Sage of Humanity
Chapter 952 - 950: The Sect Master Has Arrived

"Fellow cultivators, if one blindly pursues peace and safety, then there's no need for cultivation at all. I might as well halt my progress at Spirit Stream Level 9 or Cloud River Level 9, reigning supreme in the Spirit Stream battlefield or Cloud River battlefield, wouldn't that be delightful?"

Qian Wudang nodded upon hearing this: "What you say... seems to have some truth, but I still hope you consider carefully. With your efficiency in refining Explosive Fire Spirit Stones, the battle merits you earn monthly are enough to support cultivation, and there's no need to venture out for danger. After your cultivation has advanced by a few more levels, if you still wish to join the Law Enforcement Hall, naturally, there would be no issue."

Throughout the Nine Provinces, the only one who can refine Explosive Fire Spirit Stones in such a manner is Lu Ye. Qian Wudang really doesn't want him to take any risky actions. But he also understands that this can't be forced, so he can't command Lu Ye to do anything; he can only persuade him kindly.

Lu Ye replied: "I am grateful for your care, my lord, but when it comes to advancing my cultivation, I am quite confident indeed. You might not know, but my cultivation aptitude... is excellent!"

In the future, when working under Qian Wudang, the advancement of cultivation couldn't be hidden from him. Instead of having him speculate due to rapid progress, it was better to say it now himself.

Qian Wudang almost laughed: "Do you not know how you gained your name of Yiye?"

"You misunderstand, my lord. On the day of talent detection at Evil Moon Valley, I indeed received the name Yiye, but there was likely some error. Later, I tested my talent again myself, and the results were vastly different from that day."

"Oh?" Qian Wudang showed interest. "And what were the results?"

"My talent is extremely high, with eight branches and eight leaves. The aptitude is absolutely top-tier!" Lu Ye calmly continued.

Though he hadn't truly tested himself, the giant stone disc encountered at Cangyan Volcano's crater with Ying Wuji and others likely measured aptitude, and the results indeed described top-tier talent.

"Really?" Qian Wudang couldn't help but be moved. Within the Nine Provinces, cultivators with aptitude exceeding sixty leaves aren't many but not few either; core disciples of major sects usually possess such aptitude. However, above sixty leaves, the numbers drastically lessen with each additional leaf.

As for those with sixty-four leaves, they're extremely rare.

If Lu Ye truly had sixty-four leaves, certain things would make sense.

Qian Wudang was always puzzled by the mismatch between Lu Ye's cultivation speed and his name of Yiye, initially thinking it was due to many fortuitous encounters. Now it seems, while encounters play a part, his fundamental aptitude is the key. Without such aptitude, mere encounters wouldn't suffice.

"I recall the last time I saw you, you were at True Lake Level 1. Currently, you have reached Level 3!" Lu Ye said, slightly channeling his spirit force.

He hadn't mentioned this before; otherwise, Qian Wudang hadn't realized. Though he's a strong cultivator in the Divine Sea Realm, he's not one to casually probe others' cultivation.

Only now, as Lu Ye's spirit force from True Lake Level 3 manifested...

Qian Wudang was astonished.

Calculating the time, it's only been three months, yet he advanced from Level 1 to Level 3. Looking further back, when Lu Ye joined the Bingzhou guard, he wasn't even in the True Lake Realm.

In other words, in just over four months, he progressed from Cloud River Level 9 to True Lake Level 3.

This pace of cultivation advancement is truly frightening!

With the facts laid out, Qian Wudang couldn't help but believe Lu Ye's words, sighing: "Veteran Thang truly found a treasure."

He'd somewhat heard about Lu Ye joining the Righteous Blood Sect.

Reportedly, Lu Ye was detected to have the talent of Yiye, seemingly with no chance of joining any cultivation sect. Yet somehow, someone advised him to choose only the Righteous Blood Sect, thus allowing him to enter.

Calling him a fortunate find isn't wrong at all.

"Alright, I'll take your word for it and grant your request. Conveniently, the A-3 squad has been down one member without replacement since last time you joined them for a task. Warlord Geng keeps mentioning you to me, so why not join A-3 squad?"

"I defer to your decision, my lord!" Lu Ye naturally had no objections.

Regardless, he'd somewhat cooperated with Warlord Geng's group, even shared a drink, so they could be considered familiar to an extent.

Qian Wudang nodded slightly: "If that is so, take your rest. Before the official command is issued, you may act freely."

"Yes!" Lu Ye retreated in large strides.

After he left, Qian Wudang's gaze shifted to a corner of the grand hall, his expression helpless: "Are you not coming out?"

From the darkness there, a shadow suddenly twisted, revealing a graceful silhouette—it turned out to be the woman who previously served tea to Lu Ye.

She had withdrawn earlier, yet somehow stealthily returned. Even Lu Ye hadn't noticed.

Her methods, able to deceive Lu Ye, couldn't escape Qian Wudang's vigilance; he's a Divine Sea Realm, after all. He just didn't expose her earlier, as it wasn't appropriate to do so.

The woman revealed herself playfully, sticking out her tongue at Qian Wudang.

Qian Wudang glared at her: "You're getting more and more outrageous."

The woman came forward, clinging to Qian Wudang's arm, shaking it with playful pleading that left him dizzy, quickly raising his hand: "Alright, alright, speak directly if you have something to say!"

With his understanding of her, he naturally saw she had a request, and it gave him a headache. Each time proved hard to reject, otherwise peace would be elusive.

"I want to join the Law Enforcement Hall too!" Her words were shocking.

Qian Wudang frowned: "Why do you want to join the Law Enforcement Hall?"

"To help ease your burdens!"

"Nonsense! Just stay by my side obediently. It's very dangerous outside," he glared.

"But I can't stay by your side forever. Those with lower cultivation than mine are running everywhere; I've already reached True Lake Level 7. Am I not better than them?"

"That's not how it is. They have compelling reasons to run everywhere; you do not."

"Why not? They're cultivators, I'm a cultivator. I don't care, I also want to join the Law Enforcement Hall. Will you agree or not?"

"Impossible!" Qian Wudang firmly rejected.

"Sob sob sob..." The woman suddenly broke into tears, large drops cascading down.

Qian Wudang, the renowned Divine Sea Realm strong cultivator and Justice Department Chief of the Nine Provinces, suddenly found himself at a loss, just about to offer comfort. Yet the woman stamped her foot and said with red eyes, "I hate you!"

She turned and fled.

Qian Wudang's raised hand froze in mid-air, with only the three words "I hate you" echoing endlessly in his ears, as if his heart were about to shatter!

A moment later, within the Heralds Office, the woman ran in crying and threw herself into the arms of the Chief of Heralds Office: "Aunt Fan!"

Fan Xiangyi was startled: "What's happened? Who bullied you? Tell Aunt Fan, and she'll teach him a lesson."

"Qian Wudang bullied me!" The woman raised her head and decisively reported a name.

Fan Xiangyi was momentarily speechless.

...

Having left the grand hall of the Justice Department, Lu Ye looked around and unexpectedly felt adrift.

Qian Wudang had allowed him to act freely until an official order was given, yet for a time, he didn't know what to do.

Other sect disciples in Haotian City ultimately had fellow students or seniors present, but now, as the only member from the Righteous Blood Sect here, he found no one to converse with.

After pondering, he decided to send a message to Warlord Geng, as they would all become colleagues and even teammates in the future; building rapport in advance was good.

Warlord Geng quickly replied, stating that the A-3 squad was not in Haotian City, as they were currently undertaking a task elsewhere and would need a few days to return.

Left with no choice, Lu Ye abandoned the idea.

Just as he prepared to find a room to rest, the battlefield marking suddenly transmitted a signal.

Lu Ye investigated and was greatly surprised.

For the message's sender was none other than the sect master himself!

This was unprecedented.

Although Lu Ye had the sect master's marking, they had never exchanged messages directly; he usually communicated with Shui Yuan more often and didn't understand why the sect master would suddenly reach out.

He hurriedly replied: "What instructions does the sect master have?"

A moment later, another message came.

"Are you in Haotian City?"

It was not surprising that the sect master knew this; Shui Yuan was closely acquainted with Nian Yuexian, and it was certain that Nian Yuexian had informed Shui Yuan of Lu Ye's departure from the Cangyan Mountain Pass, and thus the sect master must have heard about it from Shui Yuan.

"Yes."

"Where are you?"

Lu Ye scratched his head, but before he could reply, another message from the sect master arrived: "I see you."

Lu Ye was taken aback, but in the next moment, he sensed someone quickly approaching him. Looking up, he saw two streaks of light descending rapidly from the sky, landing not far in front of him.

One of them, a figure with an ethereal and wise presence, brimming with vigor, could only be the sect master.

Lu Ye was overjoyed and hastily saluted: "Greetings, sect master."

Thang Yifeng looked at him with a smile and raised his hand, an invisible force lifting Lu Ye up.

Lu Ye then turned to look at the person beside the sect master, who was spirited and valiant, though dressed as a man, yet with the grace of a woman and the boldness of a man.

"Palace Master Pang."

"Greetings, senior brother." Pang Huanyin saluted, but it was not the courtesy of a woman, rather the fist salute common among male cultivators.

"Why are you..." Lu Ye was momentarily confused about why the sect master had come to Haotian City and why Pang Huanyin had accompanied him.

"I am here to take up a position in Haotian City, and as for Palace Master Pang... she is preparing to join the Bingzhou guard, so she came along with me."

"Take up a position?" Lu Ye was surprised, not knowing what position the sect master was taking.

The sect master smiled slightly, appearing a bit mysterious: "You are still young, naturally unaware that the Bingzhou guard's Elder Council has a seat for our Righteous Blood Sect. However, in recent years, I have been engrossed in self-cultivation and have not come here."

Lu Ye instantly understood.

Previously, the Righteous Blood Sect had few members, even if there was a seat in the Elder Council, the sect master had no interest in fostering relationships, and there were no disciples from the sect to send here.

But now things were different, as Lu Ye had joined the Bingzhou guard, and there would be more Righteous Blood Sect disciples joining in the future.

Other sect disciples had elders to look after them to avoid bullying, and naturally, the Righteous Blood Sect must have similar protection.

Or else, situations like the previous incident might occur, and at the very least, future Righteous Blood Sect disciples joining the Bingzhou guard would not be assigned to particularly treacherous mountain passes.