Sage of Humanity
Chapter 857 - 855 Flood Disaster

The sect master was speechless but knew that Madam Yun wasn't just speaking in anger; she was truly capable of following through.

Protecting one's own was not solely the prerogative of the Righteous Blood Sect. Decades ago, the name Yun Xuechu had spread throughout the Nine Provinces. Countless top sects attempted to recruit her, but she refused them all. Though she now belonged to no specific sect, the network of contacts she had built over the years was unimaginable.

If she got angry, even Pang Zhen would have to weigh his actions carefully...

"Once the Dragon Throne is repaired, you'll head to Haotian City. Since you are a member of the Elder Council, at least make some insignificant contributions!"

"Alright!" The sect master nodded.

He had no desire for power struggles and conflicts, but the Righteous Blood Sect had developed to the point where disciples joining the Bingzhou guard had become a trend. Today there was Lu Ye; in the future, there would be many more. With him in the Elder Council, while he couldn't offer special treatment to his disciples, he could ensure they weren't bullied.

Even if Madam Yun hadn't mentioned it, he had already been considering this.

Now that Shui Yuan had advanced to the Divine Sea Realm, she was capable of bearing the major responsibilities of the sect. He could leave with peace of mind.

...

Even though Lu Ye had traveled far and wide through the Spirit Stream battlefield and Cloud River battlefield, enduring numerous storms and thrills, leaving the Righteous Blood Sect and heading to Haotian City this time still gave him a sense of departure for the first time.

He felt both anticipation and excitement, mingled with a sense of reluctance.

The spirit ark skimmed across the sky, overlooking the beautiful landscapes below.

With his current speed, arriving at Haotian City would take just over two days; if he utilized Wings and Move-Like-The-Wind without considering the cost, he could get there even faster.

The ten-part map guiding his way ensured he wouldn't get lost.

He moved forward, gradually leaving Mount Ao behind.

Half a day later, as Lu Ye sat leisurely on the spirit ark, a burst of exclamations and cries arose from below.

"Lu Ye, it looks like there's been a flood below!" said Yiyi, who was steering the spirit ark.

Lu Ye quickly stood up and looked down. He saw flooding on the ground, with a small village completely submerged. Most of the houses had collapsed under the impact of the flood, while the few sturdy ones only had their roofs visible above the water.

From afar, he could see some people standing on the roofs, fragile and helpless.

Cries for help, children's sobs, and waves of sorrow echoed.

"Rescue them!" Lu Ye quickly withdrew the spirit ark and plunged downward.

On the Spirit Stream battlefield and Cloud River battlefield, he mostly encountered cultivators.

Yet in the Nine Provinces, a vast number of mortals lived, and it was their short lives, plagued with sickness and disasters, that formed the foundation for the cultivator community.

Faced with such a flood, a cultivator could easily escape, but for mortals, such a natural disaster was insurmountable!

Towns and villages under the protection of a sect would receive its assistance during disasters.

In the Righteous Blood Sect's domain, there were indeed many mortals, even cities, living under the sect's protection. However, with the sect in previous decline, there weren't enough people to patrol the territories and help mortals withstand calamities.

As a result, over the past decades, many mortals had migrated away from the Righteous Blood Sect's territory. This was also why the sect master liked to steal people at others' ceremonial recruitments.

With a sparse population in his own territory, few had cultivation aptitude.

Lu Ye didn't know which sect governed this area, but with the sudden flood, it would take time for the sect's cultivators to arrive.

Having encountered it, he couldn't just stand by.

"Nine Arrays Diagram!" Lu Ye shouted. Yiyi quickly retrieved the Nine Arrays Diagram and tossed it to him. Lu Ye grabbed it and held it tightly.

This village wasn't highly populated, but it had dozens of families who were now engulfed by the flood, their lives hanging in the balance. He and Yiyi alone couldn't save them all; they needed the power of the Nine Arrays Diagram.

This artifact could trap and rescue people, making it perfect for this situation.

It required ongoing spirit force to sustain the Nine Arrays Diagram.

"Mother! Father!" A ten-year-old boy cried from the treetop, not seeing any sign of his parents. Having honed his tree-climbing skills saved him from being swept away by the flood.

A sudden gust of wind above drew the boy's gaze upward. He saw a figure plummet from the high sky, followed by a device covering him from above. His vision went black, and upon regaining his senses, he found himself in a rocky forest.

The boy was helpless and terrified, though he knew he'd been rescued by a cultivator. But where was he now?

As he stood there, confused and dazed, an old man appeared suddenly beside him, shivering from having been submerged.

Seeing the old man, the boy ran over, "Grandpa Chen!"

"Erniu!" The elderly man coughed lightly.

"Grandpa Chen, have you seen my parents? Where is this place?"

"Your parents... don't worry, Qingquan Sect cultivators have come to save us. This place is safe." The elderly man comforted the child.

He didn't know where they were either, mistaking Lu Ye for a Qingquan Sect cultivator, for common folk couldn't understand the means of cultivators.

More and more people appeared in this rocky area. Suddenly, Erniu shouted with joy, "Mom, Dad!"

He ran towards them, finally reuniting with his lost parents.

The couple, having just escaped, wept with joy upon seeing their son, hugging him tightly lest they lose him again.

Lu Ye's figure moved swiftly, collecting struggling people from the flood into the Nine Arrays Diagram. Yiyi and Amber were also helping, constantly rescuing villagers and sending them to Lu Ye's location.

However, those rescued by Amber were significantly more scared. Amber's wide, bloody mouth grabbed their clothes, a terrifying sight not easily endured. Among those Amber saved, over half were frightened unconscious. Those who remained awake punched and kicked Amber, causing it considerable distress.

Within a few dozen breaths, Lu Ye had rescued all the villagers he could see. As for those out of sight, they were likely beyond saving.

At that moment, several streaks of light rushed over from a distance. The leading figure called out, "Which Fellow Daoist is helping? The Qingquan Sect is deeply grateful!"

This was Qingquan Sect territory. These cultivators were Qingquan Sect members patrolling nearby. Upon learning of the sudden flood, they immediately informed the sect and rushed over, witnessing Lu Ye's rescue efforts from afar.

The cultivators approached Lu Ye.

The leader was of Cloud River Realm cultivation, while the others were Spirit Stream Realm.

Upon getting close and seeing Lu Ye's face, the leader exclaimed, "You are... Fellow Daoist Lu Yiye of the Righteous Blood Sect?"

Having paid special attention to Lu Ye, likely having seen his image, he recognized him at a glance.

Lu Ye nodded, holding the Nine Arrays Diagram and sustaining it with spirit force.

He had no desire for conversation and looked distantly. A city appeared in his field of view, directly in the flood's path. The floodwaters were less than ten miles from the city!

The mortals, unable to see as far as cultivators, busied themselves, unaware of the impending disaster.

The city wasn't large but housed at least tens of thousands. Lu Ye could save the village's survivors alone, but saving the entire city was impossible.

The Qingquan Sect cultivators also saw this; their leader's expression changed, "This is bad!"

Such a calamity rendered even a Cloud River Realm cultivator powerless.

Though they had contacted the sect, it would take time for reinforcements to arrive.

"You must warn the town and evacuate the people. I'll check the source," Lu Ye said, handing the Nine Arrays Diagram to Yiyi. With a burst of fiery wings and Move-Like-The-Wind's speed, he shot towards the flood's origin like a flame streak.

Given the circumstances, solving the problem at its source was the only way to save the city.

Watching Lu Ye depart, the Qingquan Sect disciples quickly came to their senses, reporting the situation to their sect while heading towards the town.

Soon, the peaceful town turned chaotic.

Elsewhere, on high ground, holding the Nine Arrays Diagram, Yiyi arrived and released the rescued villagers. "Stay here and wait for Qingquan Sect to settle you," she instructed.

After her words, she mounted Amber and sped towards Lu Ye's direction.

Among the rescued, two men watched Yiyi leave with complex feelings.

"Brother, was that Lu Ye earlier?" one of them asked softly.

The other remained silent.

"He's become so powerful after all these years." The first man sighed. Back in Evil Moon Valley, as mining slaves, they had several conflicts with Lu Ye and were severely punished.

Who would've thought, in just a few years, Lu Ye would become so strong, while the two brothers, lacking aptitude, couldn't join any sect and were placed here by the Haotian Alliance, doomed to a mundane life.

"Each person has their fate. What's the point in dwelling on it?" Though years couldn't erase a person's edge entirely, the brothers had accepted their lack of cultivation aptitude.

"Yes, each has their fate." They recalled Lu Ye rescuing them, seemingly not recognizing them, likely having forgotten them.

After embarking on his cultivation journey, their paths had diverged.