The ones who suddenly ignited with a fierce blaze of gossip weren't Xu Xian, but Ye Wen and Ning Ruyao. It seemed curiosity was in human nature; no matter the plane, era, or gender, people couldn't escape it.

Before Xu Xian could even process what was happening, the situation on the stage had completely shifted. Several pairs of eyes were fixed on him, seemingly eager to know what this young master of the Xu family had done to warrant a young woman coming to him personally.

"A debt of love?" Ye Wen's mind immediately jumped to this possibility. In his view, the only reason a woman would seek someone out was for this single explanation.

If Ye Wen hadn't known Xu Xian cultivated the Chunyang Wuji Gong and was still a virgin, his thoughts wouldn't have been so simple. Scenarios like a woman showing up with a child to claim paternity would have been an essential, classic dramatic troupe, followed by tangled love-hate relationships, a third party, or impossible mother-in-law/daughter-in-law conflicts—a scorching hot, prime-time drama ready to air.

But as it stood, the worst outcome seemed to be that the young master of the Xu family, being a man of impeccable grace, had swept away the innocent affections of a young lady and then vanished, forcing her to come demanding an explanation.

"Uh... let me take a look first!" At this point, Ye Wen had already disregarded the person who wished to become a disciple. He was far more intrigued by the woman seeking out Xu Xian. To prevent Xu Xian from escaping, Ye Wen told his junior brother, "Since someone is here looking for you, Junior Brother, you must come with me!" Ning Ruxue chimed in at the opportune moment, "I'll go too!" She provided herself with an excellent pretext: "I can also assess that aspiring disciple while I'm there. If their aptitude is outstanding, I might just take them on as a student!" Ye Wen nodded, then waved his hand grandly, "Then let's all go!" Without waiting for Xu Xian to speak, they headed straight for the main hall.

By now, the two visitors who had come to challenge the mountain had been ushered into the main hall and were standing still. A disciple waited nearby, both to prevent them from wandering off and to promptly answer any requests they might have.

The honest-looking man standing nearby remained silent, but the woman kept pressing, "How long am I supposed to wait here after you told me to wait? I am a notable figure in Dongzhou. Never mind offering tea and water, you won't even arrange a seat for me?" The main hall was usually reserved for important discussions and generally lacked seating.

Had it not been for someone coming to seek discipleship today, the disciple would at most have led the guests to a side hall and served them tea. However, due to the discipleship request, according to the rules Ye Wen had laid down, they must first be brought to the main hall for personal assessment by the Sect Master or an Elder before a decision could be made about accepting them as outer disciples of the Shu Mountain Sect. Since outer disciples were not officially attached to any specific master, they only addressed Ye Wen as Sect Master; Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian were referred to as Elders.

As for the woman, she was dressed in tight-fitting short attire. Although not tall, her slender figure gave her an exceptionally straight and balanced bearing. Her fitted trousers emphasized her long, straight legs, and she wore small, fine boots. Two short swords hung at her waist. If this woman hadn't claimed to be with the aspiring disciple and explicitly demanded to see Xu Xian, one of the elder-ranked figures in the Shu Mountain Sect, the disciples would never have dared let her meet the Sect Master while armed.

Even so, as the disciple stood guard beside her, his right hand remained pressed against his sword hilt, fearing this woman of unknown origin might suddenly go berserk. Thus, his stance was ready, and his internal energy was constantly circulating just in case.

The woman naturally noticed his posture and understood the implication. However, she inwardly scoffed at his excessive caution. Verbally, she continued her nagging, "You told me to wait here, and I've waited quite a long time. Have you gone to call Xu Xian yet?" The disciple ignored her, simply replying, "Senior Brother Xu Ping has gone to summon the Elders. Please wait a moment, Miss! The Elders should be out shortly!" Hearing this, the woman merely pursed her lips, "You actually call the world-renowned scholar an Elder of your sect? Is your Shu Mountain Sect so desperate for fame that you've gone mad? Young Master Xu's precious personage, how could he stoop to your petty games? Spending all day on this desolate mountain practicing that trashy, mediocre martial arts?"

"Miss, watch your words!" Veins stood out on the disciple's forehead. Although the woman's words were unpleasant, she had not yet exhibited any hostile actions. Adhering to the principle of treating visitors courteously, he suppressed the urge to attack.

The woman seemed to sense the disciple's rising anger and stopped deliberately provoking him. Instead, she asked curiously, "I see your footwork is quite solid; you must have achieved some skill. Why are you guarding the gate at the Shu Mountain Sect? Does your Sect Master dislike you...?"

Before the disciple could answer, the woman continued without pause, "If that's the case, why don't you come back with me to Dongzhou? With your skill, becoming a leader wouldn't be difficult. You could eat and drink well to your heart's content, with numerous subordinates at your beck and call—surely that's better than standing guard here in the cold wind?" The veins on the disciple's forehead bulged slightly more, almost threatening to burst with blood: "If you continue to be so rude, Miss, do not blame me for showing no mercy under my sword!" As he spoke, he drew his long sword a fraction further, a faint cold glint appearing. Seeing this, the woman knew she couldn't speak recklessly anymore and immediately fell silent, muttering, "Ungrateful fool!" before ceasing her incessant chatter.

Meanwhile, Ye Wen was hiding nearby, asking Xu Xian behind him, "Who is this young woman? Could she be a past entanglement?"

Xu Xian shook his head vigorously. "I don't know. I've never seen this girl before..."

Unfortunately, Ye Wen didn't believe him. He scoffed, "Stop denying it. She came here calling your name explicitly. It's obvious she's here for you, Young Master Xu. You dare say you don't know her? Have you no shame?" After glancing toward the main hall again, he turned back. "I think the girl is quite beautiful, and while a bit verbose, she carries herself with grace. Truly a rare beauty in these times. Even with your lofty standards, you wouldn't look down on someone of this caliber, would you? Moreover, you’ve already entangled her, yet now you refuse to take responsibility!" Xu Xian looked crestfallen. "I truly don't know her!" Ning Ruxue, who had been standing behind them, noticed the two sneaking glances into the hall and endlessly whispering. Growing impatient, she snapped, "Are you finished yet? Aren't we going in..." With that, she suddenly shoved both Xu Xian and Ye Wen forward and then gracefully strode into the hall.

Fortunately, Ye Wen possessed deep internal energy and solid footing; Ning Ruxue’s sudden push didn't leave him completely disheveled. He strode into the hall, first glancing at the honest-looking young man, and then at the woman. The woman's large eyes were watching him curiously, seemingly intrigued by everything about him.

Ye Wen felt distinctly uncomfortable under her gaze, but fortunately, his cultivation was deepening daily, and he had been diligently studying Taoist classics, improving his control of qi significantly. Thus, his expression remained composed. He addressed the man directly, "Are you the one wishing to join my Shu Mountain Sect?" The honest-faced man immediately replied upon hearing this, "It is I!" Ye Wen nodded and asked, "Why do you wish to join my Shu Mountain Sect?" This question stumped the man. After pondering for a moment, he scratched his head and finally smiled, pointing to the woman beside him. "Because this girl said if I join your sect, I can learn martial arts. I just want to learn some skills so I can earn a living..."

Ye Wen hadn't expected such a result. He paused for a moment before realizing he hadn't asked the man's name. "What is your name? How old are you?"

The simple, honest man chuckled and finally replied, "My name is Guo Aniu! I am eighteen years old. I am very strong, please accept me! I can do any kind of work..."

"Pfft!" Xu Xian, who had been standing nearby sipping water, couldn't hold back anymore and sprayed a mouthful of tea far away. It was only then that Ning Ruxue noticed Xu Xian was actually holding a cup of hot tea. She asked curiously, "Junior Brother, where did you get that cup of tea?"

"Self-provided..." It turned out Xu Xian had been holding that cup since Ye Wen dragged him over, but because he was preoccupied with talking the whole way, no one had noticed. If Xu Xian hadn't spat out the tea, perhaps no one would have even been aware of the cup's existence until he finished it.

"Aniu...?"

"Yes!" Guo Aniu nodded, confirming it was his name.

"Is that your proper name?"

"Yes!" He continued to nod.

Ye Wen pinched the bridge of his nose. "That must be a nickname your parents gave you, right?" This time, Guo Aniu didn't nod but just chuckled sheepishly. "My father passed away early, and my mother couldn't read. This name was given to me as a child and never changed. My mother originally wanted to find the village fortune teller to give me a formal name, but the fortune teller died before she could go! The old neighbor next door said I was destined to be hard-fated and a bringer of misfortune, so he suggested raising me with a nickname to avoid bringing ruin to more people. My mother listened and never sought another name for me. Then last year, my mother passed away too. My cousin claimed the fields my family owned were only lent to us, and since we hadn't paid rent these past two years, he wanted to collect some interest by taking back the fields and house! I had nowhere to live in the village, nothing to do, and nothing to eat, so I came out hoping to learn something to support myself..."

He paused here, looked at the girl beside him with deep gratitude, and continued, "I left the village, traveled through several towns, and looked for work, but everyone thought I was stupid and eventually fired me. Finally, I found a job as a runner at an inn, but after only a few days, I angered the owner, who nearly beat me to death. It was this girl who saved my life by stepping in. Afterward, I followed her all the way to Pingzhou." He then pointed to the girl. "She said as long as I reached Pingzhou and joined the Shu Mountain Sect to learn martial arts, I wouldn't have to worry about food and clothing!"

"Hmph..." Ye Wen was speechless. This was just a simpleton! To be honest, he hadn't planned on taking this boy in, as it seemed no different from hiring someone to freeload. However, hearing the hardship detailed by this honest fellow filled Ye Wen with great sympathy. He thought, Taking him in won't make much difference. Besides, he looks honest and simple. He's endured so much hardship on the road without developing a cynical resentment. Such a person is a rare treasure in this world! But if he were to be accepted, deciding on a proper designation was an issue. He glanced toward Ning Ruxue, who immediately shook her head like a rattle-drum upon catching his eye. Ye Wen understood that Ning Ruxue clearly looked down on this simple Guo Aniu and was unwilling to take him on.

Then he looked at Xu Xian, who was shamelessly sipping from an empty teacup (Ye Wen had noticed the cup was empty after the tea-spitting incident), smacking his lips as if thoroughly enjoying the taste. Ye Wen desperately wanted to grab Xu Xian by the collar and yell, "Smack your sister! That's an empty cup!"

Alas, these thoughts only existed in his head. He had to resolve the immediate situation himself. Turning back to Guo Aniu, he asked gently, "You want to join my Shu Mountain Sect to learn martial arts? Have you studied martial arts before?"

Guo Aniu nodded.

Ye Wen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, preparing to ask Guo Aniu to demonstrate, but the man's next sentence nearly made him spit blood. The man casually replied, "On the way to Shu Mountain, this young lady taught me a few moves."

"..."

Ye Wen was truly at a loss for words. He even noticed that the young woman, who had been constantly glancing at Xu Xian, instinctively covered her face and secretly kicked the man beside her when she heard this. "I told you not to talk so much! When they ask you, just say you know a little! Why drag me into it?"

Guo Aniu was genuinely confused and asked, "But you taught me? Why can't I say that?"

The young woman stopped talking and just sighed, shaking her head. "How did I end up traveling with such an idiot? I should have just grabbed anyone at the foot of the mountain to come and apply as a disciple; it would have been better than having this dummy."

Ye Wen, possessing deep internal energy, clearly heard the woman muttering even though she had her head lowered. Only now did he realize that the simple Guo Aniu had essentially been lured and bamboozled by this woman into coming to his Shu Mountain Sect. And now, he, Ye Wen, was left to clean up the mess, which was incredibly frustrating.

After speaking kindly to Guo Aniu for a few minutes, he finally turned to the disciple waiting nearby. "You can first enter the outer sect of the Shu Mountain Sect. Although you won't be a direct disciple, you can still learn some martial arts, which should be enough for you to find a livelihood. If you cultivate well, perhaps in the future you can enter the inner sect, and I will teach you our sect's profound techniques. For now, follow this Senior Brother down and get settled!"

With a wave of his hand, Ye Wen dismissed the disciple, who understood the Sect Master's meaning. He came forward, greeted Guo Aniu, and led him away. How Guo Aniu would subsequently follow his senior brother's instructions regarding rules and learn the introductory techniques would not be detailed further here.

Once Guo Aniu had departed, Ye Wen turned to the young woman and asked, "What is the young lady's name?"

"My name is Huang Rongrong!"

"What? Huang Rong?" Ye Wen was greatly startled. Ning Ruxue and Xu Xian nearby looked baffled for unknown reasons.

"Huang Rongrong!!!" Huang Rongrong fiercely repeated her name, emphasizing, "Rongrong!"

Ye Wen finally calmed down, softly saying, "Oh," and thinking to himself, Thankfully, it wasn't the daughter of that Old Heretic Huang who came running here; otherwise, I truly wouldn't know how to handle the situation!

However, Huang Rongrong added another sentence: "I don't have any famous title in the Jianghu, but the brothers in the Green Forest hold me in high regard and gave me the title of 'Mother Yaksha'!"

"Uh? Mother Yaksha? That sounds familiar!" Ye Wen lowered his head in deep thought, trying to recall where he might have heard that title before. But his memory was too distant to place it.

He couldn't recall it, but someone else in the hall did. Xu Xian, who was leisurely chewing on tea leaves nearby, was so shocked by Huang Rongrong revealing her title that he sprang up like he'd been struck. "What? You are that female bandit leader known as Mother Yaksha in Dongzhou?"

Only now did he understand why the girl had explicitly asked for him the moment she arrived. They genuinely knew each other.

Ning Ruxue turned to Xu Xian and asked, "Junior Brother, you know this Miss Huang?"

Smiling wryly, Xu Xian rubbed his chin and finally nodded helplessly. "To say I know her is correct! When I wanted to run away from home, I paid to contact this Huang—uh... this Miss Huang for help! But we only communicated through letters; I never met her in person..." He had intended to say 'Bandit Chief,' but upon seeing her in person, realizing the Mother Yaksha was such a delicate young lady, the title of 'Chief' was impossible to utter, so he temporarily switched to 'Miss Huang.'

Unexpectedly, as soon as Xu Xian finished speaking, before Ye Wen could ask further, Huang Rongrong spoke with an affected shyness, twisting her body slightly, "Oh, Young Master Xu, just call me Rongrong! Calling me Miss Huang is far too distant..."

Ye Wen watched the girl—who moments ago had been spirited and fiercely sharp like a potent chili pepper—now acting coy and displaying the airs of a young maiden. He was impressed by the speed of her emotional shift, but verbally, he said, "So it is Bandit Chief Huang from Dongzhou. May I ask why Bandit Chief Huang has come to my Shu Mountain Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Huang Rongrong, who had been acting coy, immediately transformed back into a tigress, glaring hatefully at Ye Wen. "You still ask me? If you hadn't dragged my Xu Xian up to this godforsaken, desolate mountain to be some ridiculous Elder and practice your mediocre martial arts, why would I have made a special trip here?" At this point, Huang Rongrong suddenly added, "I don't care if your Shu Mountain Sect lives or dies, but you must not implicate my Xu Xian!"

"Her... family... Xu Xian?"

Ning Ruxue turned, looking at her junior brother with a puzzled expression. Xu Xian noticed Ning Ruxue's gaze, immediately shook his head, and waved his hands repeatedly. "I don't know anything! Don't ask me!" He then shouted at Huang Rongrong, "Miss, don't speak nonsense! When did I ever become yours?"

But Huang Rongrong ignored him and continued, "The Tianle Gang has already dispatched their First of the Four Great Elders, Guo Nu, to Pingzhou. Moreover, I heard from the underworld grapevine that Elder Pei, another of the Four Great Elders, is also on his way here. Your Shu Mountain Sect is on the verge of destruction, and I cannot stand by and watch my Xu Xian be dragged down with you!"

..................