Mars array formation was affected, and the main target of the fog was the main Martian City. This resulted in an extremely thick fog being present outside the main Martian City. Vaguely, one could even see many barren villages appearing!

This caused major concern amongst the Martian Colony Governor and company. The moment the fog appeared, they quickly went to take a look. However, as it appeared so suddenly and was on such a large scale that even communications were affected, they weren't able to take a look at the situation in the new city. In addition, they couldn't receive news about the new city. The entire situation was as if they were gradually being separated from one another!

At this moment, the new city had turned into an isolated city!

The blood-colored fog outside the city, as well as the bizarre sobbing, made all the cultivators in the new city frightened. However, as the cultivators in each zone grew nervous and cautious, a sudden transformation appeared in Chen Mu's autonomous zone!

"The seed that has been living in the owner's body has awakened!" Chen Mu stood up in his secret chamber, extending his arms. A look of excitement and madness flashed across his eyes, his voice reverberating in the minds of all the cultivators who had been used as a host for the parasite.

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Chapter 428: Flesh Puppet!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Right now, the blood-colored fog shrouded the whole of Mars, enveloping it and filling every crevice. Outside the main Martian City, the blood-colored fog had already grown to be extremely concentrated.

This change garnered not only the concern of the Martian Colony Governor but also the Federation, which was closely watching the changes happening on Mars. Duan Muque, the President of the Federation, breathed hurriedly. He wanted to contact Mars, but communications were currently down.

However, he believed that regardless of the reason for this transformation on Mars, the Martian Colony Governor would have a way to suppress and resolve it. At the same time, he believed that it was possible to accomplish this goal based on Mars' tradition.

What he and the Martian Colony Governor didn't know was that this time, the target of the blood-colored fog wasn't the main Martian City, but the new city!

That was the plot to kill Wang Baole made by the so-called State Preceptor, who had appeared as the black-robed man from underground, and who couldn't carry out the kill with his own hands!

Even though he would exhaust a substantial amount of resources every time the blood-colored fog appeared, especially when the area it covered was so large, his desire to kill Wang Baole was also extremely strong. Therefore, no matter how much he had to give, he was willing to do it.

As a result, while the blood-colored fog outside the main city was extremely concentrated, it was even more so for the area surrounding the new city. It enveloped the entire area and instilled fear in countless cultivators. When they raised their heads, all they saw in the sky was the blood-colored fog. They were unable to look past it, and could only vaguely hear countless bizarre-sounding cries that arrived as the fog churned.

As everyone was gripped in shock, Chen Mu's voice reverberated in the minds of all the cultivators who had been used as a host for the parasite. These Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators all trembled vigorously. In an instant, their gaze grew lifeless from a previously lively state. They also seemed to have lost control of their bodies, as they maintain the actions they were doing the moment before.

Blue veins could be seen clearly on their faces. They were perhaps not blue veins, but some sort of bizarre organism rapidly squirming in the bodies of the cultivators.

Those organisms had absorbed the cultivators' life energy, their cultivation, and swallowed their flesh. As they awakened, they were unleashed. When they wriggled out of their bodies, they were seen as sticks. The cultivators' bodies began to wither, turning into ash immediately. After that, a blood-colored seed emerged from where their heads had been before!

When the blood-colored seed appeared, it immediately flew at high speed into the sky. At the same time, beyond the skies, the blood-colored fog was surrounding the entire area and blocking the sun!

Initially, the changes that were happening would have caught the eye of the people in the other zones. However, the moment the blood-colored seeds charged towards the skies, a loud boom immediately emerged in Fang Jing's autonomous zone.

What accompanied this explosive wave were countless blood-colored glows that directly rose to the skies. These blood-colored glows weren't seeds but rays of lights!

Taking a closer look, at a position beside Chen Mu, in the location of Fang Jing's autonomous zone, a loud boom emerged from the area that was originally a Public Square. Cracks immediately appeared in the ground, and as the cracks widened, a deep crevice was formed.

As the ground sank with a loud bang, a gigantic catacombs was instantly formed!

The blood-colored rays emerged from the catacombs. At the same time, roaring sounds could be heard in waves as countless ferocious beasts and corpses from the catacombs wriggled out while sneering crazily from within. As they spread in all directions, they destroyed every living thing in their path.

The catacombs was made by the black-robed man at Chen Mu's request. Its goal was to cover up the deaths that were occurring in his zone, as well as the origins of the puppet. At the same time, it was directing all possible issues that could arise when the matter was being investigated towards Fang Jing!

The reason Fang Jing was chosen instead of Wen Huai was that it would be difficult to achieve success with Liu Daobin putting immense pressure on Wen Huai. Fang Jing only appeared to be abiding by the commands from Wang Baole and cooperating with the people that he had sent, which gave Chen Mu a chance to act. In reality, Fang Jing was extremely lax.

His plan worked at this moment. As the catacombs exploded, the ground of the entire new city shook, perfectly covering up the eccentric transformation happening to the parasite-host cultivators in his autonomous zone.

As the blood-colored rays rose into the sky, it confused the Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators who had parasites in them. Their flesh and blood turned into ash that rose into the sky, passing through the array formation and accumulating into the seed within the blood-colored fog.

All of these changes happened suddenly. The explosion of the catacombs, the deaths of the cultivators who were the parasite hosts, the blood-colored seed and light ray that rose to the sky, the destabilization and decay of the array formation… It seemed as if someone had abused their authority, resulting in signs that didn't match up. Regardless, with the fog around, it was difficult to find out the exact cause. As long as the matter was handled properly, it wouldn't be easy to investigate it in the future. Therefore, without any obstacles, a loud boom sounded. After that, blood-colored light rays and blood-colored seeds shot into the fog. In the skies, the blood-colored fog churned continuously, as if a giant was about to attack the city.

At the same time, the donkey's situation was similar. Its body was trembling vigorously, and its eyes widened with severe disbelief. The numerous dandelions were reacting right now, sucking the donkey empty. The donkey, however, was somewhat unique. Perhaps it was because it had eaten the little boy's arm in the catacombs, but its body didn't turn to ash. Instead, as the large number of seeds were unleashed in its body, they were directly transformed into an astoundingly large seed!

Even though this seed was also blood-colored, its appearance was frightening. Once it was formed, it rose into the sky, and, like a bomb, it passed through the array formation and shot directly into the blood-colored fog!

As all the blood-colored seeds entered the fog, and as the array formation was destroyed, innumerable cries emerged from within the city. Kong Dao, Lin Tianhao, Jin Duoming, Wen Huai, and company were all taken aback. Instinctively, they began protecting themselves wherever they were.

That was especially so for Li Wan'er. At this crucial juncture, she didn't lose focus. Instead, she immediately sent out a series of commands, which included supporting Fang Jing's autonomous zone, as well as sealing the catacombs.

Right now, Fang Jing was aghast with shock. However, she reacted differently from how Li Yi behaved back then. At this moment, her eyes were bloodshot, and she didn't retreat. Instead, like a maniac, she led everyone under her lead to resist the Beast Tide from the catacombs at full force in an attempt to buy time while waiting for help to arrive. At the same time, she took the initiative to allow her Dao guardians to try and seal the catacombs.

In the blink of an eye, the entire city was hard at work. Numerous cultivators charged towards Fang Jing's autonomous zone, and at this time, Wang Baole also left his residence. He was extremely serious, as the changes that were happening this time felt peculiar to him. As he was trying to observe the changes at the entrance of the catacombs through the array formation to prevent the emergence of new catacombs, Wang Baole was suddenly taken aback. He turned his head and looked at the sky, and his eyes widened in shock.

At that moment, it wasn't just Wang Baole, but all the cultivators in the entire city who collectively sensed something. As they raised their heads, they were all gripped with shock, with many instantly dumbfounded.

"That is… That is…"

"Heavens, what on earth is that!"

Everyone saw that, in the sky, as the fog churned, the shadow of a large object had vaguely appeared. That shadow seemed to be charging swiftly from within the fog. Finally, with a loud boom—amidst the fog's violent churning—a gigantic python head emerged from the fog with eerie-looking eyes, directly clashing with the city's array formation.

A loud boom reverberated, and the array formation broke in half. It looked as if it was unable to withstand impact any longer, and as the clash occurred, the entire body of the beast was seen clearly. It was an astonishingly large python!

It was blood-colored and seemed to be able to blend in with the fog. Its eyes revealed a look of madness and ruthlessness. When it was seen closely, one could see agitation and cruelty in its eyes.

That gaze belonged to… Chen Mu!

Even though Chen Mu was now in seclusion in his secret chamber, his consciousness had been transformed into the giant python as the blood-colored seeds entered the fog. It was as if it was directly drawn into the giant python, with the giant python becoming another body of his.

This feeling made Chen Mu extremely agitated. He was now completely sure that the black-robed man didn't lie to him—he could have control over this puppet.

The appearance of the fog blocked all forms of communication, which gave him time to kill everyone he wanted. If he killed just Wang Baole, it would be too obvious and not seem like an accident. Therefore, he still had to kill Kong Dao, Lin Tianhao, and Jin Duoming. He even decided to kill either Wen Huai or Fang Jing, and also… Li Wan'er!

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Chapter 429: Massacre!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

You all have to die! Chen Mu didn't realize it, but at this moment, perhaps due to the fact that he could control the puppet, he's ego was inflated. Perhaps… He had fused with the drum, such that the hatred that he could suppress previously was magnified many times, such that it broke free of his restraints and made him a maniac.

This madness was shown clearly on Chen Mu's face. His eyes conveyed his thirst for blood, and the urge was about to become uncontrollable. The anticipation of revenge and the myriad of emotions he was feeling made the puppet python that he was controlling glow blindingly blood-red. A wave of cultivation on the level of perfected Core Formation realm was about to be unleashed!

As it was unleashed, the python hit the protective array formation of the city violently again.

In the blink of an eye, its skull hit the light screen of the array formation. A loud boom reverberated, and the array formation vibrated vigorously, cracking even more. It seemed to be on the brink of breaking down, unable to withstand further impact!

Once it broke down, it could be imagined that the blood-colored fog in the external environment would rush into the city. It would cover the entire region as if it was devouring it, and envelope all the cultivators inside the new city!

As for the consequence… It would be a catastrophe!

However, right now, it wasn't just the python clashing with the array formation on the outside. Inside the city, there was a Beast Tide happening in Fang Jing's zone. With trouble brewing both inside and outside the city, the new city was in chaos. Thankfully, at this crucial juncture, Fang Jing didn't selfishly think about her personal safety. She was also becoming a maniac, activating every person and every resource from the Plume Manifestation Connate Sect to put in their all in an attempt to lock down the catacombs.

She couldn't lose, nor could let such chaos happen in her zone. She wasn't able to bear with the consequences, and the Plume Manifestation Connate Sect would be implicated as well. She would lose her job. All this made Fang Jing extremely stressed. However, she had long given up all hope. The python in the sky was clearly planning for its third collision with the array formation.

As the loud boom reverberated, all the cultivators in the city grew extremely anxious. It was also at this time that Wang Baole's voice spread throughout the entire city through the broken array formation.

"Wen Huai, Chen Mu, Li Wan'er, the three of you are to support Fang Jing. You have half an hour, and regardless of the consequences, you are to suppress the catacombs!

"Kong Dao, Jin Duoming, Lin Tianhao, the three of you will lead all the Core Formation realm cultivators and make the necessary preparations. Your target is the python outside the protective covering of the array formation!"

"I will open the protective array formation to lure the python in before sealing it again. This is a battle we must win. The Governor is already aware of this and is on her way here!" Wang Baole's voice was calm and immensely confident. His confidence was also motivating all the cultivators in the city now.

However, in reality, this confidence didn't come from the Governor… Even though the first thing Wang Baole did was to inform the Governor, he found out that the fog was disrupting all communications, and that no messages could be sent out.

As for why he wanted to open the protective shield of the array formation and allow the python to enter, that was because… even if it wasn't opened, in at most five minutes, the array formation would be broken down. Then, not only would the python rush in, but large amounts of blood-colored fog would also enter. The fog restricts spirits, and once it filled the city… all the cultivators in the city would instantly become commoners. When the python began killing, there wouldn't be any chance of turning the situation around!

Therefore, only by opening the array formation and allowing the python to enter could he ride on the sheer number of cultivators to continually expend resources to buy time. This was to delay the crisis from happening and await the right opportunity!

This wasn't a difficult choice, but it required one to be bold. In the face of imminent danger, one's instinct would be to block the danger out. Therefore, when Wang Baole sent out his orders, he wanted others to sense the calmness that was derived from his confidence. This was the only way he could create a collective consciousness for everyone to persevere on!

At the same time, Wang Baole wasn't without a backup plan. After all, this was his city, his Eternal Fortress!

However, the new city was too large. Therefore, in order for it to be transformed into an Eternal Fortress, time was needed for activation. Right now, as it was in the process of activation, delaying time was of utmost importance.

His calm and confident voice had an extremely significant impact on all the anxious cultivators in the new city. It managed to calm countless cultivators. Li Wan'er, the Deputy City Lord, knew that even though her job now was tough, the matters that Wang Baole had to handle were even more challenging.

Therefore, the two of them split up the work. Li Wan'er took charge of suppressing the catacombs, while Wang Baole was in charge of… the python at the perfected Core Formation realm. There was no time to think too much, and Li Wan'er immediately took action after taking a deep breath.

Wen Huai and Liu Daobin acted as well. Even though Chen Mu didn't show up personally, he arranged for his assistants to lead people to join in the suppression. As he was the only one who knew about the plan, the assistants leading the men behaved genuinely in their efforts at suppression.

At the same time, Kong Dao also made preparations. There were three Core Formation realm cultivators from the military who were following him. As they protected Kong Dao, they also looked extremely solemn. Behind them, thousands of Foundation Establishment realm cultivators and many more True Breath realm cultivators, were putting in their utmost effort at this crucial juncture—regardless of their cultivation level. Even if it was just one spell, it could become a true force through unison.

Jin Duoming and Lin Tianhao also took action and gathered all their forces. Lin Tianhao was in charge of the four Dao Colleges, according to Wang Baole's arrangement.

With everything put in place, Wang Baole, who was standing on the rooftop of his residence, raised his head and was looking at the python as it banged into the array formation. As the deafening boom reverberated, the cracks in the array formation grew even more prominent. Wang Baole knew that he couldn't afford to wait anymore.

I'm going all out! Wang Baole took a deep breath, and a look of viciousness flashed across his eyes. Decisively, as the python roared and banged into the array formation again, Wang Baole immediately activated his hand seals and pointed at the array formation!

The moment he pointed, the protective array formation of the entire New Mars Region turned into something like a water wave. Instantly, numerous ripples were produced, spreading at high speed. As the python collided while roaring, the spot on the array formation that it clashed into turned into a vortex immediately, which swiftly widened as if a new cavity was formed!

The moment the cavity appeared, which was the moment the python struck, its gigantic skull directly entered the array formation's protection. A flash appeared across Wang Baole's eyes as he abandoned the idea of trapping the python within the array formation. It was just too dangerous, and it was very likely that the array formation would break down at an even faster rate as the python struggled.

If there was no fog… Wang Baole clenched his fist. At that moment, the python's body wriggled in, becoming clearly visibly. Its body was thousands of feet long and extremely large. It looked more like a tadpole than a python, as its skull was significantly larger than its body.

It charged into the array formation, and Wang Baole shut the array formation again. Kong Dao, who had already made the necessary preparations, revealed an intention to kill in his eyes and acted immediately.

Instantly, the True Breath realm and Foundation Establishment realm cultivators around Kong Dao took out their Dharmic Artifacts. In unison, rays of spells rose to the sky. As they charged towards the python, the three Core Formation realm cultivators from the military, as well as the Core Formation realm cultivators from the four Dao Colleges and the Trilunaris Corporation, which amounted to ten people in total, dashed out towards the python.

Lin Tianhao and Jin Duoming took action as well. Under Lin Tianhao's command, and with everything prepared, the cultivators from the four Dao Colleges also charged. They roared, and they were so loud that it was like thunder reverberating, or like millions of arrows firing at the same time!

That was especially so for Jin Duoming, the young master of the Trilunaris Corporation, who was equipped with Dharmic Artifacts that had high killing power. It was the same for his bodyguards as well. Right now, they unleashed everything with a loud bang.

Even his fortress rose into the sky under his control. Disregarding the price and the Spirit Stones required, it shot at the python in unison. To Jin Duoming, he felt that it was more important than anything to protect the safety of the new city. After all, the research facility had already approved it. All that he had prepared was ready now, and he wouldn't let the appearance of the python negate all his previous efforts.

"Kill this son of a b*tch!" Jin Duoming's eyes were bloodshot. As he roared, he gritted his teeth and controlled his fortress. As the fortress attacked, it charged ruthlessly towards the python and banged into it!

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Chapter 430: The Trump Cards Are Revealed!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

As everyone took action to attack the python, a glow flashed across the python's eyes. Its humongous head suddenly turned as it roared in the direction of all the light rays from the numerous spells directed at it from all directions.

Roar!

The roar was so loud that it could burst one's eardrums and cause them to go deaf. It was as if the Heavenly Thunder had struck the ground, being governed by an unspoken rule. It was like the force of the heavens and earth hitting the ground, such that the moment it erupted, it immediately formed a wave that spread so quickly that it instantly covered the entire area, clashing directly with the incoming spells.

As the loud boom reverberated, the spells released through the Dharmic Artifacts of the True Breath realm and Foundation Establishment realm cultivators collided with the waves and dispersed in all directions. The force of the sound waves was beyond imaginable, covering the entire area in the blink of an eye and making contact with the ten Core Formation realm cultivators instantly.

Those ten people were early-stage Core Formation realm cultivators, and at that moment, they were all gripped in shock. They wanted to resist it, but the difference in their cultivation levels was so significant that crimson red blood instantly spurted out of their mouths as they retreated.

Jin Duoming's fortress was also partially damaged amid the loud boom, but as it was of decent quality, most of it was unscathed and could still continue resisting the python.

However, it was still slowed down. The moment it struck the python, the python's tail broke apart, producing a shrill sound as it landed on the fortress.

A loud boom reverberated once again as the fortress broke apart into countless large metal pieces. As the pieces landed and struck the ground, large holes were formed.

That made Jin Duoming, Kong Dao, as well as Lin Tianhao, gasp in shock as they turned pale. The ten Core Formation realm cultivators also grew extremely solemn, and several of them anxiously spoke.

"It's cultivation level and physique are at the level of someone at perfected Core Formation realm. Such a powerful creature could only be battled by someone who's cultivation is also at perfected Core Formation realm!"

The instant that the few Core Formation realm cultivators began to speak anxiously, the python revealed a look of scornfulness. Chen Mu's intention, in this moment of thrill and madness, carried some form of formidable energy that led him to control the python to strike forward agitatedly. Instantly, the python arrived before the Core Formation realm cultivators, and even before they could react and retreat, the python opened its gigantic mouth and swallowed them whole!

Shrill cries ended abruptly as the swallowing was done. Crimson red blood was spewing out everywhere, and this bloody scene made everyone so frightened that they swiftly took a few steps back.

However, the python's speed was so fast that at the instant everyone moved back, it charged forward again like a flash of lightning. A residual image of it was seen as it appeared in front of Jin Duoming, wanting to swallow him!

Jin Duoming was aghast with shock and was totally unable to avoid it. Seeing that catastrophe was about to happen before their eyes, the two Dao guardians beside him were also going crazy with anxiety. The Trilunaris Corporation had provided them with many favors, and took care of everyone in their families, young and old, meticulously. They understood that their responsibility lay in protecting Jin Duoming. At that decisive moment, the two of them swiftly charged forward, one of them grabbing hold of Jin Duoming and retreated, while the other gritted his teeth and chose to self-detonate the instant the python arrived!

A loud boom reverberated that shook the heavens. A Core Formation realm cultivator's self-detonation made even the python retreat swiftly. Jin Duoming awakened the instant the loud boom was heard, and his eyes reddened as he cried out pitifully.

"Uncle Li!"

Jin Duoming's voice carried a heavy sense of madness and pitifulness. After the python retreated and trembled briefly, it charged towards Kong Dao instead. However, Kong Dao had prepared for it, while the Dao guardians beside him also put in their utmost effort in resisting it, and it was the same case for Lin Tianhao. However, they were still no match for the python. The loud bang of impact sounded, and Kong Dao, Lin Tianhao, as well as their Dao guardians all vomited fresh red blood out of their mouths. They were forced to step back immediately. In the entire process, yet another Core Formation realm cultivator was swallowed whole by the python.

To the python, everything that happened was insignificant. It turned and charged forward again, this time targeting Lin Tianhao with a look of hatred and determination to kill in its eyes.

Lin Tianhao, you slave of Wang Baole, I will definitely kill you this time! Chen Mu, who was controlling the python remotely in his seclusion location, was now laughing heartily. He controlled the python and instantly appeared before Lin Tianhao. It opened its mouth, and instantly a powerful suction force appeared, about to swallow Lin Tianhao.

However, at that moment, a look of madness was also seen in Lin Tianhao's eyes. As he roared, he pulled off a jade token hanging around his neck, which had been hidden by his top, and pinched it hard!

As it was pinched, a blinding glow was produced from the jade token. In that glow, an illusory figure appeared, and it was the figure of Lin You—Lin Tianhao's father!

It was a specially made life-saving item given by Lin You to Lin Tianhao for his Mars journey, especially after the crisis Lin Tianhao had gone through in the cave previously. It encompassed a consciousness of Lin You that could activate a spell unleashing all its power at the most crucial juncture!

The item was so precious that even someone like Lin You could only make one of it. After all, the material of the jade token was unique and rare on Earth. It was obtained by Lin You through a fateful encounter, and now that it was activated, a deafening boom reverberated in the surroundings. The illusory Lin You raised his right hand, forming an illusory flying sword that slashed forward!

The slash of the sword was astounding and extremely brilliant. Everywhere it cut broke apart. The python was so shocked that it quickly retreated, its tail curling up at high speed in its attempt to resist. The moment it made contact, a large crack appeared in the python's tail, revealing the wood grains in it as the rest of its body moved backwards.

However, the instant it retreated, Kong Dao gritted his teeth and raised his left hand abruptly, twisting off his right pinky! His right pinky wasn't real flesh and blood but was made of a material that looked like it. In reality, he was missing his right pinky and only had four fingers on his right hand!

After twisting his pinky off, Kong Dao flailed it, and instantly, a sun-like glow was given off from it, forming a fiery bird that charged towards the python!

Based on its aura, the right pinky seemed like a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament. It was no ordinary seventh-grade Dharmic Armament, but a perfect seventh-grade Dharmic Armament!

A glow flashed across the eyes of the Core Formation realm cultivators from the four Dao Colleges. They stared at the injuries on the python's tail, as well as its actions, and suddenly shouted out loud.

"This beast has no life! It's a puppet! Furthermore, the one controlling it is lacking in both cultivation and knowledge. They can only briefly activate the power of the puppet instead of perfectly controlling it!"

The moment they spoke, all the Core Formation realm cultivators rushed out. The eyes of Jin Duoming and company were all reddened. As Jin Duoming roared, he raised their left hand, retrieving a battle-axe and throwing it to the Core Formation realm cultivator beside him, who caught hold of it. The Core Formation realm cultivator's breathing quickened as a result of the strong aura given off by the battle-axe, which was an eighth-grade Dharmic Armament, and he ferociously attacked the python in the air!

At the same time, Jin Duoming took out another Dharmic Armament sword, wielding it in his hand as he roared and slashed at the python!

Even with everyone working together at the same time, the python, injured and retreating from Lin Tianhao's attack, was still extremely strong. After all, its cultivation level was similar to that of someone with perfected Core Formation realm cultivation. Right now, despite the danger, the python still continued attacking. Its body formed blood-colored snowflakes that swept in all directions, forming a blood-colored hurricane that blocked every direction and clashed with Kong Dao's broken finger directly.

As a loud boom reverberated, the blood-colored hurricane was about to continue its advancement when all the early-stage Core Formation realm cultivators unleashed their trump cards to form a spell image that swept ahead. It caused the blood-colored hurricane to be destroyed, and at the same time, the Core Formation realm cultivator wielding the eighth-grade Dharmic Armament slashed the axe, resulting in a powerful force that transformed the heavens and earth. As the clouds churned, the force landed directly on the python's head!

With a loud bang, the python's head broke apart, revealing large amounts of wood grains. At the same time, Jin Duoming's sword swept at it and was about to land at the same location. At that moment, a look of humiliation appeared in the python's eyes. Its body trembled, and an astonishing wave was formed from its screams.

That scream made everyone spew blood from their mouths as they retreated. The scream incorporated a nomological force that they couldn't resist, causing their bodies to decay and their spirits to tremble. It was as if their spirits were about to be drawn out from their bodies.

Having used the scream to force everyone away, the python was about to retreat when its injuries seemed to show signs of healing. Seeing that their previous efforts were about to become futile, Lin Tianhao was indignant, Jin Duoming's eyes were reddened with rage, while Kong Dao's breathing quickened as he gripped his four-fingered right fist.

However, just at that moment, a cruiser arrived at high speed from afar. It was so fast that it broke the sound barrier, and leveraging on the speed of the cruiser, a figure leapt from it at an even higher speed, forming a series of afterimages.

Looking at it from afar, the figure couldn't be seen in detail. What was seen was that after the person leaped out, a black hurricane was formed from it, transmogrifying into a black crocodile that roared while integrating with the human, forming the shocking imagery of a crocodile swallowing a snake!

It directly went passed the people who were forced to retreat by the scream and went directly towards the python!

It was… Wang Baole!

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Chapter 431: Beware, the Donkey Lurks!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Previously, Wang Baole was further away from the area and was busy with resealing the array formation, causing him to be late. However, he was extremely anxious, and therefore rode the cruiser at his highest speed. In addition, the moment he neared, he unleashed all of his physical speed.

Leveraging on the speed of his cruiser, as well as his physical speed, he was so fast that he created an afterimage of himself, resulting in an earth-shattering loud boom. The integration of his energy with his saber made the black crocodile ever clearer in the hurricane. Right now, with the loud boom reverberating, he crossed the crowd of people who had been forced to retreat and instantly neared the python.

The python's ear-piercing roar had an effect on others, but Wang Baole could resist the Dark Art within the roar since he had the Dark Fire. However, other than the Dark Art, the python's roar was also boosted by its own cultivation. Therefore, even Wang Baole felt like his body was going to get torn apart when he closed in on the python.

At that moment, the function of the green lotus in his body was completely revealed. Wang Baole's body showed signs of recovery that occurred at an astounding speed. The moment the tears appeared, they were instantly healed, such that Wang Baole could narrowly ensure that his body remained undamaged. However, the entire process was extremely painful. Despite that, right now, Wang Baole had no time to bother about issues like that. He roared loudly, and as everyone was gripped with surprise, he slashed directly at the already injured skull of the python with his saber!

The heavens and earth turned dark as the clouds churned in the wind. The slash of the saber, which Wang Baole had put all his force in, landed on the previous skull injury on the python's head. Looking from afar, one could see a black crocodile biting hard on the injury on the python's head, as if it wanted to tear it out!

If it were real flesh and blood, the python would definitely be screaming in pain. However, it was just a puppet that could only instinctively sense it and not feel real pain. Right now, sensing crisis and having its head attacked once again, a look of madness that represented that of Chen Mu was revealed in its eyes.

"Wang Baole, die!" Chen Mu screamed in his secret seclusion chamber. The python he was controlling roared loudly, and its injured tail swept forcefully towards Wang Baole as if it wanted to kill him despite having suffered from a serious injury!

Everything happened so quickly, in the blink of an eye. Seeing the python's tail fast approaching, a cold look instantly revealed itself in Wang Baole's eyes, and he immediately uttered a word.

"Suppress!"

The moment he said that word, the array formation of the new city was activated despite being damaged. It harnessed an astonishing force that seemed to be able to suppress and imprison the python as it landed on the python's body!

In reality, had the city's array formation not been damaged, or had it not had to withstand the decay of the blood-colored fog or the python's attacks, any segment of it would be sufficient to allow the activated array formation to solve the current crisis facing the city.

However, as problems showed up consecutively in the three segments, the array formation could only forcefully be activated. Furthermore, Wang Baole couldn't overstretch its limits. Once the array formation was destroyed, and the blood-colored fog entered, the consequences would be too much to bear.

Therefore, he was merely using it as a boost to form the suppressive force. The python, with its tail fast approaching, trembled. Making use of this momentary pause, Wang Baole sighed softly. Bearing with the pain in his heart, a look of determination appeared in his eyes. He let go of the Dharmic Armament and moved back, roaring loudly.

"Explode!"

The moment Wang Baole said that, the Dharmic Armament saber that was lodged in the python's head began to emit a shocking amount of heat. The inscriptions on it instantly became messy, and a sign of destruction spread from within. In the blink of an eye, a frighteningly loud boom reverberated, and the Dharmic Armament broke into pieces—completely destroyed!

The destructive force within it was like a hurricane sweeping towards the python. The fragments from the Dharmic Armament were shooting in all directions at high speed, with almost all of them piercing the python's head, causing its body to look as if it was about to break into pieces instantly. At the same time, large amounts of Blood Qi spewed out of its body like fresh blood.

Looking from afar, one could see that the black crocodile seemed to be exhibiting its final glory. The instant the Dharmic Armament self-exploded, it could be seen clearly. It was as if it was resurrected as it expanded without limits, swallowing the python whole. In that instant, the fog churned, and outsiders couldn't see the interior clearly. Instead, they only vaguely saw the python and the crocodile gnawing on each other crazily!

The moment when the swallowing and blurriness occurred, a sound that was far louder than before reverberated once again, shaking the entire area. It caused the sky to turn dark and the clouds to churn, and an immensely strong force of impact spread in all directions.

Thankfully, Wang Baole was the one who detonated the Dharmic Armament. That, coupled with the fact that he was physically strong and could dodge the impact in time while activating the guarding power of the array formation, he managed to escape from the impact. However, he was still affected, and fresh blood spewed out of his mouth as he retreated, beaten.

The moment he retreated, which was also the moment the Dharmic Armament self-exploded, the loud bangs reverberated endlessly. Cracking sounds were finally heard from the python's body, but before everyone could heave a sigh of relief, the python roared while being shrouded in the fog produced from the self-exploded Dharmic Armament!

The roar spread in all directions and was unlike one produced by a beast. Instead, it was more like a shrill scream produced by a maniac. As it reverberated, the severely injured python released more blood-colored fog. The fog didn't spread. Instead, it formed a giant illusory python head which swallowed the black crocodile's body!

Everything happened so suddenly that everyone was taken aback. The series of attacks that happened previously were already beyond their imagination, as they were like a deck of trump cards being thrown out. Furthermore, Wang Baole also sacrificed and detonated his Dharmic Armament. Despite that, the python still managed to turn the situation around.

The huge difference in cultivation levels between the two sides couldn't be bridged by sheer numbers. As everyone reeled in shock, copious amounts of Blood Qi spread from within the python's body after it devoured the crocodile. The Blood Qi carried a strong sense of ferocity, and the python's eyes were red with rage. It dashed out of the fog, with its target being… Wang Baole!

It didn't produce any sound, but anyone who saw the python seemed to be able to sense that an astonishingly strong intention to kill was emanating from the python's body!

It was so fast that even Wang Baole, who was also speedy and had begun retreating even before the python approached, was easily caught up to by the python. At the same time, the movements in its cultivation occurred on a large scale. Looking from a distance, it seemed to have transformed into a blood-colored sun, burning everything in its path!

Wang Baole's mind buzzed noisily, and his breathing quickened. However, he didn't have the time to make too many considerations. He was too focused on the python, which was fast approaching and growing larger in his eyes by the second!

A strong sense of life and death made him instinctively control the array formation in an attempt to block it. Furthermore, even though the new city hadn't been completely transformed, he still subconsciously ordered it to activate the Eternal Fortress!

The signs of resistance couldn't be seen by outsiders. In their eyes, Wang Baole, who was targeted by the python, had no chance of survival. Be it Jin Duoming, Kong Dao, Lin Tianhao, or the surrounding Core Formation realm cultivators, no one had the ability to assist and save him…

It was as if this time, Wang Baole would die without a doubt!

Therefore, the black-robed man, who was originally watching everything from afar, chose to go near. He appeared on the top floor of a nearby building, watching the events that led to Wang Baole's death unfold. A smile was finally seen on his face, which was covered by his robe.

At the same time, a bizarre and greedy look shone in his eyes, and a chilly aura was given off by his body. The reason he chose to go near upon realizing Wang Baole's impending death was because he wanted to see if there was a chance that he could absorb the Dark Fire within Wang Baole's body the moment he died!

The black-robed man understood well that the Dark Fire was the symbol of the Dark Child, and was also the mark of their eligibility. This eligibility couldn't be transferred, but at the death of a Dark Child, there was still a chance that one could absorb the Dark Fire for themselves.

Once I succeed… A strong desire was revealed in the black-robed man's eyes. Unconsciously, he inched nearer. But the moment he neared while looking at the battleground, a sudden change that he had never imagined and never thought about occurred!

It wasn't a show of resistance by the array formation, nor was it the activation of the Eternal Fortress. Instead, the moment these two events were about to happen, the python, which was charging at Wang Baole with a strong intention to kill and intense ferocity, suddenly stopped a hundred feet from Wang Baole. Its gigantic head suddenly turned, looking in the direction of the black-robed man that no one could see!

The moment it turned to look, it extended its tongue and licked its lips. Its lifeless eyes suddenly showed signs of struggling, as if some sort of instinct was being awakened!.

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Chapter 432: The Donkey Wins All!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Everything was happening too quickly. Wang Baole had been prepared to fight with his life. He had been prepared to use his last resort and transform the entire city into the Eternal Fortress in order to hold the giant python back.

To do so required time. The new city was too big. Its transformation needed to be carried out in steps. After transforming into the Eternal Fortress, its power would increase tremendously. However, the transformation would also inflict great damage to the city.

There was no time at present for him to do that. Once he activated the process, the entire new city would be destroyed. This was better than being a sitting duck, though. Wang Baole had made up his mind to fight with all that he had!

However… he hadn't yet realized his plan before the giant python's strange behavior made him pause. Especially… the way the python had stuck its tongue out and licked its lips. It seemed like a perfectly ordinary action, but somehow, Wang Baole found it extremely familiar.

He wasn't the only one who had frozen. Everyone around him had done the same. Even the black-robed man who had been standing nearby had done the same. Shock colored his eyes, and he seemed to be slightly bewildered.

As the crowd remained stunned by the giant python's strange move, the struggle in the giant python's eyes disappeared. It was replaced by a sudden bright light. It opened its mouth wide and let loose a piercing roar!

"Son!"

The sound exploded. It seemed to be able to pierce through one's eardrums. It thundered in all directions. The giant python swerved aside, no longer heading for Wang Baole but towards the distant sky which, to everyone's eyes, held nothing. It charged in that direction instead!

It was very, very fast—faster than it had been before. Its agility and speed surpassed what it had shown previously. It gave the crowd the feeling that it had been controlled by someone else previously and had now come alive!

Its astonishing speed, its sudden agility, and its roar all seemed incredible in the eyes of the black-robed man. He wasn't able to escape in time. In the blink of an eye, the giant python approached and opened its wide, gaping mouth!

Shock overcame the black-robed man. He tried to fall back hastily, but it was too late. The giant python had clamped its mouth over his body and swallowed him whole!

At that moment, inside the Divine Armament Catacombs, behind the wall, in the unknown region where the Divine Armament rested, a howl that was immensely ancient, incredibly furious, and unbelievably disbelieving rang out.

"Impossible. This is impossible!"

"Why would the puppet go out of control? Damn it. How could it see me? How could it hurt my spirit body?"

"That's wrong. Something must have gone wrong!"

Roaring and howling erupted in the deepest level of the Divine Armament Catacombs without pause. If Wang Baole had been there, he would have been able to hear them. The voice was filled with madness and disbelief. It was filled with incredulity. The true form of the black-robed man was unable to discern the reason why his clone had been devoured.

Everything had been going well. His plan had been moving along flawlessly. He had been about to reap the rewards when, at that precise moment… something unexpected had happened!

This might have been an accident. However, the black-robed man didn't know that since the first day he had entered the new city, a donkey had sensed his presence and had been tracking his scent. It had been hunting him since then…

At present, inside the new city, the giant python had just swallowed the black-robed man, which nobody had been able to see. Then, it swung its tail in mid-air and turned around abruptly. Its eyes shone with satisfaction. Then, it noticed Wang Baole. It shrunk its neck back and displayed a look of innocence in its eyes instinctively. It seemed sheepish. It seemed afraid of Wang Baole finding out that it had just eaten something incredibly delicious.

Wang Baole had long gone into a dazed stupor. The earlier braying still rang in his ears. In his bewilderment, he saw the expression on the giant python's face. The same sense of incredulity that the black-robed man had experienced flooded Wang Baole's mind.

That cry and that expression were simply too familiar to Wang Baole. He couldn't help his next words.

"Scram?"

As soon as Wang Baole said that, inside Chen Mu's place of seclusion, blue veins popped out from Chen Mu's face. He let loose a furious roar. Madness colored his eyes, and his hands formed a series of hand seals as he tried to wrestle control of the puppet back. Everything had been going well despite a few hiccups. However, he had suddenly lost control of the puppet. It was as if someone had snatched control away from him!

This drove Chen Mu mad. He couldn't simply take that lying down. He tried to fight back, but the will that had stolen the reins of the puppet was simply too strong. He couldn't regain control. Chen Mu howled again.

"My puppet! No one is allowed to take it away from me!" Howling, he pulled out the small drum that controlled the puppet. He bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a fragment of blood that contained his cultivation and his vitality onto the drum. Blood stained the little drum, causing his control over it to surge.

Chen Mu saw his action taking effect and sent caution to the winds. He spat out another three mouthfuls of blood containing his very life energy and vitality. With every mouthful of blood, wrinkles appeared on his face. When he spat out the fourth mouthful, he was no longer the young man he was but had a headful of white hair and looked fifty years old!

The effects proved great. As blood stained the small drum, on the battlefield, the giant python, which had heard Wang Baole's words and was about to respond, suddenly shuddered. The light in its eyes that belonged to the donkey dimmed. The crazed look that belonged to Chen Mu reappeared and replaced it!

The donkey didn't give up though. It seemed unwilling to be shoved aside and tried to fight back. The giant python shuddered and trembled, seeming slightly mad. Clear signs of struggle appeared in its eyes.

Through its eyes, the crowd around it could see the inner world within the giant python. There were tens of thousands of blood-colored souls within. These blood-colored souls were weaving around a donkey that was clearly many times larger than them. They appeared to be suppressing it and trying to devour it!

The donkey seemed larger and stronger, but the blood-colored souls numbered too many. The donkey gradually slid towards the losing end…

The sight alarmed the surrounding people. There was no one to explain the situation to them, but they instantly knew that someone had used some form of means to either exploit or gather those souls to form the puppet. The donkey had been one of those victims.

The mastermind behind all this had used the souls to complete his control over the puppet and to achieve the earlier destruction and massacre. That had been until the donkey had awoken and begun the fight for control.

It was clear to them all that… they had to prevent the mastermind from regaining control over the puppet. Else, with the infallibility of the puppet, they had no means of fighting back and destroying it. They would all be killed!

As these thoughts flooded their minds, Wang Baole's breathing quickened. He said quickly and without hesitation.

"Scram, if you lose this fight, you'll never get to eat anything for the rest of your life!"

As soon as Wang Baole said that, the donkey clearly shuddered. It went mad and tried to fight itself free from the blood-colored souls' stranglehold. It tried to wrestle control of the puppet back. Wang Baole saw the effect his words had and grew excited.

"Scram, give it your all! If you win, I'll reward you with sumptuous meals for an entire month! For one entire month. You get to eat whatever you want to eat. You can eat to your heart's content!"

This clearly provoked and excited the donkey more. The donkey, in its sudden excitement, intensified its struggling. It began to show signs of winning the battle. But Chen Mu appeared unwilling to give up. He spat out another mouthful of blood and turned the tide in his favor again.

No one could see what Chen Mu had done, but everyone could see that the donkey was being suppressed. At that moment, Kong Dao gritted his teeth. Decisiveness flashed across his eyes. He patted the beast bag on him. Instantly… White Phoenix appeared!

"Donkey, as long as you win this, from now on… from this moment on… what happens between you and White Phoenix… I… I won't stand between the two of you anymore!"

His words were like the ultimate killer attack. The donkey's eyes reddened, and its power erupted. It unleashed its full potential as it roared. It trampled over the blood-colored souls that were Chen Mu's will and wiped them out. It overpowered them and once again took control over the puppet.

As soon as it took control, the small blood-colored drum before Chen Mu exploded, tearing into shreds. He suffered the backlash from the explosion as well. Chen Mu let out a pained cry. He spat out mouthfuls of blood, and his body shriveled. Only his eyes continued to shine with a fierce resentment and madness.

"No!"

He was resentful. He lost to a donkey. He was mad with regret. He shouldn't have touched the donkey. He never expected the donkey to absorb tens of thousands of dandelions, to not only survive but become the master of the puppet!

"I can't accept this!"

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Chapter 433: An Expert!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Chen Mu's vision turned black as he spat blood out. The backlash had been too great. His anger had surged straight to his heart. He tilted sideways and passed out.

While Chen Mu lay unconscious, on the battlefield in the new city, everyone, including Wang Baole, was staring with their eyes wide and their mouths open at the giant python. Even though they could sense that Wang Baole's donkey had taken control over the puppet, they remained wary of the giant python, which had shown itself to be overly violent and vicious.

As the crowd watched warily and cautiously, and as Wang Baole's breathing steadied, the giant python that had been taken over by the donkey suddenly shuddered. It started to shrink. The outer form of the giant python vanished as it grew smaller and smaller…

Finally… out popped four legs. The head of the giant python shrank and grew longer. The entire transformation took but the span of two dozen breaths or so. The giant python vanished completely and reappeared before everyone in the form of… the donkey!

The donkey shook itself as its eyes regained clarity. It lowered its head and inspected its body. There was a lost look in its eyes. It was as if what had happened earlier had been a dream, and it had just woken up. It was still unaccustomed to what had just happened. It saw the many strange gazes the people around it were giving it, and its eyes widened. It leaped and appeared beside Wang Baole. It seemed wary and at the same time, tried to put on a look of innocence. It stared at Wang Baole and nudged its head against his calf, as if to gain Wang Baole's favor.

It had on an appearance of… complete obedience, as if imploring Wang Baole not to eat it.

Wang Baole instinctively sent his foot kicking. Then, he recalled how terrifying the giant python had been and hesitated… he was afraid that the donkey might just transform after a single kick.

The donkey's not that bad. I shouldn't always hit it. This isn't because I'm afraid… Wang Baole consoled himself. The sheepishness he was feeling inside still flooded him in waves, the torrents making him feel unbearable. The donkey had transformed itself from a mere rifle into a cannon and was no longer the same donkey. Wang Baole was afraid that if he kept abusing it, it might turn on him and reverse the abuse. His cultivation was only at the perfected Foundation Establishment ream while the giant python was at the perfected Core Formation realm. The chasm separating them made Wang Baole feel like the son in this power relationship…

As Wang Baole sulked, the rest around him remained cautious. Those who had their comrades killed by the giant python felt a myriad of emotions. The donkey was equally nervous. It could feel the murderous intent in the eyes of some of the people around it, and its master hadn't kicked it, which was rare.

Its young spirit shuddered. It felt a strong sense of danger, and terror colored its eyes. It thought about the many times Wang Baole had spoken about killing it and eating it, and a sudden thought flooded its mind. It panicked and tried its best to please Wang Baole, even sticking its tongue out and licking Wang Baole's hand…

The donkey's licking annoyed Wang Baole, but the donkey seemed overly nervous and frightened. It drooled buckets and turned Wang Baole's hand into a wet mess with its licking. Wang Baole glared at it. He couldn't control himself and kicked the donkey out of habit.

Wang Baole immediately realized what he had done as soon as his leg flew out. He wanted to pull his leg back, but the donkey's eyes flashed. It released a sudden burst of speed… not to avoid the kick, but to dash straight into it. It was sent flying a short distance away.

An odd expression overtook Wang Baole's face at that sight. The donkey seemed reassured. As long as it got its beating, things would turn out alright. It happily pranced along and started braying.

"Son! Son!"

Wang Baole's heart softened at the donkey's braying. However, he had noticed the complicated looks in some of the cultivators' eyes, and the murderous intent they had been exuding. He knew that the donkey could easily incur the wrath of others due to its role in this incident. It had nothing to do with the donkey, but such public anger was something that was difficult to get rid of.

The difference between the giant python's overpowering strength and the sudden obedience the donkey was showing could easily lead the public into venting their anger on the latter.

Countless thoughts surfaced in Wang Baole's head. The gears started spinning furiously. He took one large step out and stood before the donkey, kicking it again and roaring furiously.

"You still know how to bray? Ah?"

The donkey cried out as it was kicked. It didn't hurt, but crying out had become instinctive to it. As soon as it screamed, Wang Baole grabbed hold of its long ear and gave it a thrashing.

The donkey shuddered. It felt something was amiss and was about to struggle when Wang Baole quickly gave it the stink eye.

"You may be innocent, you might have been swallowed by the giant python and is a victim as well, but everyone is feeling terrible now. You still dare to continue braying?" Wang Baole roared. He punched and kicked the donkey. He wasn't putting up a performance but was giving the donkey a genuine beating.

The donkey felt wronged. Then, it saw the look in Wang Baole's eyes. It seemed to have understood something and started to cry out with all it had. It even started weeping and begging for its life.

"There's no use in begging. Even though you contributed the most to saving us all, even though we'd all be goners without you, I still have to beat you!"

"And, even though you successfully wrestled control of the puppet, saved the new city from imminent danger, and saved all our lives, I still have to teach you a lesson!" Wang Baole continued hitting the donkey while observing the rest. The donkey seemed to have understood what was going on and cried more loudly. It looked pitiful.

The scene shocked everyone around them. Gradually, strange expressions overtook their faces. They all realized what Wang Baole was trying to do. He was trying to tell them indirectly that this had nothing to do with the donkey. In fact, the donkey had done all of them a great favor and saved their lives.

Besides, he was already teaching it a lesson. They shouldn't target their anger and wrath on the donkey unreasonably… the messages he was trying to put across were no longer subtle hints but explicit declarations. Those with comrades who had perished in the battle fell silent, sighing inwardly.

Wang Baole saw the expressions on their faces and finally set his heart at ease. He had to go through with the entire act, though. He kicked the donkey again and gave it another look. Then, he raised his right hand. Instantly, his Dharmic Armament sword appeared in his hand. He grabbed the donkey's head, his sword in the other hand, and shouted.

"My Fellow Daoists, this donkey might have saved our lives, we might owe it a great debt, it might be a victim as well, but the giant python has devoured too many cultivators. I have to kill this innocent donkey and avenge their deaths!"

As soon as Wang Baole said that, Lin Tianhao immediately stepped forward with a serious look on his face. He said loudly, "City Lord, you can't do that, the donkey is innocent. We shouldn't be unleashing our anger on it!"

The people from the four Dao Colleges all had strange expressions on their faces as they stepped forward hurriedly as well. They tried to stop Wang Baole. Kong Dao sighed, also saying a few words himself. Even though everyone knew that this was merely a performance, they also understood what Wang Baole was trying to do.

Jin Duoming smiled wryly as well. He knew that Wang Baole was doing this mainly because of him, but Jin Duoming wasn't someone who didn't see reason. He said solemnly, "Baole, you can't blame this on the donkey. It's done a great service!"

As soon as Jin Duoming said that, the Core Formation realm cultivator next to him took a deep breath as well. He sighed as he stared at the donkey.

"This donkey is extraordinary. After fusing with the puppet, it managed to break free of the puppet's control, devour the other, and gain control instead. It trampled over the plans of the mastermind. Everything the mastermind has done has been for nothing. It has only benefited the donkey!"

"It seems like it's only at the Foundation Establishment realm, but who knows, maybe it might be able to transform one day into a giant python… at the perfected Core Formation realm!" As he spoke, the Core Formation realm cultivator turned and looked at Wang Baole. He didn't hide the envy in his eyes. He wasn't the only one; everyone else was the same. Even if they were on Earth, even if it were the president Duan Muque, he too would be filled with envy at this moment.

After all, this was a War Beast that could transform into a perfected Core Formation realm beast!

Everyone was already imagining the price Wang Baole's donkey was going to fetch after news of this incident broke. It was already quite valuable, but after today, its value would likely skyrocket…

"This is an expert!" Lin Tianhao sucked in a deep breath and gasped.

"It's just too incredible!" Jin Duoming came to the same realization instantly. As he muttered under his breath, his eyes shone. He began considering whether he should speak to Wang Baole again and find out whether he had any chance of buying such an incredible expert from Wang Baole.

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Chapter 434: Attack Chen Mu

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Wang Baole saw that the crowd had seen reason and that no one was going to publicly accuse the donkey of any wrongdoing. He was extremely pleased with his methods. He had been about to kick the donkey again, instinctively, but then he had heard what Lin Tianhao and Jin Duoming had said. He couldn't quite get himself to carry on with that kick.

The giant python had a considerable impact on him. He was worried that he might accidentally push the donkey into transforming with one kick. What should he do then…

He thought about his position as the donkey's master. He shouldn't be so violent and should instead shower small animals with care. He pulled his leg back and patted the donkey lovingly on its head.

His tenderness scared the donkey. It had been feeling better earlier after sensing the murderous intent fading from the eyes of the people around it. However, the tender and caring expression on Wang Baole's face that followed swiftly after made it shudder instantly. Fear shone in its eyes.

Wang Baole could see the look on the donkey's face clearly. Exasperated, he kicked the donkey again. It flew a short distance, rolled over, and got to its feet. It seemed more at ease and a lot happier.

What's wrong with this creature? Wang Baole was torn between bursting out into laughter and weeping. He received a voice transmission from Li Wan'er. The catacombs that had appeared in Fang Jing's autonomous zone was now under control. The crisis that had taken the new city by surprise had been partially resolved.

It wasn't yet fully resolved because they hadn't yet found the mastermind behind this attack. The cultivators around Wang Baole might no longer be angry at the donkey, but they were still hungry for revenge. They had murder in their eyes and needed an outlet to vent their anger. They wanted vengeance. Wang Baole knew this, and the cultivators around him understood as well.

However, the mastermind was hidden from their view. Finding him would be a challenge. Wang Baole hadn't managed to find him with his array formation in the past. However, at present… things seemed to have changed.

"Scram, get over here!" Wang Baole's eyes flashed. He immediately turned and stared at the donkey.

The donkey remained secretly cautious, but it still ran hurriedly towards Wang Baole, merrily and obediently. It wagged its tail furiously, as if trying to convey the message that it was doing exactly what it was told and asking for its life to be spared.

"Where did you get into trouble? Can you find the person who tried to control you?"

Wang Baole patted the donkey on its head and asked. The cultivators around them all stared at the donkey. The donkey blinked. It seemed to know what Wang Baole was saying. It concentrated and appeared to be extending its senses outwards. Its nose started sniffling. Wang Baole frowned. He had a growing suspicion that one of the donkey's parents must have been some form of giant dog-like monster.

The crowd didn't have to wait long. The donkey's eyes soon flashed. It brayed at Wang Baole and immediately dashed ahead in a particular direction.

An icy glint flashed in Wang Baole's eyes. Murderous intent rose in his heart and showed on his face. He didn't hesitate and immediately followed the donkey.

Jin Duoming did the same. The Core Formation realm cultivator who had died had been his protector. The man had treated him with great kindness. Jin Duoming might appear to have resumed his normal self, but his heart had been simmering with murderous intent. He followed swiftly behind Wang Baole.

Kong Dao and Lin Tianhao did the same. Their hate towards the mastermind was intense. They also had men who had died and had used the invaluable ultimate attacks that they had kept as a last resort. They wouldn't simply let this matter rest. Every Foundation Establishment realm cultivator and cultivators of higher cultivation realms soon followed. They marched forth like a vast army.

The donkey was swift. As Wang Baole followed behind it, his breathing began to quicken. He almost couldn't control his murderous rage when he realized where the donkey was headed… it was towards Chen Mu's autonomous zone!

Wang Baole wasn't the only one who had realized that. Lin Tianhao, Kong Dao, and Jin Duoming had all realized what was going on. They didn't hesitate. The murderous intent exuding from their persons grew stronger.

The army was like a sharp sword hungering for blood. They sped through the new city and charged into Chen Mu's autonomous zone. There were still plenty of Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators inside the autonomous zone, but their numbers had significantly reduced. They saw Wang Baole and his army. They didn't know why the latter was here, but they had heard about the crisis that had befallen the city. Every one of them was alarmed by the overpowering aura exuding from Wang Baole and his army of cultivators. They hastily fell back and didn't dare stop them.

Not all did the same, however. There were still some Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators who were alarmed when they saw Wang Baole and his people and tried to stop them from advancing further.

"Stop, our young master has instructed that no one is to enter these grounds!"

As soon as they spoke, before Wang Baole could react, Jin Duoming hollered.

"To hell with your young master!" He charged out, Dharmic Armament in hand. The Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators who had stood before them cried out in pain and fell back instantly.

"Chen Mu, if you're really the one who's behind all this, I, Jin Duoming, will skin you alive!" Jin Duoming's eyes were red. The members of the Five Generation Sky Clan around him stared and hesitated. Wang Baole's cold voice, firm and authoritative, rang in their ears.

"All cultivators, here are your orders. Those who try to stand in the way of the law… execute them on the spot!"

Jin Duoming's violent attack had shocked the Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators and frozen them in their tracks, but he couldn't stop the urge in them to retaliate. Wang Baole hadn't attacked, but his status and his authority had laced his words with ice. The members of the Five Generation Sky Clan all hesitated. They felt compelled to fall back.

They weren't truly afraid of Jin Duoming and the others… but after what the Five Generation Sky Clan had gone through during the lunar incident, the legend of Wang Baole's violent streak had spread within the clan. Without his knowledge, Wang Baole had become a fearsome entity inside the hearts of many Five Generation Sky Clan members.

As his words echoed in the air, the Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators all fell silent. They didn't try to stop them. They allowed Wang Baole and his group of cultivators to follow the racing donkey, and approach where Chen Mu had gone into seclusion. They drew closer and closer.

As they were about to reach where Chen Mu had gone into seclusion, Chen Mu, who had passed out earlier, seemed to instinctively sense the danger that was about to approach. His eyes opened suddenly and struggled to sit up. His eyes looked lost. He soon recalled what had happened prior to his losing consciousness, and his breathing grew heavy.

"Wang Baole!" He roared. He hated that donkey, but he hated Wang Baole even more. The donkey belonged to Wang Baole, after all… however, despite the hatred flooding his heart, he still had to consider the consequences of his actions. Things would have turned out fine if he had succeeded. But he had failed. He could imagine the fate that would befall him if they found out that he had been the one pulling the puppet's strings.

That's not possible. No one would realize it's me… Chen Mu consoled himself. The backlash had been too strong, and his vision was still slightly blurry after he had come to. He panted and pulled out a pill, then swallowed it. He was about to get to his feet and make the necessary preparations, but as soon as he stood up, a loud thunder boomed and exploded above his head.

It was like the crashing of thunder, and it almost caused Chen Mu's eardrums to burst. Alarm flashed across his face as he retreated hastily. The ceiling above his head shattered into pieces. The secret chamber that he was in split into several parts in that instant. The walls and ceiling collapsed, exposing him in the open!

As the explosion erupted, Jin Duoming's silhouette appeared first. He had been the one to slice the residence into parts with his sword. As shattered stone rained on them, Wang Baole, Kong Dao, Lin Tianhao, and the surviving Core Formation realm cultivators appeared around the collapsed secret chamber littered with shattered stone!

"Jin Duoming, what are you doing? Are you trying to start a war between the Trilunaris Corporation and the Five Generation Sky Clan?" Chen Mu hastily stepped aside. However, he was already in a weakened state. He didn't manage to avoid the attack completely and spat out a mouthful of blood. He leaned against a shattered slab of stone as he secretly quaked inside. He tried his best not to show his fear on his face as he barked out a fierce order immediately.

"Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators, at my command!"

As soon as he spoke, the Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators who had been stopped earlier appeared despite their fear of Wang Baole and his army. They surrounded Wang Baole and his party. The Core Formation realm cultivators from the Five Generation Sky Clan also approached instantly.

"Chen Mu, you wish to speak for the Five Generation Sky Clan? Fine. You controlled a puppet and revolted against the Federation. The Federation will get to the bottom of this!" Jin Duoming laughed, and his eyes narrowed into slits. His voice was chilly, but he was slightly hesitant deep down. After all… he had no proof. It had been the donkey that had led them here. The relationship between Wang Baole and Chen Mu had been fraught with conflict. There was a possibility of Wang Baole trying to use this as an excuse to kill Chen Mu.

"That's slander!" Chen Mu grew furious when he heard that. His breathing quickened. His eyes reddened. He glared at Jin Duoming, then turned and stared at Wang Baole.

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Chapter 435: For the Governor's Deliberation, Please

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"I've been injured during my cultivation earlier and have been recovering from my injuries. You'll say anything to make it seem like I've done something wrong. Besides… Wang Baole, I've merely found out about the illicit affair you've been having with my fiance and have gotten hold of evidence of your adultery. Are you trying to silence me for that?"

Chen Mu seemed extremely aggrieved. In his madness, he pulled out a jade slip and shouted.

"If that's the case, I'll show everyone what you, the adulterous couple, have done!" Chen Mu howled. He was about to activate the jade slip when a party of people came charging from afar. Amongst them was a pale-faced figure that almost stumbled. She was Li Wan'er.

"A load of rubbish!" Just as Chen Mu was about to activate the jade slip, Wang Baole, with a stormy expression on his face, stepped forward swiftly. Chen Mu had no chance to react before Wang Baole was right in his face. Wang Baole raised his right hand suddenly and swept it forward. It landed loudly on Chen Mu's chest. Chen Mu spat out a mouthful of blood and staggered back. The jade slip in his hand shook from Wang Baole's attack and shattered into pieces!

"Wang Baole! Are you trying to destroy the evidence because you're afraid!"

"Silence!" Wang Baole turned, a murderous aura erupting from his person suddenly. It rose to the skies. He stared coldly at Chen Mu, suspicion and doubt flickering across his eyes. The blood that Chen Mu had spat out seemed too little… the paleness of his face didn't seem to be from injury but from extensive blood loss… a thought flashed across Wang Baole's mind. He said coolly.

"Revolting against the new city and against the Federation. Falsifying evidence in order to protect oneself. These all point towards a flaw in your character! Such false evidence is merely an eyesore. Of course, I have to destroy it!

"You harbored ill intentions and worked with unknown entities. You killed your fellow Federation cultivators and tried to mess around with our senses. Chen Mu, you would do anything to escape incrimination!"

"Fine, you're not going to admit to your crimes, are you?" Murder colored Wang Baole's eyes. He raised his right hand and waved it towards a pile of collapsed stone nearby. A sudden force overturned the shattered rocks, revealing beneath them… a shattered, small blood-colored drum!

The small drum gave off the stench of blood and exuded an evil aura. It was weak but present! Upon closer examination, one would find that it was the same aura as that of the giant python!

Everyone was alarmed. They all turned and stared at Chen Mu. Jin Duoming and those whose comrades had perished in the earlier battle stared at Chen Mu with murder in their eyes!

"The blood inside this thing. It's yours, isn't it?" Wang Baole's eyes flashed as he said abruptly. As soon as the words rang out, alarm colored Chen Mu's face. He instinctively staggered back, his breathing quickening.

This was the best possible and strongest evidence that one could produce!

"I…" Chen Mu's face was pale. Alarm and fear were clear on his face. He retreated hastily, shouting.

"Five Generation Sky Clan cultivators, protect me!" He immediately fell back and was about to plan his exit. As soon as he spoke, however, Wang Baole roared. It was like thunder crashing from the heavens.

"Five Generation Sky Clan, any move taken by anyone would be seen as a revolt. That's treason against the Federation, an immense crime!"

As soon as Wang Baole's words rang out in the air, he dashed forward in a sudden burst of speed. It was even more astonishing than the speed he had displayed before. Within the blink of an eye, he arrived beside the retreating Chen Mu. He lifted his right leg and kicked out.

There was a thunderous boom. A sudden force surged outward. As the surrounding Five Generation Sky Clan members remained stunned and hesitant, Chen Mu's blood spilled from his mouth again. He let out a cry of agony. Wang Baole had kicked him directly in the crotch. He flew into the air and landed in front of Jin Duoming. He had already been seriously injured, and Wang Baole's kick had been too vicious, so he had passed out again.

Blood seeped through his clothes. It was clear that this kick had castrated Chen Mu!

Wang Baole harbored an intense hatred towards Chen Mu as well. The latter had ill intentions towards him, and he had not only targeted Wang Baole but Zhuo Yifan as well. He had long wanted to kill Chen Mu. Chen Mu had tried to turn the new city upside down and kill Wang Baole. He had resorted to desperate measures in his final moments. He deserved to be castrated!

Everything that had happened had resulted in Wang Baole barely keeping a rein on his murderous intent. It had resulted in that vicious kick, but it had only castrated Chen Mu. Wang Baole wasn't a fool; he knew what awaited Chen Mu. There was no need for him to kill the man prematurely.

The rest around him seemed to share similar thoughts. Jin Duoming narrowed his eyes. He waved the Dharmic Armament in his right hand and chopped Chen Mu's right arm off!

Blood spurted out. The agonizing pain of having his right arm sliced off drove Chen Mu right back into consciousness, screaming. The pain from his lower body and his arm was driving him mad, but he was in no position to go crazy. He could only continue screaming in pain. The donkey was furious too. It snuck its way near without anyone noticing and sent its hoof… into Chen Mu's injured crotch.

That hooved kick was like piling snow onto a glacier. Chen Mu's scream took on a different pitch. His entire body shuddered before he passed out again.

Kong Dao and Lin Tianhao had wanted to join as well, but the scene made their faces twitch. They stared at the donkey, then at Wang Baole, and didn't join in. Li Wan'er eyed the donkey from afar. It was the first time she was looking at the donkey with tenderness and liking in her eyes. It was clear that she had found the final kick from the donkey extremely satisfying.

The cultivators from the Five Generation Sky Clan might have found the scene unbearable, but they knew that this was going to be another disaster for the Five Generation Sky Clan. Their heads were all throbbing. Unfortunately, the world outside the city was besieged by blood-colored winds and all communications had been cut off. They had no means of contacting the family clan.

"City Lord Li!" As the members of the Five Generation Sky Clan panicked and fretted, Wang Baole pretended not to have seen the final blow the donkey had delivered and said coolly.

Li Wan'er immediately lifted her head. She took a few steps forward, gave Wang Baole a deep, meaningful look, and bowed.

"City Lord!"

"According to the Federation laws, which are also the laws Mars abides by, Chen Mu has staged a revolt against the Federation. He tried to overthrow his superiors and stage a coup. What should be his punishment?"

"He should be executed! We will have to dig to the bottom of this!" Li Wan'er didn't waver or hesitate. Her voice was firm.

Wang Baole was very pleased with her reply. His eyes grew colder when he turned and stared at the unconscious Chen Mu. Chen Mu and the political force backing Chen Mu had gone too far too many times. It was similar to him having a house. He agreed to someone entering and visiting his house, and even treated the latter cordially with good food and drinks, but that someone continued to overstay and wouldn't leave. That would have been fine, but he had even tried to amend the house deed and change the name of the owner. That someone had even tried to kill him.

This was the behavior of a bandit!

And the way to treat a bandit was to give him a severe thrashing. He immediately declared, "Arrest Chen Mu! After the blood winds have died down, report immediately to the Governor and to the Federation. I want… the Five Generation Sky Clan to answer to the millions of cultivators of my new city. I want them to answer for every single life lost. I want them to answer to law and justice!" Wang Baole's voice was strong and powerful. It echoed in the air.

At the same time, the blood-colored winds and mist that had spread across half the Martian planet gradually weakened after the black-robed man was devoured by the donkey and after Chen Mu's failed coup. The next day, after Chen Mu's arrest, the mist finally cleared up.

With the re-establishment of communications, Li Wan'er immediately reported this incident to her father. She also reported to the Governor and the Federation about Chen Mu's coup.

Kong Dao, Lin Tianhao, and Jin Duoming also exerted the full extent of their influence. Even Fang Jing seemed to have come to her senses. She realized that the appearance of the catacombs within her zone couldn't have been a coincidence. She contacted her sect angrily as well.

Wen Huai saw what was going on and knew that he had to make a stand. He immediately contacted his sect and reported this matter for his sect's deliberation. As soon as this incident was made known, it caused an uproar in the various political forces on Mars and in the Federation. The association between the Martian mists and this incident had intensified the seriousness of this matter.

It was clear that Chen Mu had some connection with the Divine Armament Catacombs. They had worked together. There was no way that the Martian mists were a coincidence. The Martian Colony Governor had Chen Mu taken away and imprisoned within the main Martian city. The trial was carried out jointly with the Federation and the various political forces.

The trial wasn't made public. It was carried out internally. The final sentence—Chen Mu was to be sentenced to death!

Throughout the entire trial, the Five Generation Sky Clan didn't speak for Chen Mu, not even once. They were very cooperative. Chen Mu had also stated firmly that this had been his idea all along and that it had nothing to do with his family clan. However, everyone knew what was going on. This implicated too many political forces and angered too many people. There was a need for compensation and an answer.

As a result… the Five Generation Sky Clan had to compensate great quantities of materials and resources. The compensation went towards the new city as well. The Five Generation Sky Clan ached from the loss. They resented Chen Mu's actions. After all, while they had agreed to his plans, he had only had to kill Wang Baole and a few other people of little importance. There had been no need for him to offend everyone…

Even if he had offended everyone, everything would have turned out fine if he had succeeded. But he had failed…

The Five Generation Sky Clan was frustrated beyond relief. Wang Baole knew that. He immediately sent a voice transmission to the Martian Colony Governor.

"Governor, in order to put down Chen Mu, I self-destructed ten eighth-grade Dharmic Armaments. All the cultivators in the new city can vouch for me. Please speak for your subordinate and help me seek compensation from the Five Generation Sky Clan!"

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Chapter 436: A Gang of Robbers!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Governor was rendered speechless when faced with Wang Baole's impossible demands. However, she wasn't going to be the one having to pay for the compensation. She told Wang Baole that she would direct her request to the Federation. As for his chances of success, she had no idea.

Wang Baole had only been trying his luck. His eyes lit up when he saw that the Governor didn't refuse his request. His anticipation grew. As he looked forward to the response, the Five Generation Sky Clan was going mad. The head of the Chen family, especially, flew into a rage in the Chen family's residence. He almost went mad with rage.

"Robbers, they're a gang of robbers!

"That bastard Lin You. He said that his son self-destructed thirty Dharmic Armaments. Damn him to hell. His son? I doubt he himself has so many Dharmic Armaments!

"And there's that undying old fart Jin. He said that his own Jin Duoming self-destructed seven ninth-grade Dharmic Armaments. I'll be a fool if I believe that! You'd think that ninth-grade Dharmic Armaments could be easily found everywhere!

"The Martian military is equally shameless. They said that Kong Dao self-destructed twenty Dharmic Armaments. That's not the end of it. The president Duan Muque personally criticized them and said that Kong Dao didn't self-destruct that many—he only self-destructed six… a president of that rank and status playing along with the rest and adding fuel to the fire!"

"That Wang Baole as well. He dared to say that he self-destructed ten eighth-grade Dharmic Armaments!" The head of the Chen family clan simmered with rage. He simply couldn't afford it all. The Five Generation Sky Clan couldn't afford it all. As he boiled in his fury, his voice transmission ring vibrated as it received the latest demands for compensation from the Plume Manifestation Connate Sect. They mentioned Dharmic Armaments as well…

It was like the spark that lit the fuse. The head of the Chen family clan exploded. In the name of the Five Generation Sky Clan, he announced the demands he had received to the Martian administration and to the Federation President. He asked a final question.

"Would a perfected Core Formation realm puppet require the joint self-destruction of three ninth-grade Dharmic Armaments, dozens of eighth-grade Dharmic Armaments, and more than a hundred seventh-grade Dharmic Armaments before it could be put down?"

Duan Muque had an odd expression on his face when he saw the demands made public. The Martian Colony Governor blinked as well. Everyone had only known their own demands. They hadn't known what the other parties had asked for. As the Five Generation Sky Clan's announcement was made known to all the political forces, similar thoughts flashed across everyone's minds.

Wang Baole had also received the announcement from the Five Generation Sky Clan through the Governor. He sucked in a deep breath when he saw the demands from the rest.

That's brutal, none of their Dharmic Armaments exploded, only mine did! Wang Baole instantly felt as innocent and naive as a little white bunny when compared to the others.

At present, Kong Dao, Jin Duoming, and Lin Tianhao were all feeling slightly sheepish. The political forces backing them didn't falter though. This tug-o-war continued for quite some time. Finally, Duan Muque stepped in. The matter was finally resolved!

The Five Generation Sky Clan would compensate for the new city with large quantities of resources. This was akin to a fine for the destruction caused by Chen Mu. They would also hand over an eighth-grade Dharmic Armament and fifteen seventh-grade Dharmic Armaments.

Wang Baole got his hands on the eighth-grade Dharmic Armament, while the remaining seventh-grade Dharmic Armaments were divided amongst the others. The matter finally came to an end.

The final fate that awaited Chen Mu was also decided. After being tried by the Federation, he was sentenced to death!

His arranged marriage with Li Wan'er was invalidated as well. No one mentioned it again.

Chen Mu left a mayor's position vacant. Wang Baole seized the opportunity immediately and recommended Zhuo Yifan for the position. It wasn't immediately approved, but Wang Baole staked a firm claim over this office. With Li Yi and Chen Mu as precedents, the various political forces had begun to understand Wang Baole better. They knew that as long as Wang Baole didn't agree to it, no matter whom they sent as a replacement, there was a great chance of said replacement meeting the same fate as his predecessors.

Divine Armament New City suddenly resumed an unprecedented calm and peace. The Martian Colony Governor and the Federation had dispatched inspectors to examine the donkey as well. They found strong energies that rivaled a perfected Core Formation realm cultivator inside the donkey, but the donkey seemed unable to transform at will. It seemed as if the power residing within it was asleep.

The four Dao Colleges stepped forward and vouched for the donkey in the end. That was how the donkey could remain at Wang Baole's side and wasn't taken away.

The donkey's presence meant that Wang Baole, to a certain degree, would be recategorized as one of the Federation's most powerful cultivators. He might not be seen as a fully legitimate member of this group, but he took up at least half a headcount.

As everything came to an end, and as the new city resumed its peace and quiet, Wang Baole finally received his eighth-grade Dharmic Armament from the Five Generation Sky Clan. It wasn't a weapon but a set of armor. When worn, it would form a protective barrier that could resist and defend against the attacks of powerful cultivators.

Amongst eighth-grade Dharmic Armaments, weapons that possessed offensive capabilities were naturally valued more highly than armor, but defensive armor was extremely rare. They were even rarer amongst eighth-grade Dharmic Armaments and beyond. It was difficult to judge which was more valuable. It all boiled down to the user's needs.

The Five Generation Sky Clan was clearly unwilling to hand over any offensive weapons. That was why they had chosen to give away the armor instead. Wang Baole had no complaints with that. He preferred armor, in fact.

An eighth-grade Dharmic Armament requires one to have at least a Core Formation realm cultivation before one can wield it perfectly. I'll find it challenging to unleash its full power if they'd given me a weapon. I wouldn't be able to wield it as well as a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament. When Wang Baole received the armor, he immediately inspected it. Based on his proficiency in refining artifacts, he verified that there was indeed nothing wrong with the armor. He quickly put it on. He patted the armor all over and was extremely pleased.

It's a pity the saber was destroyed… I must make full use of what time I have and quickly refine that Dharmic Armament megaphone of mine! The thought of his saber still made his heart ache. It had been by his side for so long. They had killed together on the moon. It held a certain place in his heart.

Fortunately, even though Wang Baole was down one saber, he still had a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament flying sword. After some thought, he made up his mind and began his seclusion again. He was prepared to gain enlightenment on Heavenly Evocation. He was going to direct heavenly will and create his own Dharmic Armament megaphone.

It'd be great if I could refine a Numinous Treasure that could summon the will of gods… As soon as I activate it, it would automatically draw the wills of gods to me. Wang Baole sighed. He knew that it was an impossible feat. He inhaled deeply, twice, and calmed himself down. He shut his eyes inside the secret chamber. Through the Dharmic Armament flying sword and his own armor, with their guidance, he began to allow his mind to wander. His mind went in search of the wills of gods.

Time passed. A month went by. Wang Baole let his mind wandered multiple times during the month. He went in search of the wills of gods. Every time he crossed paths with one, he tried to lead them towards him. He always failed.

Almost every time, he would sense a scorching spirit deep inside the Martian planet. It was vast like the sun. It was an overpowering presence that dominated all other remnants of gods on the planet. In fact, Wang Baole felt that if he was able to guide this spirit towards him, he might be able to refine a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament!

His cultivation was inadequate though, so he dared not venture near. Once, tempted, he had approached slightly and was immediately assaulted by the sensation of his spirits being ripped into shreds. He was frightened into retreat. He refocused his efforts on the weaker wills of other gods after that.

After repeated attempts, he finally locked onto a god that wasn't particularly powerful but was extremely spirited. It felt like a giant fire tiger to Wang Baole, which seemed appropriate for his Artifact Spirit.

Wang Baole made up his mind. He tried, again and again, to lure it, attempting to guide it towards him. But this spirit seemed particularly bad-tempered. It would approach Wang Baole, then immediately transform into shockwaves and attempt to shatter anyone that tried to venture near it.

Wang Baole grew frustrated. He felt this spirit was like an oblivious man, while he himself was the beautiful and seductive woman. Regardless of how she tried to flirt with and seduce the man, the latter continued to ignore her. If she angered him, he would even try to hit her…

There's something wrong with this analogy… Wang Baole began to sulk. As he troubled himself over this and brainstormed over how to lure the spirit, a conspiracy targeting Wang Baole was brewing secretly!

The instigator was still the Five Generation Sky Clan. The conflict between them and Wang Baole was complicated and unlikely to be resolved. That was why they had to squash Wang Baole. This time wouldn't be like the rest. In the past, it had been the young ones from the Five Generation Sky Clan who had clashed and fought with Wang Baole. This time, the cunning elders from the family clans of the Five Generation Sky Clan were personally staging the attack!

They even contacted the Galactic Dusk Sect and the Plume Manifestation Connate Sect. The latter had come into conflict with the Five Generation Sky Clan due to what had happened in Fang Jing's autonomous zone, but they weren't going to turn down something that was to their benefit. The plan and setup that the Five Generation Sky Clan had proposed were simply too devious. It not only had a high chance of success, but it was also an open conspiracy.

An open conspiracy referred to a conspiracy that openly declared its ill intentions towards the victim. It openly declared its next steps. However, the victim would still be helpless to escape or stop whatever was going to happen next. The victim was powerless to fight back!

This open conspiracy that the few sly elders from the Five Generation Sky Clan had concocted… was to assist in the construction of the new city. They would utilize their full resources and fan the flames. They would push for the currently third-grade city to rise and become a second-grade special region!

Its status would be second only to the Federation Capital and to the main Martian city. It would hold the same special regional status as the other eighteen cities of the Federation!

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