Sage of Humanity-Chapter 1541 - 1539: Barghest
Outside the Tengu Star, many cultivators were stationed. These cultivators were either like Lih Shang, who did not belong to the combat cultivator faction and were excluded at the start of the trial, or like Duu Lang, who persisted inside for varying durations before ultimately being defeated and withdrawing.
However, even in defeat, due to the unique nature of the trial, almost all combat cultivators who participated had grown to varying extents. This growth was unrelated to their cultivation foundation but instead focused on their combat skills. In the trial, everyone realized many of their own shortcomings.
This kind of growth is invaluable because if these shortcomings were noticed during a battle with a formidable enemy, it could exact a significant cost. Now that the combat cultivators have realized their deficiencies, they naturally seek to amend and correct them.
The reason why cultivators from the four galaxies have not left is not simply to watch for amusement; there is also an implicit competition among them.
Everyone wants to see which galaxy's cultivators can persist the longest in this trial. This subtle contest has occurred several times over the past century, each time an opportunity presents itself.
As of now, all the people from Tranquil Moon and Beixuan galaxies have been eliminated. Those still within the Tengu Star include only Xu Dingyang from Indeterminate and Luo Shenzi from Daluo, with the ultimate victor bound to be one of these two.
Yet, regardless of who it is, even those from the Indeterminate Galaxy believe that Luo Shenzi should be able to persist longer. After all, the title of the strongest Constellation in the four galaxies isn't called out, but fought for.
Indeed, after a moment, a figure suddenly appeared, covered in blood, looking rather battered. It was none other than Xu Dingyang from Indeterminate.
Several Indeterminate cultivators rushed up to him, concernedly asking questions. Xu Dingyang shook his head with dimmed eyes, looked around, and, not seeing Luo Shenzi, his expression grew even more somber.
He knew that in this opportunity contest, he had lost once again.
After waiting for half a day more, Luo Shenzi appeared. Although he too looked battered, compared to Xu Dingyang's condition, it was undoubtedly much better.
A group of Daluo Galaxy's cultivators quickly stepped forward to offer congratulations. Luo Shenzi smiled slightly and exchanged pleasantries with them, then unintentionally looked over a certain spot in the stellar space, furrowing his brow as he asked, "That Fellow Daoist over there, hasn't come out yet?"
Upon hearing this, everyone looked toward the starboat where Duu Lang and Lih Shang were but indeed didn't spot Lu Ye.
Previously Luo Shenzi specifically went to say a few words to Lu Ye, which everyone saw, so they had some impression of Lu Ye.
But ultimately, Lu Ye was a stranger and not famous. Even if he hadn't emerged, no one paid much attention until now when Luo Shenzi asked, and everyone realized.
A Daluo cultivator spoke up, "It's no surprise he hasn't come out; he might have died in there."
Although the opportunity trial inside the Tengu Star itself wasn't lethal, there were star beasts inside, and also an escaped Moon Jade star beast. If one were unfortunate enough to encounter it, a Constellation cultivator would not have the means to withstand it.
Previously, not all cultivators who entered inside the Tengu Star returned safely; some unlucky ones met their end within it, though the number was not large.
Now, not seeing Lu Ye, everyone naturally thought that he was likely doomed.
Luo Shenzi said nothing but vaguely felt that such a person should not have died inside the Tengu Star. His innate insight allowed him to see things others could not, and he could roughly judge a cultivator's strength or weakness.
Otherwise, when he met Lu Ye, he wouldn't have proactively greeted him, as he had sensed a threat from Lu Ye, deeming him a Constellation whose strength was not inferior to his own.
If such a person died inside the Tengu Star, there could only be one possibility: inadvertently encountering that Moon Jade star beast and being killed.
Cultivators were waiting here to see who could persist until the end. Now that the result was out, they naturally had no interest in staying longer.
Moreover, such an opportunity could only be participated in once in a lifetime for every combat cultivator. Even if the opportunity were found again next time, they could no longer partake.
They all prepared to head back.
At this moment, another figure suddenly emerged, and instantly, all eyes from all directions focused there. Once they saw clearly, they all showed expressions of confusion, doubt, shock, and astonishment.
They all thought the last one standing was Luo Shenzi, but unexpectedly it wasn't! A guy they didn't know emerged to surpass Luo Shenzi.
The appearing Lu Ye had no idea what was happening. Sensing the attention from all sides, he raised his left hand slightly, resting it on the hilt of the Boulder Mountain Saber at his waist, gently rubbing it with his thumb, and slightly lowering his eyelids.
But he quickly realized that although all those people were looking at him, there was no malice or hostility, only curiosity and shock.
He frowned, flashed, and headed towards Lih Shang and Duu Lang, intending to meet them first.
"Fellow Daoist, hold on!" A voice came from behind.
Lu Ye turned to look, only to see Luo Shenzi break away from the crowd, floating over, and stop in front of him, gazing intently.
"What is it?" Lu Ye looked at him.
Luo Shenzi first saluted solemnly, "Fellow Daoist, I wish to duel with you!"
He was genuinely curious about how Lu Ye had managed to last longer than him. Although he acknowledged Lu Ye's strength, he believed he wouldn't lose to any cultivator of the same rank.
In these four galaxies, he had fought against every well-known Constellation and had never been defeated, which laid the foundation for his title as the strongest Constellation.
Originally, he thought it would be difficult to find a suitable opponent in these four galaxies, but unexpectedly, another one appeared today.
For Luo Shenzhi, how could he miss such an event? Competing with a strong opponent, especially one from the same combat cultivator faction, was something that made his blood boil with anticipation.
Lu Ye sized him up and didn't sense any malice, only a strong fighting spirit, and he roughly understood what this person was up to.
If he were truly a cultivator from these four galaxies, responding to this challenge wouldn't be a problem, but he was ultimately just a passerby and didn't want to cause any trouble.
Moreover, he had previously assessed Luo Shenzhi's strength and believed that entering the top one hundred of the Constellation Palace was no problem; getting into the top fifty might be difficult. He had defeated many like this at the Constellation Mid-Stage, and now that he was at the Constellation Late Stage, he had no interest in competing with Luo Shenzhi.
He simply replied indifferently, "No time!"
Luo Shenzhi quickly said, "Then when will you have time, Fellow Daoist? You choose the time and place, I have no problem!"
Lu Ye walked past him, waving a hand and said, "We'll see when I have time."
Luo Shenzhi called out behind him, "So it's settled then!"
The many cultivators from the four galaxies were dumbfounded. Although they knew Luo Shenzhi liked to battle strong opponents, it was rare to see him so impatient, and they couldn't understand why he was doing this.
Lu Ye lasted on Planet Tengu longer than Luo Shenzhi, an event witnessed by many, but that didn't necessarily mean his strength was as formidable.
Some Constellation Early Stage cultivators also lasted longer than those at the Constellation Late Stage; one couldn't simply conclude that the early stages were stronger.
After reuniting with Lih Shang, Lu Ye summoned his star beast and, with Lih Shang and Duu Lang in tow, dashed towards the depths of stellar space. In the coming period, he needed to traverse this desolate land, enter the Indeterminate Galaxy, and then cross the entire Indeterminate!
The road ahead was long.
After Lu Ye and his companions left, the cultivators gathered on Planet Tengu quickly dispersed as well.
Luo Shenzhi didn't leave but gazed in the direction Lu Ye departed, asking, "Zong Yun, didn't the Great Elder say he was planning to visit the Indeterminate World?"
A young man beside him replied, "The Great Elder did mention it. If we calculate the time, he should be preparing for it. You know, the Indeterminate and our Daluo are on friendly terms, and there are often interactions between us."
Luo Shenzhi nodded, turned around and said, "Let's go home!"
Even someone like Luo Shenzhi wouldn't recklessly charge into another Star System, but visiting with the elders of the sect would be a different matter.
He saw that Lu Ye had no intention to fight him, but he impatiently wanted to have a match with Lu Ye to see who was stronger. This visit with the Great Elder to the Indeterminate might give him the opportunity, and if not, he could always create one!
In any case, he was determined to have this battle.
On the starboat, Lu Ye sat cross-legged, having left the navigation to Duu Lang, who, being from the Indeterminate Galaxy, was naturally familiar with the routes.
The Boulder Mountain Saber lay horizontally across his lap, and Lu Ye gazed down at his saber, still finding it a bit hard to believe.
The scene in that azure hall was just too bizarre.
The figure identical to him had devoured the Boulder Mountain Saber, and at the time, he thought he had lost his treasured saber forever, feeling a wave of heartache and anger.
Who would have thought that after the figure melted, it would transform into the likeness of the Boulder Mountain Saber, looking exactly the same as his previous saber, without the slightest difference.
Yet he could clearly feel that the current Boulder Mountain Saber was entirely different from the previous one.
Barghest!
This was the information that came from the blade of the new Boulder Mountain Saber after he touched it, also the name of that shadow.
At this moment, calling it the Barghest Saber seemed more appropriate, although the two characters for Boulder Mountain still adorned the handle.
Barghest was a living entity, but not in the traditional sense, nor could it be considered a spirit; it was an exceedingly peculiar existence, so peculiar that Lu Ye had never heard of such a thing before.
While he was deep in thought, Lih Shang's audio transmission suddenly came to his ear: "Lu Yiye, the opportunity you encountered before might be from the Combat Race!"
Lu Ye was startled; he had only discovered its true identity after obtaining the Barghest, but Lih Shang, who hadn't participated in the trial, figured it out.
He turned to look at Lih Shang, who explained, "My Soul Race is a rare species, and the Combat Race even rarer, arguably one of the rarest species in this world, so my Soul Race knows a little about them."
