Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Wang Baole burst out into laughter when he heard what Jin Duoming had said. What he had asked for was an impossible thing. He hadn’t really believed that Jin Duoming would give him an actual ninth-grade Dharmic Armant.
“Can’t you be serious about this, Wang Baole? I’m very serious!” Jin Duoming sighed. He had made a grand entrance with his stronghold and his opening speech. Everything had pointed to his imnse wealth. The atmosphere he had created, though, had been partially dispelled with Wang Baole’s simple question.
“Fine, I’ll be more serious. Daoist Jin, how about an eighth-grade Dharmic Armant? I, Wang Baole, swear I’ll give up on Li Yi. No matter how crazily in love Li Yi is with , I’ll turn her down, without rcy. I’m even willing to go to the extent of beating her up just so that she’ll give up completely on !” Wang Baole thumped his chest. When he made his proclamation, he also stared at Jin Duoming with anticipation in his eyes. He seed prepared to offer a whole range of after-sales and value-added services if they sealed the deal.
Jin Duoming could feel a headache coming. He hadn’t expected Wang Baole’s reaction. He sensed that Wang Baole seed to be very excited at the prospect of negotiating with him. Logically speaking, shouldn’t he first feel pressured at his own forcefulness? This would allow Jin Duoming to soften his stance after and let them co to a compromise in the end.
“Wang Baole, are you interested in continuing this talk at all? Do you really intend to fight for Li Yi?” Jin Duoming inhaled a deep breath and asked solemnly.
“Daoist Jin, you’re being a miser. Li Yi’s such a great girl. She’s got a great face, great figure. Even if she’s not worth a ninth-grade Dharmic Armant, shouldn’t she at least be worth an eighth-grade Dharmic Armant? Alright, alright. How about a seventh-grade Dharmic Armant? That should be okay, right?” Wang Baole sighed. He looked as if he was on the losing end of a deal.
“Wang Baole, are you taking for a fool? A seventh-grade Dharmic Armant? If I give her a seventh-grade Dharmic Armant right now, do you not believe that she’ll imdiately agree to be my girlfriend?” Jin Duoming raised his eyebrow. He gave Wang Baole a look of displeasure as frustration simred inside him. It was true that he was courting Li Yi, but even he didn’t believe she was worth a seventh-grade Dharmic Armant.
This was, after all, completely different from when he had been in the Mystic Luna Realm. Then, he had made a bet with soone and had been missing a single fragnt. That one step away from his goal and his bet had resulted in the eventual trade. That and his current courtship were two completely different matters.
No one knew how he had established his yardstick. However, it was clear that he simply felt that he was the one on the losing end of the deal if he made an exchange with a seventh-grade Dharmic Armant.
Wang Baole thought for a bit after hearing what Jin Duoming had said. He seed to agree with him and started feeling slightly bad for even suggesting it in the first place. He sighed.
“What you said makes sense. It’s not worth it... how about this? I won’t make things difficult for you, but I’d like a promotion. Can you do that for ?”
Jin Duoming released a sigh of relief. If Wang Baole had insisted on a Dharmic Armant, he would have given up on Li Yi himself. He smiled confidently.
“The dean of the Dao Mountain Mist Academy is getting old. He should retire and return to Earth.”
“The dean sacrificed the pri of his years for the Dao Mountain Mist Academy. During his appointnt, he grood nurous talents that beca the pillars of Mars and of the Federation!” Wang Baole imdiately added as a reminder to Jin Duoming.
Jin Duoming stared at Wang Baole, surprised. What he had ant earlier was that he would transfer the Dao Mountain Mist Academy dean through his family’s connections. After which, he would get Wang Baole promoted to the position of the school dean. He hadn’t considered what would happen to the original dean. After discerning Wang Baole’s intentions, though, he pondered for a few monts, then nodded.
“The old dean is still physically fit and ntally nimble in his old age, and he contributed greatly to the school. After he’s been transferred back to Earth, there will definitely be another important office waiting for him to take over!”
Wang Baole was pleased. Jin Duoming was pleased as well. They stared at each other and smiled, the tension between them vanishing. They even chatted leisurely for a while. Jin Duoming instructed soone to bring them wine, and both of them sat down and started conversing like old friends. Before Wang Baole left, he thumped his chest.
“Old Jin, don’t worry. I, Wang Baole, am so good looking. Why would I settle for Li Yi and make you unhappy? Am I that sort of guy?
“I admit, Li Yi is interested in , but for my friend, I’m willing to sacrifice anything. You have nothing to worry about!”
“All right, I’ll send her a ssage right now!” Wang Baole thumped his chest and pulled out his voice transmission ring. He sent Li Yi a ssage right in front of Jin Duoming.
“Li Yi, things won’t work out between us. I hope you will treasure the person who’s been by your side all along. Let us both find our happiness elsewhere!”
Wang Baole ended the transmission without waiting for Li Yi’s reply. He lifted his eyes from the transmission ring and looked at Jin Duoming. Jin Duoming was overco with emotion. The more he looked at Wang Baole, the more he realized what a true friend Wang Baole was!
“Baole, I’ve been too rash. If you really like her, I’ll give up on her!”
“Old Jin, don’t say that! I, Wang Baole, will do anything for a friend!” Wang Baole had a fright. He thought about how he had just managed to push Li Yi away and gotten so positive returns out of it with great difficulty. If Jin Duoming decided not to go ahead with it after all, wouldn’t he have gone to all that trouble for nothing? He smacked his chest again righteously, then turned and left.
Jin Duoming stood on the stronghold and watched Wang Baole leave. He looked clearly moved and overco with emotion. He sighed.
“That’s what I call a good friend!” he said, then steered the stronghold away from the Dao Mountain Mist Academy and towards the Fire Spirit Academy. As soon as he walked back into the stronghold, the emotions on his face vanished. They were instead replaced by a look of contemplation.
This Wang Baole is extrely sly. He’s the sort who seems all smiles and friendliness, but will imdiately stab you in the face without rcy once he decides you’re an enemy instead of a friend.
He’s a dangerous character. Why would the old man ask to befriend him if he’s so dangerous? Why would he instruct to help him where I can? Could it be that... this is related to the reason I’ve co to Mars? Jin Duoming fell into deep thought. It might seem that he had co to Mars for the sole reason of courting Li Yi, but in reality... there was sothing even more important that he had to do.
At the sa mont, after Jin Duoming’s departure, Wang Baole stepped into his residences. The smile on his face had long vanished, and he narrowed his eyes and started thinking.
This Jin Duoming’s put on quite an act. He’s not an idiot... I don’t believe he didn’t see through the entire lie... but he still made it seem like he bought the whole thing. In the end, I got myself a promotion... Wang Baole thought for a bit then laughed. He set the matter aside and was about to continue his seclusion, but then, he recalled Jin Duoming’s stronghold.
Since Wang Baole’s arrival on Mars, Jin Duoming’s stronghold was the thing that had impressed him the most. It wasn’t only lavish in appearance but equipped with powerful battle capabilities.
He hadn’t truly gone into the stronghold earlier, but he could still sense its powerful aura. It likely was capable of displaying battle capabilities rivaling a Core Formation realm cultivator. The stronghold was effectively an enhanced version of a Dharma artifact.
If I have sothing like that, I won’t be as helpless as I am now when I face the giant tree. I’ll at least stand a fighting chance! Wang Baole’s eyes flashed. He thought about how he was from the Dharmic Armant Pavilion. He had been refining artifacts since he had entered the Ethereal Dao College. With a bit more thought and effort, building a stronghold shouldn’t be an impossible feat for him.
It’s just that it would require too many resources... Wang Baole sighed. When he had been at the Lower Academy Island, outsiders had always said that Dharmic Armant cultivators were all walking Spirit Stones, that they were all rich.
Now that he had reached the Foundation Establishnt realm and was able to refine fourth-grade and fifth-grade Dharmic Armants, he was keenly aware of what it ant to be poor. The resources required for refining artifacts were too much. Despite how fast he was able to refine Spirit Stones, he still couldn’t keep pace with the rate he was using up materials.
Even though it’s not possible to build a stronghold any ti soon, I should still start my preparations now. That way, once I have enough resources, I can imdiately start production! Wang Baole thought. He had made up his mind. He would create a stronghold that was invincible and impenetrable. He even thought up a na for it.
We’ll call it the Eternal Fortress! Wang Baole’s eyes shone brightly. After so assessnt, he realized that even if he had the blueprint and materials ready, it would still not be possible for him to build such a stronghold single-handedly. He was troubled for a mont before he rembered his puppets.
If I lack manpower, then I should first study how to create puppets that can serve as construction workers. They should be able to provide so basic support and carry out simple construction work! Wang Baole thought. During his seclusion, besides practicing the Lightning Dao: First Volu and edging closer towards a breakthrough in cultivation, Wang Baole also spent ti studying how to refine construction puppets and running through the blueprints for his stronghold.
Ti crept by. Soon, more than a month had passed!
Co noon one day, Wang Baole was sitting in ditation when his eyes suddenly opened. A rumbling roar erupted within his body, and bolts of lightning erupted from his right leg. They snaked around him in the air, thundering. The entire chamber was flooded with electricity in that instant. It appeared to transform into a pool of lightning!
Sitting cross-legged within the pool was Wang Baole. The cultivation within his body erupted at that mont, breaking through the early-stage and stepping right into... the mid-stage Foundation Establishnt realm!
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