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

Chapter 467: His stubbornness is admirable.
Under the threat of the Demon Lord Feilian, Qinglan had no choice but to obediently spit out all the demonic cultivators she had swallowed.

This demon lord is a ruthless killer; the saying "disemboweling" is no exaggeration.

With a violent retching fit, she vomited out distorted figures, shrouded in mixed demonic energy. With each person she expelled, her face grew paler and her breath weakened.

Although she received the inheritance from the Azure Dragon Lord and possessed a small world within her body capable of containing all things, she was not yet proficient in using it. She had already damaged her very foundation by spitting out what she had ingested.

After carefully examining the items, Demon Lord Feilian and Chen Ye were immediately delighted.

Chen Ye said with even greater joy, "Fifteen of the eighteen demonic sects' inheritances have been gathered. With this one move, we've collected all fifteen. Although the current 'Lords' are all second-rate, as long as we can open the inheritance array, that's enough."

As expected, waiting patiently in Zhulu City was the right choice; this young lady Qinglan was a great help.

Chen Ye said to the Demon Lord Fei Lian, "There are still three short. I'm afraid you'll need to take action personally, Lord."

Chen Ye knew he lacked extraordinary abilities, and the remaining days were like searching for a needle in a haystack. But since his life was at stake, the Demon Lord Feilian didn't bother with him. Before leaving, he coldly glanced at the limp Qinglan on the ground and left Chen Ye with a single sentence:
"It would be safer to kill this woman."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Demon Lord Feilian tore through the void and disappeared.

These words were like a sharp sword, piercing Qinglan's heart and draining the last bit of color from her already pale face.

She doesn't want to die!

Having infiltrated the Mirage Sect for a long time, she managed to obtain all sorts of treasures from them. Although she was captured after her failed attempt, her cultivation level has greatly increased. If given a chance, she might just be able to ascend to immortality!

Even though they had already complied with the Demon Lord Feilian's wishes, they never expected him to still try to kill them all.

Qinglan glanced at Chen Ye secretly; now, only this young man in front of her could decide her life or death.

This was the first time Qinglan had taken a close look at the legendary Yellow Springs Sect Master.

She began frantically recalling all the information about Chen Ye in her mind, trying to find out his likes and dislikes in order to save her life.

Those legendary tales of "cultivating to the Profound Realm at a young age" and the glorious deeds of "sacrificing one's life to fight against the Five Righteous Paths for the sake of rogue cultivators" all seemed too far-fetched to her. What truly made her believe were two other rumors.

Firstly, Chen Ye is the illegitimate son of Lu Xingzhou, the leader of the Burning Incense Sect.

The story was told with great detail and conviction: the Yellow Springs Sect had indeed absorbed the benefits of the Incense Burning Sect to grow to its current state, and had also inexplicably taken over the mess left behind by the Incense Burning Sect. If there were no such connection, why would the disciples of the Incense Burning Sect join the Yellow Springs Sect, and why would the Yellow Springs Sect take over the Eight Hundred Mile Green Coffin Mountain?

There must be some connection here that others don't know about. Lu Xingzhou's identity as an illegitimate child makes sense, and even Chen Ye's rise to power can be explained.

Secondly, Chen Ye was quite the womanizer. Rumors circulated that he had a close relationship with Su Chunyi of the Qinghe Sword Sect, and also had ambiguous relationships with disciples of the Huangquan Sect. It was even rumored that his attack on the Shenlou Sect was due to the extremely beautiful human form that the Shenlou demon transformed into…

Men...are lustful...

Qinglan thought this conjecture was reasonable. Chen Ye wasn't some kind of old monster who was hundreds of years old. What young man isn't lustful?

Perhaps we can make use of it!
Thinking of this, Qinglan's eyes, posture, and even her entire demeanor began to subtly change.

First, she lowered her eyelids, replacing her previous ruthlessness and resentment with a gentle fragility. Her robes, which had been disheveled due to her weakness, were casually gathered up by her, outlining her exquisite curves.

One moment she was a female demon who devoured countless demonic cultivators, the next she was a delicate flower swaying in the wind and rain, on the verge of being destroyed at any moment.

She slowly raised her head. Although she intended to seduce Chen Ye, she wasn't seductive; instead, she appeared stubborn and strong. Qinglan thought that since Chen Ye liked Su Chunyi of the Qinghe Sword Sect, then the temperament of a sword cultivator should be the same—gentle yet firm, the type who would never easily admit defeat even in dire straits.

She didn't rush to beg for mercy, but looked at Chen Ye with her captivating eyes, and then sighed softly, "The outcome is decided, and Qinglan's life or death will be decided by Sect Leader Chen."

Then, she slowly lowered her head, revealing a section of her snow-white, slender neck.

Qinglan is undoubtedly a beauty, and her demeanor this time is truly stunning.

But in Chen Ye's eyes, this posture was all too familiar. In his previous life, he had seen countless women like this at work. However, back then, these postures were not meant for him, but rather for older, higher-status men at the dinner table.

I never thought I'd be the one receiving this kind of treatment.

But just thinking about those past events made Chen Ye feel nauseous.

Furthermore, having mastered the Great Art of Transformation, he could vaguely sense what others were thinking. Qinglan was incredibly wicked, and in an instant, she had countless malicious thoughts running through her mind. Chen Ye was too lazy to waste words with her.

Chen Ye said coldly, "Since you already understand your situation, you know what to do. Stop talking nonsense."

When Qinglan heard this, she thought Chen Ye meant something else. She thought to herself that all men are the same, eager to take advantage of others.

Qinglan then said to Chen Ye, "I know I have committed grave sins, but none of this was my wish. If I can survive, I am willing to serve the sect leader like a slave, without any second thoughts."

She slightly raised her tearful eyes, glanced timidly at Chen Ye, then quickly lowered her head, her voice filled with shyness and hints:

"Whatever the sect leader wants... Qinglan... will give it to him..."

Chen Ye sighed, "This woman's acting skills may not be top-notch, but her shamelessness is truly impressive."

Chen Ye thought for a moment, then slowly leaned closer to Qinglan and whispered in her ear, "Really... I'd do anything?"

Seeing Chen Ye's reaction, Qinglan was filled with disdain. He had indeed taken the bait!

No matter what kind of righteous leader you are, you are no different from those demons. This is true for the Mirage Sect and the Yellow Springs Sect Master.

She suppressed her inner smugness, her face flushed, and nodded heavily, saying in a voice barely audible, "Yes... as long as the sect leader can spare Qinglan... Qinglan will do anything."

To increase her persuasiveness, she even straightened her body slightly, making her already breathtaking curves even more prominent, as if waiting for Chen Ye to enjoy them.

"very good."

Chen Ye nodded in satisfaction and straightened up.

Just as Qinglan thought he was about to make some shameful request, Chen Ye said, "Since that's the case, then hand over all the inheritances of the Azure Dragon lineage."

"..."

The alluring blush on Qinglan's cheeks froze. She tilted her head back, her lips slightly parted in surprise, but quickly turned into a gritted-teeth expression.

Qinglan said fiercely, "Sect Leader Chen, you have no manners at all in humiliating a woman like me." Chen Ye had already lost all patience. This woman's temperament was worse than a venomous scorpion; even looking at her was an eyesore.

He was too lazy to play along with her anymore and directly reached out and took out the Myriad Soul Banner. The banner moved without wind, exuding a chilling aura. With a gentle shake from Chen Ye, a wisp of black smoke drifted out and quickly condensed into a slightly illusory humanoid ghost in front of Qing Lan.

The moment Qinglan saw the man's face, she was immediately shocked.

Because this person is none other than Yu Xing, a disciple of the Mirage Sect!
"Senior Sister Qinglan!" Yu Xing's soul trembled violently with extreme anger. Without any hesitation, he questioned, word by word, "Did you destroy the Mirage Sect?!"

Yu Xing was a man who never knew how to be tactful in life. Now that they had met, their eyes were filled with hatred, and Chen Ye could feel the overwhelming hatred in him.

Qinglan never expected to meet a disciple of the Mirage Sect here, let alone Yu Xing, who had long been abandoned by the sect.

Seeing Qinglan remain silent, Yu Xing roared, floated forward, and his illusory hands gripped her neck tightly as he howled, "Answer me! Did you destroy the Mirage Sect?!"

Although Qinglan was subdued, how could the physical body of a Nascent Soul cultivator be suffocated by a mere ghost? She recovered from her initial shock and sneered, "What does the fate of the Mirage Sect have to do with a discarded pawn like you? Any disciple from the sect can come seeking revenge, but you, Yu Xing, what right do you have?"

"I am also a disciple of the Mirage Sect!" Yu Xing roared.

He increased his strength, but it was meaningless to Qinglan. Her breathing remained calm, her tone dripping with sarcasm, cutting like a knife: "Even your master doesn't want you anymore. Do you think you died back then? Pathetic and foolish Yu Xing, your mouth only offends people. Who in the Mirage Sect would even look at a fool like you? When your master sent you to your death, not a single person spoke up for you; they were all hoping you'd die sooner! What right do you have to represent the Mirage Sect and question me? Do you even deserve it?!"

These words were extremely vicious. Chen Ye, listening from the side, felt a chill run down his spine; this woman truly had the ability to stab people in the heart to death.

Qinglan originally thought that these words of heart-wrenching criticism would be enough to make Yu Xing, this stubborn man, have an emotional breakdown.

But to her utter surprise, Yu Xing replied nonchalantly after hearing this, "I know. You don't need to tell me, I already knew that nobody in the Mirage Sect liked me."

Qinglan was stunned.

Even Chen Ye, who was watching the show from the sidelines, was surprised; this answer was completely beyond his expectations.

Yu Xing continued, "Throughout my life, I, Yu Xing, have always acted with integrity! Born into the Mirage Sect, I am loyal to the Mirage Sect! If my master commands me to die, I will die; this is the grace of his teaching! As a disciple of the Mirage Sect, what does it matter to me whether someone likes me or not?"

These words were truly a wake-up call.

Chen Ye couldn't help but want to give him a thumbs up. Although this guy was annoying, based on what he just said, Chen Ye was truly ashamed of himself!

Qinglan was also completely stunned by Yu Xing's stubbornness. This person was so stubborn that it wasn't just being inflexible; it was clearly being completely self-centered and unaffected by external influences.

"As long as the Mirage Sect hasn't officially expelled me, I am still a disciple of the Mirage Sect!" Yu Xing glared at Qing Lan again, his killing intent boiling. "Qing Lan, you bitch, prepare to die!"

He was too lazy to waste any more words, and suddenly exerted force with both hands, as if he wanted to twist Qinglan's head off.

As Qinglan struggled, an unparalleled and vast divine power descended from the sky. It was Chen Ye who summoned the Dharma Image of the Fengdu Emperor, suppressing her completely. Immediately afterward, Chen Ye pointed his fingers like a sword and slashed between her eyebrows, casually extracting her terrified and screaming soul from her body, shaping it into a ball of light, and handing it to Yu Xing.

Chen Ye solemnly said to Yu Xing, "I'm handing her over to you for execution. I only want the secret techniques passed down through the Azure Dragon lineage; everything else, just follow the rules of the Yellow Springs Sect."

Yu Xing took the ball of soul light and nodded heavily: "I understand what you mean. Since I have used the methods of the Yellow Springs Sect, I will abide by the rules of the Yellow Springs Sect."

"Yes, I'm glad you understand." Chen Ye trusted him completely at this moment. This kind of person, who was so stubborn, would never go back on his word once he made a promise.

Unexpectedly, Yu Xing changed the subject and stared at Chen Ye warily, saying, "However, the treasures of the Mirage Sect cannot be given to you! These are treasures of my Mirage Sect, and they must be returned to the sect. Don't try to keep them for yourself!"

Chen Ye's eyes widened instantly, and he almost choked on his breath. He couldn't help but curse, "Bah! Would I, Chen Ye, covet your Mirage Sect's treasures?!"

If Chen Ye had even the slightest greed for the Mirage Sect, he would have seized it when it was half-dead back then. Why would he have waited until now?

Yu Xing, however, retorted matter-of-factly, "You can know a person's face but not their heart. I've known Qinglan for years, and I never guessed she was such a vicious and despicable person. How would I know if you're a beast in human form?"

"..."

Chen Ye was speechless for a long time, and finally, his forehead veins throbbed with anger, he roared, "Get into the Ten Thousand Soul Banner!"

He forcefully waved the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, creating a black wind that swept in and absorbed the souls of Yu Xing and Qing Lan.

Chen Ye decided to get rid of this guy as soon as he finished this matter. He felt that every extra word he spoke to him would shorten his lifespan by a year.

Once we've dealt with Qinglan, the ringleader, the rest of the demons will be easier to handle.

Chen Ye only needs to summon the Emperor of Fengdu and then subject them to hellish tortures one by one, ensuring that they will even reveal things like bedwetting from their childhood.

Chen Ye wouldn't harm them; he only wanted to obtain the eighteen inheritances of the Demonic Sect.

One by one, the demons wept bitterly before the mountains of knives and seas of fire. Although the tortures of hell were painful but did not cause serious injury, the pain was still unbearable for ordinary people. Even when the Demon Lord Feilian was struck by lightning, he trembled all over in pain and could not even recover from his injuries, let alone these sinful but low-level demons.

The wailing and howling of ghosts filled the air, terrifying even those who hadn't yet been tortured.

Chen Ye spent several days extracting everything they had learned.

With the help of the Great Law of Transformation, Chen Ye was able to roughly sense the truth and falsehood. In addition, Chen Ye was extremely knowledgeable and had in-depth research on various secret techniques of the Demonic Sect, so he could easily see the traps and flaws.

So within a few days, they had obtained all the inheritances they were entitled to.

However, the time was too short. Chen Yeguang knew it wasn't enough; he needed enough time to cultivate before he could possibly open the inheritance array for them.

Yes, Chen Ye's plan was to use his own soul to open the inheritance array, enter the void realm, find You Luozi, and incidentally help himself break through to the Nascent Soul realm.

Breaking through a cultivation realm is extremely dangerous, and Chen Ye didn't want anything to go wrong halfway through his cultivation; it was best to keep it under his own control.

However, I had oversimplified things before. Just mastering all eighteen inheritances to the basics would probably take decades or even centuries. Unless I stabbed myself in the back of time, there was absolutely no way to achieve it quickly.

Moreover, several of these lineages are mutually conflicting, and different secret techniques cannot be practiced simultaneously.

After much thought, I decided to ask someone else for help.

But who is the safest person to contact?
Just as Yu Xing said, you can know a person's face but not their heart. How many people in this world can Chen Ye truly trust?
Chen Ye counted on his fingers: Su Chunyi, Mo Suixin, the three brothers Fu Lu Shou, Master Mo Ci, Grandmaster Qu Heng... and so on. It seemed like quite a lot.

Chen Ye couldn't help but laugh. Perhaps this was what they meant by "those who are virtuous receive much help."

(End of this chapter)