Since the matter of Yue Ning's formal initiation into the sect required careful planning, it wasn't something that could be settled with a few words in the main hall and a bow to the ancestors of the Shu Mountain Sect.

Ning Ruxue hurried off to summon Aunt Zhao, and the two of them began poring over the almanac, searching for the next auspicious date. It was during this time that Ye Wen finally saw Yaya again, having arranged for her to be brought back earlier.

Having changed into clean clothes and washed up, Yaya revealed skin that was fair and translucent. The little child was exquisitely carved, utterly adorable, bearing no resemblance to the muddy little imp he had first encountered.

Back then, other than her pair of bright, expressive eyes that seemed capable of speech—which had left a deep impression on Ye Wen—he had absolutely no memory of what Yaya actually looked like. Seeing her now truly surprised him; he never would have imagined that the plain-looking man (after passing through Linshan County on the return journey, he had learned from the locals' chatter that the corpse they saw that day was indeed the man from the Zhou family) and Aunt Zhao's sister could produce such a lovely child.

"Could Aunt Zhao's sister be a peerless beauty?"

Glancing at Aunt Zhao’s ordinary, aged face, Ye Wen simply could not associate the image of a great beauty with her sister. Still, with Yaya being so charming, it was no wonder she had attracted the attention of the brothels under the Tianle Gang.

Lost in these meandering thoughts, Ning Ruxue had already finished consulting the almanac with Aunt Zhao. She turned to report to her senior brother, "Aunt Zhao and I have checked; there is an auspicious day in five days. Let's hold Yue Ning’s initiation ceremony then."

Ye Wen nodded. "You two decide. I don't particularly care."

Hearing this, Ning Ruxue felt a surge of irritation and complained, "Senior Brother, how can the Sect Master be so unconcerned about such an important matter? You must know that as the head of the Shu Mountain Sect, taking in disciples concerns the very survival of the entire sect, Senior Brother..."

She rambled on like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, making Ye Wen feel as if his head had doubled in size. Finally, he quickly nodded in apology. "Yes, yes, Junior Sister is absolutely right to scold me; it was Senior Brother's lack of consideration."

Seeing her senior brother admit fault, Ning Ruxue, though still displeased, couldn't continue nagging. She turned and happened to see Yaya bringing the kettle over to refill the teacups. This reminded her of something, and she said to Ye Wen, "I have something I need to discuss with you, Senior Brother."

"What is it?" Ye Wen blew gently on the hot water in his teacup and replied casually without looking up, an air of the sect leader about him.

Ning Ruxue muttered under her breath, "What's with the arrogance?" but outwardly she said respectfully, "I think this child Yaya has good potential, and I wish to ask Sect Master Senior Brother to accept her into the gates of the Shu Mountain Sect."

Ye Wen was taken aback, not understanding why Ning Ruxue was asking him about this. In his mind, if Ning Ruxue truly liked the girl, why didn't she just take Yaya as her own disciple?

"Why ask me about this? If you find her suitable, then take Yaya as your apprentice."

Ning Ruxue immediately understood that her senior brother was confused again and quickly explained, "Senior Brother, as the current head of the sect, has not yet taken a single disciple. How could I, your junior sister, take someone before you?"

With this explanation, Ye Wen instantly grasped the situation: Ning Ruxue felt that since the sect leader, Ye Wen, hadn't accepted even one disciple yet, it would be inappropriate for her, his junior sister, to accept one before him. Worse still, neither of them had any disciples in the next generation yet. If she accepted Yaya first, Yaya would become the chief disciple of the next generation, but because she wasn't a direct disciple of the Sect Master, her status would be extremely awkward.

If Yaya and Ye Wen’s future eldest disciple were to later contend over who was more qualified to inherit the position of Sect Master, the recently re-established Shu Mountain Sect might not see peace for long.

Although these concerns seemed premature now, Ning Ruxue preferred to think through all these possibilities immediately to avoid potential future troubles.

Of course, if she could seize the position of Sect Master for herself, then she could take disciples and develop the sect as she pleased.

"It would certainly be much better than Senior Brother staying cooped up on the mountain all day."

However, Ye Wen had already told her that their current priority was diligent cultivation; only once their skills reached a certain level would developing the sect yield greater returns. As it stood, even if they wanted to take disciples now, they might lack the strength.

While she didn't entirely agree with her senior brother's words, Ning Ruxue generally followed Ye Wen’s instructions obediently. It was just the issue of taking disciples that had been weighing on her mind lately due to her many considerations.

Fortunately, she had expected to discuss this matter with Ye Wen at least a month or two later, planning then to have Ye Wen accept Yaya as his disciple—her original intent was indeed to make Yaya Ye Wen's first disciple, which would resolve all issues.

But unexpectedly, Ye Wen had not only returned early but also brought the eldest young master of the Yue family as his first disciple. This instantly resolved everything, so Ning Ruxue immediately brought up the matter of accepting Yaya into the Shu Mountain Sect as well.

"Ah, I see."

Ye Wen set down his teacup, stroked his chin while looking at the two children before him, and then glanced at the expectant looks from Ning Ruxue and Aunt Zhao before making his decision: "In that case, let these two children formally join my sect together in five days."

Upon hearing this, Ning Ruxue offered a slight smile, though tinged with a small regret. She had originally wanted to take Yaya as her own disciple, but now that Ye Wen had spoken, it seemed Yaya would be joining Yue Ning under him as Master.

Aunt Zhao on the side was even more excited. She clearly understood the vast difference between being a direct disciple and being an attendant. Status within the sect would be entirely different; in fact, in a certain sense, Yaya's future status would be higher than Aunt Zhao's.

Naturally, Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue considered this. Once the two disciples were older, Ye Wen would likely descend the mountain again to hire more servants. By then, Aunt Zhao would probably be promoted to a role like housekeeper, relieved of the more strenuous tasks.

As for the two children, Yue Ning, being several years older than the little girl, didn't pay her much mind, only noting that she was quite pretty, so he glanced at her a few extra times.

Though Yaya was much more sensible than children her age, she was still too young to grasp that within a few words exchanged between these adults, her identity and future had undergone a seismic shift. She stood obediently nearby until her aunt pulled her, motioning for her to bow to Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue. Only then did she vaguely realize something was happening.

Waving his hand to ask Yaya and Aunt Zhao to rise, Ye Wen, despite being the sect leader, didn't have a habit of having people bow to him constantly: "Save the kowtows for the formal initiation ceremony in a few days. Why bow now?"

This comment earned him a roll of the eyes from Ning Ruxue, who secretly cursed, "Others bow to you and you still complain? I was hoping to take a disciple who would bow to me—truly blessed and not knowing it."

Aunt Zhao, however, felt the Sect Master was a truly kind and great person. Not only had he fed her when she was on the brink of starvation, but he had also saved her niece. While her sister’s tragic fate saddened her greatly, it had nothing to do with the Sect Master, did it?

After offering a few more words of gratitude, she rose with her niece. Just then, Ning Ruxue suddenly asked, "What is Yaya's proper name?"

This question stunned not only Aunt Zhao but also Ye Wen.

"That's right? What is the child's given name?"

Until this moment, everyone present had been calling her Yaya, so the issue of a formal name hadn't been addressed. But now, with her formal entry into the sect, they certainly needed to know it! However, in the days Yaya had been at Shu Mountain, Ning Ruxue hadn't thought to ask; after all, for a small child, the nickname Yaya seemed perfectly normal, so she hadn't thought to inquire about a formal name.

Aunt Zhao felt the same way; she had never considered that aspect. As for Ye Wen? He simply didn't know. He had originally assumed Yaya had already told Aunt Zhao or Ning Ruxue her proper name, only now realizing that no one actually knew.

They looked at each other, and silence settled over the group. Finally, Aunt Zhao lowered her head and asked the child, "Yaya, what names did your mother and father give you?"

Yaya looked blankly at her aunt. "Yaya is just called Yaya."

A wave of awkwardness washed over the group. Aunt Zhao pressed again, "I mean, did your parents give you any other name?"

Yaya thought for a moment, then shook her head firmly.

Seeing this, everyone thought, This is troublesome; not knowing the given name is going to be difficult. Finally, Ye Wen spoke up, "Perhaps this child is still young, and her parents hadn't gotten around to choosing a formal name?"

Everyone considered this, looking at the girl who was barely seven years old (Yaya’s age had been ascertained; perhaps due to poor nutrition, she looked closer to five or six) and agreed that this was a strong possibility.

After all, many children in this era only received nicknames when they were very young. Their parents would only give them a formal name once they were older and more sensible—a name that would accompany them throughout life. This was common among children from poorer families, as struggling households weren't sure if they could even raise the child, who often died young. Thus, they wouldn't bestow a formal name until the child survived adolescence.

Although Yaya's family situation wasn't dire, they weren't wealthy either, so it wasn't strange that she only had a nickname. Once this point was clarified, the next problem arose.

"Aunt Zhao, you are Yaya's maternal aunt, why don't you name the child?" Ning Ruxue’s suggestion was the most logical, but Aunt Zhao immediately shut it down.

"I don't have much learning. Though I know a few characters, I can't write well; how could I possibly come up with a name?"

After politely declining, Aunt Zhao suddenly turned her gaze to Ye Wen. "Why doesn't Sect Master bestow a name upon the child?" Having grown close to Ning Ruxue these past few days, she knew the Sect Master was once a well-read scholar, and his literary talent was quite exceptional, so she sought his help in naming the girl.

When Ye Wen heard this request, he nearly spat out all the tea in his mouth. He then watched as everyone in the hall turned to look at him, even Yue Ning, who had been standing quietly, now looked his way. He forced a wry smile.

"You want me to name Yaya?"

They all nodded.

"How would I know how to name anyone?"

Ning Ruxue’s expression soured, and she glared fiercely at her senior brother. "Senior Brother is being too modest. Junior Sister knows you are full of wisdom; giving a name is a small matter, certainly not beyond Sect Master Senior Brother's capabilities."

Ye Wen didn't know that Ning Ruxue’s own name was given by his 'predecessor,' so unaware of the background, Ye Wen took Ning Ruxue's request as a deliberate attempt to needle him and make him look foolish. "But I truly don't know how to name people!"

Ning Ruxue’s face darkened further. "It's just asking you to name Yaya, Senior Brother is refusing repeatedly—isn't that too much?"

Seeing Ning Ruxue’s expression growing increasingly unhappy, Ye Wen knew if he delayed any further, this girl might just draw her sword. He promptly fell silent and began to seriously consider a name.

However, despite being a university student from an era saturated with information and undergoing sixteen years of comprehensive, intensive education, Ye Wen found naming to be a task that required great sensitivity and literary depth.

Before I transmigrated, I studied Computer Science! I'm a science major, not a humanities major!

He cried out silently in his heart, forcing himself to stall for time while racking his brain. "Yaya’s surname is Zhou, correct?"

Ning Ruxue continued to glare, her eyes conveying a message that was instantly clear: "Obviously."

Ye Wen knew he was stating the obvious, but he was truly out of ideas!

"Surname Zhou... Ah, surname Zhou... Ah..."

Unable to bear listening to her senior brother repeating "Ah, ah," Ning Ruxue asked, with an air of concern that was actually a warning, "Do you have a toothache?"

Ye Wen managed a weak chuckle, then his gaze flickered to the ring on his finger. A flash of inspiration struck him, as if he’d thought of something.

That's right! The things summoned by this ring are all familiar things from my own world! My literary skill might be lacking, but I've read tons of novels! I can just pull a few names from there! Why should I struggle to invent one myself?

Having found a solution in his mind, the next step was choosing a suitable one. Ye Wen now contemplated the matter with genuine seriousness, his expression so focused that no one present dared to utter a sound, lest a slight noise interrupt the Sect Master's thoughts.

After all, choosing a name was a major event, something that determined a person's life. If the name was poorly chosen, one might be ridiculed for a lifetime.

"Surname Zhou... Ah, there is actually a suitable one!" Ye Wen suddenly clapped his hands and announced to everyone, "Let her be named Zhou Zhiruo."

As soon as the name was spoken, everyone present murmured it under their breath. Ning Ruxue repeated it over and over: "Zhou Zhiruo, Zhou Zhiruo... Zhiruo... Hmm, not bad."

Aunt Zhao also repeated it a few times before smiling, "Although I don't know what this name means, it sounds very pleasant. Sect Master indeed possesses great learning."

Ye Wen managed an awkward laugh. "Not at all... Not at all... You're too kind." But inwardly he thought, Jin Dadu, please forgive me. But we've used so much of your work already, you surely won't mind the name of a little girl, especially since she isn't the main heroine's name.

After some pleasantries and laughter, Yaya's name was thus settled as Zhou Zhiruo.

It was only then that Ye Wen suddenly realized his sect was the Shu Mountain Sect, and Zhou Zhiruo in the original story was the leader of the Emei Sect. Although they were different sects, Shu Mountain actually encompassed Emei in this context. Thinking of it this way, it seemed perfectly natural for the leader of Emei to have enrolled under the lineage of Shu Mountain.

"Is this fate?"

Although he knew the Zhou Zhiruo before him was merely a counterfeit resulting from his mischievous whim, he couldn't help but let his mind wander, indulging this fantasy for his own amusement.

He even contemplated doing this more often in the future: stepping out and casually saying, "Yang Guo, go help your eldest senior brother. Linghu Chong, stay put in the inn. And you, Huang Rong, don't run off; keep an eye on your little junior brother, Wuyazi." Imagining such a scene brought him considerable amusement.

But such thoughts were just fleeting fantasies. Even if he truly had such an impulse, he likely wouldn't have enough unnamed children to take as disciples. After all, he couldn't turn the Shu Mountain Sect into something resembling an orphanage! Especially for a major sect, taking disciples required considering surrounding powers and local gentry. In a few years, he might be forced to accept the sons and daughters of wealthy families sent over, and those children would have established names and surnames that he couldn't casually alter according to his whims.

Watching Aunt Zhao continuously discuss the name with her niece, the little girl finally understood that the name Zhou Zhiruo would accompany her for life, and she asked, "Then I won't be called Yaya anymore?"

Everyone considered it. The girl was seven now, and it was indeed inappropriate for her to keep using a nickname. They told her, "You won't be called Yaya anymore."

As soon as this was said, the little girl became instantly unhappy and burst into tears: "Then won't my parents not recognize me anymore?"

The main hall immediately descended into chaos. Ye Wen, thinking quickly, said to the child, "Your parents will naturally recognize you as Yaya, and you can call yourself Yaya when you are with them. But this name must never be told to outsiders."

The little girl stopped crying, pondered for a long moment without fully understanding, but she seemed to grasp that the name Yaya could no longer be shared with others.

"In the future, if someone asks your name, you answer Zhou Zhiruo. Yaya is the name only your parents can call you by; no one else must ever know."

The child nodded, seeming to understand vaguely, and finally stopped making a fuss, accepting her new name. Ye Wen finally let out a breath of relief, hoping the girl would grow up and become sensible soon, at which point she would presumably understand.

Just as he relaxed, a shout echoed from the sect gate: "I am Xu Xian, coming to pay my respects to Sect Master Ye!"

P.S: Extended chapter. In addition to today's second update, this also covers the chapter owed from a few days ago.

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