Sage of Humanity
Chapter 923 - 921 Sword Qi

The sound of slicing filled the air, with sharp beams constantly slashing from the front. Nian Yuexian's longsword danced gracefully, blocking all incoming attacks.

Spirit force surged, shielding Lu Ye behind her, resembling an unbreakable mountain, guarding against the stormy onslaughts.

An unparalleled sense of security arose within him, prompting Lu Ye to seriously observe the woman who was within arm's reach for the first time.

Unfortunately, as she faced away from him, he couldn't see much—only her slender neck white as snow and the flowing locks of her hair.

Her hair, like tiny hands, tickled Lu Ye's neck and cheeks.

Visibly, her snow-white neck began to turn red…

Even though her back was turned to Lu Ye, the Mental Consciousness of a strong cultivator in the Divine Sea Realm was exceptionally perceptive, clearly sensing Lu Ye's gaze, making Nian Yuexian uncomfortable, and causing her strikes to become even more fierce, as if in warning…

Lu Ye shifted his gaze.

A gentle breath came from the front as Nian Yuexian's tense figure relaxed slightly, and she spoke, "I don't know what treasure is hidden ahead, but it's likely a flying sword. All this Sword Qi is unleashed by that flying sword."

Perhaps to divert Lu Ye's attention or to ease the awkwardness, she proactively shared some information about the place.

"I've been here several times, but each time I didn't succeed completely. The furthest I've gone is three hundred feet, so I need your help."

Lu Ye was indeed distracted: "If the released Sword Qi alone could force you back, then what does the flying sword itself look like?"

"Who knows." Nian Yuexian clearly wasn't entirely confident in her judgment.

If the area were wide, with her abilities, she might manage. However, the pathway was narrow, leaving no room to maneuver, facing the sword light strikes head-on, making it impossible to avoid directly.

Hence, she decided to bring Lu Ye along, with Twin Flying Phoenixes allowing her to borrow the vast vitality within Lu Ye anytime, anywhere, possibly making success achievable.

Of course, it's just a possibility, as none knew the exact length of the passage.

"Have you tried sneaking in, Master?" Lu Ye inquired.

"Tried, didn't work. There are multiple restrictions here, the moment anyone steps in, the wondrous restrictions are triggered, and endless Sword Qi assaults." After a brief pause, she whispered, "Stop talking for now."

Initially, she aimed to divert Lu Ye's attention through conversation, unaware it worsened the situation, as Lu Ye's words caused warm breaths to strike her neck, making her uncomfortable.

Lu Ye understood, fixating his gaze forward, remaining silent, relaxing entirely, as Nian Yuexian led him through the passage.

Fifty feet, one hundred feet, two hundred feet, three hundred feet…

After slicing through countless incoming Sword Qi, the trio finally reached the deepest part Nian Yuexian had previously reached.

At this point, the frequency and force of Sword Qi attacking from the front were at a terrifying level. Lu Ye, not considering himself weak, couldn't imagine surviving even a single Sword Qi strike alone.

This intrigued him, wondering what kind of flying sword, unattended, could emit Sword Qi, causing a formidable force like Nian Yuexian to retreat repeatedly.

Above Spiritual Artifact is Magic Artifact, above Magic Artifact is spirit treasure…

Clearly, the flying sword inside far exceeded the spirit treasure level.

What's beyond spirit treasure quality?

That, Lu Ye truly did not know, as at his current cultivation level, Magic Artifact was most suitable, and items like spirit treasure were beyond his activation.

The Nine Arrays Diagram is a spirit treasure, but so far, Lu Ye and Yiyi still couldn't unleash its full power.

Compared to the previous time, Nian Yuexian's strength had evidently progressed, as she had reached her limit previously, yet this time it seemed less exhausting.

Moving forward was the real test.

Indeed, the frequency and force of Sword Qi attacks increased again, Lu Ye felt Nian Yuexian's trembling with each strike in his embrace, realizing she was now serious.

As they proceeded, Nian Yuexian began to struggle slightly.

Lu Ye noticed but was powerless—at this moment, the only help he could offer Nian Yuexian was vitality support; rash interference would worsen the scenario.

With a slicing sound and Nian Yuexian's muffled groan, a Sword Qi fragmented, leaving a sword mark on her sword-wielding right hand.

Blood spurted, instantly staining her robes.

Yet, her steps did not halt, rather accelerated significantly.

Slicing, slicing, slicing…

Sword Qi scattered ceaselessly, slicing Nian Yuexian's body, intensifying her wounds bit by bit.

Yet Lu Ye, shielded behind her, remained unscathed.

As for Ying Wuji behind them, trembling, he too remained unharmed.

With an increasingly intense scent of blood, Lu Ye could feel his vitality continuously flowing into Nian Yuexian's body through the Twin Flying Phoenixes, affording her the capital to persist fighting.

Time seemed to stretch incredibly long.

A quarter of an hour later, the woman in Lu Ye's arms had astonishingly turned into a figure shrouded in blood.

If Nian Yuexian had ventured alone, such wounds would have forced her to retreat, uncertain if further advance offered any chance of escape.

But with Lu Ye's vitality infusion, despite her considerable injuries, her body felt no weakness whatsoever.

Moreover, she discovered that not only could she draw on Lu Ye's vitality, but also the spirit force within Lu Ye!

This made Lu Ye have to take out a demonic pill from his storage sack and stuff it into his mouth, chewing with a crunch.

In such a dire situation, swallowing a demonic pill was the quickest way to replenish spirit force.

"Lu Ye, can you still hold on?"

Lu Ye, who was chewing on the demonic pill, suddenly heard Nian Yuexian's voice.

He couldn't help but be stunned, as this seemed to be the first time Nian Yuexian called his name since they met.

"No problem!"

"Then I'll speed up!"

The tunnel ahead seemed endless, as if there was no hope in sight, and even Nian Yuexian was getting a bit impatient.

As soon as she spoke, their closely-tied figures swiftly darted forward. Along with the common dance of Nian Yuexian's hand, a series of clinking sounds continuously echoed.

Ying Wuji, following behind, let out a strange cry and hurriedly unfolded his form and pursued them.

Nian Yuexian would protect Lu Ye, but wouldn't care for his fate. Now, he could only pray that Nian Yuexian was strong enough to hold on. Otherwise, if Nian Yuexian died, Lu Ye and he would be next.

Rippling like tidal waves, streams of Sword Qi surged wildly, turning the entire front of the tunnel into a sea of sword light.

Even in such a situation, Nian Yuexian charged in headlong.

Patches of sword light were extinguished continuously, and the injuries on her body gradually worsened, but with the uninterrupted infusion of Lu Ye's vitality, she still had the capital to continue fighting. It was a very strange state.

Until a certain moment, all the sword light was completely extinguished, leaving the tunnel in utter darkness.

Only Nian Yuexian's heavy breathing could be heard.

"I—is it over?" Ying Wuji timidly asked from behind.

As soon as the words fell, a dazzling light illuminated from the front, and the sudden strong light that flashed in the darkness made it almost impossible for one to open their eyes.

A fiercely icy killing intent rushed from the front, and just as Lu Ye's eyes contracted, Nian Yuexian brought him forward to meet it.

It was a Sword Qi that seemed capable of slicing through the Void; when Nian Yuexian's Longsword met it, the Spiritual Artifact-level Longsword emitted a strenuous groan.

The Sword Qi was obstructed but not dissipated, continuing to slowly cleave forward as if intending to slice all intruders in half.

A crisp sound rang out as Lu Ye's eyelid twitched, hastening to glance at Nian Yuexian's Longsword, only to see a thin crack appear along the blade.

It can't hold!

Once the Longsword breaks, against such a sword light strike, the three of them would be doomed.

In an instant, Lu Ye made a decision, raising the knife in his hand, the muscles in his arms slightly swelling for a moment, unleashing a move of Myriad Stars.

Bits of starlight all fell upon the Sword Qi, but how could a Sword Qi that even Nian Yuexian found extremely troublesome be shaken by Lu Ye, a cultivator of the True Lake Realm?

Crack...

The crack on the Longsword widened significantly.

At the mortal peril, Lu Ye raised his other hand, gripping Nian Yuexian's sword-hand, spirit force surging fiercely, forming a complex Spirit Rune on the Longsword in an instant.

Moon Return!

Nian Yuexian seemed to sense the profoundness of this Spirit Rune, her spirit immediately lifted, and the Longsword in her hand danced, like a butterfly in graceful flight.

In an instant, she unleashed more than a dozen sword strikes, the dense sword light stabbing at the same point on the Sword Qi.

The next moment, the seemingly solid Sword Qi suddenly split open, dividing into two, shooting towards the cave walls on both sides.

Silently, massive and profound slash marks appeared on the cave walls.

And after unleashing those dozen sword strikes, Nian Yuexian seemed to lose all her strength, collapsing directly into Lu Ye's embrace.

Lu Ye also felt a sense that his entire being was emptied out, though he was unharmed. Nian Yuexian was borrowing the force from within his body, which was no small consumption.

His legs gave way, and he fell to the ground with Nian Yuexian in his arms.

Heavy breathing came from the mouths of both, like fish out of water, echoing in turns.

Ying Wuji, who was watching from behind, was dumbfounded: "What's with you two, get up quickly."

If they didn't get up, and there was another attack like the previous one, he wouldn't be able to withstand it.

For a moment, he had the urge to slip away quietly.

Both Lu Ye and Nian Yuexian clearly realized this, struggling to stand. Lu Ye leaned against the cave wall, with Nian Yuexian nestled in his arms, watching vigilantly ahead. From start to finish, their interlocked fingers never let go.

But fortunately, no more attacks came from the front.

The incredibly powerful Sword Qi just now should have been the final attack.