Sage of Humanity
Chapter 875 - 873: I Am... Niu Meng

Not wanting to dwell on such a sorrowful topic, Ying Wuji changed the subject and introduced himself: "Ying Wuji of Senluo Hall, currently serving as a Major in Gushan City Pass. How should I address you, Fellow Daoist?"

"Brother Ying's renowned name precedes you. I am... Niu Meng!"

Ye Liu's identity could no longer be used. Although he had never used this alias in front of Ying Wuji, there were no impenetrable walls in the world. Ten Thousand Demons Ridge had many eyes on him, and quite a few people likely knew he had used this alias before.

Moreover, using this name in front of Ying Wuji would obviously be too conspicuous, and as long as Ying Wuji was not a fool, he would make some connections.

He could only use another name.

The Sect Master of Black Tortoise Sect in the secret realm of Ten Thousand Beasts Domain, Niu Meng, had left a deep impression on him. At this moment, he casually used that name.

"Just an independent cultivator, without any sect or affiliation. Currently on duty at East Hillock Plains Pass."

Ying Wuji was a bit surprised: "East Hillock Plains Pass is quite far from here. Fellow Daoist, what brings you here?"

The ten-part map showed that East Hillock Plains Pass was separated from this place by nearly ten other passes, over ten thousand miles away. Usually, provincial guards wouldn't cross so many passes.

"The environment here is favorable for cultivation, so I came here," Lu Ye casually explained.

"I see." Ying Wuji didn't suspect anything. In his view, this Niu Meng cultivator indeed had fire attribute spirit force, so it wasn't too strange for him to seek a better environment for cultivation.

Such cultivation usually involved practicing some secret technique and had little to do with improving one's cultivation level.

"What brings you here, Brother Ying?"

Ying Wuji explained, "The pass over there needs some Earth's Core Fire. I've been assigned this task, so I brought some people over to collect it… Will it bother you, Brother Niu?"

"You go ahead with your task. Just don't come near my side, and it's fine."

"In that case, I'll bother you then." Ying Wuji cupped his fists, thinking that this Niu Meng was rather easygoing.

Lu Ye nodded, refraining from further speech, and continued to activate the power of his Talent Tree, allowing its roots to delve into the magma and devour the Fiery Flames force of the place.

Ying Wuji noticed and flew out, returning soon after with a group of people.

These were all Cloud River Realm cultivators with varying levels of cultivation. Upon arrival, every one of them used spirit force to protect themselves.

There were many female cultivators among them, making up seven or eight out of a team of more than ten, adding an eye-pleasing touch.

Apparently, they had received prior instructions from Ying Wuji. Upon entering the volcanic crater, they avoided Lu Ye's side and busied themselves on the other side, refraining from disturbing him.

Lu Ye divided his attention, continuing to activate the Talent Tree while observing their actions. He noticed they all took out a Spiritual Artifact resembling a gourd, throwing it into the magma and using spirit force to control it.

After a long while, they retrieved the artifact and extracted a bright flame from it, sealing it in a specially made container.

This was the first time Lu Ye had witnessed the process of collecting Earth's Core Fire…

He finally understood how the Earth's Core Fire in Heaven's Augury treasure vault came about. He had suspected that someone specifically collected Earth's Core Fire to sell to Heaven's Augury treasure vault, and now it seemed likely to be true.

The process of collecting Earth's Core Fire was tedious and the environment harsh. The group of cultivators worked up a sweat, especially the female cultivators, whose wet clothes clung to their bodies, making them even more eye-catching.

These Cloud River Realm cultivators from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge didn't disturb Lu Ye, but they conversed quietly among themselves, with the female cultivators frequently giggling and chatting.

As for Ying Wuji, he didn't join in the laborious work. His task was to protect these people, so he stood aside, vigilantly watching to prevent any unforeseen events.

Suddenly, someone voiced a complaint, "Who knows which cursed one is buying Earth's Core Fire in bulk from Heaven's Augury treasure vault. The treasury had abundant stock, but now it's snatched up quickly. We now have to collect it ourselves."

Lu Ye's brow twitched.

This cursed one… seems to be me?

Listening to the conversation, Lu Ye understood something.

He had thought the shortage of Earth's Core Fire in Heaven's Augury treasure vault was because he bought too much. Now it seemed that was only part of the reason.

The main reason was his bulk buying, which created a sense of urgency among other cultivators requiring Earth's Core Fire, leading them to buy it as well. This resulted in a vicious cycle where the Earth's Core Fire was snatched up as soon as it appeared in the treasure vault.

The group started to complain.

Ying Wuji glanced at Lu Ye, seeming to fear disturbing him, and then scolded the others, "Stay focused. The environment here is peculiar; there may be some fire-type demon beasts lurking."

A female cultivator with bright eyes and white teeth covered her mouth, laughing, "With Lord Ying here, even if some clueless demon beasts show up, you'll protect us, right, sisters?"

The female cultivators echoed in agreement, showing complete trust in Ying Wuji, willing to entrust their lives to him.

That female cultivator added coquettishly, "My lord, if any danger arises, you must look after us."

"You all… have been pampered too much in your sects. I've told you many times, this is the provincial guard frontline, not your sects. Act properly." Though scolding, his tone wasn't harsh, and a faint smile lingered on his face, clearly enjoying their flattery.

He couldn't help but sigh, thinking this is how a prodigy deserves to be treated. Within the team, he was the leader, and everyone obeyed his command. His strength was their shield, and from their admiring gazes, he could see their subtle affections for him.

Thinking about his time on Unparalleled Continent, what kind of days did he live?

The past was unbearable to recall…

Indeed, as long as Lu Yiye wasn't around, I could stand tall!

The harsh environment was too much even for Cloud River Realm cultivators to endure for long. Within Ying Wuji's squad, some cultivators had to retreat for a respite, resuming collection of Earth's Core Fire once recuperated. Ying Wuji would take over their tasks during these moments.

Such conduct made the Cloud River Realm cultivators feel he was approachable, unlike many True Lake Realm cultivators who looked down on them, commanding them arrogantly.

But they failed to realize that every True Lake cultivator had once been in the Cloud River Realm.

The Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators continued making gains, while Lu Ye also had significant harvests.

The Talent Tree's leaves shone brightly again, burning intensely.

Lu Ye wasted no time, immediately examining the spirit rune born from the tree, immersing his mind to observe the burning leaves.

The tearing pain in his psyche made his body tremble slightly, catching Ying Wuji's attention, "Brother Niu?"

Lu Ye raised his hand, "Nothing, just a bit of trouble."

Ying Wuji showed concern, "Be careful, Brother Niu."

Lu Ye nodded and examined the flood of new information in his mind.

He quickly understood the nature of the new spirit rune.

His face brightened with joy.

Compared to the previously acquired somewhat useless spirit rune, this one, named Moon Return, was much more beneficial.

Unlike the previous rune he hadn't even seen in books, Moon Return was familiar to him.

However, constructing it was exceedingly complex, even more so than Void Spirit Runes. It was both intricate and difficult to build.

Lu Ye had attempted to construct it but had failed. He had planned to practice more when he had time to improve his proficiency, but he had been too busy traveling and cultivating recently.

He hadn't expected the Talent Tree to activate this rune.

He had longed for Void but unexpectedly gained Moon Return. It was like planting a willow tree without intention, only to have it flourish.

Moon Return was a core rune in an anti-array with the trait of rebounding enemy attacks, especially evident against disembodied spells, with some effectiveness against direct attacks like swords.

This rune, when constructed alone, had the same effect. It was a rune designed to turn the tables against stronger opponents.

If faced with a powerful foe, this rune could play a critical role.

For Lu Ye, it was undoubtedly a valuable rune.

Including the previous rune, he had now activated two runes on this trip, making significant progress.

Lu Ye wasn't content with just this. Finding such a suitable environment was rare, so he intended to make the most of it and let his Talent Tree feed to its fill.

Moreover, he was competing against Ying Wuji's squad. Judging by their behavior, it seemed likely that Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators often came to collect Earth's Core Fire.

Missing this opportunity would make it difficult to find a similar environment again.

On the Talent Tree, as more Fiery Flames force was devoured, another leaf lit up.

But Lu Ye could tell that this leaf bore not a rune but the technique to construct one, which was still invaluable to him.

His ability to construct complex runes like Void with a high success rate stemmed from these foundational gains.

Otherwise, despite his natural talent in the Path of Spirit Runes, he couldn't have achieved so much in just a few years.

Currently, his accomplishments in spirit runes heavily relied on both his talent and the numerous gains provided by the Talent Tree.

After lighting up over a dozen leaves holding construction techniques, another new rune appeared.

The Talent Tree once again revealed several leaves glowing simultaneously, indicating the complexity and significance of the coming rune.

By this point, Lu Ye had identified a pattern.

Nowadays, the Talent Tree rarely produced runes that could be held by a single leaf. Most required several leaves, making their construction challenging but their utility much greater once constructed.

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