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

The first monster encountered in Chapter 182

On the coast of the East China Sea, a small town is built on a cliff, shrouded in mist all day long, making it seem unreal.

Below the cliff lies the sea, and as the tide rises and falls, the clouds and mist shrouding the Mirage Sect also change accordingly, making it a magnificent sight in this place. Many people come from thousands of miles away just to catch a glimpse of this unpredictable immortal technique.

This is the Mirage Sect, one of the five major sects in the world.

A letter from Master Ziyan was sent back from Baihai Valley. After reading the letter, the leader of the Mirage Sect couldn't help but sigh.

"How did my Mirage Sect end up in this state, with all this petty scheming and despicable behavior every day?"

Yin Xiaoshuang, the leader of the Mirage Sect, is known as the White Dew Sovereign and has the cultivation level of the Returning to Emptiness Realm.

As the leader of one of the five major sects, the Void Returning Realm is somewhat insufficient, but the previous leader of the Mirage Sect had experienced the great war between good and evil back then, and was older than Zhang Qi and Lu Xingzhou. He had already achieved Dao Integration and Ascension hundreds of years ago.

Although Yin Xiaoshuang has not yet achieved Dao, she is already the most powerful cultivator in the Mirage Sect.

However, the fear of being forcibly dragged to the Qinghe Sword Sect by Zhang Qi after breaking through the void last time kept Yin Xiaoshuang awake for a long time.

The gap between cultivators is so vast that if Zhang Qi wanted to kill her, even the entire power of the Mirage Sect would be insufficient to stop him.

From then on, Yin Xiaoshuang became somewhat disinterested and less willing to deal with the trivial matters of the sect.

No matter how much scheming or planning there is, it can never compare to solid cultivation.

Because of the trivial matters within the sect, my cultivation has been delayed for too long. Now I should put aside these matters, go into seclusion again to cultivate, and strive to attain enlightenment as soon as possible.

But the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease; the Mirage School always seems to encounter unexpected events time and time again.

The Red Serpent Disaster in Hundred Seas Valley affected the Mirage Sect's territory; later, in the arena battle, the Mirage Sect disciples lost; and now, True Person Purple Smoke, a Transformation Realm cultivator, has been threatened by Chen Ye and even needs to invite Immortal Spirit Light to settle scores.

Even though Master Ziyan's words were vague, Yin Xiaoshuang knew that she was probably in the wrong, otherwise the Qinghe Sword Sect would not have completely disregarded the Mirage Sect.

Yin Xiaoshuang almost couldn't hold back and wanted to grab that Purple Smoke True Person and slap him.

The Mirage Sect, a supposedly prestigious sect, has no dignity left?
However, she quickly composed herself and said coldly, "Granted."

Let them make a fuss. She's going into seclusion to cultivate. She'll just leave these trivial matters to the vice sect leader. He's been wanting the sect leader position day and night, so she might as well give it to him.

Yin Xiaoshuang didn't want to pay attention, but the news spread like wildfire throughout the Mirage Sect, and all the disciples, big and small, heard about it.

So Chen Ye is challenging the Mirage Faction again?
It never ends, right?!
It's all Qin Ze's fault!

……

Some were indignant, while others were full of doubt.

Regardless of what everyone thought, they believed that with Lingguang Xian's intervention, Chen Ye should be able to learn a lesson.

Lingguangxian is the most powerful among the young disciples. He usually hides in his small building to cultivate in seclusion, never going out or communicating with anyone.

However, in the martial arts tournament several years ago, he defeated many opponents for the Mirage Sect. If Su Chunyi hadn't been so incredibly powerful, the title of the number one in the Profound Realm should have belonged to the Mirage Sect.

When the letter was delivered to Lingguangxian's small building, the door, which was already covered with moss, was opened.

A wisp of mist drifted out from it, its shape indistinct and silent, simply drifting towards the sky.

It floated lightly, like clouds and smoke, yet its flight speed was extremely fast, disappearing completely into the horizon in the blink of an eye.

At this moment, Chen Ye was still sitting on the back of Black Whirlwind, listening to White Moonlight tell the story of the Spirit Light Immortal.

Few people know that the disciples of the Mirage Sect are not busy with meditation and cultivation, but rather spend their days diving into the deep sea in search of the equally unpredictable Return to Nothingness.

This Ruins of Return is said to be an ancient immortal's cave. Although it has been abandoned, the great formation inside can still operate, so it remains extremely dangerous.

It is unknown when it began, but large numbers of clamshells began to multiply in this Ruins of Return.

The mirages of all sizes constantly spewed hallucinogenic smoke, making the Ruins of Return even more eerie and unpredictable.

Before completing their apprenticeship, disciples of the Mirage Sect must infiltrate the Ruins of Return to hunt a Mirage Demon. This serves both as proof of their skills and as a means to craft magical artifacts using the Mirage Demon as a material.

That's how the Mirage Sect members obtained their own Mirage Pearls.

However, most of the mirage demons that are hunted are just minor demons on the outer layer of Guixu. The truly powerful thousand-year-old mirage demons are deep within Guixu, where they are rarely seen by the sun and are difficult for the Mirage Sect to capture.

Until a hundred years ago, strange disturbances appeared in the Ruins of Return, and many thousand-year-old mirages emerged from the Ruins of Return, turning the surrounding seas into a bewildering illusion.

The Mirage Sect then sent experts in and out, capturing all these powerful mirage demons and refining them into many high-quality mirage pearls.

The White Moonlight in Chen Ye's hand is the soul of a thousand-year-old mirage demon. However, when it was refined into a magic weapon, it was ignorant and no different from a wild beast. It was only after many years of training that it developed true intelligence and its own thoughts.

Such magical artifacts are certainly more powerful, but the backlash will also be stronger. However, few people know that not all the mirage demons were refined into magical artifacts during that hunt.

There is also a very special mirage demon that has been kept by the Mirage Sect until now.

"Lingguangxian and I were both mirage demons who left Guixu at that time. However, Lingguangxian was completely different from our kind. He already possessed intelligence before being captured by the Mirage Sect. We can't remember why we escaped from Guixu, but Lingguangxian probably knew. Because of this, he wasn't killed and turned into a magic weapon. Instead, the Mirage Sect has always claimed him as their disciple."

"After I was refined into a magical artifact, I spent some time by the side of the Immortal Lingguang. I received nurturing from the Immortal Lingguang's mirage energy while he taught me to speak and read. That's why I say that the Immortal Lingguang is my second parent. If it weren't for the Immortal Lingguang, I would have been nothing more than an ignorant wild beast, completely unaware of what life and death are."

Chen Ye was quite surprised to hear this, never expecting that there were monsters in this world, especially the kind of monsters he had heard about in his previous life.

Throughout his cultivation journey, Chen Ye has come to know many senior cultivators. When they recounted their past experiences, it seemed that monsters had never appeared in the stories of cultivators.

Those kinds of monsters who occupy mountains, command a bunch of lesser demons, and even eat people—I've never even heard of them.

At most, it's just that some wild beasts occasionally eat some treasure and become huge and particularly ferocious.

But these are ultimately just wild beasts, not sentient beings that can think and speak like humans.

As a result, the Mirage Sect captured a real monster and even raised it as their own disciple.

What exactly is that Deep Sea Ruins? Could there be other mirages with intelligence hiding inside?

Chen Ye couldn't help but ask, "Do you remember what exactly is inside that Ruins of Return?"

Bai Yueguang shook her head and said, "I don't remember. When I escaped from Guixu, I only acted on instinct. I asked Lingguang Xian about it later, but he never mentioned it."

Chen Ye stroked his chin and said, "There are probably treasures, but Lingguang Xian doesn't dare to tell you because he's afraid you'll be interrogated by the Mirage Sect, and then the treasures in Guixu will belong to the Mirage Sect. Maybe all the Mirage Demons will be captured and refined into magic weapons."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yueguang exclaimed in surprise, "How pitiful he must be! If only Lingguang Xian knew this, the Mirage Sect would torture him in every way possible to obtain this secret!"

"This..." Chen Ye didn't expect Bai Yueguang to be so imaginative, and quickly said, "It's just my guess. After all, the Mirage Sect is one of the five righteous sects, so it shouldn't be that bad."

Bai Yueguang retorted, "We mirage demons are not human. When humans eat cattle and sheep, they skin them and pull out their tendons. What does that have to do with good or evil?"

Chen Ye was speechless at Bai Yueguang's question.

Even if he could be considered morally upright, he wouldn't object to the people of the Northern Frontier slaughtering sheep; Chen Ye was even planning to use the sheep to refine blood pills.

However, Chen Ye quickly put this problem aside.

This matter can be considered after he becomes an immortal. Right now, he is still a mortal living a mundane life, and solving the immediate problem is the key.

Chen Ye then asked, "Since you say that Lingguang Xian was imprisoned, why did the Mirage Sect still treat him as a disciple and train him? These many spells cannot all be his innate supernatural abilities. They must have been carefully trained by the Mirage Sect. Moreover, they were willing to release him to fight. Aren't they afraid that he will run away?"

Bai Yueguang explained, "We mirage demons are different from humans. We have no physical abilities; we rely entirely on our mirage energy to fight. But this mirage energy is actually our divine soul. Every time Lingguang Xian goes into battle, he is actually spitting out his own divine soul, which is why he can transform into countless forms."

"But the soul cannot remain separated from the body for long. As long as the Mirage Sect holds onto Lingguang Xian's body, he will have to return no matter where he runs."

Chen Ye said helplessly, "Then I can't help you. I can't exactly rush into the Mirage Sect and snatch Lingguang Immortal's body."

Bai Yueguang said, "No, since the sect leader already knows about Lingguang Xian, then I will risk everything to defeat Lingguang Xian for the sect leader. But I would like to ask the sect leader not to hold back and to kill him above the thunder."

"Kill him?" Chen Ye frowned. "You mean, after I defeat Lingguang Xian, I should collect his soul into the Myriad Souls Banner?"

Bai Yueguang said, "That's right. Since I could survive the Sect Master's Ten Thousand Soul Banner, so can Lingguang Xian. The physical body is just his shackle. Only by getting rid of this physical body can Lingguang Xian be free."

“He has been imprisoned for a hundred years. I fear he will not be able to endure another hundred years. At that time, the secret of the Ruins will be discovered by the Mirage Sect. Given the tyranny of the Mirage Sect, my kinsmen will not escape their clutches.”

Chen Ye shook his head and said, "I'm afraid not. This is a duel in the arena. If I kill Lingguang Xian, the Mirage Sect will definitely make me pay with my life. I am willing to help in any way I can, but I will not use my own life or the entire Yellow Springs Sect as the price."

Upon hearing this, Bai Yueguang trembled and cried out, "Sect Master, please save him! Please save us Mirage Demons! We live in the deep sea and have never harmed anyone!"

Chen Ye felt a pang of pity as he listened. He frowned and pondered for a long time before suddenly asking, "When Lingguang Immortal usually travels in his divine soul, has the Mirage Sect ever stopped him?"

Bai Yueguang recalled for a moment, then said, "We mirage demons don't like to travel. We can just stay in one place and live there all the time. I remember that Lingguang Xian never goes out. He only leaves his little building when the Mirage Sect needs him."

Chen Ye asked, "So, he can travel freely, but he just doesn't want to?"

Bai Yueguang said hesitantly, "I can't be sure, but if Lingguang Xian suddenly wants to go out without a reason, it will definitely attract the attention of the Mirage Sect."

Chen Ye then asked, "If we get to the arena, will you be able to speak with Lingguang Xian? I mean, can you secretly pass on messages without anyone noticing?"

Bai Yueguang quickly replied, "Yes, we mirage demons can communicate directly through our souls, and even the most powerful human cultivators won't be able to detect it."

Chen Ye took a deep breath and said to Bai Yueguang, "Alright, when the time comes, you pass on a few words for me. Whether he can escape or not depends on fate."

(End of this chapter)