Sage of Humanity

After a long conversation with Ji Yuan, Lu Ye understood many things, but it seemed he was also burdened with even more doubts, yet he couldn't quite grasp what exactly those doubts were.

While the two of them talked, Xianyuan Guards kept returning from outside, saluting Ji Yuan, then dived into the soul pool and disappeared from sight.

The Insect Race assault on the city had ended, and as Spiritual Bodies of Xianyuan City, they needed to enter the soul pool to hibernate and reduce their consumption.

Lu Ye saw several familiar faces, including Liu Sanbao, the Scholar and the Fortune Telling Blind Man.

As expected, these three were strong cultivators of the Divine Sea Realm, each commanding a Xianyuan Guard squad. When they saw Lu Ye, none of them showed much surprise because they already knew that, during this phase of the Insect Race attack on the city, there had been an outsider who performed quite well and whom Butcher had included in his squad.

Their gazes met briefly, and with a slight nod, they exchanged greetings.

Soon, another familiar face appeared, surprisingly it was Xi Wanying, holding her pipa.

The look in this woman's eyes toward Lu Ye was full of deep resentment, as if Lu Ye had committed an unspeakable atrocity against her. However, she always had that kind of mournful, pitiable expression, akin to an abandoned, homeless kitten. Yet anyone who underestimated her because of this would likely meet an unpleasant end.

Butcher had admitted himself that Xi Wanying's strength was greater than his, and his words implied that this woman was not very kind-hearted.

Therefore, upon seeing her, Lu Ye couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive, fearing she held a grudge over their last encounter and would seek retribution...

Fortunately, nothing of the sort happened. Xi Wanying merely glanced at Lu Ye before pulling her gaze away, and after leading her squad of Xianyuan Guards in saluting Ji Yuan, she walked into the soul pool.

Squads of Xianyuan Guards returned from outside and proceeded into the soul pool.

Butcher also returned with his team intact, Liu Datong, Yooi Qing, and other Spiritual Bodies who had fought shoulder to shoulder before, all were unharmed.

"Kid, you did well," Liu Datong said, patting Lu Ye's shoulder as the other Xianyuan Guards smiled at Lu Ye, their expressions filled with recognition and approval.

Lu Ye felt a sense of relief. Although he knew Spiritual Bodies of Xianyuan City would not die after seeing Butcher resurrected, it wasn't until he saw them with his own eyes that he was truly at ease.

Yooi Qing winked at Lu Ye and said sweetly, "Come back next time, little brother!"

Lu Ye chuckled, feeling as if her words carried a double meaning...

The Xianyuan Guards entered the soul pool one after another, submerging themselves.

Butcher turned to Lu Ye and said, "Kid, cultivate well. Perhaps the future of Xianyuan City..."

But before he could finish, Ji Yuan interrupted, "Butcher!"

Butcher changed his tune, patting Lu Ye's shoulder, "Regardless, striving to become stronger is the right way!"

Lu Ye nodded.

Butcher looked at the City Lord, "Lord, I will go in as well."

"Go," Ji Yuan said with a wave of his hand.

Butcher gave Lu Ye another look before he walked into the soul pool.

Lu Ye stared in the direction of the soul pool for a long time before suddenly asking, "City Lord, I should be able to enter Xianyuan City at any time now, but I can't perceive what's happening inside the city when I'm in the outside world. How can I find out the exact time when the Insect Race attacks again?"

Now, activating the power of the Breath Fruit Core, two doors appear in that special space. One is where Lu Ye used to hone himself, and the other leads to Xianyuan City, although the merit cost to open the two doors is vastly different.

In principle, Lu Ye could enter Xianyuan City at any time as long as he had enough merits.

This time, he had earned more than three hundred thousand battle merits, exchanged for over three hundred drops of soul water—his gains were substantial.

Lu Ye didn't know if he could obtain soul water again, as it was the foundation of Xianyuan City, but battle merits were definitely something he could gain more of.

He just needed to time his entry for the next Insect Race siege.

Moreover, when he returned next time, he would be stronger, making it easier to earn battle merits.

To him, Xianyuan City was like a secret realm tailor-made for grinding battle merits.

Ji Yuan shook his head, "We cannot predict when the Insect Race will siege the city. It could be once every year or two, or it might be several years. There's no pattern; it all depends on whether the insect hive has gathered enough strength. As for how to know the situation inside Xianyuan City... I have no way, unless you periodically come in to check."

Clearly, that was not feasible. Entering Xianyuan City cost ten thousand merit points each time; once or twice was manageable for Lu Ye but not sustainable over the long term.

Moreover, each Insect Race siege only lasted around ten days to half a month; if Lu Ye did not enter during that time, then all previous and subsequent checks would be futile.

To follow this method, Lu Ye might burn through a million merit points before coincidentally catching an Insect Race siege.

This was a frustrating thought.

During the Insect Race siege, Xianyuan City was an excellent battlefield for accruing battle merits. After this experience, Lu Ye also wanted to help alleviate some pressure on Xianyuan City during their sieges. Although he was alone and couldn't contribute much, Xianyuan City itself was made up of the combined strength of all its Xianyuan Guards.

"However..." Ji Yuan's voice took a turn, "as you are now half a member of Xianyuan City, having been included in Butcher's squad, you might have some perception when the Insect Race sieges the city next time."

Lu Ye was surprised, "I was included in Senior Butcher's squad?"

City Lord said, "Butcher brought you back earlier, and he said you were a member of his squad. I didn't refuse, so you are now a member of Butcher's squad." This was not simply a verbal recognition; in a way, Ji Yuan's will represented the will of the entire Xianyuan City. His recognition of Lu Ye's identity meant the entire Xianyuan City acknowledged it.

Apart from not having left his own psyche imprint in the soul pool and being unable to rely on the soul pool for immortality, Lu Ye was no different from the other Xianyuan Guards.

"Then why could I sense the Insect Race attacking the city?" Lu Ye asked, puzzled.

"You'll know when the time comes, and it's possible I could be wrong too," the City Lord replied.

Lu Ye then knew that this matter probably involved some indescribable secrets.

"So, my lord, how can I leave this place now?"

It was time to leave, now that the matters of Xianyuan City were resolved.

During his last visit to Xianyuan City, Lu Ye didn't have to worry about being trapped because, once the time limit expired, Xianyuan City would generate a repelling force to expel all cultivators who entered. However, this was not the opening of a secret realm, and he probably would not be treated the same way.

"Are you ready?" Ji Yuan suddenly asked.

"What?" Lu Ye turned his head just in time to see Ji Yuan slowly push out a palm towards him.

This palm held no power, but under its influence, Lu Ye felt as if the entire Xianyuan City was becoming incompatible with him.

The scenery around him rapidly receded, and Ji Yuan too distanced himself from him in an instant. He even saw the entire landscape of Xianyuan City in his field of view.

It was as though he was high in the sky, looking down on Xianyuan City.

Furthermore, the city below was shrinking at an incredibly fast rate, turning into dust in the blink of an eye.

Lu Ye immediately realized that as the City Lord of Xianyuan City, Ji Yuan had the ability to send him out of the city!

Ji Yuan's voice rang in his ear: "Your cultivation has not reached the Divine Sea Realm, and prolonged astral projection might lead to the incompatibility between your psyche and your flesh. When you return, remember to stabilize your psyche with soul water and rest for a few days."

The voice trailed off, fading away gradually.

Inside the city lord's estate, Lu Ye had disappeared, leaving only Ji Yuan alone.

The usually bustling Xianyuan City once again lapsed into silence. The next time it would become lively would probably be when the secret realm opened or when the Insect Race attacked.

In another direction, within a small courtyard, a red-dressed woman sat on a swing, gently swaying back and forth, with a white cat curled up at her feet, sleeping peacefully.

...

The sound of a somewhat familiar shouting voice reached his ears. The voice was tinged with a hint of panic and surprise.

Whose voice was that?

Lu Ye's mind was in chaos, and he couldn't immediately remember to whom this familiar voice belonged.

But subconsciously, he felt that the owner of this voice was extremely important to him—it was definitely an irreplaceable presence in his life!

He wanted to open his eyes, but he found that his eyelids were incredibly heavy and he just couldn't open them. He felt as if he was trapped in a nightmare.

Suddenly, he remembered who the voice belonged to.

Yiyi!

It was as though a door to sealed memories had been opened, and numerous thoughts surged through his mind. Gradually, Lu Ye understood his situation.

That's right, he had previously activated the power of the Breath Fruit Core, intending to enter the Mirage Scene to hone his skills, but ended up in Xianyuan City instead, and then the City Lord had sent him back.

But what was this feeling of disharmony?

He felt as though his entire being was covered by a thick layer of dust, making it difficult for his consciousness to transmit and to control the actions of his flesh.

Just like now, even the simple act of opening his eyes was beyond his reach.

In a daze, he recalled the last words spoken by the City Lord.

His cultivation had not reached the Divine Sea Realm, and prolonged separation of the psyche from the body could lead to incompatibility between the two. So, this was what it was like...

The actual situation was much more severe than he had imagined.

The current Lu Ye felt as though his psyche had entered an unfamiliar shell, fraught with discomfort.

Even with just a few days spent in Xianyuan City, such a condition had manifested. If too much time had passed, he even doubted that his returning psyche could blend back into its body.

Yiyi's voice resonated in his ears, calling out his name incessantly, her tone laced with sobs.

Amber's anxious footsteps could also be heard pacing restlessly nearby.

He had made them worried... Lu Ye didn't know how anxious Yiyi and Amber had been during his days in Xianyuan City, but from the current situation, it seemed that some issues arose with his body just as he entered the city.