Sage of Humanity
Chapter 940 - 938: The Drawing of the Sword

Lu Ye clearly saw that when Xiao Xinghe retreated, the person deliberately blocked behind him.

He even more clearly heard the conversation between the two!

That person originally intended to kill with a borrowed knife! If it weren't for Xiao Xinghe's own strong capability and his sidestep at the critical moment, he might have been pierced through the heart by now.

Lu Ye naturally knew that the Haotian Alliance was not a monolithic entity. Where there are people, there are disputes. This is unavoidable and will not disappear because they are in the same camp.

Just as it is with the Haotian Alliance, it is the same with the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge.

Previously, several True Lake Realm under Lin Yue's command were also attacked and killed entirely.

He himself encountered many dangers when he went to Haotian City to report back then.

But there are some things in a fight that can't be done too excessively.

To kill with a borrowed knife so blatantly, such a heart is condemnable!

Lu Ye didn't know what grudges or conflicts exist between Third Senior Brother and that person. If he hadn't witnessed it, that would be it, but since he saw it, he naturally wanted to stand up for Third Senior Brother.

Just as well, he, Li Taibai, was in the capacity of a Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivator, making it convenient to do this.

"You... want to challenge me?" That Level 7 cultivator looked at Lu Ye with some astonishment, not expecting that this Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivator would be so audacious.

"Besides you, is there anyone else who can fight?" Lu Ye looked at him blandly.

Five battles and five victories, even Zhang Youlin from the Beixuan Sword Sect was defeated. On the Haotian Alliance side, the only one stronger than Zhang Youlin was the lone Level 7 cultivator.

All of Lu Ye's previous actions were paced to culminate here, the plan now clear as the hidden dagger emerges.

In this situation, that person could not refuse Lu Ye's challenge, otherwise, they wouldn't even be able to pass their own inner gate.

"Very well!" The cultivator's gaze suddenly turned cold and stern, anger surging in his heart, feeling subtly underestimated.

"Senior Brother Tan, teach him a lesson!" a cultivator accompanying that person spoke.

"I will naturally... teach him a good lesson." The Tan-named cultivator smirked coldly, slowly stepping forward.

"Junior Brother Taibai, you... how can you be so reckless!" Tong Shuyao was infuriated, never expecting Lu Ye to be so insatiable. Although he could defeat a Level 6, between the four realms of cultivators, each realm has its thresholds at four and seven. Once broken through, there's a significant boost in power.

Although the gap between Level 6 and Level 7 is just a small realm, the disparity in power is great.

This is also why few with cultivation above Level 7 participate in such combats. If it weren't for bringing Lu Ye over to watch the excitement, Tong Shuyao wouldn't have come here.

As for Level 8 and Level 9, they wouldn't appear in such scenarios.

So even if Lu Ye could defeat a Level 6 sword cultivator, he might not win against a Level 7, not to mention in the last fight, Lu Ye was clearly heavily depleted, and no one knows how much strength he can exert now.

Tong Shuyao wished she could go up now, knock Lu Ye out, and carry him away, but if she intervenes, it could very likely trigger a direct confrontation between the two factions' cultivators. By then, it wouldn't be as simple as one or two deaths, and who could bear the responsibility for such a drastic change?

Numerous Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators also looked towards Lu Ye nervously and worriedly...

Lu Ye didn't expect that he, the infamous Lu Ye the Sect Destroyer in the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge camp, could one day make them so concerned, while some in the Haotian Alliance couldn't wait to get rid of him.

Truly, some situations in the world are unpredictable...

But this doesn't diminish the resolve in his heart.

Today's situation is what he encountered, and there surely are many more he hasn't encountered. Third Senior Brother can dodge one calamity, but not necessarily more.

So to ensure Third Senior Brother's peace, there is only one way!

The Tan-named cultivator was already standing ten zhang in front of Lu Ye, a very dangerous distance for a True Lake Realm.

He was unafraid precisely because his cultivation was four Minor Stages higher than Lu Ye's. Even though Lu Ye performed remarkably moments ago, he still felt he could defeat Lu Ye.

Lu Ye still politely cupped his fists: "Li Taibai, independent cultivator, from Dark Moon Forest Pass!"

No matter what, it's necessary to understand where this guy comes from. A True Lake Level 7 cultivator absolutely cannot act that way unless someone is supporting him from behind, most likely his sect!

The Tan-named cultivator lightly smiled, wishing he could kill Lu Ye now but unwilling to lose etiquette under the watchful eyes, casually returned a gesture: "Tianyuan Sect, Tan Shu!"

Tianyuan Sect!

One of Bingzhou's Ten Great 1st grade sects.

Even before he joined a sect, a woman named Yu Xiaodie once told him about these in Evil Moon Valley.

One palace, two halls, three sects, four sects, referred to the Ten Great 1st grade sects of Bingzhou. The one palace is the Jade Cloud Palace, the two halls are Senluo Hall and Yuanhong Hall, and the three sects are the Righteousness Sect, Qingyu Sect, and Luosheng Sect, while the four sects are the Wuji Sect, Red Moon Sect, Beixuan Sword Sect, and Tianyuan Sect.

Among them, five are in the Haotian Alliance, five in the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, standing in opposition to each other.

Later Lu Ye came to know, this Tianyuan Sect was originally not a 1st grade, but only a 2nd grade. It ascended to 1st grade due to the decline and depression of the Righteous Blood Sect.

In other words, the Tianyuan Sect filled the vacancy left by the Righteous Blood Sect, so this sect is relatively weaker compared to other 1st grade, but much stronger than 2nd grade.

But regardless, the current Tianyuan Sect is recognized as a 1st grade sect by Heaven's Augury, with powerhouses aplenty within.

Thinking over and over, Lu Ye realized that from the beginning of his cultivation till now, he doesn't seem to have had much dealing with people from the Tianyuan Sect...

His heart instantly calmed.

"Enough with the nonsense, rest assured, I will give you a swift end!" Tan Shu, with his noble background and formidable foundation, had reason for his arrogance. Challenged by Lu Ye in front of all eyes, he came with a murderous intent.

Lu Ye smiled, "I just want to say one thing to you."

"What is it?" Tan Shu spoke while summoning his Spiritual Artifact. This guy was also a combat cultivator who used a blade. The gleam on his long knife revealed that it was of the magic-artifact class, and not just an ordinary one.

"There won't be a next time!" Lu Ye spoke lightly, in a voice only the two of them could hear.

"What?" Tan Shu clearly didn't understand, but the next moment, his expression changed dramatically. Accompanied by a humming sound, a wave of Sword Qi suddenly spread out, with the piercing Sword Intent and killing intent enveloping him as if they were tangible.

The enemy before him, who had seemed defeated earlier, suddenly became terrifyingly fierce. The aura emanating from him was unprecedentedly overwhelming.

Just a mere True Lake Level 3 cultivator, and yet in this instant, he induced a sense of dread in him.

Suddenly realizing, he understood that in the previous battles, the enemy had never used his full strength, not even conserving it in the last battle against Zhang Youlin.

Yet he went all out against him.

This guy… was targeting him!

What had he done to offend him? And what did he mean that there wouldn't be a next time?

As countless thoughts rushed through his mind, Tan Shu remained unperturbed.

After all, he was a True Lake Level 7 cultivator, with a background not inferior to Zhang Youlin's, and his strength was outstanding. So despite being caught off guard by Lu Ye, he remained calm and composed.

But just then, a sharp pain struck his mind.

Mental Consciousness!

Tan Shu's face changed drastically.

He had once faced the might of a Divine Sea Realm strong cultivator and had been caught in the aftermath of their Mental Consciousness attack, so he naturally knew what he was encountering now.

Was there a Divine Sea Realm strong cultivator hidden nearby?

His heart was filled with terror. Although he wore a treasure that protected his psyche, like Lu Ye's golden lock, it wasn't very effective and could only provide limited protection.

He thought a Divine Sea Realm strong cultivator was secretly attacking him, unaware that this Mental Consciousness attack came from Lu Ye.

This was the first time Lu Ye used Mental Consciousness to attack an enemy after developing his Divine Pool.

Although he was not afraid of a True Lake Level 7 cultivator, killing him wouldn't be easy. The aid of a Mental Consciousness attack changed everything.

So Lu Ye exerted all his efforts, almost draining all his Mental Consciousness in that instant.

Faced with such a sudden turn of events, Tan Shu's spirit force dispersed, his pupils dilated slightly, and the knife strike aimed at Lu Ye became weak and powerless.

Perhaps it was a last flash of brilliance, or the immense crisis stimulated him, but at the moment of imminent death, his mind became clearer than ever before.

He finally understood what Lu Ye's earlier words meant.

After he secretly attacked Xiao Xinghe, Xiao Xinghe had said to him, "There won't be a next time."

And he had replied, "If there is... so what?"

So before making his move, this person called Li Taibai told him, "There won't be a next time."

Was he standing up for Xiao Xinghe?

Why?

On what grounds?

He couldn't figure it out, as the boundless sword light surged forward, engulfing him completely.

When the sword light faded away, everyone stood in place, staring dumbfounded at the scene before them.

A blood-drenched, lifeless corpse fell from the sky.

Countless eyes followed the falling corpse, and as it hit the ground with a heavy thud, breaking into pieces, everyone felt their hearts likewise shattered.

Haotian Alliance's cultivators found it hard to believe.

The Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators were equally incredulous.

The sword light had surged fiercely, and none had seen how Lu Ye and Tan Shu exchanged blows, but in just a moment, life and death had been decided.

And the one who died was none other than Tan Shu, a True Lake Level 7 cultivator. In contrast, although Lu Ye's face was pale and his form swayed, he was unharmed!

Was he really this powerful?

When Tan Shu took the stage, no one thought Lu Ye could win. Even so, Lu Ye had already brought great glory to Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, and now, even greater glory had arrived.

Six battles, six victories, against enemies with progressively higher cultivation, including some from 1st grade sects.

The last battle had him slay a True Lake Level 7 cultivator, crossing four minor levels to kill his opponent.

Such a fantastical scene, one only heard of in legends, unfolded right before their eyes, making each person feel as if in a dream.

It was only when a cry of astonishment broke out that everyone's senses were yanked back to reality.

"Senior Brother Tan!" Several people who had been by Tan Shu's side earlier cried out with grief, springing forth, some charging angrily at Lu Ye, others rushing to Tan Shu's fallen corpse, causing chaos.