Ye Wen ignored Ning Ruxue's disgruntled expression over his comment that it would take her a year just to achieve initial mastery, and sauntered out of the isolated valley.

In truth, he considered it a remarkable testament to Ning Ruxue's natural talent that she could reach the introductory stage of this divine art within a single year. Given the sheer complexity of the technique, it wouldn't be surprising at all if someone spent three to five years practicing it without ever grasping its essence.

After all, this cultivation method was renowned in the original text as the pinnacle internal art of one of history's most formidable and idiosyncratic sects. Its defining feature—the ability to channel any martial technique using internal energy while rendering the true source indistinguishable—made its practice notoriously difficult and a severe test of the cultivator's innate aptitude.

Crucially, the original texts explicitly stated that this sect placed immense value on talent during disciple selection; those lacking sufficient innate gifts were never accepted.

Of course, the other requirement was striking handsomeness or beauty. Consequently, this sect was populated solely by stunning men and exquisite women. Ye Wen found the founder of this sect fascinating, for they judged apprentices not only on talent but also on appearance—a unique criterion in the martial world.

That sect was the Xiaoyao School, and the internal art Ye Wen had summoned through sheer luck this time was the Little Formless Skill (Xiao Wu Xiang Gong), one of the Xiaoyao School's Three Great Marvelous Arts.

When he first obtained the manual for this internal technique, he was so astonished he nearly threw the book away, as few people had never heard of this famous martial art.

Furthermore, every practitioner of this art mentioned in the original text was an absolute master. Among them, Li Qiushui, one of the ancient monsters known as one of the Three Elders of Xiaoyao, was the most terrifyingly powerful.

The combat prowess displayed by Li Qiushui in the original work surpassed that of most top-tier experts. She could unleash palm strikes across distances almost at will, effortlessly. Anyone witnessing such cultivation would surely feel profound awe.

According to Ye Wen's original projections, acquiring such a divine art would require him to at least achieve great success in the Zixia Gong. He hadn't expected to summon it now. This intense sense of contrast made him momentarily doubt that what he held was the Little Formless Skill he knew.

"Perhaps it's just a coincidence of the name?"

However, after carefully reviewing the text, he realized he had worried needlessly. The Little Formless Skill he possessed was indeed the one he was familiar with. While studying the manual, he also understood why he had been able to summon this specific technique.

He had focused solely on Li Qiushui's combat power, overlooking the fact that she was an ancient monster nearing one hundred years old, and that she had dedicated the vast majority of her life—nearly a century—to mastering this divine art. Even a common internal art accumulated over nearly a hundred years would yield terrifying results, let alone the highly profound Little Formless Skill.

Moreover, the art manifesting now only meant Ye Wen's current cultivation had reached the level sufficient for initial study of the technique, not that he possessed the fighting strength equivalent to its complete mastery. Therefore, acquiring it wasn't strange. It was analogous to how achieving success in the Quanzhen Heart Method allowed him to study the Zixia Gong, but it didn't mean his cultivation was equivalent to Zixia Gong at its peak.

Considering that Li Qiushui seemed to have started practicing this internal art quite early in the original novel, her cultivation level back then might not have been much higher than his own currently was.

Looking at the manual in his hand, and then recalling the Pure Yang Limitless Skill (Chun Yang Wu Ji Gong) he had summoned previously, either text was enough to tempt him. But cultivating an internal art was unlike mastering external forms; practicing haphazardly could easily lead to disaster. One wrong step leading to internal energy conflict and subsequent Qi Deviation (Zou Huo Ru Mo) would leave him with nowhere to turn for help.

"Forget it. I'll stick diligently to my Zixia Gong. Switching now, after finally achieving some progress, to these two techniques would truly be an unfavorable trade."

Subsequently, he called Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian over, placing the two copied manuals before them. He explained the general characteristics of both techniques—though he deliberately kept much of the explanation vague, making it sound as if they were his own educated guesses.

He then let them choose, though he offered his advice: "Actually, I recommend you both practice this Little Formless Skill I obtained later." While the Pure Yang Limitless Skill was formidable, its fame simply couldn't compare to the Little Formless Skill. Since he hoped the two of them could quickly become top-tier forces, he recommended what he considered the superior choice.

To his surprise, neither of them shared his inclination. Xu Xian immediately picked up the Pure Yang Limitless Skill, stating, "This technique suits my taste; I'll practice this one. That Little Formless Skill seems far too troublesome; I honestly can't make heads or tails of it."

Seeing Xu Xian’s resolve, Ye Wen didn't press the issue. While Ning Ruxue was engrossed in studying the Little Formless Skill, he quietly asked his junior brother, "Junior Brother, are you still a virgin?" Based on Ye Wen's assumptions, even if this young master from a prominent family hadn't married, he had likely already lost his virginity. After all, noble households employed numerous maids, and it wouldn't be surprising if one caught the eye of the master or young master for a night in bed.

"If you have lost your virginity, the Pure Yang Limitless Skill will not be suitable for you to practice," Ye Wen clarified. This statement finally made the strangely composed Xu Xian realize why his senior brother had asked.

The Pure Yang Limitless Skill was a remarkable technique Zhang Sanfeng devised after hearing a portion of the Nine Yang Manual being recited by Jueyuan during a sermon. He integrated this partial understanding with his decades of martial arts experience and numerous Daoist classics, creating a unique art. Although rooted in the Nine Yang Divine Skill, it ultimately transcended it to form its own distinct discipline.

When Jueyuan preached, three people were present. Because Zhang Sanfeng was the youngest and had the lowest cultivation, he only remembered grasping one-tenth of the teaching. However, precisely because of this limited intake, what he retained was the purest essence. Coupled with maintaining his lifelong virginity, which resulted in an extremely potent reservoir of Pure Yang Qi, and integrating it with Daoist lore, the core principle of this technique demanded absolute purity. Therefore, entry into this art absolutely required cultivation while maintaining the state of a virgin.

Naturally, once the technique reached full mastery, the Pure Yang Qi would solidify and not dissipate, meaning finding a wife afterward would have no negative consequences. However, reaching that level likely required decades of rigorous practice—by that age, finding a partner might be quite difficult anyway.

It wasn't that one couldn't engage in intimacy after achieving mastery; it was just that after the loss of virginity, the Pure Yang Qi would disperse and become contaminated, significantly reducing the art's full potential, and preventing the attainment of the ultimate level.

These crucial details were omitted from the standard manual, but Ye Wen’s 'original version' provided extensive commentary. This was precisely what made Ye Wen genuinely fear that if Xu Xian practiced this art and subsequently avoided women, the elder Master Xu, upon learning his younger son was foregoing heirs due to martial arts practice, might come charging up the mountain to beat Ye Wen to death with his cane as vengeance for destroying his lineage.

Ye Wen had relayed these numerous taboos expecting the playful junior brother to abandon the practice. Instead, he didn't give up but merely chuckled and replied, "This technique suits me perfectly, Senior Brother. Don't say any more. If what you say is true, I’m only delighted! This gives me the perfect excuse to tell Mother to cancel all those arranged marriages."

Hearing Xu Xian’s response, Ye Wen was so frustrated he almost smashed his head against the wall. It turned out Xu Xian was attracted to the Pure Yang Limitless Skill because the name 'Pure Yang' provided him with an excuse to evade his duties. He hadn't expected the technique to genuinely have so many prerequisites. The lie he had prepared to deflect his family's pressure regarding marriage had just become the absolute truth, one that even martial arts experts hired by his own family would be unable to find fault with.

Watching Xu Xian cradle the manual like a treasure, guarding it protectively as if Ye Wen might snatch it away, gave Ye Wen the urge to vomit blood. Ye Wen could already visualize Master Xu leading a contingent up the mountain to settle accounts with him.

After Xu Xian joined the Shushan Sect, he hadn't roamed much. Master Xu initially assumed his youngest son was just fooling around and would return after a brief excursion. When he later heard Xu Xian mostly stayed on the mountain practicing martial arts and reading books, the old man calmed down considerably compared to his initial anger.

"Let him stay on the mountain to focus on his studies. The environment is good there, and he won't be disturbed by trivial matters."

As for the martial arts practice, the old master didn't take it seriously, dismissing it with a simple statement: "Is martial arts that easy to learn? He's probably just practicing a few fancy moves for fun. Don't worry about him; he’ll come back on his own once he realizes how hard training truly is."

Thanks to the constant coaxing from Old Madam Xu, the patriarch had long forgotten his declaration that Xu Xian was no longer a member of the Xu family. Furthermore, Ye Wen ensured Xu Xian returned home during the major festivals, so the runaway junior brother had fully re-established ties with his family.

However, once ties were restored, the Xu family frequently discussed marriage arrangements with Xu Xian. Master Xu even publicly declared, "If you quickly marry and give me a grandson for the Xu family, you can do whatever you wish." His words subtly suggested that Xu Xian could arrange his future life as he pleased, even foregoing the imperial examinations in the capital if that was his desire.

Yet, Xu Xian always found ways to deflect. He once confided in Ye Wen, "My father truly thinks I’m an idiot. If I actually got married, I'd be tied down at home every day, still at my father's beck and call. I won't be that foolish."

This exchange left Ye Wen both amused and exasperated. It seemed father and son were locked in a battle of wits, but the chosen battlefield was one that deeply embarrassed Ye Wen. He felt awkward whether he intervened or stayed silent, so he ended up just watching the spectacle.

He never expected that his well-intentioned gesture today—meant to help Xu Xian advance his martial arts—would result in this outcome. Wasn't he essentially helping Xu Xian run away from his marriage preparations?

"Sigh, no matter how much he dodges, he can't escape it in the end."

By the time Xu Xian eagerly began practicing immediately, Ye Wen found it too late to intervene. He could only let his junior brother do as he pleased and turned his attention to guiding Ning Ruxue through the Little Formless Skill.

Instructing both junior disciples in new internal arts was no simple task. More importantly, because they dedicated most of their time to cultivation, all sect affairs—including teaching junior disciples their foundational techniques—fell to Ye Wen. During this period, he was essentially handling everything alone.

However, this entire experience wasn't without its benefits. Regularly guiding the disciples in their basic martial arts proved very helpful in reviewing his own fundamentals. For someone like Ye Wen, who reached his current level in just over two years, the biggest concern was an insufficiently solid foundation.

Using the guidance of his disciples to continuously refine his own foundation served as a method to advance his cultivation. Coupled with helping Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian master two different profound internal arts, Ye Wen himself gained significant insights into internal energy manipulation.

The Little Formless Skill excels at the subtle control of one's internal Qi; otherwise, how could it imitate myriad techniques? Its internal energy circulation methods are ever-changing and difficult to track. Even grasping the introductory phase was causing Ning Ruxue to nearly pull out her hair.

Though the technique was excellent, insufficient personal comprehension leads to myriad difficulties in cultivation, especially for an internal art like the Little Formless Skill, which heavily emphasizes technique.

Fortunately, Ye Wen’s Zixia Gong also placed a strong emphasis on internal Qi regulation, allowing him to provide meaningful assistance. Moreover, from studying the Little Formless Skill, Ye Wen derived many inspirations. Certain parts of his Zixia Gong that were previously obscure suddenly became clear, and he even developed new perspectives on them.

Although Ye Wen's overall cultivation level didn't dramatically surge as a result, his actual combat effectiveness likely increased a few points.

To use an analogy: if Ye Wen were to face Wei Peng again now, even with the exact same internal energy level as before, killing Wei Peng would no longer require the desperate expenditure of his entire cultivation, as it did that time. What required ten parts of strength before now required nine, eight, or even seven parts.

One should not underestimate this difference. While Ye Wen’s current cultivation was high, considering the almost immediate, rapid drain on his internal energy once the Zixia Gong was activated, saving even a fraction of that power constituted a significant breakthrough.

One only needs to recall how Yue Buqun rarely used his Zixia Gong, reserving it only for critical moments, to understand the terrifying consumption rate of this technique. Therefore, how to allocate internal energy rationally is a crucial lesson in unleashing the full combat potential of the Zixia Gong.

Previously, Ye Wen lacked guidance, relying solely on a manually annotated manual for self-comprehension. However, achieving true insight into internal arts is inseparable from one's overall understanding and knowledge base. Knowledge, how does one acquire it? Besides accumulated experience, one must improve by seeing and hearing more. Now that he possessed higher-tier manuals, this provided Ye Wen with the perfect opportunity to enhance his comprehension.

From the Little Formless Skill, he learned how to manage and deploy his internal Qi. From the Pure Yang Limitless Skill, he learned how to mobilize his Pure Yang Qi—after all, Ye Wen still possessed the Pure Yang Body. Although he dared not use this small amount of Pure Yang Qi as the foundation for cultivation as the Pure Yang Limitless Skill did, using it as a reference point allowed him to explore his own potential more deeply.

He proceeded with this exploration cautiously, fearing that a single lapse could lead to Qi Deviation. Although Qi Deviation had a small chance of resulting in a surge of internal power, it was purely a matter of probability, and he lacked the courage to gamble on it. He felt much safer accumulating power bit by bit than attempting a sudden windfall.

Time flowed by as the three disciples diligently practiced, and in the blink of an eye, another two months passed.

Ning Ruxue finally began to grasp the Little Formless Skill. She had started systematically practicing the introductory portion of the technique. As for when she would fully master it? That depended on her own aptitude and fortune. Fortunately, with the benefits of the cold pool and snake gall provided as basic sustenance, Ning Ruxue had no fear of being unable to complete this divine art.

The most surprising development was Xu Xian. This scholar, despite being widely learned, also possessed some knowledge of Buddhist and Daoist classics. After beginning the Pure Yang Limitless Skill, he encountered no setbacks whatsoever. Furthermore, when pressured by the coldness of the pool water, his reservoir of Pure Yang Qi achieved minor success surprisingly quickly.

This left Ye Wen quite vexed, leading him to suspect that his junior brother might be someone blessed with protagonist's luck. Thinking back, this young man received instruction from an elder while watching the sunrise on the mountain, consumed a miraculous fruit that inexplicably boosted his internal energy instead of killing him, and now he had acquired a perfect internal art that perfectly matched his existing condition, practicing it at lightning speed.

Even the cold pool seemed tailor-made to complement his technique. Ye Wen himself felt a fleeting urge to discard his entire Zixia Gong and switch to the Pure Yang Gong.

However, having finally achieved something with the Zixia Gong, he couldn't bear to part with it. He finally muttered sourly, "Junior Brother, you're progressing so fast with the Pure Yang Skill; perhaps it’s all that pent-up energy from the last twenty years?"

Xu Xian remained unbothered by his senior brother's teasing. In fact, he was thoroughly enjoying himself, having resolved his stack of marriage arrangements by sending a letter stating that he was making a breakthrough in cultivation and had begun practicing a profound technique that required him to abstain from intimacy.

This resolution came at a corresponding price: Master Xu was furious upon reading the letter and almost disowned Xu Xian again. More significantly, even Old Madam Xu refused to intervene on her younger son's behalf this time, nearly handing her husband the brush and paper to formally write out the oath banishing Xu Xian from the family.

Xu Xian paid no mind to his parents' anger, saying that he would visit in a few days to placate them. "At worst, I’ll just go to the capital for the final imperial examination, and that will be the end of it."

"You're going to attend the final examination?" Ye Wen knew how much his junior brother disliked the idea of serving as an official. "Are you planning to become an official?"

Xu Xian appeared unconcerned. "I'll just take the test; I didn't say I plan to pass. I'll handle it perfunctorily."

Hearing this, Ye Wen nodded with an 'as expected' expression. But considering Master Xu was not one to be easily appeased, he clapped Xu Xian on the shoulder: "I'm afraid if you don't achieve some result, your father still won't let you off the hook." Moreover, those who reached the final examination generally ended up with an official post; how could it be handled perfunctorily?

Realizing this possibility was highly likely, Xu Xian pondered for a moment. "Then I'll just aim for an average rank and resign immediately before taking office." This way, no one could object. "What enjoyment is there in being an official compared to the freedom of the Jianghu?"

Having said this, he suddenly executed a sword move, aiming directly at Ye Wen's Shenmen acupoint—an idea Ye Wen had mentioned to him previously about developing a sword style specifically targeting that point. Inspired at the moment, he casually struck: "Senior Brother, what do you think of this thrust?"

Xu Xian seemed consumed by his research into this sword style lately, frequently testing moves like this. He wasn't thinking, and a layer of violet Qi suddenly shrouded his palm, though his face remained expressionless—a sign that the Little Formless Skill had indeed improved his control over internal energy.

"This move is sudden, but it lacks variation; it wouldn't be hard for an opponent to counter." Ye Wen flipped his hand and, aiming precisely at the spine of the sword, slapped it. With a crisp pa, Xu Xian's longsword was slammed onto the table, utterly immobilized.