Chapter 314: A Ninth-Grade Dharmic Armament?
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wang Baole watched as Li Yi pretended to be concerned as she shared the information with him and felt put off by her pretense. He started sulking as he wondered if he really was a true son of Earth. That was why his luck had taken a turn for the worse ever since he had left Earth.
That had been the case when he had been on the moon, and now that he was on Mars, the same thing was happening again. First had been his unfortunate meeting with a formidable foe, the giant tree, next had been his encounter with Li Wuchen.
After having finally settled down and gotten himself on firm ground, he still hadn’t yet resolved the problem that was the giant tree. To make things worse, Li Yi had started eyeing him and had also brought him news of worse things to come.
Why have all my enemies come to Mars? This is just… Frustration simmered inside Wang Baole. He felt as if all his enemies had suddenly come together while his friends had not. He felt alone in his fight.
Fortunately, I’ve made an ally out of my former enemy Lin Tianhao, else, things would just be a disaster. There must be some conspiracy going on! Wang Baole narrowed his eyes. He stared at Li Yi, then suddenly asked, “Who approved their transfer orders?”
Li Yi gave Wang Baole a deep, meaningful look when she heard his question. She was deep in thought for some time, then she leaned into him further. Wang Baole could smell the perfume wafting from her body. She had sprayed it before she came to the academy as she had heard that it could ignite a man’s desires.
“The Deputy Governor…”
Wang Baole smiled as he breathed in the perfume from Li Yi’s body and listened to her words. His heart rose to his throat. He finally understood now. The giant tree wasn’t able to make life difficult for him too openly, so he had transferred all of Wang Baole’s former enemies over to Mars to help him do the deed.
This didn’t seem like a simple matter of getting others to gang up on him. The giant tree might be plotting something. However, despite his diligent reading of the high officials’ autobiographies, he had no idea what the giant tree was planning.
This is so troublesome. Wang Baole sighed. He threw a glance at Li Yi.
“You must really like me to share this information with me. You bought me so many snacks too. Fine, fine, let’s go to my room. You can help me with my bath.” Wang Baole got to his feet. He had a look of exasperation on his face when he stared at Li Yi.
Li Yi sucked in a breath. If she weren’t so concerned about destroying this mood that she had so carefully built with so much effort, she would flip the table on him right now. She struggled to calm down and forced a smile on her face.
“Baole, it’s not a good time for me today… I have to go now,” Li Yi said hastily and prepared to leave. Wang Baole’s eyes glimmered. He smiled and walked her part of the way out. He watched as Li Yi stepped out from the school gates. Then, he turned, the smile he had on his face vanishing without a trace.
So what if I’m surrounded by enemies? Wang Baole snorted inwardly. If it had only been the giant tree alone, he might have considered leaving Mars. However, he had settled in comfortably and made a name for himself on the planet. Now that so many people he couldn’t get along with were all gathered here, he decided against leaving after all.
What do I have to be afraid of? They weren’t my match when they were on Earth, and they couldn’t beat me when we were on the Moon. Now that we’re on Mars, I can still hold my own and overpower them! At that thought, Wang Baole suddenly felt full of aspiration and ambition. He raced towards his residence and went right back into seclusion. He had made up his mind to achieve a breakthrough in cultivation as soon as possible.
After all, cultivation was the foundation for everything. Wang Baole was aware that if he were at the Core Formation realm now, the threat posed by the people he disliked would be superficial at best.
Even Li Yi, who had intended to use him to master her mystic art. So what? He’d make her pay twice the price for her decision. After he was done with her, she would be left with nothing but the shirt on her back.
As Wang Baole returned to his residence and resumed his seclusion, as Li Yi walked out from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy and left in her cruiser, Jin Duoming sat inside Fire Spirit Academy, gnashing his teeth as he watched what was showing on the spirit screen before him.
The spirit screen showed a clear audiovisual recording of Li Yi and Wang Baole in the Dao Mountain Mist Academy canteen. Their heads were lowered as they sat close to and murmured softly to each other.
A smile had blossomed on Li Yi’s face in the recording, and she had a coquettish look in her eyes. Wang Baole was smiling as well. His eyes were narrowed as if he was enjoying her presence as well as the perfume wafting off her body.
After Jin Duoming had found out that Li Yi had been headed for the Dao Mountain Mist Academy, he had pulled some strings and paid a student of the Dao Mountain Mist Academy to film the recording.
Since he had arrived on Mars a few days ago, he hadn’t gone to the extent of visiting Li Yi every day, but he had sent multiple messages proclaiming his love for her. Li Yi had ignored his attention, which sparked a greater interest in her. To improve his chances, he had arranged for someone to keep tabs on Li Yi. That way, he would know her every move.
That was what had resulted in the current situation…
He hadn’t wanted to make a big show of it. There were people who knew, but they weren’t many. He had only arrived on Mars just a while ago, after all. But more would find out that he was courting Li Yi after another week or so. The news of his courtship would definitely spread like wildfire then.
Li Yi, Wang Baole! Jin Duoming stared at the two figures on the screen and gnashed his teeth. He was torn inside. He knew about what had happened to Wang Baole in the Mystic Luna Realm, and he thought they could be friends. He didn’t wish to make an enemy of him unless it was the last resort.
But it’s just not right to go after a friend’s love interest. Jin Duoming took a deep breath. He was torn about the entire matter. At the same time, based on what he knew and had found out, he simply could not believe that Wang Baole and Li Yi would become a couple. He turned towards the female cultivator beside him and asked.
“Duo Duo, say a man and a woman are always hostile to each other whenever they meet. They get into fights with each other countless times. Is there a possibility for them to fall in love with each other and become a couple?”
The female cultivator by the name of Duo Duo smiled as she sliced the fruits up. She spoke.
“Young Master, the possibility of such things happening is high. You don’t understand women. From how I see it, Li Yi has a strong interest in Wang Baole. This is what we call a bickering couple.”
When Jin Duoming heard what Duo Duo called them, he smacked his forehead. Hidden behind his palm, his eyes revealed a deep considering look. When he removed his hand from his eyes, the look disappeared, replacing it was a look of agitation and fury. He pulled out a purple jade slip and pressed it hard. The enormous stronghold that had been parked in the Martian sky port shuddered immediately.
Under the stunned gazes of everyone in the port, the pilotless stronghold rose into the air and sped at top speed towards Zone Twelve, where the Fire Spirit Academy stood. On its way, it caught the eyes of many people. The stronghold soon reached the Fire Spirit Academy. Jin Duoming entered the stronghold, and it once again roared to life and charged towards the Dao Mountain Mist Academy.
Everything happened within half an hour. Wang Baole was just about to begin his meditation when the stronghold appeared in the skies above the Dao Mountain Mist Academy. Its appearance shocked the academy’s teachers and students, and a commotion stirred in the school.
“What the hell is that?”
“My god, look at the inscriptions on that thing!”
“It’s too much. Is this the legendary space stronghold?”
As the students and teachers stood stunned, Jin Duoming’s voice rang out from inside the stronghold.
“Wang Baole, your friend is here. Won’t you join me for a chat?” Jin Duoming’s voice rang out. A balcony appeared on the outer shell of the stronghold, and Jin Duoming stood on the balcony and gazed at the Dao Mountain Mist Academy below. His visit didn’t mean that he believed that Wang Baole and Li Yi were dating. He simply felt Wang Baole a threat and wanted to impress and intimidate. That was the reason for his particular choice of entrance.
Wang Baole walked out of his residence as Jin Duoming’s voice rang out into the air. He raised his head and saw the majestic stronghold before him and gasped. He had only managed to catch a glance of the stronghold from afar a few days ago and hadn’t gotten a clear look at it. Now that it was hovering right before his eyes in mid-air, he finally got a close look at it.
It’s just too lavish! Wang Baole realized what the stronghold was made of and became even more shocked. He felt the aura of extravagance that belonged only to the filthy rich exploding from the stronghold. It seemed to be able to overwhelm everything. Compared to this, what the senators’ children had been showing off during the Ethereal Fruit Feast had been peanuts, what they had then paled in comparison.
Wang Baole narrowed his eyes at Jin Duoming’s invitation. He considered how Li Yi had just left and here Jin Duoming was, mere steps behind her. He wondered if there was something to it. He was confident in his own abilities, though. Besides, this was his turf. He wasn’t going to be cowed by Jin Duoming’s impressive entrance.
He raced towards the stronghold in the sky and, in an instant, landed on the balcony. He stood before Jin Duoming and turned towards the latter.
“Fellow Daoist Jin, you’ve made quite a grand entrance. What’s the reason for it?”
Jin Duoming stared at Wang Baole. He had always been a straightforward guy and had no intentions to beat around the bush. He said very openly.
“Wang Baole, I’m interested in Li Yi. Can you not compete with me for her affections? We’re good friends, after all. I’ll let you have anything else you want!”
Wang Baole froze. He didn’t expect Jin Duoming to make such a dramatic entrance just for this. His heart rate sped up, and his eyes started shining brightly. Jin Duoming was practically signing him a blank check… he stared at Jin Duoming, blinked and tried his luck.
“A ninth-grade Dharmic Armament?”
Jin Duoming fell silent when he heard what Wang Baole had asked for. A moment longer, he spoke in a weak voice.
“Do you have a ninth-grade Dharmic Armament? How about I give up on Li Yi if you give me one…”