Sage of Humanity

So, if insect corpses were not collected, the insect hive could continuously devour the vitality and energy of the dead members of the Insect Race and then hatch even more of them.

This intelligence came from Li Baxian, and before the battle began, Lu Ye had specifically instructed everyone to pay attention to collecting insect corpses. For this purpose, every cultivator had fiddled with their storage sack, ensuring that each team had several empty storage sacks.

The strength of the insect creatures inside the hive was generally strong, with numerous Level 3 and Level 4 insects, Level 5 and Level 6 insects also common, but not too many at Level 7, so the Righteous Blood Sect could just barely manage for the time being.

The Fire Dragon Technique was continuously deployed, and Lu Ye was now driving this Dao technique relentlessly, because only by doing so could he quickly slay his enemies. The faster he killed, the better the situation would be.

With him blocking in front, the situation on this side soon stabilized, but no one rashly pressed forward, as nobody knew how many dangers lurked in the darkness.

But him, a Level 7 cultivator, fiercely driving his spirit force, and especially since the Fire Dragon Technique would burst into fierce flames, brought another problem.
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Less than thirty Shichen after the battle began, Lu Ye sensed a powerful aura rapidly approaching from the darkness ahead, a Level 8 Insect Race.

There was more than one coming, from the sounds of it, he preliminarily deduced that there were at least three.

The number was not many, and with Lu Ye's current cultivation strength, he completely had the opportunity to instantly slay one, and he could also join forces with the dozens of cultivators on this side to kill the remaining two.

However, just as he planned this, a shout from Kong Niu not far away came: "Danger!"

This was prearranged, as soon as any position was under too much pressure, an immediate alert would be issued, and then Lu Ye would rush over to help.

He had specifically arranged Kong Niu's post near his own, considering that Kong Niu was only a Level 5, and even with enough manpower arranged, he might not withstand the Level 7 of the Insect Race.

This arrangement indeed proved prescient.

Lu Ye couldn't afford to deal with those Level 8 Insects about to pounce out of the darkness, as he had already spread a pair of wings behind him, soared into the air, and at the same time, with one hand holding a dagger, the other holding the scabbard of the Boulder Mountain Saber, the dazzling light from that scabbard shone forth like a rising sun!

The bright light mapped out the entire insect hive in minute detail, and Lu Ye seized this chance to sweep his eyes across, instantly feeling his scalp tingle. Previously, it was too dark to see clearly inside the hive, but now, under the light of Sun Blaze Spirit Runes, he could take in the entire situation of the hive.

The number of insects gathered inside the hive exceeded his expectations, and moreover, the walls of the hive were also crawling with various types of Insects, attracted by the fluctuations of spirit force, heading towards where the cultivators were gathered.

"Everyone, watch your heads!" he shouted loudly, also paying attention to those few Level 8 Insects; if these did not follow, that would be a big problem.

Even with Hua Ci staying back there, she could not stop the slaughter of these few Level 8 insects.

Fortunately, the Insects had no reason, only following their instincts.

Thanks to Fourth Senior Brother, he provided many useful pieces of intelligence.

Lu Ye, wielding a sun, undoubtedly became the target of those few Level 8 insects. They moved rapidly on the ground, many insects in their path could not dodge in time and were sliced into pieces by their sharp limbs.

Moreover, at the very center of the hive, a few more Level 8 insects were drawn over.

A total of six Level 8 insects! Such a lineup could not be overcome by merely deploying full strength from the peripheral sects, because Level 7 cultivators were seldom seen in the peripheral sects, let alone Level 8.

Generally speaking, only a governor or Deputy Governor would be of Level 7 cultivation.

Soaring in mid-air, Lu Ye unleashed a Fire Dragon Technique downward, and the fire dragon, its scales even faintly visible, crashed into the crowd of insects, causing massive death and injury instantly.

Two fire dragons sent down greatly reduced the pressure on Kong Niu's side.

"Fifth Senior Brother!" Another shout rang out.

Lu Ye immediately rushed in that direction.

The standard procedure for peripheral sects in dealing with the Insect Plague was to locate the insect hive and then seal the entrances, constantly killing the insects until the stocked vitality and energy in the hive was exhausted, which would mean victory.

Although this method was slower, it was safer, and if there were any mishaps, they could be promptly remedied.

Lu Ye did not choose this method; the Righteous Blood Sect took the initiative to strike, allowing its cultivators to establish a battlefield inside the hive; it was riskier, but also more efficient.

And the reason he chose to do so was due to his strong mobility, allowing him to assist in various places at any moment.

Being able to fly is indeed capricious.

This is something that ordinary Level 7 cultivators can't compare with.

For a while, Lu Ye, holding up the sun, continuously drove the Fire Dragon Technique, leading those six Level 8 insects through the hive, darting back and forth, supporting everywhere, and the situation gradually stabilized.

And those six Level 8 insects, while chasing Lu Ye, also caused a lot of accidental injuries to their own kind. Although the corpses of those killed by them could not be collected, they inadvertently lightened the pressure on the Righteous Blood Sect.

After stabilizing the situation, Lu Ye then focused his attention on those few Level 8 insects that relentlessly pursued him; these few big fellows definitely needed to be dealt with swiftly, otherwise, they would become a hidden danger.

While flying, Lu Ye unleashed his handleless dagger, fire-red Liu Guang began to weave through the air, targeting one of the Level 8 Demon Race, piercing through its body, spurting out a pile of verdant green blood.

It has to be said, the vitality of the Level 8 Demon Race was extremely tenacious. Lu Ye had to attack it seven or eight times with weapon control before finally managing to slay it.

Liu Guang flew back, held at the tips of Lu Ye's fingers as he replenished his spirit force, and then he cast it out again.

Maintaining the Wings and Sun Blaze Spirit Runes, invoking the Fire Dragon Technique, and controlling weapons to kill enemies all consumed a tremendous amount of energy. In less than half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, nearly 70 percent of Lu Ye's spirit force had been depleted, leaving only about 30 percent.

It should be noted that he was now in the Level 7 realm, with over a hundred spiritual orifices opened, and his reserves of spirit force had long since surpassed what they once were.

Had he been in the Level 5 realm, he would likely have been completely drained by now.

Yet, he did not panic. He took a jade vial from his storage sack, opened it, and drank all its contents in one gulp.

The taste was a bit strange, like fruit wine with a hint of bitterness.

Breath Fruit wine.

Previously, he had brought back Breath Fruit from the Chess Sea, and following the instructions of his fourth senior, handed it over to Shui Yuan to be processed.

Shui Yuan, with various precious medicinal ingredients, brewed this fruit wine, fully maximizing the effects of the Breath Fruit flesh.

When Shui Yuan gave Lu Ye the Breath Fruit wine, she had told him that, with his cultivation at Level 7, one portion of Breath Fruit wine could help him recover 50 percent of his spirit force within thirty breaths.

Unlike the powerful recovery effect of directly consuming the Breath Fruit flesh, the Breath Fruit wine took longer to work and its effect was reduced.

But it had the advantage of quantity.

The bottle that Lu Ye had just drunk was one portion, and Shui Yuan had given him and Sister Hua Ci more than thirty portions in total.

Without the foundation provided by the Breath Fruit wine, Lu Ye would not have been able to be so reckless in using up his spirit force in such a short time—doing so would have been suicidal.

Upon consuming the Breath Fruit wine, warmth immediately emanated from his stomach. Following the circulation of his Minor Circumambulation, vast spirit force filled his spiritual orifices, and thirty breaths later, Lu Ye, who initially had only 30 percent of his spirit force, was once again brimming with energy.

He continued to assist on all fronts, taking opportunities to slay a persistent Level 8 Insect Race that had been relentlessly pursuing him.

An hour later, the assault of the Insect Race had noticeably weakened a great deal. Even though the insect hive was still continuously hatching new members of the Insect Race, they couldn't keep up with the cultivators' speed of killing. The lines at each cave entrance were thoroughly secured, and the two Level 8 Insect Race members who followed Lu Ye were reduced to just two.

One of them was in agony under the torment of the controlled weapon's Liu Guang.

As one of the Level 8 Insect Race members fell, only one remained chasing Lu Ye.

The sun, which had been continuously shining on all sides, extinguished, and Lu Ye landed at the cave entrance where Kong Niu was, his front foot just touching down when the lone survivor of the Level 8 Insect Race charged at him.

Lu Ye drew his sword, enhanced by Sharpness spirit runes, and his Boulder Mountain Saber sliced through the long legs of the Insect Race.

Bright green blood splashed, and the insect shrieked as the meter-long Insect Race collapsed onto the ground, its black-colored carapace unable to withstand the sharp strike.

Almost simultaneously as it fell, Lu Ye was on top of it, his saber piercing through the insect's back and coming out the other side.

The Insect Race struggled, green blood spraying everywhere.

Red light surged on the Boulder Mountain Saber, creating a massive wound on its back, splitting it in half.

"Kill!" Kong Niu suddenly shouted loudly, and immediately, cries of killing echoed from all around the insect hive.

Two hours later, cultivators at all nine cave entrances pushed inward simultaneously, step by step compressing the remaining Insect Race's range of activity.

Lu Ye wiped the blood off the Boulder Mountain Saber, sheathed his weapon, and let out a light breath.

The situation was under control! There was no need for him to act any further, as the cultivators inside the sect had few opportunities to earn merits, and there was naturally no need for Lu Ye to compete with them.

"Sister Hua Ci, hang in there!" the voice of Ruan Lingyu suddenly came from the side.

Lu Ye walked over and, under the light of the nearby torches, saw Hua Ci kneeling on the ground, her long legs straight together, her calves splayed outward, her eyes devoid of spirit.

Ruan Lingyu was in front of her, shaking her shoulders.

"Are you injured?" Lu Ye asked anxiously.

Ruan Lingyu shook her head, her eyes tearful.

During the tense situation just before, Hua Ci had performed as usual, leading the juniors in combat. Now that the situation had stabilized, the tension released and she was overwhelmed.

Assured that Hua Ci was not injured, Lu Ye was relieved. He crouched in front of her, patted her shoulder, and said, "You'll get used to it gradually; the Insect Plague won't be just this once."

Hua Ci's gaze shifted, she looked at him steadily, her eyes brimming with despair...

"Stay with her and call me immediately if anything happens," Lu Ye instructed Ruan Lingyu and turned to leave.

Although the situation was under control, as long as the insect hive was not completely exterminated, they could not relax their vigilance. If someone were to die suddenly at this juncture, that would truly be a tragic loss.

Moreover, if the information provided by the fourth senior was correct, then there were at least two or three powerful beings inside this hive! They might only be Level 8 Insect Race members, but they were stronger than the typical ones.