Sage of Humanity
Chapter 1055 - 1053: Reunion with an Old Acquaintance

The cultivators who were fleeing all had the strength of the True Lake Realm, and the spirit force fluctuations emanating from the leader were at the level of True Lake Level 6.

It was a squad of four, with quite respectable strength.

Yet, they were still being chased into a dead end because the Insect Race hunting them down was unexpectedly of the Divine Sea Realm.

The quartet was out to hunt the Insect Race, as were many such squads scattered across the Nine Provinces. Initially, everything went smoothly, and they delved deeper boldly, until they unexpectedly encountered an opponent they couldn't rival.

Now, among the four, one was grievously injured, held in the arms of a companion, covered in blood.

The other two were using their respective skills to fend off the attacks of the Insect Race from behind, one was a magic cultivator wielding considerable casting power, and the other seemed to be a Ghost Cultivator, but in such circumstances, their contributions were extremely limited.

The Ghost Cultivator sect excels at stealth and surprise attacks, but when forced into a head-on confrontation, their overall strength diminishes. For such a sect, if they miss, they retreat swiftly beyond a thousand miles.

Given the situation, if the Ghost Cultivator abandoned their companions and fled, there was a chance for survival, since he was the fastest. He didn't need to be faster than the Divine Sea Realm Insect Race, just faster than his three companions.

Yet, he clearly had no intention to escape alone, and matched the magic cultivator's efforts to desperately defend.

Such a task was originally meant for a physique cultivator, and there was one in the team initially, but he had already fallen heroically. With no alternative, the Ghost Cultivator had to step up.

Lu Ye suddenly found the Ghost Cultivator familiar, and upon closer inspection, was astonished.

How did this guy end up here? Wasn't he supposed to be over at Gushan City Pass?

Gushan City was tens of thousands of miles away; this place fell under the jurisdiction of Dark Moon Forest Pass.

What he didn't know was someone had actively requested a transfer from Gushan City Pass to escape his shadow, and as for where they were transferred, it didn't matter as long as it was not Gushan City Pass.

More than two years ago, after the war between Dark Moon Forest Pass and Jinglan Lake Pass erupted, Dark Moon Forest Pass needed a large influx of personnel, and so he was transferred here.

Indeed, after two years of peaceful living, he no longer had to live in apprehension at Gushan City over there.

Thanks to the Insect Plague, he had reaped considerable rewards during these two years and had now reached the level of True Lake Level 6 in cultivation!

With a decent background and excellent talent, though not necessarily calling the shots at Dark Moon Forest Pass, he was at least somewhat renowned.

Ying Wuji had finally found his footing!

Upon meeting an old acquaintance after a long time, coupled with Lu Ye's intention to rescue them, he hesitated no longer. With a shake of the sword light beneath his feet, he charged towards the battle over there.

Ying Wuji's Spiritual Artifact spun in his hands, struggling to fend off the storms of attacks from the Mantis Insect Race. Although it didn't possess much spiritual intelligence, fighting and killing were its instincts. It seemed naturally skilled in saber skills as if a masterful saber user, causing Ying Wuji to be flustered.

Moreover, every strike carried immense force.

He was forced to abandon the usual combat tactics of a Ghost Cultivator and confront it directly.

Had it not been for the assistance of the magic cultivator, or if the Insect Race knew how to wield psyche force, their squad would have perished long ago.

The gap between the True Lake Realm and Divine Sea Realm was like an abyss.

How he resented saber users, even if the opponent was just an Insect Race!

There's nothing good about saber users.

He had already sent a message for help to his Mountain Pass Chief, but it would take time for him to arrive, and it was uncertain if he would even come. Currently, Dark Moon Forest Pass had only one Divine Sea Realm Mountain Pass Chief, who was sometimes stretched too thin.

If the Mountain Pass Chief didn't arrive, they faced little hope of survival. But even if he did, could they really hold out until then?

As these thoughts rushed through his mind, tremendous force surged from the front, causing Ying Wuji's arm to go numb and raise up high, exposing his midsection.

In his vision, the mantis sabers of the Insect Race gleamed with a cold light, plummeting straight down with incredible speed, leaving a shadow in their wake.

An icy chill enveloped Ying Wuji, knowing his end was near. As a Ghost Cultivator, to have tangled with a Divine Sea Realm Insect Race for this long was a testament to his deep foundations, but he could hold on no longer.

In this life-or-death moment, he found himself devoid of fear, with no urge to retreat. Nine Provinces cultivators, from the Spirit Stream Realm onward, live amidst the constant opposition of two major camps, undergoing countless battles of various scales in their lifetime. None fear death—one could say most cultivators face their demise with acceptance.

But even in death, one must die valuably!

Following the yearning in his heart, he lunged forward, shouting, "Go!"

Even if it meant buying but a moment, he sought to give his companions a chance to escape.

Suddenly, in his vision, a bright light descended from the sky. Ying Wuji couldn't discern what it was, nor had he time to spare a glance. Thrusting his dirk forward, he pierced directly into the grotesque, undulating mouth of the Mantis Insect Race, unleashing a spirit force blast that shattered its mouthparts.

This was the final burst of strength in his life, naturally exerting every ounce of power he had.

Yet death did not arrive as expected. Instead, he felt a chill on his head, combined with a wet, sticky feeling dribbling down his cheeks, the scent of blood wafting across his nose.

The sharp mantis saber of the Insect Race was lodged atop his head, penetrating half an inch into the flesh, a mere fraction from claiming his life.

Feeling the pain sear through his head, Ying Wuji gasped heavily, momentarily unable to discern the situation.

I'm not dead?

Not only am I not dead, but I've also killed this Divine Sea Realm Insect Race?

In an instant, Ying Wuji's eyes welled up with tears. He really stood up…

However, in the next moment, a thin line of blood appeared across the forehead of the mantis insect. The line quickly spread, cutting through the whole body.

With a loud sound, the mantis insect split open, the cut neat and clean, splattering emerald-green blood all over Ying Wuji.

Ying Wuji blinked, and only then did he see the figure standing not far away.

Earlier, this figure had been obscured by the mantis insect.

The first impression was that this guy was truly handsome!

With such looks, even without much cultivation, a simple beckon would gather many admirers around.

Immediately, a chilling sensation surged up from deep within his heart. He didn't know where this feeling came from, but as soon as he saw this stranger, his heart skipped a beat, and he felt inexplicably uneasy.

Instinctively, he thought it was a side effect of surviving a near-death experience.

He quickly took a step back, eyeing the newcomer warily.

Dressed in white, with an air of immortality, poised and elegant, with a gourd hanging from his waist. His aura emanated spirit force, marking him as a Divine Sea Realm strong cultivator!

Ying Wuji finally understood that he wasn't alive because of his own prowess but because he was saved by someone else.

The brilliant flash of light he had glimpsed earlier must have been this person's technique, likely a sword light.

Only such a powerful individual could so cleanly and swiftly kill a Divine Sea Realm Insect Race.

Steadying his mind, Ying Wuji solemnly clasped his hands in respect, "Dark Moon Forest Pass's Ying Wuji, many thanks for saving my life, may I ask your honored name?"

He didn't know why, but though he wanted to sincerely thank him, he felt uneasy. Moreover, this Divine Sea Realm strong cultivator's gaze upon him seemed somewhat odd.

It seemed somewhat... playful?

Ying Wuji found it difficult to meet his eyes; after all, the man was a Divine Sea Realm strong cultivator, and it was impolite, not to mention the fact that he had just saved his life.

"You are… Li Taibai?" Behind him, the magic cultivator seemed as if he'd seen a ghost, staring at Lu Ye in shock.

Back when Lu Ye transformed into Li Taibai, he fought the Haotian Alliance cultivators of Jinglan Lake Pass six times, winning all six. The last battle, he even struck down Tan Shu, who was several minor levels above him. Many Dark Moon Forest Pass cultivators witnessed this and were awed by him.

Subsequent reports from minor Mountain Pass Chief Lin Yue revealed that Li Taibai was a significant figure on par with Lu Yiye from the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge.

Lu Yiye, a fearsome character, had caused significant trouble for Ten Thousand Demons Ridge's top sects since the Spirit Stream Realm. His terrifying feat of slaying two thousand people in a single battle in the Cloud River Realm made him unchallengeable, with even the second-ranked Lan Ziyi avoiding him, taking the spotlight effortlessly.

No other cultivator in the Nine Provinces could compare in the same era and realm, and the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge saw him as a threat to be eliminated.

When the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge finally produced someone like Li Taibai, they naturally boasted about him.

However, tragically, Tan Shu's death triggered a two-pass battle, and Jinglan Lake Pass's Liew Yuemei personally dealt with Li Taibai using her Divine Sea Realm prowess to oppress the weaker. In that battle, Li Taibai, unfortunately, fell!

The legend fell, and the many Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators of the Dark Moon Forest Pass were furious, but what could they do if he was already dead?

This magic cultivator was present on that day witnessing Li Taibai's decisive slay of Tan Shu, holding immense admiration for him.

He never expected the supposedly deceased to appear before him again, and within slightly over two years, he had advanced to Divine Sea Realm!

He almost thought he was dreaming.

"What? You are Li Taibai?"

Ying Wuji was also shocked.

Having been at Dark Moon Forest Pass for two years, he naturally heard of his legendary deeds. Many had spoken to him about it, and he felt it was unfortunate, as if the Dark Moon Forest Pass cultivators' descriptions were not exaggerating. Li Taibai was indeed a match for Lu Yiye, but he arrived too late to witness Li Taibai's greatness.

Yet today, unexpectedly, he has the fortune to meet him.

Unbelievable, beyond comprehension.

As far as he knew, two years ago, Li Taibai was only at True Lake Level 3, not much stronger than himself. In two years, he advanced to True Lake Level 6 rapidly, and Li Taibai was already at Divine Sea?

What kind of great elixir pill was he eating?

Being recognized in person, Lu Ye wasn't surprised, only nodding slightly, "That's me."

When activating the Thousand Faces Spirit Runes, he considered changing to an unfamiliar face, but the sword gourd was too conspicuous, so he simply stuck with Li Taibai's appearance.

This place being the Dark Moon Forest Pass's territory, encountering their cultivators and being recognized was only normal.