Sage of Humanity

Hua Ci and Cao Huahong had divided the enhancements from the Heaven's Augury Pillar of the Phong family; then, hundreds of cultivators began to retreat in an orderly fashion. As usual, Lu Ye covered their retreat alone. He cast the Fire Dragon Technique repeatedly, using the wild surge of spirit force to attract the attention of the Insect Race.

Soon, he was utterly surrounded.

Without the wings rune tattoo, he would never have dared to do this. Being surrounded by such a swarm before one could fly was a sure death, even for the strongest cultivator.

But having wings was different, he could escape by flying. He was thankful to Madam Yun, thankful to the sect master, for the tattoo had greatly aided him.

Not until the cultivators of the Righteous Blood Sect had retreated to a safe distance did Lu Ye soar into the sky and vanish as a red streak of light.

The Insect Race chased for a while but, losing their target, gradually halted and reverted to their instincts.

The Sky Fiend Hall's stationed forces to the north had been breached, suffering countless casualties, essentially crippling them.

The Phong family's position to the east was also breached, and though not many died, the loss was still significant.

It could be said that both neighbors of the Righteous Blood Sect had been disastrously affected.

Lu Ye didn't plan to lure the insect swarm anywhere else for the moment; the cultivators of the Righteous Blood Sect were exhausted after back-to-back battles, needing a respite.

Moreover, calculating the time, other major sects had almost handled their insect plagues. At this point, even if he directed the swarm to another part of Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, it was unlikely to be as impactful as before.

The issue at hand was the Phong family!

Although the Phong family's station was taken, not many had died, which was quite the problem. They were neighbors to the Righteous Blood Sect, and with Sky Fiend Hall in such a state, it wouldn't seem fair if the Righteous Blood Sect did not act evenly. Otherwise, it would be unjust to the Sky Fiend Hall!

Ding Yushu was still blocking the entrance with his cultivators. Now, what the Righteous Blood Sect needed to do was to meet up with the people from Infinity Heights and then trap and completely eliminate the Phong family.

By doing this, the Righteous Blood Sect would then dominate the region within about 30 miles.

Following the path of the departing crowd, Lu Ye quickly rejoined the group.

"Fellow Daoist Lu!" Cao Huahong greeted with a fist and palm salute, his face beaming with joy, feeling as if the air around him was sweet.

"How are things over there?"

Cao Huahong reported the situation at the Insect Race cave. The Phong family was in despair; they had heard that their station was taken, but still had no clue who had seized it.

The attacks came so suddenly that the Phong family's cultivators left to defend the station could either be quickly killed or used the Heaven's Augury Pillar to return to the Nine Provinces, not having the time to identify their attackers.

The only Phong family member who was captured, Phong Yue, had regained her senses and deduced Lu Ye's identity through the sight of Big Tiger, but where dared she send out a message?

Chen Yu and Kong Niu watched her from either side; any slight misstep from her, and she'd face a swift slash of sword or saber.

Blending with the hundreds from the Righteous Blood Sect, even though Phong Yue was at Level 7, she felt like a sheep among wolves, helpless and frail…

The hundreds of cultivators trapped in the insect cave had tried several times under Phong Lianju's leadership to break out, only to be repelled each time by the forces of Infinity Heights, with many casualties.

The situation there was now a stalemate; one side couldn't break out, and the other dared not enter rashly.

Upon hearing this, Lu Ye frowned; it was indeed difficult to resolve such a situation. It seemed a new strategy was needed.

A unique scent wafted into his nostrils. Lu Ye knew without turning that Hua Ci was approaching on her mechanical wolf.

"How did you fare?"

"Not bad!" Hua Ci nodded, then added, "Your gains aren't small either."

"Oh?"

"Isn't that like seizing the enemy's leading lady? I heard she's the governor from the Phong family," Hua Ci hinted with a purse of her lips.
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How did it come to 'leading lady'? Lu Ye was about to retort, but then an idea struck him, and he quickly stepped forward, whispering something to Phong Yue.

Phong Yue first nodded, then shook her head, her expression full of fear.

Lu Ye drew his sword, full of murderous intent. Phong Yue shook her head violently, tears in her eyes, looking pitifully helpless.

As Lu Ye's Boulder Mountain Saber was drawn, fiery red spirit force clung to it. Phong Yue stood firm, closed her eyes.

After a moment without feeling the execution, she opened her eyes again to find Lu Ye's figure gone; she gasped a breath of relief, miraculously escaping death, her legs soft again.

Not far behind her, Lu Ye frowned.

He had initially planned to use Phong Yue, as she, being the Phong family governor, must hold some influence over the family's cultivators. Had she sent some false information to those in the insect cave, they could have been lured out, and the Righteous Blood Sect, in collaboration with Infinity Heights, could have wiped them out.

Lu Ye had thought this plan to be highly probable because, from Phong Yue's behavior earlier, the woman seemed the type to dread death.

However, Lu Ye had misjudged her. She had immediately knelt and begged for mercy upon seeing him, willing to do anything for her own safety. Yet, when asked to deceive her own family cultivators, she showed immense resistance, seemingly ready to die rather than cooperate.

When it was about her own safety, she could kneel and beg due to her status as a healing cultivator, but when it involved the Phong family, she had her principles and resolve.

After all, Lu Ye couldn't really kill her…

They pushed forward and soon reached the insect cave of the Phong family, where cultivators from two families gathered, surpassing a thousand in number.

Lu Ye stood together with Ding Yushu at the entrance of the cave, peering down. Ding Yushu explained the current situation to him, which was much the same as what Cao Huahong had described.

"That is the situation now, Brother Yiye, do you have any good ideas?"

"I'll go down for a look."

Saying so, he leaped downward.

Ding Yushu's eyes nearly popped out, considering such recklessness...

Peering down, he saw a flicker of spirit force's glow below, intense fluctuations followed, and then Lu Ye's figure soared upward, landing lightly, apparently unharmed but a bit disheveled.

Though it was only a brief glimpse, Lu Ye still saw numerous Phong family cultivators stationed near the entrance, a deadly trap for anyone descending. Had he not possessed Defense Spirit Runes, he would not have acted so rashly.

"Is there a way to make the underground channel collapse?"

If that could be achieved, then however many people the Phong family had would be buried alive inside.

Ding Yushu shook his head and said, "I've thought about it, but with our strength, we can't do it. The tunnel is too deep."

He sighed and added, "If we really can't, we'll have to give up. We can't keep wasting time here. The Phong family will surely have strong cultivators arriving from either the inner circle or the Core Circle. By now, they might have even returned to their bases through the Heaven's Augury Pillar's transmission; though, the chances of this happening aren't high."

Gaining merit was not easy, and cultivators had many uses for it, making it rare for anyone to accumulate much.

This was something Lu Ye was well aware of. The Heaven's Augury Pillar itself possessed the ability to teleport. Cultivators could use the Alliance Sect's Heaven's Augury Pillar to teleport back to their sects, with the cost in merit varying by distance and cultivation level.

He had never tried it himself but knew that it required a significant expendure of merit.

Righteous Blood Sect and Sky Fiend Hall, and the Phong family at the Spirit Stream Realm tier, couldn't possibly have so few members; their stronger cultivators were all training in either the inner circle or the Core Circle.

Heard that their base had been occupied, they would certainly return, and at this moment, they were likely already on their way back.

If Righteous Blood Sect and Infinity Heights stayed here, it was most likely they would encounter a group of strong cultivators returning from the inner or Core Circle, and then the situation would become disadvantageous for us.

Not far away, Phong Yue listened carefully, pleased internally. Thinking this way was correct; they should leave quickly. As long as the people from Righteous Blood Sect and Infinity Heights withdrew, it would be a win-win situation for everyone.

Although the Phong family's base was occupied, their casualties weren't too severe. As long as they had people, they could rise again.

"I'm a bit unwilling to let this go," Lu Ye shook his head.

Ding Yushu chuckled, "It can't be helped."

"I'll think again."

After much effort to trap the Phong family's people here, it would be a pity to let them go. Saying this, he turned his head to look towards Phong Yue, who quickly lowered her head, appearing like a submissive daughter-in-law.

This woman... why is she so stubborn?

At that moment, Ding Yushu and Cao Huahong suddenly looked down at their battlefield markings, their expressions becoming grave simultaneously.

Cao Huahong called out lowly, "Brother."

"Got it," Ding Yushu responded, then looked at Lu Ye, "Brother Yiye, Infinity Heights is under attack; we have to leave!"

Lu Ye was surprised, "Who is attacking you?"

"Mount Shixiang!"

Lu Ye, familiar with the local powers' bases, momentarily recalled that Mount Shixiang was a force from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge bordering Infinity Heights to the north.

"Why would Mount Shixiang attack at this time..." Lu Ye's words trailed off as he quickly realized something and glanced towards Phong Yue.

Ding Yushu also looked coldly towards Phong Yue, "Clearly, someone has disclosed our movements!"

He quickly gathered his disciples and bowed to Lu Ye, saying, "If there's a chance next time, let's cooperate again, Brother Yiye."

"No hurry, we'll go together. If we can't kill those from the Phong family, killing those from Mount Shixiang is just the same!"

Ding Yushu was overjoyed, "That would be great!"

Lu Ye dashed into the crowd, grabbed Phong Yue by the collar, and amidst her shocked cries, tossed her onto Amber's back.

A few moments later, over a thousand cultivators from both sides rushed towards the base of Infinity Heights; the bustling entrance of the insect cave suddenly quieted down.

Riding on Amber's back, Phong Yue relaxed, not having anticipated that the seemingly insignificant move she made earlier would come into play at such a critical moment. Now that both Infinity Heights and Righteous Blood Sect's people had left, the Phong family members trapped in the insect cave were safe.

As she swayed on Amber, Phong Yue looked around to see if anyone was watching her and silently sent a message out, "Infinity Heights is being attacked by Mount Shixiang; both sects' cultivators are heading to Infinity Heights. You guys run fast!"

She didn't notice that Lu Ye was also secretly communicating with Ding Yushu.