A World Worth Protecting

An earth-shattering lightning bolt came crashing from the heavens. Its rumbling stirred fierce waves of resonance throughout the air. The hundred seedlings, including Wang Baole, were all shaken to their core.

It was partly due to the elderly man’s position—the word “priest” sparked their imaginations—and partly due to the spectacular power of the Supernova that he had demonstrated to them.

“That’s the Supernova?”

“The physical body alone could actually cause such power and damage? The instructor just said that it was the technique for ultimate extermination… doesn’t that mean that it can circumvent the power difference in cultivation levels?”

“It’s hard to say. This Supernova may actually allow a True Breath realm cultivator… to defeat a Foundation Establishment realm cultivator?”

A raging fervor appeared in their eyes instantly. Everyone was awed by the power of the Supernova. They eyed it with fear and caution, as well as a strong hunger.

Wang Baole breathed in slowly and calmed down. He somehow sensed that the Supernova shared some similarities with the nine-inch Spirit Root’s tidal technique, which he had mimicked.

To a certain degree, the Supernova seemed to be an advanced version of the tidal technique!

The instructor’s body vibrated earlier. It was as if he had transformed into an ocean, controlling the bones and muscles throughout his entire body and utilizing the power of physical flesh to form a tidal wave… it was similar, but much more complicated when he struck.

Upon that thought, Wang Baole’s heart started pumping rapidly. Compared to the others, he was more experienced with the tidal technique. With just the short demonstration, he was already eagerly raising his right hand and forming a first, instinctively trying to test it out.

However, it was clear that the technique of and secret to the Supernova wasn’t something that could be easily grasped by a single demonstration. Despite his knowledge of its workings, Wang Baole’s trial punch didn’t display significant results.

His attempt didn’t draw the attention of the elderly instructor. There were a dozen others amongst the hundred people who had, like Wang Baole, drawn their fists and tried the same. However, not one of them was able to fully grasp the workings of the Supernova on their first attempt.

“I’ll let you have the jade slip of the technique later. Over the next seven days, I’ll also be demonstrating the technique once every day. There will be a final exam after the week is over.”

“I can tell you in a very responsible manner that if you can successfully apply this technique, you can advance nearer to the Foundation Establishment realm. If you possess all the necessary criteria with your current cultivation, it is not impossible for you… to defeat someone at the Foundation Establishment realm!” the elderly man said coolly. His gaze swept past the crowd. He laughed unexpectedly and flipped his right hand over to reveal a pill in his palm!

The pill was white in color and enveloped in a Spirit Stone, and it exuded a strong fragrance that spread across the square. Everyone who caught its scent could feel their blood circulation quickening uncontrollably. It was as if the pill contained the astonishing power of life. Once taken, it would greatly enhance one’s body.

“This is… the Body Strengthening Freedom Pill! It’s not refined by the Alchemy cultivators in the Federation, but is something that was found in the fragment remains on the moon. There aren’t many of them in existence. The Alchemy cultivators in the Federation haven’t been able to replicate it. The reason is that there are a few core ingredients that aren’t found on earth!”

“The properties of this pill is extraordinary. When taken by one at the Foundation Establishment realm, it can advance his cultivation to the next level! At the same time, it can also enhance your physical abilities. It’ll be of great aid to your learning the Supernova!” the elder said. Instantly, every single one of the hundred seedlings, including Wang Baole, honed in on him.

Wang Baole’s eyes shone like they were burning holes into the man. The moment the elderly man pulled out the pill, he had immediately caught a scent of it. An instinctive hunger overcame his body. He was drawn inexplicably to the pill. It was as if his body could sense that once he swallowed it, the pill would push his body to the next evolutionary level.

“However, there are too few of such pills. It’s impossible to let every one of you have one. I only have the one pill with me now. That’s why… only the person left standing when the sun sets will be the one who gets to have this Body Strengthening Freedom Pill!”

As soon as his words rang out, the hundred seedlings were immediately roused. Their eyes glimmered fiercely. To many of them, they were the cream of the crop in their own hometowns and colleges. They were naturally proud and self-confident to a certain extent.

They, therefore, didn’t feel uncomfortable at the idea of such a competition but instead had begun to gear up for it. Of course, everyone’s personalities differed, and hence, their state of minds also varied.

There were some who were discussing in hushed tones, clearly intending to form temporary alliances and partnerships. There were some who were like lone wolves, with a fierce glint in their eyes. There were also some who had multiple plans and strategies concocted, to the extent of attempting to contact the political forces supporting them so that they might get their hands on the pill through external means.

Soon, those with a more fiery temperament struck. In an instant, the area descended into chaos. Some fought, some fell back, and some allied with others.

In a blink of an eye, a loud rumbling exploded. The person standing next to Wang Baole was, coincidentally, a fiery-tempered one. He threw a punch towards Wang Baole without giving any warning.

“Sneaking up on me? I hate people who sneak up on me the most!” Wang Baole glared. He didn’t dodge and instead sent his leg kicking out, his foot connecting with the other person’s fist. The sound of them connecting sent the fiery-tempered youth retreating in a hurry, and the expression on his face changed in an instant. The look he gave Wang Baole was filled with shock and caution. He dared not continue their fight, and instead turned and rushed towards someone else.

Wang Baole snorted when he saw the other youth retreating meekly, and a flicker of light flashed in his eyes. He was set on getting his hands on the pill, and he knew that if he didn’t do something soon, his possession of the pill might not be secure. The only solution was to eliminate all the other challengers in an instant!

The old man said, the only person left standing… so, as long as the rest are unable to stand, it’ll count? Upon that thought, Wang Baole’s eyes flashed. His cultivation started churning. The scabbard within his body shuddered. In an instant, nine mosquitoes flew out. They appeared suddenly around Wang Baole and, with the command he uttered inwardly, they sped towards the people around him.

Wang Baole didn’t release the gray mosquito. After all, he hadn’t tested its abilities. It would be disastrous if it accidentally killed the rest of the Federation seedlings.

“Go bite their soles. I want them to not be able to stand on their feet!”

Buzzing in the air, the nine mosquitoes scattered and sped towards the ninety-odd people. They were small, extremely agile, and also really fast. In the blink of an eye, a mosquito flew under the feet of an oblivious cultivator from the White Deer Dao College who was in retreat. It disregarded the cultivator’s shoes, its needle-like mouth piercing through the material, and stung!

The cultivator from the White Deer Dao College had no reaction at the beginning. However, as his foot landed on the ground, and he prepared to continue his retreat, his eyes suddenly widened. An unbearable itch blossomed from the center of his sole and spread throughout his entire body. He started shuddering fiercely, his eyes revealing disbelief. He intended to bear the itch when he began to feel the same unbearable itch from his other foot.

The itch had been barely tolerable at the beginning. However, it soon intensified like a surging tide, wave after wave, growing rapidly in intensity. The cultivator from the White Deer Dao College let out a gasp of shock, sat down hard on the ground, and tore his shoes off. He started scratching with everything he had.

“It itches. What is going on!”

The elderly man’s expression was calm and composed as he observed the chaotic sight. He didn’t pay it much care. He turned and, with the other two military officers, headed towards the exit. He didn’t go far, however, before the roars of rage and gasps of shock exploded behind him!

“I’ve been bitten. Damn it, there are actually mosquitoes here?”

“I’ve been bitten too. It itches so much. I can’t take it anymore!”

“You guys have been bitten too? This must be a conspiracy!”

Amidst the stunned shouts and gasps, a dozen or so people had all sat down and taken their shoes off, scratching fiercely. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to tolerate the itch, it was that… it was completely intolerable!

Even the lone wolf, Kong Dao, had a myriad of unprecedented expressions shifting on his face as he scratched manically…

The bizarre scene momentarily stunned the elderly man, who had been planning to leave but had turned around and taken a look. The two military officers standing behind him had widened their eyes, a dumbfounded look on their faces.

The hundred seedlings of the Federation, who had been standing proud like the prodigies they were a moment earlier, were sitting on the floor with their shoes off, scratching madly. The transformation was too sudden and unexpected…

If it had been the male cultivators, it would have been fine, but both men and women fell within the parameters of the mosquitoes’ targeting. As a result… one could see the expression on many young women change, followed by their demure, embarrassed scratching through their shoes. However, they couldn’t control themselves as they soon sat on the ground, took their shoes off, exposing smooth, tender feet, and—with their faces blushing, their ears warm, and a growing panic—started to scratch ferociously.

“Ah!” Li Yi was one of them as well. The more she scratched, the itchier it got. She was about to go mad.

In a single glance, one could see countless pairs of bare feet…

It hadn’t yet ended. As the elderly man gazed over, another dozen people let out shouts of fright before joining the legion of feet-scratching seedlings.

“I killed one! This is definitely not a real mosquito. Who’s the guy sneaking up on us!”

“Damn it, don’t ever let me get my hands on you!”

“Come fight it out with us if you’re really that good! How dare you release such horrid and vicious mosquitoes!” Very quickly, amidst the growing fear and horror, nine-tenths of the entire cohort had fallen. They scratched and cursed, and let loose all kinds of angry shouts and yells; their raging voices spread like waves to all four corners. Every one of them had angry pulsing veins and rage burning in their eyes. Their eyes fell on the three people who had not been bitten and remained standing…

One of them a confused Zhuo Yifan, another Zhao Yameng, who had a strange expression on her face, and another, who was looking really pleased with himself… Wang Baole.