A World Worth Protecting

Li Yi couldn’t have foreseen the appearance of the catacombs. When the new entrance exploded into existence, she was deep in meditation. The thunderous sound of explosion rose to the skies, and the earth quaked. There had been a public square in the center of the western zone, but it had since collapsed and sunken in, forming a gigantic crater!

A chilly, eerie air surged from the crater, spreading an icy chill in the surrounding area. The waves of chilly air were accompanied by countless hordes of beasts!

This wasn’t the first time a new catacombs connected to the Divine Armament Catacombs appeared. The Blood Cave where Lin Tianhao had met with danger had been a similar situation. Based on the Governor’s analysis and assessment, she had guessed that such incidents would occur and had carried out the necessary preventive measures. The new city zone was one such measure to prevent and manage such incidents when they happened.

Wang Baole wasn’t fully aware of the details surrounding the occurrence of the new catacombs. However, he could sense something had gone wrong through the new city zone’s array formation. If the array formation had been constructed based on his plans and didn’t have any loopholes or gaps, and if the entire city had been running correctly with all the cogs turning smoothly, it would have been difficult for a new catacombs to appear. Even if it did appear, it wouldn’t be inside the city but somewhere else.

However, it was clear that the Global Dharma City that Li Yi believed to be perfect didn’t fuse and mesh fully with the Qi Fostering Spirit Array Formation, resulting in problems. It might have been difficult to discover such incongruencies normally, as they were very well hidden; however, in such key moments, they would be exposed fully.

The new catacombs would never have been able to appear in the other three zones. The loopholes present in the western zone presented an opportunity for it to appear. Its explosion seemed to shake the heavens and earth. At that moment, the cheap tricks that Li Yi had been playing in secret were all exposed and laid out in the open for all to see.

The deafening explosions alarmed everyone in the new city zone. Li Yi’s face was pale. The first thing that came to her mind wasn’t how to fight off and push back the beast hordes, but the disadvantage she would suffer once this incident got out and people heard about it!

Defense and resistance came as an afterthought. She raced out hastily and immediately gathered the people from the four Dao Colleges to fight off the beast hordes. They were mainly from the White Deer Dao College and its branch college. There were some from the Holy River Dao College, while those from the Ethereal Dao College were few. The Ethereal Dao College cultivators had wanted to be here since Wang Baole was stationed in the new city zone; however, the White Deer Dao College, in its attempts to prevent Wang Baole’s influence from growing too vast, had put a stop to that.

Li Yi tried frantically to hold back the Beast Tide. The sudden event had sent the entire city zone quaking. The other zones were faring well compared to the western zone though, which was seeing great casualties.

Fortunately, the Beast Tide had only just erupted. It would be fine if they could seal the catacombs. If efforts to do so were delayed though, the beasts could spread into other zones and result in calamity.

As soon as Wang Baole found out about this, his face turned dark, and a murderous aura erupted from his person. He dashed out and barked out an order instantly.

“Lock down the entire western zone. Unleash the full power of the array formation. Cultivators at Foundation Establishment realm and above, follow me into the western zone. We’re going to seal the new catacombs!”

The city zone’s array formation was instantly activated upon Wang Baole’s order, and numerous cultivators lined up in their formations and awaited their orders. The western zone was locked down. It seemed that Wang Baole was prepared to abandon the western zone.

A similarly somber-faced Kong Dao and Jin Duoming followed Wang Baole and charged into the western zone. Lin Tianhao had been instructed to stand guard outside, and Wang Baole’s concern for the rest meant they weren’t brought along either.

At least ten thousand cultivators soon followed Wang Baole’s lead and charged into the western zone. Amongst them were six to seven Core Formation realm cultivators. They dashed forward swiftly and approached the new catacombs in the western zone. Li Yi and her people were engaged in a fierce battle with the beasts. Her people were all injured and forced to fall back.

There were still more beasts surging outwards endlessly.

Wang Baole was about to spew fire at the sight of such chaos and danger. He had expected something like this to happen. However, Li Yi had simply grown too bold. She continued to do what she wished secretly, despite him clamping down on her. Her reckless actions had been the cause of the current predicament.

He didn’t hesitate. As soon as he and his people arrived at the scene of battle, Wang Baole immediately headed for Li Yi, who was being protected by a circle of her people. A tinge of resentment and hate colored Li Yi’s pale face when she saw his arrival.

Li Yi couldn’t tell where her resentment came from. However, it was obvious that the emotion had only reared its ugly head when she saw Wang Baole. Wang Baole ignored her poisonous stare and said immediately, “The four Dao Colleges, listen to my orders. Fall back a hundred thousand feet. Lock down the perimeters and slow the Beast Tide. Seniors who are at the Core Formation realm, follow me to the heart of the new catacombs and stand guard while I seal it!”

“Li Yi, you are to transfer the control of the new city zone that you have been secretly modifying to me immediately!” Wang Baole said immediately, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

The shocked and alarmed cultivators from the White Deer Dao College hesitated and looked at Li Yi. Li Yi, on the other hand, only saw how Wang Baole had seized authority over her people upon his arrival and was now trying to seize her authority from her. If he were allowed to have his way, he would take control of all power and authority she had. She instinctively resisted the idea. She still couldn’t accept the reality of things and still believed that her city infrastructure hadn’t yet been perfected. Once it was completed, something like this would never happen!

“Wang Baole, what are you trying to do? This is the western zone that I’m in charge of. I, Li Yi, will be responsible for it. Leave us!” Li Yi’s voice was shrill. She resisted vehemently. She knew clearly that things would turn out all right if she managed to control and handle the current situation. However, if Wang Baole were the one to resolve the situation, her future in the New Mars Region would be precarious.

“You will handle it? You big-bosomed, no-brain piece of trash. How are you going to handle it? By trading the lives from the four Dao Colleges?” The anger that Wang Baole had been keeping under control erupted. He didn’t hesitate as he stepped forward and appeared next to Li Yi. He raised his right hand and sent it sweeping, his late-stage Foundation Establishment realm cultivation erupting. Li Yi wasn’t his match, especially with her mind wrought with emotions and unstable. She was immediately sent flying with a single slap from Wang Baole.

She fell back with a loud thunderous boom and blood spilled from her lips. The Core Formation realm cultivators from the White Deer Dao College around her could have stopped that from happening, but they had witnessed what Li Yi had done, as well as Wang Baole’s attempts to save the current situation. They had to consider the consequences if they tried to stop Wang Baole. They had to think about how their responses would affect the grand scheme of things.

After all… their concern was the White Deer Dao College’s interests. What Li Yi had done and the consequences of her actions were clearly going to adversely implicate the White Deer Dao College.

That was why they hesitated. The result was Li Yi being driven back by Wang Baole. Li Yi didn’t have a chance to scream her rage before Wang Baole’s voice, cold and dispassionate, rang out.

“Arrest Li Yi!” Wang Baole’s eyes fell on the cultivators from the four Dao Colleges around Li Yi when he said that. He specifically stared at the people from the White Deer Dao College.

Li Yi had no time to wipe the blood from her lips. Her hair had fallen loose, and madness and savagery colored her eyes. She shrieked.

“Wang Baole, you dare lay your hand on me!? Elder Zhou, Elder Wu, help me take Wang Baole down. I, Li Yi, will take full responsibility for everything that happens today!”

“Bullshit! I, Wang Baole, am of the four Dao Colleges as well. The White Deer Dao College also has my respect. Li Yi, you’ve made a huge mess of things here. Do you expect us four Dao Colleges to go down together with you!”

The White Deer Dao College cultivators fell silent. The comparison between Wang Baole and Li Yi was simply too stark. One was composed and the other raving mad. Furthermore, Wang Baole was right. Li Yi had clearly made a mistake. This incident would definitely create an uproar in the Federation. Li Yi was destined… to be held responsible.

If the White Deer Dao College insisted on siding with Li Yi, they wouldn’t be able to escape scrutiny and criticism. They only had one choice before them. They understood very well… that Li Yi was finished. Wang Baole had become the only representative of the four Dao Colleges who held authority in the new city zone.

Even if the White Deer Dao College was unwilling to do so, they had no choice… but to support Wang Baole if they still wanted to have a presence in the new city zone.

Wang Baole was aware of all this. As soon as he finished speaking and stared coldly at the group, one of the two Core Formation realm cultivators from the White Deer Dao College said immediately.

“Arrest Li Yi!”

Alarm rose on Li Yi’s face. Cultivators from the White Deer Dao College immediately stepped forward and brought the limp and pale Li Yi away. Everyone from the four Dao Colleges immediately bowed at Wang Baole.

It was a clear indication of the change in their attitude. Wang Baole had no time for relief though. He instantly issued an order and brought everyone with him to fight the Beast Tide. He swiftly manipulated the array formation in the new city zone and enveloped the entire area in array formations. He was going to seal the new catacombs!