That night, Yue Hang received the foundational internal cultivation manual and the Five Tiger Gate-Slaying Saber techniques, transcribed by his own son. Upon seeing these two items, Yue Hang finally understood the true weight of the generous gift Ye Wen had spoken of.

Although the internal cultivation manual was explicitly labeled as "Foundational Internal Art," a cursory glance told Yue Hang that this method was vastly superior to his current Tuna breathing exercise; this was a genuine internal cultivation technique, not some common exercise merely meant to strengthen the body and develop rudimentary qi sensation.

As for the saber technique, he was already certain it far surpassed the secret family saber style he had originally practiced. If he could master this martial art, his own progress would surely see a considerable leap.

Looking at the two manuals in his hands, Yue Hang glanced at his son, who would be sleeping with him that night: "Did your Master have any words for you to relay?"

Yue Ning nodded, pointing to the saber manual and saying, "Master said that in the future, this saber style will be practiced by outstanding outer disciples. If Father masters it, you can instruct the Shushan disciples within your escort agency."

Hearing this, Yue Hang understood that the saber technique Ye Wen mentioned during dinner was the very one he now held—a fact that genuinely surprised him. He had assumed the saber technique taught by the Shushan Sect would be mediocre, never expecting such a profound art. If his escorts practiced this technique, being the Chief Escort would become far less secure.

The escort business was a world that emphasized the survival of the fittest; there had even been instances where an escort’s martial arts advanced so much that they surpassed and subsequently killed the original Chief Escort to take their place.

Originally, Yue Hang was confident that his own martial skill was sufficient to suppress everyone. Even if these escorts received instruction from the Shushan Sect, they couldn't surpass him in a short time. And given enough time, his son would grow up, making such a threat irrelevant. After all, the highest-ranking individuals in his agency would at best be Outer Disciples of the Shushan Sect, whose status was far below that of his son.

But he hadn't expected Ye Wen to be prepared to offer this martial art. If Ye Wen hadn't sent him these two manuals, he would truly have suspected the Shushan Sect was planning to usurp the Yue Shan Escort Agency under the guise of alliance.

However, the two booklets in his hands instantly dispelled such suspicion. If Ye Wen truly held such intentions, he would never have delivered these two cultivation arts to him.

While contemplating this, Yue Ning added, "This foundational internal art cannot be passed on to others. Master said that if Father memorizes the contents, you should return the manual to me so I can give it back to the Master."

Yue Hang immediately understood that this foundational internal art was a cultivation method belonging to the inner circle of the Shushan Sect. Although he was allied with the Shushan Sect, he was ultimately not a Shushan disciple, not even an Outer Disciple. Receiving this internal art was Ye Wen's way of appeasing him, signaling that he had no intention of cultivating confidantes within the escort agency to subvert Yue Hang’s leadership over the Yue Shan Escort Agency.

This was because once Yue Hang had practiced the foundational internal art and the Five Tiger Gate-Slaying Saber, it would be difficult for the disciples Ye Wen cultivated to surpass Yue Hang in a short time, even with Ye Wen and others instructing them on Shushan—after all, Yue Hang’s established cultivation level was formidable, and his speed of comprehension for these martial arts couldn't compare to these younger men who only knew superficial techniques.

Furthermore, Ye Wen was showcasing the strength of his sect. A cultivation manual explicitly marked with the word "Foundational" made it clear, even to the dullest mind, that this was merely a method for beginners to grasp the basics. They surely possessed far more profound martial arts for their excellent disciples.

Understanding all this, Yue Hang's respect for the Shushan Sect deepened, and any subversive thoughts vanished. Moreover, since his son was now the Chief Disciple of the Shushan Sect, for the sake of both his escort agency and his son, he could only stand firmly on the same line as the Shushan Sect forever.

He nodded, said to his son, "Your father understands," and immediately opened the booklet containing the internal cultivation formula, beginning to memorize it diligently, resolved not to sleep that night until he had committed the entire technique to memory.

Fortunately, the foundational internal art mantra was not long, and its cultivation was not overly difficult. Since Yue Hang already had a foundation, he bypassed the hardest step—the initial realization of qi sensation—making the subsequent cultivation effortless. He mastered it completely in just half the night, then spent the rest of the time continuously circulating energy to familiarize himself with the technique’s flow pathways.

When he opened his eyes, it was the middle of the night. He saw his son sitting just like him, meditating and practicing. Yue Hang was momentarily surprised. After a moment, his son opened his eyes, and Yue Hang immediately asked, "Were you cultivating this same technique just now?"

Yue Ning nodded. "The day I ascended the mountain, Master learned that I had already practiced the Tuna breathing and energy circulation methods with Father and developed qi sensation. He directly passed this foundational internal art to me, saying it would build a solid base for future practice."

His son’s words further confirmed his deductions, filling Yue Hang with awe and happiness. "My son is practicing internal arts at such a young age; who knows how much higher his cultivation will be? His future achievements are likely limitless. Perhaps our Yue family will produce a truly renowned master in the martial world."

He remembered that at his son’s age, he was still struggling to exercise his body, completely ignorant of what internal energy was. If he hadn't obtained that basic Tuna method while traveling the Jianghu, he might never have encountered the profound concept of internal qi in his lifetime.

To obtain a genuine internal cultivation method at nearly forty was already a great fortune. Yet, his son had begun practicing long before, even several days earlier than he had. As a father, he certainly had every reason to hold high expectations for his son.

The next day, Yue Hang smiled broadly as he bid farewell to Ye Wen and the others. Leading his escort personnel, he descended the mountain, agreeing with Ye Wen to send ten young, sharp escort runners to formally apprentice under the Shushan Outer Gate disciples when spring arrived.

Ye Wen, however, was unhurried, simply saying, "When the New Year arrives, I will personally visit with Ning'er. We can discuss it then."

Yue Hang agreed, believing Ye Wen needed time to properly instruct his two newly accepted disciples and his junior brother—he assumed Xu Xian was merely a scholar unversed in martial arts and required instruction from the ground up. He failed to realize Ye Wen was thinking, "If you send people over now, I have nowhere for them to stay."

Although the Shushan Sect was busy constructing various buildings, accommodations for disciples and menials were prioritized. However, building houses was never an overnight affair, especially since Ye Wen had many specific requirements for ventilation and warmth, which severely tested the patience of the craftsmen.

One craftsman even privately grumbled, "I, Old Meng, have built houses for over thirty years, and this is the first time I’ve met an employer with so many strange demands."

Another retorted, "Did your previous employers pay you this much silver? No, right? If you want to earn more, just work honestly. After this job, forget the New Year; you'll have earned enough for next year too."

This single sentence silenced many complaints. Although the work was troublesome, the pay was substantial. No one was willing to give up such a good earning opportunity. Therefore, these workers only offered verbal complaints and took no disruptive actions.

More crucially, the food at Shushan was excellent. The meals Ye Wen arranged for them were not only ample in portion but rich with oil and flavor, served three times a day, with fish or meat provided at noon. This made it even less likely for anyone to abandon such good work. Though they kept talking, their hands never slowed, and the main gate area of the Shushan Sect gradually took shape, losing its former empty appearance.

During the New Year, Ye Wen gave the craftsmen a few days off to reunite with their families. After seeing their families and sending winter money home, these craftsmen returned to work with renewed vigor. As a result, before spring even arrived, the Shushan Sect grounds were completely transformed, subtly resembling the renowned major sects of the Jianghu.

The main hall, rear hall, side halls, training plazas, training rooms, and dormitory areas were all completed and situated in different zones according to their functions.

Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue’s residences were also rebuilt, no longer connected structures but an independent courtyard. Ye Wen occupied the main room, flanked on both sides by the dwellings of Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian—it possessed a layout reminiscent of a Siheyuan (courtyard house).

In addition, Aunt Zhao’s quarters were rebuilt, the kitchen location was re-planned, and considering the future influx of disciples, a larger, more comprehensive dining hall was specially constructed. Currently, only outer disciples and menials ate there, making it look somewhat vast and empty. Ye Wen and his personal disciples still used a smaller kitchen and private dining hall prepared specifically for them.

As the number of menials increased, the vegetable garden originally cultivated by the Shushan Sect was renovated again and significantly expanded. Besides cooking and cleaning, the menials spent their days tending to the greens here, which would become one of the main food sources for Shushan disciples. Ye Wen placed great importance on this garden, though it remained unused as it was currently winter.

Regardless, Ye Wen's Shushan Sect had undergone earth-shattering changes compared to the previous year. What pleased Ye Wen even more was the noticeable progress in his internal cultivation over the past few months. This puzzled him for quite a while; he secretly wondered if there was something unique about the environment on Shushan that allowed cultivation to progress without the fear of stagnation.

However, this speculation was groundless and impossible to prove immediately; it required long-term observation. As for external arts, he had finally mastered the Mian Zhang (Soft Palm), making it truly viable for combat. The next step was simply to gradually become familiar with and comprehend the nuances of this palm technique.

It was Xu Xian who seemed to have forgotten about learning the Mian Zhang while busy cultivating his internal arts these past few months. But Ye Wen wouldn't prompt him, as he was currently focused on planning the cultivation path for his two disciples and had no time for other matters.

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