Humanity’s Great Sage

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Despite having an escape plan thought out, Lu Ye could still not shake off his pursuers. There was just no chance for him to construct another Teleportation Ward. 

He attempted to construct Glyph: Void in mid-air, hoping to establish a magical connection with a distant Transportation Ward. If successful, this would instantly warp him out of his current location and transport him directly to the faraway Teleportation Ward through eldritch means.

But that was easier said than done; constructing Glyph: Void indeed was a formidable challenge for Lu Ye. Unlike the Glyphs he could easily obtain from his Tree of Glyphs, mastering Glyph: Void required starting from scratch and rigorous practice. As he hadn’t fully grasped its conjuration yet, he couldn’t wield it as effortlessly as his other Glyphs.

The Glyph was incredibly complex, consisting of over three thousand Yin-Yang pairs. Even if Lu Ye was given a chance to construct it,  the attempt would still take quite some time, on top of the prevalent risk of failure. 

At his current condition of fleeing for his life and his Spiritual Power wavering violently like a ship in a storm, there literally was no opening available for such a perplexing task. 

After several attempts, he reluctantly gave up. 

All of a sudden, he sensed a powerful surge of Spiritual Power coming from below him. A colossal energy blast shot skyward from below him, trying to swallow him whole. 

Lu Ye’s skin went as taut as a bowstring as a dreadful chill snaked down his spine. 

He instinctively twisted himself at an angle that even he would have thought impossible, narrowly the magical attack.

But the enemy clearly wasn’t going to let him regain his composure. More spells screamed at him. Lu Ye looked closely. It was a Ninth-Order Spell Cultivator who had been lying in ambush below him, waiting for the opportune moment to strike when he passed from above. 

He had to have been in contact with at least one of the two pursuers, or else, such a well-coordinated ambush should have been impossible!

As the numerous magical spells flooded his sight, as he felt the sheer destruction about to befall him, Lu Ye could only manage a helpless and despondent sigh. 

[This is it… I’ve reached my limit!]

The hail of spells bore down on Lu Ye, drowning him in blast’s fury. 

The Spell Cultivator and the pair of pursuers could barely contain their excitement at the sight of success. 

Especially the two pursuers, who had experienced firsthand the sheer speed and prowess of their quarry. If it weren’t for the ambush laid ahead, they might still be struggling to catch up to Lu Ye.

Now, with Lu Ye overwhelmed by the onslaught of spells, they were confident that no Third-Order could survive such an excess of destruction. He could very well be dead.

This somehow worried them, for if Lu Ye were reduced to dust and bones, they would have no evidence for them to claim their prize. 

Just as a myriad of doubts raced through their minds, at the heart of the still-raging aftermath of the magical onslaught, a dazzling golden light burst forth revealing a still-living Lu Ye.

“That’s impossible!” cried the Spell Cultivator who initiated the attack from below in shock. He could think of no way a Third-Order could survive such a fierce and inordinate assault by a Ninth-Order. Lu Ye should have been gravely injured, if not slain outright! Yet, to their disbelief, Lu Ye, amidst that golden radiance now covering every inch of his skin, emerged unscathed.

[What on earth is that golden light?! A Golden Body Talisman Paper?!]

But even a Golden Body Talisman Paper did not have such potency to fully negate such a substantial amount of damage. This completely defied all his understanding.

Seeing Lu Ye still charging forward like a destrier bolting across a plain, the Spell Cultivator took off to join the chase. Regardless of what that golden light was, he couldn’t let Lu Ye escape.

The pursuit intensified. As soon as their distances closed, the Spell Cultivator unleashed his spells once more. 

Lu Ye did his best to evade the hails of attacks raining down on him. But he just couldn’t escape the devastating precision of the spells that struck him and he tumbled through the air uncontrollably like a rocking barrel.

It was all the Ninth-Order Spell Cultivator could do while his eyelids twitched involuntarily with disbelief. Despite being battered again and again and his body tossing about listlessly in the air, Lu Ye remained enveloped in that shimmering golden light, not showing the slightest trace of injury. 

[This is no ordinary Golden Body Talisman!] the Spell Cultivator mused.

[Its protection is far too formidable for a mere Talisman!]

“Bring him down, don’t let him escape again!” a voice echoed from behind. It was the other Ninth-Order elite—one of the pair of pursuers from earlier—who was catching up. The Spell Cultivator nodded, immediately joining up with the newcomer, exerting even relentless pressure on Lu Ye.

Wrapped in golden light, Lu Ye tumbled and shook about wildly like a die in a cup. Despite his desperate efforts he struggled to avoid their onslaught. The spells hammered on him, eliciting ripples spreading across and intermeshing upon the surface of the aureate aura that shielded him, all without inflicting the slightest harm, yet leaving him careening through the air uncontrollably.

That spoke volumes as to the overwhelmingly potent protection granted by the Golden Body Talisman that each attack, despite being deadly and precise, had failed to do anything more than just alter his trajectory.

“Get down!” 

Lu Ye’s mind was still swimming through the midst of dizziness when a furious shout rang out from above. A flash of light swept by, a Spiritual Power bolt that pounded at him, causing him to jerk involuntarily before he plummeted like a meteor from the heavens.

Lu Ye slammed heavily into the ground with a resounding crash. The impact split open the earth, leaving a deep crater in the ground.

Lu Ye hastily scrambled to his feet, only to find three figures hovering in mid-air over him, circling him menacingly. The first was the Spell Cultivator who had tried to ambush him earlier and the other two were the Thousand Demon Ridge elites who had been pursuing him all the way here, both Combat Cultivators. One of them wielded a long-bladed saber that emanated a sharp and fierce aura. 

The one who had knocked him out of the sky was most likely the one with the saber. 

As he rose to his feet, the trio recommenced their assault—barrages of spells, etheric energy bolts fired from weapons, and the shimmering sparkles of flying weapons came crashing down on him. 

The innumerable series of impacts smashed unforgivingly into Lu Ye’s figure, tossing him up into the air with his limbs flung into a chaotic ballet of anguish and disarray. 

Like a puppet severed from its strings, he danced an unwilling performance as he soared through the air, disoriented and unable to regain control. 

By the time the attacks had found their mark and what residual dregs of Spiritual Power around settled, he once again fell to the ground.

“That’s the Golden Body Token!” exclaimed the Combat Cultivator wielding a blade, his eyes twitching involuntarily with apparent surprise.

Even with the combined onslaught of three elite Cultivators—two Ninth-Orders and one Eighth-Order—, nothing had managed to penetrate the golden aura’s protection, let alone inflict any harm upon Lu Ye. That this had to be the protection accorded by the extremely rare and absurdly potent Golden Body Token was unmistakable.  

Nothing else was capable of offering such inexplicably unyielding and sturdy defense. As a divine protection that even Divine Ocean Realm Cultivators could barely defeat unless its allotted time was up, the three Cloud River Realm elites could practically do nothing but stare helplessly.

“That’s the Golden Body Token?” the Spell Cultivator gasped with disbelief, his heart wrenching at the sight of the aureate luminescence. 

Indeed, the Golden Body Token was such an immensely precious item that many would deem it synonymous with an extra lease of life. For such an invaluable item to have fallen into the lap of a mere Third-Order and he had even used it! 

Had they known Lu Ye possessed such a valuable treasure, they would have chosen a more discreet and lethal method of attack, ensuring a swift and fatal strike. But the die had been cast and all regrets were too late. 

[Where did this fellow get the Golden Body Token?!] 

[How could his luck be so outrageously good!?] 

As the two discussed furtively, Lu Ye rose to his feet once again, glancing around with a bitter taste in his mouth. He might have survived, but he still couldn’t escape. 

“Don’t even think of running. You’re not getting out of this,” warned the Spell Cultivator. They might not be able to harm Lu Ye, not with the Golden Body Token protecting Lu Ye, but they could still restrict his movements. 

The protection of the Golden Body Token was not without its limits; once its time was up, Lu Ye would be dead.

As far as the trio was concerned, Lu Yi Ye was nothing more than a sheep ready for the slaughter—escaping was impossible. The only question was when. When would they be able to put him to the sword?

“You know what? I won’t,” Lu Ye declared. He sat cross-legged on the ground and extracted some Spirit Pills. The long and arduous escape had greatly depleted much of his Spiritual Power. Before he could do anything else, replenishing his power was the first and foremost thing to do.

The Thousand Demon Ridge trio did not even try to stop him. After all, there really was nothing they could do. 

Seconds ticked by as minutes turned into hours. The trio barely took their eyes off him at all, afraid that he might be up to something. But there Lu Ye sat, moving not an inch while he never stopped stuffing Spirit Pills into his mouth. 

Within moments, Lu Ye had consumed nearly ten Spirit Pills, much to the astonishment of the three enemies. 

While many Cultivators used Spirit Pills to replenish themselves, more often than not, most relied on Spirit Stones instead. Swallowing too many pills within a short span of time could lead to a heightened risk of toxicity from the pills accumulating in their bodies, thereby affecting their own cultivation progress. The buildup of toxic residues would require a long period of healing and recuperation. 

However, considering that Lu Ye could meet his end at any moment, it was understandable that he had little regard for anything else.

Suddenly, Lu Ye opened his eyes. He glanced at the three enemy elites and spoke, “The rewards offered by the various sects and orders of the Thousand Demon Ridge for my head should be substantial enough for all of you to last a lifetime. Congratulations.”

The enemy Cultivators showed no intent to respond to that cryptic message. But the saber-toting Combat Cultivator shot a glare at Lu Ye, his stare alert and wary.

“What a pity though,” an undeterred Lu Ye continued, “Your plan to divide the reward equally among yourselves will be dashed. In just a short while, another burst of light will erupt from me and reveal my position to everyone nearby. I’m sure many—which I’m sure will number in the hundreds or even thousands—will flock here quickly. So, here’s the big question: who will be the one who cast the fatal blow on me? How will the spoils be divided then? With so many people, even if the rewards are rich and huge enough, once it’s split among everyone, there won’t be much left for each individual.”

The trio furrowed their brows as they listened to Lu Ye’s words. 

It was true. Despite their silence, the three enemy Cultivators had been communicating with each other secretly about this exact matter. 

They were aware of the fact that unless the effectiveness of the Golden Body Token wore off prematurely, Lu Ye’s location would inevitably be exposed to everyone else. 

But they knew that the eldritch protection of the Golden Body Token could remain operating for a very, very long duration.

And what Lu Ye had just said was the worst possible scenario that was very likely to occur. 

“What are you saying?” asked the Spell Cultivator deeply. 

“You three have defeated me, I have no complaints about that. If I were to die by you three, so be it. That’s what you deserve for your skills. However, I would feel somewhat resentful if not insulted if I were to die at the hands of a lesser Cultivator. Therefore, I don’t wish for too many people to come here,” Lu Ye explained calmly. Then, his tone shifted, “As it happens, I am quite well-versed in ward casting. So if you’re inclined, I might be able to construct a concealing ward that might be able to mask the commotion that will happen later. Maybe this will help to prevent others from discovering me.”

The Eighth-Order showed a hint of interest, “And you expect us to believe that you’re as helpful as that?” 

Lu Ye responded indifferently, “I might not be a Cloud River Realm elite, but I’m still a figure of certain renown myself. If I must die, then I’d rather not have too many people witness my death. Of course, whether you believe it or not is up to you. Whether I set up the ward or not is also your decision.”

The Combat Cultivator with a saber turned to glance at the Spell Cultivator, “I seem to remember that you’ve practiced ward-casting before, Liu. Is it possible to build a concealing ward as he said?”

Lu Ye’s eyes twitched when he heard that. The Spell Cultivator named Liu responded calmly, “Yes, it’s possible.”

Lu Ye was left speechless; his plan had been foiled. 

He had hoped that if the three of them agreed to his proposition it would allow him to build a Teleportation Ward right under their noses. Then, before they even realized what was going on, he could escape in the blink of an eye.

Yet of all things, the Spell Cultivator was also trained in ward-casting!

What terrible luck!

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