As Ye Wen finished speaking, an immediate gasp of shock rippled through the Right Fist Sect members. This demand from Ye Wen was utterly unexpected. They had braced themselves for some exorbitant request, but this...

Most present were aware of the past grievances between Ye Wen and the Right Fist Sect. Even those who weren't had likely heard the general outline as Ye Wen's reputation on Mount Shu grew.

The Right Fist Sect had once dispatched Elder Zhang Gui to wipe out Ye Wen’s original sect, even leaving Ye Wen severely wounded—a fact known almost universally.

Now, the tables had turned. In just over two years, Ye Wen had risen above his fate. Not only had he re-established the Shu Mountain Sect, but he had also grievously injured Wang Shu, hailed as the foremost expert on Mount Shu, forcing the Right Fist Sect to resort to hidden weapon sneak attacks, which ultimately backfired upon themselves.

Furthermore, Ye Wen had openly declared that he would treat the Right Fist Sect exactly as they had treated him—did that not imply destroying the sect, tearing down their sign, and seizing all their affiliated businesses?

"Ye Wen, don't press your luck!" Shi Cui inwardly cursed his misfortune. He happened to be standing at the very front of the assembled sect members. With the Sect Master Wang Shu injured and Zhang Gui having already incurred the displeasure of the disciples, Shi Cui, being the highest-ranking and completely unscathed, felt compelled to step forward and declare a stance.

Though his shouts carried an imposing tone, his expression was as sour as if he had bitten into a bitter gourd—utterly lacking in spirit. This sight almost made Ye Wen laugh aloud. However, this was a critical juncture in the negotiation; laughter would be inappropriate, so he suppressed the urge and stated, "Press my luck? Today, the Right Fist Sect led an armed intrusion upon our mountain gate. The fact that I did not slay all of you to display the might of the Shu Mountain Sect is already an act of neighborly consideration. How can you claim I am pressing my luck?"

He then gestured toward the corpse lying behind him: "Moreover, your Right Fist Sect attempted to injure me with foul play. Had I not possessed a few life-saving trump cards, my bones would likely be cold by now. My decision not to take your lives is already an extraordinary grace. Who, precisely, is the one showing ingratitude?"

These words left the Right Fist Sect members speechless. Finally, Shi Cui stammered for a long moment before managing to utter one sentence: "The hidden attack was the personal deed of that boy; it has nothing to do with our Right Fist Sect... That boy has now been dealt with by Mr. Ye; this matter should be considered closed."

As Shi Cui finished speaking, he realized the inadequacy of his words, yet he couldn't conjure a suitable excuse. He could only push the blame outward for the moment. After all, the attacker was dead; a little more or less blame mattered little to him. It was the living ones who needed to secure their lives.

Little did he know that the moment Shi Cui said this, Wang Shu, who had been lingering at the rear, felt a surge of blood rush to his chest, causing him to spit out another mouthful of blood. Wang Shu realized that with Shi Cui's statement, the Right Fist Sect was likely on the verge of immediate collapse. Even if the sect's reputation was preserved today, it was destined to fracture.

Wang Shu’s premonition was accurate. Following Shi Cui’s declaration, the hearts of most Right Fist Sect disciples turned cold, and many even began contemplating leaving. They realized that in the eyes of their leaders and elders, they were nothing more than disposable objects, ready to be cast aside at any moment to save their own skins once they were no longer useful.

After all, the disciple who used the hidden weapon must have acted under the Sect Master's instruction. Otherwise, which mere disciple would dare use a concealed weapon so brazenly, under the eyes of everyone present? Yet now, the sneak attack failed, the attacker lost his life, and in the next breath, the elder was distancing the sect entirely, dumping the entire blame onto the dead disciple. Thinking of this, everyone’s hearts chilled.

Those present felt that Shi Cui’s words were excessive. Some who had previously held a favorable impression of the Right Fist Sect, or had even considered joining, immediately changed their minds. Some even felt fortunate that the Right Fist Sect hadn't accepted them in the first place.

"For such a sect to claim the title of the number one sect on Mount Shu is truly the disgrace of Mount Shu."

Such murmurs began to drift from the crowd. Shi Cui realized then that he had caused a tremendous disaster this time. In truth, Zhang Gui had wanted to stop him earlier, but considering his own predicament, he ultimately remained silent.

What good would speaking up do? Could it salvage the Right Fist Sect's reputation?

The Right Fist Sect had provoked trouble today, been thoroughly humiliated, attempted a sneak attack with hidden weapons that failed, and afterward, tried to shift all responsibility onto the personal actions of a disciple. Although they might have nominally escaped culpability, everyone knew in their hearts that even without concrete evidence, no one would truly believe the incident was merely an isolated act.

The Right Fist Sect had lost face completely. The reputation they had painstakingly built over years was ruined in a single day. Even if Ye Wen hadn't demanded anything, it was doubtful the sect could continue operating.

Ye Wen understood this as well. After a moment of thought, he waved his hand: "Since that is the case, all of the Right Fist Sect’s properties shall be transferred under the jurisdiction of my Shu Mountain Sect. Consider it the price for your lives."

Shi Cui tried to protest again, but Zhang Gui secretly tugged at his robes, forcing him to swallow his words. Wang Shu, having caught his breath, was supported out of the ranks by a disciple and replied, "We thank Sect Master Ye for his magnanimity. The numerous assets of the Right Fist Sect will be handed over to the Shu Mountain Sect shortly."

He paused to gasp for air before continuing, "We take our leave."

Saying this, and seeing that Ye Wen made no move to stop them, he turned and led his disciples away from the Shu Mountain Gate. As they reached the main entrance, Wang Shu hesitated slightly, fearful that the two formidable Shu Mountain disciples guarding the gate might suddenly launch an attack—today, besides Ye Wen's spectacular performance, those two disciples had also made an impression. While some knew of Xu Ping, the other was unheard of; yet his martial skill was clearly extraordinary, merely for being an obscure disciple of the Shu Mountain Sect.

"Alas..."

Wang Shu thought this over and knew that, in the end, he had underestimated the Shu Mountain Sect. Only after suffering so much today did he realize they were simply not on the same level.

Seeing the two disciples open the main gate and stand aside, Wang Shu led his group away in dejection. The various minor sects that had followed the Right Fist Sect up the mountain saw their leader depart and began to leave one after another. As they departed, some bowed respectfully to Ye Wen, others scurried away furtively with lowered heads, and some remained hesitant, clearly lost in thought.

Regardless, their steps were swift. Even those who seemed hesitant quickly disappeared from the view of the Shu Mountain disciples. In the span of just a few minutes, peace returned to the Shu Mountain Sect.

With everyone gone, Ye Wen remained unmoving. Ning Ruxue and the assembled disciples approached, and she playfully slapped his shoulder: "Senior Brother, what are you still looking at?"

Unexpectedly, Ning Ruxue’s casual tap caused Ye Wen’s figure to sway violently, and he struggled to steady himself, forcing a wry smile: "Junior Sister, gently."

This startled Ning Ruxue, who looked blankly at her own palm: "I didn't use any force!" But she immediately realized it wasn't her doing; Ye Wen himself was having a problem.

"Senior Brother, are you injured?"

The moment the words left her mouth, the Shu Mountain disciples became tense. They suspected someone had launched a surprise attack on their Sect Master just now, especially since Ye Wen hadn't been hit by Wang Shu during their duel. How could he have been injured then?

Ye Wen waved his hand: "Help me back to my room first." He then instructed a nearby disciple, "Go and dispose of the body of that Right Fist Sect disciple who died from the poison."

The two disciples exchanged a look. One asked, "Sect Master, how should this body be handled?"

"Send it back to the Right Fist Sect. Whether they burn it or bury it is up to them; we don't have the leisure for such tasks." With that, he let Ning Ruxue support him as they headed toward the back of the sect.

All the disciples, save for Xu Ping and the other disciple guarding the gate with him who followed Ye Wen, dispersed throughout the sect grounds, partly to ensure no outsiders remained, and partly as a precaution against the Right Fist Sect returning for a retaliatory strike.

Back in his room, Ye Wen sat cross-legged on the heated brick bed (kang), regulated his breathing slightly, and immediately appeared more spirited. When he opened his eyes and saw everyone gazing at him anxiously, he offered a reassuring smile: "What are you staring at? It's nothing serious."

Seeing Ye Wen speak, Ning Ruxue rushed to ask, "Senior Brother, how did you get hurt? Was it a sneak attack? Or..." As she trailed off, Ning Ruxue suddenly recalled yesterday's events, wondering if the residual poison in her Senior Brother's system had flared up during the fight.

Ye Wen naturally understood what she was referring to, shaking his head: "No."

"Then why?"

At this moment, the old Daoist Liu Qingfeng, who had been silent until now, spoke up: "Sect Master Ye, you were too reckless."

The others were perplexed, but Ye Wen could only offer a bitter smile and nod: "Indeed, too reckless." He secretly thought, Alas, I overdid the showmanship. This internal energy truly cannot be used carelessly.

It turned out that Ye Wen’s previous actions—channeling the Purple Mist Divine Skill (Zixia Shen Gong) to forcefully expel his internal energy to block the hidden weapons, even using an explosive surge to repel them—while undeniably handsome and arrogant, placed immense stress on his meridians. Given Ye Wen's current cultivation level, such actions were too taxing. The erupting true qi had directly damaged his surrounding meridians and many acupoints. If the internal energy of the Purple Mist Skill wasn't inherently nurturing and lacked the domineering, forceful nature of other qi, Ye Wen might have been crippled already.

In truth, the Purple Mist Skill could be used this way, but only after his cultivation advanced further, preferably nearing mastery. At that stage, his meridians, tempered by long-term exposure to powerful true qi, would be incredibly resilient and adapted to the Purple Mist qi, thus preventing physical harm.

For Ye Wen, whose skill had only just been considered 'mastered,' such a display was far too dangerous.

When he explained the details to Ning Ruxue, the previously anxious Junior Sister immediately erupted in anger: "Senior Brother, how could you be so rash? Did you do something so dangerous just to show off?"

Ye Wen managed a wry smile: "I intended to intimidate the petty ones, but the consequences turned out unexpectedly severe."

However, Ye Wen's performance had indeed succeeded in making the entire Shu Mountain establishment look at the Right Fist Sect with renewed awe. Those harboring malicious thoughts quickly suppressed them. From this perspective, Ye Wen's goal was achieved.

Yet, his intention to capitalize on the momentum and destroy the Right Fist Sect had to be postponed for a time due to this unexpected setback.

"But, after today, it's unlikely the Right Fist Sect will ever recover."

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