Gentlemen, it's time to enter the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls.

Chapter 289 The Sect Leader Emerges from Seclusion
The new leader of the Qinghe Sword Sect is very mysterious. Outsiders only know that he has the Taoist name Yuji, but none of the leaders of the other four major sects have ever seen him.

Not to mention outsiders, even within the Qinghe Sword Sect, very few people have ever seen this Jade Piercer.

He was Zhang Qi's disciple and a sword genius. However, unlike others in the Qinghe Sword Sect, this new sect leader had not actually learned much about the Qinghe Sword Sect's swordsmanship.

Zhang Qi only introduced him to the basics, then left him to train alone, forbidding him from learning swordsmanship from anyone or communicating with anyone.

From the Qi Sea to the Profound Realm, this person was imprisoned in the Sword Tomb, and it is unknown how he survived.

Previously, everyone only knew that there was such a "junior uncle" in the Sword Tomb, but most disciples had never seen him.

When Zhang Qi was nearing the end of his life and discussed his affairs with his disciples, he named this disciple as the successor to the position of Qinghe Sword Sect leader.

Many second-generation disciples, such as Wang Wancheng, had sufficient qualifications and cultivation, but Zhang Qi chose Yu Ji as his successor, and no one had any objections.

It's simply because when the Qinghe Sword Sect was recruiting disciples, they didn't choose those who liked to fight for power and profit.

The Qinghe Sword Sect has very strict rules and a small number of members.

Zhang Qi personally accepted all the second-generation disciples, so there was naturally no issue of power struggles.

Moreover, Zhang Qi's prestige is unmatched, and no one would object to the successor he designated.

However, even though Daoist Yuji had been designated as the next sect leader, Zhang Qi's requirements for him remained the same: "You are not allowed to leave the Sword Tomb before reaching the Void Return Realm."

This is very strange; what kind of sect leader stays in seclusion all the time?

But since Zhang Qi had said so, everyone had no choice but to comply.

Su Chunyi visited the Sword Tomb when she broke through her cultivation realm and met this "Junior Uncle" once, but the two did not communicate at all and simply cultivated on their own.

Now that Daoist Yuji wants Su Chunyi to see him, this matter is somewhat strange.

Su Chunyi passed through numerous restrictions and finally arrived at the Sword Tomb.

The so-called Sword Tomb was originally Zhang Qi's cultivation place. Over the years, it was corroded by Zhang Qi's sword intent, turning into a deep cave. Later, disciples of the Qinghe Sword Sect came here to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm, leaving behind even more sword intent, and it gradually became a terrifying forbidden area.

There is almost no life here, not even a single weed.

But every stone, every speck of dust, contains a chilling sword intent.

As soon as Su Chun arrived at the entrance of the Sword Tomb, layers of lotus-like light shone from his body.

This is Su Chunyi's Azure Lotus Sword Intent. Only by protecting oneself with this sword intent can one continue forward; otherwise, one will be torn to shreds.

The Sword Tomb was deep and secluded. It took Su Chun a while to reach the depths and meet the sect leader who had been in seclusion for many years.

The Taoist Yuji looked very young, with only a light beard, and appeared to be in his early thirties. Moreover, he was handsome and dashing, quite unlike the disheveled old man Zhang Qi.

Unlike the last time they met, Daoist Yuji was sitting cross-legged in a leisurely manner, and there was no sword intent protecting his body.

An ordinary person would have been chopped into mincemeat by the omnipresent sword intent, but Daoist Yuji was like a pillar in the middle of the stream. All the sword energy would automatically bypass him, as if they dared not harm him in the slightest.

Su Chun quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Sect Leader."

Master Yuji smiled and said, "No need for formalities, Junior Nephew Su. You've been working hard for both sides of the Qinghe River lately. Thank you for your efforts."

Su Chunyi replied, "I dare not, it is my duty as a disciple."

Disciples of the Qinghe Sword Sect have a duty to uphold justice, eliminate demons, and protect the righteous path. In critical moments, they are even willing to risk their lives. This responsibility transcends immortality; only the Qinghe Sword Sect in the world has such strict rules. Master Yuji then asked, "Nephew Su, how many demons have you slain in the past few months?"

Su Chun paused for a moment, then said, "I... I don't remember very clearly, it should be less than thirty."

There are indeed demons lurking along the banks of the Qinghe River, but they are all insignificant little demons with low cultivation levels, and they pose little threat.

Su Chunyi didn't have a deep memory of these minor characters. He would usually arrest them on sight, interrogate them carefully, and kill them without hesitation once he confirmed that their crimes were unforgivable.

It wasn't that Su Chunyi had a bad memory, but rather that she genuinely didn't take such a small matter to heart.

Master Yuji then asked, "Oh, do you remember how many mortal lives you saved?"

Su Chunyi was stunned again, then honestly replied, "I don't remember very clearly either, maybe several hundred people."

"So what do you remember?"

“Disciple…” Su Chun thought for a moment, then said, “Disciple only remembers that my swordsmanship improved when I was fighting demons and protecting the righteous path. Originally, my swordsmanship had thirteen flaws, but now I have filled in ten of them.”

After listening, Daoist Yuji remained silent, which made Su Chunyi uneasy. Could it be that the sect leader felt that she had not worked hard enough, so she did not allow this leave?
Just as he was about to explain, he heard Daoist Yuji laugh loudly, "Not bad, not bad at all, worthy of being a disciple of my Qinghe Sword Sect. Nephew Su, I have been in seclusion for many years and do not know many of the disciples in the sect. I heard that you are one of the best among the third-generation disciples, so I asked you a few questions to test you. Please don't take offense."

Su Chunyi asked in confusion, "Testing? This disciple doesn't understand, please enlighten me, Sect Leader."

Master Yuji explained, “You don’t remember who you killed or who you saved, you only remember that your swordsmanship has improved, which is a good thing. If everyone in the Qinghe Sword Sect were like you, then I could rest assured.”

Upon hearing this, Su Chun couldn't help but ask, "In that case, will the sect leader allow his disciples to request leave?"

Master Yuji smiled and said, "No."

Su Chunyi frowned immediately. Why was this sect leader speaking so ambiguously? Su Chunyi was least skilled at this kind of cryptic rhetoric.

"Haha, Junior Nephew Su, don't misunderstand. I'm not forbidding you from helping Sect Master Chen; I'm helping him out by making me the villain." Daoist Yuji explained, "Senior Brother Wang has already told me the whole story. Sect Master Chen is a young hero. Despite being the head of a sect, he's willing to personally infiltrate the Demonic Sect. But precisely because of this, you can't go. The swordsmanship of the Qinghe Sword Sect is too obvious. No one will believe that a disciple of the Qinghe Sword Sect would join the Demonic Sect. If you go, it will only make Sect Master Chen more suspicious."

“Disciple can conceal their cultivation level,” Su Chunyi said.

Master Yuji said, "You can't hide it. Your sword intent hasn't reached the perfect level yet, so you can't hide it at all. The methods of the demonic sect are incredibly strange. Even if you only reveal a trace of it, it will be discovered."

Su Chunyi did not refute, for those who practice swordsmanship know their own abilities best.

Master Yuji was right; his sword intent was far from perfect, and even the slightest deviation could lead to disaster.

Su Chunyi said helplessly, "This disciple understands, I will stay in Qinghe."

As soon as Su Chun finished speaking, he prepared to take his leave, but Daoist Yuji said again, "No need to rush. If it were just based on these few words, I wouldn't need to summon you to the Sword Tomb. Nephew Su, in the name of the sect leader, I order you to go into seclusion here until your sword intent is perfectly aligned."

Although Su Chunyi had many doubts, since she couldn't leave Qinghe, there was nothing wrong with her going into seclusion at the Sword Tomb.

Su Chunyi said, "Then this disciple will trouble the sect leader."

Unexpectedly, Master Yuji shook his head again and said, "I am not here. I have been in seclusion for many years, and it is time for me to come out. Nephew Su, you are the only one here to cultivate diligently. You must be able to endure the loneliness."

Su Chunyi exclaimed in surprise, "Sect Leader, you're coming out of seclusion? But Grandmaster ordered you to..."

Yu Ji Daoist sighed, “My master ordered me to cultivate here diligently until I reached the Returning to the Void Realm before I could leave seclusion. Just a few days ago, I finally reached the Returning to the Void Realm. Unfortunately, I was still a few days too late, otherwise the Demon Lord Wujiu wouldn’t have needed my master’s intervention. But it’s not too late now. My master killed the Demon Lord Wujiu, but he also left a lot of trouble at Green Coffin Mountain, implicating the fellow Daoists of the Burning Incense Sect. Now that I am the sect leader of the Qinghe Sword Sect, I naturally cannot sit idly by.”

Master Yuji paused for a moment, then said to Su Chunyi, "Perfect timing. I also want to meet that Sect Master Chen. This infiltration by the Demonic Sect is a great thing for the righteous path. Since you can't be there to protect them, let your uncle take action for you."

(End of this chapter)