A World Worth Protecting

Wang Baole attacked too quickly for anyone to react, even Huang Gui. Wang Baole had already grabbed the youth’s finger and bent it upward. A sharp immediately spread from the youth’s finger to the rest of his body.

“Ah, let go, let go!” the youth screamed. He had never had such an experience in his life, and his cry was extremely pathetic. His body started to bend unconsciously.

Wang Baole snorted. He felt that he was already very low-key as he did not bother anyone. However, this person actually came to mock him for some baffling reason.

He could not tolerate this. He glared and roared at him, “Hurry up. The other schoolmates are entering the mystic realm—call me Daddy!”

That youth’s face was pale, and he wanted to struggle. However, Wang Baole’s vice-like grip was too strong. The limits of his joint caused the youth to feel a rush of pain whenever he moved, so he could not struggle out of the hold.

At the same time, everyone else finally managed to react. They stared with wide eyes. Wang Baole’s attack was truly too quick, and that youth’s cry was extremely forlorn.

Even a few students in front who had neared the entrance to the mystic realm heard the sound, and they all turned to look. In that instant, a loud chatter began to spread.

“Someone’s fighting!”

“They are really too anxious. We haven’t even entered the mystic realm.”

Just as people began discussing the issue, the students from White Deer Branch College grew indignant at seeing one of their own being hit. They walked out and roared at Wang Baole.

“Stop!”

“I know him—he’s Ethereal Dao College’s Wang Baole. He’s too much!”

Just as the students from White Deer Branch College stepped forward, the students from Ethereal Dao College refused to be seen as inferior and also stepped forward. In an instant… there was a commotion right outside the entrance to the mystic realm.

“White Deer Branch College and Ethereal Dao College are going to fight! I have disliked White Deer Branch College for a long time. They always curry favor with the Chancellors and look down on the other Dao Colleges. Wang Baole, I support you!”

“Haha, I heard before that every time the mystic realm opens, the four Dao Colleges will fight. I didn’t expect that this time, we would fight outside. I think that when everyone enters the mystic realm, it’ll be even more exciting!”

As the students provoked each other, roared at each other, and started causing a commotion, the teachers and cultivators from the four Dao College looked unhappy. The old physician from Ethereal Dao College furrowed his brows and shouted, “Stop! Are you all very free? Immediately enter the mystic realm!”

As the old physician spoke, there was a middle-aged man seated next to him, the Chancellor of White Deer Branch College. His gaze was forceful, and his voice was like thunder, exploding among the students.

“If anyone else makes a move, the mystic realm test will be canceled!”

The two Chancellor spoke one after the other—only then did the commotion outside the mystic realm die down. Wang Baole glared at the youth from White Deer Branch College and released his finger.

At this moment, sweat had spread all over the youth’s forehead. His face was pale, and he quickly retreated. When he looked at Wang Baole, his gaze was filled with hatred, and he decided that he would not give Wang Baole a chance if he met him in the mystic realm. Only when the other schoolmates from his Dao College pulled him did he enter the mystic realm.

“That look is very annoying. Does he want to take revenge?” Wang Baole snorted and looked away, following the other people into the mystic realm.

When the thousand students entered the oasis’s mystic realm, the people from the four Dao Colleges standing outside in the public square started to adjust the spirit energy. After dispersing the tempest, they sought out the other people they knew. Some of them began chatting, while others sat cross-legged in cultivation.

This place did not need to be open for a long time. The moment someone reached True Breath, they would immediately be expelled. It was always the case that once most of the students had returned, they would open the place again, allowing the unlucky and unsuccessful students to exit.

As for the Chancellors of the four Dao Colleges, they were all seated together. While they appeared to be smiling, they were actually competing with each other.

“I wonder how many people will have eight-inch Spirit Roots this time?”

“Shall we bet on it? Same rules.”

“Sure. The Dao College with the most eight-inch Spirit Roots wins!”

As the four Chancellors laughed and chatted, they each took out an item as a prize, placing it to the side. There were pills, materials, Dharmic artifacts—while all of them were different, each of them was extremely valuable.

Although White Deer Dao College usually won, this time, even the old physician and Holy River Dao College’s Chancellor seemed confident. Very soon, these four old fellows began gambling.

As the people in the public square waited, in the Spirit Breath Village mystic realm, the thousand students were immediately shocked by the bizarre scene.

The sky in Spirit Breath Village was different from the outside. The sky was beautiful and colorful, as though there were countless rainbows circulating, causing the entire sky to shine.

Even the ground was different. It was no longer desert but a large grassy oasis. In the distance, there were mountain ranges, rivers, and forests.

Even further, at the heart of Spirit Breath Village, there was the vague outline of a huge mountain. This mountain was not made of rock but… a huge shattered fragment!

“Spirit Breath Village, I will definitely condense an eight-inch Spirit Root!”

“I could have entered Upper Academy two years ago, but I waited for this place to open. This time, I will definitely get the eight-inch Spirit Root!”

Everyone was excited. They all understood that this chance was extremely hard to come by. If they made good use of this opportunity and gained an advantage there, it could help them set a good foundation for their future cultivation.

Wang Baole also felt his blood burn. After sizing up the situation, he found that most people were moving rapidly forward—some were alone, while others formed groups of three to five people. After thinking, he was about to set off.

But at this moment, suddenly, the people around him shouted in shock.

“Look at the sky!”

“That is…”

The shocked exclamations continued to spread, and Wang Baole also raised his head. He actually saw a faceless figure walking slowly across the sky!

Although this figure was faceless, he could tell from the shape that it was a man. His figure was illusory and uncertain, but he could see in the figure’s body that there was an object that looked like a root!

That root was very long, about nine inches!

The figure even gave off a suppressive force that shook everyone. It walked slowly and calmly, like a king walking in his own garden. Combined with the suppressive force, it was eye-catching.

It was as though it was giving everyone a supercilious look!

“Nine inches… It’s the nine-inch Spirit Root!”

“Heavens, we got to see the legendary Spirit Breath Village’s only nine-inch Spirit Root the moment we entered!”

“All the Spirit Roots are faceless before meeting their fated person. Ah, it’s a pity. So many people have tried but failed to absorb the nine-inch Spirit Root.”

Everyone’s gazes gathered on the faceless figure of the nine-inch Spirit Root, feeling helpless and regretful. They only looked away after the figure disappeared into the sky and the suppressive force dispersed.

Wang Baole’s heart was also beating fast, and he breathed rapidly. He understood, however, that eight inches was the human body’s limit. This nine-inch Spirit Root… could only be seen, not absorbed.

Perhaps it was because they encountered the nine-inch Spirit Root the moment they entered, but everyone became even more excited. Soon, the students from the four Dao Colleges separated to search for their fated Spirit Roots in Spirit Breath Village.

Zhuo Yifan, Zhao Yameng, Chen Ziheng, and the others left on their own. Wang Baole had planned to ask Du Min if she wanted to stay with him, but Du Min had already left on her own.

Seeing that everyone was on their own, Wang Baole thought about it and then swiftly moved in one direction, charging off.

Spirit Breath Village was huge. Even though there were four thousand people from the four Dao Colleges, after separating, they could not see a sign of any of the others.

Time slowly passed, and the first day was over.

In this one day, some lucky people had already encountered their fated one-inch Spirit Root, but for most, they were still searching. Even if they found their Spirit Root, if it was not one inch, it was useless. Even if they did find a one-inch Spirit Root, if it was not fated, and the Spirit Root did not choose them, it was also useless.

“My fated one-inch Spirit Root, where are you?” At this moment, Wang Baole was in one corner of the forest in Spirit Breath Village, eating his snacks as he sized up the place, dispirited.

Even after one day, he did not know why he was so unlucky that he could not even encounter one Spirit Root. As a last resort, he expanded his search from the outer areas toward the center of Spirit Breath Village.

Feeling depressed, Wang Baole walked in the forest for another hour. Just as he was started to get frustrated, suddenly, Wang Baole stopped. His eyes grew wide as he saw an illusory faceless figure floating under a large tree, motionless.

It was fine if it did not move, but there was actually… a strange laughter that kept coming from this figure.