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

Chapter 194 A Misunderstanding

Upon hearing what Xi Yue said, Chen Ye couldn't help but feel a strange sensation.

He had always carried the title of "Sect Master of the Yellow Springs Sect" on his own, and rarely heard this name from others. After all, the Yellow Springs Sect had not yet been officially established, and in the vast world of cultivation, it was not even considered a third-rate sect.

If it weren't for his famous battle on the Hundred Seas Valley arena some time ago, probably very few people would even know the name "Yellow Spring Sect".

But now, when faced with the coercion of the "demon," this Miss Xiyue actually brought up the Yellow Springs Sect as her backer? Does she really think that the three words "Yellow Springs Sect" have the power to scare away the demon?
Chen Ye didn't know whether to feel gratified or embarrassed.

However, the monk Bumei, who played the role of the "Nirvana Sect demon monk," reacted very quickly. When he heard Xiyue mention the Yellow Spring Sect, he was full of disdain and contempt. He snorted and said, "Amitabha, female benefactor, you lack wisdom and have mistaken fish eyes for pearls."

"The Yellow Springs Sect is nothing more than an obscure, minor sect on the northern border. It is said that it has fewer than a handful of disciples and shallow foundations. What kind of ability could it possibly have to protect you?"

He paused, his tone carrying the disdain of an established demonic sect for a rising power: "In the Northern Frontier, although my Nirvana Sect suffered heavy losses and its vitality was greatly diminished, the Yellow Springs Sect merely picked up some scraps in the chaos. A beggar who rose from scavenging dares to flaunt his power before a fallen noble? Benefactor, you overestimate the Yellow Springs Sect and underestimate the strength of my Nirvana Sect!"

Chen Ye listened from the side, his lips twitching slightly.

Master, weren't you getting a little too into your performance? Or was it somewhat influenced by personal grudges?

However, what Monk Bumei said was not wrong. Even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. No matter how dire the situation was, the Nirvana Sect was still much more powerful than the Yellow Spring Sect.

However, upon hearing these derogatory remarks, Xi Yue not only did not back down, but seemed to have been provoked. She immediately raised her eyebrows and retorted sharply, "Hmph! Short-sighted! Do you know that Chen Ye, the sect leader of the Yellow Springs Sect, is one of the most outstanding geniuses in the cultivation world today? He not only hates evil as if it were his enemy, but he has also already firmly established himself as the number one cultivator in the Profound Realm! You remnants of the Nirvana Sect, like stray dogs, dare to act recklessly in Luoyan Town under his protection!"

She became more and more agitated as she spoke, her voice rising several decibels: "You've probably forgotten who turned the tide in Luoyan Town back then? It was none other than the Sect Master of the Yellow Springs Sect! He single-handedly dealt with those two wicked demons from your Nirvana Sect as easily as killing chickens and monkeys!"

"The Yellow Springs Sect is about to be established, and it has a special bond with Luoyan Town! If you know what's good for you, get out of here obediently, and you might save your lives! If you dare to cause trouble here, I guarantee that within two days you will be dead and your souls will be destroyed!"

Chen Ye, who was listening from the side, couldn't help but touch his nose. He was even a little embarrassed by his boasting.

What "number one in the Profound Realm," what "crushing chickens with ease"? He clearly only managed a pyrrhic victory through cunning and a bit of luck. He almost lost his life. How could this Miss Xiyue make it sound so easy?

But where did this girl get these details from?
Chen Ye never liked to show off. Apart from a few people involved, he almost never mentioned the incident in Luoyan Town in detail to outsiders.

Chen Ye's doubts about Xi Yue deepened.

The monk Bu Mei, at this moment, is possessed by the "demon monk," and his acting skills are superb.

Hearing Xi Yue's fierce threat, he not only didn't care, but instead let out a chilling chuckle: "Hehehe, well said! Well said! Since you speak so highly of the Yellow Springs Sect Master, then today, this humble monk will see if he has three heads and six arms to protect you! Today, this humble monk will first demolish your Moon Gazing Pavilion, and then capture this clever little beauty of yours, so I can properly cultivate the Joyful Zen!"

Monk Bumei took a step forward, his golden light pressing down on Xiyue as if it were a tangible substance.

"No matter how powerful the Yellow Springs Sect is, can they foresee the future and come across thousands of miles to save you now? By tomorrow, this humble monk will have already flown far away, and what can the Yellow Springs Sect do to this humble monk?!"

Having been cornered by the monk Bu Mei, Xi Yue gritted her teeth and said, "If you really insist on forcing me, then I will fight you two demons to the death today!"

Before she finished speaking, she slammed her hands onto the strings of the pipa in her arms! Her spiritual energy surged instantly, and a sharp aura emanated from her body. Her clothes fluttered without wind, clearly indicating that she was preparing to disregard everything and use some desperate, all-or-nothing method!

Seeing this, Chen Ye knew things were going badly. His original plan was to act out a test to force out the other party's true strength, but he never expected that a real fight would break out here.

Xi Yue's origins are strange, and her stance is even more ambiguous. Chen Ye doesn't want to fight her without knowing the facts.

He wanted to give the monk Bumei a wink, signaling him to stop while he was ahead and not provoke the other party any further. But then he thought, the monk couldn't possibly see him!
Chen Ye felt helpless; it seemed he had no choice but to play the "bad cop" role himself.

"Ahem!" He coughed twice, interrupting the tense atmosphere, and said to the girl, "Miss Xiyue, why are you so agitated? Whether we are from the demonic sect or the righteous path, we must always consider the cause and effect of things."

He gestured to the surroundings and said slowly, "You occupied our Nirvana Sect's territory first, which is why I came here with this master to demand an explanation. But you, instead of offering a proper explanation, immediately brought up the Yellow Springs Sect to intimidate us. To be honest, if you had mentioned the Qinghe Sword Sect or the Burning Incense Sect, we might have been more cautious. But the obscure Yellow Springs Sect isn't even a decent way to save face. Aren't you just blatantly forcing us to fight you?"

Xi Yue frowned and asked, "Then what kind of excuse do you want?"

"It's simple." Chen Ye shrugged, his voice beneath the hood carrying an undeniable air of authority. "The previous owner of this Moon Gazing Pavilion was a member of my Nirvana Sect. Give me a straight answer first: is that person in your hands, or is he dead or alive?"

Chen Ye and his companion had come in pursuit of Qiu Shuixian; they needed to clarify the matter first.

Xi Yue gritted her teeth and said, "The person is in my hands. If you want him, that's fine with me. But if you two leave now, I will hand him over."

Chen Ye raised an eyebrow. Qiu Shuixian was indeed at Wangyue Tower. It seemed that his divination had not been wrong.

But judging from Xi Yue's words, she didn't seem to be with Qiu Shui Xian; on the contrary, she had captured and imprisoned Qiu Shui Xian.

Chen Ye leaned close to Monk Bu Mei's ear and whispered, "Master, let's capture Qiu Shui Xian first. We can investigate Xi Yue's matter later."

Monk Bumei nodded.

We must prioritize tasks. As long as we have the Autumn Water Fairy in hand, we should be able to get to the bottom of the matter of the Moon Gazing Pavilion.

The monk Bu Mei said to Xi Yue, "Since that's the case, this humble monk doesn't want to commit any more killings. Bring the person here, and we'll leave now."

Although Xi Yue didn't believe these two demons were so easy to talk to, she didn't want to risk her life. Her only skill lay in her bewitching magic, but Chen Ye broke her spell with just one bell ring, and Xi Yue knew she was no match for him.

"Please wait a moment, I will bring the person here immediately."

As she spoke, Xi Yue slowly backed away, as if she wanted to leave the private room, but Chen Ye frowned and said, "Miss, please wait. It's just a matter of giving an order. It would be safer for you to stay here."

How could he possibly let Xi Yue leave? Chen Ye is not one to show mercy to women; if anything unexpected happens, he could take her hostage.

Xi Yue stared at Chen Ye with her beautiful eyes. Seeing the unwavering determination in his eyes, she could only snort coldly: "Hmph, you despicable scoundrel who bullies a weak woman like me, so afraid of death, what kind of man are you?"

Chen Ye pretended not to hear, but kept his eyes fixed on Xi Yue.

Helpless, Xi Yue could only pluck a few strings on the pipa.

The clear, melodious sound of the pipa drifted outside, and soon someone knocked on the door of the private room.

Chen Ye saw the richly dressed man who had led the way earlier. He was carrying a tightly wrapped cloth bag, which looked like it contained a person.

The man in fine clothes respectfully placed the cloth bag in front of Chen Ye and the monk Bu Mei, then stepped back a few paces and stood with Na Xi Yue.

Since the monk Bu Mei was blind, Chen Ye had to examine him personally.

With a thought, two thick, red-banded snakes rolled up the cloth bag and presented it to Chen Ye.

But before Chen Ye could cut open the bag to get a better look, the bag was ripped open by a sharp blade, and a cold glint shot toward Chen Ye's throat.

The cold light was surrounded by spiritual energy and had a bluish-green color, clearly indicating that it was coated with a deadly poison that could be sealed upon contact with blood.

However, the blade stopped in mid-air when it was still half an inch away from Chen Ye's throat.

Several red snakes appeared out of thin air and tightly bound the arms of the man in the cloth bag.

The next second, the bag shattered into pieces, and a graceful woman leaped out, breaking free from the red-striped snake's restraints as if shedding her skin. She flipped in mid-air and pounced on Chen Ye again.

But the sneak attack couldn't even harm Chen Ye in the slightest, so what's the use of putting up a stubborn resistance now?

Chen Ye flicked his finger lightly, and the dagger broke in two.

After undergoing superior body refinement, Chen Ye had already undergone a complete transformation. His physique was difficult to damage by ordinary magic weapons, and a single flick of his wrist was enough to break rocks and split gold.

Upon hearing the commotion, the monk Bu Mei clasped his hands together and said, "Amitabha, it seems Miss Xi Yue is determined to die. In that case, don't blame this humble monk..."

The monk Bu Mei had already clenched his right fist, and dazzling golden light gathered, as if he could raze the Moon Gazing Tower to the ground with a single punch.

Chen Ye quickly stopped him, saying, "Master Bu Mei, stop acting. He's one of us."

"Huh? One of our own?"

Monk Bumei was stunned for a moment, completely confused about what had happened.

Not only the monk Bumei, but everyone present failed to understand Chen Ye's meaning.

Chen Ye sighed, pulled off his mask, and said to the woman who jumped out of the bag, "Toya Lier?! What are you doing here?"

The bag didn't contain Autumn Water Fairy at all; it clearly contained Toya Lier, the priestess of the Northern Frontier who served the ancestral spirit of the White Bone.

Previously, Chen Ye ordered her to lead people to the Central Plains to learn the crafts of papermaking and paper figurine making. How come she ended up in Luoyan Town with Xiyue?

Now that someone from the Yellow Springs Sect has shown up, how can they continue the act? They'll be exposed if they say a few more words.

Chen Ye decided to simply stop acting and just ask directly for clarification.

Upon recognizing Chen Ye, Toya Lier was so frightened that she immediately bowed down: "Sect Master, please forgive me, Toya Lier did not mean to offend you."

Upon hearing this, Xi Yue exclaimed in surprise, "You...you...you are the Sect Master of the Yellow Springs Sect?! I...I...I wasn't just now..."

The thought of how she had just called Chen Ye a man made Xi Yue blush.

Chen Ye said helplessly, "It was all a misunderstanding just now, so let's not talk about it anymore. However, what exactly is going on with this Moon Gazing Tower, Tuoya Lier? Please explain it to me."

Ignoring the flustered Xi Yue, Toya Lier quickly explained, "Sect Master, Wangyue Tower was built by me and my sister Xi Yue..."

Toya Lier was eloquent and explained the whole story in just a few words.

Chen Ye sent her to the Central Plains to study, and Tuoya Lier selected several clever people from the Northern Frontier to go to Luoyan Town. There were also craftsmen there who knew how to make paper, and after spending a lot of money, they were finally able to become apprentices. However, these craftsmen only taught a little bit each day and wanted these people from the Northern Frontier to work as their helpers for free.

Toya Lier had no choice but to stay there until she had fully mastered the craft.

Then she met Xiyue, and the two hit it off immediately.

Knowing that Xi Yue possessed the ability to create magical sounds, and considering that Luoyan Town was a crucial place connecting the Northern Frontier and the Central Plains, it was also appropriate to establish a business here. Thus, she discussed with Xi Yue and built this Moon Gazing Tower.

Knowing Chen Ye's nature, Tuo Yali'er established the rule that Wangyue Tower only offered singing and did not sell its members, a practice that has continued to this day.

Chen Ye asked, "So, you told this Miss Xiyue about the matter between Huangquan Sect and me? Your exaggeration will only damage the reputation of Huangquan Sect."

No wonder Xi Yue could use the obscure Huangquan Sect as a backer; she must have listened to too much of Tuo Yali'er's praises and thought the Huangquan Sect was some kind of powerful sect.

However, Xi Yue, who had been blushing, interjected at this moment: "Sect Master, please don't blame my sister. Actually, Xi Yue has been inquiring about the Sect Master and the Yellow Spring Sect. Xi Yue came from Hundred Seas Valley to Luoyan Town for the Sect Master."

Chen Ye asked in confusion, "So you are a rogue cultivator from Hundred Seas Valley, but I have never met you before."

Xi Yue quickly said, "It is my regret that I have never met the Sect Master. However, you have been kind to me, and it is a great kindness. I only want to repay you. I heard that you are working for the Yellow Spring Sect, so I thought of doing my part for the Yellow Spring Sect."

Chen Ye asked, "What is this so-called great favor?"

Xi Yue explained, "Back then, my grandfather was also one of the victims of the Red Serpent disaster. If it weren't for the sect leader's efforts to turn the tide, my grandfather would probably have died at the hands of the Mirage Sect long ago."

At this point, Xi Yue's face flushed again, and she couldn't help but apologize: "Sect Master, I was rude just now, but I didn't mean to offend you. Please don't take offense."

Xi Yue had imagined meeting Chen Ye many times before, but she never expected that she would scold him first when they actually met. Now she just wanted to jump into an ice cave to calm down, otherwise her face would probably be burning hot.

"It's just a misunderstanding, young lady, you don't need to take it to heart."

Chen Ye hadn't expected such a connection. Back then, there were hundreds of cultivators in Hundred Seas Valley who were bitten by the Crimson Serpent. Chen Ye could remember most of them, but he really couldn't remember their relatives.

Chen Ye asked, "I see. I wonder if your grandfather is well?"

Xi Yue quickly said, "Grandpa's lifespan has come to an end, and he passed away not long ago. However, he has always been grateful for the Sect Master's kindness, which is why Xi Yue came to the Northern Frontier to repay the Sect Master. However, I never expected to cause such a misunderstanding."

Upon hearing this, Chen Ye felt somewhat emotional. If Xi Yue's grandfather had come to the Northern Frontier earlier, he might have been able to become a member of the Fengdu Underworld. Now, his soul would probably have already dissipated.

"So it was a misunderstanding." Chen Ye exchanged a few simple pleasantries before getting back to the main point: "This place was originally a brothel run by Qiu Shuixian, the demon of the Nirvana Sect. I wonder if Miss Xiyue has ever seen this person?"

This time, Xi Yue naturally didn't hide anything and quickly said, "I've seen her. I locked her in a secret room in Wangyue Tower."

Chen Ye and the monk Bu Mei did not linger any longer and followed Xi Yue to the underground secret chamber of Wangyue Tower, where they saw the Autumn Water Fairy that was sealed layer by layer.

However, this Autumn Water Fairy was no longer the frivolous and dissolute woman she once was; instead, she was covered in wounds and looked like she was barely clinging to life.

Autumn Water Fairy escaped unscathed back then, so how did she end up in such a miserable state?

Seeing Chen Ye looking at her, Xi Yue quickly explained, "When we rebuilt Wangyue Tower, we found her hiding in this secret room. I wanted to save her out of kindness, but she attacked me instead."

"However, she was seriously injured, so I subdued her. I just don't know her identity, so I've kept her locked up here. If the sect leader hadn't come looking for her, Xi Yue wouldn't have known that she was a demon from the Nirvana Sect."

Chen Ye walked up to Qiu Shuixian and asked, "Do you still remember me?"

Qiu Shuixian opened her eyes, looked at Chen Ye, and said weakly, "Who are you? Release me at once, otherwise, the Nirvana Sect... will not let you go... and will definitely kill your whole family..."

This person seemed to have weakened to the extreme, unable to even discern the situation, and could only habitually resort to threats.

Chen Ye shook his head and said, "Stubborn to the end, atone for the harm you have caused."

A faint light emanated from Chen Ye's body, and dozens of fire snakes flew out, binding Qiu Shuixian tightly.

Blazing flames engulfed her, causing Qiu Shuixian to let out a piercing wail. But no matter how much she struggled, she was still dragged into hell by the Crimson Fire Serpent.

(End of this chapter)