Sage of Humanity

Cultivators often vie for bravery and ruthlessness in their disputes with others, and even the strongest amongst them are susceptible to injuries. While wounds may heal, many deep-seated problems linger in the body.

Now, Hua Ci's cultivation is still low, powerless against these invisible dangers, and only a healing cultivator of Second Senior Sister Shui Yuan's level can properly deal with such issues.

Previously, every time Lu Ye returned to the Righteous Blood Sect headquarters after his training exercises, Shui Yuan would carefully tend to him, ensuring all hidden dangers were eradicated.

It seems now that the spirit mist in Heaven's Augury Pond also has the effect of treating these deep-seated problems.

Lu Ye felt his body had become much lighter, as if a layer of invisible burden had been lifted.
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He continued to focus on practicing Single Flash.

Suddenly, a message came through the battlefield marking; it was from Yooi Lianzhou, "Fellow Daoist Lu, I am about to ascend to Cloud River. In addition, Szi Guang has already ascended."

Lu Ye quickly consulted the Spirit Stream Ranking and, indeed, Szi Guang's name was absent. It looked like he had ascended to Cloud River just as Yooi Lianzhou had said.

Not only that, many familiar names were missing from the Spirit Stream Ranking, and a large number of unfamiliar names had appeared at the end of the list.

This swift changeover is typical for the Spirit Stream Ranking. Normally, the list would be completely refreshed every few months. Regardless of the ranking, after about three or four dips in Heaven's Augury Pond, you'd hit your limit, making it pointless to linger at the 9th Heaven level any longer.

As for the Lu Ye Extermination Alliance Yooi Lianzhou mentioned, Lu Ye had heard of it. He knew it was a temporary organization established for the sole purpose of eliminating him by forces from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, with Szi Guang as one of the leaders.

With this loose and temporary organization now leaderless due to Szi Guang's departure, the Lu Ye Extermination Alliance was likely headless.

Lu Ye messaged Yooi Lianzhou, exchanging farewells. A moment later, Yooi Lianzhou's name also disappeared from the Spirit Stream Ranking.

Outside the wooden hut, Lu Ye continued to diligently practice his saber skills, intermittently stopping to cultivate and study books until he was ready to resume training.

At the Core Circle, the residence of Endless Island.

Endless Island is a 1st grade sect with profound and powerful foundations, producing generations of extraordinary talent.

At this very moment, a young man stood alone, quietly observing a delicate pavilion not far away.

Had Lu Ye been there, he would have recognized this young man as Luo Ji, whom he had once fought against.

However, at that time, everyone's cultivation was not high. Lu Ye was on his way from Qingyun Mountain to the Righteous Blood Sect territory. En route, he crossed through Xuanmen and the Nine Stars Sect territories, where he killed a Young Master from the Nine Stars Sect and was pursued as a result. Xuanmen intervened, leading to a chaotic battle in Sky-Splitting Gorge.

At that time, Luo Ji was on a training expedition with the Nine Stars Sect and was entrusted by Dong Shuye to pursue and attempt to kill Lu Ye.

Luo Ji was the first real magic cultivator Lu Ye encountered, and it was this encounter that sparked Lu Ye's strong dislike for the magic cultivator faction.

Of course, now, Lu Ye doesn't dislike them as much, mainly because magic cultivators are easy to kill.

In the year and a half since then, Luo Ji's cultivation had advanced to 7th Heaven.

Luo Ji was different from ordinary cultivators; he was directly cultivating a Heaven Rank technique. When Lu Ye encountered him, his cultivation was at the 2nd Heaven, with over fifty orifices opened.

At that time, Lu Ye was at Spirit Stream Level 3, and after an intense battle with Luo Ji, the fight was inconclusive.

In a year and a half, Luo Ji's cultivation had risen to 7th Heaven, with less than three hundred orifices opened—a rapid rate of progression. He was born into a well-placed family, possessed excellent aptitude, and had earned many rewards from Endless Island for his achievements, especially since he managed to escape back to his sect when the Nine Stars Sect headquarters were breached.

But Luo Ji was not content with his current state; quite simply, he was still unknown in the Spirit Stream battlefield, with nothing to show but his identity as an Endless Island disciple. Lu Yiye, whom he had matched in strength that day, was now a renowned figure across the Nine Provinces.

Furthermore, Lu Yiye was now at the 8th Heaven cultivation level and the top name on the Spirit Stream Ranking.

Under such dazzling brilliance, any talent would feel ashamed.

Upon returning to Endless Island that day, he swore to himself that he would one day defeat the mountain tiger, Lu Yiye, to redeem himself for past humiliations. But now, it seemed impossible to fulfill this wish.

Looking around the current Spirit Stream battlefield, perhaps only she could defeat Lu Yiye!

The woman he brought back from the Nine Stars Sect!

At the time, he did not know why this somewhat dim-witted-looking woman was so special. His visit to the Nine Stars Sect was simply to follow a clue forwarded by an elder of his sect who was skilled in divination, to find a person's whereabouts.

That divining elder had prophesied "The purple aura comes from the south," prompting many Endless Island disciples to be dispatched to the southern region of the Spirit Stream battlefield to find the person mentioned in the prophecy.

Ultimately, it was his good fortune to meet that woman at the Nine Stars Sect.

As it turned out, the elder's divination was not wrong.

During her time with the Nine Stars Sect, the woman seemed rather dull, and her talent was mediocre. But after following Luo Ji back to Endless Island, she was immediately recognized by the inheritance left by the ancestors of Endless Island, and her cultivation progressed incredibly fast thereafter.

The last time he saw her, a month ago, she had already reached 8th Heaven cultivation and it probably wouldn't be long before she could ascend to 9th Heaven!

Lu Yiye's cultivation speed was already fast, but compared to this woman, it was simply not worth mentioning.

"Junior Brother Luo, are you waiting for Ziyi?" someone suddenly asked.

Lu Yiye turned and saw it was his sect's Governor Kong Bu, and he couldn't help but blush slightly, "Just taking a walk."

Kong Bu chuckled, "There is nothing to be embarrassed about with a little romance, especially since you're the only one in the sect who can exchange a few words with Ziyi. This junior sister… even when I speak to her, sometimes she doesn't even bother to reply."

Lu Yiye hurriedly said, "Ziyi means no harm, she is just a bit slow-witted by nature."

It was well-known that the woman was slow-witted; perhaps you might ask her a question today, and she wouldn't react until the next day, then come running to tell you the answer. Some brothers in the sect often found her behavior confusing.

Kong Bu smiled, "I know she means no harm. Junior Brother Luo, don't be nervous. I'm not the kind of person who frets over these things."

After pausing, Kong Bu spoke leisurely, "'The purple Qi comes from the south,' Lan Ziyi, Grandmaster's divination skills have become increasingly profound."

"Indeed, when I first heard her name called at the Nine Stars Sect base that day, I knew she was the person I was looking for."

It was precisely because Lu Yiye brought back Lan Ziyi that he was able to earn great merit for the Endless Island.

"By the way, Senior Brother, I remember that you sparred with Ziyi before. Do you think if she ascends to the 9th Heaven, she could defeat that Lu Yiye?" Lu Yiye asked a question that concerned him.

"Yes!" Kong Bu replied without hesitation, "The last time we sparred, Ziyi was only at the 8th Heaven cultivation, but I almost wasn't a match for her."

Lu Yiye actually didn't know the result of their last spar, and upon hearing this, he was delighted: "That's fantastic."

So many 9th Heaven cultivators on the vast Spirit Stream Ranking were suppressed by an 8th Heaven. How could Ten Thousand Demons Ridge stand it? If Ziyi could defeat that Lu Yiye after she comes out of seclusion, it would surely bring great glory to the sect.

"With her speed of cultivation, it shouldn't take long for her to come out of seclusion."

"Let's hope so," Lu Yiye replied perfunctorily, "By the way, I forgot to congratulate Senior Brother on making it into the top twenty of the Spirit Stream Ranking."

Kong Bu gave a wry smile and shook his head, "This top twenty ranking of mine is not truly deserved."

Many who were ranked ahead of him had recently chosen to ascend Cloud River, and naturally, his rank also rose.

...

Within the wooden hut in the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest, Lu Ye's leisurely days had just passed three days when he received a message from Phong Yue, "Fifth Senior Brother, it's not good. A lot of people from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge are surrounding the Three Saints Sanctuary base. It seems they are targeting you."

Lu Ye was puzzled, "Targeting me, but why go to the Three Saints Sanctuary?"

Phong Yue replied, "Since they couldn't find you, they came looking for me instead. I don't know how they found out that I'm a disciple of the Righteous Blood Sect… Fifth Senior Brother, what should we do?"

"Wait!"

Lu Ye replied with a single word and quickly transmitted messages to inquire about the situation.

He soon received some feedback.

During this time, he had been hiding in the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest, and Ten Thousand Demons Ridge completely lost track of him. Seeing him rise to the top of the Spirit Stream Ranking and also receiving the blessings of Heaven's Augury, Ten Thousand Demons Ridge found it increasingly unbearable.

Lu Yiye was already difficult to kill. If he continued to grow stronger, no one on the Spirit Stream battlefield would be able to kill him.

Thus, Ten Thousand Demons Ridge was currently trying every means to force him out.

The knowledge that Phong Yue was a disciple of the Righteous Blood Sect wasn't due to someone deliberately leaking the information. When Lu Ye first entered the Core Circle, he took Phong Yue to the Three Saints Sanctuary base and left him there.

Those with ulterior motives could naturally think of this detail.

It wasn't only the Three Saints Sanctuary's base that was encircled; even the base of Loyal Heart Sect suffered unintended consequences.

When Feng Yuechan and Li Baxian were in charge of the Loyal Heart Sect base, no one dared to provoke it. But now, Ten Thousand Demons Ridge did not care whether the Righteous Blood Loyal Heart had fallen apart or not. Any Core Circle sect with even a slight connection to the Righteous Blood Sect was targeted.

For a time, the Loyal Heart Sect was in distress, and it was not suitable to explain anything to Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, so they could only defend their base.

Fortunately, for now, Ten Thousand Demons Ridge only wanted to force Lu Ye out, so they surrounded but did not attack both the Three Saints Sanctuary and the Loyal Heart Sect, to put pressure on Lu Ye!

Whether the Loyal Heart Sect lived or died, Lu Ye didn't care much, but he couldn't ignore the Three Saints Sanctuary.

The ties to the Three Saints Sanctuary started when the sect master poached fifty disciples from them, and Lu Ye promised to affiliate and cultivate there, something he hadn't fulfilled yet. If because of him, the Three Saints Sanctuary base was breached... the sect master would have difficulty explaining it to the Three Saints Sanctuary.

He had originally planned to safely cultivate to the 9th Heaven level in the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest, truly an instance of 'The tree desires quiet, but the wind will not cease!'

Suppressing the anger in his heart, Lu Ye transmitted a message to Phong Yue, "Tell the fellows at the Three Saints Sanctuary not to panic. If the base is breached because of me, I will compensate them later."