Sage of Humanity-Chapter 700 - 698: Heading North

The three Overlords, who have inherited their legacy since a thousand years ago, signify that those three families once had cultivators in the Divine Sea Realm and the True Lake Realm.

They also possessed the secrets to breaking through the shackles of the Cloud River Realm.

That's something other sects in the Soaring Dragon World do not have.

But even for the cultivators of these three sects, ever since the emergence of Sky Ravine, their cultivation has been declining generation after generation.

Li Sa of the Imperial Heaven Sect reached the peak of the Cloud River Realm and the brink of the Transformation Realm over two hundred years ago. He had been comprehending the secrets of the True Lake for many years, striving not just for himself but also seeking a path for the cultivation world of the Soaring Dragon World. But ultimately, he fell short.

As of today, his lifespan has come to an end, and he has forcibly succumbed to sitting meditation until his death, a cause for immense grief. News of his demise has shaken all the major sects in the Soaring Dragon World.

"Elder Li Sa is gone; that Monk Fahua from Vajra Temple probably won't last much longer either," someone sighed sorrowfully.

In terms of age, Monk Fahua was even older than Li Sa. He was someone who had actually witnessed the might of a True Lake Realm cultivator. When he was born, there were True Lake Realm cultivators in the Soaring Dragon World.

The reason he lived longer than Li Sa was mainly because the cultivation technique of Vajra Temple focuses on tempering the body, which, with robust blood Qi, tends to extend one's lifespan a bit more.

However, it seems he too is approaching his end.

The passing of such elderly predecessors is not just a temporary loss for the cultivation world; it also represents the fading foundation of the Soaring Dragon World.

The Imperial Heaven Sect had such a person, Vajra Temple had such a person, and Haoran Academy also had such individuals. It's truly sad for cultivators to reach the end of their path, limited by heaven and earth, without having reached their own limits.

If the Soaring Dragon World continues to undergo such strange changes, perhaps one day there will no longer be any cultivators.

"To Elder Li Sa!" someone stood up, holding a cup of wine, and bowed deeply in the direction of the Imperial Heaven Sect, pouring the wine onto the ground.

"To Elder Li Sa!" others followed suit, and for a time, the mood in the tavern turned heavy.

Setting other things aside, just the fact that he sat in meditation for two hundred years trying to find a future path for the cultivation world of the Soaring Dragon World is enough to command deep respect, even though he ultimately failed.

The heavy mood didn't last long as the cultivators' hearts were largely open-minded. With someone's voice breaking the silence, the once somber tavern became lively again.

"Have you heard? Half a month ago, Tyrannical Saber Villa in Fengzhou was breached. Ye Ying was killed, and the entire Ye family, from old to young, was nearly wiped out. What a tragedy," someone said.

"Who did it?" someone asked.

"That's not very clear, but it is said to be the handiwork of the God's Will Sect."

"They've always had grievances with each other, so it's not surprising that the God's Will Sect made a move. It's just a pity that the Tyrannical Saber Technique might be lost to the world now that the Ye family is gone," someone lamented.

The topic suddenly shifted to Tyrannical Saber Villa. Lu Ye quietly listened while Ye Liuli showed little reaction.

From what they heard, people only knew that Tyrannical Saber Villa was destroyed, but were unaware that he, Ye Liu, and Ye Liuli, were still alive; nor did they know that God's Will Sect had suffered heavy losses there, with the death of Vice Sect Leader Pang Wanhai and two other elders.

This was not surprising since God's Will Sect had more enemies than just Tyrannical Saber Villa. With such a heavy loss this time, they naturally would not make a big fuss about it. Lu Ye certainly had no intention of spreading the news, and so these events were temporarily concealed.

The cultivators chatted about topics far and wide, the conversation rapidly changing as these sorts of idle talks were mostly not their personal experiences. They just treated them as talking points.

After they finished talking about Tyrannical Saber Villa, they moved on to mention a recent natural phenomenon in Nanzhou, suggesting the emergence of a Divine Weapon, which led to countless cultivators fighting violently, turning rivers to blood. It was said that even Haoran Academy was alerted by this event.

Ultimately, no one knew whose hands that emerging Divine Weapon had fallen into.

Then they talked about some unusual activities near the far north Sky Ravine in recent years, where someone claimed to have seen tumbling shadows...

Rumors about Sky Ravine have never ceased since it mysteriously appeared in the Soaring Dragon World eight hundred years ago.

The changes in the Soaring Dragon World began with the sudden appearance of Sky Ravine. Over eight hundred years, the upper limit for cultivators has declined from Divine Sea to True Lake, and now to Cloud River, as if the spiritual essence of the entire world has been draining away with the appearance of Sky Ravine.

Although Sky Ravine has been around for eight hundred years, lying across the northern sky without major changes, it has attracted countless cultivators to go and gaze at it, giving rise to a force called the Sky Ravine Sect.

The headquarters of Sky Ravine Sect, located not far from Sky Ravine, amidst the snow-covered lands of Xuezhou, is where its cultivators all believe in one truth: Sky Ravine is a gift from heaven. Comprehending its secrets can help cultivators find the path beyond Cloud River.

Most cultivators in the Soaring Dragon World scoff at this belief, yet numerous cultivators who reached their limits see it as an opportunity to try and understand the mysteries hidden within Sky Ravine.

Because of this view, Sky Ravine Sect is a mix of all kinds of cultivators, but it's undeniable that the sect is filled with powerful individuals, many of whom are aging Cloud River Level 9 cultivators. Some even believe that in terms of foundation, Sky Ravine Sect is now on par with the other three Overlords.

While the cultivators in the tavern continued their animated discussions, Lu Ye had already paid for his food and drinks. He left with Yiyi and Ye Liuli through the northern city gate, summoned the spirit ark, and continued heading north.

...

In midair, a streak of light flitted across at high speed, a shuttle-shaped Flying Spirit Artifact. Atop the artifact, a short man sat cross-legged, his complexion pale as paper. Judging by the fluctuations of his aura, he was surprisingly a Cloud River Level 9 cultivator.

But the man seemed to have suffered a grievous injury; his aura was extremely weak, and as he flew, he would occasionally expel a mouthful of Blood Water. The Flying Spirit Artifact would wobble perilously, almost as if it might fall out of the sky.

"Damn it all! Damn it all!" the man spat out the blood, cursing through clenched teeth.

He never anticipated that what he thought was an enormous opportunity would turn out to be such a disaster for himself; it was not a chance at all, it was a sinister ghost demanding his life!

Several times, he considered discarding the treasure he had risked his life to obtain from the fires, for it was that very item that had caused his current state.

But each time he took it out, intending to throw it away, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

After all, despite its peril, he could truly sense the terrifying power contained within; a power that certainly could not be wielded by a cultivator of the Cloud River Realm.

It was indeed a miraculous treasure. How could he just throw it away willingly?

These days, he had searched far and wide for well-known healing cultivators, but not a single one was able to alleviate his injuries.

Now, he was left with only one hope.

The Medicine Valley of Xuezhou, Little Miracle Healer.

He headed north!

...

In the Imperial Heaven Sect, the atmosphere had grown somber over the past few days. The death of Li Sa was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the sect. Cultivators, by nature, are open-minded, and life and death are commonplace to them. They would not go to the extent of wearing hemp and filial piety for the death of one individual, nor were there any grand funeral ceremonies. Some of the higher-ups in the sect discreetly placed Li Sa's body in a hidden location to rest in peace.

Over the past few days, Huang Liang, the current Sect Master of the Imperial Heaven Sect, had been busy with this matter. It wasn't until today that he finally finished.

Stepping out from the mausoleum where Li Sa's body was placed, Huang Liang softly said, "I'll be setting off now. I leave everything in the sect to all of you."

Vice Sect Master Kui Yuanshan replied, "Sect Master, allow me to make the trip instead."

The other high-ranking cultivators also volunteered one after another.

No one knew why Huang Liang suddenly wanted to visit the Sky Ravine.

Huang Liang shook his head, "I will only be at ease if I see it with my own eyes."

He did not say much more.

At the time of Li Sa's passing, he had been by his side because, in terms of status, he was Li Sa's direct disciple.

At that moment, Li Sa had already felt that his time was nearing its end and had some last words to pass on.

But, as he was imparting his last words, he suddenly froze, staring towards the north with a look of terror in his eyes, and subsequently breathed his last.

Recalling the scene of that day, Huang Liang faintly felt that at the brink of life, his master must have seen something.

To the north, only an entity like Sky Ravine could have caught the attention of his master. Therefore, after taking care of Li Sa's affairs, Huang Liang decided to visit the Sky Ravine to see for himself.

He wanted to know what his master saw before his death.

With those words, he summoned his Spiritual Artifact and soared into the sky.

...

Vajra Temple resounded with the chanting of sutras and the crisp sound of the wooden fish, befitting the grand solemnity of a sect with a thousand-year legacy.

In the most secluded forbidden land of Vajra Temple, a young novice monk was sweeping the fallen leaves when he suddenly sensed something and looked up, startled.

Before him, a gaunt figure had appeared out of nowhere. The figure was so emaciated that he seemed to be nothing more than skin and bones, with heavily wrinkled and blemished skin, but his eyes shone bright like stars.

This shadowy figure had appeared without notice and now stood before the young monk, silently gazing towards the north, furrowing his brow as two long, snowy eyebrows trembled.

"Ancestor... Master?" The young novice monk finally recognized the identity of this figure and hastily bowed in respect.

This was none other than Monk Fahua, who had been sitting in meditation in the forbidden land of Vajra Temple for three hundred years. The young novice monk had never seen him before, but who else could appear in the forbidden land if not the master of the temple?

But by the time the young novice monk looked up again, there was no one in sight.

The frail old man who had just been before his eyes had vanished.

"Have I... seen a ghost?" The young novice monk gasped, his face draining of color. He hurriedly dropped his broom and ran outside, crying out, "There's a ghost! There's a ghost!"

In no time, a group of burly monks arrived in response, each robust and full of vitality.

After a thorough search, they confirmed that their master had disappeared.

The monks were baffled; none could comprehend why their master had left retreat so silently nor where he had gone.