With the engagement date for Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue finally set, the entire Mount Shu Sect entered a period of calm productivity. Disciples, apart from their daily martial arts practice, were busy preparing for the grand occasion of their Sect Leader's betrothal.

As the news spread further, the entire Pingzhou martial arts world learned that the Gentleman Sword Ye Wen was soon to be betrothed to his junior sister, marrying her in the near future. Many martial artists, curious about Ye Wen and hoping to forge connections, began to gather in Shushan County. Among them, his closest acquaintances had already paid their respects in advance.

The Shushan County yamen also sent Head Constable Li to pay a visit. Although the gift was modest, and they explicitly stated that neither the present time nor the official day would see their formal attendance, Ye Wen understood the county yamen’s stance from Li's words.

"As long as the Mount Shu Sect does not engage in anything that incites public outrage or plots treasonous acts," the government side will certainly offer us considerable goodwill…"

As Head Constable Li rose to leave, he casually slipped several sheets of paper into Ye Wen’s hand. Ye Wen tucked them away without a close look. After exchanging a few more pleasantries and smiles, they parted ways, and Head Constable Li descended the mountain alone.

Only after he had gone did Ye Wen take out the papers to examine them closely. He found they were several deeds—all for ownerless wasteland surrounding Mount Shu. This land could indeed be developed into arable fields, but due to the limited population of Shushan County, it had remained idle, with no one to cultivate it.

Now, the County Magistrate was granting Ye Wen a significant favor by awarding all the land surrounding Mount Shu to the Mount Shu Sect. If the sect could reclaim this wasteland as farmland, the Magistrate could collect taxes from it, thus expanding the treasury's revenue stream—a major achievement for him.

A rough estimate suggested that if all this land could be developed, it would amount to at least ten thousand mu. However, the Mount Shu Sect lacked the manpower, and even with future growth, they likely wouldn't need this much. Yet, these deeds presented the Mount Shu Sect with an even greater opportunity for expansion. As the sect grew stronger, more and more people would naturally congregate around Mount Shu.

The current era was far from peaceful. If there was a powerful sect nearby, the region would become exceptionally stable and tranquil. Bandits and robbers would hesitate to cause trouble, making such an area highly attractive for ordinary folk to settle down.

At that time, the Mount Shu Sect could lease this land to the populace. Simply acting as local landlords would be enough to cover the sect’s expenses, even after paying taxes to the yamen.

Ye Wen looked over the deeds, took a deep breath, and carefully put them away. He knew this was the county yamen's way of signaling their acknowledgment of the Mount Shu Sect’s standing in the locality; otherwise, he would never have received such items. Of course, the yamen’s decision was based on the mutual benefits—they stood to gain considerably with little cost, as the land was currently useless to them. Should the Mount Shu Sect utilize it and grow, Shushan County might develop into one of Pingzhou's major towns, paving the way for the Magistrate’s promotion.

“It seems I can’t always hide away on the mountain,” Ye Wen mused. “Perhaps venturing out to the Central Plains markets to build some reputation for the sect would be a viable option…”

Once this thought arose, Ye Wen felt it was genuinely actionable. Only with the Mount Shu Sect's reputation growing could they attract the mobile population—those seeking stability without a homeland, or those driven elsewhere by other circumstances. Given the sect's current standing, attracting people shouldn't be an issue, but Pingzhou’s population was sparse; the residents living there generally didn't worry about losing their land.

Those truly without property and needing to seek fortunes elsewhere were mostly people from the Central Plains regions, and ironically, the wealthier the area, the more such individuals there were. The problem was that the Mount Shu Sect held almost no recognition in those areas. Consequently, when these people roamed, they would never consider settling under the jurisdiction of a sect they hadn't heard of or whose strength remained unknown.

“It always circles back to the same issue: fame! But for now, let’s just enjoy a good New Year…”

The New Year arrived as uneventfully as the last. As the most senior elder in the sect, Ye Wen’s duty on the first day of the year was to hand out red envelopes, ensuring the disciples had pocket money.

The outer disciples and menial laborers also received theirs; the disciples received them directly from Ye Wen, while Aunt Zhao managed the laborers' distribution. Even so, handing out over a hundred red envelopes in one day was tiresome, giving him a dizzy feeling whenever he saw the color red.

Yue Ning paid her respects to her master early in the morning. After lunch, she descended the mountain to reunite with her family. Most others with relatives near Shushan County also left the mountain.

Although many remained on the mountain, it was far less lively than usual. Fortunately, the young Zhou Zhiruo, still small this year, ran around, bringing considerable cheer to Mount Shu. Additionally, Li Sen had bought plenty of firecrackers and fireworks during his pre-New Year procurement trip, so the occasional loud bangs prevented the atmosphere from feeling too desolate.

“We should save the big fireworks for tonight!”

Gently stroking Zhiruo’s head, Ye Wen suddenly felt not twenty-three, but thirty-two. Such a gesture toward a child felt completely incongruous with his actual age.

“Sometimes I truly forget I’m only twenty-three…”

Lost in a slight daze of wandering thoughts, Ye Wen took his junior sister’s hand. Ning Ruxue didn't pull away; instead, she moved slightly closer to him and softly replied, “Senior Brother, have you been under too much pressure these past few days? Actually, our Mount Shu Sect is on the right track now; we don't need to labor as hard as in previous years.”

Ye Wen wanted to agree, but the unresolved matter of the Tianle Gang kept his mind uneasy. “Not yet. We can truly relax only when my Innate Purple Qi reaches Great Accomplishment!” If his Innate Purple Qi reached Great Accomplishment, very few people in the entire martial world could threaten him. The remaining masters would likely be cautious, unable to act as wantonly as the Scarlet Sun Divine Lord, who used to seek trouble wherever he pleased. Moreover, after reaching such a level of cultivation, they would cherish what they already possessed, unlike those with lesser skills who might fight desperately; confrontations would mostly be sparring matches rather than lethal encounters.

Furthermore, the woman whose hand he held was waiting for him. Ye Wen naturally couldn't proceed with his cultivation at a leisurely pace over decades. “Besides, I shouldn’t keep Junior Sister waiting anxiously.” Ning Ruxue’s face flushed, and she felt a slight joy, but habit took over, and she blurted out, “I… I’m not…”

She was simply accustomed to bickering with Ye Wen and spoke without thinking, immediately regretting it. What if Senior Brother misunderstands?

However, she worried unnecessarily. How could Ye Wen not discern the true meaning behind Ning Ruxue's words? Seeing her face so red, he teased playfully, “Oh? Is Junior Sister not anxious? In that case, I shall proceed slowly with my cultivation! This technique emphasizes steadiness; striving for success too quickly is counterproductive!”

Now Ning Ruxue was truly flustered and unsure how to respond. If she admitted she was anxious to marry her Senior Brother soon, it felt too shameless. She opened her mouth several times but couldn't utter a word. It was Ye Wen who comforted her, seeing her distress: “Just joking, Junior Sister, don’t worry…”

This earned him a huge eye-roll and a slight stomp on his foot. She tried to pull her hand away with a little force, as if to escape, but Ye Wen held tighter, ensuring she couldn't run off.

Ning Ruxue struggled briefly, then gave up when Ye Wen didn't loosen his grip. They chatted for a while longer, meandering through various topics without any fixed subject.

As they talked, they realized they hadn't seen Xu Xian all day except during meals. Ning Ruxue wondered aloud, “Where has Junior Brother gone? I haven’t seen much of him today. Did he go home…”

Ye Wen gave a wry smile and replied, “He went home yesterday for New Year’s Eve dinner and rushed back this morning! He’s probably busy cultivating his skills right now…”

“Cultivating? Is Junior Brother about to break through?” Ning Ruxue knew Xu Xian’s progress was astonishingly fast; he had been on the verge of a breakthrough months ago. However, that final push was incredibly difficult; without some fortunate encounter, it might take three to five years to advance. Hearing that Xu Xian wasn't even celebrating the New Year, but pushing his cultivation, she naturally assumed he had glimpsed that sliver of opportunity for a breakthrough and was fighting desperately for it.

Logically, this should be the case, but Ye Wen just smiled wryly: “Junior Sister was busy with those miscellaneous matters the other day, so I didn’t get a chance to tell you. Recently, based on the Pure Yang Wuji Art, I made quite a few modifications and derivations—I’ve essentially spun off another, stronger Pure Yang technique. Junior Brother Xu is rushing to practice that new technique, hoping to finally shake off that persistent cough… That ailment has plagued him long enough!” Ning Ruxue then understood that Xu Xian wasn't pushing the Pure Yang Wuji Art breakthrough, but was diligently practicing a new, more yang-aligned technique he had been given.

“If he masters this technique, how powerful will his skill level become?” Ye Wen pondered for a moment. He recalled that Xu Xian’s foundation was already excellent; now, armed with the new manual and the unawakened essence of the Snake King residing within him, if he could successfully cultivate the technique, he would likely blast through the Ren and Du Meridians, stepping into the Innate threshold.

“I estimate he’ll open his Ren and Du Meridians…”

“That means he’ll be like Senior Brother…” Hearing this, Ning Ruxue’s expression soured slightly. Perhaps realizing that both her Senior Brother and Junior Brother had crossed that barrier while she remained slow in progress—she was still a considerable distance even from the realm just short of opening those meridians.

The Myriad Manifestation Art was undoubtedly miraculous, surpassing the Purple Haze Divine Skill Ye Wen had previously practiced and the Pure Yang Wuji Art Xu Xian originally cultivated. Yet, these two had crossed the threshold while she hadn't even found the main door, leading her to harbor self-doubt: Do I truly lack the talent for martial arts…?

In truth, she was overthinking. Ye Wen’s success was due to a confluence of fortunate coincidences. Xu Xian, on the other hand, had propelled his Pure Yang internal energy to its current level using the Snake King's essence blood. Only Ning Ruxue, despite having her meridians strengthened by the Snake King’s gall, had gained little in terms of actual power. Coupled with the Myriad Manifestation Art being profound yet notoriously difficult to practice, her current situation was entirely understandable. In fact, Ning Ruxue's cultivation speed was already fast enough; the problem was that both Ye Wen and Xu Xian were playing with cheat codes.

Seeing his junior sister’s expression, Ye Wen understood her thoughts, but there was nothing to be done; rare treasures were not easily obtained. He was unwilling to let Ning Ruxue face mortal danger just to force a breakthrough. Therefore, she had to cultivate slowly. Fortunately, the Myriad Manifestation Art was top-tier, meaning he wouldn’t need to worry about upgrading her manual in the future.

As for Xu Xian, Ye Wen stroked his chin: “The Pure Yang Supreme Art I acquired recently is hailed as a top-tier yang cultivation method. It should be able to expel the cold energy within Xu Xian, right? Moreover, this technique is top-grade, so I shouldn't have to worry about Junior Brother Xu’s inner strength for a while!” When Ye Wen first obtained the Pure Yang Supreme Art, he was momentarily perplexed, unable to trace the origin of the technique. Only after carefully reading the manual did he understand where it came from.

If the name Pure Yang Supreme Art wasn't familiar, its other name surely was: the Eight Desolations Six Harmonies, I Alone Am Supreme Art of the Heavenly Mountain Child Elder. The manual for the Pure Yang Supreme Art stated that it was the original version of the Eight Desolations Six Harmonies, Its Supreme Art being a modified version that the Child Elder forcibly adapted for female cultivation—a technique originally meant only for men.

Although Ye Wen found this setup somewhat far-fetched, since he possessed it, and it included detailed methods for circulating qi and energy, it was clearly viable. More amazingly, although named the Pure Yang Supreme Art, it wasn't solely for wielding Pure Yang qi. Following specific methods in the manual, one could reverse the circulation to generate pure Yin internal energy, though it couldn't be sustained in the body for long. It truly deserved to be called a marvelous, top-tier technique.

Ye Wen believed Xu Xian could refine his internal cold energy using this technique for two reasons: first, the technique could cultivate extremely yang qi. While its purity might be slightly less than the Pure Yang Wuji Art, the sheer yang energy it generated far surpassed it. Second, the method for wielding diametrically opposed internal energies should significantly aid Xu Xian in neutralizing the cold within him.

“If I couldn't get the Nine Yang Divine Skill, this technique isn't bad either! They are both supreme yang methods, so it should be useful…”

As for himself, he continued to delve into the Innate Purple Qi. By continuously cultivating using the Cold Spring water, opening the remaining meridians was only a matter of time. After long periods of focused study, he vaguely felt his internal energy accumulating to a critical mass; perhaps he could find time soon to attempt breaking through the other vital gates.

During this time, he was also contemplating the future cultivation paths for Liu Muyan and Guo Jing. Guo Jing was easier; one move or stance was enough to keep him busy for a month. Currently, he was focused on the Heavy Sword style and strengthening his arm strength and internal energy. Liu Muyan, however, was harder to manage. Should he be made to practice calligraphy forever?

In his spare time, Ye Wen would flip through manuals, searching for critical acupoints, hoping to invent a technique specifically targeting the enemy's vital spots.

He failed; he simply didn't understand the art of pressure point striking. Fortunately, the ring had been exceptionally helpful recently. Before acquiring the Pure Yang Supreme Art, it had yielded a Golden Snake Sword Style manual—but only the sword forms, omitting the Golden Snake Cone and the Golden Snake Coiling Body Palm forms.

“Damn it! I don’t have a Golden Snake Sword!” What frustrated him was that the style was useless without the specific sword, whose shape was unique. The Golden Snake Sword Style was less of a sword form and more of a chaotic mix of techniques from various exotic weapons, incorporating grappling maneuvers from items like iron hooks and Emei thorns—moves absent from standard swordsmanship.

However, the Golden Snake Sword Style wasn't summoned in vain. It also incorporated concepts from the Judge’s Brush, such as pointing and thrusting techniques. Due to the Golden Snake Sword’s distinctive form, its thrusts often utilized methods similar to the Judge’s Brush. This gave Ye Wen a reference point. Therefore, he spent this time reorganizing the principles of the Golden Snake Sword Style to create a martial art usable by Liu Muyan.

Considering the weapon issue, Ye Wen had to break down some moves—a single move was split into two, and a move meant for one hand had to be adapted for two hands. He was considering having Liu Muyan use dual weapons.

“Worst case, I’ll just copy an Iron Hook and Silver Hook style! Even without the Heaven Reliant and Dragon Slaying skills, having this Golden Snake Sword Style will make him formidable enough! Hmph!” After months of tinkering, Ye Wen finally had some direction, but since it wasn't finalized, he hadn't told Liu Muyan. Liu Muyan, focused solely on calligraphy, hadn't pressed the issue.

Conversely, that boy Guo Jing was progressing at lightning speed after learning the Heavy Sword style. Ye Wen discovered that this lad had built an incredibly solid foundation with the initial stages of the Quanzhen Heart Method, making the subsequent mastery of the technique a natural progression. As for the Heavy Sword style, it was fundamentally unadorned—just a few basic maneuvers repeated, relying purely on strength. Although Guo Jing’s strength wasn't overwhelming yet, he could already wield the heavy sword with rudimentary smoothness. Even Xu Ping, if careless, risked being injured by this junior brother’s attacks!

“Little Junior Brother’s skills… are advancing incredibly fast…”

Xu Ping felt deeply ashamed. He had entered the sect long before Guo Jing, yet now he was being thoroughly confused and nearly defeated by a junior brother who had only been a disciple for a few months. This was partly because Xu Ping’s own martial arts lacked a coherent system; his future development was completely uncertain. Guo Jing, however, was different. His path was defined from the start; he simply needed to advance step by step. Combined with the straightforward, brute-force nature of the Heavy Sword style, ordinary practitioners found it hard to defend against.

Seeing his youngest disciple perform so well, Ye Wen couldn't offer him empty praise. So, seizing an opportunity, he taught Guo Jing a palm technique utterly devoid of subtle technicality—a straightforward thrusting palm. Ye Wen shamelessly named this move, “Purple Qi Coming From the East.”

Ye Wen’s explanation for the name was: “Because when I unleash this palm, purple qi billows and surges around me, and since our Mount Shu Sect is located in the East, I named it so!”

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