Ye Wen and Wei Peng stood facing each other, locking gazes for a long moment without speaking. Ye Wen was waiting for Wei Peng’s answer, though he already had a suspicion regarding the visitor's identity; it only counted if the other party confirmed it verbally.

Wei Peng, meanwhile, was sizing up Ye Wen from head to toe. He saw a young man, barely twenty-one or two, handsome and tall, whose sky-blue scholar's robe looked surprisingly fitting on a martial artist. At a passing glance, one might mistake him for a young master from a distinguished scholarly family, yet Ye Wen carried none of the typical fragility of a scholar.

“What an exquisitely handsome young hero!”

Wei Peng rarely encountered figures like this in his life. Even in the Central Plains martial world, young heroes like Ye Wen were not easily found, let alone in Pingzhou, where martial influence was not particularly strong.

“A pity such talent is the Sect Master of the Shu Mountain Sect!”

If Ye Wen were not the head of a sect, and one actively opposed to the Tianle Gang, Wei Peng would very much like to befriend him, perhaps even persuade him to join the Tianle Gang. (The Tianle Gang was an association whose members generally possessed various skills, with no strict requirements regarding martial arts background.)

As things stood, they could only stand on opposite sides, perhaps even destined for a clash shortly. Any thought of camaraderie was likely impossible; this was the Jianghu, after all.

“I am Wei Peng, leader of the Pingzhou branch of the Tianle Gang. Hearing of the Shu Mountain Sect, I have specially come to pay my respects!”

This declaration stunned everyone present. Ye Wen was shocked that the visitor was actually a branch leader of the Tianle Gang. He had speculated that if the Tianle Gang sent someone, it would at most be an adept from a branch to test the waters; he never expected the leader himself to appear.

He, of course, did not know that Wei Peng was merely passing through Shuxian County and had developed a sudden interest in meeting Ye Wen due to a series of unforeseen circumstances.

Liu Qingfeng, standing nearby, was equally surprised. Upon learning that the Tianle Gang might send someone to probe the Shu Mountain Sect, he had declared: “If necessary, this old Daoist will certainly step in to assist, and I will not allow those ruffians to have their way!” However, he hadn't anticipated the personal visit of a Tianle Gang branch leader; today’s events seemed far more serious than he had imagined.

Of course, he was also unaware that Wei Peng’s current journey was actually aimed at him.

Nor did Liu Qingfeng know that his very appearance today had startled both Wei Peng and Lu Tian on the opposite side.

“I didn't expect Liu Qingfeng to be at the Shu Mountain Sect. It seems the rumor that he was injured by the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord and subsequently treated by the Shu Mountain Sect Master is true!”

Wei Peng nodded upon hearing Lu Tian’s words. Liu Qingfeng being on Mount Shu was also unexpected. His confidence in ascending the mountain so openly stemmed from his own martial prowess and the assumption that the Shu Mountain Sect had limited high-level masters. But if Liu Qingfeng were to engage, things might not end well for him today.

He leaned over to Lu Tian and whispered instructions: “Things might be difficult today. Do not act rashly!”

As for the group who had followed Wei Peng up the mountain simply to watch the excitement, they were now utterly bewildered by the revelation of Wei Peng’s status. Some who had hoped to take advantage after Ye Wen severely injured their opponent were already contemplating slipping away. The Tianle Gang was not someone they could afford to offend, not even a single branch!

Others wondered what entanglement existed between the Tianle Gang and the Shu Mountain Sect. Why would a Tianle Gang branch leader pay a personal visit? If the two factions were on good terms, anyone observing the Shu Mountain disciples lined up with weapons in hand would know that their relationship was far from cordial.

“When did the Shu Mountain Sect provoke the Tianle Gang?”

This was the question on most minds. Some quicker thinkers considered an even deeper possibility: “If the Shu Mountain Sect is wiped out this time, perhaps I can fish in troubled waters and gain something! I hear the Shu Mountain Sect holds quite a bit of gold and silver!”

Ignoring the varied thoughts swirling among the onlookers, Ye Wen, after a brief moment of surprise, stepped forward and cupped his fists: “So, it is Leader Wei. My apologies, my apologies! I have long heard of the great name of Leader Wei of the Pingzhou Tianle Gang. To meet you today is a fortune spanning three lifetimes!”

“Flattery, Sect Master Ye. I too have long heard of your esteemed name, but business matters have always kept me away from a personal meeting. Since I happen to be passing by Mount Shu today, I came to impose upon you. I hope Sect Master Ye will not take offense!”

“It is truly too generous of you, Leader Wei, to make such a special journey to visit. In truth, I should be the one visiting you at the Tianle Gang!”

“Sect Master Ye is too kind…”

“Not at all…”

The two exchanged pleasantries, both smiling warmly and enthusiastically. Anyone unaware of the situation might think two old friends spanning generations were exchanging courtesies… but that was far from the truth. Both wore smiles as brilliant and sunny as possible, and their words were exceedingly courteous—one complimenting the other, one praising the other—but that was all.

The distance between them remained fixed at over three meters; neither approached further. Ye Wen stopped where he stood, and Wei Peng made no move to close the gap. Though their words were warm, their actions were cautious; whether cupping a fist or waving a hand, both men kept their vital points well-guarded, fearing a sudden attack.

Furthermore, throughout the conversation, Ye Wen never extended an invitation for tea or entry. Any discerning eye could see that this was merely mutual posturing.

“Hmph, hypocrites!”

Ning Ruxue, growing impatient watching her Senior Brother exchange empty words with this Wei Peng, muttered under her breath. However, she was aware enough of the gravity of the situation that her voice was low, audible only to Xu Xian and Liu Qingfeng beside her.

Liu Qingfeng started slightly at the comment but quickly regained his composure, shaking his head with a wry smile. He was an old hand in the Jianghu and had seen this scene countless times. As long as people weren't mortal enemies, such formalities were unavoidable upon meeting.

Xu Xian chuckled, turning to Ning Ruxue: “I thought our Senior Brother detested such social niceties! I see now he handles them quite well!” The young Master Xu had spent his life dealing with constant social obligations—his father, his tutors, local officials, or talented scholars visiting from afar. It was the sheer volume of these interactions that made him yearn for the freedom of the martial world and eventually run away from home. He had assumed the straightforward Ye Shixiong wouldn't understand these tactics, but today he realized he had misjudged; Ye Shixiong handled these matters no worse than anyone else.

Ning Ruxue pouted. “I wonder where he learned all those complicated things!” She wasn't truly unaware that a sect master needed social skills, but she suddenly felt estranged from her distant Senior Brother. This unfamiliarity frightened her, prompting a natural rejection.

Unaware of the reactions behind him, Ye Wen found the polite exchange with Wei Peng tiresome after a few rounds. He knew his control of his temperament could not match this man who was at least a decade his senior; his Jianghu experience and the fortitude gained from years as a branch leader were beyond his own. If they continued like this, they might exchange pleasantries until tomorrow with no resolution. Ye Wen abruptly changed tack and asked: “May I ask what business Leader Wei has come here for today?”

As he spoke, Ye Wen glanced towards Lu Tian. He had already realized that this man was the black-clad intruder from last night, as he was still wearing the same all-black robes. The man hadn't even changed his clothes; Ye Wen wasn't a fool and recognized this immediately. This glance also served as a signal to Wei Peng: stop the pleasantries; let’s get to the point. I know you mean no good; stop pretending to be polite.

Indeed, Ye Wen’s tone had shifted toward impatience. Wei Peng laughed. “It seems there are some misunderstandings between our two sects! Today, I came to discuss matters frankly with Sect Master Ye…”

“Misunderstandings? I don't believe there is anything that can be called a misunderstanding!”

Ye Wen’s bluntness surprised Wei Peng, but he attributed it to the impetuousness of youth and paid it no mind. “On the day Sect Master Ye accepted disciples, I intentionally sent some congratulatory gifts. I believe our Tianle Gang has shown sufficient goodwill. How does Sect Master Ye intend to respond?”

Bringing this up had the opposite of the intended effect. The moment it was mentioned, Ye Wen’s expression instantly turned cold. He had been frustrated by not being able to retrieve Zhou Zhiruo’s indenture contract directly, and then having the Tianle Gang hand it over as if doing him a favor only fueled his anger! This feeling of indebtedness made him extremely uncomfortable. What was worse, the item had been forcibly seized by them, only to be presented to him with an air of charity, essentially saying, “You owe me a favor.” What could be more ridiculous in the world? It was no wonder Ye Wen was ready to flare up immediately.

“Congratulatory gifts? Leader Wei knows better than I how that item ended up with your Tianle Gang! Even if you refuse to return it, I will personally come to demand it one day! Do you mean to say the Tianle Gang intends to use this to hold me hostage? What a colossal joke!”

At Ye Wen’s words, Wei Peng’s expression changed too. When had the Tianle Gang ever been treated with such blatant disregard? What did he mean by coming to demand it later? That clearly implied that even if they didn't yield, he could still storm the Tianle Gang later and forcibly take back the indenture contract.

“Does Sect Master Ye truly believe the Tianle Gang has no capable men?”

“Whether the Tianle Gang has capable men, I do not know, but your Tianle Gang has certainly treated my Shu Mountain Sect as insignificant, sending someone to commit acts of burglary on our premises! Tell me, how is Mr. Lu’s injury?”

“Whoa—” Ye Wen’s question caused a commotion among the crowd. Many onlookers who had come for entertainment were stunned speechless by this explosive news. The Tianle Gang had sent someone to sneak into the Shu Mountain Sect? That wasn't the astonishing part; many sects engaged in petty espionage. The key was that a Tianle Gang expert had been discovered by Shu Mountain personnel and gravely injured? This news was sensational. Had the Shu Mountain Sect become so formidable that they could contend with the Tianle Gang?

The crowd began to murmur, their voices rising. Much of what they said was crude and offensive. Lu Tian, standing nearby, felt his face flush with alternating shades of red and green listening to the unpleasantries. If the setting were different, Ye Wen might have mocked him: “Are you practicing the Qiankun Da Nuoyi?”

Finally, Lu Tian could not bear it any longer and immediately shouted: “Ye Wen brat, stop wielding your tongue!” With that, he flipped his hand, throwing out the copper coin he always carried. He had put considerable force into the throw, and a sharp sound of air being pierced could faintly be heard.

But the moment the coin left his hand, a sharp cry erupted from the Shu Mountain side: “Shameless thief who only knows how to sneak attack and steal!” It was Ning Ruxue. An outer disciple had informed her that this Lu Tian was the one who had sneak-attacked her and Xu Ping some days ago, severely wounding Xu Ping and nearly causing his death down the mountain.

Ning Ruxue was fiercely protective of her sect and valued her fellow disciples highly. Upon hearing that Xu Ping was gravely injured, she had vowed to take revenge, but Ye Wen had stabilized her by saying: “This revenge must be taken, but right now, your most important task is to hasten your training. Otherwise, if your skill is insufficient, you won't get revenge and might end up losing yourself.”

Now that this man had shown up on their doorstep, and even trespassed into the sect at night—if Ye Wen hadn't been wandering around the sect out of boredom, this fellow might have scouted the entire Shu Mountain entrance! Allowing a thief-like individual such free access was a profound disgrace for any sect. Thus, the instant Lu Tian attacked Ye Wen, Ning Ruxue immediately drew a handful of copper coins, shouted her denunciation, and flung her right hand out. A shimmering cascade of yellowish coins scattered outward. Immediately following this, she drew her sword, employing the Tianluo Diwang Shi movement technique, intending to strike Lu Tian right behind the trajectory of her coins.

Ning Ruxue’s technique with the handful of coins utilized the method of Qiankun Yi Nuo (a subtle redirection), with one coin precisely striking and knocking Lu Tian’s thrown coin to the ground—all without affecting the others. These little yellow objects continued toward Lu Tian’s vital pressure points. Lu Tian, who had been preparing to leap toward Ye Wen, was terrified and forced to halt his momentum, hurriedly dodging to the side. He managed to evade the barrage of coins in a rather clumsy fashion.

“What technique is this?”

When Ye Wen had attacked him with coins yesterday, Lu Tian had assumed Ye Wen merely lacked suitable hidden weapons and was relying on his deep internal energy. Seeing Ning Ruxue’s skill today, he realized the Shu Mountain Sect actually used copper coins as specialized projectiles. Moreover, the coins Ning Ruxue threw, seemingly in a widespread scatter technique, were all aimed at his vital points. This was starkly different from Ye Wen’s overwhelming but seemingly less potent attack yesterday; clearly, this woman’s mastery of concealed weaponry surpassed Ye Wen’s.

Before he could ponder further, Lu Tian, having narrowly evaded the coins, saw a wash of sword light descending upon him. Ning Ruxue followed the coins only a moment later; the sword light arrived immediately after the coins passed!

Ning Ruxue infused the essence of the Tianluo Diwang Shi into her Yunu Swordplay. The sword style was executed so overwhelmingly that looking at her, one saw sword light everywhere—left, right, above, below, front, and back. For a moment, Lu Tian felt as if he were trapped among dozens of longswordsmen. This perilous situation filled Lu Tian with panic. Compounded by his existing injury, his footing faltered in his haste, nearly causing him to misstep with his normally impeccable Gui Bu footwork. Had this technique not been practiced to an ingrained level, and had Ning Ruxue’s cultivation ultimately not been limited, allowing the experienced Lu Tian to spot an opening and escape the sword net, Lu Tian would likely have met his end under Ning Ruxue’s blade in this first exchange.

Even so, Lu Tian, having managed to break free from the sword-light, sustained injuries. One sleeve was slashed into tatters by Ning Ruxue’s sword, the black scraps fluttering away in the winter wind. The arm left exposed by the torn fabric was bleeding. Lu Tian pressed the wound with his other hand, his expression a mixture of surprise and distress that only amplified his ragged appearance.

“…Fine swordplay! Excellent Qinggong! The Shu Mountain Sect truly harbors hidden dragons and crouching tigers!”

Wei Peng, who had observed the entire exchange from the sidelines, ground his teeth as he praised the display. Ning Ruxue’s skill greatly exceeded his expectations. He now understood that this day’s business could not be resolved peacefully, and the situation was tilting further against him.

Having Liu Qingfeng already present on Mount Shu was bad enough, but now this young woman he had previously dismissed possessed such formidable martial arts—while Lu Tian was not the absolute top tier of the Tianle Gang, and he was injured, the fact that this girl could injure him upon striking proved her considerable ability. Her movement technique, particularly, was astonishing; flashes of movement left trails of afterimages, making her appear slightly superior to Lu Tian in agility.

“This Shu Mountain Sect is far more formidable than I anticipated. I must find a way to handle this today!”

Wei Peng realized his only recourse was to personally engage and defeat Ye Wen. While this wouldn't cause the immediate collapse of the Shu Mountain Sect, it would certainly instill a deep sense of caution towards the Tianle Gang. To think that he had come here originally full of ambition, believing that defeating Ye Wen would crush Shu Mountain, only to now need to defeat Ye Wen just to preserve the Tianle Gang’s prestige—this turn of events was deeply frustrating.

“I have long admired Sect Master Ye’s exquisite skill, especially your profound internal energy cultivation! I, though unworthy, wish to experience it firsthand with these bare palms!”

As Wei Peng spoke, he immediately adopted the starting posture of the Eagle Claw style. This was no ordinary stance; it was the opening posture of his unique Dali Yingzhua Shou (Mighty Eagle Claw Hand). This fact alone showed how much Wei Peng valued this fight. His sole thought was to defeat the young Shu Mountain Sect Master swiftly and decisively.

But before Ye Wen could reply, Ning Ruxue, perhaps not finished showing off, drew her sword and shouted: “I shall contend with him for a moment!”

She prepared to advance, but Ye Wen abruptly commanded: “Junior Sister, stop this nonsense! Retreat!”

Ning Ruxue looked at Ye Wen, finally pouting and harrumphing as she sheathed her sword. She shuffled back, mumbling something indistinctly to herself.

Liu Qingfeng watched Ning Ruxue return, stroking his few strands of beard, and smiled. “Miss Ning, don't dismiss good advice. That Wei Peng is renowned for his Eagle Claw seizing techniques; anyone caught is sure to suffer broken bones and torn tendons. Your Senior Brother is worried about your safety by preventing you from fighting him!”

Ning Ruxue huffed again. “Why should he meddle?” Yet, her expression completely transformed. Her displeasure vanished, replaced by an expression mixing happiness with slight concern. …X