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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Read A World Worth Protecting - Chapter 603 - Stone Tablet! online free - Novelfull

Chapter 603: Stone Tablet!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The mission, which hundreds of Never-Ending Clan members participated in, didn't take long to complete. It ended six hours later. Wang Baole didn't know the exact number of fatalities from the Dao Palace, however, based on what he had witnessed, it was definitely more than forty.

In the end, under the joint forces of multiple Soul Conduit realm cultivators, the city ruins were forcibly wiped off the face of the star, never to be seen again.

As for the cultivators who had been recruited to participate in the mission, they were permitted to leave with the mission's completion. They left separately, and a dispirited Wang Baole dashed off towards the rear of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace's mountain gates.

Having participated in the mission and witnessed the Never-Ending Clan fighting firsthand, there were no longer as many flaws in Wang Baole's imitation of an Never-Ending Clan cultivator. Wang Baole no longer hid his tracks as he traveled, speeding through the air boldly instead.

He encountered quite a few Never-Ending Clan members along the way. He didn't wait for them to spare him a glance, though. Instead, Wang Baole actively threw an assessing look at them. Their eyes would meet, and they would exchange nods before going their separate ways.

His journey was undisturbed by danger. Wang Baole returned once again to the back of the mountain gates of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. Upon arrival, he stood and stared at the jackhammer-shaped Dharmic Artifact, listening to the thunderous rumblings it made. Little Missy's voice rang out in his head.

"Where did you learn it… the Never-Ending Clan's language!"

"This is the language of the Dark Sect. Don't you know, Little Missy?" Wang Baole replied calmly.

Little Missy sank into a long bout of silence after hearing Wang Baole's reply. She recalled the temporary void that she had experienced when Wang Baole had been in the Dark Artifact. She had her suspicions. At the same time, she couldn't help experiencing a sense of helplessness once again—one caused by the incredulous Wang Baole. It seemed that no matter how impossible a task was, as long as she spoke it and got him to try it, he would, after some time, manage to succeed at the task.

Her head began to throb even harder at that thought. Despite realizing that Wang Baole had probably seen through her bluff regarding the Dark Sect, she still believed that whatever she had said remained true as long as she didn't admit otherwise. She snorted.

"Of course I do. I'm just testing you!"

"Oh? What's the point of this test? You're not planning to get me to play the hero, are you? I'm really not cut out for that, Little Missy." Wang Baole stretched lazily. He set aside the mixed feelings he felt towards the massacre on the Vast Expanse Dao Planet. His logic was simple. He was no saint. He only had the Federation in his heart and would only be responsible for the Federation.

The Federation, and the Dark Sect.

Even though his heart went out to the Vast Expanse Dao Planet, he could only give it his sympathy. That was why he had asked Little Missy that question—to stop her from talking and getting him to take on the restoration of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace as his duty.

"The truth is, while the Dark Sect has fallen, its foundations remain. Within the Never-Ending Clan is a mysterious and powerful entity who is a spy from the Dark Sect. This is information of utmost secrecy and confidentiality. The Dark Art that I've learned was originally passed down by this person. That's why you can even consider me one of his extended disciples!" The gears spun furiously in Little Missy's head, and she whipped up a tale in a matter of seconds. Once done with her tale, she couldn't help but feel pleased with how quick she was on her feet.

"I tested you because I wanted to know if you had any chance of gaining my master's approval. With his help, the possibilities in your future would be limitless!"

Little Missy grew even more pleased with herself as she continued. If she could conjure an image of her actual body, one would see her with her arms half-raised and fists pumping in the air, as if in a show of encouragement.

There was an increasingly odd expression on Wang Baole's face. He hadn't believed what Little Missy had said earlier. However, her current tale seemed reasonable. Wang Baole began to doubt himself. In the end though, he still decided not to believe her.

Wang Baole took into consideration his still being in the middle of a mission and decided not to express his disbelief. He nodded his head and went along with Little Missy. She grew more pleased and finally shared the location of the secret passage with Wang Baole.

Wang Baole was tickled by Little Missy as she gained peace of mind. She was rather adorable this way. After all, girls whose favor could be easily gained were all adorable creatures.

Having located the secret passage, Wang Baole continued to tease Little Missy while he sped down the pathway, deep into the Vast Expanse Dao Palace's mountain gates.

The secret passage was extremely well-hidden. It was filled with dust and dirt, and some segments had caved in. That didn't pose a problem to Wang Baole, though. He advanced steadily. Two hours later, Wang Baole appeared inside the Vast Expanse Dao Palace's mountain gates, within the mountain itself!

The mountain had been sliced into two, and an enormous Dharmic Artifact continuously extracted its galactic source. That resulted in multiple cracks and crevices in the mountain body—obstacles in Wang Baole's path.

This wasn't something that was completely insurmountable. It was merely time-consuming. Several hours later, with Little Missy's guidance, Wang Baole finally made his way deep into the mountain and arrived outside a secret chamber!

The walls surrounding the chamber were lined with cracks, and there were remnant energies from a hex in place. The cracks in the walls might have damaged the hex and weakened the latter's power, but it was still powerful enough that Wang Baole's spirit was almost torn apart when he first experienced it. His spirit quaked, and his mind turned blank. His body swayed unsteadily and was on the verge of collapse.

Fortunately, at that critical moment, the disguise cloaking Wang Baole's actual form began to exude a gentle force that brought Wang Baole's back to his senses. Face pale and spirit shaken, he retreated hastily. Even with the protection of the Vast Expanse Laws, he could still sense the immense danger before him.

"Little Missy, are you trying to get me killed…" Wang Baole grimaced. The alarming sense of danger he could feel now was far greater than that given off by a Soul Conduit realm cultivator. His experience in the Dark Dream allowed him to conclude, with some measure of certainty, that this hex had been set up by someone who was as powerful as his master in the Dark Sect.

Besides, it was incomplete and damaged. If it had been kept intact, he might not even have been able to enter these grounds. His soul would have been ripped apart while he was still a distance away.

"The hex's core function is to hide this place… Don't worry, the fact that the hex is still here means that the Never-Ending Clan hasn't yet discovered this place. Get in, quick. The stone tablet I'm looking for is inside!" Little Missy coughed to hide her embarrassment, then spoke hastily.

Wang Baole hesitated for a long moment before approaching cautiously. Little Missy did her best to wield the Vast Expanse Laws around Wang Baole and fight the hex. As Wang Baole shuffled his feet forward, he finally reached the chamber's stone doors. He gave them a push, and the doors opened slowly. Wang Baole took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and stepped in.

As soon as he entered the chamber, the hex began to give off a blinding light. Strands of light appeared before Wang Baole. Any single one of those strands of light would have sent Wang Baole leaping out of his skin. Fortunately, he had the protection of the Vast Expanse Laws, so the light couldn't cause him any harm.

The approach of each strand of light brought with it the shrieking sound of sharp slicing, which sent shivers traveling down Wang Baole's spine. He could see the nexus of these strands of light in the room. Within the nexus floated something palm-sized, halved… the stone tablet!

It seemed as if it wasn't real at all. It was translucent and covered with lines of inscriptions incomprehensible to Wang Baole. It seemed to be pulsating slowly with light, in accordance to some kind of rhythm. An indescribable, ancient aura surrounded the stone tablet.

As Wang Baole's eyes fell on it, they seem to see the deaths of many, the destruction of stars, the collapse of the sun, and the withering away of the entire universe. At the same time… they also saw the source of everything, new life, new stars, a new sun, and the birth of a new universe!

It was as if the entire universe was housed inside the stone tablet. It wasn't whole and appeared incomplete…

"What… is this…" Wang Baole's breathing paused as he murmured.

"I have no idea either. But when I was a kid, my father once told me that this is the Dao that the supreme cultivator in another Dao Domain had discerned in six steps!" Little Missy muttered. Wang Baole's bewilderment grew. After a long moment, as piercing shrills continued to attack his eardrums, Wang Baole finally came to his senses.

"How do we grab it? Let's make a move soon. I have a feeling my clothes aren't going to stay in one piece for much longer!"

"Don't panic. I wasn't stringing you along. Here, you will be able to draw the surrounding power, the power from the hex as well as that of the stone tablet. It'll not only ensure your success in refining your scabbard, but your scabbard will also be able to absorb a sliver of power from this land, creating a foundation for it to evolve and transform into a supreme artifact!"

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Chapter 604: A Seventh-Grade Dharmic Armament That Defies All Laws of Nature

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Wang Baole's breathing quickened instantly when Little Missy said that. He didn't think too much. This wasn't the place or the time for him to do any detailed assessment. He made up his mind almost instantaneously.

Let's wing it! Decisiveness brightened Wang Baole's eyes. Without hesitation, he slammed his right palm on his chest. There was a tremor inside him. He raised his right hand, pulling out a blinding, shining scabbard from his body.

The scabbard began to shake as soon as it appeared. It had held its ground firmly against Dugu Lin's Four Beast Punch, but now, as soon as it had appeared, it began to show signs of cracking and breaking up into pieces under the surrounding force exuded by the strands of light. There was crackling in the air, and a slight crack appeared on the scabbard!

Wang Baole had no idea what Little Missy did, but at that very critical moment, the disguise cloaking Wang Baole, formed from Vast Expanse Laws, exploded with a boom. The shock waves surged outwards and collided with the strands of light. An image of Little Missy appeared, her hands forming a series of hand seals deftly. The blinding strands of light surrounding them stilled suddenly.

It was as if everything had come to a standstill. Wang Baole released a sigh of relief. He could see that Little Missy was struggling to keep the light at bay though. He steadied his breathing, brought his hands together to form a series of hand seals, and, without any delay, began the refinement of his scabbard!

Wang Baole had already mapped out how to go about upgrading the scabbard from a sixth-grade artifact to a seventh-grade artifact. He had run through the process many times in his head. Through the continuous gathering of materials, his current inventory of materials was also sufficient for the refinement!

What he lacked was confidence in his success. On the one hand, he was worried that failure might result in the destruction of his scabbard. On the other, the materials required for the refinement were rare and precious. If he failed, he would need to gather them anew. It wasn't an impossible feat, but the effort required was simply too tremendous.

That was why he had been stuck improving his skills at refinement. His original intentions were to proceed with refining the scabbard after he was fully certain of his success. However, the opportunity presented to him at this moment was simply too rare to resist. There was also something important that Little Missy had said earlier, at the end…

My scabbard will be able to absorb a sliver of power from this land, creating a foundation for it to evolve and transform into a supreme artifact! Intense anticipation shone in Wang Baole's eyes. With a wave of his hand, great quantities of materials flew out. He formed a series of hand seals swiftly. Within a matter of moments, the materials began to melt as Wang Baole extracted their essences.

There was still the matter of finding a cauldron for the actual refinement. Wang Baole might know fire-based divine power, which might have sufficed for ordinary Dharmic Armaments, but for this particular case… Wang Baole's eyes flashed. He spoke suddenly.

"Little Missy, are you able to release one strand of light?"

Little Missy turned towards Wang Baole violently and stared. She was about to say something before she spotted the determined and resolute look in Wang Baole's eyes. She didn't try to dissuade him, only formed a series of hand seals and wielded the power of the Vast Expanse Laws to free a single strand of light. It charged towards Wang Baole, albeit at a much slower pace with the Vast Expanse Laws slowing it down.

Its slowness presented Wang Baole an opportunity. Just as the strand of light approached, Wang Baole flung his materials in the right sequence at it, making use of the light to cut the materials up into his desired shapes and sizes!

It was like dancing on the tip of a blade. Wang Baole concentrated his full attention on the task, afraid to allow himself even a moment of distraction. He no longer paid attention to danger or even realized where he was!

He saw only the refinement of his scabbard. It was the only thing that existed in his world. He didn't permit himself to fail. Even though Little Missy had said that he would definitely succeed, he continued to remain cautious and on high alert. His obsession had reached the heights of madness!

The sounds of rumbling rang in the air. Vast quantities of materials continued to be sliced up and melted down before Little Missy drew back the strand of light. Wang Baole continued to form hand seals and fused the materials with his scabbard. Everything went smoothly, without a hitch. Half an hour later, Wang Baole had readied all the materials and placed them on the scabbard. He lifted his head suddenly, and there was an intense light in his eyes.

Wang Baole knew that the true refinement was just about to begin!

He took a deep breath, grabbed enough Armament Sand from out of his storage bracelet, then, without any hesitation, fused the sand with the scabbard. With another series of hand seals and a wave of his hand, a fire-based spell erupted from his person. Flames enveloped the entire scabbard, and the scabbard's aura began to intensify exponentially!

It advanced from that of a sixth-grade artifact, creeping upward towards the seventh grade. The aura grew more and more terrifying. However… it was still one step from advancing from a sixth-grade artifact to a seventh-grade one.

Wang Baole didn't know what he was missing. He began to grow anxious. It was clear that based on his calculations, he should have successfully refined the scabbard into a seventh-grade artifact at this point. What remained should be the infusion of a god with the scabbard so that it could become a true seventh-grade artifact.

Where did I go wrong… A frantic Wang Baole watched as his scabbard reached the peak of its refinement and could no longer be refined. However, without any breakthrough in its grade, it began to show signs of breaking apart!

Based on his understanding of Dharmic Armaments, if he didn't resolve this matter immediately, the scabbard would continue to break apart. It would begin to devour itself as if it were setting itself on fire. Once all the materials had been consumed, the artifact itself would disintegrate completely.

The cracks… is it because it's not sufficiently malleable? At that critical moment, as Wang Baole remained shaken, Little Missy suddenly formed a series of hand seals. The stone tablet began to rise in the air, then dash towards the scabbard. It appeared above the scabbard and sank downwards!

The scabbard immediately shook. The surrounding force seemed to have suppressed earlier signs of cracking, preventing the artifact from breaking apart!

"Repair it quickly. I didn't expect this to happen. This scabbard of yours… it's no longer the same as the one described in the recipe I remembered… I can only help with the repairs and prevent it from breaking apart…" Little Missy said with great difficulty. Wang Baole quickly formed a series of hand seals and pulled out huge quantities of materials. As he began repairs, he started to think about the problem of malleability. He could hear the apologetic tone in Little Missy's voice, but he wasn't ready to accept failure just yet.

In fact, if the refinement truly failed this time, Wang Baole had a feeling that it would no longer be possible for him to upgrade his scabbard to a seventh-grade artifact.

If that's truly the case, then I have to try, even if it means failure. It lacks in malleability? I've almost used up all the materials I have with me. But… there's something right here that fits the bill! Wang Baole's eyes had turned slightly red as he stared at the strand of light that Little Missy had pulled back earlier!

"Little Missy, release the strand of light!" Wang Baole shouted. Shock flashed across Little Missy's face. She knew what Wang Baole was trying to do.

"Is it worth all that effort?" Little Missy couldn't help but ask.

"We're already at this stage. If we don't succeed, we might as well kill all hope now!" Wang Baole clenched his jaw, and a fierce light flickered in his eyes. Little Missy gave him a long, unfathomable look. She stopped trying to dissuade him and immediately formed a series of hand seals. The strand of light that she had drawn back was instantly released, and it sped towards Wang Baole.

As soon as the strand of light approached, Wang Baole decided to give it all that he had. He yelled and formed a series of hand seals. He steered his scabbard forward, racing towards the strand of light, not to collide with it, but… to devour and meld with it!

He planned to fuse the hexed strand of light with his scabbard!

The strand of light fused instantly with the scabbard. However, it had the power to slice through all things, and the scabbard appeared unable to withstand its power. It was akin to an ordinary man swallowing a sharp blade. The blade was going to skewer him at any moment. However, the power of the stone tablet was an immense force that enveloped the scabbard tightly. Thunderous booms erupted in the air, and the strand of light couldn't pass through the scabbard!

Madness colored Wang Baole's eyes as he witnessed that, and he shouted.

"Another one!"

Little Missy was stunned at the sight before her as well. She formed a series of hand seals deftly, and a second strand of light flew into the air and was similarly devoured by the scabbard. It was followed by a third strand, then a fourth, and a fifth…

Within the span of thirty breaths, Wang Baole had fused more than a hundred strands of light with his scabbard. The scabbard was riddled with holes at this point. If not for the stone tablet holding it together, it would have shattered into countless pieces and turned into dust a long while ago.

However, currently… it still retained its form. This meant a chance for Wang Baole. His hands continued to form hand seals, to refine the artifact and to repair it. When he used up all his materials, he pulled out a Stellar Source and flung it into the scabbard.

At that moment, he was no longer thinking about the recipe for refinement. The only thought on his mind was to repair the scabbard!

It was impossible to tell how much time had passed. Little Missy's mind had grown fuzzy. All the strands of light in the area had been devoured by the scabbard, and Wang Baole had used up almost all his Stellar Source. The scabbard had been undergoing continuous repair without showing signs of reaching its peak. It was then that suddenly, within it erupted… an overpowering aura!

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Chapter 605: My Dear Junior Brother!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Breaking through from a sixth-grade Dharmic Armament to become a seventh-grade Dharmic Armament!

The scabbard's appearance had transformed drastically. It looked like it had been formed from crystal. One could even see thin golden strands seemingly swimming in it!

Besides Wang Baole, any other person would sense that the aura exuding from the scabbard far surpassed that of an ordinary seventh-grade Dharmic Armament. It could even rival a Divine Armament!

Only Wang Baole, its creator, knew that his scabbard was only at the seventh grade. In fact, it was just a germinal form that required the fusion of a soul to be complete.

There would be no oversight for that last step. He could even carry it out when he returned. Wang Baole needed to carefully consider his choice of soul. What he had decided earlier was no longer suitable, what with the scabbard's unique refinement process.

Wang Baole's eyes flashed at that thought. He raised his right hand and made a grab through the air. His scabbard came whistling by, landing right in his palm!

Wang Baole shivered when he closed his fist around the handle. It was as if he had in his hand a terrifying artifact that had the power to destroy the world. It was an intense feeling, one that terrified Wang Baole. He was about to examine the scabbard in closer detail when… suddenly, an aura—weaker than the scabbard's and nowhere near as powerful as the stone tablet, but one still strong enough to overwhelm Wang Baole—descended from the heavens!

Little Missy spoke hastily as soon as the aura appeared.

"We've been discovered!" She said, then, with a step forward, cast a shadow over the stone tablet. The stone tablet seemed to melt instantaneously, fusing together with Little Missy's form. She dashed towards Wang Baole, and as she disappeared into thin air, her voice rang out frantically in Wang Baole's head.

"Quick, run!"

Wang Baole hardly needed Little Missy to tell him what to do. As soon as the aura appeared, his head began to ring, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. It felt as if his body might explode at any time.

He had no time to think. He immediately stored the scabbard and tried to escape the secret chamber. It was then that an icy snort rang out from the heavens outside the mountain, traveling in all directions. In the sky above the mountain gates of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, a gigantic vortex appeared suddenly.

An enormous hand—made from something other than flesh and blood and larger than the entire mountain peak—reached out from the vortex and made a grab at the mountain gates!

The mountain was like tofu, smashed into bits wherever it came into contact with the hand. The enormous hand avoided the jackhammer-shaped Dharmic Artifact, heading instead for the secret chamber. It was a blur, breaking open the chamber's roof in a split second. Amidst the rumbling and explosions of shattering rock and stone, it appeared right before Wang Baole's eyes. The entire sky seemed to be blocked out by this gigantic hand!

Wang Baole was shaken to the core. The cultivation inside his body seemed to have frozen instantly. It was as if his body had been drained dry of everything at that instant. He lost the ability to run away and could only watch as the enormous hand came slamming downwards!

It was then that the scabbard, which Wang Baole had no time to inspect, suddenly emitted a crystalline light. The light shot out from Wang Baole's body and raced towards the gigantic hand. The collision sparked a deafening, thunderous boom.

Blood spilled from Wang Baole's lips. His mind cleared up immediately, but there was no time to be shocked. He drew back immediately, with great haste. A soft snort rang out above him in the sky. The enormous hand picked up speed, smashing through stone walls with ease. With a single grab, it enclosed half the mountain peak within its palm and yanked upwards. Inside the mountain, Wang Baole's balance wavered as he, alongside the mountain he was in, was pulled into the sky!

It was life or death for them right now. Little Missy threw all caution to the wind. She appeared behind Wang Baole, her hands a blur as she formed a series of hand seals. Instantly, energy waves of a teleportation surged from her person and enveloped Wang Baole. It was clear that the risk of making an escape like that was too high. The chances of them being stopped were too great. It was a risky gamble.

Little Missy gritted her teeth. She released a breath of precious Soul Qi and pointed her finger at the gigantic hand. The entire Vast Expanse Dao Palace ruins began to quake. Strands of starlight shot out from the lands around them, drawn to the surface by Little Missy!

The starlight was the power of the Vast Expanse Laws. Now, they gathered and transformed into a huge sword woven from starlight. The sword swung at the gigantic hand. It was extremely fast. It was as if the will of this star had suddenly transformed into the sword. It slashed, separating the hand from the vortex!

The mountain, caught in the hand's grip and held in mid-air, began to fall. A huge chunk of it disintegrated when it landed on the ground. Wang Baole spat out a mouthful of blood. He had sustained injuries previously and was in a worse state now. Fortunately, the teleportation had already been activated. Amidst the rumbling of the spell, a furious howl erupted from the skies above him. This time, three muscular arms shot out from the vortex, smashing the ground with the intention of destroying everything. Wang Baole's body was crushed instantly.

One of the last things he heard was a loud explosion that seemed to signal the destruction of the star. Then, a third voice, from someone other than the owner of the three arms. He didn't have time to catch what was being said before everything came to an abrupt standstill. The next moment… when his vision cleared again, he was back in the Worship Palace Pavilion on the ancient greenish-bronze sword!

He wasn't in front of the fifth palace but before the grand halls of the sixth palace. Once he reappeared, Wang Baole spat out another mouthful of blood as he staggered, then fell to the ground.

It was a long while before he struggled to sit up again. His face was pale as he gulped in huge mouthfuls of air, and his organs appeared to be crushed. The extreme agony was torture. Even though his body was knitting everything back together and healing itself quickly, this did nothing to lessen the pain. It only made the pain worse.

Wang Baole was a vicious character though. Despite the agonizing pain, he pulled himself into a cross-legged position, pulled out some pills, and began to treat his injuries. The entire process took three days. His pain gradually faded as he slowly recovered. On the fourth day, Wang Baole opened his eyes and released a long sigh.

After making sure that he was indeed safe now, he began to recall everything that had happened on the Vast Expanse Dao Planet. Everything felt so surreal, as if it had all been a dream. It had been real though, frighteningly so. He was still recovering from the fright. An image of the enormous hand surfaced in his mind…

"The last guy. What's his level of cultivation?" After a bout of silence, Wang Baole asked Little Missy.

"It's all your fault, draining away the full power of the hex just to refine a scabbard… If not for that, we wouldn't have been found out so quickly… So be it, I'm at fault too. We were unlucky as well. Who could've known that an Eternal Star realm cultivator was passing by right at that moment… We wouldn't have fared so badly if it had been a Planet realm cultivator. Fortunately, the Eternal Star realm cultivator wasn't that powerful. My mystic art triumphed and managed to create a distraction, which prevented him from pursuing us after we teleported away…" Little Missy sighed. She had been muttering all the way until the end when her tone became slightly pleased.

The Eternal Star realm… Wang Baole ignored the parts of Little Missy's statements which weren't to be trusted. He took in a deep breath. Then, he remembered his scabbard. Excitement overcame him as he slammed his right palm on his chest and tried to extract his scabbard. He froze. He couldn't do it.

Wang Baole grew anxious, but he could still sense the strong connection with his scabbard, which eased his anxieties slightly. Then, an idea came to him. He infused his spiritual senses into the scabbard and inspected it. The mosquitoes in the scabbard had all vanished, leaving behind only the black and purple mosquitoes.

There were hundreds of golden lights in the scabbard—as many as the strands of light he had fused with the scabbard. They seemed as if they were gestating. The sight gave Wang Baole quite a few ideas. He wondered if they might transform into hundreds of golden mosquitoes…

While Wang Baole remained deep in thought, somewhere far away from the Solar System, in the Vast Expanse Star Domain, on the Vast Expanse Dao Planet, a middle-aged man was pinned to the ground. He had lost one arm and had his remaining five nailed to the ground with five blades of leaves. He was trembling, his eyes bright with terror and resentment. He stared ahead of him. Before him was an enormous rock. Leaning against it was a youth, drinking from a gourd in his hand, a green wooden sword beside him.

The middle-aged man was the powerful Eternal Star realm cultivator from the Never-Ending Clan who had attacked Wang Baole!

He didn't know exactly who the youth was, but he could make an educated guess. The answer sent terror surging through him like a tsunami, and he opened his mouth hurriedly.

"My Lord, I'm under the command of the second Divine King…"

Before he could finish his words, a sword's gleaming blade flew past, and his three heads flew into the air. A black, icy fire spread from the wounds, setting the heads on fire as well as burning the headless body. Within a flash, an Eternal Star realm cultivator was destroyed—in both body and soul!

"Dare hurt my junior brother? Who cares who you are. You can bite me," the youth muttered. He raised his gourd and took another gulp. Turning his head, he gazed into the heavens. It was as if his eyes could pierce through space, and he could see the Solar System. His lips twitched into a smile.

My dear junior brother, I've finally found you.

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Chapter 606: Cough, Cough

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Presently, in the Worship Palace Pavilion on the sword body of the ancient greenish-bronze sword, Wang Baole was immersed in the examination of his scabbard. After a great deal of thought, he decided to ask Little Missy about the scabbard's transformation.

"Don't look at me. There's no one in the entire universe who knows what's going on with your scabbard. You should just treat it as a complete mutation and work things out yourself," Little Missy said hurriedly.

Wang Baole grimaced as he shook his head. He studied the scabbard for a while longer, but to no avail. He finally surrendered. Wang Baole knew that he had gotten himself a great treasure this time though. This lifted his spirits significantly.

It's probably because my cultivation is still inadequate. Just wait until I reach the Nascent Soul realm. Maybe, when I whip out my scabbard then, a single slash from it would send gods and demons crying for mercy! Wang Baole imagined the heroic figure he would cut then. Spirits high, he got to his feet and stared at the sixth palace ahead of him.

He was willing to give it a shot. However, the terrifying experience he had in the fifth palace told him that the sixth palace would be even more dangerous. The likelihood of him failing was great. Even trying to survive the allocated period of time inside might prove to be challenging.

Without any prior experience in the fourth and fifth palaces, Wang Baole might have just given up trying to survive the sixth. After all, the chances of success were slim. Negligible, even. However… he had managed to scavenge many treasures while in the fourth palace. In the fifth, besides refining his scabbard, he had also dug up quite a few rare materials.

Even though most had been expended during the refinement of his scabbard, the fact that there had been tremendous gains couldn't be disputed. Wang Baole was caught in a dilemma. He wanted to accept the mission in the sixth palace and continue his hunt for treasures, but he was also worried that he might not make it out alive.

After some thought, Wang Baole coughed. He first gained Little Missy's favor with passionate declarations, buttering her up with a round of a* kissing, then seized the moment for a few questions.

"Little Missy, is there any way for me to not complete the mission in the sixth palace but be able to teleport back any time I wish, just like what happened earlier?"

"You're planning to go scavenging for treasures, aren't you…" Little Missy asked coolly, her tone of voice clearly indicating that she knew exactly what he was thinking. Then, she spoke again, with a voice of great experience.

"So be it. Considering how hard you worked earlier, I'll help you. Just this once, though," Little Missy said proudly, like a little princess.

Wang Baole blinked. He knew the underlying message behind Little Missy's words. Based on his understanding of her, she was probably only capable of performing one last teleportation. That was why she had said what she had said.

"That's enough!" Wang Baole was overcome with excitement. Out of habit, he showered her with flattery again, continuing until Little Missy was basking in increasing comfort and praise. Then, he took a deep breath and marched towards the grand halls of the sixth palace.

Wang Baole stopped in his tracks just before he was about to enter the sixth palace. He turned and saw Kong Dao before the third palace. He had just been teleported over!

That meant that Kong Dao had successfully passed the test for outer sect disciples in the second palace. What lay before him was the test for inner sect disciples in the third palace!

Should he pass that too, he'd share the same rank and status as Zhao Yameng. Kong Dao lifted his head then as well. He saw Wang Baole standing before the sixth palace in the distance and smiled. He raised his hand in a wave, then sat down and began the healing process.

Wang Baole stared at Kong Dao and at Zhao Yameng, who was in the midst of her cultivation in the fourth palace. Then, he turned and eyed the sixth palace before him. His eyes shone brightly with a strange and intense light. Soon, he sighed.

It's impossible to pass. I bet no one in the entire history of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace has ever tried going through the sixth palace while at the Core Formation realm. I mean, look at the increasing levels of difficulty. The fourth palace is at the Nascent Soul realm level and the fifth palace, while unique, is also probably at the Soul Conduit realm level. Based on such deduction, the sixth palace should minimally be at the Spirit Immortal realm level. In fact, it might even be at the level of the Planet realm, Wang Baole thought, regret filling his heart. He might have already achieved the status and rank of a personal disciple, but he would have his name listed down in history if he could pass the final palace.

He was also really interested in the higher disciple ranks, including the Vast Expanse Dao disciple rank.

Whatever, we'll see where this takes us. There's no harm in trying since we're already here. Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. After some thought, he took a step forward and entered the halls of the sixth palace.

Darkness surrounded him. It was as if he had stepped into the abyss. Wang Baole had already gotten used to this though, as it had been the same for the fourth and fifth palaces. He stood calmly in the pitch-black darkness while he waited for a cold voice devoid of emotions to announce his mission details.

He didn't have to wait long. The voice appeared, as expected, and echoed in the emptiness of the sixth palace.

"The adopted disciple trial at the sixth palace shall commence after the span of a hundred breaths.

"Please prepare yourself. You shall be teleported to one of the civilizations in the Never-Ending Clan alliance… the fifth planet on the ninth orbit belonging to the Twilight Cyperus Clan. You have to destroy the Tower of Sudden Rage. Your mission is complete when you destroy the tower and return. The mission is extremely difficult. Please practice caution!"

"If no explicit refusal is provided during the span of a hundred breaths, the mission shall be deemed as accepted. Please note that…" The cold, emotionless voice was completely flat as it went on. However, this time, just as it reached a certain juncture, it suddenly paused without completing the rest of the statement!

Wang Baole thought he heard an indistinct cough, or perhaps he hadn't. It might be his ears playing tricks on him. But the entire sixth palace, the entire Worship Palace Pavilion, in fact, suddenly trembled at that moment—without Wang Baole even realizing it.

It was as if a force originating from the deepest recesses of this universe had suddenly flexed its muscle in front of the Worship Palace Pavilion. Thus, the pavilion trembled, and inside the sixth palace, the cold, emotionless voice paused, and then it went off-script.

"The adopted disciple trial at the sixth palace shall commence after the span of a hundred breaths.

"Please prepare yourself. You shall be teleported to the Skandha Dao Planet, where you have to gain enlightenment marks. You may activate the teleportation spell after gaining one enlightenment mark! The level of difficulty for this mission is unknown. It is a reward-based mission. Please practice…"

Wang Baole was stunned when he heard what the voice said. The two missions were miles apart in terms of difficulty. Wang Baole felt incredulous. However, just like the last round, before the voice could finish speaking, a cough—which seemed like a trick played on his ears—echoed in the air once again!

Wang Baole's eyes widened. He was sure he wasn't hearing things. He turned his head and stared at the surrounding emptiness. He said, with a solemn expression on his face.

"Who is it!"

Wang Baole received no reply to his question. The voice announcing the missions for the sixth palace reappeared after a span of a dozen breaths. This time, it seemed less cold and more sullen…

"Please prepare yourself. You shall be teleported to the Queen Beetle Planet, where you have to marry…"

"Cough!"

"Please prepare yourself. You shall be teleported to the Celestial Entity Planet, where your physical form shall be transformed into that of a Celestial Entity Warrior…"

"Cough!"

…

Wang Baole stood there, terrified, as the coughing continued incessantly. He was of the mind to give up. This was simply too bizarre. But the voice grew sour, and the missions it spoke sent Wang Baole's heart racing even faster. The temptation was irresistible.

Regardless, no matter how tempting the mission details seemed, Wang Baole managed to shove down those greedy thoughts. He caught a window of opportunity, when the voice was once again interrupted by a cough, to yell out hurriedly.

"I give up! I made the wrong move. I give up!"

The rules dictated that Wang Baole be teleported out of the sixth palace as soon as he gave up accepting the mission. However, what happened next… was the sulking voice ignored him blatantly. To be more precise—it didn't dare not ignore him.

Wang Baole stood bewildered and terrified, calling out to Little Missy to no avail as the sullen voice announced a dozen or so missions before a mission was finally declared without being interrupted by a cough!

"Great and esteemed contender, please prepare yourself. You shall be teleported to Mi Luo Forest, where your mission is to slay a Star Fang Beast cub and extract its core. Great contender, please exercise caution and take extreme care, so that your precious person won't be placed in too much danger. A newly born Star Fang Beast cub can rival a cultivator at the Soul Conduit realm, while its adult form can hold its own against a perfected Planet realm cultivator. Its Beast King can triumph over one at the Planet realm and reach the level of the Eternal Star realm.

"In view of your highly esteemed status, regardless of your success in slaying the beast, you will be deemed as having passed the trial. You may choose to return any time after entering the trial!"

The voice no longer sounded sullen. It seemed as if it was trying to gain someone's favor. That didn't comfort Wang Baole at all. His hair stood on end, and he began to sweat profusely. Shivering inwardly, he was about to turn down the mission when his vision suddenly blurred. The teleportation had begun.

Wang Baole vanished from the sixth palace amidst the rumbling…

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Chapter 607: There's Nothing Here…

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Mi Luo Forest wasn't an actual name. It got its name because of its star system's unique appearance. Should one stand at the highest point in the star system, they would be able to view the star system in its entirety. It was in the shape of an enormous tree.

Its planets weren't exactly spherical in shape. Under the rules governing this star system, they had evolved to become tree-shaped entities, big and small. They even had branches and leaves. If one were to extend their spiritual senses outward and do a quick sweep, they might end up with the wrong idea—that there was a patch of forest in the middle of space.

That was how Mi Luo Forest came to be known by that name.

There were two reasons for its renown in the Never-Ending Clan's Dao Domain. The first reason was that thousands of species of beasts lived in the Mi Luo Forest. Nearly all these species had extremely powerful kings. There were even five species with their own, even more powerful, Ancestral Beasts!

That was why Mi Luo Forest's name had spread far and wide in the Dao Domain run by the Never-Ending Clan. No one dared offend the civilization. Arising from the second reason, the Never-Ending Clan didn't dare do so either. The second reason being… the Mi Luo Forest was one of the few galaxies that the Never-Ending Clan was wary of and granted self-governance to!

Presently, on one of the many tree-shaped planets in the Mi Luo Forest, one of the habitats where the Star Fang Beasts roamed, a terrified and bewildered Wang Baole descended with the blinding flash of a teleportation.

The Star Fang Beast was one of the thousands of species in the Mi Luo Forest. It wasn't ranked as one of the top five hundred beasts, and its reproductive ability and power were both ordinary. However, it possessed an ability that allowed it to refashion a planet. It was like a craftsman that could reshape a planet's environment to better suit a species' characteristics.

To do so though, it would not only need a planet but also the flesh and blood of vast quantities of cultivators as well as numerous souls. These were easily attainable in the Mi Luo Forest. In their eyes, a great many civilizations were merely prey.

The Star Fang Beasts' unique ability led to its acceptance into the Mi Luo Forest, and it became a member of the Beast Clan Alliance. Its unique ability allowed it to thrive in this galaxy.

The group of craftsmen had put in great efforts in reshaping their own planet. Its temperature was extremely high, and flames could be seen escaping from the ground and rising to the air everywhere on the planet. The entire place was like an enormous tree caught on fire.

Wang Baole appeared on a plain on this fiery tree. He yelped as soon as he popped into existence. The temperature was simply scorching. His hair and eyebrows caught on fire as soon as he appeared. He hurriedly activated his cultivation. With his resilient physical body and his understanding of fire-based spells, he barely managed to withstand the heat.

Wang Baole knew that he couldn't keep this up for long, though. If he didn't leave soon, he might end up as literal toast.

"Heavens, who did I offend exactly? Why did they shuffle through dozens of missions to throw me into this place? Little Missy, Little Missy, I haven't done anything to you!" Wang Baole cried out furiously as he moved swiftly, desperate to find somewhere that wasn't as scorching hot.

"Shut up!" Little Missy's tone was nasty. It seemed like she was on the verge of going crazy.

"This wasn't me. I don't know who the hell it is. Maybe the Artifact Spirit in the Worship Palace Pavilion has gone crazy. You think I would willingly come to someplace like this? It's no biggie, though. I can do something about it. In fact, we can simply teleport back…" Little Missy snorted. Before she was done speaking though, a dozen incredible auras erupted in the distant space above the planet!

The aura's power was enough to move stars. It filled the heavens and sent the planet shaking. Flames burst from the ground and transformed the land into an ocean of fire. As fire rose to the skies, Little Missy fell silent. Wang Baole quaked in his boots. Any of these auras was a match for the enormous hand on the Vast Expanse Dao Planet. In fact, every one of these auras was slightly more powerful than the hand!

This… dear heavens, what exactly is this hellish place? Wang Baole was on the verge of tears. The thought of a dozen Eternal Star realm cultivators on this planet made his scalp prickle with numbness. What made it worse were the numerous auras at the Soul Conduit, Spirit Immortal, and Planet realms erupting on the planet.

The ocean of fire erupting on the planet seemed to be a joyous event. Wang Baole could see in the distance, the dancing shadows of beasts filling the space between sky and land. The sight terrified Wang Baole. He couldn't breathe. He was about to call for Little Missy to teleport him away. It was then that a thunderous rumbling erupted from the skies.

The explosions in the ocean of fire intensified, and the entire planet quaked. The excited howls of beasts echoed in the air as an enormous fire appeared in the distant sky!

The fire was hundreds of thousands of feet tall. It smashed into the planet like a meteor. Despite it being far away, Wang Baole could still see an enormous beast in the ocean of fire!

The beast was shaped like an enormous, round meatball. It was covered in sharp, blade-like thorns and had four eyes. Its open maw looked vicious. The aura exploding from the beast as it landed surpassed that of the dozen auras that shook the planet. It was like a king had just returned.

Wang Baole only got a glance before his head started ringing from Little Missy's horrified shriek.

"A Beast King! Get down to your feet, fatty! I'm going to cast a spell. D*mn that wretched Worship Palace Pavilion, teleporting us to this d*mned place. I'm going to tear the whole place down when I get back!" Wang Baole trembled and fell to the ground. He couldn't care less about the scorching ground or the burning pain as he hurriedly crawled over to a large rock nearby. Little Missy's shaky voice echoed in his head.

"There's nothing here, there's nothing here…"

Perhaps Little Missy did have some tricks up her sleeve, or perhaps it was pure good luck. Regardless, the Star Fang Beast King didn't notice Wang Baole as it landed. The Star Fang Beasts continued to cheer while fires continued to erupt from the ground without stopping.

A long time passed, and Wang Baole felt he was about to be cooked alive. His mouth was dry and his eyes about to spew fire. He said desperately.

"Little Missy, quick, teleport us away!"

"You think I don't want to? I've tried a dozen times! There's a hex in place, I can't perform a teleportation!" Answering Wang Baole was a yell from Little Missy, which wasn't aligned with her image at all.

It was clear that she had no energy for keeping up appearances in such a critical situation. If she were to show herself now, one might see her pulling at her hair in frustration and anxiety.

Wang Baole began to feel anxious. He sighed. While simmering with frustration, he saw something next to the rock. The fires burning the ground left shining crystalline objects behind.

He blinked, then crawled over and dug them out. After a detailed inspection, his eyes widened, and his breathing quickened. He almost shouted in surprise.

Is this Supreme Fire Ore? Emotions rushed through Wang Baole in waves. There were no records of such materials on Earth. He had first found one in the list of materials required for repairing the Dark Sampan, then in records found in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. It was an extremely rare and valuable refinement material. Using it on an ordinary Dharmic Armament would greatly boost the latter's power.

It was also an essential material for refining Divine Armaments as well as one of the core materials for repairing a Dark Artifact!

Wang Baole became extremely excited after some careful examination and final confirmation. His eyes sparkled, and he stopped caring about Little Missy's teleportation. Wang Baole looked around hurriedly and saw another Supreme Fire Crystal. He bore the pain as he crawled over hastily and grabbed it. He put it away immediately and began hunting around again.

While Wang Baole continued his hunt for Supreme Fire Ores, Little Missy kept trying to activate the teleportation. On the same planet, on a mountain peak not particularly far away from Wang Baole, the drinking youth from the Vast Expanse Dao Planet once again made his appearance. He was lying on a huge rock, drinking, with his wooden sword lying haphazardly next to him. He had a smile on his face as he stared in the direction where Wang Baole was. Hidden deep in his eyes were wisps of nostalgia and remembrance.

After a long moment, the youth suddenly laughed.

"You like Supreme Fire Stones so much?" He said softly. He lifted his right hand and waved it casually at the ground. The entire star began to tremble instantly, and underground streams of Supreme Fire Stone vein caved in. It was as if an invisible force was moving them—from all directions deep underground—rapidly, towards… Wang Baole!

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Chapter 608: A Complete Suite of Premium Services!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

At present, Wang Baole was crawling over to another Supreme Fire Stone more than a hundred feet away. He obviously viewed these stones as precious items. There were so few of them around that he hunted for a long time and only managed to find three such pieces. They were all rather small.

These are all extremely rare treasures. Wang Baole crawled over happily and picked up the Supreme Fire Stone. He examined the stone and became rather pleased.

Even though the environment was horrid, and Little Missy wouldn't let him stand up at all—it seemed like her abilities required him to stick close to the ground to reduce the likelihood of being discovered, which meant he was being roasted alive and felt miserable—the hardships were worth it if he were able to pick up a Supreme Fire Stone.

Little Missy noticed the expression on Wang Baole's face. She had been trying multiple times to teleport them out of this place and had failed just as many times. Frustrated, she couldn't control the snort that escaped from her.

"Overjoyed over a few stupid stones? You should be better than this!"

"You don't understand. This is a Supreme Fire Stone. Do you know what that is?" Wang Baole grew unhappy when he heard what she said. It was an insult to the Supreme Fire Stones. It was as offensive as calling him a fatty.

"Supreme Fire Stones can only be formed from the destruction of an entire star system. Its creation requires the most stringent of conditions. A single piece of it, no matter how tiny, is incredibly rare and valuable. This star system must have undergone some major destruction or catastrophe, followed by rebirth or reconstruction, for there to be so many pieces of it here!" Wang Baole said coolly as he shared his knowledge with Little Missy.

Little Missy might pretend to know everything, but Wang Baole had long seen through her disguise. It was all an act. She might pretend to know it all, but in actual fact, she only knew a bit of everything.

Little Missy was dazed by what Wang Baole had said. She was about to say something when Wang Baole interrupted her.

"I bet that there's a limited quantity of Supreme Fire Stones on this planet. They've been scattered across the planet. It's unfortunate that we can't harvest them all. To be able to pick up these few is already an unexpected windfall." Wang Baole sighed and stored the Supreme Fire Stone into his storage bracelet. He had checked the surrounding area while grabbing this particular Supreme Fire Stone, and there were no other stones in the area. It was regrettable but also entirely understandable.

He raised his head and was about to ask Little Missy how she was handling the teleportation. It was then that suddenly, Little Missy's voice echoed in his head. There was a strange quality to her voice.

"You sure this stupid stone is extremely rare and precious?"

"Of course, it's…" Wang Baole raised his eyebrow. He spoke, but he didn't manage to get all his words out before Little Missy coughed.

"Lift your head and look towards your right. A thousand feet away. There's one there."

Wang Baole froze. He immediately lifted his head and took a look. There was indeed a Supreme Fire Stone in the distance. He was shocked. He recalled searching the area earlier, but there hadn't been anything there. He crawled over. His body shook, and his eyes widened. His eyes almost popped out of his skull as he stared at the area a thousand feet away.

There… had been only a single Supreme Fire Stone a while ago. However, in the blink of an eye, a second, third, then fourth… piece appeared. That wasn't the end of it. Within a span of a few breaths, Supreme Fire Stones seemed to have dug their way out from the ground and piled up crazily. It took but a moment… for a small mountain of stones to form!

There were so many of them that it was likely they numbered in the thousands. More Supreme Fire Stones continued to surface… A second mountain of Supreme Fire Stones was formed, followed by a third, then a fourth… Stones continued to make their way out from the ground and gather into a pile.

The entire process took an estimated half an hour. Wang Baole sprawled on his belly. It was as if he had just been struck by a bolt of lightning. He was in a daze and had almost stopped breathing. He watched, stunned, as eight small mountains of Supreme Fire Stones formed around him!

"This… this…" Wang Baole opened his mouth and stuttered. His head was buzzing. He had this feeling of incredulity overcome him. It made his hair stand. He began to sweat profusely, and his scalp prickled.

Even Little Missy was at a loss for words. In fact, reading too much into what was going on around them only terrified her further. After a long bout of silence, she took a breath in, then whispered.

"Baole, is this… is this your home? I mean, as soon as you mentioned Supreme Fire Stones, these stupid stones started appearing and gathering themselves in front of you… I had a quick look. They seemed to have come from a quarry. They've even been cut up nicely… Every piece is approximately the same size as the rest."

Wang Baole looked around him in bewilderment. Little Missy's words confused him. Perhaps he wasn't only the child of Earth, Mars, and the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, but that of the Mi Luo Forest as well?

Wang Baole shook his head vehemently at that thought. He must have been misled by Little Missy. Whatever was going on was simply too bizarre and creepy. Wang Baole immediately recalled the multiple changes to his mission details in the sixth palace.

Someone wants me to be here! Wang Baole's eyes flashed, and his breathing quickened. He tried to gather as many Supreme Fire Stones as he could take with him. After filling his storage bracelet to the brim, he finally took a deep breath. Then, he thought for a bit and shouted suddenly, "I still need a Star Fang Beast's core!"

Little Missy immediately went on high alert after Wang Baole said that. As her anxiety reached its peak, the youth drinking on the distant volcano laughed out loud.

"Little junior brother, you're not shy at all when asking for things from your senior brother. So be it, I'll let you have what you want!"

Having said that, the youth raised his right hand and pointed. This time, his finger pointed towards the Star Fang Beast Clan's abode. Within the abode, amidst the cheering Star Fang Beasts, two gigantic Star Fang Beasts at the Spirit Immortal realm suddenly trembled. They took a few steps back and raced into the distance.

The rest of the clan didn't notice their departure. There seemed to be some form of power that was playing interference and preventing the beasts, including the Beast King, from realizing what was going on. As for the two Star Fang Beasts, even though they came from different directions, they were racing towards the same destination.

It was… located ten thousand feet away, where Wang Baole was!

Both beasts had attained phenomenal success in the Spirit Immortal realm. As a result, they were frighteningly swift. As soon as Wang Baole had uttered his request, he felt two incredible auras, each approaching from opposite directions swiftly. His heart began to race, and he fell to the ground immediately… It was then he saw two gigantic Star Fang Beasts appear, one to his left and the other to his right.

They had a fearsome expression on their faces and rotund bodies. The blades covering their entire bodies gave them a terrifying, vicious appearance. Their eyes were red as if they had gone mad. They raced towards his location!

"They really came…" Wang Baole trembled nervously. The beasts' auras were too overpowering. He frantically called out to Little Missy, asking her to teleport them out of this place immediately.

"Wang Baole, you jinx! The teleportation can't be activated. What else do you want me to do?" Little Missy yelled at him. Sorrow flashed across Wang Baole's face. He knew there was no way for him to escape the beasts. He was about to say something when something out of this world happened!

The two Star Fang Beasts approached the area where Wang Baole was located, but they didn't spare him a single glance. Instead, they stared at each other, then charged headfirst into the other!

It seemed that they wanted to savor the battle, as they had suppressed their cultivation. Their cultivation was literally sealed at the moment of collision, transforming them into ordinary beasts. They raced speedily towards each other, approaching in a blur, then smashed into each other violently!

There was a thunderous boom. There was no collateral damage since both Star Fang Beasts had sealed their cultivation. Blood dripped down their faces as they spat out mouthfuls of blood. Heavily injured from the collision, they fell to the ground with a thud. Their round bodies rolled over and stopped before Wang Baole, who was frozen in fear.

Wang Baole looked completely lost. Little Missy was in a daze as well. Something even more terrifying happened next… The grievously injured Star Fang Beasts began to claw out their own cores right before Wang Baole's eyes. They placed their cores before Wang Baole, then their bodies twitched, and they finally breathed their last breath!

Even dead, their corpses continued to exude a terrifying aura. Wang Baole couldn't breathe. The series of bizarre events that had happened was beyond his wildest imagination.

What was truly horrifying… wasn't the beasts' suicidal collision. It was the fact that they had thought to spare an ounce of their energy after that, as if they were worried he might not be able to slice their skin open. To circumvent that, they had thoughtfully dug out their own cores. They had offered a complete suite of premium services. It made Wang Baole break out in a cold sweat.

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Chapter 609: Call Me Senior Brother

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

This is too royal a treatment… Wang Baole wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. The premium services were almost tailor-made. He was overwhelmed and freaked out. He might lack shame and think himself blessed by Lady Fortune on Earth, Mars, the ancient greenish-bronze sword, and even the Black Spirit Dwarf Planet. But believing that Lady Fortune herself had followed him all the way to this planet of the Star Fang Beasts was a step too far.

Little Missy was equally shocked. She had witnessed the entire series of events—from stones automatically piling up before Wang Baole, to his casual statement, followed by two Star Fang Beasts, which had attained phenomenal success at the Spirit Immortal realm, charging into each other and suffering massive injuries, and finally these beasts digging out their own cores right before they died…

Little Missy was completely bewildered by everything that had happened. For a long moment, she was at a loss for words.

Wang Baole's shamelessness proved to be of some use at this juncture. He recovered quickly from his confusion. He suppressed his shivers, coughed, then said coolly, "See that, Little Missy? Meeting me is the best thing you've done in your life," Wang Baole said. He raised his right hand and waved. The two beast cores flew into his hand instantly. He could feel the terrifying auras as well as indescribable waves of Spirit Qi emanating from the cores. His body began to tremble as if it were struggling to withstand the power of the Spirit Qi.

Wang Baole fought to look calm though, in order to keep up appearances. He flung the cores into his storage bracelet. Then, he stared at the two corpses with bright eyes.

The corpse of a beast that had attained phenomenal success at the Spirit Immortal realm was a treasure trove. Its skin, blood, flesh—even its organs and bones—were considered top-tier materials for refining artifacts or pills in the Federation.

If news of his bounty were to reach the Federation, it would shock everyone. It would shock the whole world.

Wang Baole contemplated if he should stuff the two corpses into his storage bracelet, which was already almost filled to the brim and lacking space. It was then that multiple auras suddenly erupted on the planet!

Perhaps someone had discovered that something was amiss, or perhaps they had discovered the auras of two Spirit Immortal realm Star Fang Beasts had vanished. An incredible aura, one that belonged to a Star Fang Beast King, erupted at that very moment. It seemed colored with slight suspicion as well as anger as it swept across the entire planet.

It immediately discovered Wang Baole's presence. The powerful aura shook with intense waves of emotions when it discovered the two corpses!

"Die!" A voice that seemed to originate from the depths of one's soul blasted Wang Baole's spiritual senses. It shook the heavens and earth, affecting the entire land. The planet shook violently in that instant, and fires burst from the ground. It was as if a force rivaling that of the apocalypse was threatening to wipe Wang Baole off the face of this world!

Everything happened in a blur. Wang Baole had no time to react as fires rose to the sky around him. They formed a gigantic hand that seemed as if it intended to wipe Wang Baole out in a single swipe.

An impending sense of doom overcame him. Wang Baole heard Little Missy scream. His vision turned dark the next moment. He was like a lone raft adrift on a stormy sea, tossed about by violent waves and on the verge of utter annihilation.

An arrogant snort coming from somewhere on the planet rang out at that moment. The instant that happened, the gigantic hand formed from fire froze. It disintegrated soundlessly. The earlier, overpowering aura dissipated simultaneously.

The world before Wang Baole's eyes finally returned to its original state. A shocked and pale Wang Baole fell back hurriedly. His right hand rose and yanked—the two corpses flew into his storage bracelet instantly. To accommodate both corpses, Wang Baole even suffered the pains of discarding numerous puppets and other items.

He barely fit the corpses in his stuffed storage bracelet. Having survived the sudden turn of events, a trembling Little Missy tried to activate the teleportation again. There were no interference this time, and she managed to succeed without a hitch!

The energy waves of a teleportation rumbled around Wang Baole. Just as the teleportation was fully activated, a furious howl rang out from the distant abode of the Star Fang Beasts.

"This is the Hundred Clan Alliance's Mi Luo Forest. No matter who you are, you will regret having harmed the Star Fang Beast Clan!"

Numerous auras belonging to Star Fang Beasts rose to the skies following the furious howl. The heavens trembled as dozens of silhouettes belonging to enormous Star Fang Beasts appeared in the sky. They looked like gigantic meatballs from afar. Each one of them exuded a powerful aura that distorted space. The Star Fang Beast King seemed to stand for the star itself. The immense power exuding from it warped Wang Baole's teleportation, destabilizing it. The teleportation might be disrupted at any moment.

The army of Star Fang Beasts rushed towards Wang Baole as soon as it appeared. The lands quaked, and fires erupted from the ground and rose into the sky. An incredible power, strong enough to destroy everything in its path, swept forward with the charging army!

Wang Baole grew pale. It was as if that incredible power was crushing both his cultivation and his physical body. He couldn't move, and he could hardly breathe at all. Little Missy grew increasingly frantic. The teleportation spell wavered like a candle's flame in the wind, a flame that was shrinking rapidly.

Everything happened within a single moment. Death approached. It was then that Wang Baole heard a gentle, soothing voice in his head. It belonged to a man and sounded vaguely familiar.

"Come, Baole, call for your senior brother. I'll help you deal with this."

The voice didn't sound serious at all. In fact, it had a teasing lilt to it. It echoed in Wang Baole's head. Wang Baole didn't even blink and immediately shouted, "Senior Brother, save me!"

As soon as Wang Baole said that, laughter erupted in the heavens. An enormous, illusory hand filled the entire sky. It seemed infinitely big. It swept across the sky nonchalantly, like smacking balls out of the sky. The Star Fang Beast King and its army of powerful beasts, which had stood strong and powerful a moment ago, shook violently. They were no match at all for the illusory hand as it batted them away and flung them into the distance.

A few failed to withstand the casual blow and were crushed instantly. Those that didn't perish were grievously injured. Even the Beast King spat out a mouthful of blood. Its silhouette warped in the air. Shock flickered in its eyes as it stared at the sky, its voice shaking as it howled.

"Who the hell are you!"

The hand in the sky faded away amidst the Beast King's roar, and an enormous face appeared in its place. It floated in the sky. The face seemed to belong to a young man. He had a fair complexion, long narrow eyes, and freckles sprinkled across his face. It was a rather handsome face that gave an impression of its owner being gentle and mild-mannered. In reality though, the overpowering aura that it exuded made the planet tremble. It was as if he could destroy the planet with a single thought!

The Star Fang Beast King wasn't the only one shaking, Wang Baole was too. His wasn't out of fear though. He shook because he knew that face!

"You… you…" Wang Baole's eyes widened. Waves of emotions threatened to pull him under. He instantly realized the cause of the bizarre events on this planet!

Little Missy's breathing quickened as well. She sneaked a look at the enormous face in the sky. The longer she stared at it, the more handsome she found it…

"A moment ago, you just begged me to help you. Now that I've saved you, you're saying you don't recognize me?" The face in the sky stared at Wang Baole's shocked face as he spoke mildly. He smiled faintly, then spoke again.

"So be it. I suppose this is our first true meeting. Let this senior brother of yours do a self-introduction. I'm… your senior brother, Chen Qing!" the face said, then glanced over at the trembling Star Fang Beast King. He continued in a casual tone, "…and the first Divine King of the Never-Ending Clan!"

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Chapter 610: Return and Breakthrough

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Chen Qing's voice wasn't overbearing or authoritative. Regardless, the entire world fell silent as soon as his words rang out… The Star Fang Beast King trembled. Incredulity and shock—rare emotions for a creature as powerful as it was—flickered in its eyes. It seemed to have lost the power of speech.

The remaining Star Fang Beasts fared no better. Chen Qing's casual words formed an overpowering force that weighed down on all living creatures. The ability to think fled the creatures.

It was the same for Wang Baole. His mind seemed to be suffering from a relentless assault of deafening thunder. He might have lived through a Dark Dream, and his master in the dream might have cautioned him about Chen Qing. He might even have wondered about the true relationship between himself and his senior brother, Chen Qing.

Nevertheless, he had only thought about it. He wasn't prepared at all for this meeting. In fact, he had never thought that he would meet this person, who had been in his dreams, so soon!

His memories of the Dark Dream merged with reality at that instant. The image of his senior brother, who had smiled at him in his dream and told him he had found his Dao partner in his next life, gradually merged with the face hovering in the sky before him. Everything seemed clearer now. Wang Baole could only feel a complex myriad of emotions growing inside him. He wanted to speak but was at a loss for words. The familiar and the foreign had crossed paths, and that only made him silent.

Chen Qing's appearance stabilized the teleportation's energy waves. The spell grew stronger amidst Wang Baole's silence until it reached its peak and erupted. Wang Baole began to fade from view.

The Star Fang Beasts watched Wang Baole leave. None of them dared to stop him. They trembled and gazed at their Beast King, but the Beast King could only pretend that it hadn't seen their stares. Shaking with anxiety and fear, it tried waiting for reinforcements from other Beast Clans.

Wang Baole's silhouette grew blurrier amidst his growing silence. He didn't notice how Little Missy had also fallen silent after Chen Qing revealed his identity. She seemed to have been shocked severely by the declaration.

The teleportation was almost complete. It was then that Chen Qing smiled faintly. He seemed to understand what Wang Baole was thinking. He said gently, "Junior Brother Baole, the Dao awaits you. You don't have much time left. Settle your affairs after you return… After I'm done with mine, I'll make for your galaxy and bring you away!"

Wang Baole's heart trembled when he heard what Chen Qing said. He was about to question him when the teleportation became fully activated. Wang Baole vanished from the planet amidst deafening rumbling. When he reappeared again, he was back on the ancient greenish-bronze sword. He had returned to the Worship Palace Pavilion and stood before the grand halls of the seventh palace!

The residual energies of the teleportation surged outwards, whipping up a storm around him. Strong winds swept out in all directions. Wang Baole stumbled. His face had turned pale due to the distance he had teleported, and his breathing had quickened significantly. The expression on his face showed the mixed feelings he was experiencing as Chen Qing's last words echoed in his head.

"The Dao awaits me? What does that mean? He said… he'll be taking me away?" Wang Baole was confused. Their meeting had been too sudden and their parting too abrupt. There were too many unknowns.

The only thing that he knew was that Chen Qing had clearly been pulling the strings behind this trial. There was also Chen Qing's identity as an Divine King of the Never-Ending Clan—one of the main reasons for his earlier silence.

"The first Divine King…" Wang Baole muttered. He recalled what Little Missy had said earlier, about a mysterious and powerful figure in the Never-Ending Clan who was, in fact, a member of the Dark Sect. He hadn't believed her words then and had thought she had been spinning wild tales. It seemed that she had spoken the truth.

Wang Baole couldn't help but feel doubtful though. He still felt that something wasn't right. Little Missy had claimed that she had been this person's disciple. After analyzing the facts, Wang Baole concluded that while Little Missy might have somewhat exaggerated the truth, she clearly knew part of what had truly happened.

"Little Missy, you… knew a long time ago that the first Divine King was Chen Qing, who had been from the Dark Sect, didn't you?" Wang Baole sighed, then said softly.

"…" Little Missy opened her mouth, but she couldn't find the right words. Earlier, on the planet where the Star Fang Beasts resided, countless ancient curse words had flashed across her mind when Chen Qing had revealed his identity. They would be the equivalent of "what the hell" in the Federation.

She was in a complete daze now. It was partly because of Chen Qing's identity, and partly because of what she had said to Wang Baole. Her words seemed imbued with a strange, miraculous power. Whatever she said would come true. It was incredulous.

The second reason was the greater shock to her. She had a feeling that her cultivation must have advanced yet again, as there was no other explanation for her earlier bluff coming true in such a short period of time. She never knew she had such great power—to transform mere words into reality…

Fortunately, Little Missy had mastered the art of shamelessness during her time with Wang Baole. She took a deep breath, then, with a tinge of arrogance in her voice, said coolly, "Due to certain reasons, which I couldn't explain to you, I could only hide the truth in between the lines. If you know it… you know it. If you don't, then you'll likely never know in this lifetime." Little Missy spoke with the voice of experience, her tone vaguely bragging. She was secretly pleased with her quick mind. She wasn't lying to him. She had her reasons, and she hadn't known how to spell them out to him. Her reason was… she herself hadn't known how to spin a plausible tale then.

Wang Baole grew solemn. Little Missy's words seemed deep with meaning. He calmed down and pushed aside the shock he had felt from meeting his senior brother, Chen Qing, on the Star Fang Beasts' home planet. Then, he lifted his head and stared at the seventh palace before him. After some thought, he pulled out the two beast cores in his storage bracelet.

Heavy waves of Spirit Qi exuded from the cores instantly, flooding the area and sending Wang Baole's heart racing. He knew that his standing here meant that he had successfully completed the trial in the sixth palace. However, he wasn't missing any beast cores.

The thought flashed across Wang Baole's mind momentarily. He didn't think too much about the matter though. Even an idiot could have guessed that his powerful senior brother must have been the cause of this. Presently, he was considering how best to use the beast core for his maximum benefit.

"Little Missy, can this be eaten?" Wang Baole asked after some thought.

"Of course. You'll just go 'boom' after that… Your body will just blow up, and your spirit will be utterly destroyed. If you don't want to die young, you'll have to slowly absorb its nutrients with your devouring seed. You and I aren't the same. I ate a God's Body Fruit when I was a kid, which gave me an indestructible physical body. I had these Spirit Immortal grade beast cores as candy when I was three years old. They're the tiniest of all the sweets I ate!" Little Missy said casually, stressing heavily on the word "boom".

Wang Baole blinked and immediately abandoned the idea of eating both beast cores. He sat down and placed the cores before him. Then, after some thought, he activated the devouring seed inside his body. An immense suction force erupted from his body suddenly and enveloped the beast cores.

Within the blink of an eye, incredible Spirit Qi began to emanate from the beast cores. Wang Baole's devouring seed was like a black hole, sucking every bit of the Spirit Qi into his body. As it churned, Wang Baole's cultivation began to advance rapidly. He broke through the late-stage Core Formation realm and attained the perfected stage in an instant.

That wasn't the end of it. As the devouring seed continued its absorption, Wang Baole's cultivation grew, like an expanding balloon. Time passed in a blur. Wang Baole could feel himself filled to the brim. It was as if his body was being pushed to its limits. He opened his eyes then and assessed his cultivation. Excitement filled him.

"The perfected Core Formation realm!"

He had a breakthrough in cultivation in such a short span of time. Even Little Missy grew slightly envious of his good fortune. The two beast cores hadn't even been drained of many nutrients. They were like Spirit Stones filled with infinite energy and would be able to provide him with the Spirit Qi he needed on his path of cultivation.

It was clear that this was half of the gift Wang Baole's senior brother had left him after their first meeting!

The other half would be the two Star Fang Beasts' corpses. Wang Baole knew that the body of a beast at the Spirit Immortal realm—down to its skin and bones—was a treasure trove. He had other plans for the corpses though. He planned to find a way to use the bodies in their entirety, refining them and turning them into puppets!

Should he succeed, Wang Baole had a feeling he would be able to have his way in the Solar System.

"That should take quite a bit of time. I'll study how to get it done when I return. If there's really no way of doing it, it's still not too late to strip the bodies down to their skin and bones!" Wang Baole perked up at the thought. It was great to have such a powerful senior brother.

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Chapter 611: Adopted Disciple!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Wang Baole assessed his cultivation, then began to fantasize about his future. That lifted his spirits. Even though he was still confused and doubtful about what his senior brother had said at the very end, Wang Baole's character meant that he wouldn't drive himself into a corner obsessing over things he didn't understand. Enjoying the present was more important to him.

He licked his lips and stared at the grand halls of the seventh palace. Just as he was wondering if he should continue advancing, the energy waves of a teleportation erupted in front of the third palace behind him. Kong Dao appeared. He spat out a mouthful of blood, then sat down and began meditation.

He had clearly failed the trial to become an inner sect disciple in the third palace and ended up with the rank of an outer sect disciple. He had performed slightly worse than Zhao Yameng. After witnessing Kong Dao's actions, Wang Baole turned his head back towards the seventh palace and eyed it.

Wang Baole was tempted. He sighed after a while though. He knew very well that the sixth palace was as far as he could go. Without his senior brother, even if he had been given some other mission, the chances of him dying would have been immensely high. He had little hope of completing the mission.

If that were the case for the sixth palace, it would be worse for the seventh palace. Wang Baole wasn't willing to just give up though. After a long bout of silence, he took a step forward and started towards the grand halls.

Wang Baole stepped out of the halls after a span of fifty breaths. He had a look of resignation on his face as he shook his head.

It's impossible for me to complete the mission given by the seventh palace at the moment. Even if I'm able to hold my own against an early-stage Nascent Soul realm cultivator now, the mission… requires me to assassinate a powerful cultivator at the Planet realm…

It was beyond madness. Wang Baole didn't think anyone could've completed it. Unless one used certain means that he was unaware of, it was impossible trying to complete the mission through ordinary means.

"I'll give up being a Dao disciple and just settle for being an adopted disciple!" Wang Baole muttered to himself as he ended his trials at the Worship Palace Pavilion. He had no idea how the Worship Palace Pavilion was able to discern his thoughts, but just as he mentally raised the white flag, he vanished.

When he reappeared again, he was at the beginning of the Road of Brilliance. Boiling oceans of fire burned several hundred feet beyond either side of the road as well as at the end of the Worship Palace Pavilion. No matter how the waves rose and ebbed, they couldn't reach where he was.

Kong Dao and Zhao Yameng appeared shortly. The three of them stared at one another. Even though they had no idea what missions the others had to face, they could guess how challenging those missions must have been.

Joy flickered in the hidden depths of Zhao Yameng's and Kong Dao's eyes. They had gotten quite a few treasures from their missions and realized that they could bring these items out with them.

"Do you guys know what I found in the trial at the second palace?" Kong Dao couldn't contain his excitement. He spoke proudly as he raised his right hand in a wave. A stalk of spirit herb, heavy with Spirit Qi, appeared in his hand with a flash of bright light.

"How's that? Recognize it? The Vast Expanse Dao Palace records call this a Cloud Brew Fruit. A single fruit can help to open up any one of the seven orifices in our bodies. That'll ease our cultivation in the future!" Kong Dao grew increasingly excited as he spoke. Even though both Zhao Yameng and Wang Baole had entered more palaces, that didn't mean that they had brought back greater treasures than he had. After all, he had paid an unimaginable price to get his hands on this fruit during the trial.

Wang Baole blinked, then glanced at the pleased Kong Dao. He coughed, then pulled out a fist-sized Supreme Fire Stone from his storage bracelet.

Kong Dao knew nothing about Supreme Fire Stones. However, an immense heat erupted from the stone as soon as it was whipped out. The temperatures surrounding them shot up immediately. Even if Kong Dao had no idea what this stone was, he could tell that it was something quite extraordinary!

"A Supreme Fire Stone?" Zhao Yameng suddenly asked. There was a slight hesitation and incredulity in her voice.

Wang Baole smiled faintly. He played around with the stone in his hand, then nodded carefully. When he looked at Zhao Yameng, it was with eyes bright with approval. After all, if no one else knew about this stone, he would have to introduce it himself. That might make him seem like he was trying to show off.

"What's a Supreme Fire Stone?" Kong Dao asked hurriedly.

"It's a legendary material used for refining artifacts. It is only formed when a planet dies. As for its value… one piece like that could probably buy ten of your fruit." Zhao Yameng sucked in a deep breath and tried to calm herself down as she explained.

Kong Dao sucked in a deep breath as he listened to Zhao Yameng's explanation. He wasn't completely sold though. He was about to pull out the other treasures he had acquired when Wang Baole coughed and took out another Supreme Fire Stone…

That wasn't the end of it. He pulled out stone after stone. At first, Kong Dao kept gulping in mouthfuls of air. After Wang Baole got to his tenth stone though, Kong Dao stopped breathing entirely. Then… Wang Baole pulled open his storage bracelet and poured everything out. The Supreme Fire Stones piled into a small mountain. Kong Dao was completely stunned at that point.

Even Zhao Yameng was extremely shocked. Her lips parted, but no words presented themselves.

"There isn't enough space for me to show you everything. In any case… I have another seven to eight mountains of these Supreme Fire Stones in my storage bracelet." Wang Baole patted his tummy while pretending to be nonchalant about it all. He waved his hand casually and stored the stones.

A long moment later, Kong Dao stared at the fruit in his hand and quietly put it in his storage bag. He stared skyward. Then, after another long bout of silence, he sighed.

"Baole, you're not going to have any friends if you keep this up…"

Wang Baole burst out into laughter. He patted Kong Dao's shoulder, then pulled out several dozen Supreme Fire Stones and handed them over to Kong Dao. Kong Dao seemed to hesitate for a moment. Amidst his quick breathing, he finally decided to compromise. He kept the stones hurriedly and gave Wang Baole a heated look.

Wang Baole gave Zhao Yameng more than a hundred stones. He told them to approach him should they need more in the future. In the face of Wang Baole's generosity, Kong Dao quickly pulled out two Cloud Brew Fruits and gave one each to Wang Baole and Zhao Yameng as well.

Zhao Yameng did the same and distributed a portion of her gains as well. Their spirits soared after the exchange. Even the typically calm and reserved Zhao Yameng couldn't control her racing heart. She was about to say something when the Road of Brilliance and the Worship Palace Pavilion began to shake.

The ground rumbled as they shook. Intense light gathered above the second, third, and sixth palaces. The light erupted and raced towards the skies, gathering in the heavens and transforming into three jade slips!

One was green, one was red, and the last—purple!

The green represented the outer sect, the red, the inner sect, while the purple… was for adopted disciples!

The three sparkling jade slips rushed towards the three, who caught them. As soon as they came into contact with the jade slips, they could feel a strange sensation surface inside them.

Kong Dao felt a change over the ancient greenish-bronze sword. It was as if the previous ancient greenish-bronze sword had been filled with countless thin threads. These threads clustered together like a thick mass. They might not have a discernible presence or pose a challenge to one's movements, but they were bindings that restricted one to a certain extent.

Now, with the green jade slip in his hand, it was as if the space separating these threads had grown wider. He experienced a sudden sense of relief and weightlessness.

Kong Dao's eyes brightened. He realized the importance of gaining his disciple rank then. Zhao Yameng experienced the same thing, but more intensely. It was as if the space between the threads had grown even wider for her. With a slight mental nudge, she could avoid those threads entirely.

Because of her understanding of array formations, she knew what that feeling meant… She was now immune to a great number of hexes on the ancient greenish-bronze sword!

"So that's the benefit… of gaining a true disciple's status and having one's name listed on the Dao Plate!" Joy flashed across Zhao Yameng's eyes. She and Kong Dao both stared at Wang Baole.

There was a strange look on Wang Baole's face. He lifted his head and stared at Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao after a long moment. It seemed like he wanted to say something but was at a loss for words.

"Baole, you got the adopted disciple rank at the sixth palace. How do you feel right this moment?" Kong Dao asked curiously.

"Well… I feel as if the entire world is cheering at me…" Wang Baole thought, then replied with a strange look on his face. He hadn't lied. As soon as he came into contact with the jade slip, he had felt an intense welcoming sensation erupting from the world around him. It felt as if the world was telling him that there were few places in this world that he couldn't enter.

At that thought, Wang Baole took a sudden step forward, not towards the Worship Palace Pavilion but into the ocean of fire. He walked steadily towards the latter, leaving the safety of the Worship Palace Pavilion. Just as his foot was about to step into the ocean of fire, a slab of stone appeared out of thin air beneath his foot…

"That's how I feel." Wang Baole raised his eyebrow. He stood on the stone and shrugged his shoulders, then turned towards Kong Dao, whose jaw had dropped and eyes were popping out, and Zhao Yameng, whose eyes had widened at the sight.

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Chapter 612: A Tomb!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Such expressions of shock made multiple reappearances soon after. That was because Wang Baole suggested that since they had all become true disciples of the Dao Palace, they shouldn't rush to return.

It was, after all, a truly rare opportunity for them. Why not search around for hexed places that hadn't yet been discovered by others and hunt around for treasures?

Both materials and identity tokens could be exchanged for more battle credits.

The shocked Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao agreed to his plan in a daze. They followed Wang Baole on a road of continual surprises and shock.

The reality was… after they had left the Worship Palace Pavilion, the fact that they were in the body of the sword meant that they had plunged themselves into great danger. There were numerous spatial rifts and numerous hexed grounds scattered across the land as far as they could see.

There were two reasons that so many hexed grounds had remained untouched by cultivators who had gained their disciple ranks in the past. The first was that the disciple ranks those cultivators had gotten weren't high enough. The second was because the lands on this world shifted from time to time.

As a result, other disciples would have found this area challenging to explore. Such difficulties were non-existent to Wang Baole. He had treaded carefully at first, but that was only before he approached a hexed area and the hexes deactivated themselves as soon as he got near. A shining entrance even appeared before him…

Everything had changed.

Hexes stopped working before him. Even the frequent tornado would disappear as soon as Wang Baole was in the area. It was as if they were afraid of coming into contact with him.

These were small matters compared to the spatial rift that Kong Dao had witnessed appearing suddenly next to Wang Baole. It had been a gaping mouth that had been about to swallow Wang Baole whole. However, before they could touch, it was as if a strange power had suddenly seized the spatial rift. The spatial rift had its mouth shut tight. It had struggled as Wang Baole had strolled past it safely.

An indescribable feeling unfurled inside Kong Dao. It was a certain sense of injustice that exasperated him and made him feel the strong difference between him and Wang Baole.

It was the same with the Sea of Fire and other fire beasts. It was as if the entire place had become Wang Baole's home. Kong Dao had a feeling that even if Wang Baole were to shut his eyes and walk all the way from the south to the north, he wouldn't come to any danger along the way.

The three of them entered one hexed area after the next as they continued their search…

Burning alchemical cauldrons, piles of jade slips, pagodas where pills were stored—past battlefields and other areas revealed their treasures before the three of them for the taking. Most of the time, they had only needed to pick those treasures up.

They accumulated a growing pile of identity tokens, herbs that still contained a wisp of vitality, and materials for refinement. These things were everywhere… There were also some strange and bizarre treasures, like the Dimensional Lock Beads, which could seal a space temporarily and prevent someone from teleporting away. They found a dozen of those. As they continued scavenging for treasures, the three of them felt as if they were caught in a dream. Everything felt so surreal.

This was reality, though. They had started out with racing hearts, but near the end of it, their eyes had grown sore as they searched through one place after the other and gathered more and more treasures. They had forgotten all about returning.

They finally found themselves in a dilemma when both Kong Dao's and Zhao Yameng's storage bags had been filled to the brim. Treasures surrounded them, but there was no way of them bringing it all back with them.

"All these should be worth hundreds of thousands, even millions of battle credits! That's at least a hundred to two hundred thousand battle credits after splitting everything amongst us. I'm going to get myself that ninth-grade Dharmic Armament, Shadow Walker's Cloak, with those credits!" Kong Dao muttered to himself. He gave himself a fierce slap, to make sure that he wasn't dreaming, then started laughing uncontrollably like an idiot.

Zhao Yameng had a look of bewilderment on her face as well. She eyed her storage bag, then stared at Wang Baole. Her confusion didn't fade away. It intensified instead…

Their treasure hunt found them with brimming storage artifacts that could no longer contain more items. They had even begun discarding items of lower value until they were left with items of extreme value. That was when they had no choice but to stop.

"Let's move everything out from this place before we leave. We'll make preparations for a second trip!" Wang Baole's eyes shone with a crazy light. Having made up his mind, he stared at the final hexed area before him, said his piece, then marched forward.

Kong Dao followed him excitedly. Zhao Yameng's heart was racing just as quickly as his. However, she managed to maintain her composure. She took a few steps forward, then suddenly eyed the hexed area they were headed towards. Her brow creased slightly, and she suddenly said, "Baole, wait!"

Wang Baole stopped in his tracks almost as soon as Zhao Yameng spoke. The relief that he had been feeling the entire time because everything had gone so smoothly vanished that instant. It was replaced with wariness and solemnity.

Kong Dao adjusted his mental state quickly too. He activated his cultivation and scanned his surroundings instinctively. The three of them glanced at one another, then turned and stared ahead, looking at the hexed area that was to be their last.

The area didn't look any different from the rest, with hexes scattered around the mountain ruins. What was different was the burial mound in front of the mountain!

Atop the burial mound was half a slab of tombstone. It was missing a huge chunk, and the words on it were unclear. Cracks lined the sides of the burial mound. The smallest cracks were the width of fingers, and the biggest wide enough for a full-grown man to slip through.

Waves of green mist seeped out from the cracks gradually. They didn't travel far. Instead, they surrounded the burial mound, spreading outward before they were sucked back into the cracks. It was as if the cracks were huge mouths, breathing in and out!

The hexes weren't what gave off dangerous vibes to Wang Baole and Zhao Yameng… it was the green mist escaping from the burial mound!

"Something's not right with this place…" Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. He tried taking a few steps forward. The hexes instantly stopped working, and a door appeared before him. Wang Baole stood outside the door and didn't take a single step forward. This had happened in other hexed areas as well. This time though, there was a strange aura that hadn't been present in the other hexed areas. It was infused in the air around Wang Baole, and he could sense it clearly. His proficiency in Dharmic Armaments told him that this aura was similar to that of a Divine Armament!

Wang Baole's breathing quickened. He lifted his right hand suddenly, and a seventh-grade flying sword dashed out and charged at the burial mound surrounded by green mist.

The flying sword's speed fell as it approached the burial mound and gradually slowed to a standstill in mid-air. It began to transform right before their eyes. It turned green rapidly. Patterns like that of a tree's growth rings appeared on it. The entire process took less than the span of ten breaths. What had initially been a flying sword made of metal fell to the ground with a thud.

Wang Baole's connection with the sword broke at that instant. It was as if the link between them had been wiped out. The god within the sword had vanished as well. The power imbued in the sword had disappeared as if it had transformed into an ordinary sword!

The most important thing was the sound the sword made as it fell to the ground!

"Its structure has been changed!" Kong Dao sucked in his breath and said suddenly. Zhao Yameng realized what had happened as well. The sound that the sword had made when falling to the ground wasn't of something made from metal, but of something made from wood!

Wang Baole's face was dark. He felt that even more clearly than the others. He was having second thoughts about this place, but he was having a hard time giving up as well.

Perhaps the sound of the wooden sword falling to the ground stirred something awake. Heavy breathing began to rise from the burial mound.

"Phew… phew… phew…"

It didn't resemble the breathing of an ordinary human but that of a wild beast. A strong sense of danger erupted inside the trio's heads instantly. There was no hesitation. They fell back immediately.

Countless howls echoed in their heads as they retreated. It felt like the crazed and pained cries of countless people. They sounded extremely real. The aural shock wave forced the three to retreat further. Blood spilled from their lips, and Wang Baole especially spat out at least seven mouthfuls of blood. They struggled to escape and only managed to catch their breath after retreating a distance away.

"The greater one's cultivation, the stronger the impact!" Zhao Yameng wiped the blood from her lips. She eyed the distant burial mound as she recovered from her fright, then turned towards the pale-faced Wang Baole.

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Chapter 613: A Terrible Fate Befalls Scram!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Terrifying breathing that seems human and inhuman at the same time, and an aura that resembles a Divine Armament's aura… This tomb is quite interesting! Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. He stared at the bright door that had been conjured by the hexes and that had now disappeared with their rapid departure, as well as the tomb, that seemed to have resumed normalcy. After a long silence, he sighed deeply.

"There's something very strange about this tomb. It's going to be a challenge for us to uncover its secrets with our current level of cultivation. Perhaps when we reach the Soul Conduit realm… we'd be able to try our hand at it." Zhao Yameng stared at the tomb behind the hexes. She recalled the breathing from the tomb and the terrible impact it had on her before speaking gravely.

Kong Dao was similarly cowed. The three of them stared at one another and decided to give up. They raced towards the Worship Palace Pavilion with the intention of teleporting back from the pavilion. Due to certain special reasons, they couldn't teleport directly to the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. The teleportation would only send them to the borders of the sword body. They would then need to pass through the borders and enter the region of the sword handle.

Even so, this would save them a lot of time. They were silent as they traveled back to the Worship Palace Pavilion. Thoughts of the tomb and what had happened to them filled their minds. Wang Baole sensed that he might have missed something. He wasn't sure what it was until they entered the Worship Palace Pavilion, chose to activate the teleportation spell, and Zhao Yameng suddenly spoke.

"There might be another way we can try to uncover the secrets behind the tomb… something to do with wood. If we can find ourselves a wood-based cultivator, we might be able to fight against the green mist and enter the burial mound… but such cultivators are extremely rare. There's also an element of risk involved. The cultivator has to be formed entirely of pure wood for there to be any chance of success," Zhao Yameng said, then sighed. She had thought of this idea after arriving at the pavilion.

Pure wood? Upon hearing what Zhao Yameng had said, Wang Baole lifted his head abruptly. His mind cleared. It was like the sudden parting of stormy clouds. His thoughts became clear to him, and he realized what he had been missing earlier. A strange light shone in his eyes.

Right, that's what I overlooked. A pure wood-based cultivator… Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. As he remained deep in thought, the teleportation spell flared to life around them. They gradually vanished from inside the Worship Palace Pavilion.

The spell's glow dimmed following their departure, and everything resumed normalcy. Nothing seemed to have changed, save the burial mound, from which the sounds of breathing could occasionally be heard amidst the rising and falling of green mist.

In the area bordering the sword body, a short distance away from the region of the sword handle, energy waves of a teleportation spell rippled in the air and were followed by the appearance of Wang Baole and his friends. They verified their location and immediately started running. It didn't take them long to leave the region of the sword body and step into the Sea of Fire beyond the region of the sword handle.

The clearly scorching heat blew into their faces. However, due to the difference in temperatures in the sword body and the sword handle, the hot winds felt cool instead. Wang Baole took a deep breath in and pat his storage bracelet. It contained not only vast quantities of materials but also a purple identity token.

This was his most priceless gain during the entire trip!

An adopted disciple! Anticipation shone in Wang Baole's eyes. He looked at Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao, and they seemed to share similar thoughts. Be it an inner sect disciple or an outer sect disciple, both were considered the cream of the crop in the present Vast Expanse Dao Palace. All of them would be valued greatly by the Vast Expanse Dao Palace.

One could imagine the drastic transformation to their status upon their return.

"Let's go back. Next time, let's get Yifan to join us too. We can get a few more storage bags and do another round of scavenging!" Wang Baole pushed aside his greed for what lay inside the burial mound and said. His spirits soared as he spoke. Kong Dao too seemed to have released himself from the pent up emotions he had about the burial mound. He thought about his loot and the bright future ahead of him and was overcome with excitement.

Zhao Yameng smiled faintly. She pushed a lock of hair, stirred astray by the wind, behind her ear. Her eyes were clear and filled with hope for the future. The three of them transformed into rainbows, crossing the skies and heading in the direction of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace.

The distance of their journey necessitated multiple teleportations. They needed two weeks to make the trip back. They weren't in a hurry, though. They laughed and talked during the journey back. It was relaxing. They teleported a few times and were three days away from the Vast Expanse Dao Palace when something drastic descended upon them in an unexpected manner!

They hadn't come across any danger. Instead… Wang Baole heard cries of agony and fear inside his head!

The cries weren't that of a human, but a donkey!

"Son! Son, son! Son!"

The donkey didn't have a voice transmission ring. However, he had a certain connection with Wang Baole. Wang Baole might not be able to sense the donkey clearly if the distance separating them was too great, but across a short distance, the connection binding them was clear and strong.

At this moment, the donkey was relying on its mental connection with Wang Baole to call for help!

No one else would be able to hear this cry. Even if they did, they wouldn't understand what the donkey was trying to say. They would only be able to sense the extreme anxiety as well as fear in its voice. Wang Baole was very familiar with the donkey though. He instantly knew what it was trying to convey when he heard its cries. The series of cries could be translated into a single word.

"Help!"

Wang Baole froze in his steps. His breathing quickened, and the look on his face darkened. He was about to find out what was going on with the donkey when the connection between him and the donkey was suddenly cut off!

There seemed to be some power standing between him and the donkey, disrupting their connection!

Wang Baole secretly trembled. Anxiety rose inside him. He might treat the donkey harshly, with regular punishments and beatings, but he still considered it his son. He was the only one who could beat it. He wouldn't allow anyone else to bully it.

The donkey's cries for help sounded tragic. It was like a slight yank at Wang Baole's heart. Face grim, he sped up and raced forward.

Even though their connection had been severed, Wang Baole was able to pin down the donkey's location based on what he had sensed earlier. It was in… the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!

What happened… Wang Baole could barely hide the icy glint in his eyes. As he raced ahead, Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao, while unaware of what had transpired, sensed the icy aura exuding from Wang Baole. They shivered and sped up as well.

"Baole, what happened?" After a few moments, Zhao Yameng couldn't help but ask.

"Scram just called for help!" Wang Baole forced the words from his mouth. Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao knew the donkey's name. Shock flashed across their faces when they heard what had happened. Wang Baole pulled out his voice transmission ring then and immediately contacted Sect Lord Xu of the Galactic Dusk Sect, who was currently in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!

Sect Lord Xu knew nothing about this. He had been caught by surprise when he received the voice transmission. He told Wang Baole not to panic and that he was going to find out what was going on. Wang Baole maintained his speed as he raced towards the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, sending voice transmissions to others and making inquiries.

It didn't take long before everyone reported to him, and he finally realized the cause of the donkey's distress. The donkey had eaten a huge chunk of a Nascent Soul realm Elder's alchemical cauldron. The Elder was called Sun Hai, and he belonged to Mie Liezi's faction. The alchemical cauldron had been crafted from numerous rare and priceless materials. It had almost been destroyed by the donkey's single bite.

Sun Hai had discovered the donkey's misdeed and captured it in his fury. He intended to kill it!

"Baole, I've mapped out his relations. It won't be useful. Sun Hai said that he won't listen to anyone. He plans to use the donkey to refine a Blood Flesh Pill!"

Wang Baole's head started throbbing when he heard that. He knew the donkey. This was something it was capable of doing. Its greed had landed it in trouble. But this was still his son. Upon hearing everything, he turned and looked at Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao.

"I need to go!" Having said that, he let loose a sudden burst of speed, unleashing his full speed, which approximated that of a teleportation. He transformed into a rainbow and dashed across the skies. The burst of speed reduced his traveling to a third of the time required. He would be able to reach the Vast Expanse Dao Palace within a day.

"Sect Lord Xu, no matter what you do, please, help me delay the event for another day!"

"Baole, I'll do my best. Don't act rashly though. I believe paying compensation would resolve this matter. Besides, you've just returned from the Worship Palace Pavilion. Your status is of a sensitive nature. We cannot eliminate the possibility that they are doing this intentionally. Be careful!"

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Chapter 614: Choosing Humiliation Over Dignity!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Wang Baole narrowed his eyes, and an icy glint glimmered in his eyes. As he raced forward, he contemplated the possibility of any ulterior motives hidden behind this matter.

There's no loss in being more careful. If this is something that can be resolved with compensation, I don't mind losing a few battle credits. Wang Baole's most recent trip would likely gain him a few hundred thousand battle credits. He wasn't bothered about having to offer compensation.

They can't blame me for what I'm going to do if this turns out to be a setup! An icy glint flashed across Wang Baole's eyes. He activated his voice transmission ring and contacted Xie Haiyang. This time, he didn't ask about what the donkey had done but about the extent of damages Elder Sun Hai had suffered!

Xie Haiyang made use of his connections and was able to find out all the details about the damages very quickly.

"The alchemical cauldron isn't cheap at all, Baole. It's worth fifty thousand battle credits!" Xie Haiyang clearly had no idea how filthy rich Wang Baole was. He sighed when he mentioned the amount.

Fifty thousand credits… Wang Baole nodded, gave his thanks, and ended the voice transmission. Fifty thousand battle credits might not be a small sum to him, but it wasn't that huge a figure either. Mentally prepared, Wang Baole increased his speed and charged ahead, dashing across the heavens. He finally saw the Vast Expanse Dao Palace appear in the distance on the dawn of the next day!

He had exchanged multiple voice transmissions with Xie Haiyang and Sect Lord Xu and received assurance of the donkey's safety. Everything contributed to his growing suspicion, that the entire matter… was a setup targeting him!

Interesting. A violent aura oozed out from Wang Baole's person but was quickly concealed. His face remained expressionless as he raced through the skies and approached the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. The first person he saw upon his approach was Sect Lord Xu, who had arrived earlier and had been waiting for him.

"Follow me!" Sect Lord Xu said immediately when he saw Wang Baole. He walked ahead. Wang Baole nodded and silently followed Sect Lord Xu as they raced towards an outer island not far away.

In the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, Every Nascent Soul realm cultivator had his own island. Their islands were typically large and infused with strong Spirit Qi. The islands were their personal property. Many of their disciples and followers resided on these islands.

That was true of Sun Hai's island. It might not be one of the better islands owned by a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, but it still trumped Wang Baole's Green Fire Island. It was leagues above in terms of location, Spirit Qi, and price.

"That is Sun Hai's Holy Air Island. Baole, listen to me, don't act rashly. Follow the plan. It's best if we can resolve this with battle credits. I managed to gather some credits myself. It should be enough!" As they approached the island, Sect Lord Xu reminded Wang Baole again. There was anxiety hidden deep in his eyes.

They could see trails of black smoke rising from Sun Hai's island. Thunderous booms erupted from the public square in the middle of the island and echoed in the air.

That would have been fine if that were the end of that. As they approached, Wang Baole could hear faint cries coming from the same place where the black smoke was rising.

The screams belonged to his donkey!

His eyes turned cold. With a sudden burst of speed, he raced ahead. Sect Lord Xu sighed and followed behind. Both of them entered the Holy Air Island!

The island shook as soon as they approached. A wall of light appeared around the island, forming an array formation that prevented outsiders from stepping inside. However, just as the array formation came into contact with Wang Baole, Wang Baole activated his cultivation and took a violent step forward. There was a loud explosion. He had forced his way into the array formation.

The forced entry distorted the array formation. Numerous bright lights appeared and surrounded them. It also caught the attention of every cultivator on the island. They lifted their heads skyward and saw Wang Baole hovering in mid-air above the public square!

He lowered his head. There was an alchemical cauldron hundreds of feet tall in the middle of the public square. Dozens of Core Formation realm cultivators sat around the cauldron. They were using their cultivation to summon flames for the cauldron. The flames heated the alchemical cauldron while the donkey's faint cries rang out from inside the cauldron.

They were clearly trying to use the donkey for refinement. An elder stood before the Core Formation realm cultivators. He had an ethereal air to him—save his eyes, which were sunken in and had an extraordinary color. They glowed red. The elder lifted his head as soon as Wang Baole arrived and stared at Wang Baole icily.

Fury rose inside Wang Baole when he saw the refinement his donkey was being subjected to. He noticed that the refinement would require a long time to complete. As long as help came in time, the donkey would suffer only a bit of pain. There would not be any lasting damage. That was why he pushed down his anger and looked the elder in the eyes.

"Wang Baole greets Elder Sun."

"This humble old man can hardly accept the greetings of the esteemed personal disciple from the Federation," Sun Hai said coolly, with a superficial smile on his face and an extremely hostile tone.

Wang Baole frowned slightly. He almost lost his temper. It was then that Sect Lord Xu smiled beside him and led Wang Baole to land before Sun Hai. The Sect Lord cupped his fists in greeting. He tried to ease the tension with his friendliness.

"Elder Sun, it's all been a terrible misunderstanding. We've come bearing tokens of our sincerity."

Sun Hai recalled the monthly gifts he had been receiving from Sect Lord Xu and looked slightly less hostile. He glanced sideways at Wang Baole with disdain. He had witnessed Wang Baole's battle during the trial and knew how strong the latter was, but he was confident that he could beat Wang Baole.

That was why he wasn't really bothered about the fact that Wang Baole had just returned from the Worship Palace Pavilion. This was the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, not the Federation. Sun Hai snorted and asked, "Tokens of sincerity?"

Wang Baole had quite a temper, but he also had to consider the possibility of Sect Lord Xu being right in saying that there was something wrong going on here. The Sect Lord was doing his best to help. It wouldn't be appropriate for Wang Baole to hijack his efforts. He took a deep breath, shoved down his annoyance, stared at Sun Hai, and said slowly, "I'm willing to fork out sixty thousand battle credits as compensation for your losses. The first fifty thousand is for the damages to the alchemical cauldron, and the remaining ten thousand for the inconvenience caused!"

"Sixty thousand?" Even though Sun Hai was a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, he was shaken by the figure. Sixty thousand was no mere sum to anyone in the Dao Palace.

However, there were times when one's evil character determined their approach to handling matters. When faced with such a person, the more you compromised and showed weakness, the higher the chance of you not achieving any resolution and instead encountering increased bullying!

Sun Hai was one such person. His resolve was shaken, allowing greed to overtake his thoughts. Sect Lord Xu had thought too much about this matter. There weren't any ulterior motives or plans, it had been purely a coincidence. However, Sun Hai saw weakness in his opponents. He narrowed his eyes, studied Wang Baole for a moment, then laughed.

"The fifty thousand battle credits must be paid, of course, but this wretched beast was too brazen. I have to teach it a lesson and make sure it knows that the Vast Expanse Dao Palace is no place for it to run wild!" Sun Hai repeatedly talked about beasts, seemingly referring to the donkey. It was clear he was referring to Wang Baole.

Wang Baole could hardly keep a lid on his temper. His eyes began to glimmer with a cold light. He glared at Sun Hai and asked slowly, "Oh? What do you plan to do?"

Next to him, Sect Lord Xu's brow started to crease as well. From the way he saw it, Sun Hai was either receiving instructions from someone or was one really stupid man.

"I'm going to turn this beast into a Blood Pill. If you want the pill, I can consider selling it to you at fifty thousand battle credits." Sun Hai narrowed his eyes as he tried to hide the greed in them. Wang Baole would likely raise the figure next, and he would continue to hold his ground. Perhaps Sect Lord Xu would talk them both down, and they'd finally agree to settle the matter with a hundred and fifty thousand credits.

Sun Hai had everything all planned out in his head. However, reality didn't unfold in the same way… Wang Baole laughed after hearing what Sun Hai had said.

It was laughter devoid of warmth, cold to the extreme. Wang Baole gave Sect Lord Xu a look. The latter had a dark expression on his face.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, I've tried it your way, but it didn't work. Since that's the case… I have no choice but to do it my way," Wang Baole said. His cultivation erupted suddenly. The clouds shifted in the skies, fierce winds rolled in suddenly, and a terrifying aura rose to the heavens!

Wang Baole didn't speak another word. As his aura erupted, he left his avatar in his original spot as a precautionary measure, then charged towards the shocked Sun Hai!

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Chapter 615: Weak!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Sun Hai didn't expect Wang Baole would dare attack him. He was a Nascent Soul realm cultivator. Even though Wang Baole might have unleashed power that could rival someone at the Nascent Soul realm during his trial, a Core Formation realm cultivator… was still a Core Formation realm cultivator. Regardless of how much he had advanced in cultivation, he wouldn't be a match for Sun Hai as long as he wasn't at the Nascent Soul realm!

"Wang Baole, you're tempting fate!" Sun Hai laughed furiously. He formed a series of hand seals with his right hand then flung it forward. A black octopus appeared. It spat a cloud of black mist in Wang Baole's face as its tentacles shot out towards Wang Baole.

This was no mere octopus. It might be an illusion, but the power that it exuded could rival a Nascent Soul realm cultivator. Even though it might not be the match of a true Nascent Soul realm cultivator, it still surpassed a typical perfected Core Formation realm cultivator. If its opponent had been any other ordinary Core Formation realm cultivator, this single attack would have ended the fight!

There was also the force of Sun Hai's cultivation distorting the surrounding space. It was as if a mysterious power had descended. Anyone whose cultivation wasn't as powerful as Sun Hai's would tremble under the weight of his cultivation!

Everything happened within the blink of an eye. The attack was unleashed as soon as Wang Baole approached. That wasn't the end of Sun Hai's attack. He had every intention of letting Wang Baole know the unbearable price of lashing out at a Nascent Soul realm cultivator!

Destroying your cultivation is punishment enough! A murderous glint flashed across Sun Hai's eyes. His cultivation began to churn, and cultivation belonging to someone at the Nascent Soul realm rumbled as it erupted. His hands came together to form a series of hand seals, then flung apart and swept all around him!

Vast amounts of seawater appeared out of thin air and surrounded them. They covered the skies and the lands, forming gigantic waves that rushed towards Wang Baole, threatening to pull him under!

"A mere Core Formation realm cultivator. See this? This is the power of someone at the Nascent Soul realm!" Sun Hai's voice thundered. It filled the emptiness. It was as if Sun Hai had become a god. He had transformed into a furious ocean and was about to crush Wang Baole.

The Core Formation realm cultivators around them watched on excitedly. They stared unblinkingly at the scene before them, regret shining in the eyes of most of them. It was clear that to them, Wang Baole… was a dead man walking.

Sect Lord Xu was frantic. He wanted to help, but the force of a Nascent Soul realm cultivation slowed down his own cultivation. His help would arrive late.

It appeared as if nothing could stop Sun Hai. It was then that shock flashed across Sun Hai's face. Wang Baole, who had been trapped by the octopus and the sea of fury, unleashed an incredible aura!

Blood-colored meridians and slivers of white extended outwards. It took but the blink of an eye for the Thearch Armor to encase Wang Baole. The red meridians and white slivers of bone gave him a fearsome appearance that shocked everyone. Wang Baole disregarded the octopus' approaching black mist and tentacles. Raising his right hand, he grabbed the octopus!

Wang Baole paid no heed to the desperate whipping of tentacles. There was no expression on his face as he tightened his fist. The octopus wailed and was instantly crushed. It burst into mist, then dissipated.

The entire fight seemed like a cakewalk. The octopus appeared weak, like paper that Wang Baole easily crushed. He lifted his head and stared at the stunned Sun Hai as an aura rivaling Sun Hai's erupted from his Thearch Armor!

It clashed with the suppressive force from Sun Hai's cultivation in an invisible battle.

The battle sparked a series of thunderous explosions. It was as if two invisible giants were battling it out. As Wang Baole unleashed his power, Sun Hai's breathing quickened. The latter tried to recover from his shock. Murder flashed in his eyes. His hands formed a flurry of hand seals. The seawater around them gathered rapidly and surrounded them, forming a statue that towered hundreds of feet tall!

The statue was the likeness of Sun Hai. Once again, it tried to exert force over Wang Baole.

Wang Baole shook his head slightly. The expression on his Thearch Armor was that of slight disappointment. As the statue approached, he took a step forward, lifted his right fist, and sent a punch flying!

His power was augmented threefold, and further amplified by the Thearch Armor. In addition, the increased strength from his breakthrough in cultivation meant that the punch Wang Baole had just thrown out had vastly surpassed the one he had made during the trial. The air trembled as his fist shot forward. Thunder boomed in the air as his fist landed, and the sounds of cracking rang out.

Numerous cracks began to appear on Sun Hai's statue. It took but two counts for it to break apart. Sun Hai's face turned pale. He retreated hastily, with incredulity in his eyes. But he wasn't done here yet. Hovering in mid-air, he smacked his forehead heavily with his right hand. A beam of bright light shot out from his forehead and formed a mirror before him.

The mirror faced Wang Baole, and his reflection appeared in the mirror. Sun Hai yelled and slammed his palm on the mirror. As it shattered, Wang Baole shook. A strange light appeared in his eyes before he charged at Sun Hai.

It didn't work? That's impossible! Shock flashed across Sun Hai's face. He retreated again with the intention of summoning another mirror. He was about to unleash the mirror's attack once again when Wang Baole charged forward before the mirror could steal his reflection. With a raise of his right hand, he pulled out a black pike. Bolts of lightning swarmed the air, and thunder crashed as he lashed out with his pike.

Thunderous booms rang out in the air. It was the sound of the pike splitting the sky apart. It raced towards the mirror in a blur, intent on destroying everything in its path. Sun Hai's pupils contracted. He tried to pull his mirror back, but he was too late. With a loud explosion, the black pike pierced through the mirror and caused the latter to explode into countless shards. Sun Hai shifted away in a blur, dodging the blow at the very last moment. When he reappeared, it was at the other end of the public square. He stared at Wang Baole with incredulity as well as shock in his eyes.

"Is this what a Nascent Soul realm cultivator is capable of?" Wang Baole turned and stared at Sun Hai. He shook his head and couldn't be bothered anymore. He wasn't in the mood to fight a weak Nascent Soul realm cultivator. Wang Baole walked towards the cauldron, where his donkey was imprisoned.

Sun Hai hovered in mid-air, the look on his face dark and furious. There was no denying it, however. Wang Baole was freakishly powerful.

His fighting abilities and Dharmic treasures had both reached the level of a Nascent Soul realm cultivator. He was no different from one. In fact, his defense might surpass a Nascent Soul realm cultivator. He was able to overcome the pressure exerted by Sun Hai's cultivation and inflict greater damage than Sun Hai!

However, if he were to simply let Wang Baole take his donkey away, Sun Hai imagined the news of that would spread throughout the entire sect in no time. He would be utterly humiliated. He regretted not staying his hand while he could. Just as he troubled over his current predicament, something flashed in his eyes.

That's not right. He still has a fatal weakness… he can't teleport!

At that thought, Sun Hai narrowed his eyes. He lifted his right hand and formed a series of hand seals. Vast quantities of seawater suddenly appeared, transformed into a pike, and charged at Wang Baole.

He took a step forward and vanished, reappearing next to Wang Baole. He jabbed his finger, then teleported away again without checking if he had succeeded in his attack.

"How annoying." Wang Baole had no intentions of continuing the fight, but Sun Hai's continued attacks made him frown. He pulled out a handful of beads… they were the Dimensional Lock Beads that could temporarily create a dimensional seal!

A single bead was sufficient to create a dimensional seal. Wang Baole had a generous nature, so he pulled out a dozen beads. As a result… the space around him immediately froze. Sun Hai, who had been able to teleport far away, froze instantly. He was locked in place!

Everything happened too quickly. Sun Hai had no time to react. Fear flashed across his eyes as Wang Baole raised his right hand and grabbed Sun Hai's head!

Just as Wang Baole was about to unleash an attack, two auras came rushing from the direction of the main island. They surpassed that of the Nascent Soul realm and belonged to one at the Soul Conduit realm!

Mie Liezi's voice rang out in the skies, an aural shockwave exploding between Wang Baole and Sun Hai.

"Stop!"

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Chapter 616: A Reply That Transformed the Dao Palace!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

His voice contained the power of a Soul Conduit realm cultivator. Even a cultivator at the perfected stage of the Core Formation realm would have been shaken to the core upon hearing that voice. It was akin to being struck by lightning and suffering the dazed aftershocks.

If he had been intent on killing them, a single shout from him would have flattened a Core Formation realm cultivator. A Nascent Soul might not die on the spot, but his movements would be affected as well. He would feel as if a seal had been placed on his spirit.

Such spiritual attacks were what made a Soul Conduit realm cultivator so powerful. It was impossible for one to withstand such attacks. Even Wang Baole suffered an aural explosion in his head that instant. His spirit was almost ripped from his body. He wanted to continue attacking, but he couldn't. He tried to retreat and couldn't do that either.

Just as Wang Baole's spirit trembled and shook, and he lost the ability to move, two sources of energy flared to life inside him. One came from Little Missy and the other… from his scabbard!

Perhaps Little Missy sensed the energy from the scabbard, but she immediately quieted down. In that instant, the scabbard unleashed an energy that didn't spread beyond Wang Baole's body but stirred inside him. The pressure from a Soul Conduit realm cultivator's cultivation was instantly dispelled!

His state of mind immediately stabilized, and his thoughts cleared. Everything happened in a flash. As Mie Liezi's voice echoed in the air, and his mind cleared, Wang Baole didn't hesitate. He immediately switched places with the avatar he had released earlier!

His true form and his Lightning Avatar switched places swiftly. It was almost as if they had teleported. The Lightning Avatar didn't hesitate and made another grab for Sun Hai's head. Wang Baole, who had teleported to a distant location, showed no hesitation as well as he waved his hand and summoned his tri-colored flying sword. It dashed towards the same target… Sun Hai!

Everything happened too quickly. As Wang Baole and his avatar attacked simultaneously, Mie Liezi, who had been rushing towards them, let loose a furious howl in mid-air.

It rang out in the air, and a gigantic illusory hand appeared in the sky and smashed downwards. A loud explosion erupted. Wang Baole's avatar stood no chance. Before it could land a hit on Sun Hai, it was crushed by the gigantic hand!

Mie Liezi was still a step too late. The flying sword that Wang Baole had unleashed pierced through Sun Hai's chest. Another sword sliced his head right off!

Blood splattered everywhere. Sun Hai's screams of agony echoed in the air. He had abandoned his physical body at the very last moment and escaped. The heavens and earth shifted, and the clouds rolled back, as Mie Liezi appeared in the sky. He walked towards the island and landed next to Sun Hai's Nascent Soul. His right hand lifted and with a grab, he picked up Sun Hai's Nascent Soul and stored it in his sleeve. With a dark look on his face, Mie Liezi inspected Sun Hai's body. Its chest was pierced through with three flying swords, and its internal organs had been shredded to pieces. Then, he turned and looked at Wang Baole.

"Wang Baole, are you trying to revolt against the sect?"

Wang Baole's breathing quickened slightly. He didn't get overly flustered though. Instead, he stared skyward, at the second Soul Conduit realm aura that was rapidly approaching. Mie Liezi also sensed Feng Qiuran's arrival. If this had happened prior to Wang Baole's trial, he might have taken this opportunity to kill Wang Baole.

But he had witnessed Wang Baole's performance in the trial with his own eyes and knew that Wang Baole had inherited the legacy from the Eye of Infinite Techniques. To a certain degree, he had been acknowledged as a true disciple of the sect. Even though he didn't descend from the Dao Palace but had come from the Federation, Mie Liezi was still hesitant to make a move.

Amidst his hesitation, Feng Qiuran finally arrived. She saw Sun Hai's corpse and froze. In the end, she still decided to side with Wang Baole. She turned towards Mie Liezi and said slowly, "Mie Liezi, you should be careful when invoking the word 'revolt'!"

"I should be careful? I've already commanded him to stop, but he still went ahead and did as he pleased. He acted violently and mercilessly and killed his own fellow disciple. If this is not a revolt, what is it?" There was a resolute look in Mie Liezi's eyes. He stared icily at Wang Baole as he spoke.

Feng Qiuran hesitated. She had arrived late to the scene and knew little of what had transpired. She turned towards Sect Lord Xu. The Sect Lord was about to speak when Wang Baole lifted his hand and interrupted him. Wang Baole smiled.

"Elder Mie Liezi, you only saw me trying to kill Sun Hai. Aren't you going to question Sun Hai about what he had done to me?" Wang Baole said, then pointed to the alchemical cauldron.

"At this very moment, my intrinsic sacred beast is being cooked alive inside that cauldron. I came here to negotiate and make peace. I even proposed compensation of nearly a hundred thousand battle credits. Nevertheless, Sun Hai continued to make things difficult for me. He lusted over my battle credits, that's fine. He repeatedly called me a beast, I took that without complaint too. I was pushed to the limits of my patience, yet he still wanted to turn my sacred beast into a Blood Pill!" Fury colored Wang Baole's words as his voice rang out. Mie Liezi frowned.

He didn't know the details of what had happened. However, he saw the lowered heads of the Core Formation realm cultivators around them and sensed the living presence in the alchemical cauldron. Everything seemed to add up. Even if Wang Baole had spiced up the details, it was clear he was speaking the truth.

But Mie Liezi wasn't here to speak reason or mete out justice. He didn't care that Wang Baole had just returned from the Worship Palace Pavilion. He believed that the most that Wang Baole had gained was a core disciple rank. Even should his rank be higher than Mie Liezi's, his cultivation was not. In fact, there was a greater likelihood that Wang Baole hadn't acquired a core disciple's rank but only that of an inner sect disciple.

Unless he was able to attain the status of a personal disciple, otherwise… At that thought, Mie Liezi snorted and said coolly, "I care only for the results, not the cause. Wang Baole has offended his elders. Feng Qiuran, you cannot defend him. Either we abide by the rules of the sect or we expel him. Regardless, I must have an answer by the end of the day!"

Mie Liezi's forceful personality was on full display as he said that. Feng Qiuran frowned. Her mind began thinking rapidly about the way to resolve this. Beside her, Sect Lord Xu stole a glance at Wang Baole. There was a considering look in his eyes. He was different from Feng Qiuran. He believed that Wang Baole wasn't the sort of person who was ignorant of propriety. Someone who had worked his way up the Federation's hierarchy, climbing from the position of an ordinary student to that of a noble at the Primary Rank Two and Secondary Rank Two, wasn't going to commit such a juvenile mistake.

Reality didn't deviate much from his expectations. Wang Baole was well supported for his actions. After hearing what Mie Liezi had said, he narrowed his eyes and raised his chin slightly. Then, he said coolly, "You care only for the results and not the cause? I'm fine with that…" Having said that, Wang Baole swiped across his storage bracelet. A purple identity token appeared in his hand. He activated his cultivation and sent his cultivation flowing into the identity token.

As soon as he did that, the token began to shine with a blinding purple light. The light shot upwards, into the sky, and flooded the air. The heavens transformed into a sea of purple light. As it spread outwards, the skies changed color and clouds rolled back. The ancient Hyacinthus Tree on the main island started to shake violently!

Everyone was shocked at the sight. A myriad of emotions flashed across Mie Liezi's and Feng Qiuran's faces. The changes summoned by Wang Baole's token didn't stop there. The Vast Expanse Dao Palace's array formation appeared that instant, a vast web made visible to the naked eye, spread across the sky and land, rumbling. It appeared to achieve resonance with Wang Baole's identity token!

The Hyacinthus Tree, the sect's array formation, everything that was happening drew all eyes to Wang Baole at that very instant. It was as if… with a single thought, he could seize control over the Vast Expanse Dao Palace's array formation. To a certain extent, Wang Baole had just seized the access rights belonging to Feng Qiuran and the other two elders and become the most powerful person in the sect!

Even the ancient greenish-bronze sword was affected. The seas of fire erupted around them, roaring and frightening every disciple. The heavens themselves seemed to be quivering. The presence that had descended upon them was incredible!

"This…"

"What is going on?"

On Holy Air Island and the main Vast Expanse Dao Palace island, stunned shouts rose to the skies simultaneously. Numerous figures dashed out from the main island. These Nascent Soul realm cultivators had a disbelieving look on their faces as they raced towards the source of the purple light, Holy Air Island.

The expressions on Mie Liezi's and Feng Qiuran's faces were that of unprecedented shock and awe. Emotions threatened to pull them under. Their eyes could contain nothing else except… the purple identity token!

"An adopted… adopted disciple!" Mie Liezi trembled. He seemed to have fallen into a daze as he muttered to himself.

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Chapter 617: Establishing Authority!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"He hasn't?" Wang Baole nodded. An icy glint flickered in his eyes.

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

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

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

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

How could he be an adopted disciple? Damn it, it's impossible!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Wang Baole rolled his eyes and continued speaking.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Chapter 618: The Fourth Grand Supreme Elder!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

That was indeed the case. News of Wang Baole's return as an adopted disciple began to spread, and it shocked everyone in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. Those who had no idea what was going on at first went through the records and discovered the prestige that had been associated with the adopted disciple rank in the past.

This newfound identity meant Wang Baole could easily call the shots in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. After all, his rank had been bestowed upon him by the true Vast Expanse Dao Palace. His current cultivation was the only thing preventing him from seizing control of the Dao Palace at the moment.

In fact, it no longer mattered that he wasn't a native from the Dao Palace.

Wang Baole wasn't the only one who had shocked them all. There was also Zhao Yameng. Both Zhao Yameng and Kong Dao had returned as an inner sect disciple and an outer sect disciple respectively. Kong Dao's rank wasn't that great a shock, but Zhao Yameng's rank had inspired similar disbelief. If not for the mind-blowing news of Wang Baole's adopted disciple rank overshadowing Zhao Yameng's achievements, she would have been placed in the limelight.

The Federation… had finally, truly assimilated with the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. It would be almost impossible to separate the two entities now. After all, there was Wang Baole—irreplaceable and incomparable.

What the Vast Expanse Dao Palace had to decide now was the role and position Wang Baole was to be given. There were plenty of views on that matter. The ones suffering massive headaches over this were Mie Liezi and Feng Qiuran, as well as Daoist You Ran, who had just come out from his seclusion and had maintained mostly silence over the matter.

While Mie Liezi was nursing a headache, Feng Qiuran was still swimming in faint bewilderment. She didn't know what to do with Wang Baole. The three elders didn't comment on the matter at all, and the whole fiasco dragged on.

The three of them knew that they had to come up with something soon though, or there would be problems. An adopted disciple could influence both the Hyacinthus Tree and the sect's array formation. If this were the Vast Expanse Dao Palace of the past, not a single one of them would be qualified to become one of Wang Baole's followers.

The three elders fought against a growing headache while the remaining cultivators in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace continued debating heatedly over this matter. Wang Baole had returned to Green Fire Island and settled his affairs. He had issued a stern warning to the donkey before contacting Kong Dao and Zhao Yameng. The three of them gathered on the main island, prepared to exchange their loot for battle credits.

Their gains had been spectacular, which meant that everyone avoided them with a strange look on their faces when they approached the mission stone stele. As the exchange was initiated and they began to pull out item after item, the stone stele began to shake and give off a blinding light.

It wasn't a mere flash but a persistent bright light that shone unceasingly as the gang pulled out one item after another, as if their storage bags contained an endless stash of treasures!

The Dao Palace disciples around them were initially shocked, then gradually became stunned speechless. Finally, thirty minutes passed. Wang Baole and his friends finally left. It was then that an uproar erupted at the mission stone stele!

The commotion persisted for a long while, and the sounds of the commotion traveled far into the distance. Wang Baole and his friends were overcome with excitement as well. The battle credits they had earned reached almost a million credits. They had created a miracle!

They went their separate ways soon after. Wang Baole had contributed the most during the search, which was why both Kong Dao and Zhao Yameng had insisted on him having five hundred thousand battle credits. Kong Dao had claimed forty percent of the remaining four hundred thousand credits, leaving the remaining sixty percent to Zhao Yameng.

The distribution seemed reasonable. Kong Dao had thought it a fair allocation. He bade farewell to Wang Baole and Zhao Yameng, then left excitedly to exchange the credits for a Dharmic treasure. He intended to get his hands on the combat cloak with the ability to turn its wearer invisible.

Zhao Yameng had things she wanted to buy as well. She blushed as she eyed Wang Baole with a meaningful look, then left. Wang Baole himself rushed towards the Vast Expanse Techniques Chamber with his token containing the enormous wealth of battle credits he now had.

This time, I'm going to get Little Duanmu to call me daddy! Wang Baole thought proudly. As long as he had battle credits, he would be able to rule the world. He reached the Vast Expanse Techniques Chamber. With a wave of his hand, he exchanged for two hundred sets of cultivation techniques without batting a single eyelash, even though many of those cultivation techniques required more than a thousand battle credits!

He spent almost three hundred thousand battle credits on the cultivation techniques. He didn't care though, there were still a hundred and fifty thousand credits that Sun Hai was going to pay him today. Besides, he had been away for quite some time. He should have accumulated quite a bit of income from the game. He hadn't asked Xie Haiyang about it, but Wang Baole was confident that he was reaping massive profits.

He wasn't stressed by his expenditure at all. He took all two hundred cultivation techniques to the teleportation array formation and sent them back to the Federation in a single go. He could imagine the shock the Federation was experiencing at this moment, having just received two hundred cultivation techniques. He wondered if Duan Muque's jaw dropped to the floor. The thought pleased him immensely, causing his spirits to soar.

Little Duanmu, there's no way you can get out of admitting defeat. You shouldn't have tried such cheap tricks in the first place! Wang Baole patted his tummy proudly. He believed in being relentless. He had sent more than three hundred cultivation techniques back to the Federation. Perhaps he should round the figure up and make it five hundred instead!

It's decided then!

With that thought in mind, Wang Baole ended the teleportation and happily returned to Green Fire Island. As he had expected, the Federation was indeed in an uproar over the two hundred sets of cultivation techniques that he had just sent over.

The commotion on Mercury and the sudden increase on the Federation Seedlings Contributions Ranking immediately incited heated discussions across the entire Federation. All manner of news articles were published and shared. The citizens of the Federation all began to talk about it. Duan Muque was at a loss for words. He had a strong gut feeling that his presidency… was going to be short-lived.

Many media agencies had begun to mention the promise that Duan Muque had made. This meant that anyone following the news knew that Wang Baole was going to be receiving a great promotion when he returned!

People all across the Federation began discussing this. The residents of Ethereal City participated as well. Wang Baole's parents had now established their circle of friends in the city, and they began following the news as well. The two older folks watched with racing hearts, unable to imagine their son becoming the Federation President.

This was their reality now. They had realized that from the security they were getting. They were clearly being guarded very tightly. Their new friends had all become increasingly friendlier to them as well…

As the Federation continued to be in an uproar, Wang Baole's life on the ancient sword had slowly calmed down. He began his cultivation again.

He had to stabilize his cultivation at the perfected Core Formation realm as well as make plans for his advancement to the Nascent Soul realm. There was also the matter of advancing to the second level of the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor inheritance. He also planned to master the final level of the Lightning Immortal Transformation.

His progress with the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor remained slow, but he saw better results with the Lightning Immortal Transformation. Regardless, progress with the latter had also slowed down. This was the final stage, after all. The power he would gain upon its mastery would be greater than the other techniques of the Lightning Immortal Transformation. In fact, it would be considered one of the most powerful techniques of the Lightning Immortal Transformation at the Core Formation realm.

Its name was the Lightning Immortal Point!

The heavens and earth would be transformed when the Lightning Immortal Point was unleashed! This fourth level of the Lightning Immortal Transformation emphasized gathering the power of lightning in one's body to form a powerful and lethal finger of lightning. It would contain the power to destroy everything in its path!

Wang Baole's first few attempts had allowed him to experience the incredible power contained within this Lightning Immortal Point. That motivated him to study and practice it more diligently.

Sun Hai had finally managed to gather a hundred and fifty thousand credits after some begging, stealing, and groveling. At the same time, Xie Haiyang had also transferred over two hundred thousand battle credits—earnings from the game—to him.

Wang Baole's wealth had just increased and now exceeded four hundred thousand battle credits. He might not be the richest man in the Dao Palace, but he definitely ranked in the top ten.

Wang Baole continued with his cultivation. During this period, the problem regarding his status was also resolved. Feng Qiuran finally proposed to provide Wang Baole the status of a Grand Supreme Elder—equal to the three elders. He would become the fourth Grand Supreme Elder in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. He would be able to form his own faction!

If it were any other occasion, Mie Liezi would have opposed the proposal vehemently. The position granted to Wang Baole had exceeded what he was prepared to accept. Now, however… in the face of such tremendous stress brought about by Wang Baole's rank as an adopted disciple, Mie Liezi could only grimace and accept what was being proposed. The reality was, that if this had been the Dao Palace of the past, Mie Liezi himself wouldn't even be qualified to become a follower of an adopted disciple…

Daoist You Ran seemed to have his own views regarding the matter, but he kept them to himself. Both Feng Qiuran and Mie Liezi had agreed to the proposal. It wouldn't be appropriate for him to comment further. He kept silent while an icy glint flickered in his eyes.

The three elders reached a consensus, and the announcement sent the entire Vast Expanse Dao Palace spiraling into a greater uproar!

There was no one in the sect who wasn't shocked by the news. Everyone knew that things were about to change in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!

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Chapter 619: The Hyacinthus Tree's Memories

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The news regarding the fourth Grand Supreme Elder stirred the entire Dao Palace, and commotion continued to spread. Feng Qiuran announced that a ceremony would be held in three days' time, under the Hyacinthus Tree!

The news excited every Federation disciple in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. Li Yi had fallen silent, sighed, and gotten herself under control. She might despise Wang Baole, but she couldn't deny the difference in capability separating the two of them. It had reached a point where she was no longer in the position to despise him.

She also understood one thing perfectly. After the ceremony, Wang Baole would be conferred the position of the fourth Grand Supreme Elder. He would naturally take on the position as leader of the Federation disciples!

Every Federation cultivator, including those who would join their ranks in the future, would all fall under Wang Baole's command. They would form the fourth faction in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace—the Federation faction!

The reality was indeed so. If Li Yi could guess it, many others could as well. During the next three days, Sect Lord Xu spent most of his time on Wang Baole's Green Fire Island. He had taken up the post of the main person in charge of running the island for Wang Baole.

He had readily accepted and acknowledged Wang Baole's superior role. His position as both the Vast Expanse Dao Palace's adopted disciple and Grand Supreme Elder ensured that the Federation President and the leaders of the other political forces would have to treat him with the utmost respect.

"Duan Muque's probably going to be shocked when he finds out about this…" the Sect Lord muttered to himself. He felt secretly pleased about that. Wang Baole might have inadvertently ruined his plans when they had been on the moon, but Duan Muque's meddling had been why his plans had been foiled.

That was why Sect Lord Xu quite looked forward to Duan Muque's impending misfortunes. He made sure he adjusted his behavior when in Wang Baole's presence as well, avoiding ever trying to pull rank or age on the latter. He was deferential to Wang Baole and helped the latter in receiving all guests who came to visit during the three days.

Wang Baole was both touched and grateful for his support. The thought of becoming a Grand Supreme Elder excited him. He shared the Sect Lord's thoughts. He wondered how the Federation would receive him when he returned as Grand Supreme Elder.

His spirits soared at the thought. He continued to see guests for the next three days. Three days later, the day of the ceremony finally arrived!

The entirety of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, comprising one million cultivators, gathered. It was impossible for the main island to accommodate all of them, so plenty of them hovered in mid-air around the island. All eyes gathered on the enormous Hyacinthus Tree!

There were only three people under the tree at the moment—Feng Qiuran, Daoist You Ran, and Mie Liezi. They stood solemnly under the tree, under everyone's gaze. Feng Qiuran took a deep breath and spoke slowly. Her voice was like thunder, booming with authority.

"Grand Supreme Elder Wang, please step forward!"

Feng Qiuran's voice rang in the air. Regardless of their feelings on the matter, the Nascent Soul realm cultivators surrounding them echoed her words in perfect synchrony and with deference.

"Grand Supreme Elder Wang, please step forward!"

A multitude of voices rose and fell, a majestic aural wave that surged outwards and spread across the heavens. Everyone's eyes turned towards the bottom of the main mountain peak and landed on the solitary figure standing there.

Wang Baole had white robes on. Sewn to the chest was the image of an ancient greenish-bronze sword. It looked surreal, flickering in and out of sight. His robes seemed to be imbued with a certain strange power. Dressed in those robes, Wang Baole looked like he was exuding a bright light that prevented everyone from looking directly at him.

These were the robes that only a Grand Supreme Elder was privileged to wear—the Grand Supreme Dao Robes!

The ceremony was divided into two parts. First, Wang Baole was to ascend the mountain with the entire sect as witness. He was to reach the core of the sect—under the Hyacinthus Tree. It was a spot reserved for the Grand Supreme Elders!

Then, he was to greet the Hyacinthus Tree!

Countless pairs of eyes stared at him. Wang Baole took a deep breath and ignored the array of emotions displayed in those eyes—envy, jealousy, confusion, and so on—and marched forward. He ascended through the skies, reached the top of the mountain with the tens of thousands of people watching, and arrived before the three Grand Supreme Elders. He straightened his back and looked at them.

They looked back at him, Mie Liezi with mixed feelings and a sense of powerlessness, Feng Qiuran with sincere joy, and Daoist You Ran with extreme calm. Daoist You Ran had his usual gentle smile on his face, and his eyes looked back at Wang Baole with encouragement.

Wang Baole couldn't help feeling slightly bothered by Daoist You Ran though. He didn't know where this feeling was coming from.

"Elder Wang, please extend your greetings to the Hyacinthus Tree. With the Hyacinthus Tree as your witness, you shall become the fourth Grand Supreme Elder of our Vast Expanse Dao Palace!" Feng Qiuran said softly, a serious look on her face.

Wang Baole nodded. He first turned and looked at the sea of Dao Palace disciples surrounding him. He could feel their eyes on him. Then, he turned back and stared at the enormous Hyacinthus Tree before him.

It was an ancient tree, and time had clearly left its mark on its thick and rough bark lined with numerous cracks. It was like an elder who had been around for a very, very long time, serving as both protector and witness for the Dao Palace.

Wang Baole stared at the Hyacinthus Tree and took a deep breath. He stepped forward towards the tree and, before the eyes of the Dao Palace disciples around him, cupped his fist and extended a deep bow towards the tree.

As soon as he extended his greeting, the Hyacinthus Tree suddenly swayed violently. The heavens and earth stirred. The air stilled while clouds came to a halt in the sky. The Vast Expanse Dao Palace's array formation appeared, and the surrounding Sea of Fire erupted. The whole world seemed to be shaking.

Shock flashed across everyone's faces. Those who had been reluctant to accept Wang Baole as their Grand Supreme Elder were all stunned. They stared at Wang Baole with shock and disbelief.

"He really achieved resonance with the Hyacinthus Tree!"

"He was able to affect the sect's array formation!"

"Everything that happened that day was real!"

This had happened when Wang Baole had first revealed his adopted disciple identity token. Not everyone had witnessed that scene though. That was why there hadn't been as great a reaction then. Now that everyone saw this with their own eyes, they were instantly flooded with a torrent of emotions.

The resonance he achieved with the Hyacinthus Tree seemed to be greater than the previous round. The three Grand Supreme Elders were standing the nearest to the tree and possessed the highest cultivation. They could sense that the most clearly.

As surprise flashed across their faces, Wang Baole trembled fiercely. He could sense a strange consciousness separating from the tree. It wormed into his storage bag swiftly and entered his adopted disciple identity token!

It seemed to be checking something. The consciousness soon left his identity token. The tree seemed to have ascertained Wang Baole's identity. It began to shake more fiercely. The same consciousness shot into Wang Baole's mind, forming images in his head!

Surprise flashed across Wang Baole's face. He saw in the images… Feng Qiuran—or perhaps, he should say that he saw the giant tree's memories, and in those memories, he saw a Feng Qiuran who had stood before the tree on a certain day in the past!

Feng Qiuran looked younger than she was now, and she had an infant in her arms!

She knelt before the Hyacinthus Tree with a look of bewilderment on her face, murmuring quietly to the tree!

Wang Baole's breathing quickened. There was something strange going on here. It was then that he caught what Feng Qiuran was muttering…

"Ancient Hyacinthus Tree, the Never-Ending Clan ambushed us during our journey. The elders were badly injured and went into deep slumber. The ancient sword deviated from its flight trajectory and entered a region called the Solar System. There is a civilization found in this galaxy called the Federation. Contact with shards of the ancient sword has initiated the age of cultivation in the Federation… I wish to guide them on the path of cultivation. Once they have grown stronger, they will be able to help and repay the Dao Palace… The Dao Palace will be able to assimilate fully into this galaxy and find new roots here. We will be able to prosper and thrive, plant new seeds of civilization!

"In addition, I suspect that there are still remnants of the Never-Ending Clan hidden amongst us in the Dao Palace. I will find them all!

"That is the reason why I do not dare… to leave this child with me. I wish to send him away with the visiting Federation cultivators, to the Federation. He shall grow up there.

"He is too important. I am the only person in the entire Dao Palace who knows his true identity. He is… the reincarnation of the previous Dao Disciple, Wu Chen. He shall regain his memories once he reaches the Soul Conduit realm. I dare not let him remain in the Dao Palace. I seek your permission to send him away!

"Please bear a single fruit as a show of your approval…"

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Chapter 620: The Federation Lineage!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The images flashed clearly in Wang Baole's head. It was as if he had become the Hyacinthus Tree that instant and was witnessing the actual scene himself!

Waves of emotions surged inside Wang Baole as he listened to Feng Qiuran's words. His breath froze. He stared at the infant in Feng Qiuran's arms. He had only one name in his head—Wuchen!

The image blurred. Next, he saw a fruit ripen on the Hyacinthus Tree. It fell and landed before Feng Qiuran. Feng Qiuran picked the fruit up and placed it in the infant's mouth. It melted swiftly and disappeared quickly as the child sucked at it hungrily.

Feng Qiuran bowed again and finally left. The last image was of Feng Qiuran's retreating back. That too grew blurry. Wang Baole shook again, as if he had just awakened from a walk down the Hyacinthus Tree's memory lane. His eyes cleared. He was back, standing on the mountain peak, with a million Dao Palace cultivators watching him.

Wang Baole was silent for a long moment. He took a while to recover from his shock. He straightened his back, turned, and looked at the three Grand Supreme Elders. They looked as if nothing had happened.

Wang Baole came to a conclusion, that perhaps… he was the only one who had access to the Hyacinthus Tree's memories during the resonance he had achieved with it. This was because he was an adopted disciple, while the other three elders were only inner sect disciples. They couldn't achieve such a strong resonance with the Hyacinthus Tree. The likelihood of them seeing what he had seen earlier was low.

This meant that perhaps Feng Qiuran had really been the only person who knew the identity and whereabouts of this infant. Now, he knew as well.

Wang Baole had no idea how the Dao Disciple Wuchen had turned up in Feng Qiuran's hands or how Feng Qiuran had explained the infant's appearance. What he knew was when the previous Federation President Li Xingwen had left the ancient greenish-bronze sword, he had returned to the Federation with an infant in his arms.

Wang Baole silently decided to set the entire matter aside for the moment. He took a deep breath, then looked at the Dao Palace cultivators around him. They watched as he walked towards the three Grand Supreme Elders, cupped his fists, and extended a deep bow towards them.

"Greetings to the three Grand Supreme Elders!"

Feng Qiuran smiled. She returned the greetings. A reluctant Mie Liezi bowed back, while the mild-mannered Daoist You Ran cupped his fists and returned the greetings as well.

"Greetings to Grand Supreme Elder Wang Baole!"

They stood together on the mountain top, their greetings immortalized in that moment and seared into the memories of the surrounding disciples. The surrounding disciples saluted the next moment!

"Greetings to Grand Supreme Elder Wang Baole!"

Their voices boomed like thunder, rippling across the skies in an endless echo. The bells of the Dao Palace began to chime. The ceremony had come to an end.

Henceforth, the Vast Expanse Dao Palace was no longer divided into three factions. They had just received their fourth Grand Supreme Elder!

The Federation disciples were the loudest and most excited during their greetings. The four Grand Supreme Elders smiled and nodded at one another. Feng Qiuran then represented the sect and announced a series of changes and promotions!

Green Fire Island was to become Wang Baole's private island. A dozen other large islands near the Vast Expanse Dao Palace would also fall under his jurisdiction. A fourth palace for the fourth Grand Supreme Elder would also be constructed on the main island.

The palace would serve as a place for Wang Baole to carry out his daily cultivation. Its size and model would adhere to their sect's highest standards. The sect would also be responsible for acquiring all the materials needed for construction.

There was also the matter of tribute. He would receive the same deferential treatment as the other Grand Supreme Elders, as well as a vote in determining the sect's developmental strategies. He would be taking over the foreign relations between the Federation and the Vast Expanse Dao Palace as well.

There were other miscellaneous access rights granted too. Currently, at least in name, Wang Baole was one of the four sovereigns governing the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!

This was something no one had expected. No one could have known that within a mere two years, Wang Baole would transform from an outsider to someone who held such power and authority in the sect.

In fact, should Wang Baole's cultivation breakthrough from the Nascent Soul realm to the Soul Conduit realm, he would have a chance of becoming the sect's sole authority!

Feng Qiuran completed her announcements, and the ceremony was coming to an end. Everyone watched as the four Grand Supreme Elders stood together. Feng Qiuran smiled and handed a jade slip to Wang Baole.

"Elder Wang, next is the conferment of new positions. You should announce them. If you have anything you want changed, you can delay the announcement first. We can discuss the changes after."

Wang Baole stared at Feng Qiuran. The Hyacinthus Tree's memories surfaced in his mind. He nodded, saluted her politely, then took the jade slip from her. After reading the contents, he lifted his head and stared at her, surprised.

Feng Qiuran smiled quietly while Mie Liezi remained expressionless. Daoist You Ran was his usual mild-mannered self. There was even encouragement in his eyes.

Wang Baole's eyes swept across the three elders before he turned and gazed at the disciples around him. After a bout of silence, he opened his mouth. His voice rang out, bright as it echoed in the air.

"Kong Dao, step forward!"

Kong Dao, who had been standing amongst his fellow Federation disciples, froze. He hurriedly dashed out into the air. He cupped his fists and saluted Wang Baole.

"Greetings to the Grand Supreme Elder!"

"I confer upon Kong Dao the position of acting elder. He shall be promoted immediately to the position of elder upon reaching the Nascent Soul realm!"

Kong Dao shook, then immediately voiced his thanks. He knew that only Nascent Soul realm cultivators could advance to become an elder in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. Those who reached the Soul Conduit realm would then be promoted to Grand Supreme Elder.

The privileges awarded to an elder were vastly different than those enjoyed by a mere disciple. Even though he was only an acting elder, he too could enjoy most of the privileges an elder had. It wasn't exactly an accelerated progression, but it was still a key step forward for him.

"Zhao Yameng, step forward!" Wang Baole wasn't done yet. He called out another name after Kong Dao stepped back.

Zhao Yameng took a deep breath upon being called. She leapt into the sky and cupped her fists.

"I confer upon Zhao Yameng the position of elder in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!"

The surrounding disciples voiced their surprise quietly as Wang Baole's voice rang out. The elders of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace were all at the Nascent Soul realm. Zhao Yameng was only at the Core Formation realm. However, there were many who knew that Zhao Yameng had earned the rank of an inner sect disciple at the Worship Palace Pavilion. They understood why the sect was doing this.

The rank of an inner sect disciple was extremely high. It wouldn't be appropriate for someone holding that rank to remain as an ordinary disciple or even as an acting elder.

Zhao Yameng's breathing quickened. She lifted her head and stared at Wang Baole. Then, with a faint smile, she cupped her fists and expressed her thanks. She left, but Wang Baole wasn't done yet.

"From today, all Federation cultivators who have reached the perfected Foundation Establishment realm will be given three opportunities to enter the Core Realm Pavilion and seek any assistance provided within to reach a breakthrough to the Core Formation realm!

"Sect Lord Xu, you previously submitted a request to enter the Nascent Art Chamber in order to reach a breakthrough in cultivation. Your request is approved!"

The series of announcements sent the entire Dao Palace spiraling into shock yet again. The Federation cultivators were overcome with excitement. This was an extremely generous gift that Feng Qiuran had given Wang Baole. She had given him the chance to make the announcements, and through that, the opportunity to show his authority and affirm his status!

The ceremony finally came to an end, and the crowd began to disperse. Afterward, the construction of the fourth hall commenced. Wang Baole was to return to Green Fire Island first while awaiting the completion of his palace. Sect Lord Xu would naturally be taking over all administrative matters.

Upon returning to Green Fire Island, Wang Baole went back to his cave abode. He began heaving. It was as if he had been holding something inside him back for too long. That something finally exploded as his breathing grew heavy, and thoughts started rushing through his head.

Li Wuchen… it must be him. To think that he's actually… the reincarnation of the Vast Expanse Dao Disciple! The revelation was too great a shock. Wang Baole still couldn't accept it. Part of it was because of his experience in the Worship Palace Pavilion. He knew exactly how much power and authority a Dao Disciple had. A Dao Disciple held the world in his hand.

He simply couldn't accept it. He thought about all the hard work he had put in and the near-deaths he had escaped to become an adopted disciple. Li Wuchen, on the other hand, had been born a Dao Disciple… What made things worse was the conflict between the both of them. Wang Baole's head began to hurt at that thought.

Anyone with eyes can see that Li Wuchen isn't good-looking, forgiving, or open-minded like I am. He's petty and holds grudges. Who knows if he won't come looking for trouble once his memories return… Wang Baole fretted.

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Chapter 621: The Solitary, Handsome Dragon!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Wang Baole bemoaned how unfair fate was. It left him sighing with exasperation and powerless with regret.

"Just think about it. I, Wang Baole, the Federation President, the Grand Supreme Elder of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. My whole life, I've worked hard. Everything I've achieved was through my own blood, sweat, and tears. I walked through fire, one step at a time, without anyone's help, like a solitary, handsome dragon, struggling in the jaws of fate, before I got to where I am now!" Wang Baole stood at the entrance of his cave abode, hands behind his back and his face towards the sky, muttering to himself in a despairing voice.

His whole life flashed across his eyes. He remembered the deep sense of loneliness he had felt, in both body and spirit, while he had traveled this solitary path, alone.

"Li Wuchen, on the other hand, was born a Dao Disciple. He'll be able to regain his past life's memories once he awakens. He shall become the sole authority in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace!

"Fates is so unfair!

"Such is life. Such injustice!"

Wang Baole's right fist shot out and slammed into the wall next to him. The cave abode shook while the mountain trembled. It was like he was trying to vent his frustrations.

This clearly wasn't enough. Wang Baole was about to cry out once again in fury and sorrow and demand answers from heaven when Little Missy coughed in his head.

"Enough! You buy everything that you've just said? What's up with you… am I not human? Is your senior brother not human? How about Li Xingwen? Or the Martian Colony's Governor? Try saying that you haven't a single soul helping you again!"

Wang Baole fell silent at Little Missy's words. He knew no shame though. He coughed and didn't reply to Little Missy. Instead, he tried to continue basking in the emotions he had stirred up. This might prove difficult for someone else, whose bluff had just been called, but it was a piece of cake for Wang Baole.

Soon, he was immersed in fury and sorrow. He sighed and muttered to himself, "A true prodigy should be someone like me, Wang Baole, who rose above the mundane!"

"Besides, Baldy Chen might be a Dao Disciple, but he hasn't awakened yet. I, on the other hand, am already an adopted disciple with a bright future ahead of me. He's no threat to me now. Even after he regains his memories, so what? He might be the Dao Disciple, but I'm a Dark Child. Besides, it's not like we have some terrible grudge against each other." At that thought, Wang Baole patted his tummy and stopped worrying.

The days passed swiftly. The construction of his own palace on the main island progressed smoothly under the Dao Palace cultivators' steady, hard work. Its size and model was the same as the palaces belonging to the other three Grand Supreme Elders. It looked enormous and extremely lavish. They were also building a huge statue of Wang Baole outside the grand palace.

It inspired awe and respect in all Dao Palace cultivators who passed by. There were also numerous array formations set up around the main body of the palace. They were connected to the main array formation in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. As long as Wang Baole remained in his palace, and as long as the array formation remained activated, even a Soul Conduit realm cultivator could do him no harm!

The resources required for setting up the array formations and constructing the palace were clearly immense. After a Dao Palace disciple sent the key to the array formation to him, Wang Baole made a trip down to the palace to inspect it. He was pleased with what he saw.

He soon moved off of Green Fire Island and into the palace. Federation disciples began to visit him there. Things finally settled down after a week. The other disciples in the Dao Palace also finally began to get used to Wang Baole's new position.

Wang Baole had declared during the ceremony the Core Realm Pavilion and Nascent Art Chamber open to Federation cultivators at their respective perfected Foundation Establishment realm and perfected Core Formation realm. Many Federation disciples had begun using the facilities and attempting a breakthrough.

Zhuo Yifan had been the first to do so and was still in seclusion. Sect Lord Xu from the Galactic Dusk Sect had also been the first to enter the Nascent Art Chamber and try for a breakthrough in cultivation.

Wang Baole himself didn't immediately enter the Nascent Art Chamber. He had just reached the perfected Core Formation realm, after all, and his cultivation had not yet stabilized at its current level. What he had to do now was to perfect his divine powers and allow his cultivation to truly reach its full potential at its current level.

Time passed steadily, and things began to settle down. Wang Baole would receive the occasional report from a few Federation disciples, but he spent most of his time practicing the final level of his Lightning Immortal Transformation and the second level of his Thearch Armor inheritance.

Progress for the former was sluggish and even slower for the latter. Wang Baole knew that he couldn't rush things though. He continued trying to figure things out without worrying too much. In that way, a month passed. Zhuo Yifan finally emerged from his seclusion. He had attained a breakthrough and advanced from the Foundation Establishment realm to the Core Formation realm!

He had also acquired an inheritance from the Eye of Infinite Techniques. As soon as Zhuo Yifan emerged from his seclusion, Wang Baole immediately contacted Feng Qiuran. Like Kong Dao, Zhuo Yifan was made an acting elder.

Wang Baole then handed some battle credits to Zhuo Yifan—as a loan—to aid the latter in his future cultivation. The reason it was a loan and not a gift was because Wang Baole had read the high officials' autobiographies. He knew that friends should never simply give money to one another. Doing so the first time might inspire gratitude. The second time, your friend might think well of you. But after a few times, people would start taking it for granted.

In fact, if you wanted to render someone completely useless, the best way to do so would be to get this person used to getting things for nothing. He or she… would turn into utter trash.

At his current age, Wang Baole still couldn't quite understand such things. But he had a habit. Anything he didn't know, he would simply follow what had been written in those autobiographies. He had done this many times, and it hadn't failed him yet.

That wasn't the only good thing to have happened for the Federation. Sect Lord Xu of the Galactic Dusk Sect—one of the few who had founded the Spirit Inception Era in the early-stage Federation—finally attained a breakthrough after a period of seclusion in the Nascent Art Chamber. Perhaps he had already built a strong enough foundation, so he had achieved the Nascent Soul realm without a hitch!

His breakthrough was different from the breakthroughs of other Nascent Soul realm cultivators from the Dao Palace. His strong foundation seemed to have resulted in a stronger aftermath that sent a shockwave surging outwards. Even though he was only at the early-stage Nascent Soul realm, the power he exuded already rivaled that given off by Dao Palace cultivators at the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm.

Wang Baole had been shocked when he had witnessed the breakthrough. He recalled what had happened during Li Xingwen and Duan Muque's breakthroughs. His senses hadn't been as refined then, so he had only known that they were strong. Now, after some comparison and analysis, Wang Baole suddenly realized that he might have underestimated both Duan Muque and Li Xingwen.

Both of them were clearly more gifted than Sect Lord Xu. Their powers would clearly be greater than that of an ordinary Nascent Soul realm cultivator. Furthermore, they had two years to cement their cultivation. Wang Baole wasn't sure if he could win them in a fight the next time they met.

Wang Baole couldn't help but feel slightly threatened. Regardless, Sect Lord Xu's breakthrough was good news for the Federation faction in the Dao Palace. Wang Baole personally conferred the position of elder upon the Sect Lord. There were now two elders under Wang Baole.

He also had two acting elders and numerous other disciples on the verge of reaching the Core Formation realm. They needed but time for their faction to grow more powerful.

Wang Baole had already proposed to bring forward the arrival of the third batch of Federation Seedlings. This would further consolidate his faction's power. Feng Qiuran's support ensured that Mie Liezi, while unhappy, would have to agree to his proposal. Wang Baole had now become the thorn in his side.

After becoming the fourth Grand Supreme Elder, Wang Baole had begun thinking carefully about the future of his faction. He had discussed the matter with Sect Lord Xu. After the Sect Lord's promotion to elder, Wang Baole released three announcements in the capacity of Grand Supreme Elder!

The three announcements sent the entire sect into an uproar!

The first was to promote the expansion of the Spirit Internet. He encouraged folks to set up businesses, removed barriers of entry, and allowed Dao Palace disciples to set up their own stores on the Spirit Internet. This boosted the exchange of resources and allowed disciples to gain from trading on the Spirit Internet!

Jin Duoming had done something similar in the past but hadn't achieved many results. The main cause of his failure had been his lack of status. It had seemed like he had been making a great deal of noise over nothing much in particular. The impact hadn't been as great as Wang Baole's official announcement, made in the capacity of a Grand Supreme Elder.

Now, there was Wang Baole's endorsement backing it. There was now a chance for its sustainable development. Once the foundation and structure were set up, the Spirit Internet would become an inseparable part of the Dao Palace!

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Chapter 622: A Familiar Face Returns!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

With the real-time synchronization between the mission stone stele and the Spirit Internet in place, Wang Baole's second announcement was the creation of a new post—a mission administrator!

The administrator's job was to assist cultivators—who were either training outside the Dao Palace or unable to return directly to the Dao Palace due to other reasons—by collecting the items obtained from the mission from these cultivators, submitting them to the sect on the latter's behalf, and allocating the awarded battle credits to the latter. This would save a great amount of time for Dao Palace disciples. After all, the journey to and fro wasn't short.

This idea had been Sect Lord Xu's. It was akin to the courier services found in the Federation. Prior to Wang Baole becoming a Grand Supreme Elder, it would have been challenging trying to propose such a new post. After all, a great deal of trust and risk were involved.

Wang Baole's current status resolved all such problems. In addition, the new rules dictated that only Federation disciples could become administrators.

Of course, there were still many other details to be ironed out, including the issue of compensation should problems arise. There was no need for Wang Baole to worry about those though. Sect Lord Xu was there to sort everything out.

The first two announcements led to Wang Baole thinking of the third one, which was… to set up a Loans Pavilion… with his and the Federation government's credit as basis!

The Loans Pavilion would be open to all Dao Palace disciples. Personal credit ratings would be set up for everyone. In addition, different credit limits would also be given based on their ranks. Each loan given would earn interest!

The impact of the third announcement was akin to dropping numerous Anti-Spirit Bombs on the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, shocking every disciple and displaying Wang Baole's and the Federation's wealth at the same time!

The Loans Pavilion was backed by both Wang Baole himself as well as the Federation government. It meant that the credits placed with the pavilion were guaranteed security. Loans given out were also guaranteed to be collected back, with interest.

Wang Baole's level of cultivation might not be high enough to provide assurance, but his status and rank ensured that few would dare default on a loan. Everyone had come to know his character as they witnessed his rise to the top. They knew how vicious and merciless he could get… Sun Hai had set a memorable example!

The consecutive issuances of these three announcements would completely transform the Dao Palace as well as countless lives. They were practical changes though. No one would wish to forgo them after getting used to the changes. It was difficult for most people to forgo convenience after having gotten used to it.

There were a few who realized what Wang Baole was trying to do and protested the new measures, but Wang Baole had both authority and Feng Qiuran's support on his side. The voices of dissent were gradually lost in the crowd. In addition, Wang Baole wasn't interested in gaining this small minority's approval. What he wanted was to achieve convenience for the majority.

"In fact, they can curse at me while they continue using those services!" That had been Wang Baole's exact words when Sect Lord Xu had voiced his concerns after Wang Baole had proposed the idea for the Loans Pavilion.

Those words had convinced the Sect Lord. He had bowed deeply and gone ahead to execute Wang Baole's plans.

Those three measures were implemented. As the Dao Palace began to undergo a steady transformation, and as some people grew lost amidst the changes, Mie Liezi started to panic.

Wang Baole and Feng Qiuran had joined forces during this period of time, and many things began to spiral out of his control. He was powerless against them. Without rhyme or reason, Daoist You Ran resumed his past neutral stance, abstaining from voting on all matters. Mie Liezi grew increasingly anxious while his displeasure towards Feng Qiuran and Wang Baole intensified.

He had seen the changes that had overtaken the sect. He had seen the convenience the Spirit Internet had given them, the dangers it brought along, as well as how it had chipped at his power. If he continued to allow things to unfold in this manner, he had a feeling that the Dao Palace would soon be assimilated with the Federation. Then, it wouldn't simply be difficult to tear them apart, it would be impossible to do so.

There was something else that Mie Liezi found unacceptable. In his heart, the Dao Palace reigned supreme, and outsiders who hadn't received the Dao Palace's acknowledgment were all beneath the Dao Palace!

With Wang Baole's rise in power and his series of new initiatives, the status of Federation disciples had risen greatly in the Dao Palace. Many Dao Palace cultivators had even grown accustomed to that. They subconsciously felt that everyone was now equal.

All this contributed to Mie Liezi's anxiety. However, he knew that with Wang Baole and Feng Qiuran joining forces, he had little chance of retaliating against them.

That was why he told himself to grit his teeth and shoulder on while waiting for his chance!

When his chance came, and he decided to strike, he would stir up a huge storm, summon chaos and destroy order, and overpower everything in his path!

With that thought in mind, Mie Liezi decided to retreat into seclusion. He would strengthen his cultivation and, at the same time, spend more time guiding his disciple, Dugu Lin, whom he had placed his hopes on. His desire was for Dugu Lin to reach his breakthrough as soon as possible.

As a result, control over the Dao Palace fell to Wang Baole and Feng Qiuran during this period of time. There was naturally no disagreement about the arrival of the third batch of Federation Seedlings. The proposal was passed smoothly. Their arrival would take place a month later.

By using his authority, Wang Baole hid from Feng Qiuran the fact that he had demanded the presence of two people in this third batch!

The first was the Martian Colony's Deputy Governor, the giant tree!

The second was… Li Wuchen!

The identification of new seedlings was under the Federation's internal purview. In addition, Feng Qiuran had no way of knowing that Wang Baole had accessed the Hyacinthus Tree's memories. As a result, she paid no attention to the incoming third batch of Federation Seedlings. It was this oversight that resulted in Li Wuchen's presence amongst the hundred Seedlings a month later. Feng Qiuran saw the slightly lost and nervous look in Li Wuchen's eyes as he stood in the array formation. Her breathing quickened instantly.

Wang Baole pretended that he didn't notice. Feng Qiuran had her suspicions but found no appropriate channel to voice them. She could only hide her doubts while staring past the crowd and at Li Wuchen, a myriad of emotions flashing across her eyes.

Li Wuchen had seen Feng Qiuran, but he didn't recognize her at all. On the other hand, he was quite familiar with Wang Baole, who was seated next to Feng Qiuran and surrounded by numerous cultivators. Wang Baole seemed to have done very well for himself.

A mixture of feelings and jealousy surged inside Li Wuchen almost instinctively. The Federation was aware of Wang Baole's newfound status. They had received news of it recently, and it had created quite a commotion.

He had only found out just before his arrival. Regardless, it had been just as shocking. He sighed, troubled. He had some conflicts with Wang Baole, and Wang Baole believed in an eye for an eye, so Li Wuchen believed he was going to be in for some hardship. He had developed feelings for one of Wang Baole's juniors whilst in the Ethereal Dao College. This increased the anxiety he was feeling now. He lowered his head and stole a glance at the crowd. His eyes landed on a young lady from the Ethereal Dao College. Hidden beneath the mix of feelings shining in his eyes was a certain softness.

Mei'er might be stressed because of Wang Baole. It doesn't matter if I suffer a little hardship as long as Mei'er is free from troubles. It'll be worth it! Li Wuchen kept his breathing controlled and prepared himself mentally. He stepped out of the array formation with the rest of the Federation Seedlings and greeted Wang Baole and Feng Qiuran with cupped fists.

What he didn't know was that he wasn't the most nervous person in the entire third batch of Seedlings. The person who was secretly trembling the most, and feeling the most nervous, was a middle-aged man standing nearby!

He was… the giant tree, also known by many as their Fellow Daoist Osmanthus.

His anxiety had reached a peak. He had asked around and found out that he hadn't originally been included in this third batch. Wang Baole had been the one who had demanded his presence.

That had terrified the giant tree. He wailed inwardly and raged sorrowfully. He hadn't expected this wretched Wang Baole, who had ruined his plans in the past, to rise up and become the Grand Supreme Elder of the Dao Palace within a mere few years!

There is no justice in this world! The giant tree and Li Wuchen raged inwardly, while troubled with their own worries. They greeted Wang Baole meekly while the latter simply grinned widely, his eyes occasionally landing on the both of them.

Feng Qiuran wasn't her usual self either. She forced out a few words then left in a hurry, intending to send a voice transmission to Li Xingwen via the teleportation array formation. She was going to ask him why he had allowed Li Wuchen to return.

Wang Baole watched as Feng Qiuran left. He said a few words as well before leaving and heading back to his palace. The third batch of Federation Seedlings was dispersed. Just as the other Federation cultivators began leading them away to get these new arrivals familiar with the place, Sect Lord Xu shouted out.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, please wait a moment. The Grand Supreme Elder requests your presence in his palace."

The fretting giant tree, who had just released a sigh of relief and been lulled into a false sense of complacency, shook upon hearing that. He turned around slowly. He was silently screaming inside his head. He dared not reveal anything on his face though. He gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, we are old acquaintances… there is something I'm not sure if I should tell you." Sect Lord Xu looked at the other cultivator with regret.

"Please share your thoughts!" The cunning giant tree immediately lifted his head upon hearing that and gave the Sect Lord a deferential bow.

"Some people are destined for great things. If you could seize the opportunity presented to you, even past conflicts can be resolved and transformed into a chance for you to ascend to greater heights. Such things are not impossible!" Sect Lord Xu gave the giant tree a meaningful look as he spoke softly.

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Chapter 623: Just One Step Away!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The giant tree listened quietly to Sect Lord Xu, the man who had once fought him for a chance at attaining a breakthrough on the moon. The gears in his head began to spin furiously as he continued to reveal nothing on his face, maintaining a polite, deferential appearance. He cupped his fists and bowed deeply.

"I thank Sect Lord Xu for your advice!"

Sect Lord Xu, who had risen to the Nascent Soul realm, eyed the giant tree with a deep, meaningful look. He didn't say more. He walked ahead, towards Wang Baole's palace.

The giant tree followed hastily. As the other new arrivals scattered, the giant tree followed Sect Lord Xu to the fourth grand palace on the main peak.

The heavy Spirit Qi in the air, the presence of dozens of Nascent Souls, the Soul Conduit realm presence exerted by Mie Liezi and the other two Grand Supreme Elders, and the array formation enveloping both heaven and earth—everything made the giant tree shake in his boots. His heart grew increasingly heavier.

It worsened when they arrived before the fourth palace, and the giant tree saw Wang Baole's towering statue in front of the palace. It was a shocking sight. He could feel power emanating from the palace itself. His breathing quickened. What made things worse was the look of deference and respect on Sect Lord Xu's face as he stood at the entrance and bowed deeply at the shut gates. This was someone who had reached the Nascent Soul realm and could easily crush him.

"Xu Yunkun greets the Grand Supreme Elder. I have brought Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, as you instructed."

A flood of emotions threatened to pull him under as he watched the scene unfold before him. He had prepared himself mentally, but seeing a Nascent Soul realm cultivator treating Wang Baole with such deference still made his breathing quicken uncontrollably. His heart raced. He lowered his head instinctively as he cupped his fists as well and said bitterly.

"Osmanthus Moon greets the Grand Supreme Elder."

The halls descended into silence after their greeting. A long moment passed. Then, Wang Baole's voice rang out, slow and calm.

"You may enter."

Sect Lord Xu knew that he shouldn't be present during this meeting. Upon hearing Wang Baole's words, he bowed again and left without sparing the giant tree a single glance.

The giant tree began panicking and sighing at the same time. He dragged his feet for some time before gritting his teeth and stepping towards the palace. He pushed the doors open. Wang Baole's figure, back turned towards him, appeared in his view as soon as he stepped inside.

"Osmanthus Moon greets the Grand Supreme Elder!" Sighing inwardly, the giant tree lowered his head deferentially, cupped his fists, and bowed deeply.

The grand hall of the palace was extremely lavish. Besides the enormous chair placed at the end of the hall, its two sides were lined with seven to eight chairs as well. Nine statues were positioned around the hall. They looked like guards and exuded the power of an array formation. It terrified the giant tree.

Wang Baole had his back towards the giant tree. He stood next to the chair at the end of the hall, gazing at a statue in front of him. He appeared not to have heard the giant tree's greeting. It was as if the statue in front of him contained a secret that required his detailed study.

Time passed slowly, and Wang Baole seemed to show no signs of turning around. He appeared to only have eyes for the statue. The silence was torture for the giant tree. He was wrought with anxiety. The palace's looming aura enveloped him, and his nervousness grew as he stood bitterly, waiting.

Everything was made worse by… the familiarity of the scene unfolding before him… When Wang Baole had first arrived on Mars, he had summoned him to his office. Then, he had done the same to Wang Baole, to take him down a notch.

This was Wang Baole repaying the favor. The giant tree was powerless to stop him and could only wait silently. The palace doors gradually slid shut, and silence descended. The heavy Spirit Qi in the air led to the formation of Spirit Fog in the hall.

In the fog, Wang Baole gave off an aura of mystery. The giant tree's unease grew. Fifteen minutes passed. As the giant tree's fear and anxiety reached their peak, Wang Baole's voice finally rang out raspily in the hall.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus…" Wang Baole rose slowly to his feet as he spoke.

"We meet again!"

Those words sounded familiar. The giant tree grimaced. His head remained lowered as he found himself at a loss for words.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, do you know why I'm the fourth Grand Supreme Elder in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace?" Wang Baole had what seemed like a smile on his face. His eyes fell on the giant tree as he asked softly.

The giant tree fretted. He finally understood how Wang Baole must have felt during their first meeting on Mars. He had asked a similar question then. He knew Wang Baole wanted him to play along. He also knew that he wasn't in any position to refuse Wang Baole, so he braced himself and whispered.

"Why…"

"Why? You're asking me why?" Lightning flickered in Wang Baole's eyes, and electricity erupted outside his body. He stared at the giant tree as he said slowly.

"That is because I was just one step away from the Core Formation realm on the moon. One step away. Just one! With my level of cultivation and battle prowess, if I had reached the Core Formation realm then, I could've attained the Soul Conduit realm by now. I wouldn't be just the fourth Grand Supreme Elder!"

Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. His words rang across the hall, sending the entire palace shaking. An overpowering force weighed down on the giant tree, causing his knees to turn to jelly. He almost fell to his knees.

The giant tree grimaced. He was overly familiar with those four words. He had frightened Wang Baole with them in the past. If he had a choice, he would try and find some way to leave this place and return to Mars immediately.

This ancient greenish-bronze sword was simply too dangerous a place for him to be.

The sense of danger and unease hadn't passed. A stormy-faced Wang Baole walked to his seat and sat down slowly. He stared coldly at the giant tree and spoke again.

"I've been thinking. If I try eating some rare fruits now, would I be able to break through to the Nascent Soul realm… like that half of one fruit you swallowed back on the moon."

The giant tree's head buzzed when he heard that. He began heaving as he retreated subconsciously. An overpowering force erupted around him, immobilizing him and holding him in place.

The giant tree shook violently as terror surged inside him. This was why Wang Baole had him transferred to the Dao Palace!

He couldn't accept this, but his struggles were to no avail. Wang Baole wasn't the only one giving him immense pressure. His status and this palace had rendered the giant tree completely helpless. He still had his cunning though. Even though he was panicking, he could tell that something was going on here. If Wang Baole truly intended to eat him alive, there was no need for him to waste so much time talking. This gave the giant tree hope.

"Elder Wang… I…"

"I know what you want to say. I also know you can tell that I have no intentions of eating you at this moment. But Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, set aside your devious thoughts and guesses and just remember this one thing. You… owe me a fruit!" Wang Baole cut the giant tree off and said calmly. The unfathomable look in his eyes sent the giant tree shaking. He finally reached a realization after a long bout of silence.

Even though Wang Baole hadn't said anything explicitly, he could tell that Wang Baole had something he required the giant tree to help him carry out in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. That was why he had been summoned here. The giant tree took a deep breath and bowed again.

This round, he was more serious and showed more respect.

"Your humble servant will do his best to fulfill your wishes!"

Wang Baole nodded. He liked talking to smart people. There was a reason why the giant tree had been able to get to where he was now. He hadn't summoned the giant tree for some fruit. He had summoned him… for the burial mound that he had found in the hexed area near the Worship Palace Pavilion!

Based on Zhao Yameng's analysis, there was a possibility that only pure wood-based entities could enter the burial mound. Wang Baole had begun considering potential candidates then. In his opinion, if the giant tree couldn't fulfill the requirements for entry, there was really no one else he could find for the job.

That was why he had asked for the giant tree to be included in the third batch of Federation Seedlings.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, I have something for you. Do this one thing for me, and I'll not only forget everything that has happened between us, but I'll even give you a chance to attain the Nascent Soul realm!"

Wang Baole said softly, in a low voice. Amplified by the palace's array formation, it echoed and shook one to the core!

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Chapter 624: A Divine Armament's Ancient Bones

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The giant tree had no choice!

He was in no position to make a choice. He was like Wang Baole when he had just arrived on Mars. Wang Baole had been in no position to make a choice at that time either. He had been forced to take precautionary measures, to gradually gain influence and power and finally reach a balance in their relationship where he could guarantee his own safety and that of his self-interests.

When Wang Baole had first arrived on Mars, if he hadn't chosen to venture into the education sector to establish his name, if he hadn't chosen to create an impression in front of the Martian Colony Governor, if he hadn't chosen to fight to become the person in charge of the new zone, if he hadn't realized how important Zhao Yameng truly was to the Governor when he arrived at the Dao Palace, he wouldn't have grown to become so famous and he wouldn't have risen through the ranks so swiftly. He wouldn't have become such a threat to the giant tree. The chances of his premature and accidental death would have been greater.

Of course, the giant tree had also been wary of Duan Muque then. He hadn't been able to see through Duan Muque's intentions for sending Wang Baole to Mars. That had been why the giant tree had practiced patience and caution earlier on instead of acting recklessly. However, when he had finally made up his mind to act, Wang Baole had already shown incredible progress and established a formidable network that discouraged the giant tree from causing trouble for him.

A grudge remained between the two, but none had taken action to set the matter to rest. That was why Wang Baole had created such drama and then let him off so easily. The infiltration of the burial mound was his primary goal, and the giant tree's submission to his authority secondary.

Wang Baole didn't care if the giant tree readily accepted his authority. The high officials' autobiographies had written very clearly about this. There were no eternal loyalties in this world, and hence no eternal betrayals. He only needed to let the giant tree know the painful price of betraying him. It would be greater than he could bear. That knowledge alone would be enough.

This was true of anything going on in the world, including the affairs between a man and a woman. Wang Baole was keenly aware of that. He had no experience in the latter. As for the former, he acted according to what he believed in. That was why he led the giant tree out of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace and, using the teleportation array formation to the Worship Palace Pavilion, brought the latter to the Worship Palace Pavilion!

Any other person wouldn't have had the privilege to use this teleportation array formation. It didn't matter how many requests they submitted. Only those who had a leaf from the Hyacinthus Tree were allowed to activate the teleportation array formation.

These rules didn't bound Wang Baole though. As one of the four masters of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace, unless what he was about to do amounted to treason, there were few who could overrule his actions.

He wasn't concerned that he might fall prey to danger when out alone with the giant tree. His status allowed him to disregard most of the hexes while out in the region of the sword body. What were dangerous grounds to the giant tree was home to Wang Baole. Besides, Wang Baole was confident in his abilities.

He had slain a Nascent Soul. The giant tree might be strong… but he wasn't as powerful as Patriarch Black Wind or Elder Sun Hai!

Wang Baole had no intention of killing the giant tree. However, should the giant tree harbor ill intentions, Wang Baole wouldn't show mercy. He wouldn't try to conceal anything either. He would announce openly to the world so that everyone would know the giant tree's malicious intent!

Wang Baole was certain that the cunning and intelligent giant tree was well aware of the advantages and disadvantages of his current situation. That was indeed the case. The giant tree continued to remain nervous after Wang Baole had teleported them to the sword body. His attitude towards Wang Baole remained deferential.

"Did you see that?" They soon walked out of the Worship Palace Pavilion, and Wang Baole quickly led the giant tree down a familiar path. They appeared at the edge of the hexed area where the tomb was located. Wang Baole raised his finger and pointed.

The giant tree immediately went into high alert. He gathered his full concentration and looked over. There was no way he was going to drop his guard. He was quite sure that Wang Baole wasn't going to harm him, but any place that made Wang Baole act with such caution was going to be extremely dangerous.

The giant tree took a deep breath and surveyed the grounds carefully. He inspected the hex, then the tomb. He saw the burial mound and the cracks, as well as the green mist.

His senses seemed dulled by the hex. However, as soon as he saw the green mist, he felt a sense of resonance with the mist. His eyes flashed. Then, he saw the green wooden sword on the ground!

It was then that the giant tree finally realized why Wang Baole had chosen to bring him here. He wondered if he could indeed overcome the obstacles ahead of him.

Wang Baole didn't rush him. He waited for the giant tree to come to a decision. He sighed happily. This was why it was great working with smart people. He only needed to say one thing for them to work everything else out. There was no need for him to explain in detail.

A long moment later, a resolute light finally flashed across the giant tree's eyes. He cupped his fists and saluted Wang Baole.

"Elder Wang, please deactivate the hex. I need to inspect the tomb in detail before I can give you any answers."

Wang Baole nodded. With a wave of his hand, a door of light appeared at the edge of the hexed area. It opened, and the air inside rushed out. Along with the escaped air was the faint, almost imperceptible sound of breathing.

Wang Baole watched warily as a solemn-looking giant tree formed a series of hand seals, then suddenly snapped off one of his fingers and threw it forward. The broken finger transformed into a tiny man and dashed forward, charging straight at the open, shining door.

It sped through and shot into the green mist without hesitation. It circled the tomb, then grabbed the wooden sword on the ground and returned swiftly.

Nothing happened during the entire thing. No dangers befell the tiny man. It returned safely and transformed back into the giant tree's finger again. The giant tree handed the sword politely back to Wang Baole, then whispered.

"The green mist has a limited effect on me. I should be able to last thirty minutes inside. What would Elder Wang have me do?"

Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. He didn't take the sword. Instead, he asked, "Can you sense it?"

The giant tree hesitated but didn't dare to hide the truth from Wang Baole. Wang Baole might be younger than he was, but the giant tree was well acquainted with Wang Baole's mind and his methods. He had seen what the young man was capable of on both the moon and Mars. He knew the many powerful techniques the young man possessed, and the equally many ways he could kill someone.

He spoke truthfully.

"I can sense… the presence of a Divine Armament!" The giant tree shook as he said the last few words. The value of a Divine Armament to a cultivator was impossible to explain!

"Good. You can have this sword. Now… retrieve the Divine Armament for me!" Wang Baole nodded and said coolly. An unfathomable light shone in his eyes. He stared at the giant tree and waited for the latter to come to a decision.

The giant tree fell silent. He thought for a very long moment before finally gritting his teeth. He didn't refuse to do it, nor did he explain how difficult the task was going to be. This was a chance for him—to settle the grudge between him and Wang Baole and to finally achieve a breakthrough. He wasn't going to find the latter in the tomb. The chance… was going to be given by Wang Baole, who had said so earlier—the chance to rise to the Nascent Soul realm!

He had begun his path of cultivation many years ago. Because he had only managed to absorb half a fruit on the moon, his cultivation had remained stagnant at the perfected Core Formation realm. He hadn't been able to break through to the next level. He watched hungrily as Duan Muque, Li Xingwen, and even Xu Yunkun, achieved their breakthroughs, and he longed for his.

He might not have believed anyone else who told him that they could give him a shot at it, but this was Wang Baole, who had risen to become the Grand Supreme Elder of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. He believed Wang Baole!

Determination flashed in the giant tree's eyes. He dashed through the bright, shining door and approached the green mist under Wang Baole's cautious, hopeful eyes. His body contorted itself. He shrank, then snaked into one of the cracks on the tomb!

Wang Baole grew excited as he watched the giant tree slip in. He made preparations to leave at a moment's notice should things go south. He activated the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor as well. He wasn't an ungrateful person. If the giant tree did try his best to fulfill his request, Wang Baole would find some way for them to escape together should danger occur.

Time passed slowly. Before long, thirty minutes went by. A crease began to appear on Wang Baole's forehead, and he narrowed his eyes. It was then that an explosion suddenly erupted from inside the tomb!

The cracks on the tomb grew and spread outward as the thunderous booms persisted. Green mist continued to escape from the cracks. The sound of breathing suddenly became louder. Wang Baole shook, and his head began to buzz. It was then that the giant tree suddenly dashed out from one of the cracks!

His face was pale, and terror colored his eyes. In his hand… were the bones of a broken arm!

The broken arm gave off an immense aura that spoke of time and death. It exuded the power of a Divine Armament!

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Chapter 625: Fusing the Arm!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Wang Baole's pupils contracted. His eyes saw only the broken arm.

There was a strong Divine Armament's aura exuding from the broken limb that threatened to rise to the heavens. The giant tree shook as he carried the broken arm. A howl like that of a furious beast erupted from the tomb behind him as he fled. Massive clouds of green mist were discharged into the air as the howl rang out.

The green mist transformed into a large hand that went after the giant tree. It seemed intent to drag the giant tree back into the tomb and keep him there with it forever!

The giant tree despaired as danger loomed over him. He could feel an incredible suction pulling at him. The threat of death blared in his head ceaselessly, like sirens. His only hope rested in Wang Baole. He could only hope that Wang Baole wouldn't leave him to die and that the latter wouldn't demand that he throw the broken arm over to him.

The latter meant that Wang Baole planned to only save the arm and not him. He would be left with no choice. He could hold on to the arm and hope that Wang Baole would save him along with the arm… but that meant that they would remain enemies in the end. His chances of survival after that were slim.

Just as the giant tree drowned in rage and despair, something unexpected happened. Wang Baole didn't ask him to throw the arm to him. Without any hesitation, he unleashed the devouring seed inside his body and directed its suction force at the giant tree. The sudden force combated the pull from the gigantic hand and gave the giant tree an additional burst of speed!

Wang Baole wasn't done yet. As soon as he unleashed his devouring seed, his Lightning Avatar also appeared. Both the avatar and Wang Baole dashed towards the giant tree.

They appeared at the giant tree's side instantly. As the gigantic green hand rushed towards them with an intent to wipe them out, Wang Baole gave the giant tree a huge push. The organs inside the giant tree shook violently under the tremendous force. However, the push also gave him another burst of speed. The distance between him and the gigantic hand widened yet again!

Next, Wang Baole's avatar grabbed the giant tree's arm and yanked him forward. He finally managed to escape death.

Everything happened just as the giant tree was despairing. However, as soon as the distance between the giant tree and the enormous hand grew, the latter came charging again. The sounds of heavy breathing continued to escape from the tomb. Wang Baole's eyes flashed. He switched places with his avatar instantly.

The avatar rushed towards the gigantic hand. Then, it exploded as soon as they collided. A thunderous boom erupted. Wang Baole's hands were a blur as he formed a series of hand seals and then pointed towards the hex over the tomb.

The shining door of light slid shut instantly. The gigantic hand, slowed down by the avatar's self-induced explosion, was trapped inside the hex. It roared inside its prison.

"Follow me!" There was no time to find out what was going to happen to the hand. Wang Baole raced off with a fierce look on his face. The giant tree was shocked. He couldn't believe that Wang Baole hadn't mentioned a single word about the broken arm. He had instead poured all his energy into saving the giant tree's life. The giant tree was also equally shocked at the danger he had just survived. He panted as he followed Wang Baole closely. With Wang Baole's help, they finally made their way back to the Worship Palace Pavilion.

They had unleashed their full speed, shooting through the air like bolts of lightning. The sounds of furious, and seemingly mindless breathing continued to follow them, affecting them. When they finally arrived at the Worship Palace Pavilion and stepped inside, the breathing in their ears also finally stopped. It was as if it had been cut off.

The two finally released a sigh of relief. The giant tree was about to speak when Wang Baole stopped him. They entered the teleportation array formation hurriedly. The light from the array formation shone around them. They disappeared and reappeared at the border between the sword body and the sword handle, faraway from the tomb. That was when they could truly let down their guard.

The giant tree's face was pale, and his heart was still racing fearfully. He had experienced death looming over him just moments ago. A slight oversight could have gotten him killed.

"What is this place?" The giant tree looked around and muttered.

Wang Baole bit back a sarcastic remark. How would he know? An idea stirred in his head. He pretended to look wise, then spoke coolly.

"There are things better left not knowing." Wang Baole gave the giant tree a meaningful look. His eyes fell on the broken arm in the giant tree's hands. He didn't ask for it, he simply looked quietly at the giant tree.

The giant tree fell silent. He was grateful for what Wang Baole had done for him. Even if he had harbored any ideas earlier on, they had since faded away. He lowered his head and presented the limb to Wang Baole.

Wang Baole could hardly contain his emotions as he stared at the arm. He took it from the giant tree, then inspected it in detail. His heart raced. The Divine Armament's aura emanating from this broken arm was incredibly rich. This was simply a broken right arm. Its skin had shriveled up and dried, and he could see bone peeking out from the joints. Its blood and flesh were long gone. It had become a mummified limb.

Whose arm is this? To think that a mere arm could give off the power of a Divine Armament… Are there any other body parts buried in that tomb… Wang Baole couldn't help but let his thoughts wander. However, he hadn't stepped into that place before. Wang Baole believed that the giant tree was the only one who might know something about that.

The giant tree wouldn't be able to tell him much since he lacked essential information… Wang Baole fell into deep thought. He decided not to question the giant tree now. He knew that it was important to pick the right time to ask the first question. This would determine the truthfulness of the giant tree's answers.

He decided not to act rashly. He was going to wait for the right moment in order to get the most honest answers. Wang Baole narrowed his eyes at that thought. He decided to stop thinking about the giant tree, who was still unsure where his loyalties lay. He continued to study the broken arm carefully. He activated his cultivation and allowed it to flow into the arm. The aura emanating from the arm immediately intensified as an incredible power stirred within the limb.

Wang Baole was shocked at its sudden wakening. There was something he wasn't getting. He had tried to activate the arm with his cultivation before gaining any permission. Its incredible power made Wang Baole look like a child trying to wield a huge saber!

It was tiring. Wang Baole could feel the arm trying to fight him. It shook violently in his hand. His proficiency in Dharmic Armaments led him to a conclusion. Should he forcibly try to wield the arm, the power it emitted wouldn't distinguish between friend and foe. As it overpowered his enemies, it would also try to consume him.

Regardless, Wang Baole still hungered to possess it. A brief examination had shown that the power emanating from this broken arm was greater than all the Dharmic Armaments he owned. Even his black pike and his tri-colored flying sword paled vastly in comparison!

Only… the Federation's Divine Armament could compare. Of course, even the Federation's Divine Armament couldn't compare with Wang Baole's Dark Artifact.

Even so, that was still a Divine Armament!

How can I put it to use without damaging it… Wang Baole fretted. He thought about it for a while. Then, an idea appeared in his head. It was a crazy and bold idea.

It was like a weed. Once planted, it grew wildly. There was no killing it. The giant tree watched a myriad of emotions flash across Wang Baole's face. It was starting to make him nervous. Then, determination flashed in Wang Baole's eyes. He suddenly said, "Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, step back."

The giant tree immediately retreated nervously. Wang Baole took a deep breath and activated the Flame Snatch Thearch Armor. The meridians inside his body emerged, glistening red as they danced in the air and transformed into the horrifying looking Thearch Armor!

The red meridians formed a shell outside Wang Baole, which exuded a power that almost suffocated the giant tree. Tornadoes began to appear around them. The giant tree finally understood how powerful Wang Baole truly was. His breathing stopped, and he took a few steps back.

Wang Baole paid no attention to the giant tree. As soon as the armor materialized, Wang Baole wielded its left hand without hesitation and grabbed the broken arm. An intense light shone in his eyes as he laid the broken arm onto the right arm of his armor. He pressed down fiercely. It fused with his armor and became one with his armor's right arm. The broken arm had become his right arm!

This was the crazy idea that Wang Baole had thought of!

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Chapter 626: A Dao Disciple's Tomb!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Damn it… did I just raid the tomb of Li Wuchen's past self?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Chapter 627: An Idea!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

"What tricks are you playing?" Wang Baole froze, then snorted as he turned and glared at the giant tree.

"Are you trying to tempt me with women? I'm the Grand Supreme Elder of the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. How can I… hmm?" Wang Baole frowned. He was about to unleash righteous fury on the giant tree and reprimand him when he suddenly paused, blinked, and fell into a deep, contemplative silence.

The giant tree observed Wang Baole's intense reaction and secretly sighed. He seemed to have overstepped his boundaries. He had acted too hastily and exposed his intentions.

Wang Baole isn't a simple person to deal with… the giant tree thought to himself. He realized he should have used another approach to gain Wang Baole's favor. Wang Baole had managed to hone both his wit and means, and it was as if the giant tree was dealing with someone his own age.

While the giant tree was deep in his own thoughts, Wang Baole's breathing gradually quickened. His eyes began to burn with a fierce light as the gears in his head started to spin furiously. The giant tree's words had given him an idea!

If I have a goddaughter too, who then becomes Li Wuchen's Dao partner, Li Wuchen would have to treat me with respect and call me his father-in-law whenever he sees me…

Even if he regains his memories and becomes the Dao Disciple, he'll have to treat me with respect when he sees me… Wang Baole became excited at that thought. His safety would be guaranteed if he managed to get this done. Regardless of how amazing Li Wuchen became, Wang Baole would always be his senior.

This was a fact!

Wang Baole's breathing quickened. His emotions were shown on his face and caught by the giant tree, causing the giant tree to freeze. He was beginning to suspect something was going on when Wang Baole suddenly burst out into laughter. He patted the giant tree on the shoulder heavily, eyes filled with approval.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, you are indeed experienced and observant. Good, good, I have high hopes for you!" Wang Baole laughed out loud. With his hands behind his back, he walked away in obvious high spirits, leaving the giant tree behind blinking at him. The giant tree's suspicions began to grow. He pondered for a while and wondered if Wang Baole was trying to hint at something…

Wang Baole ignored the giant tree, who was making wild guesses behind him. He continued walking while perfecting his plans in his head. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable he found his idea. In his excitement, he began to run through potential candidates to be his goddaughter. This first person he thought of was Li Yi.

No way. She has big breasts but no brains. If I claim her as my goddaughter and matchmake her with Li Wuchen, it wouldn't matter if I were her biological father, she would definitely coerce Li Wuchen into getting rid of me!

Wang Baole shook his head. He thought for a bit and then remembered the hot-tempered girl from the Plume Manifestation Connate Sect, the one with a towering, muscular build and a straightforward character. She seemed like a great match for Li Wuchen.

She won't do either. Li Wuchen's aesthetics seem to skew towards the conventional. If I try to force them together… that'll probably make him dislike me more. Wang Baole's head began to throb. He really wasn't skilled at such politicking. He glanced sideways, his eyes flashing as they fell on the giant tree.

This old fellow seems full of devious ideas. I should get him to do this. He should be able to do a great job. Wang Baole smiled at that thought. He looked at the giant tree and said in a friendly tone.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus."

The giant tree had been deep in thought while watching Wang Baole carefully the entire time. A thought flashed across his mind when he saw the smile on Wang Baole's face. His breathing paused, and he quickly cupped his fists.

"Calling me 'Fellow Daoist' is simply too much. I'm not worthy of such a title. Elder, please just call me 'Little Osmanthus'."

Wang Baole was pleased with the giant tree's attitude. The giant tree really wasn't so bad after all. He did what he was told and knew his boundaries, which caused Wang Baole to smile again, gently.

"Okay. Little Osmanthus, I have a task for you."

"Your wish is my command!" The giant tree trembled, then replied solemnly and with the utmost respect.

"It's really a small matter. I have a friend who's in the third batch of Federation cultivators. You should've heard of him, he's the disciple of the Ethereal Dao College's Grand Supreme Elder, Li Wuchen." Wang Baole spoke very slowly. He was watching the giant tree casually as he spoke.

The giant tree dared not guess wildly, and the expression on his face remained unchanged. He wasn't going to ask any questions or ponder the relationship between Wang Baole and Li Wuchen. He only knew one thing, and that was, if he wanted to ensure his safety, he had to ask no questions and make no wild assumptions. He simply had to carry out Wang Baole's instructions.

"I've known Junior Brother Li Wuchen for some time, and he's been without a partner for many years. I can't bear to see him so lonely. Why don't you make some arrangements and get him to know more female disciples… Do you know what I'm getting at?" According to the high officials' autobiographies, there was no need to explicitly verbalize everything. This was a test of a subordinate's capabilities as well as a way to protect oneself.

This was what Wang Baole was doing presently as he spoke to the giant tree.

The giant tree was the deputy governor of the Martian Colony. He might not be a native human from the Federation, but he had served many years in his office. He was also very intelligent and fully aware of how things worked in the Federation. After hearing what Wang Baole had said, and putting some thought to it, he immediately understood what Wang Baole was trying to say. He cupped his fists and agreed to do as Wang Baole had said.

"Elder, your sincere concern for Li Wuchen touches my heart. I am newly arrived in the Dao Palace and am unfamiliar with Li Wuchen and his preferences. I may have to trouble you on many occasions, so I seek your approval and forgiveness."

Wang Baole's eyes flashed when he heard what the giant tree had said. The explicit meaning of the giant tree's words wasn't important, it was the implicit meaning that mattered. The giant tree was telling Wang Baole clearly that he knew what Wang Baole was trying to do and would keep a close eye on Li Wuchen, reporting on his every move and which female disciple the latter was intimate with.

"A safe and stable environment is very important for cultivators of my rank. Do not disturb my cultivation too frequently," Wang Baole said casually, then turned and left.

The giant tree agreed. He had already translated what Wang Baole had just said in his head. What Wang Baole meant was… he should keep a close eye on Li Wuchen. There was no need to worry about disturbing Wang Baole. In fact, he better make sure he got the job done, else, the giant tree was going to be the one suffering from an unsafe and unstable cultivation environment.

The pair traveled speedily for two weeks and finally reached the Vast Expanse Dao Palace. The giant tree immediately started carrying out Wang Baole's wishes upon their return. He had mapped out a detailed plan during their trip back. He had a Grand Supreme Elder's backing, which made things easier for him.

His level of cultivation ensured that he was the most powerful cultivator in the Federation faction after Wang Baole and Sect Lord Xu. The Vast Expanse Dao Palace had done their homework on the giant tree as well. He wasn't human and didn't possess a body made of flesh and blood. He had originally been a tree that had then risen to become a cultivator, and he possessed many strange qualities.

In the upcoming days, Wang Baole set aside this matter and began his cultivation. He wanted to familiarize himself with the Dao Disciple's right hand that had just been fused with his Flame Snatch Thearch Armor. He tried using it multiple times in order to test the limits of the arm's power as well as his ability to withstand its power.

After multiple attempts, Wang Baole concluded that he could unleash the arm's power three times. Each attack was both a terrifying and exhilarating experience. Each attack was imbued with the power… to utterly destroy Sun Hai!

Wang Baole's mastery of the final level of the Lightning Immortal Transformation, Lightning Immortal Point, had increased as well. In addition, the fusion of the broken arm and his Thearch Armor also gave him quite a bit of inspiration. He pulled out the two corpses of the Spirit Immortal realm Star Fang Beasts that he had recovered from the Star Fang Beasts' resident star and tried fusing the corpses with his armor. The fusion failed.

Maybe I only succeeded the first time because the broken arm is a Divine Armament? Wang Baole thought. Despite his unwillingness to do so, he had no choice but to give up. He made use of his elder's status to search for some information on the refinement of puppets. He obtained some information, but he still needed to do more research and experimentation in order to succeed.

The most important thing Wang Baole was left with now was to prepare for his breakthrough from the perfected Core Formation realm to the Nascent Soul realm!

Wang Baole's rights as a Grand Supreme Elder allowed him to access many records regarding the many ways one might ascend to the Nascent Soul realm, as well as the many different types of Nascent Souls in existence. There were more than three hundred types of Nascent Souls. They were all different in minute ways, and one's decision to settle on one type of Nascent Soul would determine his or her future.

Wang Baole studied up on the various types while trying to determine which type he was to pick. He also tried asking Little Missy, and she threw out a few options. Then, she said with the voice of the experienced, that as long as Wang Baole successfully formed one of those dozen Nascent Souls, that she would have a way of bringing up the quality of his Nascent Soul. This would greatly aid Wang Baole's future!

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Chapter 628: Zhou Mei!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The Lightning Immortal Soul, Five Elemental Soul, Heavenly Dream Soul, Nine Earthly Soul… Wang Baole's head began to throb. His head was filled with the dozen types of Nascent Souls Little Missy had told him. He had also found the way to breakthrough in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace's records. He frowned slightly.

There were simply too many varieties of Nascent Souls. The Nascent Soul realm was a vast gulf that separated the levels of cultivation. Transforming one's core into a soul was akin to forming a second life, and this would dramatically transform a cultivator's life.

Teleportation was one of those changes that the cultivator would experience. The formation of a Nascent Soul made one into a child of the heavens and earth, and the cultivator would be able to meld with the nomological laws and wield them.

A Nascent Soul also had the power to control the lands. Some primitive civilizations called Nascent Souls ancient demons. That itself proved how powerful a Nascent Soul realm cultivator was.

A Nascent Soul's power was related to the type of soul. There were countless cultivation civilizations in the universe and as many different types of Nascent Souls. Li Xingwen's was a Dao Soul, and his enlightenment-based divine power contributed partially to that. Duan Muque chose to cultivate a Five Elemental Soul, and its essence was irrevocably tied to the Federation's fortunes. This might seem bizarre and mysterious, but what it essentially meant was that his Nascent Soul was the manifestation of his ideals and will.

Wang Baole had asked Sect Lord Xu about his Nascent Soul, and he had chosen the Violent Soul, one that centered on violence and death. The Nascent Souls that everyone in the Federation and Dao Palace had were nearly all different.

There might be similarities amongst their Nascent Souls, but minute differences did exist. It was impossible to say which type of Nascent Soul was better, as there was only one way to determine the potential of a Nascent Soul, and that was… its quality!

That was what determined the extent to which one's Nascent Soul could meld with the nomological laws, and that would determine one's battle prowess and future. The Dao Palace records also mentioned something else, which was the extremely rare Five Type Nascent Soul that had been found scattered across countless civilizations. They were considered legends. The Vast Expanse Dao Palace of the past had the opportunity to cultivate one such Nascent Soul, but the ways of its cultivation had been lost. The current Vast Expanse Dao Palace no longer held the secrets to the formation of such a Nascent Soul.

Wang Baole had asked Little Missy about that, but Little Missy only replied and told him not to be overly ambitious and long for something that was beyond his reach. Wang Baole had his own unique understanding of what Little Missy had told him.

I bet it's most likely because she doesn't know much about it. Or maybe she's afraid to tell me? Wang Baole blinked. He had realized some time ago that every time Little Missy had given him a target that seemed unachievable, he would somehow achieve it without much of a problem…

"Little Missy, that legendary Nascent Soul that can't be achieved—what exactly is it?" Wang Baole couldn't help being tempted when he thought about it, so he tried asking again.

"…" Little Missy seemed to be thinking the same thing as well and didn't answer Wang Baole's question immediately. She hadn't heard of many successful accounts of people attaining the legendary Five Type Nascent Soul. It wasn't merely legendary and seemed almost impossible!

She still seemed a bit uneasy. She seemed to have mentioned that it was impossible. It should be fine, just saying that…

"If he manages to make the impossible possible again, I'll call him granddaddy!" Little Missy snorted secretly. She continued consoling herself before she was suddenly caught by the urge to slap herself. It might not have been as bad if she hadn't just said that, but now that she had…

Exhaustion suddenly overcame Little Missy at that thought. She decided not to think about it anymore.

Time passed steadily, and another month went by. While Wang Baole continued his cultivation and his study of Nascent Souls, the giant tree did his best to complete the assignment that Wang Baole had given him. He did quite a good job. He identified all the female disciples he could find and then began creating numerous opportunities for Li Wuchen and these female disciples to fall in love.

The giant tree didn't realize how talented he was in this area. The heavens rewarded those who toiled diligently. Under his watchful eyes and careful planning, the giant tree finally discovered something!

He verified his observations repeatedly and then rushed over to Wang Baole's and reported his findings.

"Esteemed Elder, your humble servant spent a month and was finally able to complete the mission you assigned. I've found a female disciple Li Wuchen's romantically interested in." The giant tree immediately cupped his fists and bowed deeply when he saw Wang Baole. Both his attitude and the look in his eyes spoke of great deference.

Wang Baole perked up, but he kept his thoughts to himself and simply nodded slightly.

The giant tree saw Wang Baole's reaction and immediately pulled out a jade slip and presented it to Wang Baole, whispering.

"I realized that Li Wuchen has a relationship with a perfected True Breath realm cultivator, Zhou Mei, that is out of the ordinary, so I did a background check on Zhou Mei. She's one of the cultivators in the third batch. Even though her level of cultivation isn't very high, she's one of the more powerful cultivators to have emerged from the Ethereal Dao College these last few years. That was why she was selected by the Ethereal Dao College for transfer to the Dao Palace!"

"This jade slip contains Zhou Mei's records for your inspection, Elder." The giant tree lowered his head after his report and kept quiet. He had found out the relationship between Zhou Mei and Wang Baole. However, if Wang Baole wasn't going to mention that, he wasn't going to point it out either. He was simply going to do his duty as instructed.

He didn't dare, nor did he wish to ask Wang Baole about other related matters. He had investigated those matters clearly as well, but that was because he didn't permit himself to make any mistakes or commit any oversight in the event Wang Baole questioned him about them.

This was something he had learned from his subordinates when he had been the Deputy Governor on the Martian Colony. One should carry out the orders given to him or her dutifully while thinking three steps ahead. It might seem that he had only completed the task according to what had been instructed, but in reality, he had also familiarized himself with all the details related to his mission. He had performed checks on related matters that had been beyond the scope of his duty and had prepared for the possibility of having to answer any questions on the spot. He would have been able to answer them readily.

The giant tree had done his best while carrying out Wang Baole's instructions.

His head remained lowered. Meanwhile, Wang Baole had frozen on the spot. He was familiar with the name Zhou Mei, but he couldn't recall why at the moment, so he took the jade slip and began browsing its contents.

"She's from Mars… a graduate from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy?" Wang Baole's eyes widened when he read that. His thoughts cleared up as he finally realized why he had found the name familiar. The image of a chubby young girl surfaced in his mind.

Wang Baole blinked and continued reading. The report in the jade slip was very detailed, including information on Zhou Mei's family as well as what she had been up to after she graduated. She had chosen to enter the Ethereal Dao College and completed her studies on the Upper Academy Island. During her time there, she had chosen to enter the Dharmic Armament Pavilion!

Everything made Wang Baole slightly confused. He could vaguely remember his time at the Dao Mountain Mist Academy. The faces of his students flashed across his mind, and soon, the expression on Wang Baole's face softened. He couldn't hold back a smile.

The giant tree noticed the smile on Wang Baole's face. Wang Baole must have remembered Zhou Mei had once been his student. He said quietly, "Elder, based on my observations, Zhou Mei and Li Wuchen seem to be in love with each other… I've asked other cultivators from the Ethereal Dao College discreetly and received concrete evidence of that. There's indeed something going on between them, and it seems to be developing further during their time together in the Vast Expanse Dao Palace." The giant tree stopped speaking at that point. He lowered his head and awaited instructions from Wang Baole.

Wang Baole fell silent. He might have chosen to give Li Wuchen a hand if the other person involved wasn't his own student and were someone he didn't know. He would've tried to aid the development of this romance while not going against his own principles.

But Zhou Mei, his student, was now implicated in the matter, so Wang Baole wasn't going to act rashly. He needed to speak to Zhou Mei personally and understand what was going on before he could make a decision.

If Zhou Mei wasn't a willing party in this relationship, Wang Baole would stop whatever plan he had in mind and find some other way to keep Li Wuchen under control. Besides, he might have overestimated the problem at hand. Perhaps when Li Wuchen finally regained his memories, Wang Baole would have already reached the Planet realm.

At that thought, Wang Baole's attitude changed. He smiled as he said, "Little Osmanthus, bring my disciple Zhou Mei over here. My memory may be failing me since I didn't recognize her at first. Maybe she's easily embarrassed and doesn't dare come see me." Upon saying that, Wang Baole suddenly realized something. Maybe Zhou Mei did feel something for Li Wuchen, which was why she didn't dare pay a visit to Wang Baole. After all, she was aware of the tension between himself and Li Wuchen.

The Fire Spirit Academy and Dao Mountain Mist Academy had been fiercely competitive and hostile towards each other, and Zhou Mei herself had been one of the participants. Wang Baole wondered how the pair had gotten together in the first place.

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Chapter 629: A Marital Arrangement!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Upon hearing Wang Baole's instructions, the giant tree took his leave and went searching for Zhou Mei. He explained the situation briefly to the young woman, who was clearly nervous. She looked like a child who had just done something wrong.

The giant tree knew the teacher-student relationship between Wang Baole and Zhou Mei, so he stood patiently at one side and didn't rush her. After a long moment, Zhou Mei finally took a deep breath. There was determination in her eyes as she followed the giant tree to Wang Baole's palace.

When she entered the palace and saw Wang Baole sitting at the end of the hall, the anxiety in Zhou Mei's heart surged. It was intermingled with excitement and respect as she bowed and greeted Wang Baole.

"Zhou Mei, your humble disciple, greets the dean."

Wang Baole studied the young woman before him. Zhou Mei had clearly matured. Her cultivation had improved, and as a result, the muscular body that she had gotten from practicing Wang Baole's Heaven Devouring Skill had slimmed down considerably. Regardless, her physical strength was clearly greater than others at the same cultivation realm.

This was a result of the cultivation technique that Wang Baole had taught them. Zhou Mei wasn't the only one who had benefited from it. His original batch of students were now allocated to various departments in the Federation, and their physical strength was greater than others at the same cultivation realm. Wang Baole's growing fame and reputation meant that his students' respect towards him had grown stronger instead of weaker all these years.

Zhou Mei was no exception. She greeted Wang Baole excitedly and had addressed him as dean, which brought back many memories. He sighed and raised his right hand, and with a wave of his hand, a sudden gentle force lifted her to her feet.

"It's been quite a few years since we last saw each other. You've grown. This is my oversight. I wouldn't have known that you were here in the Dao Palace if I hadn't seen your name." Wang Baole stared at Zhou Mei and sighed. He was experiencing a strange sensation. He wasn't that old himself, but now, seeing his student before him, he suddenly felt old.

Perhaps I've really grown old? Wang Baole instinctively patted his tummy. It had grown quite chubby.

"The dean is the Grand Supreme Elder of the Dao Palace and busy with administrative matters. Your humble disciple understands that. In truth, your humble disciple is too ashamed to face the dean," Zhou Mei bit her lips and whispered.

The feeling she had towards Wang Baole was rather special. Their relationship felt like one between a parent and child, yet it wasn't exactly that. He was the teacher who had taught her. Without Wang Baole, Zhou Mei wouldn't have gotten to where she was now. She would have remained meek and timid like she had been. Wang Baole had changed her fate and the fates of her schoolmates.

Wang Baole had been the one who had taught them confidence and the power of unity. Wang Baole himself wasn't aware of how his swift progression had united the students he had taught then. They identified themselves as Wang Baole's faction, forming a new force across the various departments in the Federation.

Their faction was still newly formed, but one could imagine the influence it was going to have in the future as they developed further in their careers!

Their seniors had also formed a strong foundation in the Federation, and Mars was a clear indication of their strong presence!

That was why Zhou Mei had chosen to enter the Ethereal Dao College after graduating from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy. However, the fates were mysterious. She hadn't realized then that she might one day fall in love with Li Wuchen, her senior and past enemy.

That was why she had been too ashamed to pay a visit to Wang Baole!

Wang Baole stared at Zhou Mei thoughtfully. He didn't immediately mention Li Wuchen and started by asking Zhou Mei about the other students and how they were doing. Zhou Mei slowly relaxed and stopped being so nervous. Then, with a smiling face, he asked gently.

"Zhou Mei, this thing between you and Li Wuchen…" Wang Baole left his sentence hanging while staring seriously into Zhou Mei's eyes.

Zhou Mei immediately became nervous under Wang Baole's gaze, and as she listened to Wang Baole's hidden question in his words, shock and fear colored her face. Her voice began to tremble, and she started stammering.

"Dean, I… about this matter…"

Wang Baole's face grew dark as Zhou Mei grew nervous and began to stammer. He thought the worst and said suddenly.

"Did Li Wuchen try to make things difficult for you after you entered the Ethereal Dao College? Did he do anything despicable? That must be it. This Li Wuchen, how dare he!" Wang Baole smacked the handle of his seat. He unleashed a fearsome aura, then yelled at the giant tree, who had been standing in a corner.

"Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, go get Li Wuchen for me!"

"No, that's not it!" Zhou Mei's face turned pale before the giant tree could say anything. She stumbled forward hurriedly, tears filling her eyes as her face was colored with concern and fear. It was clear that she was worried. Wang Baole could see that. He sighed, then waved his hand and got the giant tree to stay put. Then, he rubbed his forehead and looked at Zhou Mei, who had lowered her head.

A long moment later, Wang Baole spoke again.

"Zhou Mei, tell me, are you really in love with Li Wuchen? Are you very certain you want to become Dao partners with him?"

"Stop trying to hide the truth from me. If you are, then you are. If you aren't, then you aren't." Wang Baole's voice lost its fierce quality. It was as if he had become the dean of the Dao Mountain Mist Academy again.

Zhou Mei blushed and lowered her head in thought. Then, she replied meekly.

"Yes!"

Wang Baole fell silent, then shook his head and smiled. Since both of them were willing parties in this romance, there was no need for him to continue observing them. They would eventually become partners in the future.

His interference would simply make the relationship official sooner. As a Dao Disciple, if Li Wuchen became Dao partners with someone from the Federation, this would further cement the alliance between the Federation and the Dao Palace.

Of course, what was most important was that both of them truly held feelings for each other, as it would be meaningless if one party was unwilling to commit.

At that thought, Wang Baole observed Zhou Mei for a while longer and concluded that she did indeed have feelings for Li Wuchen. He had come to a decision and said suddenly, "Fellow Daoist Osmanthus, please have Li Wuchen brought here."

Zhou Mei still seemed worried, but Wang Baole's polite tone made her sigh with relief. She kept her head down and stood there quietly. Her heart raced. She was a smart woman, and she knew what her dean was trying to do.

This was the first time Wang Baole was playing matchmaker, and it was a refreshing experience. He smiled and teased Zhou Mei, then began chatting about Jin Duozhi. He was surprised to find out that Jin Duozhi hadn't returned to the Trilunaris Corporation after graduation but had joined the military on the lunar base.

The two of them chatted for a while before the efficient giant tree led Li Wuchen to Wang Baole's palace. Li Wuchen hadn't wanted to go, but the giant tree had told him that Zhou Mei was there, so Li Wuchen could only sigh secretly and follow the giant tree.

As soon as he entered the halls, he saw Wang Baole sitting at the end, chatting merrily with Zhou Mei. The sight filled his heart with a myriad of emotions. He knew that Zhou Mei was Wang Baole's disciple, and he also knew that they couldn't hide their relationship from Wang Baole.

Embarrassment and awareness of their past conflict made Li Wuchen nervous and fraught with anxiety. Right after Li Wuchen had entered the halls, before he could extend his greetings, the expression on Wang Baole's face immediately turned icy cold. He said coolly, "Li Wuchen, what you have between you and Zhou Mei ends today. I don't wish for you to bother my disciple in the future. If you do so, I'll kill you!" As soon as Wang Baole said that, shock flashed across Zhou Mei's face.

"Dean, you…"

Li Wuchen froze. His breathing grew heavy, and his face turned pale. Then, he saw the look on Zhou Mei's face and heard what she had tried to say. It was as if he was suddenly infused with power. He ignored his nervousness and his anxiety and marched forward with determination and hostility in his eyes.

"Elder Wang, this is between Mei'er and me. You might have been her teacher, but that doesn't give you the right to stop…"

"I can guarantee your advancement to the perfected Core Formation realm within a year. I can even guarantee your entry into the Nascent Art Chamber so that you can have a chance at attaining the Nascent Soul realm!"

"However, if you don't agree to do as I say, I can make life difficult for you even if you belong to the Dao Palace. You'll die in the sword body. Li Wuchen, you know what you must do. Think it through and give me your answer." Wang Baole's voice was cold, and violence filled the air. The entire palace was weighed down by a certain heaviness. Then, he raised his right hand and pointed at Zhou Mei. A spell flared into being and sealed Zhou Mei's lips. She couldn't speak and could only worry silently.

Li Wuchen's face grew paler, and the fury in his eyes intensified. He glared at Wang Baole unblinkingly and forced his answer out without hesitation.

"Wang Baole, my answer is… no!"

Wang Baole rolled his eyes. He had to admit that he had been overly dramatic, but he had no choice, as that was how the television dramas playing in the Federation all unfolded. He believed there must be a reason for that. He listened to Li Wuchen's answer and eyed him seriously. He came to a conclusion. He smacked the handle of his seat, then rose to his feet. As he spoke, his voice rang out, heavy with authority.

"No? So be it. I'll make the decision for the both of you right now. Your union will be held inside this palace. You will become Dao partners, inseparable in both life and death!

"Li Wuchen, do you consent?"

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Chapter 630: First Appearance!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Li Wuchen was dazed by Wang Baole's words. His eyes widened as he stared at Wang Baole in confusion, then looked at Zhou Mei. He realized that Zhou Mei was still imprisoned by a seal, so she had no way of replying to him.

Li Wuchen didn't recover from his shock for quite some time. Wang Baole stared at Li Wuchen's stunned look calmly and casually said, "I had this friend. He was a terrible person who committed an act of disloyalty to his partner. The next day, he died."

Li Wuchen gulped as soon as Wang Baole said that. It wasn't that he wasn't agreeable to the proposal, his earlier agitated reactions should have proven that, but everything had happened too quickly. He hadn't yet recovered from his shock and confusion. Now that things had unfolded in this manner, Li Wuchen wasn't going to hesitate any longer. He cupped his fists and bowed deeply towards Wang Baole.

"Yes, your humble disciple does!"

Wang Baole was extremely pleased with Li Wuchen addressing himself as his disciple. He lifted his right hand and pointed at Zhou Mei, freeing her from the seal. He asked her gently, "Mei'er, are you agreeable to that?"

Zhou Mei blushed and lowered her head. Her voice was soft but clear.

"As the Dean commands."

Wang Baole shook his head and smiled. He might have something to gain out of this successful matchmaking, but the happiness he felt from helping his disciple tie the knot was definitely greater than the satisfaction he got from the former.

"Fine, you can return. Wait for my news. As your senior, I will take care of the entire ceremony for you." Wang Baole smiled and, with a wave of his hand, indicated that they could leave.

Li Wuchen finally understood what was going to happen and was overcome with excitement. He looked at Zhou Mei. The latter blushed and gazed back at him. The pair gazed at each other and saw their joy mirrored in each other's eyes.

"Thank you, Grand Supreme Elder!" Li Wuchen took a deep breath and bowed deeply. He did so with unprecedented happiness and respect. He had been won over and was beyond grateful to Wang Baole.

Zhou Mei took her leave as well, leaving together with him. Wang Baole sighed as he gazed at their retreating backs.

Li Wuchen might be kinda a pain in the a, but he's got a good heart. I hope they will remain partners and share their lives forever. Wang Baole smiled, then indicated to the giant tree that he could leave as well.

There were no other people left in the halls except him. That was when Wang Baole sat down again. He began thinking about the union between Li Wuchen and Zhou Mei. The first thought he had was of Feng Qiuran's reaction to this matter.

Feng Qiuran is in no position to interfere… That is, unless she reveals Li Wuchen's true identity. Wang Baole realized then that this marriage was definitely going to take place. He pulled out his voice transmission and began making preparations. He also made use of the teleportation array formation and sought Li Xingwen's views on the matter.

The Federation treated Wang Baole's message with the utmost importance and discussed the matter repeatedly. Li Xingwen even contacted Zhou Mei's parents!

The Federation also sent over their plans detailing the next steps to take to assimilate the Federation with the Dao Palace to Wang Baole. The Federation was going to permit the Dao Palace to send thirty Dao Palace cultivators to the Federation for a cultural exchange. The level of cultivation for this first batch had to be below the Nascent Soul realm, and Li Wuchen was to lead the party. The Federation also hoped that the Dao Palace would bring a seed from the Hyacinthus Tree with them. It would be planted in the Federation and be seen as proof of their strong alliance.

After receiving the plans from the Federation, Wang Baole approached Sect Lord Xu, the giant tree, as well as Zhao Yameng to discuss this matter. Zhao Yameng didn't know whether to laugh or weep at Wang Baole's playing matchmaker, and she didn't comment much about it in the end.

The four of them discussed the Federation's proposal and gave their own opinions on the matter. Wang Baole also presented his own idea.

"Perhaps in the initial phase, we could first set up an alliance called the Dao Commonwealth. There will be two Great Holy Lands. The first is Earth, and it will be called the Federation Holy Land. The second is the ancient greenish-bronze sword, and it will be called the Vast Expanse Holy Land. The other stars would still be known as regions, and their jurisdiction would fall under the Dao Commonwealth."

The proposal was still in its infancy. It was simply an idea that Wang Baole had formed with his experience as Grand Supreme Elder. After discussion with the others, they finally decided to send this proposal back to the Federation. The Federation's think tank would then determine its feasibility.

It wasn't possible to send voice transmissions between the Federation and the Dao Palace, so they could only exchange messages by sending communication jade slips via the teleportation array formation. That was why communications took seven days.

The proposed Dao Commonwealth caught the Federation's attention. The Federation had similar ideas, but they weren't yet ready to form a commonwealth. That was why the idea had remained as an idea for further discussion. As for the wedding between Li Wuchen and Zhou Mei, both Li Xingwen and Duan Muque had given their go ahead!

News of the first wedding of Dao partners from the Federation and the Dao Palace respectively slowly spread throughout the Dao Palace in the following days. Feng Qiuran was surprised and stunned when she heard the news, but after some hesitation, she finally chose to acknowledge the union.

Her silent permission meant there were no longer any obstacles preventing the union from taking place. Sect Lord Xu was aware that the wedding would serve as further motivation to strengthen the alliance between the Federation and the Dao Palace. Furthermore, Zhou Mei was Wang Baole's student. That was why he decided to participate in the preparations as well.

Another week passed. The wedding—held in the Dao Palace, witnessed by all Federation cultivators present in the Dao Palace and many other cultivators, with the Dao Palace congregation led by Feng Qiuran—finally took place!

This was an important day for Li Wuchen and Zhou Mei, as well as a day worth remembering for both the Federation and the Dao Palace. Feng Qiuran was overcome with emotions. She knew who Li Wuchen was and had sent him to the Federation for his safety. Now, she was witnessing his wedding with her own eyes. She could tell that Wang Baole had done the matchmaking for the couple, but she thought things through. That was why she was here now, standing together with Wang Baole as witnesses for the young couple!

Dao Disciple Wuchen, I wish you a happier life than your previous. Feng Qiuran gazed past the crowd at Li Wuchen, who was dressed in red and holding Zhou Mei's hand, his eyes bright with unconcealed excitement and happiness. She watched them walk towards her and Wang Baole, stop, and greet both of them. She couldn't help but feel slightly lost.

Memories of the last great battle surfaced in her mind—the battle where the ancient sword had fled from a fallen Vast Expanse Star Domain while pursued by the Never-Ending Clan, which changed the ancient sword's flight trajectory.

The Dao Palace might have won that battle, but they had done so at a terrible price. The Dao Palace at the sword body had fallen to complete ruins. The elders had been severely injured and had all fallen into deep slumber. As the Dao Disciple, Wuchen had fought relentlessly and fearlessly, to the point of being grievously injured and on the verge of death. In order to heal himself, he had no choice but to reincarnate and use the powers of rebirth in order to heal himself completely and recover his vitality.

These memories resurfaced and overlaid with the present scene of the cheering and joyous crowd. Feng Qiuran couldn't help her momentary sense of loss, which persisted until Li Wuchen and Zhou Mei approached to greet her.

Li Wuchen appeared slightly nervous, and Zhou Mei was quite anxious as well. The crowd seemed to have sensed Feng Qiuran's strange behavior, and they all stared at her.

While they had noticed the look on Feng Qiuran's face, they couldn't discern her thoughts. Only Wang Baole guessed what she must be feeling from the lost look on her face. He coughed and nudged Feng Qiuran. Then, his hands reached out, and he pulled both Li Wuchen and Zhou Mei to their feet.

"I wish you both happiness."

Feng Qiuran finally pulled herself together under Wang Baole's slight nudge. A smile lit up on her face as she gazed at the newly wedded couple before her and said softly.

"I wish you both a long life together."

The Dao Palace cultivators around them finally burst out into loud cheering after hearing Wang Baole's and Feng Qiuran's blessings. The Federation disciples echoed the cheers. Li Wuchen finally released a sigh of relief. He had no idea his relationship with Feng Qiuran, but he knew that Feng Qiuran had been the one who had given him to his master.

The respect Li Wuchen held for Feng Qiuran was equal to the respect he held for Li Xingwen. His heart burst with anticipation and hope for his future as he received Feng Qiuran's blessings. He grabbed Zhou Mei's hand and held it tightly in his own.

No one in the crowd knew though, that as the wedding was in progress, Daoist You Ran, who hadn't participated in the event and had been sitting in his great hall during the entire ceremony, suddenly opened his eyes. A blue fire flickered in his eyes.

"Finally… the repairs are completed!"

He muttered, then burst out into laughter as he got to his feet. He lifted his head and stared in the direction of the sword body. At that exact same moment, a loud explosion erupted from within the sword body. The deafening boom rose to the skies and shook the heavens and earth.

The Sea of Fire started boiling, and numerous hexed areas began to cave in, causing hordes of monsters to flee. As waves of fires surged and ebbed, a strange-looking battleship—with a triangular structure formed by three disks, whose edges touched slightly—began to rise from the sea!

The battleship was like a leviathan, a gargantuan beast seeming to stretch outwards without end. One could hardly see where it ended while standing on it. It rose into the air, the Sea of Fire raging around it and burning everything to ashes!

The three disks that formed the battleship were each the size of the moon. They were like three separate worlds that spun and shone brightly. An air of mystery surrounded them. The battleship's black outer surface was lined with numerous runes, and waves of overwhelming power surged outwards as the battleship ascended into the sky.

It emerged from the Sea of Fire, and immediately sped towards the borders separating the sword body and the sword handle!

Hexes exploded and disintegrated into dust as soon as they collided with the battleship. Mountains shattered. The battleship was enveloped in an incredible power that destroyed everything in its path!

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