Although they had agreed that he would treat Liu Qingfeng's injuries, for the moment Ye Wen had to remain at the inn as one of his disciples was still laid up there. Thus, Ye Wen would only leave once he was certain that Xu Ping’s condition would not relapse.

And Xu Ping’s recovery was much faster than Ye Wen had anticipated. By the second day, this standout outer disciple had already opened his eyes. The first sight that greeted him was the Sect Master standing right beside him, which startled Xu Ping so much that he immediately tried to sit up. However, a light press from Ye Wen kept him immobilized—his injuries were only just beginning to heal, and he possessed no strength whatsoever. Even without exerting himself, Ye Wen pinned the powerfully built man back onto the bed, unable to move.

Afterward, Ye Wen examined Xu Ping’s injuries and meridians again. Once he was certain the disciple’s condition would not worsen, he instructed, “Your injuries are no longer serious. Rest at the foot of the mountain for a while during these coming days, and return to the sect once you have recovered more fully. I will arrange for others to look after you.”

As for the specific location for his recuperation, Ye Wen had already made arrangements. The Yue Shan Escort Agency had sent a carriage specifically to transport Xu Ping there for his convalescence, so Ye Wen did not need to trouble himself with those trivial matters.

“Also, although you suffered grievous injuries this time and nearly lost your life, you have gained an opportunity in return. If you understand this, you must seize it well.” Ye Wen did not make his words entirely clear, as he wished to gauge the disciple’s aptitude for understanding. If it proved promising, taking him into the inner sect would not be out of the question. Ning Ruxue’s Heavenly Net Web Stance was just beginning to coalesce, and she was currently idle, so finding a disciple for her to teach would be quite beneficial.

As for Xu Xian? He had recently obtained the Returning Wind and Falling Goose Sword Technique and was diligently studying it on the mountain. This sword art was significantly more demanding than the techniques he had practiced before and was not something that could be mastered easily. Therefore, Young Master Xu Xian was extremely occupied and had no time to instruct disciples; he had even neglected his duties of taking turns teaching the outer disciples. Now, Ning Ruxue was managing everything alone.

However, upon reflection, Ye Wen realized he was perhaps the most irresponsible one. As the Sect Master, he had spent the last few months hiding in the secluded valley atop the peak, cultivating the Violet Cloud Skill. He had barely attended to his direct disciples, let alone the outer ones; he was truly the most negligent master.

“Upon returning, I should truly dedicate time to guiding those two disciples.”

With Xu Ping’s situation resolved, Ye Wen returned to the mountain with Liu Qingfeng. Since Liu Qingfeng was injured, Ye Wen had to temper his pace to accommodate the old Daoist’s physical condition, resulting in slow travel, punctuated by frequent rests. A journey that should have taken half a day stretched into a full day before they finally arrived.

“This is Sect Master Ye Wen’s mountain gate? Truly imposing in presence.” As soon as he ascended the mountain, Liu Qingfeng beheld the majestic main gate. As he walked in with Ye Wen, the neat stone pathways, the spacious courtyard, and the main hall looming not far ahead filled Liu Qingfeng with awe.

Even Zhao Heng, who had accompanied Liu Qingfeng, gaped, seemingly wanting to speak, yet finding himself unable to summon any fitting adjectives. He could only swallow his words, and after a long moment, managed to squeeze out, “It is a pity Second Senior Brother could not witness this…”

The Second Senior Brother he referred to was Liu Mo, who had already rushed back to Tiger Mountain ahead of them. In the intervening time, Ye Wen had learned that Liu Qingfeng had three disciples in total. His eldest was currently remaining at their sect, focusing intently on cultivating the Tiger Sun Elixir Qi, so he would not leave lightly. This time, the old Daoist had only brought his second and youngest disciples on his outing, primarily intending to train the youngest. Liu Mo had been brought along to assist in looking after his junior brother.

As for sending Liu Mo back first, the old Daoist had other plans. Liu Mo’s cultivation was already sufficient to practice the Tiger Sun Elixir Qi. Liu Qingfeng had originally decided to impart this foundational sect martial art to him upon their return to the mountain, but this unforeseen incident occurred. Thus, Liu Qingfeng simply instructed his eldest disciple to return first, carrying a letter he had written, ordering the eldest to teach the introductory sections of the Tiger Sun Elixir Qi to Liu Mo. This was so the old Daoist would not delay his disciple’s cultivation due to his own necessary stay at Mount Shu for recuperation.

As for Zhao Heng? Keeping him close provided a convenient subordinate to command, and secondly, it allowed him to witness and recognize the splendor of another major sect. However, the old Daoist had not expected the Shu Mountain Sect’s prominence to be so significant, with the mountain gate alone appearing more magnificent than their own Tiger Mountain Sect’s.

They rounded the main hall to the rear, where the vast training grounds lay. A few outer disciples were scattered about, practicing their forms. One was practicing the Pine Wind Sword Style, while two others watched with focused concentration, failing to notice Ye Wen and his party approaching from a distance.

Ye Wen merely glanced over casually. He observed that while the disciple practicing the Pine Wind Sword Style moved with considerable swiftness, the form lacked true essence. Especially when executing the moves, the disciple appeared overly rigid and mechanical. Consequently, although the sword art itself was exquisite, it was unlikely to unleash much of its potential in his hands.

He sighed inwardly, but Ye Wen knew that geniuses were not found everywhere. He was already surprised by the fortuitous aptitude of the two disciples he had accepted; he could not expect every single disciple in the Shu Mountain Sect to possess such insight.

He remained unconcerned, but Zhao Heng, behind him, watched with wide eyes. After all, the Tiger Mountain Sect’s expertise lay first in internal energy, then in bare-hand combat; their weapon skills were rather commonplace. Such a sword style, if seen at the Tiger Mountain Sect, would be reserved only for the Sect Master or Martial Uncles of the same generation as the Sect Master. The fact that a mere Shu Mountain disciple could perform it astonished him. Only when his master, Liu Qingfeng, coughed and quietly warned, “Do not stare so intently; it is a great taboo,” did he snap out of his reverie. He immediately averted his gaze, staring straight ahead, daring not to glance sideways again.

Ye Wen saw none of this, as he genuinely did not care. Ever since he introduced the Pine Wind Sword Style, he had never intended for it to be kept secret. In fact, he hoped the style would spread as widely as possible, for the broader its dissemination, the more widely the name of his Shu Mountain Sect would become known.

Imagine, in the future, when several people in the martial world fight, and one group uses the Pine Wind Sword Style, if others inquire about the style, the answer would be: “This is the Pine Mountain Sword Style of the Shu Mountain Sect. It is quite potent, and the Shu Mountain Sect does not hoard such exquisite techniques; even ordinary outer disciples may learn it—truly a display of extraordinary magnanimity.”

Instantly, the name of the Shu Mountain Sect would be promoted, and it would attract many martial artists seeking instruction who lacked connections. While Ye Wen did not expect geniuses among these newcomers, the development of a sect could not rely solely on a few individuals; it required these ordinary martial practitioners, for they formed the very bedrock of the martial world.

What Ye Wen did not know was that his act of treating Liu Qingfeng’s injuries at the inn a few days prior, performed in full public view without attempting secrecy during conversations, had already spread from Shushan County, radiating out across the entire Ping Province over the past few days.

Martial World Rumor: A young master has appeared in Shushan County, a Sect Master whose internal cultivation is extraordinarily profound. Even the true master of the Tiger Mountain Sect, Liu Qingfeng, who suffered internal injuries, sought his treatment.

Martial World Rumor: A supreme master has surfaced in Shushan County, though his sect remains unknown. His cultivation has reached a terrifying level. With a mere wave of his hand, purple energy surged forth. The internal injuries of the Tiger Mountain Sect’s True Master Liu were critical, yet this person treated him casually, and in an instant, True Master Liu’s internal trauma vanished.

Martial World Rumor: A supreme master in Shushan County chanced upon Liu Qingfeng, grievously wounded and near death. Being in a good mood, he waved his hand; purple energy swirled and gathered, never dispersing. In mere moments, True Master Liu’s injuries were completely restored, and his cultivation level was greatly enhanced. He immediately sought to become this master’s disciple.

Martial World Rumor...

These rumors grew increasingly absurd, but most people dismissed the later versions outright, as they clearly exceeded the bounds of common sense. Therefore, those who believed the later stories were mostly ordinary common folk who held no real stake in the martial world, or perhaps scholars and literati fond of martial arts lore.

True martial practitioners, even without hearing the exact facts, managed to deduce the truth as closely as possible, though some refused to believe any of it. For example, upon hearing the rumors, several members of the Tianle Gang branch office showed utter disdain. Combining this with intelligence they had already gathered, they concluded: “This is utter nonsense, merely intended to account for Liu Qingfeng’s prolonged stay in Shushan County.” They remained cautious regarding the situation.

Furthermore, these individuals made an incorrect assessment regarding Liu Qingfeng’s injury: “We heard Liu Qingfeng was injured by the Crimson Sun Divine Lord in the Central Plains. I did not expect him to recover so quickly. This Liu Qingfeng’s cultivation is far beyond what we estimated.” Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement and immediately resumed their study of the remaining masters in the Tiger Mountain Sect…

Ye Wen was completely unaware of these matters. Since bringing Liu Qingfeng and his disciples to the Shu Mountain Sect, Ye Wen devoted a portion of each day to treating Liu Qingfeng’s injuries.

Under the pressure of Liu Qingfeng’s terrible internal wounds, Ye Wen felt his own Violet Cloud Skill constantly progressing. Moreover, with each treatment session, his understanding of the Violet Cloud Skill deepened, and using it no longer required the initial time needed to gather energy and adjust his internal breath before deployment.

Now, with just a single thought, the Violet Cloud Skill could be manifested instantly. According to the Violet Cloud Secret Manual, achieving this level meant the initial stage of cultivation was complete, and he could begin attempting the next phase.

As Ye Wen’s mastery of the Violet Cloud Skill grew more profound, Liu Qingfeng’s internal injuries lessened steadily, until they no longer posed any threat to him. Not only did his spirit improve, but circulating his energy flowed without any hindrance. Seeing this progress, Liu Qingfeng was overjoyed and frequently expressed his gratitude to Ye Wen.

Even Zhao Heng, who had previously viewed Ye Wen with disapproval, now felt genuinely compelled to perform a deep bow to Ye Wen, thanking him for healing his master’s injuries.