A World Worth Protecting

After catching up with Chen Yutong, the image of Xie Haiyang surfaced in Wang Baole’s mind. He looked at Ethereal Dao College emotionally. He understood that it was normal for new students to enter and senior students to leave Ethereal Dao College every year.

Every generation and every year was like a large wave washing the sand away. On the one hand, it was a process to provide cultivators to the Federation in the era of immortal cultivation, and on the other hand, it was a process of accumulation to gather large numbers of outstanding disciples for the Dao College. This was the tradition of the four great Dao Colleges, and this format had persisted in the four great Dao Colleges since the beginning of cultivation civilization on Earth. If it could withstand the test of time, it would definitely last until the future.

After all, this was a different format from that adopted by the sects. They each had advantages and disadvantages, but with the changing times—despite the possibility of the format adopted by the sects and the family clans surviving elimination—Wang Baole felt that the future Federation would definitely belong to the four great Dao Colleges.

There were endless conflicts within the four great Dao Colleges, but through the years, Wang Baole had already understood that the management of the four great Dao Colleges shared a uniform and determined stand.

This was the basis for the foundation for the four great Dao Colleges in this era of immortal cultivation!

That was especially so as Grand Supreme Elder Li Xingwen was about to achieve a breakthrough. To the four great Dao Colleges, that was a significant event. Even though it was inevitable that the Ethereal Dao College would rise again, to the four great Dao Colleges, having a Nascent Soul realm cultivator was still something that excited them.

Therefore, one week later, after Ethereal Dao College had sent out the invitation to the Federation, spectators from the three other Dao Colleges soon arrived in droves.

White Deer Dao College, White Deer Branch College, and Holy River Dao College… The Sect Lords and Grand Elders from these three great Dao Colleges arrived. Even the Grand Supreme Elders of each college made their way there.

At the same time, outstanding disciples from each Dao College arrived with them. According to the records on the fragments, whenever a Core Formation realm cultivator breaks through to become a Nascent Soul realm cultivator, it would result in the accumulation of Heaven and Earth power, and that would allow the disciples to train their physiques in a short period of time.

As for the factions that didn’t belong to the four great Dao Colleges, they couldn’t participate without the invitation from the Ethereal Dao College, despite their desire to join in. However, even the three other great Dao Colleges were unable to spectate in the same location as the Ethereal Dao College and had to go according to the arrangements of the Ethereal Dao College. The innermost region of the Upper Academy Island could only be occupied by the Ethereal Dao College disciples, as well as the Sect Lords and Grand Supreme Elders from the other three great Dao Colleges.

As for the disciples, they could only stay on the deck outside the island that was constructed by the Ethereal Dao College.

The arrival of the other three great Dao Colleges also signaled the end of the carefree days that were shared between Wang Baole and Bunny. He was called over by the Sect Lord of Ethereal Dao College, together with other senior brothers and sisters from the same batch and status as him, in order to welcome the guests from the other three great Dao Colleges.

Those who were worthy of being called over by the Sect Lord had cultivation levels that were at least at perfected Foundation Establishment realm, and most of them were ranked above Secondary Rank Three. In the Federation’s system, everyone was an elite, and they knew each other. Despite not seeing Wang Baole before, they had heard about him and were extremely passionate towards him the moment they met.

Wang Baole’s extroverted personality made him thrive at making friends. He was good at handling interpersonal relationships, and by simply exchanging a few sentences, he became close to the people in his batch.

Despite being a Secondary Rank Two Noble, Wang Baole wasn’t the highest-ranking disciple of Ethereal Dao College. There was another person who was also a Secondary Rank Two Noble, and one other person who was one rank higher in Noble.

The former was a senior sister, and the latter was a senior brother.

The Secondary Rank Two senior sister seemed to be in the early-stage Core Formation realm, and she wasn’t far from reaching the mid-stage Core Formation realm. She wasn’t stationed on Earth, and was instead the Deputy City Lord of the Venus Colonial City!

She looked to be about thirty years old, and despite her looks being nothing out of the ordinary, her elegance was transformed when she smiled. She made others feel that she was friendly and approachable. After seeing Wang Baole, this senior sister, who was named Lin Yunhui, smiled at him.

“Junior Brother Baole, if you have the chance, come visit Venus. In the purgatory of Venus, there is still an old friend of yours from the time you spent in the Mystic Luna Realm.”

Hearing those words, Wang Baole immediately thought of the old lady from the Galactic Dusk Sect. She was sent there after being captured by the Grand Supreme Elder.

As the memories surfaced in his mind, Wang Baole laughed and agreed. He set a time with Senior Sister Lin before being pulled away by the only Primary Rank Two senior brother in the crowd.

That senior brother was Sun Buzheng!

His name was so unique that it immediately left a deep impression on Wang Baole. This senior brother named Buzheng wasn’t only the highest-ranking person amongst the disciples of the Ethereal Dao College, but also held a unique position!

He was in charge of the intelligence unit of the Federation. Wang Baole came to know about a unit amongst the other ministries in the Federation, known as the Dark Ministry, only after becoming Secondary Rank Two Noble!

The word ‘Dark’ was unrelated to the Dark Sect. Instead, the headquarters of this ministry was located on Pluto ¹ , and their activities were always hidden from public view, which gave rise to their name.

Sun Buzheng was the Minister of the Dark Ministry, and the amount of resources and power that he held were shockingly great. His cultivation was that of a late-stage Core Formation realm cultivator!

Wang Baole was polite towards this immensely authoritative Sun Buzheng. At the same time, he was extremely curious about his department. Sun Buzheng was also very interested in Wang Baole. After pulling him away, he smiled and spoke.

“Junior Brother Baole, do you want to consider changing your position and come to Pluto? If you agree, you would become the first Deputy Minister of the Dark Ministry, and I would handle all matters of the transfer!

“The welfare in the Dark Ministry is good. Besides, if you come, you’ll have access to the intelligence of the entire Federation. At the same time, this department of ours is involved in missions related to connecting with extraterrestrial civilizations… Whatever the case, I guarantee that if you came, you would be able to see the Federation and the Galactic in a new light!”

Despite being interested in the Dark Ministry, Wang Baole had no plans to leave Mars. Of course, if he hadn’t gained possession of the Mars Dark Artifact, he would perhaps be tempted. However, right now, he was worried that if he did go and leave the Dark Artifact behind, accidents might happen in the future. Therefore, he could only reject the offer with a smile.

Sun Buzheng wasn’t anxious either. He patted Wang Baole’s shoulders, telling him that he could contact him anytime if he changed his mind. After that, under the lead of the Ethereal Dao College Sect Lord, everyone began welcoming the three other great Dao Colleges.

The outstanding disciples and the Sect Lords from the three great Dao Colleges were also acquainted with each other. Wang Baole’s name was also famous amongst them, and soon, hearty conversations were taking place between the outstanding group of disciples from the four great Dao Colleges.

After almost everyone from the other three great Dao Colleges arrived. Due to the inability to estimate the exact time that Li Xingwen would achieve a breakthrough, the Ethereal Dao College had made arrangements ahead of time to gather all disciples and students to first gather inside Upper Academy Island and meditate cross-legged while waiting in silence. As for the members of the other three Dao Colleges, they were seated outside.

Looking from the sky above, one could see that tens of thousands of people were gathered both inside and outside the Upper Academy Island of the Ethereal Dao College. It was a sight to behold as everyone waited for the moment when Li Xingwen would achieve his breakthrough!

Li Xingwen didn’t take long to achieve a breakthrough. In the morning three days later, as the sound of the alarm was heard in all directions and reverberated throughout the Ethereal Dao College, a groundbreaking force was produced from within the Dao Enlightenment Pavilion Mountain on the Upper Academy Island!

As the force was unleashed, a beam of light that seemed to be produced from an accumulation of Spirit Qi instantly shot into the skies from within the mountain. It went straight through the cloud layers, resulting in the production of lightning flashes in the sky. As thunder erupted in waves, the clouds seemed to be ruffled by an invisible hand, spreading in all directions and forming a gigantic spherical Qi wave.

It spread in all directions, harnessing an astonishing force that was growing increasingly louder. It slowly formed a vortex in the clouds which spun rapidly, and a frightening suction force erupted from within, causing all the Spirit Qi on Earth to be drawn towards it!

At the same time, the people in each of the cities on Earth noticed the clouds in the skies moving at high speeds. At the same time, gusts of strong winds were moving along with the clouds, together with the Spirit Qi that they carried!

If a Core Formation realm cultivator were to break through and become a Nascent Soul realm cultivator in an immortal cultivation civilization where Spirit Qi was concentrated and mature, these effects wouldn’t be produced. However, on Earth, Spirit Qi was brought along by the sky, which resulted in this shocking scene during Li Xingwen’s breakthrough.