The Sect With Only One Person Left

Wuji Village wasn't far from here, and it was easy to find.

Even though autumn had arrived, large swathes of green vegetation still covered the rolling mountains of Ionia.

From a distance, the bare mountain, exposing the earth's color, was the location of Wuji Village.

The conspicuous feature meant Jia Ruo didn't need to ask anyone else for directions. He and Neeko arrived at the foot of the mountain before sunset.

I wonder if I can find him, that Wuji Sword Saint who could single-handedly resist a Noxian infantry regiment, Jia Ruo pondered. No matter what, I must become his disciple.

If only I could master the Wuji Sword Style...

Jia Ruo couldn't help but fantasize beautifully: He stood on the battlefield, facing a dense enemy army, drawing a long gash on the ground with surging sword energy, then saying to the enemies, "Those who cross the line, die."

The enemy soldiers would surely swarm forward, and then he would wield his long sword, fighting his way through the enemy ranks, seven times in and seven times out. Finally, as the enemy retreated in disarray, he would stand there in white, unstained by a single drop of blood, and recite a poem, like, "A lone rider breaks through the siege, his heroic spirit chills the enemy's heart."

How dashing that would be.

The crackling bonfire pulled Jia Ruo back to reality.

"What are you thinking about, Jia Ruo? You're practically drooling."

"Nothing. We'll head up the mountain first thing tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."

Neeko didn't know which island her hometown was on within Ionia. Jia Ruo suggested she ask the Wuji Sword Saint when they met. As a well-known hero from Ionia, he might know something, which would be better than her searching aimlessly.

"Neeko, you must ask the Sword Saint properly. He's so powerful, he'll definitely know!"

"Neeko, if we meet the Wuji Sword Saint, don't you dare try to pry into his soul. I can sense it even now, let alone a master like him. We mustn't offend him," Jia Ruo cautioned.

And so, the two, filled with hopeful anticipation for a beautiful future, curled up in a small shelter woven from plants, falling asleep nestled against each other.

In the early morning, a faint white mist lingered on the mountainside. The Sword Saint awoke from his meditation and slowly descended. He sensed two people approaching.

Before long, he saw a young man and a Vastaya climbing up the mountain path.

Since there were many Vastaya in Ionia, and humans got along well with them, Neeko hadn't transformed into anyone else as a disguise.

As the two drew closer, Yi smiled and nodded at them, just like an ordinary passerby.

He had always been approachable, and the nearby villagers didn't recognize him as the famous Wuji Sword Saint.

But the young man seemed very excited.

"Master Yi!"

When Jia Ruo saw this middle-aged man with a lean face, a goatee, a tall and slender build, and wearing silver-white soft armor with green trim, he was certain this had to be the Wuji Sword Saint.

Jia Ruo's heart was brimming with countless words, but he didn't know where to begin.

"I... I want to become your disciple. I have so much to tell you. I traveled through mountains and rivers, walked who knows how many roads, just to find you..."

"No need to rush, speak slowly."

Yi looked calmly at the young man. He might have seen him during the battle with Noxus. Though Yi rarely took off his helmet back then.

Organizing his thoughts, Jia Ruo began, "Actually, I'm from another world."

Then, Jia Ruo recounted his experiences one by one. To prove he wasn't a raving lunatic, he immediately continued, "I know everything about you. You're from Wuji Village on this mountain, you joined the Wuji Sect, and participated in the battle against Noxus. Noxus, in retaliation, also destroyed your hometown, leaving only you..."

Jia Ruo's voice gradually lowered. He realized he had been quite rude.

Yi's gaze remained as calm as ever. Even though Jia Ruo had revealed such a fantastical experience and Yi's true background, the Wuji Way he had cultivated for years had tempered his heart to be strong enough to remain unfazed at all times.

"You can stay by my side for now. I need to understand you." Whether he was truly an otherworldly visitor or someone who had uncovered his secrets and sought him out to learn, Yi didn't mind giving him a chance.

In fact, after the Wuji Sect was destroyed, as the last disciple of the Wuji Way, Yi was dedicated to the sect's legacy, using the Sevenfold Insight Goggles to search for qualified individuals and potential new disciples.

"Thank you, Master!" Jia Ruo was overjoyed and seized the opportunity, shamelessly calling him Master.

"I wonder if Master has accepted Wukong yet? If not, I'd still be his senior brother," Jia Ruo said casually.

He actually knew about Wukong, his disciple, the Symi Ape.

Perhaps he really is from beyond the heavens, Yi stroked his goatee, thinking.

"Wait a moment," Yi said, then vanished in a streak of light.

In less than fifteen minutes, Yi reappeared before Jia Ruo, holding a dull, lusterless saber.

"Do you recognize it?" Master Yi handed the saber over.

Jia Ruo took the saber. Its blade resembled a Tang saber, about three feet long, but it looked dull and gray, lacking any metallic sheen or sharpness.

But as Jia Ruo gripped the hilt, he could feel a powerful force rapidly awakening within the blade. Immediately, the grayness of the blade quickly receded, and a purple glow surged forth.

Jia Ruo swung it casually. Hiss! The blade let out a soft hum, and the purple glow expanded to its limit, condensing into cherry blossoms in the air it cut through, before gradually fading.

"You Meng!" Jia Ruo exclaimed.

He actually knew about this too. Yi watched the saber scattering a rain of flowers in Jia Ruo's hand, lost in memory.

Years ago, he inherited this broken saber named You Meng from his master. He had never understood the value of this broken saber. But his master, on his deathbed, had instructed him to keep it safe, predicting it was priceless.

During a meditation session years later, Yi vaguely sensed a power about to break free from the broken saber, but he could never sense the exact method to control it.

It wasn't until Wukong's appearance and their interactions that Yi suddenly had an inspiration. In a single thought, immense radiance erupted from the broken saber.

Yi believed only Wukong could wield this saber, so he intended to bestow it upon him. However, Wukong refused, preferring his enchanted staff named Doran.

Perhaps what this young man said is true, Yi thought. He clearly possessed the aptitude to practice the Wuji Way. After examining his character, the Wuji Sect might gain another successor.

"You can keep it for now," Yi said. "It looks quite nice, too."