Xu Xian looked as if he expected as much, while Ning Ruxue inwardly sighed, "Senior Brother still keeps this matter in mind." Meanwhile, Yue Hang, standing nearby, seemed to be in deep thought.

Ye Wen glanced at Yue Hang before continuing to elaborate on his idea: "Although these Outer Sect Disciples are considered followers of the Mount Shu Sect, they are not assigned seniority levels, nor are they entitled to learn the profound techniques of our sect."

Hearing this, Ning Ruxue asked with evident confusion, "Then why would they still be willing to stay?"

Ye Wen knew this was a common question and explained, "Those Outer Sect Disciples who demonstrate exceptional capability can be directly transferred to become Inner Sect Disciples, formally integrated into the Mount Shu lineage, and may even be taken on as personal disciples by the sect's elders to learn the highest-level techniques."

At this point, everyone understood. What Ye Wen was establishing with this 'Outer Sect' was essentially a method for filtering outstanding disciples. This approach wasn't unusual; some major sects with large memberships employed similar systems. However, the Mount Shu Sect was currently desperate for new aspirants, so how could they afford such selectivity?

Establishing an Outer Sect under normal circumstances might scare away potential disciples, but the ten guards sent by the Xu family neatly solved this dilemma.

These ten guards, being subordinates of the Xu family, held no grievances about being designated as Outer Sect Disciples, especially since they were being offered a chance to genuinely join the Mount Shu Sect and become true disciples. The status and prestige associated with that were naturally incomparable to being mere servants, thus providing these men with a clear path to strive for. There was no reason for these guards to refuse.

Once this matter was settled in their minds, everyone dropped the subject. After all, this was an excellent solution for accommodating the guards, giving them the title of Outer Sect Disciples, making them formally part of Mount Shu, and allowing them to legitimately guard the sect's gates.

However, one final question remained. Ning Ruxue hesitated, unsure whether she should ask it, when Xu Xian preemptively spoke up: "Then, who will impart the martial arts to these Outer Sect Disciples?"

Ning Ruxue shot her junior brother a sharp glare. Xu Xian looked puzzled until he saw Ning Ruxue subtly glance towards Yue Hang, realizing then that this issue concerned internal sect affairs and shouldn't be discussed in front of an outsider. He instantly recognized his own rashness; this matter concerned the martial heritage of a sect. Martial arts were not like general scholarship that could be shared openly. Regardless of how friendly Yue Hang was with the people of Mount Shu, he was ultimately not one of them.

Yue Hang was an old hand and naturally understood this principle. Seeing the topic shift, he immediately said, "I've had a bit too much to drink; I'll step out for a moment." He was employing the 'piss detour' tactic to excuse himself while the Mount Shu members discussed their internal matters.

Unexpectedly, Ye Wen stopped Yue Hang, smiling, "Chief Escort Yue, please wait a moment longer. Let me finish a few words, and then we can go together." Ye Wen’s words clearly signaled that Yue Hang need not feel the need to withdraw out of propriety.

"Regarding the martial arts for the Outer Sect, my intention is to teach every Outer Sect Disciple the basic entrance cultivation method of our sect, along with some fundamental fist, kick, saber, and sword techniques. These individuals will not have fixed masters; my senior brothers and sisters will instruct them periodically, and we need not concern ourselves with how much they absorb," Ye Wen stated.

Ning Ruxue nodded upon hearing this, understanding that Ye Wen intended to use this hands-off approach to organically select those truly talented and excellent disciples. Furthermore, this method would not consume too much of their energy; teaching martial arts once every while would not disrupt their own cultivation or the teaching of their personal disciples, and could even serve as recreation.

She was curious about which specific skills Ye Wen planned to impart to these Outer Sect Disciples. Just as she was about to ask, Ye Wen seemed to anticipate her question and continued, "As for the martial arts permissible for the Outer Sect, we will tentatively limit them to the foundational Internal Energy Breathing Technique, the Mount Shu Sword Style, and the Mount Shu Long Fist."

Ning Ruxue was familiar with the Mount Shu Sword Style and the basic breathing technique; both were old foundations left over from the former Shushan School. Honestly, these two sets of skills held nothing remarkable; teaching them to others was fine.

As for the Mount Shu Long Fist, Ning Ruxue also knew it—it was, in fact, the set of techniques Ye Wen had used against Zhang Gui earlier that day. She had seen him practice it before, but its broad, sweeping movements were unsuitable for her own style, so she hadn't learned it or inquired further, assuming it was just some personal creation of her Senior Brother's. The form wasn't particularly sophisticated, and its movements weren't complex. When Ye Wen claimed he'd figured it out himself, she hadn't doubted him, naturally remaining unaware that the technique was originally called the Great Ancestor Long Fist.

She hadn't thought the style was special until she witnessed Ye Wen use it against Zhang Gui, even holding his own or gaining a slight edge against the Grand Fist of the Zhen Quan School. This showed that the seemingly ordinary fist technique possessed extraordinary merit.

What she didn't know was that Ye Wen's slight advantage against Zhang Gui stemmed from his superior internal energy cultivation, which allowed him to employ the moves more fluidly, even deliberately forcing Zhang Gui into head-on clashes at times. Moreover, his ultimate move to defeat the enemy was the Soft Palm, not the Great Ancestor Long Fist, which led Ye Wen himself to think little of the fist style.

Seeing that Ning Ruxue seemed about to speak, Ye Wen didn't wait for her to begin, continuing immediately, "Additionally, I possess a Saber Technique that is perfectly suited for those Outer Sect Disciples whose character and cultivation are adequate but not quite sufficient for Inner Sect entry."

"A Saber Technique?"

The mention of saber arts immediately piqued Yue Hang’s interest. His family's inherited martial arts were saber-based, and he primarily used the saber himself. Previously, he had only believed Ye Wen's Mount Shu Sect excelled in internal cultivation, but today he learned their external techniques were also considerable. Furthermore, based on some intelligence, the Mount Shu Sect was originally known for sword mastery; he hadn't expected them to teach saber arts as well.

Ye Wen nodded but showed no inclination to elaborate further. Although Yue Hang was curious, he couldn't press the issue; martial arts were secrets of a lineage, and it was inappropriate for him to pry.

Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian were not interested in asking further. Ning Ruxue sensed that her Senior Brother had changed significantly recently, but she trusted he wouldn't hide matters that needed sharing. As for Xu Xian, he had no interest in saber arts; he was still preoccupied with the Soft Palm technique Ye Wen had promised to teach him.

The table fell into a brief silence. Ye Wen stood up and announced, "Please excuse me for a moment," then left the main hall, heading toward the latrine. Seeing Ye Wen leave, Yue Hang seemed to recall something and quickly apologized before following suit.

Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian watched the two depart, exchanging a glance before falling silent again, their minds occupied with their own thoughts.

It was the two who had left who began conversing as they walked. After a few exchanges, Yue Hang finally grasped the reason behind Ye Wen's subtle hint about needing a private word—and it was something he very much desired.

"Chief Escort Yue, your escort agency employs many guards and escorts. I wonder if you are interested in advancing the martial skills of these men?"

Yue Hang naturally had no reason to refuse such an offer. After all, if the escorts became more skilled, it meant his agency would become stronger, its reputation more renowned, allowing him to earn higher commissions and even establish branch offices—a massive attraction for him.

However, martial skill improvement required not only individual aptitude but also finding excellent instructors. He couldn't vouch for the talent of his subordinates, but finding good teachers was genuinely difficult. Now, it seemed Ye Wen was willing to personally guide the training of his men?

Without waiting for Yue Hang to ask, Ye Wen nodded in confirmation and immediately presented his condition: "The only requirement is that these men must bear the title of Mount Shu Outer Sect Disciples."

This made Yue Hang understand exactly what Ye Wen sought. His escort agency traveled extensively, making it the easiest way to establish a reputation, and Ye Wen was currently seeking fame—using his agency to indirectly spread the name of the Mount Shu Sect.

Truthfully, while escorts might not be top-tier martial artists, their constant interaction with people from all walks of life meant they were the most effective conduits for disseminating information widely.

Ye Wen clearly intended to affix the Mount Shu Sect's name alongside the Yue Shan Escort Agency's banner, allowing the agency's fame to grow while simultaneously making the Mount Shu Sect known to a wider audience.

Yue Hang pondered. If the Mount Shu Sect could genuinely strengthen his subordinates, his agency would expand. Moreover, based on what Ye Wen had just said at the table, he was willing to teach internal cultivation methods to his subordinates who joined the Mount Shu Outer Sect.

In the martial world, understanding internal energy cultivation versus relying solely on brute force represented a gap between heaven and earth. Except for a few rare prodigies, the probability of someone without internal arts rising to mastery was negligible, whereas understanding internal energy infinitely increased that possibility.

He wasn't greedy; if even one of his many subordinates could reach a level comparable to his own or Gongsun Mu's, his Yue Shan Escort Agency could jump to an entirely new tier, perhaps even allowing for branch openings.

If this were anyone else, he would worry that the Mount Shu Sect might use this opportunity to cultivate disciples and eventually swallow his agency. But Yue Hang had no such concern because his son was the Head Disciple of the Mount Shu Sect; this relationship served as an excellent safeguard. In essence, ever since he sent his son to Mount Shu, his escort agency had practically become an auxiliary branch of the sect.

After careful deliberation and weighing the pros and cons, Yue Hang made a firm decision, saying, "How many men does Sect Master Ye require first?" This single sentence essentially confirmed the agreement.

Ye Wen smiled. "Not many. Chief Escort Yue just needs to send ten young and sharp men. These individuals won't need to reside on the mountain daily; they only need to come up for periods of study occasionally, which won't interfere with the Chief Escort's business."

The choice of ten men was deliberate on Ye Wen's part, and his reasoning was self-evident.

Yue Hang nodded. "I will make arrangements once I return." He was a man of swift action; once a decision was made, delay was unnecessary. However, Ye Wen shook his head. "No rush. Have them come after the New Year," then offered a mysterious smile: "I will have a gift delivered to Chief Escort Yue shortly."