178: Chu Niubi: I didn't call anyone over, I was just trying to scare people!

The square fell into a dead silence.

All the Hidden Sect disciples, including Great Elder Lin Xuanchen, were pale and shivering, not daring to make a single sound.

Too brutal!

He didn't hold back at all.

Could this Ye Chen have been hurt by a woman before?

He really shows no mercy at all... Chu Niubi punched his own palm, looking annoyed: "Damn it, she died without even leaving a corpse."

"Wait..."

The lackey beside him was shocked, "Young Master Chu, do you want to... while she's still warm?"

The surrounding lackeys all showed looks of fear in their eyes.

That's it!

Young Master Chu couldn't have her, so he inevitably felt resentment and wanted to enact some shocking revenge... Hiss!

That definitely sounds like Chu Niubi's style!

"Warm your mother!"

Chu Niubi's face darkened, and he kicked the lackey's butt, "I wanted to kill her with my own hands!"

The lackeys looked skeptical.

Chu Niubi was about to lose his temper... but then, Ye Chen withdrew his foot and spoke indifferently to Lin Xuanchen and the others.

"The Hidden Sect is disbanded as of today."

"All disciples must leave the island immediately. You are never allowed to call yourselves members of the Hidden Sect again, and you must never commit evil deeds again."

"If something similar happens again..."

"I don't mind coming back again."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xuanchen no longer hesitated. He stepped forward quickly and knelt, his forehead hitting the bluestone ground.

"Mr. Ye!"

"I, Lin Xuanchen, am willing to lead the remaining disciples of the Hidden Sect to pledge our loyalty to you!"

"From now on, the entire Hidden Sect will follow Mr. Ye's lead and go through fire and water without hesitation!"

The elders and disciples behind him were stunned at first, then they all followed suit and knelt, as if grabbing onto their last life-saving straw.

The next second.

A dense crowd shouted in unison.

"We are willing to pledge our loyalty to Mr. Ye!"

Lin Xuanchen understood very well, as did the people of the Hidden Sect... Ye Chen's choice to "disband" seemed merciful, but it actually pushed them into a corner.

The Hidden Sect had many enemies. Once they lost the protection of the sect, with their varying levels of cultivation, they would likely be hunted down by their enemies soon after scattering into the outside world.

For example... a colossus like the Chu Family. Because of the sins committed by their young miss, the Chu Family would most likely pull them up by the roots to eliminate any future trouble!

But if they could latch onto a big tree like Ye Chen, it would be completely different.

This young man's strength was unfathomable, and he had the background of the Dragon Group. Even the Young Master of the Chu Family was quite wary of him.

Pledging loyalty to him would not only save their lives but might also find a more powerful backer for the people of the Hidden Sect.

Ye Chen looked at the people of the Hidden Sect kneeling on the ground and pondered for a moment.

He did indeed need manpower.

Whether it was for protecting the people around him or handling some trivial matters, relying solely on himself and the limited number of people by his side would inevitably leave him short-handed.

Otherwise... he wouldn't have recruited the Black Blind Man.

Although the Hidden Sect's leadership was corrupt, it still had some foundation. These remaining disciples and elders, with a bit of screening and restraint, might be useful.

"Get up."

Ye Chen finally spoke.

"Loyalty is fine, but there are a few points that must be made clear."

Lin Xuanchen was overjoyed to hear this and quickly said, "Please speak, Mr. Ye!"

"First, completely abolish the evil methods like using others as cultivation vessels and stealing their constitutions. All related records must be destroyed. The Hidden Sect's past unhealthy practices must be eradicated."

"Second, I will plant a restriction in your bodies. If there is any betrayal or if you commit evil deeds again, it will only take a single thought from me for your meridians to shatter, leading to death."

"Third, your future actions will be under my command. I will tell you the specific arrangements once I've thought them through."

"For other matters, Lin Xuanchen will temporarily be responsible for restraining the crowd, taking inventory of the sect's assets and scriptures, and awaiting orders."

Hearing these harsh conditions, especially the second one, Lin Xuanchen's face turned pale, but he eventually gritted his teeth and agreed: "Yes! Your subordinate obeys Mr. Ye's orders! I have no second thoughts!"

Being able to survive was already a stroke of luck.

Planting a restriction certainly meant being controlled by someone, but it was also a form of binding.

As long as they worked loyally, perhaps... their future wouldn't necessarily be bleak.

Because don't forget.

This person could repair an energy center!

Ye Chen nodded and said no more.

He walked up to Chu Niubi.

Chu Niubi bared his teeth and squeezed out a smile: "Ye Chen, you're awesome! You've already incorporated them? These guys are your subordinates now?"

"I suppose so." Ye Chen looked at him, "As for the Chu Family, don't call any more people over."

"Hahaha!"

Hearing this, Chu Niubi couldn't help but laugh, "I didn't call anyone over; I was just scaring them."

The entire audience: "???"

Chu Niubi continued: "If I had made such a big fuss and called people over, wouldn't everyone in Yanjing know that I, Chu Niubi, have a 'love brain'?"

The entire audience: "..."

Chu Niubi chuckled: "So I just said it casually. I didn't expect this bunch of idiots to actually believe it."

The entire audience: "!!!"

Fine, fine, fine!

They had been played!

But even so, no one dared to betray... Ye Chen laughed in spite of himself and shook his head: "I thought you were stupid, but it seems you're not."

Chu Niubi rolled his eyes.

"Since I, Chu Niubi, dare to use this name, I'm no fool!"

Ye Chen said no more and turned toward Lin Xuanchen and the Hidden Sect disciples who were still kneeling on the ground.

He didn't waste words and simply raised his hand.

"Relax your minds and do not resist."

Lin Xuanchen took a deep breath and was the first to close his eyes, completely letting down his defenses.

The other elders and disciples followed suit when they saw this; no one dared to move.

Ye Chen flicked his fingers repeatedly, and Silver Needles carrying golden specks of light shot out like meteors.

Then.

They sank one by one into the acupoint between the eyebrows of every Hidden Sect person present.

The light specks dissolved upon entering the body, merging into the core of their meridians.

Only a single Silver Needle remained on their foreheads.

Everyone felt their souls tremble slightly, as if an invisible shackle had quietly fallen into place.

Though it wasn't obvious, they could clearly sense its existence and the feeling of control originating from Ye Chen.

"The restriction has been planted."

Ye Chen withdrew his hand, "This restriction is connected to your thoughts. If you have any treacherous intent or commit evil deeds again, the restriction will activate. You should be able to imagine the consequences."

Lin Xuanchen opened his eyes, a layer of fine cold sweat breaking out on his brow. He respectfully kowtowed again: "Your subordinate understands and would never dare to betray Mr. Ye's trust!"

Ye Chen nodded slightly and casually handed a slip of paper with a phone number on it to Lin Xuanchen.

"This is the contact information. You will temporarily manage the Hidden Sect..."

"No, there is no Hidden Sect anymore. Manage this island and everyone on it."

"Yes! Your subordinate accepts the command!" Lin Xuanchen took the paper with both hands as if receiving an imperial decree.

Ye Chen didn't waste words and prepared to leave with Liu Qingluo.

Hong Sanqian had been shrinking back in the crowd, feeling apprehensive. Seeing Ye Chen turn to leave, he could no longer hold back.

The next second.

He scrambled out from behind, kneeling to block the way.

"Mr... Mr. Ye!"

"You promised me that as long as I led the way, you would help me repair my energy center once the matter was settled!"

"I beg you to fulfill your promise!"

His cultivation was now completely gone, making him no different from a cripple. The Hidden Sect was no longer the Hidden Sect of the past. His only hope rested entirely on Ye Chen's initial promise.

Ye Chen paused as if remembering something. He turned his head slightly toward the silent Liu Qingluo beside him.

"Qingluo."

"On the way here, you said that some grudges are etched into one's bones."

"Now, your enemies' lair is right here."

"Aside from the deceased Li Meier, among those who participated in exterminating your Liu Family and pushing you into a corner..."

He paused, his gaze slowly sweeping across the dense crowd of Hidden Sect members kneeling on the square.

"Do you still recognize any of the remaining people?"

As soon as these words were spoken.

It was like another bucket of ice water being poured over the hearts of the Hidden Sect members in the middle of winter!

Everyone's faces changed drastically!

Liu Qingluo's delicate body trembled. The hatred, pain, and humiliation suppressed deep in her eyes for countless days and nights erupted like a dormant volcano!

Her gaze swept across the field.

"I recognize them..."

"Even if I were dead, burned to ashes, and my soul dissipated..."

"I would never forget a single one of their faces!!!"

Her fingertip pointed them out one by one.

"You! And you!"

"The one with the scar on his face!"

"The dwarf hiding in the back!"

"The piece of trash who kicked and broke my brother's leg!"

"The beast who held my mother down and forced her to watch my father being killed!"

...With every person she pointed out, her voice grew colder, and the hatred in her eyes intensified.

Every person from the Hidden Sect she pointed at looked ashen.

Some had weak legs and slumped directly to the ground, some had teeth chattering, and some... were even scared into wetting themselves!

Hong Sanqian knelt at Ye Chen's feet.

His old face, which had been full of hope, completely lost its composure when Liu Qingluo's finger pointed at him from afar!

That's right.

Back then, it was he and Li Meier who had set out together to exterminate the Liu Family!

Liu Qingluo said with a voice full of hatred.

"Hong Sanqian!"

"Although you didn't personally kill my family back then, it was you who led the people to surround the Liu Family Estate, and it was you who ordered the fire to be set!"