Sage of Humanity

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The next day, outside the Spirit Stream battlefield, at the Righteous Blood Sect's encampment.

In the Council Hall, Lu Ye sat waiting. Moments later, two people stepped inside and, upon reaching Lu Ye, bowed together: "Fifth Senior Brother."

Lu Ye put down his teacup and looked at the two familiar faces, two of the earliest disciples to join the Righteous Blood Sect.

However, due to their background as independent cultivators with limited aptitude, even after so much time, their cultivation had not increased much. Now one was at Level 7 realm, while the other was at Level 6.

Even so, their current situation was far better than their wild aspirations when they were independent cultivators. When they joined the Righteous Blood Sect, they were only at Level 3-4 realms and thought they could at most cultivate to Levels 7-8 in their lifetime. But now, it seemed they could look forward to an even brighter future.

The Righteous Blood Sect's encampment provided a nourishing environment for cultivation, and the resources for cultivation were exceedingly abundant. Therefore, even the original independent cultivators had grown beyond their natural potentials.

Lu Ye looked at the one at Level 7 realm: "Duan Yi!"

"Present."

"Transfer your Deputy Governor authority to Cheng Mu."

Cheng Mu was the cultivator at Level 6.

"Yes."

Duan Yi complied, asking for Heaven's Augury to transfer his Deputy Governor authority along with the Deputy Governor seal to Cheng Mu.

After he was done, Lu Ye then handed over the Governor authority and the big seal to Duan Yi.

With this, the Level 7 realm Duan Yi became the Governor, and the Level 6 realm Cheng Mu became the Deputy.

Choosing Cheng Mu as the Deputy was not Lu Ye's own idea, but a comprehensive decision after consulting with Second Senior Sister the previous night.

As the Righteous Blood Sect's new generation of disciples was still growing and couldn't yet bear the main responsibilities, the Governor and Deputy had to be chosen from among the very first group of disciples who pledged their loyalty.

Although Duan Yi and Cheng Mu did not have significant aptitude, they were steady people and handled affairs appropriately. In the current Righteous Blood Sect encampment, their abilities were still considered respectable.

The reason for not choosing another cultivator at Level 7 as the Deputy was mainly due to the close proximity of advancing to Level 8. Once they reached Level 8, they would have to leave the encampment.

Choosing someone at Level 6 meant they could stay longer at the encampment. By the time Cheng Mu advanced to Level 7 realm, Duan Yi would almost be ready to leave, making Cheng Mu the perfect person to take over.

"When Gu Yang took over as Deputy Governor, I told him that besides managing the encampment well, he should also look for the next candidates for Governor and Deputy. I have the same message for you two. In the future, the encampment here will require much of your effort."

"We will not let the sect and Fifth Senior Brother down," both stated together.

Lu Ye nodded slightly, "Go, cultivate earnestly. Do not preoccupy yourselves with matters of aptitude and talent. Your future is not limited to the outskirts of the battlefield."

After the two left, Lu Ye exited the Council Hall, used weapon control to rise into the air, and arrived at a nearby spirit mountaintop. Little Gray flapped its wings and approached. Lu Ye took out a Blood Red Trout from his storage sack to feed it. Little Gray gobbled them up one by one, clearly enjoying them as if they were mere bugs.

Lu Ye stroked its tail feathers and said, "When Big Senior Brother left the Spirit Stream battleground, he asked you to protect our sect's encampment. Now, our sect has gone through the hardest of times. The days ahead will only get better, and if you wish to leave, you are free to do so anytime. You don't have to keep guard here anymore. Of course, if you want to come back, you're always welcome. And if you'd like to stay, that's even better."

Little Gray, being an Overlord-class demon beast, undoubtedly understood human emotions, so Lu Ye knew it could understand his words.

The Righteous Blood Sect had been in decline for thirty years, and Little Gray had guarded the encampment for as long. Even when there was not a single disciple left, it remained faithful to Big Senior Brother's last command and never left. The once young eagle had grown into an Overlord-class existence over the years.

But it was a soaring eagle at heart, yearning for freedom and the sky. Therefore, Lu Ye thought it was time to offer it a greater opportunity for freedom and choice.

As for what Little Gray would choose, that was entirely its own matter.

A while later, Lu Ye took off into the sky using weapon control, rapidly disappearing from sight.

Sometime after, a clear eagle's cry rang out. The many disciples of the Righteous Blood Sect looked up to see Little Gray soaring away with powerful wingbeats, gradually moving further into the distance.

Traveling swiftly eastward.

Five days later, Lu Ye passed a remarkably flat mountain peak and descended.

This peak appeared so unusual, as if some peerless strongman had sliced off the top of the spirit mountaintop with a single blow—leaving the surface as flat and polished as a mirror.

On that peak, dark bloodstains still lingered, evidence of a fierce battle that had taken place there.

Golden Light Peak!

Back then, with his Spirit Stream Level 5 cultivation, he fought forty-three battles in a row here, slaughtering numerous cultivators from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge at Level 6, ultimately fighting for a chance at survival for himself.

This was where Lu Ye made his name.

It was also where the legend began.

It's been nearly two years now!

How time flies!

In two years, from Spirit Stream Level 5 to the 9th Heaven level, his pace of cultivation had been very fast. Only those born into the top sects with exceptional talent and aptitude could hope to compete with Lu Ye.

Rumor had it that Golden Light Peak hid a fortuitous opportunity because the terrain had been carved out by a powerful swordsman, leaving the essence of his saber skills behind.

Yet Lu Ye had not felt anything special here.

He continued on his journey, moving steadily forward.

A day later, he passed a spirit mountaintop, and below was a valley.

It was here that, riding Amber, he had once roared, "Lu Ye is here!"

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In that valley, Lann Yudie and the cultivators of the Beidou Sect were blocking the pursuers from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge for him, fighting bitterly in a bath of blood…

He continued on his way, following the same path he had trodden two years earlier.

Back then, how weak he was, riding Amber, with Yiyi accompanying him as he departed from Qingyun Mountain. Clutching a ten-part map, he headed towards the Righteous Blood Sect's territory, facing trials and tribulations along the way.

Yet two years later, he could traverse in one day the distance that previously took a month or two to complete.

Now, he had grown into an existence at the level of an Overlord.

His emotions surged.

The sky in the outer circle was very calm, unlike the core circle, where, when flying by means of weapon control, one would occasionally encounter other cultivators doing the same.

The cultivators in the outer circle were not highly skilled in their cultivation; they lacked even the means to fly on weapons, so how could they bump into anyone?

Departing from the territory of the Righteous Blood Sect, it took Lu Ye a full ten days to arrive at a sect of the Haotian Alliance.

The ten-part map showed that this place was Mount Qingyu.

Nearby were two other forces from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, one was the Tailuo Sect, and the other was the Qin family.

At the junction of the three forces was Hundred Peaks Mountain, with a total of one hundred peaks. Over the last two years or so, Lu Ye had slain many from the Tailuo Sect and the Qin family there.

Soaring down outside the Mount Qingyu territory, Lu Ye scrutinized the protective array before him.

The reaction of the sects in the outer circle was much poorer than those in the core circle. When Lu Ye appeared at the sects in the core circle, he was detected almost instantly, which then led to chaos.

But when he came to the territory of Mount Qingyu, none of the cultivators there noticed him.

It was only after a long while that a cultivator passing by saw Lu Ye standing outside the big array and immediately became vigilant.

Just as Lu Ye was about to announce himself, he suddenly frowned; a premonition from Heaven's Augury descended upon him.

The baptism of Heaven's Augury's favour had arrived!

This was the fourth baptism he had undergone since topping the Spirit Stream Ranking. Based on his previous experience and estimation, this baptism wouldn't be of much use to him anymore.

Not resisting, he let the Augury lead him. His vision shifted quickly, and he soon found himself in the Heaven's Augury Pond.

Indeed, as Lu Ye had predicted, despite the spirit mist inside the Heaven's Augury Pond being as dense as ever, it was no longer of much benefit to him. Not only him, but Yiyi and Amber were the same.

They had reached their limit!

In other words, even if Lu Ye continued to stay in the Spirit Stream Realm, he wouldn't gain any more benefits. He had already accumulated all that was to be accumulated, and the time had come to ascend to Cloud River.

Meanwhile, within the territory of Mount Qingyu, the cultivator who had seen Lu Ye called over a group of people, including Su Zining, the Governor of Mount Qingyu.

"Where is the person?" Su Zining's gaze swept over the area without catching a glimpse of anyone.

"He was just here a moment ago, and then he suddenly vanished," explained the cultivator who had seen Lu Ye, pointing to a spot.

"Suddenly vanished?" Su Zining frowned. "Could it be a ghost cultivator?"

Only a ghost cultivator would possess the skill to vanish so suddenly.

"Did you get a clear view of his cultivation level?" Su Zining asked again.

"No, he disappeared too quickly."

Su Zining's expression grew solemn: "Spread the word for disciples in the sect to remain on alert. Report immediately if there are any suspicious individuals or activities."

Not sure of the stranger's identity or intent, Su Zining naturally prepared for the worst.

The crowd acknowledged the orders, and the several hundred cultivators of Mount Qingyu instantly went into battle-ready mode.

Lu Ye hadn't expected his appearance to make Mount Qingyu so cautious; the timing was just too coincidental. He hadn't been at the territory of Mount Qingyu for long before the favour of Heaven's Augury arrived.

Half a Shichen later, Lu Ye reappeared outside the Mount Qingyu territory, right where he had vanished earlier.

Immediately sensing people looking at him, he looked up to see several cultivators staring his way, one of whom shouted, "Who goes there?"

Lu Ye looked at the people: "Lu Ye of the Righteous Blood Sect here to visit!"

Mount Qingyu was a sect of the Haotian Alliance, so naturally, he wouldn't trespass on their territory lightly. Besides, Mount Qingyu did treat him with some kindness.

"Lu Ye of the Righteous Blood Sect?" One cultivator furrowed his brow, feeling the name sounded terribly familiar, yet couldn't recall where he had heard it.

Lu Ye had been causing a stir in the core circle recently, and prior to that, in the inner circle, which meant that recent rumors about him in the outer circle were scarce. This led the cultivators in the outer circle to not immediately recognize his name.

But very soon, that person remembered and pointed at Lu Ye with trembling fingers: "You are that… You are Lu Yiye from the Spirit Stream Ranking!"

Everyone knew of Lu Yiye, but who knew anything about Lu Ye?

"Yes!"

The group of cultivators became visibly excited. Someone hurriedly ran in to make a report.

The living top of the Spirit Stream Ranking—how often did cultivators from the outer circle get to see such a figure? And for many from the sects of the Haotian Alliance, Lu Yiye of the Righteous Blood Sect had already become a symbol of invincibility.

Furthermore, titles like "Lu Ye the Sect Destroyer" and the "Three Calamities of Spirit Stream" were not something an ordinary person could ever carve out for themselves.

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