Invincible Soul Emperor

Chapter 283: Chapter 283 Qualification to Directly Advance to a 2-Star Sect

Seeing Xiao Xiao rush over, Ye Qingchen couldn’t hide his excitement. He swept her into a tight hug, spinning her around several times before gently setting her down.

The sudden scene left Li Qingfeng and the others stunned, but their shock turned to relief when they recognized the girl as Xiao Xiao, the maid who used to serve Ye Qingchen.

Suppressing her own excitement, Xiao Xiao finally realized everyone was staring at her. She quickly pulled away from Ye Qingchen’s embrace, a blush creeping onto her small face as she said, ”I just knew the Qingyun Sect would participate in the Sect Promotion Tournament this time. So, I asked my sect elders if I could be an inspector for the tournament. I just wanted to see you, Young Master.” Her voice grew quieter as she spoke, fading to a nearly inaudible whisper by the end.

Ye Qingchen affectionately stroked Xiao Xiao’s hair. So much time had passed. She had grown into a young woman, shedding her youthful immaturity, and her strength had reached the astonishing peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm. Moreover, she was now one of the inspectors for the Sect Promotion Tournament.

This alone spoke volumes about Xiao Xiao’s status within the Wuji Immortal Palace. After all, an inspector represented the face of their sect; it wasn’t a position just anyone could hold.

Xiao Xiao straightened the hair Ye Qingchen had playfully messed up and noticed Venerable Heize standing beside him. She turned to the Venerable and said, ”Hei Ze, have you been taking good care of the Young Master while I was away? If I find out you’ve been slacking, I won’t pay to free you!”

Xiao Xiao’s words made Venerable Heize and Li Qingfeng burst into laughter. A slightly embarrassed Ye Qingchen gently tugged her arm and said, ”Xiao Xiao, don’t be ridiculous. Hei Ze isn’t a servant. He’s a Venerable of the Qingyun Sect, a truly formidable expert.”

”What? Hei Ze is a Venerable!”

Xiao Xiao’s jaw nearly hit the floor. I was actually ordering around and scolding a Venerable of the Qingyun Sect, someone whose status is comparable to the Sect Master?

She couldn’t believe it. The timid, unassuming Hei Ze I knew is a high and mighty Venerable, revered by all? The two personas are impossible to reconcile!

However, learning Hei Ze’s true identity didn’t make Xiao Xiao wary. Instead, she just laughed and said to the Venerable, ”Well, in that case, I guess I don’t have to save up to buy your freedom! But do you still want a wife? I can find you a suitable one in the Wuji Immortal Palace if you’d like.”

Xiao Xiao’s question once again sent Hei Ze and the others into roaring laughter.

Just then, a graceful young man dressed in green robes walked toward them. He appeared to be in his twenties, with a fair complexion as if carved from jade. As he moved, his aura was restrained, yet it carried a powerful, oppressive weight.

Ye Qingchen’s first impression was immediate and clear. This man is strong! Stronger than any expert I have ever met!

The young man approached with an easy smile, stopping beside Xiao Xiao. ”Junior Sister Xiao Xiao,” he said gracefully, ”I was wondering where you’d disappeared to. So you were here. Are these your friends?”

Xiao Xiao smiled, nodded, and linked her arm with Ye Qingchen’s. ”Senior Brother Xiao Yu, this is the Young Master Ye Qingchen I’ve told you about. He’s also here for the Sect Promotion Tournament.”

Seeing Xiao Xiao’s intimate gesture with Ye Qingchen, Ling Xiaoyu’s eyes flashed with a nearly imperceptible hint of jealousy.

Then, Xiao Xiao turned to Ye Qingchen to continue the introductions. ”Young Master, this is Ling Xiaoyu, my senior brother from the sect. Don’t let his age fool you; Senior Brother Xiao Yu’s strength has already reached the peak of the Ninth Layer of the Martial King Realm.”

Hearing this, Ye Qingchen’s gaze sharpened. He hadn’t expected the young man before him to be at the peak of the Martial King Realm at such a young age. A breakthrough to an even higher realm seemed all but guaranteed for him in the future.

When Xiao Xiao finished, Ling Xiaoyu smiled and extended a hand to Ye Qingchen, who shook it politely.

Ling Xiaoyu smiled at Ye Qingchen and said, ”So you’re the Young Master Ye Qingchen who’s always on our Junior Sister Xiao Xiao’s mind? With a strength of only the Third Layer of the Martial Spirit Realm, it seems you’re not as impressive as your reputation suggests.”

Ye Qingchen said nothing in response, but Xiao Xiao was not pleased. She turned to Ling Xiaoyu and retorted, ”Senior Brother Xiao Yu, my Young Master has only been cultivating for about a year, yet he has ascended from the Martial Warrior Realm to the Martial Spirit Realm. Such talent would be considered top-tier even in our Wuji Immortal Palace, wouldn’t it?”

Ling Xiaoyu simply smiled and shook his head, not wishing to argue the point. He didn’t believe for a second that someone from a mere one-star sect could advance from the Martial Warrior Realm to the Martial Spirit Realm in a single year. To him, Xiao Xiao was clearly just defending Ye Qingchen.

Ye Qingchen naturally paid Ling Xiaoyu’s remark no mind. He just nodded politely before turning to Xiao Xiao and saying, ”Xiao Xiao, I am determined to win this Sect Promotion Tournament. I have to get one of the slots to enter the Demon Region.”

Ye Qingchen didn’t hide his motives from Xiao Xiao. She was one of the tournament inspectors, after all. While she probably couldn’t go easy on him, any information she could provide would significantly improve his chances.

I may disdain such methods, but my father’s life is at stake. I must be fully prepared!

Xiao Xiao nodded. ”I believe you can definitely lead the sect to promotion, Young Master. But why are you so set on going to the Demon Region?”

Ye Qingchen sighed and explained, ”A while ago, I learned what happened to my father and managed to rescue him. But he was tortured for more than a decade, and his lifespan is almost completely depleted. To extend his life, I must go to the Demon Region, obtain a Demon Core, and refine a sixth-grade Life Extension Pill.”

”The Family Head isn’t dead? That’s wonderful!”

Xiao Xiao was overjoyed to hear the Family Head was alive, but her eyes reddened upon hearing his lifespan was nearly exhausted. She knew Ye Qingchen’s personality well; if there was even a sliver of hope to save his father, he would pursue it relentlessly. At that moment, she completely understood his determination to get the Qingyun Sect promoted to a two-star rank and earn the right to enter the Demon Region.

Xiao Xiao smiled and nodded. ”Since you’re so determined, Young Master, I have to help. I have a single, special slot that can exempt the Qingyun Sect from the assessment and promote it directly to a two-star sect!”

Xiao Xiao’s words left everyone present, including Li Qingfeng and Ye Qingchen, frozen in place. To think that the promotion to a two-star sect they had been dreaming of could be granted directly, with no assessment at all?

Seeing the looks of disbelief on their faces, Xiao Xiao pouted. ”What? Don’t you believe me, Young Master? The sect’s experts can’t be bothered with minor things like this. I’m the one in charge of this promotion assessment. Besides the ten slots awarded to the top sects from the thousands in the Northern Region, there is one extra discretionary slot that allows a sect to be promoted. Of course, I can give it to the Qingyun Sect. This is the slot that grants an exemption from the assessment.”

Everyone stared at Xiao Xiao, completely dumbfounded.

The person in charge of this entire promotion assessment... was actually Xiao Xiao