“He has a rather good relationship with the outer court elder, Elder Qian. We can ask Elder Qian to give it a try!” Meanwhile, Yu Heng spoke abruptly.

“We can only do that!” Yu Lin sighed in a light voice.

Right at this moment, Su Qingshi walked into the hall, and she looked at Yu Lin as she said, “I want to recommend someone to participate in the Ascension Rankings!”

Yu Lin was slightly surprised and said, “Qingshi, could it be that our Sword Sect still possesses other young geniuses?”

Su Qingshi shook her head. “It’s Yang Ye!”

Everyone present here was stunned when they heard this, and then Yu Heng recovered from his shock and said, “Qingshi, Yang Ye is willing to rejoin the Sword Sect?”

Su Qingshi shook her head again and said, “No, he’s just willing to represent the Sword Sect during this year’s Ascension Rankings.”

Yu Heng and Yu Lin were slightly disappointed when they heard her, and then Yu Lin laughed bitterly and said, “Qingshi, if I’m not wrong, Yang Ye is only at the Mortal Realm, right? Even if he has already attained the First Heaven Realm and has comprehended Sword Intent, if he participates in the Ascension Rankings with his current strength, then he has utterly no chance of ascending the rankings. You ought to be clearly aware of this!”

“I’ve personally tested his strength, and it’s sufficient to go against a King Realm expert!” Su Qingshi said, “Moreover... moreover, his Sword Intent has arrived at the 2nd level now!”

Everyone in the surroundings was shocked!

Yu Lin said seriously, “Qingshi, he has really attained the 2nd level of Sword Intent?”

Su Qingshi nodded.

When they saw her nod, everyone here felt excited first before they seemed to have thought of something, and the excitement on their faces transformed into bitterness. Amongst them, Yu Lin’s face was the most bitter. Because a single decision of his hadn’t just prevented such a genius in the Sword Dao from becoming a disciple of the Sword Sect, that genius even had ill feelings towards the Sword Sect. Moreover, the Sword Sect had even offended the Flower Palace because of this matter. So, the Sword Sect had really gained nothing yet suffered double the losses!

The surroundings fell silent. At this moment, all of them didn’t have the mood to discuss the candidates participating in the Ascension Rankings, and they were thinking about how to make Yang Ye return to the Sword Sect instead. Because Yang Ye had comprehended Sword Intent, and this clearly displayed his natural talent. Now, he’d attained the 2nd level of Sword Intent in a very short period of time, and this displayed that Yang Ye’s natural talent in the Sword Dao far exceeded their imagination!

If the Sword Sect utilized the ability of the entire sect to foster him, then his future accomplishments would definitely not be weaker than the protector of the Sword Sect, Daoist Zui!

After a short moment of silence, Yu Lin said, “It was my decision. Now it would seem like I’m really not suitable to continue holding the position of Sword Commanding Elder. From now onward, the position of Sword Commanding Elder will be held by Yu Heng, and I’ll personally admit my errors to the Sect Master once he emerges from closed door cultivation!”

If Yang Ye had merely comprehended Sword Intent, then even though Yu Lin would regret his decision, he wouldn’t punish himself because while the others might feel slightly resentful, they wouldn’t blame him as well. Because he’d done all of it for the Sword Sect.

But now, he had no choice but to punish himself.

Everyone in the surroundings remained silent, including Yu Heng. The silence was equivalent to tacit approval. Yes, all of them tacitly approved of Yu Lin’s decision.

No matter why Yu Lin had made such a decision at that time, it was a fact that he’d expelled that genius who’d comprehended Sword Intent. Someone had to take responsibility for this mistake, and Yu Lin had naturally become that person.

Su Qingshi sighed lightly. She hadn’t told them about Yang Ye’s entire strength, and if she did, then Yu Lin would probably be even more regretful. Actually, it wasn’t just the people here that would feel regretful from such an incident, even the Origin School and the two palaces would definitely feel regretful if this happened to them. After all, it was a genius that had comprehended Sword Intent, and such a person was a pillar of any sect!

Expelling him from the sect was equivalent to severing the backbone of a sect!

“Qingshi, you rescued Yang Ye and his younger sister that day. In your opinion, is it possible to make him join our Sword Sect?” asked Yu Heng.

Su Qingshi shook her head and said, “Yang Ye is extremely proud. Since our Sword Sect treated him in that way, then it’s utterly impossible to make him join the Sword Sect. However, I will still try hard to accomplish it. He attaches great importance to his relationships, so if our Sword Sect is able to move him, then we still have a very good chance.”

“Move him? Yu Heng said, “Qingshi, tell us about it in detail.”

Su Qingshi glanced at all of them before she said, “I presume everyone is already aware of the enmity between Yang Ye and the Flower Palace. Yang Ye’s mother is still suffering in the Flower Palace until now. If our Sword Sect helps him rescue his mother, then I presume he’ll definitely have a good impression of the Sword Sect. With his character, it should be possible to make him join the sect once more!”

Meanwhile, Yu Lin frowned and said, “Qingshi, you ought to be aware of that rule within the Flower Palace. Not to mention that Yang Ye’s mother was only an ordinary disciple, even the Palace Master of Flower Palace wouldn’t suffer lighter consequences from breaking that rule. That rule can be said to be the Flower Palace’s foundation. If our Sword Sect lends a hand to rescue Yang Ye’s mother, then we would really utterly offend the Flower Palace!”

“There is no gain without pain. All of you can choose between Yang Ye and the Flower Palace yourselves!” Su Qingshi spoke indifferently.

Many people in the surroundings started to hesitate. Because completely offending the Flower Palace for Yang Ye’s sect wasn’t a small matter. Especially with the Sword Sect’s current state. Even the slightest mistake might put the Sword Sect in danger of annihilation.

“Is there no other way?” asked Yu Heng. Offending the Flower Palace for Yang Ye really wasn’t a minor thing, and they didn’t dare decide by themselves because it had major implications.

Su Qingshi glanced at them and said, “Senior Brothers, just think about the Sword Sect’s current situation. My Sword Sect is lacking in successors. Even if someone from our Sword Sect ascends the Ascension Rankings this time, so what? Not to mention the Origin School and the two palaces, our Sword Sect can’t even compare to the strengths of the other two sects. Most importantly, even though our Sword Sect is still amongst the six great powers, it’s reputed to be at the bottom of the six great powers!

“Besides those few cities around our Sword Sect, does our Sword Sect possess anymore influence in the entire southern territory? Moreover, what do the disciples of the other sects think of our Sword Sect? In the past, only the disciples of the Origin School and Imperial Academy looked down upon the disciples of our Sword Sect, but now, it isn’t just them, even the two palaces and the other two sects look down upon our Sword Sect as well.

“In the past, those clans that were subordinate to our Sword Sect would send the geniuses of their clans to our Sword Sect. But do they still do the same now? If all of you investigate carefully, you’ll notice that those clans would rather send the geniuses of their clans to become outer court disciples of the Origin School and the two palaces than send them to become inner court disciples of our Sword Sect!

“Destroying all techniques with a single strike of the sword. These were words of praise that the southern territory used to give the Sword Sect, but now, this praise has become a form of ridicule!”

After saying all of this in one go, Su Qingshi took a very deep breath. At the same time, a wisp of deep sorrow and helplessness surged from her heart. The Sword Sect had once been brilliant, and its disciples had been renowned in the past. Even the Origin School had to avoid the edge of the Sword Sect’s sword, yet now....

The atmosphere in the surroundings fell silent while all of their faces burned. It wasn’t that they were unaware of these problems, but they’d chosen to constantly avoid it, and they didn’t take the initiative to admit this fact. Yet now, it had been brought up by Su Qingshi in an undisguised manner, so that cloth that covered it was gone. Besides feeling their faces heat up in embarrassment, they felt even more helplessness.

“Our Sword Sect needs to gain reputation now, it needs someone to spread the reputation of our Sword Sect to allow everyone in the southern territory to know that our Sword Sect hasn’t declined and our Sword Sect can still destroy all techniques with a single strike of the sword! Do all of you think any disciple in the sect’s younger generation is capable of accomplishing that? Murong Yao is very formidable, and her natural talent is extremely monstrous, but can she deter the geniuses of the other sects? On the other hand, even if Yang Ye is unable to now, he has the greatest potential because he has comprehended Sword Intent. All of you ought to be clearly aware of what a disciple that has comprehended Sword Intent represents!” Su Qingshi continued.

After a short while, Yu Lin said, “Qingshi, everything you said really makes sense, but this isn’t something we’re able to decide on. After all, if we really become enemies with the Flower Palace and it joins forces with the Ghost Sect, then our Sword Sect would really be in danger. You ought to know that our Sword Sect can’t bear to withstand any storms at this moment.”

Yu Heng said from the side, “There’s no doubt that Yang Ye really possesses such strength. If he was still a disciple of our Sword Sect, then I would agree even if we had to offend the Glower Palace. But now, he’d not a disciple of our Sword Sect any longer. Moreover, if our Sword Sect makes a move to rescue Yang Ye’s mother, then it’s very likely to cause war to erupt between our Sword Sect and the Flower Palace. If we enter into war with the Flower Palace, then the Ghost Sect would definitely interfere. At that time, our Sword Sect would be besieged from both sides, and I’m truly unwilling to watch such a situation occur!”

The others nodded slowly as well. Even though all of them hoped that Yang Ye would join the Sword Sect, it was undoubtedly not worth to make the entire Sword Sect offend the Flower Palace and even go to war with the Flower Palace just for Yang Ye. The consequences of a war between the two sects wasn’t something that the Sword Sect could endure!

Su Qingshi glanced at all of them, and then she didn’t say anything as she turned around and left.

She didn’t blame any of them. Because she knew that they were thinking about the interests of the Sword Sect and were unwilling to gamble with the entire Sword Sect.

However, if the Sword Sect continued in this way, then did it really have any hope?