Sage of Humanity
Chapter 870 - 868 I Want to Drink Fish Soup

Since that day, Nian Yuexian has been frequently issuing tasks to Lu Ye through the guard token, mostly trivial matters related to food and drink.

There was even a task that required him to go to a nearby mountain pass to buy a special type of wine.

Each time the task was completed, there were battle meritorious points to be gained, ranging from a few hundred to two thousand. In just a few days, Lu Ye had earned nearly ten thousand battle merits.

Although the rewards were good, Lu Ye still felt something was off.

The development of things shouldn't be like this.

A day like this, Lu Ye was still on the spirit mountaintop where Nian Yuexian resided, preparing food, roasting beast meat over the fire, cooking hot soup in the pot, and arranging a few jars of wine on the table, just waiting for Nian Yuexian's arrival.

Generally, she always appeared suddenly when Lu Ye had everything prepared.

A burnt smell suddenly wafted through. Yiyi turned her head, exclaiming, "Lu Ye, it's burnt!"

She hurriedly stepped forward, snatching the roasted meat from his hand, trying her best to salvage it.

Turning back, she saw Lu Ye sitting there with a troubled expression.

"What's wrong?" Yiyi was puzzled, not knowing what Lu Ye was worrying about.

"This isn't right!" Lu Ye shook his head.

"What's wrong?"

"It shouldn't be like this."

He joined the Bingzhou guard to protect the front line mountain pass of Bingzhou guard, not to be ordered around like a servant here. Though the orders came from above and he had to obey, what has he been doing these days?

Suddenly he stood up, kicked over the pot of soup in front of him, flipped the table amidst Yiyi's exclamation, and smashed the special wine bought from the nearby mountain pass. Looking at the bamboo house not far away, he clasped his fists and said, "Sir, your subordinate has something to say!"

From the third floor of the bamboo house, a beautiful figure revealed itself. Nian Yuexian descended gracefully, glanced at the mess on the floor, and said indifferently, "Speak"

"Sir, your subordinate requests you to issue some proper tasks and not let your subordinate do these trivial matters anymore."

"Were previous tasks... not proper?"

Proper or not, don't you know?

Lu Ye had a belly full of grievances with no outlet. Although battle merits are good things, this isn't the way to earn them. If this continues, he would be ruined.

"Sir, this is Cangyan Mountain Pass. We are both Bingzhou guard, and should fulfill the duties of provincial guards, not live idly like retirees."

Nian Yuexian, who was originally on the third floor, suddenly appeared in front of him, just a foot away. Her eyes turned sharp, "Am I very old?"

"That's not what I meant. Sir, there's no need to pick on that word." Lu Ye couldn't help but step back two steps.

Nian Yuexian merely stared at him quietly, making Lu Ye feel uncomfortable.

After a while, she finally spoke, "I understand."

Lu Ye sighed in relief, then said solemnly, "In that case..."

"I want fish soup!"

"Ah?"

"Fish soup made from Blood Red Trout, haven't had it for many years."

Lu Ye suddenly didn't know how to respond, and... how did she know about Blood Red Trout? It should be a product of Moon Lake of the Righteous Blood Sect. Or had she tasted it somewhere else?

"Within five days, I want to drink Blood Red Trout fish soup!" Nian Yuexian spoke.

"Sir, what I just said..."

"Are you defying orders?" Nian Yuexian's tone was faint.

Four eyes met for a long time, Lu Ye gritting his teeth, said word by word, "Your subordinate accepts!"

Saying so, he reached out, Amber immediately leaped up to land on his shoulder, but in midair, was drawn by an attraction force. When he came to, he was already in Nian Yuexian's arms, her delicate hand stroking Amber's fur like a little cat.

Master, save me!

Amber's tiger eyes widened, conveying its plea to Lu Ye.

Lu Ye raised his hand to the hilt of his blade, coldly looking at Nian Yuexian.

"They stay with me, you go alone." Nian Yuexian seemingly ignoring his hostility, turned her back to him with an unguarded stance, "Don't worry, I won't eat it."

If not for this sentence, it would have been better. As soon as she said it, Amber shivered.

Yiyi stepped forward, holding onto Lu Ye's arm, shaking her head continuously, "Don't be impulsive, return quickly. She has no ill intentions."

Primarily because they couldn't defeat her. Given her Divine Sea Realm cultivation, even if she left herself unguarded, Lu Ye couldn't be her match.

Moreover, in Bingzhou guard, revolt against superiors is a grave taboo!

"I request Sir to take good care of them. They are my closest kin!" Lu Ye said solemnly, then soared into the sky. Behind him, fiery spirit force flowed, transforming into a pair of wings as he rapidly flew away.

"Closest kin..." Nian Yuexian's figure paused, her lips curved slightly, lifting Amber by the neck, poking its nose.

Seeing her expression, Amber became more frightened, its eyes rolled back, and it fainted directly.

Holding it by the neck, Nian Yuexian gently said, "If you don't wake up, I'll make a pot of tiger bone soup."

Amber instantly opened its eyes, full of vigor, indicating it just had a brief nap.

...

Unexpectedly, upon joining Bingzhou guard, without encountering a single Ten Thousand Demons cultivator, he had to return to the sect once.

During these days of interaction, Lu Ye found Nian Yuexian somewhat unreliable. He was unlucky to be assigned under her, and coincidentally, he was the only one dispatched to Cangyan Mountain Pass.

Who knows what is going on in Haotian City?

However, staffing assignments are decided at higher levels, and Lu Ye couldn't resist.

The journey back to the Righteous Blood Sect is not close. Nian Yuexian only gave him five days, meaning he must return to the sect within two and a half days.

The task had already been issued through the guard token. If he exceeded the time limit, not only would he not get the battle merits, but Nian Yuexian could surely exploit this.

Lu Ye suspected she was using this method to force him to leave Cangyan Mountain Pass.

Before his arrival, she had always been alone. His arrival had disrupted her peaceful life, causing her some discomfort. Hence, she kept ordering him with these trivial tasks.

Otherwise, given her Divine Sea Realm cultivation, how could she possibly have so many food cravings, even sending him to the nearby mountain pass to buy specially made wine?

Lu Ye hadn't seen any signs of her drinking.

Time was urgent, and his speed had significantly increased after breaking through to True Lake Realm.

To make the round trip in five days was feasible.

Before the breakthrough, this task might have truly failed.

Traveling day and night, only occasionally stopping to recover some strength before moving on again.

After two full days, he finally arrived at Mount Ao.

Instead of going to Righteous Peak, he headed directly to Moon Lake.

From a distance, he saw Shui Yuan waiting there.

Lu Ye already notified Shui Yuan halfway, so Second Senior Sister knew he was rushing back.

However, Shui Yuan wasn't alone. As he neared, he saw Pang Huanyin.

She had returned from Unparalleled Continent.

Her figure flashed like lightning, landing before the two.

"Senior Brother Lu!" Pang Huanyin greeted with a smile.

"Palace Master Pang." Lu Ye responded, then turned to Shui Yuan, "Second Senior Sister, I need to catch some fish first. We'll talk later."

Saying this, he then dashed into Moon Lake, moving back and forth.

Not long after, he emerged again, spirit force protecting him, keeping him dry.

"Congratulations on breaking through to True Lake, Senior Brother." Pang Huanyin congratulated him, as the spirit force fluctuations from Lu Ye revealed his breakthrough from Cloud River Level 8 to True Lake Realm within a short period, causing her envy and admiration for the swift cultivation of Nine Provinces cultivators.

"Palace Master Pang is also close to True Lake." Lu Ye nodded.

Already at the Peak Cloud River, Pang Huanyin was limited by the environment of Unparalleled Continent and couldn't break through to True Lake. Now in Nine Provinces, True Lake Realm wouldn't be her limit, and her future would eventually be Divine Sea.

But recently, she had been preoccupied with mundane matters, without time for secluded cultivation.

Several members of Ziwei Dao Palace had come to Mount Ao using the Heaven's Augury Pillar from Righteous Blood Sect, establishing their sect and foundation on the thirty peaks she had previously designated. Once everything was ready, Ziwei Dao Palace would establish its sect in Nine Provinces and announce it to Bingzhou, with the Righteous Blood Sect as its superior sect.

News had spread, stunning many sects in Bingzhou, as there were quite a few sects stronger than the Righteous Blood Sect. Many didn't understand why Ziwei Dao Palace chose Righteous Blood Sect as their superior sect.

Only a few insiders knew the reason behind Pang Huanyin's decision.

It was a joyous occasion for the Righteous Blood Sect, with no one causing trouble.

"Second Senior Sister, do you know Nian Yuexian?" Lu Ye asked Shui Yuan.

During the messaging with Shui Yuan, Lu Ye mentioned the reason for the return, naturally mentioning Nian Yuexian, complaining a lot about her.

Shui Yuan didn't reply much, telling him to discuss in person.

From her tone, they seemed to know each other.

"Yes, I should call her Senior Sister." Shui Yuan nodded.

Lu Ye was surprised, "Is she from our Righteous Blood Sect?"

But that's how it looks. Yiyi previously called Nian Yuexian 'sister' correctly, while he calling her 'senior' was wrong.

"Certainly not." Shui Yuan laughed, "She has never joined any sect. Strictly speaking, she's an independent cultivator."

"An independent cultivator!" Lu Ye was amazed.

The harsh growth environment of independent cultivators was something he knew a bit about. On the cultivation road, independent cultivators needed to work much harder than sect disciples. To cultivate to Divine Sea Realm as an independent cultivator was unimaginable, given the hardships she must have endured.

From this perspective, Lu Ye felt respect for her.

"Did she have a grudge with our Righteous Blood Sect?"

"No grudges."

"Then why is she troubling me so much?"

Initially, Lu Ye didn't realize but was pleased about earning battle merits from completing tasks. However, now he saw that Nian Yuexian was just troubling him. Otherwise, as a True Lake Realm cultivator, how could she assign him those tasks?