Sage of Humanity

During the Dragon Spring Meet, clashes between cultivators from the three major powers often took the form of small-scale skirmishes by small squads.

In the past, there had been attempts at large-scale battles, where an area was designated and all cultivators from all sides were thrown into the region for a fierce fight to the death.

But after trying this twice, all parties were reluctant to continue.

The reason was that in such battles, each side suffered huge losses, and the costs were disproportionate to the benefits.

Small squad skirmishes were different; casualties could be effectively controlled, and the mountain defense cultivators, upon sensing the tide turning against them, could withdraw and preserve their strength.

There were three types of squads: one was the defense team, stationed at various peaks to fend off incoming enemies.

Another was the assault team, which took the initiative to strike and seize the enemy's mountaintops.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

There was also a hunting team, roaming about, seizing any opportunity that arose, and if the chance was right, they would coordinate with the assault team to launch an attack.

Lu Ye was part of a hunting team.

There were only five people in the team, but each had impressive cultivation levels. Besides Xie Jin, who was from the Level 5 realm, the other three were all from Level 4.

Since the hunting team was most likely to engage in combat with the enemy, their cultivation requirements were relatively high.

Not only that, all five of them had mounts, granting them significant mobility.

Before dawn, Lu Ye gathered with Xie Jin and the others, got to know each other a little—the team consisted of four men and one woman. To Lu Ye's chagrin, the woman who had tried to ambush him the previous night was also there, her eyes shining whenever she saw Lu Ye, frequently throwing him flirtatious glances.

The woman, named Qiao Qiao'er, was an independent cultivator who had been recruited; she was bold in personality and dressed quite daringly.

The other two were named Song Xie and Tao Tiangang. Tao Tiangang was a disciple from Mount Qingyu sect headquarters, while Song Xie was also an independent cultivator who had been recruited.

Originally, there was another Level 4 cultivator from the Qing Yu sect in this team, but he had been killed a few days ago, and Lu Ye was brought in to fill the gap.

The mounts of the team members varied, with some riding wolves, others leopards, and one a giant wild boar. The most outrageous was Song Xie's mount, a huge scorpion with a body the size of a tabletop shining with a metallic luster, and its raised tail sparkled with a cold light that looked menacing, making one wonder how Song Xie managed to subdue such a monster.

Song Xie himself looked sickly, with greenish skin and an expression as if on the brink of death, leading Lu Ye to wonder if the man was going to collapse at any moment.

In the wilderness, silence enveloped the surroundings as the five riders stood by in silence, each closing their eyes to rest and regulate their breath.

In less than the time it took an incense stick to burn, Xie Jin suddenly spoke out, "Let's move!"

Four sets of eyes opened at once, and with a quick leap, they mounted their steeds and followed Xie Jin in a set direction.

On one of the peaks ahead, a group of Qing Yu sect cultivators were resisting an attack by the Qin family cultivators, creating a tense situation. Initially, the Qin family was just watching the fray, but after Han Zheyue lost his temper, Qin Wanli had no choice but to mobilize his own forces to join the attack and put pressure on Qing Yu sect.

It was the task of Xie Jin's five-member hunting team to collaborate with their sect's mountain defense cultivators in flanking attacks against the people from the Qin family, showcasing the powerful mobility of the hunting team.

However, they hadn't gone far when Xie Jin suddenly shouted, "Face the enemy!"

The enemy's hunting team had also set out, heading straight toward them. It wouldn't be long before the two teams met.

Moments later, the silhouettes of enemy cultivators riding various demon beasts could be faintly seen maneuvering nimbly through the forest, quickly closing the distance between the two sides.

Xie Jin led the charge with Lu Ye and Qiao Qiao'er flanking left and right, while Song Xie and Tao Tiangang brought up the rear. The team, in a V-formation, surged forward.

When they were about thirty yards apart, spirit force began to surge. Whether it was a mutual understanding or sheer coincidence, Xie Jin and the leading cultivator from the enemy's Level 5 unleashed a Golden Wheel Talisman each. As the Spirit Talismans were activated, golden arcs slashed toward the opposite side.

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The sharp strikes felled trees and gouged the ground with slash marks as both sets of cultivators dodged and weaved through the attacks.

By the time the power of the Spirit Talismans was exhausted, the cultivators met head-on. Long whips unfurled from each team, crackling with spirit light—surely they were Spiritual Artifacts.

The whips entwined, and as both parties exerted force, they were pulled from their mounts simultaneously. At one end of a whip, Qiao Qiao'er looked disdainfully at an enemy Level 4 cultivator, "What kind of man uses a whip? Disgusting!"

The cultivator didn't respond with words but shook his whip free from the entanglement and lashed fiercely toward Qiao Qiao'er, who was no less determined. They instantly clashed fiercely, even their mounts began biting and tearing at each other.

While those two fought fiercely, everyone else was busy, too. In the blink of an eye, at least six people from both squads were knocked off their mounts.

The cultivators weren't really accustomed to fighting while riding their mounts, as the primary purpose of mounts was transportation, followed by assisting in battle; it was difficult to unleash their full strength while mounted.

Lu Ye dismounted as well, but he did so intentionally. During the head-on clash, he had managed to slash down an enemy Level 4 cultivator, who, though not injured, ended up in a rather sorry state.

Struggling to his feet, Lu Ye had already rushed over with his knife, slashing towards the man's neck.

The man reacted quickly, raising his Spiritual Artifact to block, but the slash didn't completely fall, as the long knife stopped in front of the opponent's Spiritual Artifact.

Spirit force surged, and the man suddenly looked up, only to see Lu Ye raising his hand toward him, with a pale red glow emanating from his palm.

The sound of flapping wings rang out as a fat bird appeared out of nowhere, crashing into the cultivator's chest.

With a boom, the spirit force exploded with a scorching heat spreading all around, and the cultivator screamed as he was sent flying, his chest a mess of blood and flesh.

Bright knife light flashed before his eyes, filling the man with terror. He quickly mobilized his protective spirit force, yet he only felt a slight pain in his neck before his vision began to tilt.

Lu Ye had already sheathed his knife, realizing that with magic and spells as support, killing the enemy was much easier than before. In the past, even if he could kill a cultivator at the Level 4 realm, it would take a good while, as cultivators are not fish on a chopping board to be sliced as one wishes—they wield weapons too, capable of blocking fatal strikes.

But with a Dao technique cast, unless the opponent used some defensive Spirit Talisman, it was difficult to block, allowing Lu Ye to slice as he pleased when the enemy's mind was in disarray.

Almost in a blink of an eye, a cultivator of the Level 4 realm fell under his blade, while the battles of others had barely begun. Lu Ye's fight had already ended.

He pressed his legs and dashed within a few steps to the nearest battlefield, where Xie Jin was locking horns fiercely with a Level 5 realm cultivator from the enemy side.

Both were combat cultivators and had dismounted at the first moment of clash to fight in close quarters. However, their strengths were evenly matched, which made it hard to determine a winner.

Suddenly, a chill crept up the back of the Level 5 cultivator. As the fierce wind struck, he quickly ducked his head. His scalp felt a coolness as strands of hair flew into the air, his scalp having been sliced off a piece.

When he raised his head again, he finally saw clearly who was attacking him, and not far away, another one of his clansmen lay in a pool of blood.

His mind shook violently—was someone already dead?

Suddenly recalling the message he'd received earlier, he stared at Lu Ye in horror, "It's you?"

He finally remembered—that two days ago, a guy single-handedly broke through Tailuo Sect's territory, apparently riding a snow-white big tiger.

It was said that more than a dozen people died there, including one from the Level 5 realm.

The Qin family hadn't previously had contact with Lu Ye, which is why they hadn't recognized him.

Xie Jin was already tough to deal with, and now another fierce felon had joined the fray. How could he possibly be his match? He immediately thought about retreating.

Yet, wanting to retreat at this moment was easier said than done. Lu Ye, joining forces with Xie Jin, unleashed a fierce assault that pushed the Level 5 cultivator back at every turn, leaving him wide open within a mere ten breaths' time.

Lu Ye, swift and agile, delivered a slash. The long knife gleamed with spirit light, enhanced by spirit runes. As the blade fell, the man was gutted, screaming out as he collapsed to the ground.

Xie Jin's longsword flickered, piercing through the opponent's wrist and severing his tendons.

With a clang, the weapon hit the ground, and Lu Ye's long knife, flipping in motion, thrust downwards, stabbing into the opponent's heart.

Pulling out his blade, blood gushed forth. The next instant, Lu Ye and Xie Jin split up, each darting toward the left and right, where two other battles raged intensely.

Lu Ye pounced towards Qiao Qiao'er's battlefield. She and the male cultivator were swirling their long whips in thrilling fashion, sparks of spirit light constantly flickering on them. Qiao Qiao'er's face had been whipped, leaving one side of her cheek severely swollen with a very visible lash mark. Her opponent didn't fare much better, and it was unclear what injury he'd sustained.

At the moment, he stood in a strange posture, clenching his legs together with a face pale as paper.

Seeing that their side had already lost two people, and the strongest among them at the Level 5 realm was dead, the male cultivator knew his time was short. Barely enduring Qiao Qiao'er's whip, his skin splitting and flesh tearing, he quickly fumbled in his storage sack for a Spirit Talisman to throw at her.

The Spirit Talisman exploded, transforming into three radiating slashes that instantly struck at Qiao Qiao'er's face.

Qiao Qiao'er tried to dodge but couldn't avoid them completely. Frantically retreating, she reached for a Golden Body Talisman from her own storage sack. Just then, a figure suddenly leaped in front of her, and a shield-like object with flickering spirit light appeared in front.

Thud, thud, thud… The three slashes fell but couldn't shake the shield at all.

With the crisis averted, Qiao Qiao'er blinked up at the figure standing before her and smiled, but the injury on her face made her smile appear rather ghastly and ferocious.

The rumbling sound of impact was heard as a wild boar, with the momentum of a charge, barreled towards them. The male cultivator, just hit by Qiao Qiao'er's whip and already battered, was unable to avoid it.

Thump, the boar sent the male cultivator flying, its tusks ripping off a chunk of flesh. By the time he hit the ground, the Level 4 cultivator had breathed his last.

With a whip crack, Qiao Qiao'er's angry whip exploded the man's head open like a smashed watermelon.

On the other side, Song Xie's coughing could be heard. Near him, the giant scorpion's stinger impaled a person, lifted high in the air. The man was not yet dead and struggled violently, his blood and viscera falling continuously, presenting a bloody scene.