Sage of Humanity

Sword cultivators were among the most extreme group of combat cultivators, known by the world as Sword Madmen. It can be said that every true sword cultivator was capable of defeating enemies beyond their own level.

Take the Beixuan Sword Sect of Bingzhou, for example. This sect actually didn't have many members compared to other 1st grade sects, possessing only about one-third or even fewer of the cultivators of other sects, due to their very strict recruitment criteria.

But every member of the Beixuan Sword Sect was a sword cultivator. They dedicated their lives solely to the sword, and thus, despite their small numbers, they consistently secured a position among the top ten 1st grade sects.

Among the nearly a hundred 1st grade sects on the Nine Provinces continent, if one were to say which 1st grade sect was the most formidable, it would undoubtedly be the Beixuan Sword Sect. Even other 1st grade sects would not dare to provoke them lightly.

The saying, "Eight hundred sword cultivators descend from Mount Tian," was not merely an expression but a reality that had occurred.

Li Baxian had a complex background. In his youth, he was a disciple of the Righteous Blood Sect, later switching to the Loyal Heart Sect. He also had the opportunity to endure years of rigorous training at the Beixuan Sword Sect, hence he had a very good relationship with them.

The sword master of the Beixuan Sword Sect even personally visited the Loyal Heart Sect, intending to take Li Baxian as his disciple, but was refused. However, this shows how highly the sword master regarded Li Baxian.

Although he wasn't taken as a disciple, the sword master generously imparted all he could to Li Baxian, except for some secret sword techniques of the sect that could not be passed on due to ancestral rules.

Li Baxian did not disappoint. In the first year after advancing to Level 9, he defeated that year's leader of the Spirit Stream Ranking.

If his spiritual orifice hadn't been damaged, he would have reached the Cloud River Realm or even the True Lake Realm by now.

After lingering in the Spirit Stream Realm for over a decade, unable to advance his realm, his enigmatic swordsmanship had made incredible progress. Continue your journey with empire

In the realm of Spirit Stream, as far as swordsmanship was concerned, he acknowledged himself as second best, and no one dared claim first, not even those stiff and dry cultivators from the Beixuan Sword Sect, who would respectfully address him as Master Uncle Li.

That was the confidence that placed him in the tenth position in the Spirit Stream Level 8.

At that moment, this renowned battlefield sword cultivator burst forth alone with his sword, sending shivers through the cultivators of the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge.

Weh Ying was indeed powerful, but she forcefully entered the Spirit Stream battlefield with the cultivation of the True Lake Realm. The more she killed, the more dense the Soul-Destroying Divine Lightning wrapped around her became. If she dared to kill another two or three people, she would inevitably be devoured by the Divine Lightning.

Even with her True Lake Realm foundation, she could not escape death.

This was also why the cultivators of the Sacred Fire Order repeatedly provoked her. Facing Weh Ying's assaults, several of those cultivators did not even resist, clearly adopting an attitude that allowed her to kill them because the Sacred Fire Order wanted to eliminate the threat of Weh Ying sooner.

But Li Baxian was different. This fellow was a genuine Spirit Stream Level 8 cultivator, and killing did not carry any penalties for him.

Many cultivators from the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge were panic-stricken, but Li Baxian turned around, revealing a sunny smile, "Which one is the junior brother?"

There was no need to wait for an answer. Lu Ye's conspicuous features of Level 5 cultivation, surrounded by the members of the Haotian Alliance, were too apparent.

Their eyes met, and Li Baxian said, "I am your fourth senior brother!"

"Greetings to the fourth senior brother!" Lu Ye saluted, thinking that the Righteous Blood Sect had not just Weh Ying as a senior sister but Li Baxian as the fourth senior brother, hinting that there were surely a second and third senior brother above him.

"Good." Li Baxian nodded with a smile, "The old man finally became enlightened and began to accept disciples, commendable!"

He then turned to look at Weh Ying, complaining, "Sister, you didn't even mention such a big event. If it hadn't been for Yuechan telling me, I wouldn't have known we got a new junior brother."

"The old man forbade it." Weh Ying explained.

"His damn temper!" Li Baxian snorted lightly, leapt lightly from his longsword, drew it out, his lips curling into a smile that left countless female cultivators infatuated. It must be said, this fourth senior brother truly possessed an extremely handsome and dashing appearance.

"Seeing junior brother today brings me great comfort. I didn't prepare any gift, so let's kill a few people to brighten your spirits!"

With that, he gently shook the sword in his hand, transforming it into gleaming sword light that streaked away like thunder, weaving through the enemy ranks.

"Be careful!" someone shouted.

"Ah!" someone else screamed.

As the sword light began its rampage, the camp of the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge was thrown into chaos, the sizzle of flesh being cut by a sharp weapon incessant. Spirit force became disrupted, each cultivator hurriedly mobilized power to resist or dodge. However, the sword light was unimaginably fast and sharp, disassembling anyone in its path.

The flames of life dwindled, and blood flowed like rivers.

In an instant, more than twenty people horrifically died under the sword light, and it was only the beginning.

A strong cultivator from the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge bravely charged at Li Baxian, thinking it an opportunity to kill him, for sword cultivators are most vulnerable during sword control.

The person was also a sword cultivator, but he didn't opt for sword control, instead charging directly at Li Baxian, his longsword flickering a curtain of sword flashes toward him.

Lu Ye, watching anxiously, saw his fourth senior brother remain calm, even leisurely catching a wine gourd for a sip.

As the curtain of swords enveloped him, he spat out a tiny sword flash from his mouth.

Despite its small size, the sword flash contained terrifying power, instantly piercing through the curtain of swords, entering through the chest of the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivator, and exiting from the back.

That man stood frozen before Li Baxian, his eyes filling with disbelief.

"You think you're worthy of using a sword?" Li Baxian's face was icy cold.

The sharp sword flashes that killed the man did not disappear. Instead, like the first sword that flew out, they transformed into streaks of flowing light, weaving back and forth, large and small, causing more casualties among the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators.

"Don't kill all the merit earners," Weh Ying suddenly spoke up to remind him. Although Li Baxian was only at Level 8, he actually had the foundation of Level 9, and he had cultivated a Heaven Rank technique to reach Level 9.

According to the rules of the Spirit Stream battlefield, he at least needed to kill those ordinary Level 9s, who had cultivated Earth-class techniques, to avoid penalties in merit. If he killed a Level 8 who cultivated an Earth-class technique, his merits would certainly be deducted due to the vast difference in cultivation levels.

The cultivators' merits were hard-earned and extremely valuable; no one would squander them lightly.

Li Baxian, having killed so many people, would definitely have a significant deduction in his merits.

"I have my measures," Li Baxian responded and, with a raise of his hand, the two streaks of light flew back—one into the wine gourd and the other he caught in his hand.

The slaughter had stopped; the ground was covered with the stench of blood and scattered limbs and flesh.

Surrounded by the crowd in the center, Lu Ye watched with surging emotions.

That his own eldest martial sister was so fierce was one thing, but to see that this Fourth Senior Martial Brother was also this formidable made him wonder... what kind of mythical sect was the Righteous Blood Sect?

Although he wasn't out of danger, he smiled, feeling immensely relieved.

The feeling of having someone at your back is truly wonderful!

He suddenly remembered what Lann Yudie had told him earlier; she mentioned that someone had already set out and that as long as he could coordinate with that person, keeping him alive wouldn't be a problem.

Previously, Lu Ye didn't know who she was referring to, but now he knew.

The person she referred to was Li Baxian!

"Quick, take Junior Martial Brother away!" urged Weh Ying.

Li Baxian shook his head, "It's no use, someone has been waiting here for me." If it had been possible, he would have taken Lu Ye away when he first arrived. Under the current circumstances, it was crucial to send Lu Ye to the Cangming Mountain stronghold; killing people was secondary.

Had Li Baxian not sensed his old rival's aura lurking nearby, would he engage in such meaningless acts?

He killed so many Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators. Was it really just to boost Lu Ye's spirits? His main goal was to alleviate some pressure for his own side, even if it meant losing a lot of merits.

The person arrived earlier than him, but he had not shown himself because Weh Ying was there. If he dared to show himself, Weh Ying would slay him immediately.

"I could smell that stench from you from miles away, come out now!" Li Baxian suddenly turned his head to look in one direction and with a downward slash of his longsword, a sword flash struck towards that area.

The cultivators from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge hurriedly dodged, but still, a few were killed, yet the sharp sword flash was destroyed by a long saber!

Behind the long saber, a young man with disheveled hair and a tight band around his head stared at Li Baxian with cold, fierce eyes, as ferocious as a starving wolf.

"Yanh Xing!" a cultivator from the Haotian Alliance recognized the newcomer and exclaimed in shock.

In the Nine Provinces continent, there was a saying about the southern sabers and the northern swords. Northern swords referred to the Beixuan Sword Sect of Bingzhou, while southern sabers referred to the Mad Saber Sect of Dingzhou.

Both these sects were 1st grade and full of talented individuals.

Historically, saber practitioners looked down on sword practitioners, and sword practitioners scorned those who practiced the saber. The two despised each other no matter how you looked at it. Although these two sects were not located in the same province, their bases on the Spirit Stream battlefield were adjacent, leading to frequent conflicts.

Years of grievances had accumulated, with countless disciples from both sects killed or injured, resulting in a sworn enmity with both sides aiming to completely eradicate the other.

Yanh Xing came from the Mad Saber Sect and ranked even higher than Li Baxian on the Spirit Stream Ranking, occupying the second position.

Not to mention the rankings on the Spirit Stream Ranking, Yanh Xing had a personal vendetta against Li Baxian.

Years ago when Li Baxian was cultivating at the Beixuan Sword Sect, he participated in an operation against the Mad Saber Sect. During that battle, Li Baxian killed a woman.

That woman was Yanh Xing's childhood sweetheart...

Since then, Yanh Xing had sworn to kill Li Baxian, to avenge his woman.

The battle where Li Baxian's spiritual orifice was damaged was also his doing, yet unfortunately, that battle did not end conclusively, allowing Li Baxian to escape a fatal fate.

With his spiritual orifice damaged, Li Baxian was unable to advance to the Cloud River Realm, costing him over a decade.

Yanh Xing, like Feng Yuechan, deliberately stalled his advancement, staying on the Spirit Stream battlefield just to personally kill Li Baxian.

The strong members of various big sects on the Spirit Stream Ranking felt bitter about this, as both the first and second ranks were held up due to Li Baxian, leaving them only able to hold the third spot...

As time passed, those strong cultivators stopped caring about this matter. Anyone who could advance to the Cloud River would do so as soon as possible, eager to leave this place of constant strife.

Unfortunately, over the years, Li Baxian had never given Yanh Xing a chance since he had mostly stayed near Eagle Flight Rock at the Loyal Heart Sect's headquarters, seldom venturing out.