The door creaked open, revealing a face untouched by any artifice, her unbound hair cascading down naturally. It seemed she had just removed her headgear and, seeing the late hour, was preparing for rest.

Ning Ruxue hadn't expected her senior brother to come knocking. She glanced at the melon and fruit he held and asked, a look of confusion on her face: "Is there something you need this late?"

She truly couldn't fathom why Ye Wen was looking for her. If it were serious business, why the freshly washed fruit? Did serious discussion require refreshments?

Ye Wen looked at Ning Ruxue’s expression and realized this was perhaps not the right moment. It was late, and his junior sister was clearly ready for bed. Knocking on her door now felt terribly ill-conceived... If they hadn't grown up together, any other woman wouldn't even have opened the door. But now, he had to press on, for he had mixed that snake gall into the fruit platter, hoping his junior sister would mistake it for some novel fruit and swallow it whole.

If he waited until tomorrow, would the gall’s efficacy diminish? It was best to consume it while it was fresh.

Steel­ing himself, he managed to say: "The moonlight is lovely tonight. Senior Brother can't sleep, how about you keep me company for a while?"

Ning Ruxue studied Ye Wen’s odd demeanor. She sensed something fishy was afoot, but she couldn't figure out what Ye Wen was up to, especially at this hour.

"Senior Brother, you are too reckless! Why knock on someone's door so late at night!"

Thinking this, she gave Ye Wen a fleeting, displeased look, but replied smoothly: "Wait a moment, Senior Brother, I’ll tidy up and come out!"

She assumed Ye Wen wanted to chat and admire the moon at the stone table in the courtyard. Since summer had arrived, an evening of moon-gazing and conversation was quite normal.

However, Ye Wen paused, then unexpectedly said: "Let's talk in your room..."

"Ah?"

The moment those words left Ye Wen’s mouth, he felt utterly exasperated. The phrase was far too intimate. Yet, if Ning Ruxue truly swallowed that snake gall, she would inevitably need to circulate her internal energy to digest it. He couldn't exactly have her practicing in the open courtyard—the weather was fine, but being disturbed would be a genuine nuisance.

Hearing her senior brother actually suggest coming into her room to talk late at night sent tremors through Ning Ruxue’s mind, as if a magnitude ten earthquake had struck. Her ears buzzed, and stars seemed to burst behind her eyes. She was utterly stumped on how to respond.

Her mind spun into chaos as she tried to decipher Ye Wen’s intentions: "What is Senior Brother planning? Why must he come into my room so late?"

At first, she suspected Ye Wen was about to attempt some villainous act, some beastly behavior toward her. But after a moment, she dismissed the thought; Ye Wen wasn't that sort of person. Yet, if that wasn't it, why insist on talking inside her room? Couldn't they chat in the courtyard?

Lost in a daze, she didn't even realize what she was doing until she snapped back to awareness, finding herself already seated in her own room, with Ye Wen sitting opposite her.

"Huh? How did I end up in here without realizing it?" Ning Ruxue was clueless. The reason they were seated there was that Ye Wen had seen how his single sentence had utterly flustered her, leaving her standing there, at a loss. Considering the day's task was imperative and better not be delayed, he had simply guided his junior sister back to her room, gently pressed her down onto the seat before the table, sat across from her, and picked up the most conspicuous item from the fruit platter.

"Junior Sister, try this fruit... It looks quite novel. Senior Brother tried one and thought it tasted quite good!"

With that, he brought the fruit to Ning Ruxue's lips. Ning Ruxue, who had just managed to regain her senses without understanding how she arrived at this situation, found her face flushing crimson at Ye Wen's slightly intimate gesture. She parted her lips as if to speak, but no sound emerged; she simply waited with slightly open lips for Ye Wen to deliver the fruit.

This reaction, in turn, startled Ye Wen: "Huh? That was simple? All those brain cells wasted devising a method to hide it among the fruit! This is too easy, no challenge at all!"

Despite his internal complaint, his hands were swift. Ning Ruxue was clearly in a dazed state. If he didn't seize the opportunity now, feeding her this item once she fully recovered her wits would be far more difficult.

With a slight exertion of force, the snake gall shot directly into Ning Ruxue's open, crimson mouth. However, Ye Wen’s force was perhaps a bit too strong; the gall slid straight down her throat. Ning Ruxue hadn't even registered the taste of the supposed "fruit" before she swallowed it whole.

"Cough... Senior Brother..." Just as the slightly choked Ning Ruxue was about to speak, she saw Ye Wen suddenly lunge toward her. Her beauty turned ashen, assuming Ye Wen had succumbed to beastly instincts. Strangely, however, she didn't feel angry; a hint of shy embarrassment colored her cheeks. Before she could utter a word, a wave of heat surged through her body, spreading to her limbs and extremities. Ning Ruxue finally snapped fully awake, no longer feeling hazy. She also clearly saw that Ye Wen hadn't lunged at her, but had instead rushed behind her, shouting: "Junior Sister, quickly circulate your Minor Formless Art! Senior Brother will help you dissipate the gall's effects!"

"Snake gall?"

Ning Ruxue’s complexion changed again upon realizing what she had just swallowed—this time, pale tinged with blue-green. First, she was nauseated; second, she was furious that her senior brother had "tricked" her! And there was a small sliver of unhappiness: "Senior Brother sought me out just for this matter?"

These thoughts flashed by instantly. Soon, her focus was entirely drawn to the hot energy circulating within her. Since she had already swallowed the gall, spitting it out seemed impossible. Since her senior brother was so determined to help her increase her cultivation, going to such lengths, it would be ungrateful not to comply.

She circulated her energy and practiced non-stop for the entire night. Driven by the snake gall’s power, Ning Ruxue’s Minor Formless Art finally broke through the initial entry barrier and advanced all the way to the minor accomplishment stage. Furthermore, with deeper internal power, many previously unclear points of cultivation suddenly made sense; she only needed to follow the standard methods to achieve success. The previous inability to progress was mostly due to insufficient personal cultivation; now that her power was sufficient, breakthrough was natural.

Of course, that she could cultivate so fiercely all night without incident was also thanks to Ye Wen guarding her side. Ye Wen's Violet Aura Divine Art protected Ning Ruxue, ensuring she wouldn't suffer internal energy deviation or qi deviation leading to madness. With this worry removed, she progressed smoothly.

When Ning Ruxue brought her Minor Formless Art to minor accomplishment, Ye Wen stopped channeling his energy and instructed: "Junior Sister, continue circulating the technique a few more times until the foundation of this Minor Formless Art is solid. Senior Brother will depart now!"

Saying this, he stood up, glanced one last time at the still-cultivating Ning Ruxue, knowing she couldn't reply, and turned to leave.

Ning Ruxue’s gains this night were significant. The effect of the snake gall was countless times stronger than that of ordinary red-line snakes; she could never fully digest it in a single night. Most of the essence remained latent within her body, requiring continuous diligent practice to stimulate it.

But unlike Xu Xian, the latent effects Ning Ruxue gained were far less impactful than the essence Xu Xian absorbed from the snake blood. The Snake King Gall seemed to function more as a body-conditioning agent, making her physique better able to contain stronger, more tyrannical internal forces.

"Could it be that no one can fully cultivate the Blazing Sun Divine Fire Art because ordinary people’s meridians simply cannot withstand that tyrannical fire energy?"

The more he considered it, the more likely this seemed. In that case, Ning Ruxue wouldn't have to worry about her body’s endurance in future cultivation; the concern would only be whether her internal mastery could keep pace. As for Xu Xian, as he cultivated, his internal energy grew increasingly profound. Once all the essence from the snake blood was stimulated, his Limitless Pure Yang Skill would likely reach completion with energy to spare.

"Alas..."

Thinking it over, it seemed he was the only one with limited potential...

However, he quickly corrected himself. He had managed to clear his Ren and Du Meridians during life-and-death situations—a rare fortune indeed—and his power had surged as a result. Such a profound encounter was what countless others longed for. "I shouldn't be too greedy!"

After leaving Ning Ruxue's room and closing the door behind him, Ye Wen felt utterly weary and sore from the night's effort (since Ning Ruxue was seated, he had to maintain a horse stance behind her while channeling energy). Turning around, he was startled to see Xu Xian standing at the opposite door, looking at him with utter astonishment. Before Ye Wen could speak, Xu Xian suddenly laughed and said: "Ah! Still haven't slept enough; everything looks blurry. I'll go back to sleep for a bit longer!"

Then, he turned back into his room and firmly shut the door, leaving Ye Wen caught between laughter and tears, utterly unable to defend himself: "It's over! Now even if I jump into the Cold Spring, I can't explain this. If Junior Sister finds out about this, won't she hunt me across the mountains with her long sword?..."

Ultimately, the incident never reached Ning Ruxue. Although Xu Xian witnessed a scene ripe for misunderstanding—and he himself misunderstood—he wasn't one to spread gossip. At most, he would tease Ye Wen lightly when they were alone together, causing Ye Wen a moment of frustration.

As for Ye Wen, seeing Xu Xian cough every few sentences, he felt too embarrassed to strike him, so he swallowed his annoyance.

Besides this, Ye Wen also shared with Xu Xian what he had learned from Pei Gonglie about Lingxuzi, stating his deduction clearly: "I suspect the old man who taught you martial arts is this Lingxuzi!"

Mentioning Lingxuzi brought a touch of sadness to Xu Xian. After recovering over the past few days, he recalled the Breath-Holding Turtle Respiration Technique he had used in a haze that day. While limited, it was certainly a life-saving skill. He relayed this to Ye Wen. "Breath-Holding Turtle Respiration Technique? Did Senior Lingxuzi teach that to you too?"

Ye Wen didn't immediately ask for the specific formula but first inquired about its origin.

Xu Xian scratched his head: "When Senior Lingxuzi taught me the martial arts formulas, he rattled off a multitude of things haphazardly. At the time, I was distracted, and I probably only retained seven or eight out of every ten lines. I only remembered the Breath-Holding Turtle Respiration Technique completely because its formula was so short."

"Since Lingxuzi taught it to you, you must never teach it to anyone else, not even your own direct disciples!"

In the martial world, there were many taboos regarding the transmission of martial arts, especially for someone like Xu Xian, who had come from outside the established circles and possessed the profound skills of another sect. He had to be exceedingly cautious when teaching.

Without Lingxuzi’s explicit permission, even Xu Xian's most dedicated disciples could not learn this art, even if Xu Xian only knew the barest rudiments.

Xu Xian was still a novice suddenly thrown into the martial arts arena, understanding only fragments of the rules. Only after Ye Wen explained this to him did he realize that martial arts, unlike book knowledge, could not be casually shared. This realization frustrated him somewhat, as he had recalled a set of lightness skill formulas in his musings these past few days and had planned to show off to his senior brother. Now, he could only wait until he mastered it before demonstrating his prowess. "What a pity! That Treading Snow Without a Trace I just recalled, I was hoping to discuss it with Senior Sister!"

Ning Ruxue’s Heavenly Net and Earth Trap Stance also possessed unique intricacies! Moreover, with her continuously improving cultivation, the rough spots in the Heavenly Net and Earth Trap Stance had been refined. If Ning Ruxue used this technique now, it would no longer be something Lu Tian could easily exploit for flaws. Ning Ruxue was confident that if they fought again, she could outright kill Lu Tian instead of merely wounding him. Ye Wen simply patted Xu Xian’s shoulder: "Junior Brother, practice Treading Snow Without a Trace on your own! Perhaps you will become the new foremost master of lightness skills in the martial world!"

Ye Wen’s thinking was simple: since Lingxuzi was renowned as the foremost master of lightness skills, the technique he used must be peerless. If Xu Xian could master it, and once his internal energy advanced further, Ye Wen could acquire a top-tier complementary manual for him, and claiming the title of foremost lightness master would surely follow.

To Ye Wen’s surprise, Xu Xian shook his head with a wry smile: "Although I forgot the majority of the martial arts formulas Senior Lingxuzi taught me, after recalling things carefully these past few days, I remembered the last formula the Senior taught me wasn't Treading Snow Without a Trace."

"In fact, Treading Snow Without a Trace was one of the earlier formulas the Senior had me memorize, which is why I can recall it clearly. I vaguely remember the name of the final set of formulas was called Ethereal Void Disciple."

"Uh..."

Ye Wen was utterly unprepared for the revelation that Treading Snow Without a Trace was merely an introductory movement technique. Judging by Xu Xian’s expression, Treading Snow Without a Trace was absolutely a superior lightness skill, yet in Lingxuzi's eyes, it was just a starting point. What level must that final technique be?

Even more vexing, Xu Xian couldn't recall anything about it except the name! This was blatant, naked squandering of heavenly treasures! Ye Wen genuinely wished he could knock Xu Xian unconscious again, perhaps in that near-death state, the boy might recall more!

Unfortunately, the moment the thought crossed his mind, the 'Unlimited' presence seemed to sense it, and with a "swoosh," he leaped three meters away. Ye Wen's idea was doomed before it could be implemented. After a moment of self-directed frustration, he returned to serious matters: "Never mind the rest for now, let's stick to the main topic! Pei Gonglie is dead, and we’ve already released the news. We'll have to wait a while to see the effect. I wonder how the Tianle Gang will react this time!"

Xu Xian nodded: "If my guess is correct, the Tianle Gang will become even more wary of our Shu Mountain Sect. If they don't attack immediately, when they do, it will likely be with overwhelming force! After all, since we managed to kill the Blazing Sun Divine Sovereign, the Tianle Gang certainly won't launch an assault without sufficient preparation!"

Ye Wen agreed. As they were speaking, Ning Ruxue appeared, her white skirt floating gracefully. She carried no long sword. If Ye Wen hadn't known it was his junior sister, he might have thought some noble lady had wandered into the Shu Mountain Sect by mistake.

Just recalling the misunderstanding from that morning made Ye Wen feel guilty whenever he saw his junior sister; even his greeting lacked conviction: "Uh... Junior Sister is back!"

"Hmph!"

Although Ning Ruxue felt Ye Wen had been strange lately, she didn't dwell on it. She had just finished instructing the outer disciples in martial arts and reviewed their progress, finding no disciples who met her standards, which naturally left her somewhat depressed. Her reply lacked warmth.

Xu Xian saw the odd behavior from both of them and his own thoughts skewed further. After Ning Ruxue returned to her room, he said to Ye Wen: "Senior Brother, what's been going on between you and Senior Sister these past few days? Did you two have a fight?"

As he spoke, his eyes burned with intensity, as if lit by fire!

As a great transmigration soul who grew up for two decades in a world rife with gossip, Ye Wen was intimately familiar with such a gaze—it was the soul of rampant gossip blazing fiercely!

"I didn't realize this lad Xu Xian was so gossipy!" he muttered inwardly. Out loud, he casually replied: "No, Junior Sister and I are fine. How could we be fighting?"

He had been actively avoiding Ning Ruxue these past few days, barely speaking a few sentences to her—how could they have fought? He inwardly cursed, praying Xu Xian would drop the subject and not press him further. But Xu Xian wasn't one to let go so easily. After a wicked chuckle, he said: "If Senior Brother won't tell me, I’ll just go ask Senior Sister later!"

Ye Wen panicked at the threat. He truly feared the boy might blurt out nonsense and cause real trouble that would be hard to resolve. He immediately stopped him: "Junior Brother, don't speak nonsense to your Senior Sister..."

Before the words were finished, Ning Ruxue's voice cut in from nearby: "What about me?"

He turned to see Ning Ruxue, who had changed clothes at some point and was preparing for internal energy practice. She had come out after overhearing Ye Wen and Xu Xian discussing her and curiously asked.

"No... nothing, Junior Sister, are you heading off to cultivate your internal energy?" Ye Wen tried to change the subject.

"Mmm... what were you discussing about me just now?"

Changing the subject failed.

The three stood there staring at each other: one filled with intense curiosity and suspicion, one brimming with excitement, and the last filled only with helplessness and frustration—a true snapshot of life's varied expressions. Finally, luckily, Xu Ping happened to walk in at that moment. After bowing to the three, he reported: "Master, two people have come to challenge the mountain! One claims to wish to become a disciple, and the other..."

Xu Ping glanced at Xu Xian and continued: "The other, a young woman, says she is looking for Martial Uncle Xu!"