The discussion with Liu Qingfeng cemented a future direction for the Shu Mountain Sect: to form a degree of alliance with the Tiger Mountain Sect, primarily to counter the Pingzhou branch of the Tianle Gang.

In truth, this arrangement was exactly what the Tiger Mountain Sect desired most. After all, the Tianle Gang was an outsider, and in this era, provincialism and xenophobia ran deep, leading to endless disputes rooted in regional rivalry. Even the development of sects often factored in these considerations.

If the Tianle Gang's power hadn't been so overwhelmingly formidable, the martial artists of Pingzhou would never have allowed them to become a top-tier force in the region.

This much was evident from the Tianle Gang's branches in other areas; outside of their ancestral home, their other outposts were, at best, respectable influences, never reaching true top-tier status. In many locales, established local sects could firmly suppress the Tianle Gang.

In those places, the Tianle Gang often needed to keep a low profile, relying on the goodwill of others—a stark contrast to the situation here in Pingzhou.

Although the martial artists of Pingzhou wished to push back the Tianle Gang, their own collective strength was too weak to achieve it. The Tiger Mountain Sect, as the region's leading power, also yearned to suppress the Tianle Gang and see local strength represented as the pinnacle of Pingzhou martial arts. However, Pingzhou was remote, and lacking a deep heritage of martial arts, this goal seemed perpetually distant.

The appearance of Ye Wen and the Shu Mountain Sect offered Liu Qingfeng a glimmer of hope, as Ye Wen’s sect showed immense potential for growth. In Liu Qingfeng’s estimation, given enough time, the rise of the Shu Mountain Sect to one of the foremost powers in Pingzhou was a certainty.

The problem was that the two sects had unfortunately become entangled with the Tianle Gang. If the Gang seized the opportunity to annihilate such a promising new force, it would be an immense loss for the Pingzhou martial world. Furthermore, the Tiger Mountain Sect would be relegated once again to bearing the pressure from the Tianle Gang alone.

Weighing all these considerations, Liu Qingfeng decided to cultivate a good relationship with the Shu Mountain Sect, and if necessary, even urge his senior brother to preserve the sect's lineage, ensuring the Tianle Gang could not wipe them out.

He believed that in another decade or so, a unified Shu Mountain Sect and Tiger Mountain Sect could ensure that the Tianle Gang would never again hold unchecked dominance over Pingzhou.

Watching Liu Qingfeng and his two disciples gradually disappear from view, Ye Wen slowly returned to Mount Shu with Yue Ning, his newly accepted disciple.

This time, Ye Wen did not take the familiar shortcut up the mountain but ascended slowly along the main road. Along the way, they encountered disciples from various factions on Mount Shu. Some did not recognize Ye Wen and simply ignored him.

Others seemed to have heard of Ye Wen and knew about the incident from more than half a year ago, reacting with looks of derision, though none approached to provoke him.

A few, who were better informed and knew Ye Wen had injured Yu Dahai with a single palm strike at the Yue Mountain Escort Agency, smiled and greeted him, perhaps holding the hope of befriending this young master.

Ye Wen did not maintain a cold façade of aloofness with these people, nor did he become overly enthusiastic. After a few brief exchanges, he continued his ascent. Conversely, those unaware of the recent events found it strange that some people were actively greeting Ye Wen.

"Why were you so warm to that good-for-nothing?"

The person addressed responded with open disdain: "How long have you been off the mountain? Your news is outdated. Go ask around, brother. I advise you not to cross this lord; otherwise, you won't have an easy time of it."

The questioner became instantly angry, cursing back: "Are you afflicted by plague? Am I supposed to fawn over that failure? Unless he sends that beautiful junior sister to my room, I might consider it…"

But before he could finish, his mouth was muffled, and the sound of his sputtering protest gradually faded as they moved away, beyond Ye Wen's hearing.

"Hmph. I actually hope you continue to underestimate me. Just wait a little longer; I will make the entirety of Mount Shu recognize exactly who Ye Wen is."

He glanced back at his disciple and noticed that Yue Ning's expression had remained unchanged throughout the walk. Though young, the subtle flicker of confusion in his eyes, despite his attempt to mask it, was noticed by Ye Wen.

Ye Wen offered no explanation, confident that in time his disciple would grasp everything. He saw no need for excessive chatter. Moreover, as a master, he was not obligated to explain every single detail clearly to his apprentice.

As for Yue Ning, he was indeed perplexed. The myriad reactions he witnessed from others toward his master on the ascent left him quite confused about the situation.

While he had anticipated some deference toward his master, the widespread disdain he observed was truly baffling. He couldn't understand how the man his father held in such high regard—the man specifically chosen to be his master—could be treated with such dismissiveness.

Perhaps Father misjudged him?

The thought arose but was quickly dismissed. He trusted his father’s judgment. Therefore, the only remaining explanation was that these people simply did not know how formidable his master truly was.

"It must be that," young Yue Ning firmly believed his father would not mislead him. He recalled his father, Yue Hang, emphatically instructing him before they left: "Serve your master and elders well. Treat your master as you would treat me. Do whatever your master tells you, and don't ask too many questions, understood?"

Such instructions were proof enough of his father's high regard for this master. If Ye Wen were truly incompetent, why would his father give such orders?

During the climb, Yue Ning reasoned through many things. By the time they reached the gates of the Shu Mountain Sect, the doubt in his eyes had vanished. This, in turn, surprised Ye Wen; he realized the boy was far more astute than he had anticipated.

"This kid—if trained properly, he might become an elite of our Shu Mountain Sect."

Of course, the entire Shu Mountain Sect consisted only of himself and his junior sister, and now they had a head disciple. Without any ordinary or outer disciples yet, the concept of "elite" was practically meaningless.

Leading Yue Ning to the mountain gate, Ye Wen knocked twice with a firm rap, and the heavy doors swung inward. During the day, the Shu Mountain gates were usually left unlocked, only secured at night for rest.

As Ye Wen stepped into the courtyard, Ning Ruxue, who had been practicing her sword forms, saw her senior brother enter with a young boy in tow. She blinked once, confirmed she wasn't seeing things, sheathed her sword, and went to greet them.

"Head Disciple is back."

Uncertain who the young boy was, but recognizing him as an outsider, Ning Ruxue afforded Ye Wen every courtesy. She greeted him respectfully and offered a slight bow, which momentarily stunned Ye Wen, leaving him unsure what was happening.

Seeing Ye Wen staring strangely at her, Ning Ruxue glared at her senior brother in irritation until he snapped back to attention: "Oh. Yes, we're back."

"Why so fast?" When Ye Wen left last time, he had mentioned heading south to Jiangzhou. A round trip like that would normally take over a month. Yet, he had returned in just over half a month, much to Ning Ruxue's confusion.

Ye Wen smiled. "A snag came up on the road. Young Master Xu—the one you saw—changed his mind shortly after we passed Linshan County, so we turned back."

Ning Ruxue mumbled under her breath, "Rich boys, always causing trouble." Her voice was so low that Ye Wen might not have heard it if he hadn't been close.

They walked inside while talking, soon arriving at the current most imposing structure of the Shu Mountain Sect: the main hall. This building was usually reserved for receiving important guests from other sects or discussing major sect affairs. But since the Shu Mountain Sect was newly established and not yet famous, no one paid visits, and there were no pressing matters.

Most issues were already resolved by the brother and sister over meals, so the main hall had seen little use since its construction.

Ye Wen leading Ning Ruxue directly to the hall made her curious. "Senior Brother, is there something today?"

Ye Wen nodded, gesturing toward the boy who maintained a respectful two-meter distance behind him. "This is the eldest son of Yue Hang, the Chief Escort of the Yue Mountain Escort Agency in Shushan County. He has formally taken me as his master today. Although our sect is small and lacks influence, a rite of discipleship is a serious matter and cannot be treated casually."

Ning Ruxue’s eyes widened upon hearing that the Head Disciple was accepting a disciple, and the first one at that. This was certainly no trivial affair. For once, she strongly agreed with her senior brother, nodding repeatedly: "Senior Brother is absolutely right; this cannot be handled carelessly. Even though the Shu Mountain Sect isn't some grand lineage, matters concerning the sect's inheritance must never be glossed over."

She became even more enthusiastic than Ye Wen, immediately suggesting they find Aunt Zhao to pick an auspicious date for Yue Ning’s formal initiation ceremony.

This unexpected fervor left Ye Wen momentarily speechless. He managed to say, "Isn't that a bit excessive?"

Ning Ruxue responded with a roll of her eyes. "I'm glad my Senior Brother finally sees reason! Still acting this way? Is accepting the first disciple a minor event? How can we not plan it carefully? Senior Brother, leave this to me. I will discuss it thoroughly with Aunt Zhao and choose a propitious day for a proper ceremony."

Ye Wen stared dumbfounded, muttering to himself, "It’s not a wedding or a funeral, yet she’s making such a fuss..." But he understood that the first disciple was crucial for the sect's continuity. For any sect, this was indeed a monumental occasion.

Furthermore, if the current generation counted as the first, the Shu Mountain Sect had zero second-generation disciples. Yue Ning’s entry would make him the chief successor of the second generation, and as the Head Disciple, his status certainly warranted a grand initiation ritual.