Sage of Humanity

Before long, Lu Ye was shoveling food into his mouth in the small courtyard, while a fierce gray mist rose from the Talent Tree, indicating he would need to replenish its fuel soon.

Hua Ci sat opposite him, occasionally adding some food to his plate, while saying, "The glamorous world can blind one's eyes, best to nourish yourself well."

Lu Ye chose to ignore the comment.

"Where are Yiyi and Amber? I haven't seen them."

"They went back to the base." As Lu Ye responded, he removed two storage sacks from his waist and casually threw them on the table.

Picking them up, Hua Ci opened one and exclaimed in surprise, "There's so much stuff here, which sect did you rob this time?"

Each storage sack contained supplies from a 1st grade sect. The two storage sacks were worth a total of six hundred thousand merit points. Of course, if he were to sell these items to the Heaven's Augury treasure vault, their value would be at least halved.

Lu Ye gestured a circle with his hand: "Not a single one from the Core Circle got away."

Hua Ci didn't know whether to laugh or cry, "What did they do to provoke you?"

"It's a long story, better left untold."

There was no need to tell Hua Ci about how he had been surrounded in the hunting grounds and had been forced to use the Golden Body Token and even invoke the Heaven's Augury Pillar to break free, unnecessarily worrying her.

"I don't need these things for my cultivation..."

"If you don't need them, sell them for some merit. It will always come in handy on the Cloud River battlefield."

Hua Ci thought for a moment and nodded, "Alright then, I'll accept them."

"What's with that pool of poison?" Lu Ye asked offhandedly.

"That is the source of the deadly poison from the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest. I stumbled upon it and drew it out. This way, my cultivation efficiency is much higher than just refining the poison mist."

It was precisely because of her ability to refine the energy in that pool of water that the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest had reduced in size so quickly. The changes in Ten Thousand Poisons Forest had attracted the attention of many, but no one knew exactly what was happening. After all, at the Spirit Stream Realm level, apart from Lu Ye, no one else could safely enter and exit this place.

Curious, Lu Ye asked, "You're already at the 9th Heaven level, how can you still cultivate?"

The 9th Heaven was the peak of Spirit Stream Realm. At that level, unless one ascended to the Cloud River Realm, there was no way to continue cultivating further.

"I have my ways," Hua Ci said with a pursed smile.

"So you plan to refine all of this place's deadly poison before advancing to Cloud River?"

"Of course. Rarely is there such a conducive environment for cultivation. Naturally, I'll make good use of it. Is there a similar environment in the Cloud River battlefield?"

"I haven't paid much attention. I'll keep an eye out for you."

"If there are demonic pills from demon beasts, that would also work. Some demon beasts' demonic pills are deadly poisons."

"As for those, the Heaven's Augury treasure vault might have them. Once you ascend to Cloud River, you can buy some yourself. I'll also keep an eye out for you." Suddenly remembering something, he asked, "Have you challenged the Spirit Stream Ranking yet?"

Hua Ci playfully winked at him, "I've been at the top of the Spirit Stream Ranking for months now. Didn't you know?"

Lu Ye was incredibly astonished, "The top of the Spirit Stream Ranking? You?"

"Don't underestimate me!" Hua Ci waggled two fingers in front of him.

Hua Ci had the strength to challenge the Spirit Stream Ranking, of which Lu Ye was certain. Back in the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest, she had killed quite a few Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators, but the claim that she had been holding the top spot for months was somewhat surprising.

However, Hua Ci wouldn't joke with Lu Ye about such matters.

First, it had been Lu Yiye from the Righteous Blood Sect dominating the Spirit Stream Ranking for months, and now it was Hua Ci from the Righteous Blood Sect firmly at the top, and it seemed she intended to stay there for a long while.

Moreover, the persona Hua Ci presented to the outside world was still that of a healing cultivator...

Lu Ye was curious to know what the 9th Heaven cultivators on the Spirit Stream Ranking were feeling about it now.

Throughout history, healing cultivators rarely made it into the top fifty of the Spirit Stream Ranking, but Hua Ci went straight to the top.

But upon reflection, although Hua Ci was a healing cultivator, having received a complete inheritance, she was quite different from ordinary healing cultivators.

Most healing cultivators also practice some form of magic cultivation or other disciplines for self-protection. Hua Ci, however, did not practice other disciplines. Strictly speaking, she was a poison doctor.

Traditionally linked, the lines between medicine and poison are blurred, but Hua Ci's definition of a poison doctor was completely different. If she wished, she could even make her breath deadly toxic, not to mention physical contact.

With such a background, holding the top spot on the Spirit Stream Ranking was, of course, no problem. Those Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators who challenged her would often lose their wits to poison before even seeing her, forced to admit defeat and flee. After several such incidents, no one dared to challenge Hua Ci's position anymore.

The Ten Thousand Demons Ridge was even more curious now about the whereabouts of this healing cultivator from the Righteous Blood Sect, because so far, no one had seen her on the Spirit Stream battlefield; she hadn't even appeared in any sect's base.

For Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, while Lu Ye was indeed a nightmare, he at least made public appearances, stirring up trouble. However, Hua Ci was like an unsolvable riddle.

Looking over the entire Spirit Stream battlefield, in the recent year or two, Bingzhou's Righteous Blood Sect was like a mountain pressing down on all Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators' heads, so heavy that it was suffocating.

Having had his fill, Lu Ye stretched lazily, his face the picture of contentment.

While Hua Ci was cleaning up the bowls and chopsticks, she asked, "Are you leaving now?"

"Mhm. You should come to the Cloud River battlefield early, I'll wait for you there."

"All right."

"By the way, do you have any more of those Ten Thousand Poisons Pills you gave me last time?"

In certain specific environments, those things could unleash tremendous lethality. For instance, in the Ten Thousand Beasts Domain's secret realm last time, had Lu Ye not used the Ten Thousand Poisons Pill, it would have been impossible to deal with Niu Meng. Although that thing did not discriminate between friend or foe, if used correctly, it could also turn the tides of adversities.

"Yes, of course," Hua Ci responded, reaching into her bosom and producing a handful of green, body-warm Ten Thousand Poisons Pills.

Lu Ye's eyelids twitched at the sight. Looking at those dozen or so pills, he didn't stand on ceremony with Hua Ci and took three, stowing them away in his storage space.

"Take a few more, I can refine them anytime," Hua Ci urged.

"No need, having a few for self-defense is enough."

While he did not know what price Hua Ci had to pay to refine the Ten Thousand Poisons Pill, he was sure that they were not easily come by and naturally should not be squandered carelessly.

"I'm off then." Lu Ye turned around, waved goodbye, and summoned his spirit ark. Stepping onto it, spirit force surged, and he soared into the sky.

Hua Ci stood where she was, looking up and suddenly shouting with her hand cupped around her mouth, "Hubby, take care!"

On the spirit ark, Lu Ye nearly stumbled and fell, looking down he glared fiercely at Hua Ci, only to see her on the ground, laughing merrily.

As he watched Lu Ye's figure disappear, Hua Ci stretched lazily as well, her lovely and graceful silhouette revealed unquestionably. Once again, she would be starting her life alone, but after the past few months, she had grown accustomed to such a life and did not feel too much loneliness.

Nevertheless… she should still focus on her cultivation. Strive to completely refine the source of that deadly poison, and join him at the Cloud River battlefield at the earliest opportunity.

Being a healing cultivator herself, she could at least help him with healing injuries when by his side.

The sky was clear, the scenery picturesque, as Lu Ye sped along his way.

The journey was smooth sailing, from the Core Circle to the inner circle, then transferring to the outer circle, and finally returning to his station.

In truth, after emerging from the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest, he could have utilized the Heaven's Augury Pillars provided by the nearby Heaven's Augury Mercantile Union to teleport directly back to his station. However, that would have cost a considerable amount of merit.

Since he had nothing pressing recently and couldn't enter the Cloud River battlefield anyway, he decided not to spend that money.

Three days later, Lu Ye arrived at the Righteous Blood Sect's station. He had just entered the protective array when he heard the crisp cry of an eagle.

Looking towards the nearby spirit mountaintop, he saw a familiar figure standing there, gazing in his direction.

Little Gray had returned.

Lu Ye rode his Spiritual Artifact towards the spirit mountaintop, arriving at the eagle's nest he fed Little Gray with a few fish caught earlier from Moon Lake and played with it for a while.

After a moment, he entered the Heaven's Augury Hall.

Along the way, numerous disciples bowed respectfully to him, including those from within the sect and those from outside the sect who were there for training; even the fiery female cultivators actively approached him for a chat, their eyes filled with admiration as they looked at Lu Ye.

Having dismissed those cultivators, Lu Ye stood before the Heaven's Augury Pillar, placed his hand on it, and connected his mind with the Heaven's Augury treasure vault.

He intended to sell some items to the Heaven's Augury treasure vault to ensure he had enough merit on hand for his use.

From his recent dealings with Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, he had amassed goods worth between twenty and thirty million merit. Even if he sold everything to the Heaven's Augury treasure vault at half price, he could still earn over ten million merit.

But of course, Lu Ye would not sell everything.

Having enough merit on hand for immediate use was sufficient for him, and he would leave the rest to Second Senior Sister to ensure the development and operation of the sect.

Especially now that Second Senior Sister had reached Divine Sea Realm cultivation, the resources needed for cultivation were also incredibly vast.

As a cultivator in the Spirit Stream Realm, one could cultivate in the Spirit Stream battlefield, and upon reaching the Cloud River Realm, one could enter the Cloud River battlefield. But upon promotion to the True Lake Realm, there were no specific battlefields available.

Lu Ye was not entirely clear on how strong cultivators in the True Lake and Divine Sea Realms should cultivate, but it was said to be related to a sect's heritage—the stronger the heritage, the faster the cultivation for True Lake and Divine Sea levels.

Thus, across the Nine Provinces, those powerful sects had generations of formidable individuals emerging. In contrast, those weaker sects could only slowly accumulate and develop, waiting for the day when they would leap through the dragon gate.

Given Shui Yuan's aptitude, she was actually qualified for the Divine Sea level a long time ago, but until half a year ago, she was still only at Level 9 of the True Lake.

It wasn't that her aptitude was insufficient; rather, the Righteous Blood Sect had previously been in too much decline to support her cultivation with ample resources.

However, with Lu Ye's rise, the good days for the Righteous Blood Sect had arrived.

Back then, Lu Ye had roused an alliance under the banner of Haotian Alliance within the inner circle, waging battles in all directions until they forced Ten Thousand Demons Ridge to make concessions, contributing a batch of supplies that quelled the situation.