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

Chapter 430 A Narrow Escape

Inside the Yellow Springs Palace, the leaves of the Blood Bodhi Tree still shone brightly, but the atmosphere was deathly still.

Chen Ye's request weighed heavily on the hearts of every cultivator, like an invisible mountain.

Everyone understood that Chen Ye's request was not to borrow a few magical treasures, requisition some rare and precious materials, or have disciples from various sects do some chores.

Chen Ye wanted cultivators across the land to risk their lives for a slim chance of a future.

A chill ran through everyone.

Chen Ye was not exaggerating. Zhang Qi, who was at the Dao Integration Realm, could split the sky with a single sword strike. His sword light, which spanned thousands of miles, could annihilate the entire Nirvana Sect.

What about the one inside Guixu?

The prisoner who needs this black dog to guard him is definitely not a lowly soldier in the Celestial Realm; he must be an extremely powerful figure there. It wouldn't be surprising if such a powerful figure, after escaping, pulverized the Northern Frontier with a single slap.

Only by exhausting the power of this world can there be even the slightest hope of resisting the calamity known as the "True Immortals".

Everyone knows the truth.

Even though they knew Chen Ye's words were true, almost half of the leaders of the unorthodox sects and powerful rogue cultivators in the main hall remained expressionless, their eyes flickering, and they did not utter a single word in response.

They were afraid.

What they feared was not sacrifice itself, but pointless sacrifice. They feared that those deeply entrenched powerful sects would treat them as pawns to be discarded at will, as cannon fodder to exhaust the enemy's power.

This is the human heart.

Everyone knows that the war between good and evil is a catastrophe that will inevitably lead to death. Yet they have all cultivated diligently for decades or even centuries, seeking only immortality.

Who would willingly turn into a handful of ashes that no one cares about?

Peace has lasted too long; people have lost the courage to fight desperately.

A thousand years of peace and tranquility were enough for most cultivators to forget the darkness and terror of the Demonic Sect's rule over the world, and they could no longer comprehend the hardships faced by their predecessors and sages who lived on the brink of death.

Given this mindset, it's almost impossible to get them to risk their lives for you.

If it weren't for the Qinghe Sword Sect's millennia-old reputation, and if it weren't for Chen Ye's earth-shattering achievements and impeccable character since his debut, these unorthodox cultivators probably wouldn't have bothered to give them even this much face and would have already taken their leave.

The atmosphere inside the Taoist Palace became extremely awkward.

In the midst of this stoic silence, a clear and peaceful Buddhist chant suddenly rang out from a corner of the main hall.

"Amitabha."

A gentle voice rang out: "Sect Leader Chen once taught this humble monk, 'If I don't go to hell, who will?' Now that the Yellow Springs Sect has established hell in this world, why should we, as Buddhist disciples, hesitate to sacrifice ourselves?"

The crowd looked in the direction of the sound and saw a fat monk wearing a kasaya, his hands clasped together, bowing deeply to Chen Ye at the head of the table. His projected form emitted a faint golden Buddhist light, solemn and compassionate.

Those cultivators who recognized this person were all greatly shocked.

"It's Abbot Kongyuan of Cixin Temple!"

"A Buddhist master at the Returning to Emptiness Realm, what... what does he mean by this? Why is he bowing so deeply to Sect Leader Chen, as if he were a true Buddha?"

Unbeknownst to others, Chen Ye had already memorized most of the Buddhist scriptures he knew and donated them all to Cixin Temple without taking a single penny.

To Abbot Kongyuan, this young sect leader, though not in the form of Buddha, was performing the work of spreading the Dharma and saving the world. He was the Buddha walking among humans in this world. Cixin Temple had long since washed away the stigma of being born into the Nirvana School by spreading good deeds over the years. Once Abbot Kongyuan took the lead in expressing his opinion, others quickly echoed his sentiments.

"This humble Taoist is also willing to obey the orders of the Yellow Springs Sect!"

"The entire Ranshan Sect is willing to obey the Sect Master's orders, and will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

"Count me in!"

……

Voices rang out one after another, not loud, but exceptionally firm. However, among these hundreds of figures, only a dozen or so echoed their sentiments, and the voices gradually faded, plunging the hall into silence once more.

Master Shanheng, the leader of the Hundred Seas Valley's independent cultivators, sighed deeply. He stood up, cupped his hands towards Chen Ye, and said, "Sect Leader Chen, we are old acquaintances. I dare to ask on behalf of all the independent cultivators in the world: how confident are you?"

As soon as the question was raised, everyone's attention was focused on Chen Ye.

Master Shanheng's intentions were good; by asking this question, he was giving Chen Ye a way out, an opportunity to win people's hearts. If Chen Ye could answer with even five parts certainty, even if it was just verbal reassurance, the number of people willing to follow him might increase several times over.

However, Chen Ye simply shook his head slowly.

"Just do your best and leave the rest to fate." His voice was calm and undisturbed. "If you really want an answer, I can only say that I have no chance at all, and it's a matter of life and death."

As soon as this statement came out, the whole audience was in an uproar.

Master Shanheng frowned, almost unable to believe his ears.

A narrow escape from death?
These four words were like a bucket of ice water, extinguishing the faint flame that had just ignited in the hearts of many. Many cultivators who were still hesitating turned pale instantly, their projected figures began to sway slightly, and they wished they could immediately disperse their divine senses, find a desolate and dangerous place to hide away, and never care about the world again.

How could Chen Ye not know what people were thinking? But this time, he didn't want to use any words to gloss over the fact that things were peaceful.

This matter concerns the life and death of everyone. Without a resolute will to die, there is no point in forcing oneself to stay.

Within the great formation, if anyone's mind wavers, everyone involved will likely perish.

Chen Ye abruptly stood up and said to everyone, "When the nest is overturned, how can the eggs remain intact? You may all be thinking that you can find a deep mountain forest and hide there for hundreds or thousands of years to be safe and sound. I don't know if this method will work, but I only know that the lives of us cultivators cannot be entrusted to the whims of others. We must fight for them ourselves!"

His voice suddenly rose in pitch, like metal striking stone.

"Therefore, the more strength we have, the greater our chances of victory! I cannot guarantee who will be safe, but I, Chen Ye, and the entire Yellow Springs Sect will do everything in our power to protect your lives!"

Master Shanheng's eyes lit up, and he quickly seized the opportunity to ask, "How can you guarantee that?!"

Chen Ye explained, "As you all have probably heard, I, Chen Ye, come from the Demonic Sect."

He readily admitted, his voice echoing throughout the hall, "Indeed, I did become a disciple of the Demonic Sect, and I have received the true teachings of the Nirvana Sect and the Crimson Serpent Sect, as well as the inheritances of the other major Demon Lords. I have a rudimentary understanding of all of them."

"Therefore, all fellow Daoists above the Profound Realm can entrust a wisp of their true spirit to the Myriad Soul Banner of my Yellow Springs Sect. If their physical body is unfortunately destroyed in this battle, their soul will be drawn by the banner and instantly return to the protection of the Yellow Springs Sect."

"The Yellow Springs Sect cannot guarantee that everyone can find a perfect vessel for possession and rebirth, but I can teach you a secret technique from the Heavenly Book. This method is specifically designed to strengthen the soul and condense the Yin body. At the very least, it can guarantee that your souls will not perish and your true spirits will not dissipate!"

"At that time, you can choose to stay in the Yellow Springs Sect as a ghost messenger or seek other opportunities! This is the only guarantee that the Yellow Springs Sect can give. If you are truly willing to entrust your lives to me, then I, Chen Ye, will do my utmost. In the great battle, I, Chen Ye, will stand in front of you and face the sharp edge of the true immortals."

Chen Ye bowed to the crowd and said, "The gates of Fengdu City in the Northern Frontier are always open to you all, and I, Chen Ye, will be waiting here. Please consider this carefully. If you entrust your lives to me, I, Chen Ye, will never let you down."

(End of this chapter)