Sage of Humanity

The elder overseeing the relic, despite not being exceedingly powerful, is ultimately a Dao Fusion.

Those who have connections with him are likely also Dao Fusion.

A remarkable little girl... Lu Ye could only think of one person!

"What is her relation to the old gentleman?" Lu Ye looked ahead.

The elder smiled faintly, "I taught her for a period."

Lu Ye understood; teaching someone for a period means a great deal. One could say that even without the title of teacher and disciple, the reality is there. Cultivators value such matters.

Just as he was about to ask further, the elder continued, "When you were in trouble, she felt very guilty and worried, intending rescue. But you should know, in her position, a single action affects everything—she can't move easily."

"I understand." Lu Ye nodded.

Though Zi Ying is powerful, she is ultimately the governor of a base. Furthermore, in such a war zone, she cannot charge the insect hive alone—that's not rescuing, it's courting death.

Especially after Li Qi's betrayal, the situation of the human race battle alliance in Huang Quan's battle zone must not be good.

"The little girl asked me to pose you a question!"

Lu Ye noticed him stroking an authority waist tablet, likely transmitting the situation as they spoke. Given the distance, it's impossible for anyone in Huang Quan's battle zone to get here quickly, so it's entrusted to the elder to convey.

"Please speak, sir." Lu Ye's expression was solemn.

"She asks if you've ever done anything to betray the human race?"

"Never!" Lu Ye shook his head.

The elder quietly observed him, his gaze profound.

It took several breaths before he gave a warm smile, "You've been abducted for so long, yet suddenly appeared on Shaochong Battle Planet with a drastic increase in strength, cutting down both Blood Race and Insect Race Dao Fusions in mere days without harming human race cultivators. Honestly, I'm perplexed—are you now on the human race's side or the side of the Insect and Blood Races?"

"Is this her question as well?"

The elder shook his head, "This is my own curiosity."

"If I claim to be on the human race's side, would you believe me, sir?"

The elder didn't answer the question but said, "Therefore, she asks me to convey something: until you have secured the trust of the human race battle alliance, do not return. Every authority waist tablet is made using blood and a strand of Mental Consciousness, and all these leave behind records on the home planet. So, even if you disguise yourself, change your name, as soon as these details are revealed, the home planet will immediately know."

Lu Ye suddenly realized why he was exposed so quickly; he really didn't know about this.

"Please go, young friend," the elder gestured with his hand.

Lu Ye stopped pondering and stepped toward the altar. As he passed by the elder, he hesitated briefly but ultimately withdrew.

Standing on the altar, he activated Dao force, and as his figure vanished, only his voice reached the elder's ears, "Please let her know that I'm safe on the insect hive's side, and not to worry."

The elder continued to sit in place. After a lengthy period, he suddenly stood up and took a step onto the altar, activating Dao force, yet the altar showed no response.

He was somewhat baffled by what was happening.

From what he had gathered, Lu Ye was undoubtedly a Dao Fusion, but how he entered the relic remained a mystery, as this place historically permitted only those at the Beginner level.

Moreover, he had keenly observed that Lu Ye didn't perform any extra actions, merely activated Dao force to awaken the altar.

He tried the same but couldn't enter.

Utterly mystified...

Re-entering the relic, Lu Ye surveyed his surroundings.

What he saw was consistent with his previous experience entering the relic, yet he knew it was now a different path.

He proceeded forward quickly, arriving at the first grand hall where there was indeed an altar connecting to the outside.

Continuing onward, he reached the second grand hall, the deepest part of the relic, where he raised his gaze, his brow lifting.

The lifeless Jiu Ying statue was still there, but standing beneath it was a lone figure.

Seemingly aware of Lu Ye's arrival, the person turned and immediately revealed a joyful expression, striding forward, "Brother Lu!"

"Brother Yan?" Lu Ye was surprised, "Why are you... Were you waiting for me?"

"Exactly." Yan Hong halted a short distance from Lu Ye, "I knew Brother Lu would come again, so I've been waiting here."

"Just you?" He glanced around, not seeing any sign of others.

Primarily he wanted to ask if Huang Zhihuan had come along, but upon reflection, he realized he had a relationship with Yan Hong, but none with Huang Zhihuan. Plus, he injured Huang Zhihuan here the other day, so why would Huang Zhihuan dare to enter?

Yan Hong understood his implication, chuckling, "Brother Huang is preparing to advance to Dao Fusion, hence in seclusion."

After centuries dedicated to exploring relics, facing countless failures and injuries, ultimately the mystery remains unsolved.

Now that the relic is clearly cracked, there is naturally no need to linger at the beginner level.

"Ah, right!" Yan Hong suddenly remembered something and hurriedly handed a storage ring to Lu Ye.

"This is..." Lu Ye looked at him suspiciously, reached out to take the storage ring, and after slightly probing, his expression became strange.

Yan Hong said, "Brother Lu, the agreement between you and my Yan family has always been effective. This is the Dao bone from recent times. The family asked me to bring it in, to pass it to you if I encounter Brother Lu."

Back when Lu Ye handed the giant ant over to the Yan family, he gained quite a few benefits, including a monthly supply of Dao Bone before he advanced to Dao Fusion.

Not just the Yan family, but there was also a similar agreement on the side of the Military Affairs Office.

Before Lu Ye was abducted, these two parties never broke the agreement, but with the abduction of Lu Ye, this supply of Dao bones naturally ceased.

At this time, the Yan family even had Yan Hong specially deliver the Dao bones accumulated recently...

"What does Brother Yan want to know?" Lu Ye accepted the storage ring and asked. The quantity of Dao bones was quite substantial, being the accumulation of several months. He was naturally happy to accept them.

However, this should be the last batch of Dao bones he could receive from the Yan family because the condition of the agreement was that there would be a monthly supply of Dao bones before Lu Ye advanced to Dao Fusion.

Yet, after this incident, anyone would think Lu Ye had already advanced to Dao Fusion, and the previous agreement would naturally be void.

Yan Hong likely didn't know about those things before coming.

Yan Hong sighed, "Brother Lu, my apologies."

Considering his personal friendship with Lu Ye, he wouldn't want to make this trip, but he is ultimately a member of the Yan family, so he must come even if reluctant.

Luckily, Lu Ye was indifferent.

"Those old guys at home heard what happened before and knew the relic was cracked, so they want to entrust me to ask Brother Lu if you've discovered anything unusual here." He continued with a bitter smile, "I've already told them there's no way to leave the relic here, but..."

Even though there is constant war within Branlan, every side is continuously looking for a way to break free from this bind. The relic is the only hope in these countless years. If this hope is extinguished, then all these years of exploration and expectation would be meaningless.

So, even though Yan Hong already relayed Lu Ye's message on the day he returned, the Yan family members involved in Dao Fusion could hardly believe it, which is why they had him waiting here with many Dao bones in hopes of probing for more information.

"I understand." Lu Ye nodded, "But there really is no way to leave the relic within this large hall."

After witnessing Lu Ye's methods, Yan Hong dared to wait here for him without showing any signs of defense or vigil. It suggests Yan Hong genuinely considers Lu Ye a friend and subconsciously knows Lu Ye won't harm him.

If possible, Lu Ye doesn't want to deceive him, but the secrets here are too great. Not even to Yan Hong could Lu Ye disclose them.

As a disciple of the Yan family, certain matters were out of his hands. If he learned the secrets from Lu Ye's mouth and then kept them from his family, that would be disloyal.

This also was one of the reasons Lu Ye didn't want to return to the battle alliance side, as he already had suspicions of being a mole or traitor. Now that it involves the relic, returning to the battle alliance would mean immediate imprisonment.

He doesn't want to deceive Yan Hong and can only use the previous statement to change the concept.

"I trust Brother Lu!" Yan Hong might not be foolish, and he knows Lu Ye is hiding things from him. Regardless, during the waiting period, he discovered two large doors here that he couldn't budge and didn't know what was hidden behind them.

But he never asked, because he could feel that asking would only make Lu Ye embarrassed.

The family even urged him to inquire about any secrets Lu Ye discovered here. Even if there is no method to leave Branlan, there surely are other secrets hidden.

But he too never asked.

"Brother Yan, let's exchange communication imprints." Lu Ye took out his authority waist tablet.

He hadn't destroyed this waist tablet intentionally for this moment, as it is the only channel to make contact with the human race side.

Earlier, he wanted to exchange imprints with the elder guarding the relic entrance, but he was ultimately unfamiliar with him. Though the elder had a teacher-disciple relationship with Zi Ying, it didn't concern him.

Yan Hong was different, given their acquaintance, and he was trustworthy.

Since exchanging the imprint would make it convenient for future contact with anyone from the human race side, Yan Hong could act as the intermediary.

Yan Hong naturally had no objections. He was eager to re-establish contact with Lu Ye and immediately took out his waist tablet.

After exchanging imprints, Yan Hong said, "Brother Lu, rest assured, only heaven, earth, you, and I know about this — no third person will know."

Lu Ye smiled and said, "Brother Yan, the days are long. We will meet again if fate allows. This relic no longer needs exploration; better go back and prepare early to advance to Dao Fusion."

"Alright!" Yan Hong agreed.

A moment later, they parted ways.

It was only after leaving the relic that Yan Hong realized the various deeds he'd done recently, leaving him momentarily stunned.

Last time at the relic, Huang Zhihuan was no match for Lu Ye and fled injured. He merely thought Lu Ye had the help from the giant ant and thought nothing else.

But it was only today that he learned the truth.

"Brother Lu is Dao Fusion? And he killed two Dao Fusions from the Insect and Blood Races? This... how is this possible?"

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