The creation of a new martial art filled Ye Wen with excitement, even though it was based on reorganizing existing techniques.

“This counts as a major breakthrough…”

Muttering this to himself, Ye Wen added training his new Zi Xiao Dragon Qi technique to his daily regimen, focusing on achieving perfect control over its emission and retraction. Considering this skill couldn't yet serve as his primary combat method, he deliberately started by drilling his left hand rather than his dominant right.

“If my right hand is busy wielding the sword in a real fight, and then suddenly I unleash this… hehe!” Ye Wen was confident that if he encountered the Chi Yang Divine Lord now, even at full strength, he possessed the ability to defeat him.

In the past, Ye Wen’s martial arts were adept at adaptation but lacked killing power. The force application techniques in the Three Green Peaks of Mount Tai were decent, but only just decent. The maneuvers of the Life-Severing Triple Immortal Sword were intricate, yet against opponents of formidable power, their effectiveness, which relied purely on shifting formations, steadily diminished.

As for the Soft Palm, though its explosive force was immense, it excelled in protracted grappling and wasn't a technique designed for instant lethality. The Three Purities Transformed by a Single Sword from the Complete Truth School was merely a swordsmanship concept, not a finishing blow.

It wasn't until he managed to summon the Qi Sword Finger that Ye Wen grudgingly possessed a move capable of killing an opponent. Most of his other skills were sufficient to defeat an enemy but fell short of finishing them off.

Later, obtaining the Shao Ze Sword made Ye Wen even happier, but upon study, he found it specialized in elusiveness and illusion, offering only the effect of defeating an opponent in combat; its destructive power consistently failed to satisfy him.

It was only after creating the Zi Xiao Dragon Qi Sword that Ye Wen finally possessed an art capable of instantly dispatching a foe! Moreover, this technique, capable of manifesting sword energy bare-handed, would surely astound others, leaving them unable to gauge his true strength—a perfect method for showing off.

“Since it’s called Dragon Qi Sword, should I perhaps link it to the concept of a dragon?” Ye Wen even considered making the sword energy oscillate during flight, perhaps even generating a dragon’s roar. But he dismissed the idea almost instantly. A technique intended for surprise attacks shouldn't create such an obvious auditory warning, drawing the target’s caution.

“No, perhaps not!” He decided to shelve this idea until he achieved mastery of the Innate Purple Qi, gaining enough internal strength to scatter the Zi Xiao Dragon Qi Sword casually. The thought of the resulting spectacle—sword energy sweeping everywhere accompanied by ceaseless dragon roars—made Ye Wen’s mouth water just imagining the sheer aura.

“Got carried away again…” Putting that aside, Ye Wen continued to refine the Zi Xiao Dragon Qi Sword. Meanwhile, Xu Xian was diligently working on the Circling Finger Soft Sword while simultaneously mastering the Pure Yang Limitless Art. Ning Ruxue, however, had been distracted these past few days. Even while instructing her disciples, she would occasionally recall the embarrassing things Aunt Zhao had confided in her.

Each recollection brought a blush to her cheeks: “My Senior Brother actually spoke of such shameful matters!” She then recalled telling Aunt Zhao that she and her Senior Brother were betrothed; Aunt Zhao had immediately burst out with cheerful congratulations, mentioning a torrent of common marital knowledge, and even whispering more shameful details privately, making Ning Ruxue wish she could bury her head in the earth.

She had previously considered mere hugging, or even having her body touched, to be incredibly embarrassing; only now did she realize there were far more mortifying aspects.

“Silly girl, what is there to be shy about? If you don’t remember this well, how will you serve the Sect Master in the future?” Hearing this, Ning Ruxue blushed even deeper. If she hadn't come seeking instruction, she might have fled in shame long ago.

Yet, thinking of this, Ning Ruxue suddenly puzzled: “If I don't understand these things, how does Senior Brother know them? Did Master perhaps instruct him privately back then?” She recalled Aunt Zhao’s words: “Men! Once they have ability, they won’t stay pure, will they? Miss Ning, you must keep a close eye on the Sect Master. He is already a figure of great renown; if he ever descends the mountain, it’s not impossible he might bring back another woman!” Aunt Zhao, who had always held Ye Wen in the highest respect as Sect Master, had suddenly taken on the role of Ning Ruxue’s family advocate—a result of their naturally close bond.

Whenever this sentence crossed her mind, Ning Ruxue couldn't help but remember the woman who had stolen the sachet she intended for her Senior Brother: “Could Senior Brother have some entanglement with that woman?” She spent her days lost in such thoughts. If not for the frigid, spirit-calming chill of the ice pool she trained in for her internal arts, she feared her cultivation would have already suffered a devastating deviation.

Over the next few days, Ning Ruxue realized that despite being betrothed to her Senior Brother, nothing seemed to have changed between them; the situation remained as it was.

She had intended to find Ye Wen to talk these days, but she happened to catch him deep in concentration over the Zi Xiao Dragon Qi Sword. Learning from Xu Xian that her Senior Brother had grasped another powerful new technique, she forced herself to refrain from disturbing him, deciding to wait a while longer.

This was torture for her; she was listless all day, losing concentration for the majority of every hour. Thankfully, her role only required her presence, not active guidance of the outer disciples, so no one noticed anything amiss.

Furthermore, many outer disciples were careless young men, and even if someone was meticulous, they likely wouldn't dare stare continuously at an elder of the sect.

Though Ning Ruxue was stunningly beautiful and naturally drew attention, none of the disciples who joined the Shu Shan Sect were foolish enough to harbor any inappropriate thoughts toward a sect superior. Moreover, a rumor was circulating: "She is highly likely to become the Sect Master's future wife!"

This rumor completely extinguished any wayward ideas. Normally, people dared not even look directly at Ning Ruxue, let alone notice her unusual state.

Only the sharp-witted Huang Rongrong, who held no reservations toward the Shu Shan people, could perceive Ning Ruxue’s preoccupation. As they usually addressed each other as sisters, Huang Rongrong seized an opportunity when she saw Ning Ruxue drifting through her days and managed to pull her aside for a serious talk.

Ning Ruxue had been desperate for someone to confide in. Upon hearing Huang Rongrong approach, she soon shared several matters with her, though she omitted the more delicate details, considering Huang Rongrong’s young age.

Little did she know that Huang Rongrong, having grown up in a bandit stronghold, had witnessed plenty of unsavory things and understood the situation immediately. She exclaimed loudly: “What? Just one sentence settled your entire future? That’s not how things work! Besides, he can’t consummate the marriage because of his training—isn’t that like being a eunuch? He already ruined Xu Xian by making her unfit for marriage, and now he wants to drag you down too? Sister, why waste your time on such a man?” Ning Ruxue was taken aback that this girl spoke so casually about such intimate matters, immediately flushing, unsure how to reply. “Since we are betrothed to Senior Brother, it counts as having a status… Besides, Senior Brother can only pause this because of his training… that… that… it will pass once his cultivation is complete,” she stammered. Huang Rongrong immediately retorted: “Betrothal? Where is the betrothal gift? Has he formally proposed? Does he think a mere sentence is enough to trick you into his hands? And who knows when that blasted cultivation of his will finish? Is Sister supposed to wait for him his entire life if he never finishes?”

Ning Ruxue was momentarily silenced by the barrage of questions and struggled to form a response. Just as she was about to speak, Huang Rongrong slapped the table and stood up: “No! I must go talk to Ye Wen! How dare he bully Sister like this? Does he think we girls are easy targets?” Without waiting for Ning Ruxue’s assent, she spun around and dashed away. Ning Ruxue was too slow to react and watched her disappear until there was no shadow left before snapping back to reality and rushing after her.

However, Ning Ruxue was a half-step too late. Even though her lightfoot skill was superior to Huang Rongrong’s, the girl had spent these past few days constantly exploring the Shu Shan Sect, familiarizing herself with the paths so thoroughly that she surpassed Ning Ruxue. She zipped through turns and vanished from sight, heading off somewhere to find Ye Wen.

Seeing her disappear, Ning Ruxue headed straight for her courtyard residence. Generally, when Ye Wen wasn't occupied, he was either training in the rear valley or wandering aimlessly; if he was wandering, Huang Rongrong probably wouldn't find him either.

What she didn't know was that after suffering several humiliating defeats at Ye Wen’s hands, Huang Rongrong had begun actively avoiding him, even skipping meals with him. To prevent accidental encounters, she had meticulously mapped out all of Ye Wen’s habits—a skill she considered her specialty. Bandits and highwaymen might lack refinement, but they were masters at gathering intelligence on people’s routines.

Using this unique talent, Huang Rongrong managed to avoid Ye Wen entirely, even learning the precise patterns of his wanderings within the sect.

This knowledge emboldened her; she wandered about freely, confident that as long as Ye Wen didn't see her, she was safe. At the same time, she looked for chances to approach Xu Xian. Her spoken request had changed from “Leave this place with me!” to: “When will you ever finish that cursed technique?…”

So, while Ning Ruxue couldn’t find Ye Wen, Huang Rongrong caught him easily. Ye Wen was standing in a remote location, gazing back at his Shu Shan Sect from afar.

He had discovered this spot accidentally while exploring. It was situated on elevated ground; standing atop the highest boulder, he could roughly take in the entire Shu Shan Sect, offering a view superior even to that from the sheer cliffs of the rear mountain. Turning back, he saw rolling mountains and forests, and in the distance, a great river, like a luminous ribbon, cut through the greenery, dividing the lush landscape into two halves—though that was a sight typical of high summer.

Now, as winter approached, the woods had lost their deep green; many trees had already shed most of their leaves, with only a few evergreens retaining their verdant color.

Even so, looking down the mountain from here always instilled a sense of boundless serenity. Furthermore, the white landscape of winter offered a different kind of charm, which was why Ye Wen favored this spot, especially since he could gaze toward Shushan County, where Ling Xuzi’s lonely grave lay.

As he watched, a crisp shout reached his ears. The voice was pleasant, but the words were far from it: “Ye Wen! You ruined Xu Xian enough; now you want to burden my Sister Ning for life?…”

“Why does that sound so weird?” Ye Wen wanted to retort, How exactly did I ruin Xu Xian? But when he turned, he saw a face he hadn't seen in a long time: “You’re still here? You haven’t gone down the mountain to leave?”

Hearing this, Huang Rongrong immediately puffed out her chest, her little nose seeming to point toward the sky: “Hmph! When did I ever say I was leaving?” Ye Wen paused to think, then understood: the girl had been playing hide-and-seek with him? Given her original profession, this skill was hardly surprising. However, the thought of such a situation occurring within his own sect displeased him greatly: “It seems my sect needs to prioritize the inspection duties quickly. How has an unknown stranger been loitering here for so long without reporting to me?…”

“I am not some strange person with an unknown background!” Huang Rongrong retorted.

In truth, Ye Wen had long known that the Shu Shan Sect’s defense capabilities were rather poor. But effective defense required a large number of disciples, and while he had enough people, they lacked true strength, making them little more than decoration. Coupled with the fact that Ye Wen had built the Shu Shan Sect on an immense scale—this compound felt uncrowded even with a hundred disciples—his current contingent was truly insufficient for proper oversight.

Moreover, because Huang Rongrong was somewhat familiar with Xu Xian, her constant roaming went unnoticed by others. Everyone assumed Ye Wen knew she was here, but Ye Wen genuinely did not. Huang Rongrong was the only one who knew he was unaware of her presence, and she certainly wouldn't reveal it, creating this odd dynamic.

“What do you want?” Having figured out the key issue, Ye Wen asked with irritation. He wondered why Huang Rongrong, who had gone to such lengths to avoid him, would suddenly appear to confront him. And what was the meaning of that initial outburst?

“I almost forgot the important business!” Huang Rongrong stuck out her tongue furtively, coughed twice, and then adopted a solemn expression to ask: “I’m asking you, because of your training, you currently cannot engage in intimacy, right?”

Ye Wen’s face twisted strangely. It wasn't embarrassment; he’d discussed topics far deeper with women before without feeling awkward. But after being here for a while, encountering a woman who brought up such matters so casually, without a hint of impropriety, was a first. He may have subconsciously categorized the finely dressed girl into a different class of women.

“That is correct!” Ye Wen nodded. “I recently comprehended a new internal art. Until this art reaches completion, I cannot engage in such carnal matters!”

Hearing this, Huang Rongrong’s face also flushed. Saying it herself was one thing; hearing it stated directly by someone else was another. Furthermore, Huang Rongrong suddenly realized Ye Wen was a grown man, and discussing this subject with him was indeed somewhat inappropriate. She quickly moved past the topic.

“Forget all that! Since you are like this… why did you use words to trick Sister Ning?”

“How did I trick her?” Ye Wen was genuinely puzzled. When had he deceived his junior sister?

“And since you have taken no actual action, are you expecting Sister Ning to wait for you for a lifetime based on a light remark?”

“A… a lifetime?” Ye Wen felt his face darken. “Is she cursing me, hoping my technique never matures?”

Huang Rongrong continued, oblivious to Ye Wen’s darkening expression: “You haven’t even offered betrothal gifts, proposed formally, or held a banquet to announce the matter, yet you claim you’re engaged! What do you take Sister Ning for? Someone you can just claim when you want her and discard when you don’t… uh… this… that’s what it is!” She nearly uttered the precise word she intended but realized it sounded too harsh. Trying to find a substitute, she couldn't recall one, so she simply tossed her head back and stopped.

Even with her clumsy phrasing, Ye Wen understood her implication. Seeing Ye Wen’s look of shock, she felt a private sense of satisfaction, knowing her words had indeed shaken him.

Then, Ye Wen leaped down from the great stone, landing softly as if he were a drifting piece of fluff. His lightness skill had only recently reached this level; the marvels of the Innate Purple Qi were gradually manifesting. Previously, he would have needed to use various footholds to descend slowly; such a graceful, unhurried float would have been impossible before.

This demonstration of lightness skill also stunned Huang Rongrong. She knew Ye Wen’s skills were formidable—at the very least, he had traversed the area around the Tianle Gang branch and returned without a scratch. That alone was enough to inspire her awe. If they hadn't been so mismatched in temperament, Huang Rongrong might have shamelessly begged Ye Wen to teach her martial arts.

But Ye Wen’s strength reaching this level exceeded her expectations. In her experience, only the renowned masters of the martial world could move like that.

Ye Wen slowly walked up to Huang Rongrong and said seriously: “Miss Huang is correct; I was wrong in this matter. Rest assured, everything that is due will be provided. I will absolutely not allow my junior sister to be wronged!”

He finally remembered that marriage arrangements were major events. Aside from exchanging birth dates for calculations, holding a grand banquet to publicize the engagement was a basic requirement, even for the poor. His casual declaration of betrothal, even if Ning Ruxue hadn't voiced complaint, likely left her feeling slighted. If Huang Rongrong hadn't reminded him, Ye Wen, having arrived from a world where people used terms like "husband" and "wife" casually, truly might have overlooked this fundamental step.

Therefore, he felt a measure of gratitude toward Huang Rongrong for making the effort to tell him this.

“However… you reside in my Shu Shan Sect, yet you shout at your Sect Master without proper respect. That point still bothers me greatly! And playing hide-and-seek with me? Was it fun?”

Seeing Ye Wen unexpectedly agree with her words, and doing so with a seemingly humble posture, Huang Rongrong was inwardly delighted. She failed to notice that Ye Wen had subtly closed the distance between them.

By the time she realized Ye Wen’s hand had slapped her shoulder, it was too late to dodge. She then heard him say: “I recently grasped the second move of the Heavenly Dance Treasure Wheel. You can be the first to try it out!”

His hand tapped and immediately retracted. Huang Rongrong had expected Ye Wen to employ some elaborate method of punishment. She was puzzled by a mere touch and was about to question him when she realized she couldn't utter a sound, no matter how hard she tried.

“Hmph, hmph!” Ye Wen actually wanted to boast and say, My Tongue Seizure, but he couldn't recall which sense the original move targeted. Was it taste, leading to paralysis of the tongue and loss of speech? After much thought, unable to grasp the detail, he settled for a couple of hums.

However, seeing Huang Rongrong jumping around in panic, he offered an explanation: “I sealed your mute point with my true energy! Don't worry, it will wear off naturally in two hours… This serves as a minor reprimand, so you understand that your Sect Master is not some common thug you can lecture casually.”

Upon hearing this, Huang Rongrong hopped and stomped behind him. If she could speak, she would have certainly roared, Who are you calling a common thug?

…

PS: On the monthly ticket ranking for the category, I’m fiercely battling Immortality… truly ‘grueling,’ leaving us all bruised and battered!