Sage of Humanity

``` Time flew, and three days later, at the high platform in front of Heaven's Augury Hall at the Righteous Blood Sect's residence, Lu Ye was sitting cross-legged. A few dozen yards from the platform, in all directions, were cultivators who had come to witness the ceremony. Shadows of people filled the sky and the earth. These Spirit Stream Realm level cultivators might not understand much about Heaven's Augury Bestowment, but the older generation knew that among their generation of cultivators, Lu Yiye of the Righteous Blood Sect was highly likely to receive the Heaven's Augury Bestowment during his ascension to Cloud River. Because along his path of cultivation, the enemies Lu Ye killed were mostly of higher cultivation levels. Under the orders of the older generation, the younger generation of cultivators would gather at the Righteous Blood Sect's residence. Nobody knew how much benefit a cultivator could gain from Heaven's Augury Bestowment, but no one wanted to miss the opportunity to witness it. Even if they had miscalculated and Lu Ye did not receive the Heaven's Augury Bestowment, having the younger generation of cultivators come was not a big loss; at worst, they would have wasted a few days of cultivation time. It wasn't often that so many Core Circle cultivators gathered in one place, allowing them to get acquainted with one another and broaden their horizons. This in itself was a good thing. Despite the large crowd, the entire residence was silent. Up on the high platform, Lu Ye felt quite some pressure. He was only advancing to Cloud River, yet it had attracted so many people to come and watch the event. He suddenly realized that in the Spirit Stream battlefield, he had unconsciously gained such immense influence. Considering what his Second Senior Sister had told him before he left the sect's headquarters, he didn't need to worry about the Heaven's Augury Bestowment. If it came, that would naturally be for the best; if not, then there was no need to force it, and a burden was lifted from his shoulders. The nine Minor Circumambulation cycles within his body gradually came to a stop under his control, and his cultivation level plummeted from the 9th Heaven level. Until all his spirit force condensed within his spiritual orifices, without the slightest movement anymore. He had seen Giant Armor ascend to Cloud River in the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest, and the transition from Spirit Stream to Cloud River was not a difficult matter for a cultivator, as long as one had enough spiritual orifices opened within the body. By connecting all the spiritual orifices according to the cultivation method and performing the Major Circumambulation, one would naturally ascend. Thus, he knew exactly what he had to do now. Remembering the details recorded in the Great Sun Glazed Glass Method, he followed the cultivation technique's pathways, activating his spirit force, beginning from the Root Spiritual Orifice, linking one spiritual orifice after another. The dormant spirit force surged once more within the spiritual orifices, flowing more swiftly and fiercely as more orifices were connected. Until at one moment, 360 orifices were linked, and the circulating spirit force surged back into the Root Spiritual Orifice. At this moment, his spirit force began and ended with the Root Spiritual Orifice, the Major Circumambulation was complete. There was a buzzing within Lu Ye's body, spirit force surging like a raging river. An invisible wave of force suddenly swept in all directions, an inexplicable aura burst forth—Spirit Stream advancing to Cloud River! Previously in the Ten Thousand Poisons Forest, once Giant Armor had ascended to Cloud River, he was immediately repelled by Heaven's Augury and sent out of the Spirit Stream battlefield, returning directly to the sect headquarters' Heaven's Augury Hall. After his ascension to Cloud River, Lu Ye also felt an unmistakable sense of rejection from the world around him. He felt as if he were in an extremely crowded environment, with every inch of space around him trying to squeeze him out. However, just then, Heaven's Augury seemed to descend mysteriously from above, and that omnipresent sense of rejection vanished in an instant. At the same time, the cultivators watching around him stirred, because above Lu Ye's head, a seven-color Treasure Lotus suddenly appeared, rotating slowly and descending directly toward him. "Heaven's Augury Bestowment!" someone exclaimed. Although they had learned from their elders that Lu Yiye was very likely to receive the Heaven's Augury Bestowment during his ascension to Cloud River, no one could be certain until it actually happened. Only at this moment was it true that Heaven's Augury had bestowed its blessing! The object was undoubtedly a seven-color Treasure Lotus descending from the sky. It was not a physical entity but seemed more like an illusion, or an inexplicable convergence of energies. The moment the seven-color Treasure Lotus appeared, an odd fragrance pervaded the heavens and the earth, refreshing and invigorating the spirit, and lightening the body. The Treasure Lotus descended, enveloping the figure of Lu Ye. At first glance, it seemed as though Lu Ye was sitting within a rotating seven-color lotus, with his surroundings becoming as vibrant as a blooming flower, mystical visions of destruction and creation manifesting! Furthermore, layers of lotus illusions appeared and disappeared with the rotation of the Treasure Lotus, returning in a cycle. A strange energy filled the Righteous Blood Sect's residence. Some quick-witted cultivators tried to absorb the energy and were amazed to find that the energy that spread freely strengthened their bodies and enhanced their minds. "Quick, cultivate!" one cultivator called out upon noticing the abnormality. The cultivators standing on the ground immediately sat down cross-legged, entering a state of cultivation. Those who were hovering in mid-air watching hurriedly looked for a place to land. Within less than thirty breaths since the seven-color Treasure Lotus descended, the entire Righteous Blood Sect's residence, including all disciples from the sect and the outside cultivators who had come to observe, adding up to two or three thousand people, all entered a state of cultivation. Everyone could feel the odd energy aiding their own bodies and rejoiced, knowing that coming to witness the ceremony was the right decision. If the energy leaking out already had such an effect, then Lu Ye, who was seated within the Treasure Lotus, felt it even more acutely. ``` After the omnipresent repulsive force disappeared, he clearly felt a gentle power flow into his body, tempering his physique while also strengthening his psyche. This feeling was like swallowing the spirit mist in the Heaven's Augury Pond, but the benefits were much greater than those gained from the pond. Not to mention, he had entered the Heaven's Augury Pond four times, with the last time being nearly pointless, yet the baptism of the Heaven's Augury Bestowment clearly helped him. As time trickled away, the Righteous Blood Sect's residence was eerily silent. Until a certain moment, when a cultivator slowly opened his eyes, looked up, but could no longer see Lu Ye's figure; the platform was empty, signaling to him that Lu Ye must have ascended to Cloud River, leaving the Spirit Stream battlefield. More and more cultivators opened their eyes, silently sensing the changes in themselves, all sporting smiles that could not be contained. There was no surprise there, as almost everyone who had witnessed the ceremony gained various degrees of benefit, generally feeling their bodies and minds had grown stronger. Some had even managed to open spiritual orifices they had not opened for a long time without realizing it, while others found that the pill poison accumulated in their bodies had lessened and their spirit force had become purer. In their awe, they were merely affected by the ripple effects of the Heaven's Augury Bestowment; if they had gained so much from just that, what kind of benefits did Lu Ye, the prime beneficiary, receive? While the Righteous Blood Sect's residents were abuzz with excitement, the areas belonging to the big sects from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge were also erupting in jubilation. It was none other than Lu Yiye from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge, who had finally ascended to Cloud River! Just now, on the Spirit Stream Ranking, Lu Yiye's name, which stood at the top position, suddenly vanished, replaced by Endless Island's Lan Ziyi! Lu Yiye couldn't have died, so the only possibility was that he had ascended to Cloud River. Celebrations were in order! It was not easy; they had finally seen him off. The days when a vast camp on the Spirit Stream battlefield was dominated by one man were gone. With the disappearance of the suffocating mountain that loomed over everyone, the quietly suffering factions of Ten Thousand Demons Ridge felt it was time to stand straight and live with dignity! When Lu Yiye was on the Spirit Stream battlefield, all the sects of Ten Thousand Demons Ridge had difficult days, with no one daring to make any significant moves, fearing they would catch the eye of this calamitous star. Now it was all good; he had ascended to Cloud River! He would enter the Cloud River battlefield in the future, not the Spirit Stream battlefield! It was a day for rejoicing and a day worth remembering. The faces of the Ten Thousand Demons Ridge cultivators finally displayed long-lost smiles, all that was lacking was some gongs and drums to bid farewell to Lu Yiye. But soon, another piece of news came that shrouded the joyous mood of Ten Thousand Demons Ridge under a layer of mist. Lu Yiye had received the Heaven's Augury Bestowment during his ascension to Cloud River! This was the attention and recognition from Heaven's Augury; throughout history, very few had received its bestowment, yet every one of them achieved great things in the future. The last one to be blessed by Heaven's Augury belonged to the Righteous Blood Sect, and that person led the Haotian Alliance to hammer Ten Thousand Demons Ridge so badly that they nearly couldn't recognize their own parents. If it weren't for his stubbornness, Ten Thousand Demons Ridge would probably be struggling to survive in a dark corner. Because of the Heaven's Augury Bestowment, the good mood of many cultivators from Ten Thousand Demons Ridge was thrown into disarray, cursing Lu Yiye for being so detestable. He had ascended to Cloud River and still wouldn't let them be at ease; it was typical of him to disgust them one last time before leaving... In the Righteous Blood Sect headquarters, within the Heaven's Augury Hall, Lu Ye sat cross-legged, silently sensing the changes within himself. In his body, the 360 orifices flowed with the circulation of the Major Circumambulation, and spirit force surged like a river, marking a major realm's improvement as his strength increased substantially! Lu Ye estimated that his power had increased by at least half in the moment he ascended to Cloud River! This was evident from the speed of the spirit force coursing through his body, which was incomparable to before. What puzzled him was the Heaven's Augury Bestowment! Under the Heaven's Augury Bestowment, his physique had clearly been enhanced, as well as his mind, and the effect was roughly equivalent to the sum of his first two baths in the Heaven's Augury Pond. But after such a grand ceremony, was this all the benefit he got? Lu Ye felt there was something not quite right. He didn't know what his senior brother's experience with the Heaven's Augury Bestowment looked like decades ago because there were no detailed records, and even Shui Yuan was unclear about it, being quite young at that time. But if the Heaven's Augury Bestowment had only this much to offer, it didn't fit its legendary status. He couldn't figure it out. Perhaps there was something he hadn't yet discovered? Lu Ye could only comfort himself with this thought. After inspecting himself and confirming that the Major Circumambulation inside his body was functioning well, with nothing amiss, Lu Ye was about to stand up when his battlefield marking suddenly showed signs of activity. Upon a brief investigation, he realized it was a reminder from Heaven's Augury; it was time for his appointment with that Artifact Crafting Grandmaster. He quickly raised his hand to touch the Heaven's Augury Pillar, connected his mind to the Heaven's Augury treasure vault, and soon reappeared in that small room from before.