Stalwart Liu was deeply curious about Ye Wen, who stood silently beside Yue Hang, unable to place the young man's relationship with the (Chief Escort).

If he were kin, a nephew or younger relative, he would have paid respects upon arrival. If he were an outsider, why would Yue Hang keep him so close? Furthermore, it seemed this young man was expected to join them for dinner, otherwise Yue Hang would not have kept him trailing so closely.

"This is Young Hero Ye Wen, whom I have just invited to accompany us on this escort mission," Yue Hang explained. Stalwart Liu immediately understood: this youth was hired muscle, brought along by Chief Escort Yue. Yet, considering his extreme youth—looking even younger than Liu’s own youngest apprentice—Liu wondered why Chief Escort Yue placed such high value on him.

However, being an old hand who had navigated the martial world for many years, Stalwart Liu suppressed his doubts, offering only a slight smile and asking no further questions.

At this opportune moment, Ye Wen stepped forward and bowed respectfully to Stalwart Liu, acknowledging the elder's seniority: "This junior greets Stalwart Liu." He then turned and offered a polite greeting to Liu’s two apprentices. In the jianghu, especially for one just starting out, courtesy was always an advantage.

Seeing the bow, Stalwart Liu accepted with a smile; receiving the respects of a junior was only proper given his age and standing. His two apprentices returned the courtesy in turn, though the younger one seemed notably reluctant.

In truth, Zhao Heng had initially intended not to return the gesture, but seeing his senior apprentice offer a cupped-fist salute, he realized failing to reciprocate would make him seem far more arrogant than his elder brother. Thus, he offered a grudging return, his eyes darting everywhere but directly at Ye Wen.

Ye Wen clearly perceived Zhao Heng's attitude, recognizing the disdain stemming from his background, and had no interest in further conversation with the pair of brothers. After completing the requisite formalities, he fell silent, standing aside to watch Stalwart Liu and Yue Hang exchange pleasantries.

Having traversed the martial world for decades, Stalwart Liu could not miss his disciple’s demeanor. He felt helpless but inwardly thought, I only hope this trip down the mountain gives Zhao Heng some necessary tempering, so he can learn a bit about the ways of the world.

This concern was precisely why he had brought both apprentices. Liu Mo was there to keep an eye on Zhao Heng, tasked to mentor his junior brother more effectively.

Furthermore, while Liu was aware of his younger apprentice’s arrogance and tendency to look down on others, he was intrigued by Ye Wen’s reaction: upon sensing Zhao Heng’s slight, Ye Wen had immediately ceased interacting with the three of them. What made this young man so capable of ignoring them?

After all, the Tiger Mountain Sect was one of the strongest factions in Pingzhou territory. While perhaps not comparable to the great traditional martial arts powers, they had certainly established a reputation. Could they not even warrant the attention of this youth?

They moved into a large room where food and wine had already been laid out. Yue Hang first seated Stalwart Liu and his disciples, then gestured respectfully toward Ye Wen before taking his own seat. This deference further piqued Stalwart Liu’s interest. As soon as they were settled, Liu asked with a smile, "May I inquire as to which lineage this Young Hero hails from?"

He intended to discover Ye Wen's background to gauge any hidden support the young man possessed.

The moment the question left his lips, before Ye Wen could react, Yue Hang's heart sank with a silent 'Not good.'

From what Yue Hang knew, Ye Wen was the current sect master of the Book Mountain Sect. However, more than half a year ago, the Fist of Truth Gate had stormed their compound. If the aggressors had not opted for a contest of martial skill rather than total annihilation, the Book Mountain Sect would have been completely extinguished. Even so, the sect had effectively vanished from current (martial world) memory. Unless the Fist of Truth Gate decided to establish a branch using the old name, the title belonged to them, requiring their permission for anyone else to use it—unless one was strong enough to simply ignore them.

Yue Hang had always considered Ye Wen’s sect affiliation to be the young man's deepest vulnerability, a topic best avoided. This was why he used the general term 'Young Hero' instead of 'Sect Master' when addressing him. Now, Stalwart Liu had blundered into the question almost immediately, giving Yue Hang no chance to signal caution. He could only pray that Ye Wen had already come to terms with the loss and would not lash out at Liu or leave in shame.

Yue Hang’s caution was logical, based on conventional human behavior.

But he completely failed to anticipate that Ye Wen was decidedly not conventional. The matter of losing their banner in a duel was not even his doing. Although he had shouldered the blame and infamy for that unlucky predecessor, Ye Wen didn't truly consider it his affair.

Of course, overt humiliation, like that inflicted by Yu Dahai, would be another matter entirely.

Therefore, Ye Wen cared little for the past. As for his sect, he had already established a new base of operations and was eager for publicity. Liu’s inquiry was the perfect opportunity for the first advertisement for his new sect.

"I am the Sect Master of the Shu Mountain Sect. Stalwart Liu, being from a small family, perhaps has not heard of us," Ye Wen emphasized the word 'Shu Mountain,' stressing the pronunciation just in case there was any confusion.

Stalwart Liu was genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected this young man to be the leader of an entire sect—it far exceeded his estimations. "To think Young Hero Ye is a Sect Master! This old Taoist has been remiss," he apologized.

He was somewhat informed about the numerous minor sects in the Book Mountain area; there were countless factions, so many that even local martial artists probably couldn't name them all. However, a Sect Master as young as Ye Wen was truly rare. What concerned Liu more was that Yue Hang, a man well-traveled and discerning, held this Ye Sect Master in such high regard, suggesting his martial arts must be formidable. The strength of this Shu Mountain Sect thus warranted careful consideration.

Yue Hang, standing nearby, was even more astonished. He distinctly caught the emphasis Ye Wen placed on the sect name. So, the former master of the Book Mountain Sect had indeed founded a new force and changed the name to 'Shu Mountain Sect' for differentiation?

He didn't dare ask for details, assuming the Shu Mountain Sect had been established for quite some time. Raising his wine cup, Yue Hang addressed Ye Wen, "I had believed Young Hero Ye to be an extraordinary martial artist, a lone wanderer. I never suspected you were the Sect Master of Shu Mountain. My apologies, Sect Master Ye; I must fine myself a drink." With that, he drained his cup until the bottom was perfectly visible.

Ye Wen quickly offered a toast in return, smiling, "Chief Escort Yue is too kind."

Yue Hang then inquired, "Is the mountain gate of Sect Master Ye also located upon Book Mountain?" Though he rarely frequented the peaks, he reasoned that establishing a new sect should not have gone entirely unnoticed, especially given Ye Wen's prior feud with the Fist of Truth Gate—a new establishment was bound to cause friction.

"My mountain gate is situated a bit remotely, near the summit, rarely visited by others. It is no surprise Chief Escort Yue has never seen it," Ye Wen replied. This single sentence explained everything to Yue Hang: Ye Wen had hidden his sect high up, making it naturally undiscoverable.

If that's the case, Yue Hang deduced swiftly, Ye Wen must have been cultivating diligently on Book Mountain for the past six months. Now that he has achieved some success, he has descended—likely first, to seek funds for living expenses, and second, to truly begin developing his sect, perhaps even seeking revenge against the Fist of Truth Gate.

In just a few deductions, Yue Hang mapped out the probable scenario. He ran a security escort business; while his martial arts might not be top-tier, his mind was certainly sharp.

This Ye Wen must have experienced some great fortune—either meeting a renowned master or finding a secret manual for inner cultivation, leading to this rapid surge in power. With such progress in just half a year, it won't be long before he alone can dismantle the Fist of Truth Gate and establish his Shu Mountain Sect as a recognized power on Book Mountain.

Should I try to forge a stronger bond with him now, while he is still relatively down on his luck? Yue Hang’s thoughts raced, but his hands never stopped moving, constantly refilling his wine cup for Stalwart Liu.

Stalwart Liu, though a Taoist, had no aversion to meat and drink, downing every cup offered and thoroughly enjoying the feast of fowl and fish before him.

Yet, despite his rapid consumption, he maintained an air of high cultivation, ensuring his eating habits never appeared crude.

In contrast, his two apprentices lacked such restraint. The elder apprentice, Liu Mo, was better mannered, having seen more of the world, and was mindful of his image while eating.

Zhao Heng was far less composed. He desperately wanted to eat more, yet worried about looking unseemly, resulting in him neither eating well nor maintaining a dignified appearance.

Yue Hang paid this no mind, and Stalwart Liu said nothing either. After all, the Tiger Mountain Sect was primarily composed of Taoist cultivators whose lives were generally austere. Though Liu himself did not abstain from food or drink, he could not expect the entire mountain community to be the same. If they were, his own master—the Sect Master of Tiger Mountain—would surely reprimand him severely.

As for Ye Wen, he remained silent, steadily eating his portion. He had eaten well over the past six months, his physical condition significantly improved compared to half a year prior. Thus, while the wine and dishes before him were tempting, they did not provoke any loss of composure.

For a time, everyone was occupied with eating and drinking, occasionally exchanging brief anecdotes about the jianghu. Yue Hang ensured he addressed Ye Wen frequently, so the young man would not feel neglected.

Overall, the dinner was a success, with both hosts and guests enjoying themselves, until one matter prematurely concluded the meal.

The client, Old Master Xu, arrived personally with his son, Xu Xian—the person requiring protection—to ask Yue Hang when preparations would be complete and when they could depart.

"Please have Old Master Xu and Young Master Xu wait in the main hall. I will attend to them immediately," Yue Hang said, turning to his guests. "Perhaps the esteemed guests would care to join me, so you may meet the person we are escorting south?"