Sage of Humanity
Chapter 919 - 917: I Found a Guide

Under Heaven's Augury oath, Ying Wuji proved his innocence and then turned to glare at Shen Xiaomao: "Your turn."

Shen Xiaomao's head felt as big as a bucket, and he hurriedly made an oath under Heaven's Augury.

Moments later, the two looked at each other, both confirming that neither was a Haotian Alliance spy; they had only interacted with Lu Ye for some reasons.

Ying Wuji said with a cold face: "I don't care what dealings you have with that person, but since you call me Senior Brother, I ought to warn you, it's best not to have any contact with him in any form again. Getting involved with that person surely leads to no good!"

His demeanor showed he was someone experienced and deeply poisoned, igniting Shen Xiaomao's curiosity further: "What exactly happened between you and him?"

"Don't ask, I don't wish to talk about it. That's all I have to say. Take care, please leave!"

He was about to issue a dismissal.

Shen Xiaomao sighed, and could only speak slowly: "Righteous Blood Flows Forever!"

"Loyal Heart Illuminates Ten Thousand Years..." Ying Wuji instinctively responded.

In the room, their eyes met; the silence around was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

"Senior Brother Ying, this thing..." Shen Xiaomao broke the awkward silence.

"Give it to me." Ying Wuji extended his hand as if resigned to fate.

That Lu Yiye fellow was clearly warning him!

The last siege battle at Gushan City weighed heavily on his mind, with many aspects he couldn't easily disclose to others. That fellow's stance was obvious; if he dared refuse, he'd surely leak matters to Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, making his future days difficult.

No matter how you see it, the casualties in that battle at Ten Thousand Demons Ridge were significant.

Taking the audio transmission stone, Ying Wuji's hand shook slightly, as if burned, before he solemnly looked at Shen Xiaomao: "You'd best forget today's happenings, and remember my advice—avoid further contact with that person, or else..."

"Or else what?" Shen Xiaomao curiously looked at him.

Ying Wuji, disheartened, waved a hand with no desire to speak.

What else? I'm the result!

Shen Xiaomao left, uncertain if he'd heeded the warning. Holding the audio transmission stone, Ying Wuji's expression changed.

He thought that hiding in Gushan City would prevent Lu Yiye from involving him again, yet who knew he had such means—to have someone deliver an audio transmission stone to him!

After sitting for long, an internal battle raged within; Ying Wuji finally gritted his teeth, infused spirit force into the audio transmission stone, and fiercely queried: "What do you want?"

Outside Cangyan Mountain Pass, Lu Ye, patrolling with Yiyi and Amber, felt a stirring, retrieved another paired audio transmission stone, and secretly marveled at Shen Xiaomao's efficiency—within half a day's separation, the item had been delivered to Ying Wuji.

He surely hadn't entrusted the wrong person.

"In two days at 7 am, three hundred miles northeast of Gushan City! Moreover, you'd best take leave."

In Gushan City, Ying Wuji dumbfoundedly received the reply, grumbled softly: "What are you up to, Lu Yiye? What's happening two days later at 7 am? What kind of leave do I need to take!"

"Don't be late!"

When Ying Wuji tried to contact Lu Ye again, he discovered the resonance of the audio transmission stone had vanished; in other words, Lu Ye had already stowed the stone in his storage sack.

"Go to hell!" Shouting at the audio transmission stone in frustration, Ying Wuji stood up with a darkened face.

That Lu Yiye fellow was outright bullying him, inexplicably giving him a time and place, as if Ying Wuji could be manipulated at will!

This time, I won't go, and what can you do to me?

After contacting Ying Wuji, Lu Ye headed directly to Nian Yuexian's bamboo house; regarding Ying Wuji's response, he didn't need to think much to guess.

He wasn't worried about him not showing up, as that guy had leverage held over him now. If he truly dared not come, Lu Ye would immediately wear his previous disguise and go to Gushan City, removing the mask before many Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators. It would be enough to trouble Ying Wuji without needing to say much.

"Lord, I have an important matter to report!"

Below the bamboo house, Lu Ye saluted.

"What is it?" Nian Yuexian's voice came from behind.

Lu Ye turned and saw Nian Yuexian sitting on a trunk, looking down at him.

He twitched slightly at the corner of his eye; he noticed his Lord Mountain Pass Chief often didn't stay in the bamboo house. Perhaps, after so many years of enduring the elements, she was accustomed to perching on a sturdy tree trunk.

"Lord, for the trip to Liyuan, I found a guide who might be useful when needed."

"A guide?" Nian Yuexian was puzzled.

"The journey to Liyuan is not short. Even if you have stealth abilities, going deep into Ten Thousand Demons Ridge poses exposure risks. But what if a person from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge accompanies and escorts us? If checked, he can handle it for us, allowing you and me to pass easily."

Nian Yuexian immediately understood his implication.

Originally, she was supposed to take Lu Ye to Liyuan, and it was definitely not possible to fly there openly, because Liyuan was at the border between Bingzhou and Yunzhou, and as such a renowned Divine Sea Realm, if she really flew over, her whereabouts would easily be exposed.

So if she really wanted to go to Liyuan, she could only rely on the prowess of a Ghost Cultivator to stealthily sneak over.

But in doing so, the speed wouldn't be fast.

However, if they truly followed what Lu Ye said, finding a Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivator to accompany them along the way and allowing them to handle any interrogations, things would be much easier.

At the very least, they could fly over openly without worrying too much.

But...

"You can find such a person?"

"I've already chosen someone and made an agreement with them."

Nian Yuexian was surprised, not knowing that Lu Ye had such capabilities.

"Is it someone trustworthy?" Nian Yuexian asked, a bit uneasy.

"No! But I have leverage over him, so I doubt he dares to have any ill intentions."

"That's good, but be cautious nonetheless."

"At that time, I'll handle everything. You only need to lead the way and don't have to communicate with him at all." This way, it's easier for Nian Yuexian to remain concealed.

Nian Yuexian nodded: "Though that's the case, there's still a problem. I can indeed wear a mask to conceal my appearance, but my cultivation is hard to hide. The person you're seeking might perceive my identity because of it."

"You don't need to worry about that either. Please, my lord, step over here!" Lu Ye gestured with his hand.

Grasping the meaning, Nian Yuexian lightly floated down from the tree trunk.

Lu Ye raised his hand and stepped forward, saying, "Forgive me!"

Under Nian Yuexian's startled gaze, he pressed his hand against her lower abdomen. In the next moment, spirit force surged, and Nian Yuexian clearly felt a spirit rune instantly added to her body.

Having witnessed Lu Ye displaying the Twin Flying Phoenixes technique, she couldn't help but be curious about the function of this spirit rune.

"What's this?"

"Pseudo-Might," Lu Ye explained, "Do you remember when Yiyi and Amber escorted the powerful Divine Sea cultivator, scaring off Wan Zhanggang and others from afar? That's the effect of this spirit rune. This rune can simulate both the pressure of someone with higher cultivation and the spirit force fluctuations of someone with lower cultivation. Try it out, but take care when channeling your spirit force. Since it's a rune I bestowed upon you, too much spirit force fluctuation could render it ineffective, exposing your true cultivation."

Understanding, Nian Yuexian tried activating the Pseudo-Might's effect, and her aura began to change continuously.

As a Divine Sea Realm, she quickly grasped the various subtleties of Pseudo-Might. Moments later, her spirit force fluctuations stabilized at the True Lake Level 1, even lower than Lu Ye's current level.

This was already the limit; it could go no lower.

The spirit force moved, dispelling the Pseudo-Might spirit rune. Nian Yuexian smiled at Lu Ye: "You're thorough in your work, let's do it as you say."

This smile, even the heavens lost their color.

It was the first time Lu Ye saw Nian Yuexian's smile, and his gaze briefly lingered on her face before he shifted his eyes away: "As long as you're satisfied, my lord. If there are no other instructions, I'll take my leave."

"Go ahead."

Watching Lu Ye's departing figure, the long-missed silhouette resurfaced in Nian Yuexian's mind.

Ultimately, they're not quite the same. That person acted on whims, doing what came to mind on impulse. However, Lu Ye seemed to have a feel of strategizing before acting.

She touched her lower abdomen, the spot he had touched earlier... Nian Yuexian's expression was complex.

Speaking of which, over the years, no one had ever treated her so rudely. If someone else had touched her like that, she would have slapped them away long ago. A woman's lower abdomen is not something to be casually touched, not even through clothing.

But the two had already had some intimate actions before. In the battle against Wan Zhanggang, their ten fingers were intertwined, so touching the lower abdomen seemed like nothing.

Sooner or later, there will be more instances requiring cooperation...

Over two days, Lu Ye didn't cultivate but spent most of his time imprinting the Origin of the Soaring Dragon World, occasionally entering the Mirage Realm to refine his saber skills.

Two days later, just as Lu Ye emerged from the bamboo building, Nian Yuexian flashed in front of him.

They locked eyes briefly, and Nian Yuexian nodded slightly, using her spirit force to envelop Lu Ye as they soared skyward.

"My lord, leaving the mountain pass like this, with no one left at the post, is that alright?" Lu Ye asked.

"If the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge wants to take Cangyan Mountain Pass, they're welcome to. White Jade City and Clear Moon Cave would be glad for the action, as it would give them a reason to deploy troops."

Both White Jade City Pass and Clear Moon Cave Pass are neighbors to Cangyan Mountain Pass, the former being a part of the same Big Moon Checkpoint, and the latter belonging to the Small Moon Checkpoint.

Previously, Lu Ye had a quest to buy wine and visited White Jade City Pass, but his trip was so hurried that he didn't get a chance to experience the local customs.

Over the years, the front line at the three major passes has not seen intense battles, and the cultivators at White Jade City Pass and Clear Moon Cave Pass have lacked opportunities to earn battle merit, so if Gushan City dared to act, the cultivators at these two passes would be overjoyed.