Having firmly decided on taking the offensive, all Ye Wen needed to do was quietly await the messenger from the Tianle Gang. Then, under everyone's watchful gaze, he accepted the letter and immediately declared, "Since Elder Guo extends such a sincere invitation, it is only right that I accept. Please relay to your Elder Guo that as soon as I have arranged the sect's affairs, I shall set off!" The Tianle Gang messenger was momentarily stunned, having been explicitly instructed by Guo Nu to carefully observe the situation at the Shushan Sect, especially looking for any sign of internal injury in Ye Wen's expression.

To his surprise, the Shushan Sect didn't even allow him past the main gate. They lined up right there at the entrance, accepted the letter without even looking at it, and immediately agreed to the visit, essentially issuing an immediate eviction order.

This was something the messenger had genuinely not anticipated; his elder hadn't prepared him for this. After his initial shock, the messenger's eyes involuntarily darted sideways towards a rather ordinary-looking man standing nearby, seemingly just one of the accompanying guards or members. This man silently cursed under his breath, "Idiot, why are you looking at me?"

This man was, in fact, Pei Wei in disguise, who had infiltrated the entourage with the intent of personally assessing the true strength of the Shushan Sect. Guo Nu had initially been reluctant to allow him to come, but Pei Wei persuaded him by arguing that "If I don't go myself, I fear these subordinates will lack the insight to judge the truth accurately." Thus, Pei Wei had managed to blend into the group delivering the message.

His original plan was to scout discreetly from within the crowd. Aside from the messenger, no one else in the group knew his true identity. He hadn't expected this clumsy fool to reveal himself the moment they arrived. Pei Wei could only pray that the messenger hadn't noticed the aberration.

Unfortunately, Ye Wen’s gaze had not left the messenger since the moment he appeared. Even when accepting the invitation scroll, his attention hadn't wavered to the document itself.

Therefore, he saw the messenger's furtive glance toward the person beside him with perfect clarity. In an instant, he understood what trick the Tianle Gang was pulling this time.

"Since there are no further matters, esteemed guests may take their leave! Our Shushan Sect has limited space and few rooms; we fear we cannot host you properly," Ye Wen said, waving his hand in a clear gesture of "you are free to go," openly telling them: "I have received the letter, and you may depart now!" Seeing this, Pei Wei knew he couldn't remain silent and immediately sneered, "The Shushan Sect is supposedly a renowned sect in Shushan County; how can it be that you don't even possess the basic courtesy to entertain guests?"

When Ye Wen heard him speak, his expression suggested he had expected Pei Wei to interject all along, which deeply annoyed Pei Wei. However, since he had to speak, he chose to selectively ignore Ye Wen's look and pretended not to see it.

"My friend, may I ask your name?" As the two engaged, the messenger breathed a silent sigh of relief. He knew that the situation was now beyond his authority to manage, effectively shifting a heavy burden off himself. Seemingly afraid the issue might loop back to him, he quickly announced, "This is Elder Pei Wei, one of our Gang's Four Great Elders!" Having introduced him, and ignoring Pei Wei’s fierce glare, the messenger shot back into the crowd with a whoosh, blending in until he was untraceable in a few steps. Ye Wen observed this with secret admiration: "This messenger isn't a fool either; sensing trouble, he immediately dumped the responsibility onto Elder Pei Wei and made a clean getaway... He probably deliberately glanced at Pei Wei a few times!"

At this point, even Pei Wei began to suspect the messenger had intentionally shirked his duty. However, this was not the place or time to question the subordinate in front of outsiders. He had no choice but to steel himself and confront the situation: "I am Elder Pei Wei of the Tianle Gang, with a modest reputation in the Jianghu. Has Headmaster Ye really become so stingy as to deny a cup of tea?" Pei Wei was subtly mocking Ye Wen for not treating someone of his stature with proper hospitality, implying the Shushan Sect was overly arrogant. Ye Wen simply gave a cold laugh and retorted, "Given the current relationship between our two sects, my humble sect sees no need to offer tea to you gentlemen." This statement directly indicated that the two factions were still hostile; if they insisted on entering, no tea would be offered. The only thing preventing a direct clash with weapons was the fact that they had come on a formal visit.

It was akin to the custom of not killing envoys during wartime between nations. While they wouldn't be killed, making their visit difficult was entirely justified, and no one could find fault with it. Although the conflict between gangs might not equate to war between nations, the underlying principles remained the same.

Pei Wei thought it over and found himself speechless. After a long silence, Ye Wen finally asked, "Does Elder Pei Wei have any other business?" This prompted Pei Wei to realize that if he didn't speak now, he would have to retreat down the mountain in disgrace today. Not only would he have learned nothing, but his goal of making the Shushan Sect uneasy had also failed. Moreover, Guo Nu’s tactic of sending an invitation to Ye Wen—whether Shushan was bluffing or truly secure—had backfired spectacularly; Ye Wen readily accepted, which only served to boost Shushan’s prestige and morale instead of undermining it.

In this exchange, the Tianle Gang had lost completely, failing to salvage either face or substance. Although they knew that once Ye Wen traveled to the Tianle Gang's territory, they would have ample opportunity to reclaim their honor, even killing Ye Wen there, on their home ground, would not restore much of their lost reputation.

After much consideration, Pei Wei realized he seemed to have only one path left. He stepped forward and said, "I have heard that Headmaster Ye possesses extraordinary martial arts, even making the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord, Pei Wei Lie, suffer defeat in your hands. I, Pei Wei, am but an amateur, but I wish to seek guidance today..."

His mind raced, and Pei Wei concluded that this was the only way to truly probe Ye Wen's depth. Once a fight commenced, Ye Wen's skill level and whether he was injured would become perfectly clear, thus achieving the objective of the visit.

"Since Elder Pei Wei is interested, I shall naturally accompany you!" Ye Wen glanced around. Seeing the Shushan disciples, Tianle Gang members, and a crowd of miscellaneous onlookers clustered tightly at the entrance, he suggested, "This place is narrow with too many people. Elder Pei Wei and I can contest inside!" With a wave of his hand, the Shushan disciples stopped blocking the gate and retreated into the front courtyard, stopping before the main hall, where they arrayed themselves according to rank. Ye Wen stood alone in the center of the courtyard, quietly awaiting Pei Wei's approach.

As Pei Wei stepped inside the Shushan Sect grounds, he saw the expansive front courtyard enclosed by high walls, with a grand main hall dominating the view—truly displaying the bearing of a major sect.

This sight alone made his heart sink: "The Shushan Sect seems quite affluent; it appears not to be some minor sect without foundation!" By all accounts, the Shushan Sect did not resemble those insignificant minor sects that suddenly appeared without backing or resources. The sheer architecture alone was beyond the means of those low-tier groups.

What restricts a sect's development generally falls into a few categories. Disciples can be recruited slowly. Financial resources, if lacking a stable source, cannot sustain a sect, even if they have skilled martial artists, as a sect requires far more spending than a lone practitioner. Many sects stall precisely at this point. Finally, there is the martial arts inheritance.

Taking a cursory glance, although the surrounding walls obscured a complete view, what he saw gave Pei Wei a general assessment: the Shushan Sect possessed ample wealth. Furthermore, seeing the significant number of disciples already present, they were clearly on a path of rapid development: "If this Shushan Sect is not dealt with early, it may become impossible to eradicate in the future..."

However, given the current predicament of the Tianle Gang, Pei Wei could only pin his hopes on Shushan's martial arts being insufficient. If the Shushan Sect were allowed three to five more years to solidify its power, eliminating them then would become utterly impossible.

"Too much thinking. First, let's test the skills of the Shushan Headmaster!" Recalling his purpose, Pei Wei stepped back and gestured toward Ye Wen: "I specialize in swordsmanship. I wonder what weapon Headmaster Ye employs..."

Ye Wen saw Pei Wei draw his longsword and smiled: "Since Elder Pei Wei uses a sword, wouldn't it be disrespectful to him if I faced him unarmed?" Without moving his body, Ye Wen lightly waved and drew his right hand. The longsword held by Ning Ru Xue, standing three zhang behind him, swished out of its scabbard and flew upward into the air.

Before the Tianle Gang members could comprehend what was happening, the sword in mid-air abruptly twisted and landed directly in Ye Wen's hand. Only then did they realize the Shushan Headmaster had used some unknown method to summon the sword to himself.

"I also use a sword!" Ye Wen casually remarked upon receiving the weapon, immediately assuming the starting posture of the Quanzhen Sword Style, standing opposite Pei Wei from a distance.

The technique he had just used was naturally the newly mastered Purple Qi Celestial Net. In fact, ever since the group began retreating into the Shushan compound, Ye Wen had secretly extended a thread of Purple Qi Celestial Net energy to wrap around Ning Ru Xue's sword hilt, waiting for the moment to execute this maneuver.

Otherwise, with his current level of cultivation, without expending maximum effort, he wouldn't be able to pull a sword from such a distance into his hand in a casual gesture. However, if prepared in advance, the situation was different.

Executing this move served dual purposes: showing off his skill and psychologically impacting the opponent to shake their fighting spirit. After all, when two individuals of nearly equal strength clash, any instability in one’s state of mind almost guarantees defeat.

As it stood, Ye Wen's move achieved excellent results; Pei Wei was visibly startled. Unlike the low-level disciples behind him who might assume Ye Wen merely used some magical trick, Pei Wei had a vague sense that Ye Wen had used his own internal energy to suck the sword into his hand. If the sword had been nearby, Pei Wei might have been able to replicate it after figuring out the trick. But to draw it from such a distance between Ye Wen and Ning Ru Xue—he doubted he could achieve such casual elegance even after several more years of rigorous training.

"Is Ye Wen's power truly at this level? Could Elder Guo have been mistaken?"

Once his initial assumptions were shaken, influence was inevitable; his fighting spirit plummeted. By the time Ye Wen settled into his stance, Pei Wei actually said, "Today's exchange is merely sparring; we are not deciding life or death!"

The onlookers felt the Tianle Gang's momentum deflate with those words. Even Pei Wei himself began to wonder if he should just go through the motions and end it quickly.

The corner of Ye Wen's mouth curled up; he knew his scheme had succeeded. He stated, "Excellent! Elder Pei Wei, please make your move..." This command defined the contest as an exchange of blows rather than a life-or-death duel. Furthermore, inviting the opponent to strike first positioned himself as the superior master.

Through this string of calculated moves, Ye Wen had unknowingly guided Pei Wei into his predetermined script. Pei Wei, completely unaware of anything amiss, even felt a sense of relief that Ye Wen had agreed to a mere sparring match. Consequently, his first strike was entirely devoid of killing intent, merely a straightforward thrust of the sword.

There were no follow-up variations or hidden forces; Ye Wen could neutralize the thrust with a simple deflection of his sword. To outside observers, the two looked like fellow disciples practicing set forms, completely devoid of bloodlust or aggression.

After politely exchanging a few moves, Pei Wei finally realized he represented the Tianle Gang; if the fight continued like this, wouldn't it be a farce? He suddenly injected urgency into his attack, warning, "Headmaster Ye, be careful!" Before the words finished, he unleashed the Northern Horse Sword Style. Where the sword tip pointed created a palpable sense of pressure on Ye Wen, and the hissing sound of the blade cutting through the air finally reminded the spectators that this man was indeed a famous figure in the Jianghu; the Tianle Gang's Four Great Elders were not famous without reason.

In an instant, sword flashes filled the space. Pei Wei wielded his longsword as if commanding a stampede of ten thousand horses, rushing waves of attacks pressing down upon Ye Wen. Moreover, the formidable Qi embedded in the sword, which had been concealed earlier, now erupted as the sword maneuvers unfolded. Facing this attack, an ordinary person would likely be overwhelmed and defeated by the sheer force of the Northern Horse Sword Style.

"The Northern Horse Sword Style truly lives up to its name!" If Ye Wen had encountered Pei Wei like this earlier, merely defending himself would have been difficult, let alone defeating him. Fortunately, Ye Wen had recently acquired a marvelous technique: the Purple Qi Celestial Net was perfectly suited to countering this kind of embedded Qi.

Ye Wen activated his Purple Cloud Divine Skill. The power of the Purple Qi Celestial Net energy filled the space around him with wisps of ethereal purple mist. His own longsword was imbued with profound Purple Cloud True Qi, turning the once bright steel a deep, vivid violet. As Ye Wen unfolded the Quanzhen Sword Style, sparks of purple light flashed, and purple energy coiled around him. Initially inconspicuous, after a short while, the robust Qi generated by the Northern Horse Sword Style began to shatter and break apart, while the subtle purple energy that had been suppressed slowly started to increase.

Pei Wei now felt an insidious sluggishness in his movements, as if something were dragging him down. His sword followed suit; the momentum of each thrust was weaker than the last.

What Pei Wei did not know was that Ye Wen, seeing the fierceness of his assault, had deliberately amplified the Purple Qi Celestial Net, attaching it to his own sword. Whenever an opportunity arose, Ye Wen would strike Pei Wei’s sword with his own. With every clash, a bolt of Purple Qi Celestial Net energy struck Pei Wei’s blade. After several exchanges, Pei Wei’s sword was secretly covered with so much of this energy that wielding it became increasingly arduous.

Had their cultivation levels not been nearly equal, the restrictive effect of the Purple Qi Celestial Net energy would eventually have been overcome. Pei Wei's sword might have been seized directly by Ye Wen instead of merely suffering this reduced effectiveness.

Even so, Pei Wei found the fight increasingly uncomfortable. In one instance, he thrust, aiming precisely for Ye Wen's vital Jianjing acupoint, but Ye Wen casually deflected his sword, causing the force of the strike to curve uncontrollably and stab into the empty air beside him. Pei Wei managed to smoothly transition to his next move only because Ye Wen didn't immediately counter-attack the wide-open gap he had created.

After fighting for quite some time, Ye Wen merely defended, never attacking. Yet, even this defensive posture caused sweat to pour down Pei Wei’s face. After his sword was once again subdued by Ye Wen's strange, pressing energy, and Ye Wen then pointed his left hand, fingers extended, toward his own throat, Pei Wei leaped backward, reversed his sword grip, and clasped his hands in salute: "Headmaster Ye's skill is unfathomable; I am deeply ashamed of my inferiority!" At this point, he believed Ye Wen was deliberately letting him off easy, which was why he only defended. Even when he had the chance to take his life, Ye Wen merely pointed a finger vaguely without actually striking.

Pei Wei had no idea that Ye Wen was not intentionally holding back. This was the first time he was using the Purple Qi Celestial Net in a real fight. Since Pei Wei had conveniently arrived, Ye Wen had simply used him as a target to practice his moves.

When Ye Wen exerted himself to his full potential (within the context of a controlled fight), he realized that while he could parry nearly every move using the miraculous aspects of the Purple Qi Celestial Net, he still lacked the power to seize the advantage, counter-attack, and severely wound the opponent. His gesture of pointing a finger was merely a bluff; at that moment, he lacked the surplus internal energy to actually execute a genuine strike there.

Since a fatal counter-attack was impossible, he might as well maintain an air of profound mystery and a formidable image. If he could deter Pei Wei for now, Ye Wen was confident that once he became more proficient with this technique, he would not let such a golden opportunity slip by again.

Moreover, the prior agreement that this was a sparring match, not a fight to the death, was the reason Ye Wen hadn't resorted to lethal force. Had it been a genuine life-or-death struggle, he certainly wouldn't have been so composed as to let the opponent strike first. He would have seized the initiative immediately, using the disruptive nature of the Purple Qi Celestial Net to create an opening, followed by a thunderous, overwhelming assault. Even if he couldn't kill Pei Wei, he could certainly defeat him.

Pei Wei, entirely oblivious to Ye Wen’s inner calculations, secretly congratulated himself for insisting on sparring rather than a deadly fight, or he might have perished today. Moreover, a shadow of awe settled over his perception of the Shushan Headmaster. He assumed his survival was solely due to Ye Wen's unwillingness to kill; had Ye Wen truly intended to kill him, the outcome would have been decided during the initial exchanges. Consequently, Pei Wei unconsciously showed a measure of respect toward Ye Wen. In essence, the martial world still adheres to the principle of respecting strength above all.

"I thank Headmaster Ye for showing mercy today! I shall depart now and await Headmaster Ye's arrival at our branch headquarters!" After bowing again, he waved to his men, and the entire contingent hastily descended the mountain.

Once Pei Wei was far away, Ye Wen finally let out a long breath.

This was his first experience putting on such an elaborate facade. To claim he wasn't nervous would be a lie. In that crucial moment, especially as Pei Wei was preparing to leave, Ye Wen genuinely feared the elder might suddenly realize the truth. He wasn't afraid of Pei Wei fighting back desperately, but rather that he might perceive something deeper about Ye Wen’s current state.

Fortunately, this attempt at deception went well; he had successfully fooled the Tianle Gang elder. He didn't know how long the effect would last, but he had neutralized a crisis for now. If the visit to the Tianle Gang branch went smoothly, the development of the Shushan Sect would face no further obstacles.

"It seems I have the potential to be a master deceiver!".......... PS: Any more votes?