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

Chapter 139 He finally became the Demon Lord's direct disciple
The myriad ghosts danced wildly, setting up an array under Chen Ye's control.

In order to "punish" the lord, Chen Ye set up such a massive formation for the first time.

However, even if the opponent does not put up any resistance, Chen Ye still has to use his full strength when facing someone at the Returning to the Void Realm.

The Lord's brows twitched as he looked at Chen Ye's serious expression.

This kid really isn't going to hold back at all.

It took Chen Ye a long time to finally complete the formation. Wang Wancheng, who was standing to the side, watched and whispered to Zhang Qi, "Sect Leader, this young man's skills are truly extraordinary, and his character is also impeccable."

Zhang Qi nodded slightly. Chen Ye's array-setting technique was indeed much better than that of ordinary cultivators, and his basic skills were so solid that he didn't seem like a rogue cultivator. However, Zhang Qi said, "It's a pity that he is a righteous person but not focused, and he doesn't have the talent to learn swordsmanship."

The swordsmanship of the Qinghe Sword Sect emphasizes being single-minded about nothing but the sword, but Chen Ye has learned many different kinds of swords, which shows that he is not a person who can settle down.

If someone else had said that Chen Ye lacked the talent to learn swordsmanship, Wang Wancheng might have had a sliver of hope, but since Zhang Qi had said it, no one in the world could refute it.

The strength of the Qinghe Sword Sect comes from this kind of pickiness.

From character to talent, neither is dispensable.

It is precisely because of their principle of "quality over quantity" that this sect has a small number of members.

The formation was gradually taking shape. Chen Ye placed the Ten Thousand Souls Banner at the core of the formation and gave a command. The Yin Souls gathered together and condensed into a strange-looking deity.

This deity is several meters tall with broad shoulders and a robust body. He has a fair face, wears a crown with tassels on his head, and has sachets hanging on both sides to protect his ears. He is dressed in a long robe with a wide sleeve and a lotus leaf-shaped collar, looking like an emperor on earth.

The moment the deity appeared, everyone present looked on in surprise.

Even Zhang Qi was somewhat surprised that this divine soul technique could evolve into such a deity. It seems that this Heavenly Book technique indeed holds many secrets.

When Chen Ye saw this deity appear, he was much calmer than the average person.

The first time the formation was set up, the ghost messengers were created by using the desires for wine, women, wealth, and power. The second time, the power of the Yin spirits within the Ten Thousand Souls Banner was used to create the Black Impermanence. This time, there were even more Yin spirits, and the Ten Thousand Souls Banner was even more powerful, so it's not surprising that it manifested the image of Yama, the King of Hell.

Chen Ye only regretted that he was not skilled enough; otherwise, he should have simulated the entire Yama Palace, letting the Lord be thrown into hell by a group of ghost messengers to be tortured and severely punished.

The phantom of Yama slightly opened its eyes and uttered a deep and majestic voice: "Who is there in the hall? State your name."

The Venerable One turned to look at Chen Ye with a puzzled expression, as if asking, "Are you serious?"

Chen Ye returned a serious look, meaning, "If you don't cooperate, you'll get the sword!"

The lord glared angrily at Chen Ye, and could only coldly reply, "Qu Heng!"

Yama, the God of Hell, spoke again: "Qu Heng, do you know your crime?!"

The Lord couldn't help but roar, "Is this ever going to end?! Just start the torture!"

Chen Ye whispered to Zhang Qi, "He's probably feeling guilty."

The Lord wished he could slap Chen Ye to death, but seeing Zhang Qi's fingers tremble slightly, he gritted his teeth and held back, saying loudly, "You know your crime, you know your crime, so proceed with the torture!"

Chen Ye couldn't help but laugh out loud. Even the arrogant Lord had his moments of defeat.

However, they couldn't go too far, or things might turn sour if they continued. Chen Ye controlled the phantom of the Yama God, throwing out a token and slamming it down on the Venerable Lord.

The token was as big as a gate tower. When it hit the Venerable Lord, it seemed as if it would crush him into mincemeat, but the Venerable Lord only let out a muffled groan.

As the token fell, thorny iron trees grew around the Lord, tightly enveloping him.

The sharp blade was aimed at him, cutting him into a bloody mess.

This man is guilty, and this iron tree and thorns are his punishment. Although it seems severe, the Lord remains calm. In contrast, Mo Ci's torture was a truly agonizing wail, as if all the pain in the world had been gathered upon him.

Chen Ye originally thought that the Venerable Lord was particularly good at "enduring". He immediately activated the formation, and the Yama God Lord's eyes shone brightly and fell on the Venerable Lord, instantly reflecting his sins.

Behind him, a series of afterimages appeared, reflecting his presence atop a solitary peak in Hundred Seas Valley. With a wave of his hand, he turned a group of disciples from the Crimson Serpent Demon Sect into puppets, then ordered them to "surrender" to the five major sects.

After looking at it, Zhang Qi asked Chen Ye, "Is this the crime he committed?"

Chen Ye sensed something was wrong, but that was how the formation displayed it, so he could only reply, "According to the principles of the formation, what is reflected first is the greatest sin of this life, from the most serious to the least serious, until he can admit his sins and atone for them before he can be freed."

So, the Lord's greatest crime was manipulating his underlings to surrender? If so, then his crime is even less serious than Mo Ci's.

This is not a judgment based on what the Lord thinks in his heart; it does not mean that he can kill and commit arson simply because he feels he is innocent.

In the eyes of Yama, the merits and demerits of a person's life will be clearly reflected and judged by all those who have practiced this secret art. Chen Ye himself is one of the judges.

In other words, at that moment, the Venerable One passed the judgment of the Yin Spirit and Chen Ye. His greatest sin was betraying his fellow disciples, nothing more.

Chen Ye sensed something was amiss; perhaps the Lord possessed some ability to conceal his crimes.

But this is just speculation; Chen Ye has no evidence.

After carefully listening to what Chen Ye said, Zhang Qi glanced at the Venerable Lord who was still being tortured, and finally said, "Fine, since that's the case, Wan Cheng, you handle this matter. Qu Heng, I have memorized your aura, so you'd better watch yourself."

The space shattered, and Zhang Qi stepped into it, disappearing from everyone's sight.

This Master Zhang came directly and left just as decisively.

Wang Wancheng never expected that this mess would end up on his shoulders, but since the sect leader had spoken, he could only follow the rules of the Qinghe Sword Sect. Wang Wancheng said to Chen Ye, "Remove the formation. If it's just this kind of crime, the Qinghe Sword Sect has no reason to take action."

Chen Ye frowned and asked, "Is that all there is to it?"

Wang Wancheng shook his head and said, "That's the only way, unless you can prove that he has committed all sorts of evil deeds, including murder and arson."

What kind of sin is it to make a bunch of little devils surrender to the five major sects? Even these people from the Crimson Serpent Demon Sect were executed by the five major sects, not by the Lord himself.

As for the matter of Hundred Seas Valley, it has long been settled. The truly guilty one is Wei Changsheng, who has already been executed. Although the Venerable Lord incited the resistance of the rogue cultivators, it cannot be said that there was no reason for it.

One's identity cannot be used as a crime. Just as Chen Ye was born into the Demonic Sect, but he was upright and did righteous things, the Qinghe Sword Sect still took good care of him and even helped him repair the Ten Thousand Soul Banner.

Although Wang Wancheng couldn't understand it at all, he had no choice but to let him go due to the rules of the sect.

Chen Ye was helpless. He hadn't expected the old devil to have this trick up his sleeve. This time, he managed to dodge it.

Wang Wancheng couldn't bear to see the Venerable Master's smug face, so he could only remind him: "Fellow Daoist Qu, although you have now proven your innocence, if you coerce others or commit other evil deeds, the Qinghe Sword Sect will still take your head."

The Venerable One's smile remained unchanged, but he was still somewhat polite to Wang Wancheng, and quickly said, "I dare not. I have already broken through the illusion today, and Master Zhang has taken note of it. How could I dare to make any mistakes?"

Wang Wancheng knew he wasn't being honest, but he could only suggest to Chen Ye, "Why don't you come back to Qinghe with me?"

Chen Ye was about to agree when the Lord said to him, "Boy, isn't it a bit unfair of you to run away now? You promised me something, and now you can't keep it. You have to pay the price. Do you have some other tricks up your sleeve?"

Chen Ye sighed, "I have no tricks up my sleeve. You're just a cut above the rest. Here's your stuff back. Take your treasure, and give me back the Myriad Soul Banner."

Chen Ye threw the Myriad Soul Banner to the Venerable Lord. The brow bone of the Demon Lord Wujiu could not be kept, and the ginseng fruit in the underground palace was probably not for him either. He could only return to Hundred Seas Valley to cultivate properly.

Although I didn't gain any special benefits from this trip, I did broaden my horizons.

The Venerable One accepted the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, but frowned. He hadn't expected Chen Yezhen to be willing to destroy this treasure.

But the brow bone of the Demon Lord Wujiu had already merged into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, so it wasn't so easy to take it out. Besides, what use would he have for the brow bone? What he wanted was the ginseng fruit in the underground palace, the foundation of the Crimson Serpent Holy Sect.

If they settle their differences with Chen Ye, then the ginseng fruit will become someone else's.

Now, even though I've won a small game, I've still lost a lot of money.

The lord frowned and said, "Boy, let's talk in private."

Although Chen Ye was puzzled, he realized he was in the wrong now, so he had no choice but to follow the Venerable Lord to the side. The old demon even opened a barrier, as if afraid that others would eavesdrop.

Seeing the Venerable One's appearance, Chen Ye couldn't help but ask, "Senior, you're not still thinking about having me help you establish a sect, are you?"

The lord sneered, "Why not?"

Chen Ye said in confusion, "We've already fallen out."

He told all the secrets to the Qinghe Sword Sect, which is tantamount to betraying the Lord. He was already showing restraint by not killing anyone. Why is he now thinking of cooperating?

The Lord said, “As people live longer, they all scheme and plot. I force you to do something, and you betray me. That’s just how things are in this world. Today we’re friends, tomorrow we’ll be enemies over a treasure, and a few days later we can join forces because of enemies. If it’s for immortality, we can throw away everything, let alone this little grudge?”
"Even Zhang Qi, do you think he didn't have any doubts? Impossible. Anyone who has lived this long is a cunning and shrewd old fox. It's just that Zhang Qi also understands that I gave him a way out, and he accepted it. Otherwise, would he really kill me with one sword and then abandon the Qinghe Sword Sect? He wasn't prepared, and neither was the Qinghe Sword Sect."

Seeing the Venerable Master's smug expression, Chen Ye couldn't help but retort, "That's just the mindset of a demon. He's calculating gains and losses in everything and then assumes that everyone in the world is like that. In my opinion, it's just because Master Zhang adheres to his principles and won't kill people indiscriminately without evidence. Even if he's 90% sure that you're a ruthless demon, he has no choice but to release you now that there's no evidence."

Just like when Su Chun was in Cui County, she knew that the magistrate was forcibly conscripting young boys and girls, but when she discovered that the order came from the imperial court, she could not kill the magistrate with her sword and then search his soul.

This is the rule of the Qinghe Sword Sect: to slay demons and monsters, but never to act rashly or wrongly accuse good people; one matter at a time, one thing at a time. It is this rule that makes everyone in the world believe that everyone in the Qinghe Sword Sect is a gentleman.

If someone were like Wei Changsheng of the Burning Incense Sect, killing people on any pretext, they wouldn't be much different from a demon.

The Venerable One frowned, feeling a chill on his neck. He wanted to refute, but the reputation of the Qinghe Sword Sect was too good. No matter how much he tried to belittle it, it would only be based on conjecture. If he said it out loud, it would make him seem unreasonable.

The Venerable One simply said to Chen Ye, "Since the Qinghe Sword Sect is so rule-abiding, then we'll give them a way out. The Qinghe Sword Sect values ​​you highly. If you establish your sect here, they won't spread the matter of the ginseng fruit, otherwise they'll be killing you."

“If we continue to cooperate, we can both keep this enormous benefit. If you leave this place, the ginseng fruit will surely fall into someone else’s hands. Do you really want to fight me to the death? Zhang Qi will ascend to immortality one day. When that day comes, can the Qinghe Sword Sect really protect you?”

Chen Ye was taken aback and couldn't help but ask, "Is reviving the Crimson Serpent Demon Sect really that important to you, senior?"

"Why do you care so much about me? We're both demons. You should calculate your own benefits. Don't forget, you promised to give these hundreds of thousands of souls a place to rest. If you refuse, I'll take back the brow bone of the Demon Lord Wujiu, and most of these souls will vanish into thin air."

Having said all that, Chen Ye could feel the Lord's determination. If he refused, the Lord would probably fight desperately against him after Zhang Qi ascended to immortality.

Chen Ye could only cup his hands and say, "Your Excellency is magnanimous and I admire you. I am truly convinced. If you really have no intention of harming people, then I will establish this sect."

The Venerable Lord threw the Ten Thousand Souls Banner into Chen Ye's hand and said sternly, "Although you betrayed me this time, you also tied the Qinghe Sword Sect to your pirate ship, so it can be considered a blessing in disguise. The conditions remain the same: you establish a sect, pass on my lineage, and have the Qinghe Sword Sect supervise you. Take this as an oath, and whoever breaks the oath will die and their soul will be destroyed."

Seeing that his master was so solemn, Chen Ye had no choice but to raise his hand and swear: "I hereby swear that if I break this oath, may I be subjected to calamity and my soul be destroyed."

The Venerable One laughed loudly, "Hahaha, those who know when to yield are the heroes, truly worthy of being my grand-disciple."

Chen Ye: ? ? ?
Seeing Chen Ye's shocked expression, the Venerable asked in return, "What? Didn't you confess to the Qinghe Sword Sect that your master Mo Ci learned the inheritance of my Chilian Holy Sect?"

"Although I don't know who he killed by betraying his master and ancestors, making you his grand-disciple is already a promotion in seniority. Are you still not satisfied? Perhaps when I ascend, you will be the next Crimson Serpent Demon Lord. Oh, I should call you the Crimson Serpent Saint Lord. We are no longer the Demonic Sect, but a side sect, hahaha."

Chen Ye was speechless. What he said was true; he was a legitimate descendant of the Crimson Serpent Demon Sect.

Who would have thought that after trying every means to conceal the little devil's identity for more than a year, he would become the direct descendant of the Demon Lord.

(End of this chapter)