Zhang Gui was driven back several paces by the flurry of palm strikes from Ye Wen, even coughing up blood on the spot. At this sight, anyone could tell that the contest between the two had been decided.

Yet, this result still astonished many onlookers.

"The Deacon Zhang was forced to spit blood in under twenty moves? Is this Shushan Sect Master truly that formidable?" Some who were knowledgeable about Zhang Gui's martial cultivation were struck dumb with surprise. Many who had initially favored the True Fist Sect began to wonder in secret whether they should immediately sever ties with the True Fist Sect and curry favor with the Shushan Sect.

The current situation was clear even to a blind man: the True Fist Sect and the Shushan Sect were now irreconcilable enemies. It might only be a matter of time before a massive conflict erupted between the two factions, and getting caught up in it would bring them undeserved disaster.

In the past, they would have been delighted to stand with the True Fist Sect to discipline the Shushan Sect and perhaps even gain some advantage. But looking at the present, the Shushan Sect had the potential to utterly crush the True Fist Sect.

Though they were unaware of the strength of the Shushan Sect members besides their Master, Ye Wen alone had already exerted immense pressure upon them—the deterrence generated by a true master was especially palpable in the struggles between martial sects.

If Ye Wen and Zhang Gui had fought longer, these observers might have remained firmly allied with the True Fist Sect, reasoning that the Shushan Sect was ultimately outnumbered. If they could just keep Ye Wen occupied, the others might not fare well.

But the reality was that Shi Cui, one of the four deacons of the True Fist Sect, had been instantly knocked unconscious by Ye Wen upon meeting him. And Zhang Gui, the best fighter among the four deacons, hadn't lasted twenty rounds before being forced to retreat, spitting blood and unable to continue. Meanwhile, Ye Wen stood tall, hands behind his back, showing no sign of fatigue, seemingly ready for another fight immediately.

Such skill, it seemed, could be proclaimed unrivaled on Mount Shu. Some well-informed individuals whispered to themselves: "Even Wang Shu, the current master of the True Fist Sect who claims to be the foremost expert on Mount Shu, does not possess such overpowering martial arts." At the very least, Wang Shu could not have forced Zhang Gui to spit blood and retreat within twenty moves.

Although Ye Wen was unaware of what these people were thinking, judging by the expressions around him, the effect of establishing his authority seemed to have been achieved quite well. This slightly relieved Ye Wen, who had initially thought the fight had lasted a bit too long.

"It seems Zhang Gui has quite a reputation on Mount Shu. Even taking nearly twenty moves to defeat him has yielded such a good effect."

Raising his eyes to look at Zhang Gui again, Ye Wen saw the man standing in place, steadying his breathing. Ignoring the agonizing churn in his viscera, Zhang Gui cupped his fists towards Ye Wen: "Sect Master Ye possesses formidable skill. I concede defeat wholeheartedly. Now that both our sects are here on Mount Shu, we are bound to interact more closely. We shall meet again in the future." He was straightforward; defeat was defeat, nothing to be ashamed of admitting. With that, he led all the disciples of the True Fist Sect out of the grand hall, presumably heading straight back to their compound.

Ye Wen did not worry that Zhang Gui might die on the way. Firstly, while his internal energy could wound others, it was difficult to directly kill someone with an established foundation of internal strength. Those few palms of his would, at most, cause Zhang Gui pain for ten days to half a month. With proper recuperation, he would recover without lasting complications.

After all, he practiced the upright and openhearted Quan Xin Fa (Whole Heart Technique), not some sinister and malicious internal art; there were no hidden, harmful energies in his strikes.

Watching the True Fist contingent leave the hall, Ye Wen let out a quiet breath. "This hurdle has been cleared today. The Shushan Sect has taken its first step. As for the issue with the True Fist Sect? I will deal with that after I finish my current pressing matters."

The most urgent task now was to complete the disciple induction ceremony. Although many observers offered profuse congratulations to Ye Wen—such as 'Sect Master Ye has great skill,' 'Sect Master Ye is the foremost expert on Mount Shu,' and 'Sect Master Ye, accept me as your disciple...'—Ye Wen responded to them all with a smile, saying only: "The ceremony of my sect is not yet complete. Esteemed guests, please wait a moment longer. I will entertain you all after the induction rites are concluded."

Everyone agreed: "Certainly, certainly," and returned to their places to watch the ceremony quietly.

The subsequent proceedings were uneventful. Yue Ning and Zhou Zhiruo successively performed the rites of formal apprenticeship, followed by kowtowing to the founding ancestors of the Shushan Sect. With this, the ceremony concluded, officially establishing Yue Ning as the senior disciple (Shixiong) and Zhou Zhiruo as the junior sister (Shimei). As for Xu Xian, being a seventh-generation disciple, his status as the junior brother to both Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue was beyond question, and no one present found this strange.

Even though Xu Xian was older, having joined the sect last meant he naturally ranked at the end. If someone who entered later ranked higher, it would confuse people, leading them to speculate that the Xu family’s influence was at play.

As soon as the ceremony finished, people crowded forward to offer congratulations, including many who sought out Yue Hang to offer greetings and build rapport. Chief Escort Yue greeted them all with a smile and expressed his thanks. Having witnessed Ye Wen’s prowess today, he was even more certain that sending his son to the Shushan Sect was the best decision.

While everyone was exchanging pleasantries, a voice suddenly echoed from the entrance of the hall: "Steward from the Xu family of Shushan County arrives with congratulatory gifts!"

This announcement instantly silenced the entire hall. Onlookers exchanged glances, speculating why the Xu family was so late. Arriving after the ceremony had ended—had they misremembered the time?

Only Ye Wen knew what was happening. He glanced at Xu Xian, whose face had dramatically paled, offered a wry internal smile, and stood his ground, waiting for the Xu family steward to approach.

Soon, a man walked into the hall. He was an elder, about fifty years old, dressed in a plain long robe that nevertheless suggested an extraordinary bearing. Though merely a steward of the Xu family, no one dared to underestimate him.

The elder approached Xu Xian and cupped his fists: "This humble servant is Xu Hai, steward of the Xu family. I come under the command of the Old Madam to congratulate the Young Master on joining the Shushan Sect."

Ye Wen stole a glance at Xu Xian, noticing his complicated expression, as if he wanted to speak but held back. Ye Wen knew this old man was genuinely from the Xu family. "Is there any real need for him to impersonate a Xu family member just to cause trouble?"

Having this thought, Ye Wen politely said to Steward Xu: "Steward Xu is too kind. Since you have come, please take a seat of honor." Since the elder represented the Xu family, Ye Wen naturally intended to treat him properly.

However, Old Man Xu refused the invitation to sit, replying: "How can a mere servant sit with his master? This junior has only come to deliver the gifts. Once Sect Master Ye accepts the presents, this junior can return to report."

Ye Wen nodded, understanding that people from great families adhered to many customs, so he said no more. He was somewhat surprised that the Old Madam cherished her son so much that she sent gifts immediately upon learning of Xu Xian's whereabouts. He guessed the Old Madam was worried her son wouldn't fare well after leaving home, so she sent a bounty of wealth and resources under this pretext.

Just as Ye Wen was speculating about what gifts the Old Madam would send for her son, Xu Hai produced a thin scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Ye Wen: "This is the gift list, please inspect it, Sect Master Ye."

Ye Wen casually took the scroll and unfolded it. This glance was an understatement; upon opening it, he almost bit off his tongue. "Oh heavens above..."

The thin scroll was densely packed with numerous items. Ye Wen merely glanced over it and his eyes swam from the sheer volume.

Silver taels: 5,000. Bolts of fine silk: 1,000. Catty of choice grain: 1,000. Catty of fine flour: 1,000. Poultry, fish, meat, and eggs—too many to count. Servants: 10. Guards: 10. Maids: 4.

Additionally, there were 100 taels of gold, and numerous ornaments of pearls, agate, and jade. If these weren't intended for a future daughter-in-law, then the Old Madam must have discovered that the Shushan Sect had female disciples. Ye Wen thought the latter possibility more likely, as his own circumstances were not hard to investigate; a little inquiry would reveal everything.

In the view of these wealthy families, ensuring good relations with the sect leadership was crucial for their sons' success. Therefore, the Old Madam sent over a trove of goods, not even claiming them for her son but directly for the sect. This was effectively a way of helping Xu Xian bribe both his senior brother and his senior sister.

Ye Wen covertly glanced at Ning Ruxue, who was watching him with a bewildered expression, wondering what face this girl would pull if she saw the gift list.

Taking a deep breath, Ye Wen managed to keep his outward expression subtle. The surrounding people merely saw him freeze upon opening the scroll, assuming he was just reading the list. Only Ning Ruxue, who was closer and slightly more familiar with him, could tell he had been startled. Thus, even though Ye Wen was inwardly shocked, he maintained his composure externally.

He then passed the scroll to Ning Ruxue.

Steward Xu, observing that the young Sect Master Ye remained impassive despite seeing such wealth, secretly praised him, feeling that his young master's choice to join this sect was not a disgrace to the Xu family.

"The many gifts listed are awaiting outside the hall. Does Sect Master Ye wish to inspect them personally?"

Ye Wen waved his hand: "No need." Then, turning to Ning Ruxue, who was equally startled by the list, he said: "Junior Sister, would you trouble yourself to lead the Xu family people in sending the items to the rear?" He gave no further instructions, trusting his junior sister knew what to do.

Ning Ruxue nodded, then gave Xu Xian an odd look, and walked out of the hall with the scroll. She didn't notice several people leaning in to look at the list as she examined it. They had quickly grasped the general contents and were now describing them to their neighbors.

"Wow? The Shushan Sect is set for life now!"

"Alas... Why didn't I receive a disciple like Young Master Xu?"

"You? With your three-room thatched-hut-style sect, you think you could attract a disciple like Young Master Xu? Dream on."

"Sending so many treasures for an apprenticeship—the Xu family will probably support the Shushan Sect forever after this."

This last statement became the consensus among the onlookers. All the sects believed that with the support of the Xu family, the development momentum of the Shushan Sect would accelerate far beyond their expectations.

However, they did not know that after Ning Ruxue left the hall, the old man Xu Hai leaned toward Ye Wen and said in a low voice: "Sect Master Ye, might I have a word in private?"

Ye Wen nodded and led Xu Hai to a corner behind the main hall—a spot quite secluded, where no one could see what transpired between them.

Once they were positioned, Xu Hai didn't wait for Ye Wen to ask questions but immediately stated: "I have one final, grand gift, which requires Sect Master Ye’s personal inspection."

Ye Wen was curious but remained silent, waiting for the old man to reveal the secret.

Xu Hai looked around carefully to ensure they were unobserved, then produced a cloth pouch from his robes and respectfully handed it to Ye Wen: "This is the item. Please inspect it personally, Sect Master Ye."

P.S: Votes, votes, I need votes~