Ye Wen took the tightly wrapped cloth bundle and glanced at the smiling Xu Hai, who seemed quite eager to see Ye Wen unwrap it and gauge his reaction to the contents.

Unfolding the wrapping, Ye Wen discovered several sheets of paper inside. If not for the dense script covering them, one might mistake them for a stack of silver notes.

"What could this be, to be so carefully presented?"

Only when Ye Wen clearly discerned the writing did he truly grasp the magnitude of the gift bestowed upon him by the Xu family matriarch.

"Deeds?" Ye Wen gasped, utterly surprised that the Xu family would present such an item.

Xu Hai nodded: "The deeds to Mount Shu... all of Mount Shu," he added, emphasizing the entirety of the mountain.

Ye Wen looked at him with a questioning gaze, gesturing to the papers in his hand: "Are these truly intended for my Shushan Sect?"

"The Old Madam spoke it herself, so naturally, there is no retracting it. Sect Leader Ye may accept them with peace of mind," Xu Hai confirmed, validating Ye Wen’s doubt.

He glanced at Xu Hai, then down at the stack he held—light in weight, yet feeling monumentally heavy in significance. Finally, Ye Wen rewrapped the documents and tucked them away. "I accept Old Madam Xu’s gift."

There was no sense in refusing something offered freely, especially when this item was so profoundly vital to both himself and the Shushan Sect.

Although he and his sect operated as martial factions and paid little heed to imperial statutes, that was merely on the surface. Most followed the current administration’s decrees while navigating the jianghu; even when they transgressed, they rarely went too far, generally remaining within the boundaries acceptable to the local magistrate.

These deeds, however, gave the Shushan Sect justification in numerous matters.

Firstly, no one could again cast aspersions on the sect for claiming such a vast tract of land as their base. Since the entirety of Mount Shu was now the property of the Shushan Sect, where they chose to build or erect walls was strictly their own affair, beyond the reach of outsiders.

Conversely, the messy collection of factions currently scattered across the mountain, including the Zheng Quan Sect, were now tenants occupying structures built without the owner's permission—illegal constructions. When the Shushan Sect eventually pacified the various forces on the mountain, while they might not rely on imperial authority, they would at least possess a legitimate pretext, even if that pretext was somewhat distasteful to the martial community.

In the current martial world, many sects simply occupied unclaimed mountains, erecting their buildings as a declaration of ownership, rarely concerning themselves with deeds. Of course, if one possessed immense wealth, they could purchase the land before building, but such instances were rare.

Even the great, established sects seldom bothered to procure land deeds before establishing their strongholds. However, due to their long-standing establishment and formidable influence, often interwoven with the imperial court, their territorial claims were acknowledged by the court and local government.

In essence, while the major sects lacked paper deeds, their ownership was recognized by multiple established powers. Many smaller sects did not enjoy such privilege. They might seize a desirable location, only to be swiftly eliminated, their territory plundered—the fate that originally befell the Shushan Sect on the mountain. The claims of these lesser groups were recognized by no one; the common consensus was that power dictated possession—the strong occupied, the weak fled.

And the government? They would merely watch the spectacle with amusement, never intervening. Of course, if one party presented a deed to the authorities, they would act, though the final resolution was always uncertain.

But there was one situation that greatly troubled these minor factions: when their occupied land caught the eye of the government or a powerful noble family. If the powerful entity presented a land deed acknowledged by the court to reclaim the area, the small factions were powerless to fight or offend; even if the noble family members themselves weren't martial artists, their wealth allowed them to hire numerous experts. Ultimately, these minor players were usually frustratedly evicted.

Since Ye Wen now held proprietary rights over the entirety of Mount Shu, the non-Shushan factions residing there naturally had to be purged. However, he intended to rely on his own strength to eliminate them one by one, adhering to jianghu customs, giving outsiders no grounds for complaint. The deeds merely served as a reasonable justification and a shield against future eviction by any 'legitimate' landholders.

In summary, these few sheets of paper would save Ye Wen considerable trouble and allow the Shushan Sect's development to proceed more smoothly. Viewed this way, Ye Wen now owed the Xu family a massive favor, one that might be difficult to repay.

"A favor has been incurred; we shall address it later."

Just as he was about to leave with Xu Hai, the elder man suddenly paused as if remembering something. "I nearly forgot, the Old Madam had something else she wished me to relay to you."

"What is it?"

"The Old Madam mentioned that since your sect is named Shushan Sect, continuing to call the mountain 'Mount Shu' felt inappropriate. Therefore, when she arranged for these deeds, she took the liberty of changing the mountain's name as well." Xu Hai chuckled at the memory. "The mountain is now officially named Mount Shu, perfectly matching your sect’s name."

Ye Wen smiled slightly and said to Xu Hai, "Please convey my thanks once more to Old Madam Xu for this thoughtful gesture." His original intention had been to wait until the Shushan Sect unified Mount Shu, then use the sect’s growing influence to alter the mountain’s name. He hadn't expected the Xu matriarch to be so decisive, officially changing the name outright.

"Perhaps I should find time to thank the Old Madam in person."

With this thought in mind, Ye Wen and Xu Hai returned to the main hall. Ning Ruxue had returned and, unable to find him, immediately approached when he appeared. "The gifts have all been sent to your back room. As for the servants, guards, and maids sent over, I didn't wish to keep them, but they refuse to leave. How should we handle this?"

Ning Ruxue had no desire for these people to stay; they were clearly sent by the Xu family to attend to Xu Xian. She wasn't foolish enough not to grasp the intention. However, martial practitioners were not like wealthy noble houses that reveled in service. Could the sect really keep so many retainers? The laborers were manageable; the Shushan Sect had ample space and need for people to clean and farm. But the maids were entirely inappropriate. The guards were also awkward—who ever heard of a jianghu sect whose disciples traveled with personal bodyguards? Keeping them to guard the gate sounded even worse.

Little did she know, Ye Wen already had a plan formulated and wouldn't allow Ning Ruxue to dismiss them so casually. He instructed, "These people are exactly what we need right now. Settle them in properly first."

"For what purpose?" Ning Ruxue looked suspicious, thinking Ye Wen, having finally achieved success, was now eager to indulge in the lifestyle of a pampered young master.

Not annoyed by his junior sister's appraisal, Ye Wen merely offered a vague reply, "I will explain fully once this matter here is concluded," before ignoring Ning Ruxue's increasingly sharp gaze and turning to entertain the guests.

These visitors chatted convivially with Ye Wen. Observing this scene, no one would guess that Ye Wen was concurrently plotting how to clear them all from the Mount Shu territory. Yet, Ye Wen displayed no change in demeanor. His Quanzhen inner cultivation, rooted in Daoist methods, fostered deep tranquility, rendering him inscrutable. Thus, the day concluded with mutual satisfaction; though the guests weren't exactly kindred spirits with Ye Wen, the networking achieved a sense of familiarity, making them believe they had established goodwill with the Shushan Sect.

After seeing off the guests, only the Shushan Sect members, Yue Hang and his group, and the servants and guards sent by the Xu family remained on the entire mountain.

Ye Wen glanced outside; the sky was beginning to dim. He said to Yue Hang, "The hour grows late, Chief Escort Yue. Why not stay the night on the mountain and descend tomorrow?" The craftsmen, besides erecting walls and paving the stone paths over the past few days, had also built their own quarters.

It was true that many hands made light work. Young Master Xu’s generous spending had accelerated many tasks. With the craftsmen settled in their new residences, the few rooms they originally occupied were now vacant, so there was no shortage of sleeping space.

Yue Hang hadn't had the chance to converse properly with Ye Wen during the day, so accepting the invitation to stay was agreeable. Moreover, having learned of the substantial gifts from the Xu family, he knew his own standing could not compare. Fortunately, Young Master Xu was a seventh-generation disciple, making him a martial uncle to his own son, placing them in the same generation. He reasoned that Xu Xian wouldn't likely compete for favor with a junior? Staying now would deepen his bond with Ye Wen and allow him to cultivate a relationship with Xu Xian, perhaps leading to benefits for his son from the Xu family.

Indeed, Yue Hang was consumed by calculations for his son's future, prioritizing him above all else. Unbeknownst to him, Ye Wen had his own motives for keeping him; he valued the influence of the Yue family.

The group conversed warmly in the main hall, and when dinnertime arrived, a banquet was laid out. Ye Wen directed that one table be set in the main hall for the Shushan disciples and Yue Hang, while several tables were arranged in the side hall for everyone else remaining on the mountain.

The drinking lasted until they were thoroughly inebriated. On the previously silent Mount Shu—now Mount Shu—a lively human clamor finally arose. Listening to the distant sounds from the side hall, Ye Wen felt a slight surge of pride; the Shushan Sect had been built by him from nothing, and seeing this modest success brought joy.

However, he knew he needed to continue striving. After a brief exchange, he steered the conversation toward the real reason for keeping Yue Hang there.

But he didn't address Yue Hang; instead, he spoke to Xu Xian: "Junior Brother, your family sent ten servants and ten guards. The laborers are easily managed, but the guards—do you have a plan for how to deploy them?"

Xu Xian was also contemplating this issue. Upon hearing the question, he replied, "These people are now considered part of the Shushan Sect. Their arrangement naturally follows the command of Sect Leader Senior Brother." As he spoke, Xu Xian suddenly seemed to grasp something, a look of sudden realization crossing his face.

Seeing that Xu Xian had caught on, Ye Wen dispensed with further preamble. "The ten laborers will remain on the mountain as laborers for the Shushan Sect. As for the guards, they will all formally join the Shushan Sect, temporarily serving as our sect's Outer Disciples."

Recommend a book: Tong Tian Mo Xiang (Heaven-Piercing Demonic Visage) Synopsis: Divination arts compete with peerless martial skills; eight tortoise shells hold the secrets of heaven. Everything is contained within Tong Tian Mo Xiang. With the tortoise shell in hand, I command the world. Shake the divination armor, and the secrets of heaven cannot escape.