The moment Ye Wen finished speaking, everyone in the plaza gasped. Many had not yet grasped the implication of his words when they saw the gate behind them, previously wide open, suddenly slam shut. Several outer disciples of the Shu Mountain Sect had, at some unknown time, circled around to the entrance and closed it tight.

“What?”

“What’s going on?”

“Ye Wen, what is the meaning of this?”

“Sect Master Ye, does your sect intend to capture us all in one sweep?”

“Could it be that Sect Master Ye intends to use this opportunity to unify Shushan?”

“Oh dear? I just came here to tag along.”

...

In an instant, the entire plaza erupted into chaos. Wang Shu, who had expected to retreat at his leisure, saw his expression instantly turn ugly.

No matter what, he had never anticipated that Ye Wen would completely disregard the hundred-plus people present and simply trap them there. In his mind, anyone with a sound head wouldn't antagonize the crowd at a time like this, even knowing they had just thoroughly embarrassed the Shu Mountain Sect. One wouldn't immediately turn hostile.

Yet, Ye Wen played entirely outside the established rules, immediately falling out with everyone and even locking the gate. Did this mean the Shu Mountain Sect truly intended to wipe them out? To use this chance to seize control of Shushan? Just what made the young sect master so confident he would succeed? Could this brat be an arrogant fool who didn't know the immensity of heaven and earth?

Just as he was about to turn back and demand an explanation from Ye Wen, a young woman, looking no older than twenty, emerged from behind the Shu Mountain disciples. She was dressed in a pale pink skirt, possessing a clear and otherworldly beauty that made one think of an immortal descending to the mortal realm. Yet, this fairy-like figure now gripped a longsword, her delicate face set in stern anger, as she sharply cried out, “Senior Brother Sect Master is absolutely right. After swaggering into our Shu Mountain Sect premises, you expect to simply walk away?”

Ye Wen turned at the sound of her voice, only then noticing his junior sister emerging from the rear. He was surprised to see Ning Ruxue wearing a skirt; usually, she favored practical fighting attire, rarely donning clothes fit for a young lady of a noble house.

He had no way of knowing that after returning to her room and hiding for a while, Ning Ruxue suddenly remembered the beautiful clothes she had kept neatly folded away. For some inexplicable reason, she had tried them on. Just then, she learned that the Zheng Quan Sect had arrived with a crowd, leaving her no time to change; she simply grabbed her longsword and rushed out.

Perhaps because she hurried, and her leg injury hadn't fully healed, her final few steps were slightly unsteady. This sight caused some men, mesmerized by Ning Ruxue’s beauty but unaware of the situation, to sigh in regret: “Such a beautiful woman, what a pity that she limps.”

It was fortunate for those men that they only muttered these complaints internally; were Ning Ruxue to hear them, the sword in her hand might have tasted fresh blood today.

Ye Wen asked in a low voice, “Why did you run out?”

“When others storm our door, how could I possibly stay inside?”

“Your leg injury isn't healed. What good can you do out here? You should retreat. I can handle these insignificant nuisances myself.” Ye Wen’s words were supremely arrogant. Some of those nearby heard him and their eyes immediately turned bloodshot, wishing they could rush forward immediately to fight Ye Wen to the death.

But before they could move, a series of wretched cries suddenly echoed from behind them.

“Ouch, stop hitting!”

“Heavens, spare me, great lord!”

“I surrender, I surrender, I yield!”

“Go ahead and kill me if you dare, but if you can't kill me, I'll kill you!”

...

Those focused on Ye Wen and thus unaware of the commotion turned their heads toward the sound. What they saw made their hearts suddenly clench.

It turned out that after seeing the Shu Mountain Sect seal the main gate, many realized only two ordinary disciples were guarding the entrance. Many of the more impatient ones had cursed and rushed forward, intending to take down the two disciples and open the gate so they could escape.

In their eyes, while Sect Master Ye Wen of Shu Mountain was formidable, he was far from them. These two disciples, no matter how skilled, must have limits. After all, the area of Shushan County lacked true masters. Even if the Shu Mountain Sect was currently riding a wave of popularity, they didn't believe these disciples were vastly superior to themselves.

More importantly, they had many allies present; the opposition only had two disciples. A mob attack would surely overwhelm them.

However, these rash individuals had struck iron. Especially one man wielding a saber; he didn't even draw the blade, using only the scabbard to parry his attackers. Nearly every strike sent them howling in pain. In just a few moves, several men lay sprawled on the ground.

Every downed man was clutching some part of his body, crying out in pain. Several who had charged the hardest and cursed the loudest now lay with arms or lower legs bent at impossible angles, sending a chill through everyone else. Many unconsciously took several steps back.

The man with the saber was Xu Ping. Since that day Ye Wen healed his injuries with the Zixia Gong and offered him some pointers, Xu Ping had cultivated day and night. Due to that fortuitous encounter, his internal energy had seen further advancement. Moreover, Ye Wen now viewed him favorably and unconsciously took greater care of him, offering extra guidance. Consequently, the speed of his martial progress was astonishing, clearly establishing him as the foremost outer disciple of the Shu Mountain Sect.

Even his fellow outer disciples admitted that Xu Ping was now the strongest among them, with some even speculating that Xu Ping might soon be inducted into the Inner Sect as a direct disciple.

In truth, had the matter with Liu Qingfeng not delayed Ye Wen, Xu Ping might already have been formally accepted as a disciple, rather than still holding the title of outer disciple.

This meant that Xu Ping’s skill level was already remarkable within the entire Shu Mountain Sect. Coupled with his recent experience in the martial world during his travels, his actual combat prowess placed him among the top tiers of Shu Mountain. If not for this, he wouldn't have been assigned the critical task of blocking the gate.

Compared to Xu Ping, the other disciple guarding the entrance was slightly less formidable. However, this disciple, knowing his martial skill lagged behind Xu Ping, unleashed his full power from the start. He wielded his longsword into a whirlwind of silver light, executing the Songfeng Sword Style. The men who had only practiced a few common moves were wounded by the mere flash of his sword upon first contact. After their futile charge, they retreated, covered in marks, without even managing to touch him.

However, his dazzling performance was greatly aided by Xu Ping absorbing the bulk of the attackers. The few who slipped past posed no real threat to him, allowing him to maximize the advantage of his precise techniques and internal energy. Since he had drawn his sword outright, this brother actually finished dispatching the foolish attackers even faster than Xu Ping.

After these two disciples demonstrated their power, no one among the hundred-plus people dared to charge forward recklessly. Even when shouts rose from the crowd—"What are you afraid of? There are only two of them! Every one of us could punch them to death!"—no one was willing to be the first. After all, the first person was almost certain to be eliminated without question. Nobody was foolish enough to volunteer to be that unlucky soul.

This moment exposed the weakness of a disorganized mob. Though Wang Shu had gathered so many people, their utility at the critical juncture was genuinely limited.

It was precisely because he saw this that Ye Wen felt no concern about keeping them all there. He was confident that once the true strength of the Shu Mountain Sect was displayed, most would lose the will to resist. Xu Ping and his partner had already fired the opening shot; the rest was up to him.

Regardless of how distressed Wang Shu’s expression became watching the disciples’ display of strength, after giving Ning Ruxue her final instructions, Ye Wen strode a few more steps forward. “Earlier, you asked if my Shu Mountain Sect was responsible for changing Shanshan to Shu Mountain. Although I did not personally commit the act, I accept responsibility for it. Anyone who has doubts can discuss it with me privately.”

“Then, regarding the matter of gathering a crowd to forcefully enter our Shu Mountain Sect gate—who is willing to take responsibility for that?” Ye Wen scanned the faces of almost everyone present. Most avoided his gaze, shrinking from his look. Moreover, many turned their eyes toward Wang Shu, outwardly seeking direction, but in reality, pushing the blame entirely onto the Zheng Quan Sect.

“These bastards,” Wang Shu muttered under his breath upon seeing the situation. But Ye Wen's words ignited Wang Shu’s pride. He had dominated Shushan for many years, and this was the first time he had encountered someone even more high-handed than himself. He refused to believe that a mere upstart in his early twenties like Ye Wen posed any real threat. Even though his top general, Zhang Gui, had warned him that this young man's cultivation was exceptional and had defeated him, Wang Shu still held immense confidence in his own skill, not believing Ye Wen was vastly superior—though he did concede Ye Wen held a slight edge.

“At worst, it’s a fight. Who fears whom? If it truly comes to blows, I’m not guaranteed to lose.”

Though Ye Wen couldn't hear Wang Shu’s thoughts, he could accurately guess the sentiment, which was exactly what he desired. “So, Sect Master Wang is willing to take on this responsibility?”

Before Wang Shu could fully formulate a reply, Ye Wen pressed on. “Since that is the case, let us settle this according to martial tradition. Your Zheng Quan Sect led a group to trespass upon the Shu Mountain Sect gate; therefore, this becomes a dispute between our two sects. As it happens, our two houses have some lingering grievances requiring resolution... There’s no better day than today. Let’s settle it all now.”

“Sect Master Ye is certainly quite domineering,” Wang Shu said. Though not fearful, he was extremely displeased by Ye Wen’s manner of handling affairs, uttering a sarcastic remark under his breath. Unexpectedly, this immediately provoked a counterattack from Ye Wen.

“Domineering? I haven't seized anyone's property or annihilated anyone’s sect. How am I domineering?” Ye Wen fixed Wang Shu with a cold stare. “It is your Zheng Quan Sect, Sect Master Wang, that is truly overbearing.”

Having been subjected to successive insults, even Wang Shu’s composure snapped. He roared, “Insolent brat! Today I will show you the might of my Zheng Quan Sect!”

With that, he drew a breath, channeled his qi, and stepped forward. In the blink of an eye, he was before Ye Wen, launching a punch aimed directly at Ye Wen’s face—executing his signature technique, the Great Righteous Fist.