The moment Ye Wen uttered those words, both Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian were startled. After all, the Zixia Gong was Ye Wen’s ultimate, hidden technique. Under normal circumstances, people would assume it was meant to be the treasured secret art of the Shushan Sect, something reserved solely for the sect leader, even if Ye Wen chose not to pass it on to anyone at all.

Within the martial arts world, maintaining a sect leader's prestige relied heavily on personal renown and, more crucially, martial prowess. Thus, in the current martial landscape, the leader of every major sect possessed a unique, signature technique. These signature arts were usually ancestral legacies, specifically preserved for the successor or the disciple slated to inherit the mantle.

In the eyes of Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian, the Zixia Divine Skill was precisely such a technique. This was why, when Ye Wen claimed to have ‘created’ a formidable internal cultivation method, neither of them had dared to suggest learning it.

Now, for Ye Wen to announce his intention to pass this technique on to them both was utterly shocking. Xu Xian immediately protested: “Senior Brother need not pass this unique divine skill to me; teaching only Senior Sister should suffice.” In his view, Senior Sister might very well become the future Sect Mistress; once they became a family, it hardly mattered who practiced the skill. As for himself? He figured he’d better look for alternative paths—even if Ye Wen only offered him a slightly inferior martial art in private would be better.

But if Xu Xian wouldn't learn, would Ning Ruxue be willing? While Xu Xian still held reservations, Ning Ruxue’s concern was purely for the sect’s well-being.

“The Sect Leader Senior Brother’s unique divine skill must never be shared carelessly. Even if passing it to a disciple, I maintain that only one should be chosen for instruction, and only after rigorous vetting to ensure they possess impeccable character and cultivation.”

Hearing Ning Ruxue speak to him with such rigid adherence to protocol, Ye Wen managed a wry internal smile: If I don’t teach you the Zixia Gong, am I supposed to conjure up another internal art just for you two?

These junior martial siblings trusted him, but he couldn't quite trust himself. Others didn't know, but he knew the truth: his supposed ‘creations’ were largely thanks to that miraculous ring he possessed.

Yet, the ring produced manuals with no discernible pattern. The last one, that utterly useless Seven-Colored Dou Qi, had depressed him for quite some time, and it currently lay hidden in a secret compartment, an insoluble problem. To pin his hopes on the ring again now felt dangerously close to gambling.

Calculating swiftly, he estimated that it would take the Tianle Gang at least ten days to receive the news, as their branch headquarters was not near Shushan County. Even if he made no effort to conceal the information, the journey itself would consume several days.

Then, upon receiving the news, the Tianle Gang would inevitably descend into a period of chaos—not just administrative confusion, but confusion over how to react. Without a leader capable of making final decisions, everyone would have their own ideas, leading to debates that would waste precious time.

The worst-case scenario would be the entire group uniting to storm Shushan, though this seemed unlikely. Wei Peng’s sudden death demanded caution; they would need to weigh whether their current strength was sufficient to defeat the Shushan Sect that had just killed both Wei Peng and Lu Tian—killing Lu Tian, in particular, meant that the Tianle Gang absolutely could not be allowed to obtain accurate intelligence on Shushan’s actual combat strength.

If the Tianle Gang didn't dispatch avengers immediately, they would likely investigate, probe the Shushan Sect’s foundations, accumulate strength, or directly petition their main headquarters.

Ye Wen wasn't afraid of the first option. The fighting strength of the Tianle Gang’s Pingzhou Branch was limited. The moment he decided to oppose them, Ye Wen had already instructed the Yueshan Escort Agency to gather intelligence on them. The Pingzhou Branch had one leader, no deputy leader, but several Hall Masters; Lu Tian was one of them, his position secured by his exceptional lightness skill. The other two Hall Masters possessed slightly higher combat skills than Lu Tian, yet neither matched Wei Peng’s power. Ye Wen had strained every nerve and wasted considerable mental energy to kill Wei Peng, but those two Hall Masters, whose martial arts were inferior to Wei Peng’s, should be manageable. If they came directly, they risked annihilation by the Shushan Sect.

Thinking about it this way, I feel like I’ve become a bit of a scoundrel.

The latter option—seeking counsel from their superiors—was what Ye Wen considered most probable. No one was foolish; a brief thought would reveal that the Shushan Sect was not easily provoked. In a situation where their own strength was lacking but they possessed a powerful backer, seeking help from the main headquarters was almost inevitable.

Unfortunately, the Tianle Gang’s main headquarters was extremely far from Pingzhou—one located north and the other south—a geographical distance sufficient to consume a significant amount of time in travel. As for the carrier pigeons, touted as the ancient world’s telegraph, no one dared rely on a few birds to guarantee the transmission of such vital news. The only choice was to dispatch messengers back to the main headquarters.

Sending messengers meant speed would naturally be slow. The time consumed by this round trip alone could stretch to several months. Even if the headquarters reacted swiftly, they would need substantial time to deliberate on how to handle the situation. After all, the death of a branch leader couldn't be dealt with casually with a simple:

“Who will go?”

“I will.”

Selecting capable hands, and even choosing the successor for the branch leader position, were major affairs that would keep the Tianle Gang occupied for quite some time.

By this calculation, Ye Wen had at least half a year, perhaps even a full year.

Perhaps I should find a way to lure that dead snake out and kill it?

After Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian departed, Ye Wen stroked his chin, his thoughts turning to that massive serpent. Since the giant Red Line Snake had grown to its current size, it was practically a treasure trove. Merely looking at its descendants, which possessed potent power-enhancing abilities, the ‘original article’ must offer benefits countless times greater.

Ye Wen estimated that if he could consume the snake’s gall, drink its blood, and eat its flesh, his Zixia Gong would, at minimum, advance to the Major Accomplishment stage. If he was lucky, reaching the Great Perfection realm wouldn't be impossible.

Furthermore, he already had a plan for the snakeskin: he could fashion it into close-fitting armor for protection. Even if it couldn’t withstand internal energy strikes, it might prevent sneak attacks from hidden projectiles. As for the hardness of the skin, Ye Wen had no doubts—didn’t novels always depict creatures this massive as being invulnerable to blades and arrows?

In his mind, he had already flayed, tendon-pulled, and boiled the giant snake countless times, yet he still hadn't figured out how to deal with it. Never mind the snake’s actual power, the cold cave itself was not something Ye Wen could enter and exit at will right now.

Following this latest life-and-death struggle, Ye Wen felt his internal energy had increased again, and the quantity of Zixia True Qi had significantly risen. However, Ye Wen estimated that even at his current strength, he could only endure inside the cold cave for fifteen minutes at most. Any longer, and the chilling air would overwhelm him. If he couldn't leave within three-quarters of an hour, he risked freezing solid and perishing.

But the giant snake stubbornly refused to leave its lair. Several times, Ye Wen even ventured to the cave entrance and stared at it for a long while. The snake would sway its head and body in warning, urging him to scram, yet it wouldn't budge an inch. It seemed determined to guard that fruit tree at all costs.

What am I to do?

Ye Wen pondered that to move freely within the cold cave unaffected, he needed his Zixia Gong to reach the Major Accomplishment stage—where all his internal energy transformed into ceaseless, circulating Zixia True Qi. But this created a vicious cycle: he needed the snake gall to push his Zixia Gong to Major Accomplishment, yet only Major Accomplishment would allow him to challenge the giant snake.

Must I rely only on myself to cultivate the Zixia Gong to its highest level?

As his Zixia Gong cultivation deepened, Ye Wen grew increasingly doubtful: without the cold pool, the cold fruit, and the Red Line Snake's gall, just how far could he truly push the Zixia Gong?

Perhaps not even as far as Yue Buqun.

In truth, Ye Wen knew his aptitude wasn't the issue; the core problem was the short timeframe coupled with constant threats. This situation forced him to ceaselessly devise methods to enhance his cultivation in the shortest time possible.

The night passed as he wrestled with these thoughts.

In the following period, Ye Wen instructed the sect disciples against venturing out casually, especially not alone; everyone must travel in groups of at least three.

Simultaneously, he dispatched someone to send a letter to Yue Hang of the Yueshan Escort Agency, instructing him to focus on gathering intelligence regarding the Tianle Gang's movements. Furthermore, Yue Hang was to leverage his network to continuously disseminate reports about the sordid deeds the Tianle Gang had been secretly committing.

In truth, over the past two years, the Yueshan Escort Agency, utilizing its connections, had uncovered numerous misdeeds tied to the Tianle Gang. Though the gang hadn't always acted openly, many trails pointed directly to this outwardly respectable organization. If these matters were publicized, even if they couldn't make the Tianle Gang vanish immediately, their reputation would suffer a massive blow.

In Ye Wen’s words: “We need to kick the Tianle Gang from the Lawful Good alignment squarely into Chaotic Evil.” He understood that the current martial world was dominated by the 'Righteous Path'; shifting the Tianle Gang to the opposing side would give the Shushan Sect the moral high ground in the court of public opinion. Even if this goal couldn't be achieved instantly, they had to at least push the Tianle Gang into that morally gray area despised by the great sects, thereby preventing Shushan from being branded an evil faction and attracting more enemies.

Once the confrontation with the Tianle Gang became unavoidable, Ye Wen immediately unleashed his preparations, deploying measures originally intended as contingencies, giving the Tianle Gang no time to react.

Almost as soon as the rumor of Wei Peng’s death at the hands of the Shushan Sect Leader reached the branch headquarters, rumors about the Tianle Gang extorting businesses and committing outrages throughout Pingzhou County began spreading like wildfire. Not just martial artists, but even ordinary civilians learned that the once-renowned Pingzhou gang harbored deep corruption and had caused immense harm to the county’s populace. Regardless of the Tianle Gang’s standing elsewhere in the Central Plains, their reputation in Pingzhou had plummeted by a significant margin.

In this endeavor, Ye Wen fully exploited the potent rumor-spreading capabilities of common merchants and laborers. He didn't just have Yue Hang's escort agency discreetly spread news during their runs—for example, stopping at a busy inn or restaurant, then loudly and deliberately discussing how the Tianle Gang did this or that, ensuring that even those not intentionally listening could overhear every word.

At the same time, he fully utilized the 'Youjian Inn,' which was currently under reconstruction. Whenever old customers arrived, the waiters, while greeting them, would casually mention, "Oh, have you heard about this? No? Let me tell you, this happened..." always ending with, "But don't tell anyone else, okay?"

Experience proved that this final phrase only accelerated the gossip's spread. Just as the Tianle Gang branch headquarters was floundering and even doubting the veracity of Wei Peng's death, several conflicts erupted across Pingzhou.

In these scuffles, one side was always members of the Tianle Gang, while the other parties varied—sometimes they were runners and guards from the Yueshan Escort Agency, and sometimes they were local Pingzhou martial artists dragged in innocently while chatting with friends.

The root cause was invariably the Tianle Gang disciples overhearing talk about their organization. Initially proud, believing their powerful gang was the subject of widespread conversation, they grew increasingly furious, agitated, and desperate as the talk turned uglier. Some who lacked composure or were accustomed to bullying couldn't tolerate it, leading to overturned tables, glares, and classic insults.

However, public opinion regarding the Tianle Gang had turned severely negative. When confronted by gang members speaking threateningly, these hot-blooded martial artists naturally refused to tolerate such indignity.

Thus, conflicts of varying scales erupted across Pingzhou. In some instances, the Tianle Gang members won—but this only fueled further rumors that the Tianle Gang behaved unjustly and resorted to murder when exposed.

In other instances, Tianle Gang disciples were beaten or seriously injured. Because they had initiated the provocation, no one showed them sympathy; the people they provoked grew even more resentful. Subsequent rumors would inevitably add another detail: "The other day, I was talking about the Tianle Gang, and a few of their lackeys jumped out to tell me to shut up, but I taught them a lesson instead."

As fires of contention ignited everywhere, the Hushan Sect, considered the most powerful local force in Pingzhou, issued a statement. The content roughly stated that their master, Liu Qingfeng, while traveling with his disciples, had witnessed the shameless acts committed by the Tianle Gang in secret. The Hushan Sect expressed profound disdain for a gang that harbored such scoundrels who harmed ordinary citizens. The Hushan Sect would sever all future ties with the Tianle Gang and reserved the right to expel them from Pingzhou using martial force to restore peace for the local populace.

This declaration instantly electrified the Pingzhou martial community.

When the rumors first started, some still doubted their authenticity. But now, with the Hushan Sect stepping forward, invoking the name of the respected Liu Qingfeng, and claiming personal witnessing of the Tianle Gang’s atrocities, the gang was pushed directly into the spotlight.

It was only then that the remaining two Hall Masters of the Tianle Gang Pingzhou Branch realized the situation had escalated beyond their capacity to manage. If they handled this poorly, the Pingzhou Branch could genuinely be driven out of Pingzhou, and the foundation the gang had painstakingly built here would be destroyed. Upon returning to the headquarters, the two of them would likely face severe retribution from the supreme leader.

Recognizing this, the two Hall Masters stopped debating whether to attack Shushan immediately or await instructions from the main headquarters. Instead, they decided to hand the entire affair over to someone with greater authority. Even the notion of avenging their leader by attacking Shushan was no longer mentioned.

"Rumors are more fearsome than tigers," Ye Wen murmured.

At this moment, Ye Wen had just completed his daily practice. While guiding his disciples' training, he listened to Li Sen’s report on the current situation in Pingzhou.

Having transmigrated from a world saturated with information, he understood that a little push could often generate tremendous results. Many people in this world might not conceive of such strategies due to their limited exposure, but Ye Wen’s mind was filled with countless bizarre yet effective tactics.

Now, regardless of the specifics, the Tianle Gang’s reputation had been thoroughly ruined by the widespread rumors. Moreover, rumors possessed a powerful capacity for evolution; the gossip circulating across Pingzhou was no longer the sanitized version Ye Wen initially spread. The ferocity, ruthlessness, and luridness of the current tales could easily fill a dark novel exceeding a million words.

And it had only been a month since he started spreading the whispers.

During this time, the Tianle Gang had been driven to distraction by these rumors. They were unable to formulate timely responses to Wei Peng’s murder, nor could they even ascertain the precise manner of his death. The Tianle Gang branch lacked even an accurate assessment of the Shushan Sect’s strength, let alone deeper intelligence.

It could be said that Ye Wen’s ‘propaganda war’ had met or even exceeded his initial expectations. It had thrown the Tianle Gang into disarray, bought crucial time for the Shushan Sect, and placed the Tianle Gang firmly on the defensive morally. Now, if anyone discussed Wei Peng being killed by Ye Wen, most Pingzhou residents would likely cheer: "Good riddance! The Shushan Sect truly lives up to its reputation as a local sect; such wicked men deserve to be slain."

This incident also made Ye Wen realize that while martial sects today understood the importance of seizing the moral high ground, they failed to grasp how to actively guide public opinion. Even the so-called Righteous Sects merely shouted a few slogans when necessary; many supposed Evil Factions didn't even manage that much. No one was utilizing every available resource for publicity and momentum building like he was.

“This suggests that expanding the Yueshan Escort Agency by opening more branches is imperative, and the Youjian Inn also needs to be renovated and put into full operation as quickly as possible.”

Once the Youjian Inn chain spread across the land, Ye Wen realized he could use this single industry to ensure his Shushan Sect remained permanently aligned with the forces of righteousness.

P.S.: Please vote with recommendation tickets, monthly passes, and all other available tickets. Also, a book recommendation: this author is actually quite established.

Book Title: Tongtian Moxian (Heaven-Piercing Demonic Image)

Synopsis: With the tortoise shell in hand, I command the world. Shake the divination shell, and the secrets of heaven cannot escape. Divination arts contend with peerless martial arts; the eight tortoise shells grasp the destiny of heaven—all within Tongtian Moxian.