Ye Wen had clearly seen everything that had just transpired, especially the stream of internal energy shooting from his fingertip; he hadn't missed a single detail.

The teacup rattling across the table also confirmed to Ye Wen that what had just happened was no illusion; he had truly sent forth a burst of qijin from his finger to knock over the cup several feet away.

Furthermore, although the poison dissipated, a strange odor still lingered in the air—proof that the toxic vapor hadn't fully dispersed. This meant that the black miasma, though rendered invisible, still permeated the atmosphere, and it was precisely this mist that he had blasted away with his finger.

“Six Meridians Divine Sword?”

Ye Wen’s initial reaction was that he had accidentally stumbled upon mastering the legendary martial art famous for its ‘machine gun’ capability, but he quickly dismissed the notion.

“That qijin just now gathered without condensing, and it certainly wasn't the sword energy described in the Six Meridians Divine Sword. At best, it was a mere pulse of energy.” Moreover, the energy scattered immediately upon leaving his body; otherwise, the teacup would have shattered, not merely been knocked over. True, condensed sword energy would have pierced straight through, or at the very least, cleaved the cup in two.

If Ye Wen’s expelled energy were to be compared to a familiar technique, it vaguely resembled the finger force of the One Yang Finger.

“But the One Yang Finger isn't this weak.”

Seeing that the finger force generated by his own channeled power had only managed to topple the teacup, he mused that this level of strength was far too mild even to tickle someone, let alone kill.

Retracting his finger, Ye Wen didn't believe he possessed the conditions to cultivate martial arts like the One Yang Finger anytime soon. Especially since that brief incident had clearly shown him that with his current internal power, even if he could somehow attempt the Six Meridians Divine Sword—a technique demanding immense internal energy with almost inhuman prerequisites—even a slightly lesser qijin art was currently beyond his reach.

However, this unexpected event illuminated a path for Ye Wen: once his internal cultivation reached a sufficient level, even without obtaining secret manuals like the Six Meridians Divine Sword, he could leverage his unique meridian advantages to create a similar technique. At the very least, even if he couldn't devise a method for condensing sword energy, he could devise a finger art no weaker than the One Yang Finger.

Alas, those were matters for when his internal arts reached fruition. As for the immediate present…

“I’ll stick to practicing my Zixia Gong honestly.”

The expenditures of this single day—detoxifying his junior sister, helping her organize her meridians, and then cleaning the residual poison he had accidentally absorbed—had drained his internal energy by seven or eight tenths. His Zixia True Qi had been mobilized numerous times, leaving him utterly exhausted both mentally and physically.

Yet, Ye Wen could not simply go to rest. The period immediately following massive exertion is the optimal time for cultivating internal arts. Cultivating now might lead to another breakthrough if luck favored him; conversely, rushing off to rest instead would risk regression.

Thus, when Ye Wen next opened his eyes, it was already the next morning. An entire night had passed in meditation and energy circulation, during which he had surprisingly remained awake.

Checking his condition, he found that while his internal power hadn't advanced significantly, his Zixia True Qi seemed slightly denser, marking a substantial improvement. Yesterday’s efforts hadn't been entirely in vain.

Recalling yesterday, Ye Wen also recalled the lingering silky sensation on his hands, and the memory of carrying Ning Ruxue back, dragging those two soft, yielding mounds all the way. He hadn't paid much mind then, but reflecting on it now stirred his spirit, leaving a lingering aftertaste.

“Truly worthy of someone who trains in martial arts; the elasticity is certainly exceptional…”

Lost in thought, he glanced in the mirror and saw his cheeks and lips had recovered considerably. Though still slightly swollen, they were no longer problematic. He tried speaking a couple of sentences and the garbled mess where his voice had been was gone.

Nodding with satisfaction, after cleaning up, he changed into a light blue long robe. His increasingly long hair was also tidied somewhat. Ye Wen now appeared more like a well-to-do, refined scholar than a martial artist. The only imperfection was his handsome face hadn't fully recovered, but Ye Wen didn't mind. Once tidied, he stepped out of the room to breathe some fresh air.

As soon as he opened his door, he saw Ning Ruxue already in the courtyard. She looked as if she intended to practice, but her legs were inconvenient, so she stopped after performing only a few basic sword maneuvers.

What puzzled Ye Wen was her reaction upon seeing him. Her expression was strange as she managed a curt, “Good morning, Senior Brother,” before bolting back into her room without looking back, slamming the door shut as if slightest opening might invite disaster.

“Uh…”

Ye Wen had been about to reply, “Good morning, Junior Sister,” but she was gone before the words left his mouth, leaving his half-raised hand hanging awkwardly in the air.

Fortunately, Xu Xian rushed out then, bright and energetic, cheerfully greeting, “Good morning, Senior Brother!” which gave Ye Wen’s awkward hand a purpose.

“Senior Brother, aren't you heading to Jue Valley to train today?” Whenever Xu Xian asked this, it usually meant he was off to the valley.

Ever since learning of Jue Valley’s existence, he had also learned of the words left on the wooden board by the nameless elder who taught him his skills. With Xu Xian’s sharp intellect, he certainly understood that the elder hoped he would avenge him. Consequently, this Junior Brother Xu, who had always treated his training with a lighthearted attitude, had been practicing diligently lately.

Though still cheerful and playful on the surface, most of the time, Junior Brother Xu hid away from others to practice his martial arts. The cliff where the elder was buried was his most frequent destination.

And after this period, the Thirty-Six Forms of Returning Wind and Falling Wild Goose Sword were largely mastered. The next step was diligent practice to familiarize himself with the forms, grasp their subtleties, and utilize them effectively in combat.

Although his internal power cultivation did not match Ye Wen’s, it had surpassed Ning Ruxue’s. Furthermore, the Returning Wind and Falling Wild Goose Sword he practiced required high proficiency in Qinggong (lightness skill), and his inherent advantages in this area had not lapsed. Coupled with his sword practice, his agility in confined spaces had also seen marked improvement.

A few days prior, Xu Xian and Ning Ruxue had sparred, with Ye Wen present to observe. The two darted around a small space, making dazzling displays, with shadows of swords, palms, and bodies filling the air until the view was obscured. Those with poorer eyesight might have thought not two people were fighting, but a crowd crammed into a single area.

The match ended without a victor. After fifty exchanges, both instinctively separated and ceased, presumably having gained enough understanding of their respective weaknesses from so many blows to focus on reinforcing those areas before their next encounter.

Although Ye Wen had no trouble seeing clearly and gained a more intuitive grasp of their cultivation levels, seeing the growing number of skilled practitioners in his sect naturally brought him great joy.

Simultaneously, Yue Ning and Zhou Zhiruo also engaged in a simple bout. Because Zhou Zhiruo was younger and weaker, her exchange with Yue Ning was more akin to a casual sparring of forms. Or perhaps, it was more accurate to say Yue Ning was feeding moves to his junior sister, but this time, no pointers would be given during the fight; all instruction would wait until it concluded.

Zhou Zhiruo’s performance greatly surprised Ye Wen. Though the striking power of the little one’s Drifting Snow Piercing Cloud Palm was not yet apparent, she executed the subtle changes within the forms with a noticeable level of mastery—and this was despite her young age and nascent internal arts foundation.

Therefore, Ye Wen had ample reason to be optimistic about this disciple’s future.

As for his chief disciple, Yue Ning, he hadn't displayed his full strength due to the need to feed moves to his junior sister. However, judging from his stance and footwork during parries and blocks, his bearing was already extraordinary, hinting at the aura of a true master. This suggested his foundational training was exceptionally solid, and he had diligently practiced and integrated the martial arts Ye Wen taught him, resulting in this display.

Consequently, Ye Wen was quite pleased with his senior disciple’s progress. After offering a few words of praise, he pointed out key aspects of cultivation, especially regarding internal arts. Having achieved some success with his Purple Mist Divine Skill, his understanding of internal cultivation deepened, allowing him to finally guide his disciples like a true master.

He watched as Xu Xian ran to Ning Ruxue’s door and shouted one last time, “Senior Sister, I’m going to train now!” before calmly leaving the courtyard. If either he or Ning Ruxue notified the other about going to train, both would know the destination was Jue Valley, and they were forbidden from rashly entering.

In fact, he was also supposed to inform Ye Wen, but since Ning Ruxue hadn't seen Ye Wen yesterday, she only told Xu Xian, asking him to relay the message. However, Xu Xian, caught up in the excitement of his sword practice, forgot the instruction. This led to Ye Wen inadvertently entering Jue Valley. Had this not happened, the subsequent chain of events might never have unfolded.

“Indeed, if he hadn’t blundered in, how could I have been careless enough to be bitten by a snake?”

Ning Ruxue, who had tossed and turned all night, kept telling herself this. Yet, the mere thought of Senior Brother Ye Wen sent a fiery warmth radiating through her lower abdomen, buttocks, and the soles of her injured foot, as if Ye Wen’s hands were still pressed firmly upon them.

When she finally convinced herself she was unaffected, seeing Ye Wen seemed to bring the sensation rushing back. Ashamed, she turned and fled. But once back in her room, she kept muttering, “Why did I run?”

At that moment, Xu Xian’s shout reminded her again of everything that happened in Jue Valley yesterday. This made her face burn even hotter, and she finally dove under the covers in her bedroom, presumably planning not to emerge for some time.

Meanwhile, Ye Wen performed his routine duty of tending to Liu Qingfeng’s injuries. The old Daoist was startled upon seeing Ye Wen’s face. “Sect Master Ye, what happened to your face?”

Ye Wen smiled faintly. “Nothing much, just a minor snake venom exposure.”

Hearing this, Liu Qingfeng retrieved a pill and handed it over. “This is an antidote pill from our Tiger Mountain Sect; it’s quite effective against toxins. Sect Master Ye, you can try it.”

After taking it, Ye Wen felt the numbness in his face lessen slightly. Just as he was about to offer his thanks, a disciple responsible for the gate rushed in before he could speak.

“Reporting to the Sect Master, the Master of Zhengquan Gate has arrived with a large group of disciples seeking an audience. However, the disciples observed them looking fierce and ill-intentioned, suggesting they come with ill purpose.”

P.S: Today marks a strong recommendation; if things go as expected, the book launch won't be long. Furthermore, if all goes well, the update frequency might become more vigorous after it goes live. Well, that's all. V