With Guo Nu joining the party, Ye Wen and his entourage were not as carefree as before. As the disciples traveled, they dared not speak too much, settling for silence for fear that a misplaced word might be overheard by Guo Nu.

In contrast, Xu Xian remained relatively relaxed. When Guo Nu engaged him in conversation, Xu Xian responded with ease, giving the impression to any observer that the two were merely friends chatting as they walked.

"I have long heard of Young Master Xu's great name; to finally meet you in person today is truly a blessing beyond measure!" Guo Nu had only managed to gather earlier that the renowned Xu Xian had joined the Shu Mountain Sect and had apparently acquired no small degree of martial skill. However, he had paid it little mind, assuming the scholarly, delicate-looking Xu Xian had taken up martial arts merely as a diversion.

It was only later, upon discovering the extraordinary finesse of Xu Xian’s swordsmanship, that he paid slightly more attention. Yet, even then, he didn't take it too seriously, as exquisite swordplay did not automatically equate to high-level combat prowess. Moreover, since Xu Xian had scarcely clashed with any true masters, no one could accurately gauge the true extent of his abilities.

Even learning that Lu Tian was slain by Xu Xian was discounted, as the intelligence suggested Xu Xian relied on a sneak attack, which counted for little in terms of genuine skill.

Thus, in the eyes of the Tianle Gang members, Xu Xian posed less of a threat than Ning Ruxue, because Ning Ruxue had genuinely defeated Lu Tian in a straightforward confrontation. Anyone in Pingzhou possessing such skill was already considered a notable figure.

This perception shifted dramatically only after encountering Hua Yi again and learning the true strength of the Shu Mountain Sect from her lips.

"You say what? That Ye Wen knows a technique to unleash sword energy without a weapon?..." Guo Nu’s first thought was the scene from the banquet when Ye Wen’s finger grazed the wine cup. At the time, he had sensed that it was no ordinary finger technique; it felt as if Ye Wen were wielding a dagger.

After that incident, he had remained wary of Ye Wen’s ability. He hadn't expected Hua Yi to reveal today that what he witnessed was nothing significant, and that Ye Wen could fully condense his inner energy into sharp sword qi, projecting it a distance of at least two or three zhang.

"I personally witnessed him inscribing characters on the Shu Mountain cliff face with sword qi! If Elder Guo does not believe me, he can make a trip to Shu Mountain himself; he will see the massive characters 'Shu Mountain' as soon as he reaches the base of the mountain!"

Hearing this, a cold sweat beaded on Guo Nu's forehead. He had already been continuously escalating his estimation of Ye Wen's cultivation, but he never imagined that in terms of combat power, Ye Wen might be even more formidable than he thought.

He had initially considered stopping Ye Wen because he had a safeguard: his cultivation of the Golden Bell Shield technique, though not perfected, allowed him to ignore general strikes from fists or feet. Even conventional weapons would struggle to harm him in the slightest. With this divine art protecting him, even if he couldn't defeat Niu Wen, maintaining a stalemate should not be a significant issue. However, if Ye Wen truly knew how to condense inner energy into sword qi, and if that qi was sharp enough to employ an 'attack point against the whole,' his newly developing Golden Bell Shield mastery could very well be ruined.

"I know Elder Guo's greatest reliance is the Rulai Vajra Fist and this Golden Bell Shield technique... but I do not think Elder Guo's protective art can withstand Ye Wen's Zixiao Dragon Qi Sword!" Not stopping there, Hua Yi dropped another piece of news that shocked Guo Nu even more: "Furthermore, if Ye Wen is intent on causing trouble for our Gang, I fear that unless my Master or Gang Leader Lin intervenes, none of us could stop him!"

Guo Nu did not care for this statement: "Although Ye Wen's martial arts are profound, surely he is not that overwhelmingly powerful? Is he suggesting he could dispatch me without sustaining a scratch? Elder Hua, you might be underestimating me!"

Hua Yi simply chuckled softly, "Elder Guo, do not be angered! What I meant was, if Ye Wen is solely focused on settling a score with Gang Leader Lin, then if we intervene, we probably wouldn't even manage to touch Ye Wen himself..."

"What do you mean?" Guo Nu’s eyelids twitched; he suddenly grasped a very unfavorable possibility.

Hua Yi saw the expression on his face and knew he had guessed it but lacked confirmation from her own lips. She decided to lay the matter bare: "Ye Wen’s junior brother and sister are not far behind him in skill! Moreover, his junior sister Ning is also proficient in a sword qi technique. Though it is not as domineering and forceful as Ye Wen's, it is far more nimble and difficult to defend against!"

Upon hearing this, Guo Nu didn't need to inquire further about Ning Ruxue's exact cultivation level. Just hearing that the woman could also employ sword qi confirmed she was no ordinary martial artist. This was because techniques that externally project jinqi (internal force) are extremely draining on internal energy; without reaching a certain level of cultivation, how could one manipulate externalized zhenqi with such ease?

More importantly, she manipulated condensed sword qi, which is several times harder than controlling ordinary jinqi. Maintaining the condensation of the sword qi while simultaneously controlling its direction is something most people could never achieve.

What he didn't know was that among the Shu Mountain Sect, no one surpassed Ye Wen in controlling zhenqi. Even with Ye Wen's cultivation, he could barely control the trajectory of the Zixiao Dragon Qi Sword, which focused on brute force in a straight line rather than complex maneuvers.

Ning Ruxue's ease of use stemmed entirely from the nature of her mutated Innate Boundaryless Sword Qi, which manifested purely as sword qi, requiring no effort to maintain condensation—unlike Ye Wen, whose Zixiao Dragon Qi Sword required more fuss.

Guo Nu, unaware of these nuances, concluded that Ning Ruxue's skills were also immensely powerful, causing his anxiety to spike. He wondered how much hidden strength the Shu Mountain Sect possessed and whether his Tianle Gang could withstand this massive variable—Ye Wen had upgraded from a variable to a major one.

Concurrently, Hua Yi mentioned that Xu Xian’s skills were also not to be underestimated. Though she hadn't witnessed him fight personally, based on his demeanor when coming and going, and snippets of conversation, she gathered that Xu Xian had crossed the threshold of the Xiantian realm and had fully mastered his Pure Yang inner energy.

"It's just that Xu Xian seems to have suffered some injury while cultivating in the past—he developed a lung ailment that has never fully healed, and it seemed to worsen a few days ago, causing him to cough occasionally."

Hua Yi blinked, recalling this last detail, unsure if it might assist Guo Nu.

This observation led to the subsequent situations where Guo Nu frequently engaged Xu Xian in casual conversation, seeking to probe the true depths of Xu Xian’s condition.

"I heard Young Master Xu is suffering from a slight indisposition... how is his health now? Although I, this Elder, do not understand medicine, the Tianle Gang’s enterprises span the Nine Provinces. I believe finding some rare heavenly treasures to cure the Young Master's illness should not be an issue!"

Xu Xian smiled faintly and quickly offered his thanks: "Then I thank Elder Guo first! My illness is nothing serious; my body of Yang-attributed inner energy should naturally dispel it! It’s just that I caught a chill a few days ago, aggravating the lung sickness, so it requires a little more time!"

Elder Guo’s mind raced. He mused, "Caught a chill? Pure Yang energy? It seems his lung sickness is due to cold qi entering his lungs..." But how could a master possessing Pure Yang energy be injured by cold qi? Unless that cold qi was so powerful and overbearing that he could not resist it at all! He presumed Xu Xian sustained the injury after mastering the Pure Yang art, though while technically true, the injury had actually occurred before his Yang energy reached its peak, which is why it proved so persistent.

After much thought, Guo Nu considered the Ice Soul Cold Art of the Tianshan Sect, as that technique was renowned throughout the martial world specifically for its intense coldness. "I haven't heard of any Tianshan Sect master coming to Pingzhou... Could it be that another master skilled in Yin-cold jinqi clashed with this Xu Xian?"

After pondering fruitlessly, he could only offer a few forced laughs, making meaningless small talk with Xu Xian.

Xu Xian, however, was unconcerned. He had discussed matters with Ye Wen the previous day; since Hua Yi had resided on his mountain for so long, many secrets were bound to slip out. Since they couldn't be concealed, he might as well reveal them openly; it would only give his counterpart something extra to puzzle over.

"This is practicing deception: if strong, appear weak; if weak, appear strong. Confusing the real and the unreal until it's a total muddle. Let that Guo Nu stew in his own confusion..."

Throughout the journey, although conversation flowed, the pace of travel did not slacken at all. Soon, they entered the territory of Hezhou; only a few more days' journey separated them from the site of the Martial Arts Assembly—the mountain gate of the Northern Sword Sect.

"Our Gang’s Elder Pei hails from the Northern Sword Sect. Thus, our Tianle Gang has somewhat benefited from Elder Pei’s connection, and our lodging and other arrangements were settled in advance. Those accompanying this Elder need not worry too much about food and lodging."

Ye Wen had initially wondered why only Guo Nu was present. Even if the Tianle Gang elites were dispatched from the headquarters, surely one person from the branch office should have been present. Only now did he realize that those members had departed earlier to arrange matters near the Northern Sword Sect.

Guo Nu was left alone at the key transit point awaiting their group. It turned out that after entering the town that day, Hua Yi had slipped ahead without anyone noticing, eventually entering the inn where Guo Nu was staying. She must have seen the Tianle Gang's signal, which then unconsciously led everyone to that location. Ye Wen later realized with a jolt of insight how calculating Hua Yi was, appearing flighty and chatty while maneuvering everyone toward Guo Nu.

Of course, this was partly due to Ye Wen not paying close attention at the time; he was preoccupied with the surrounding scenery and failed to notice these subtleties. The other disciples were similar—a clear sign of inexperience and naivete.

After some thought, Ye Wen finally spoke: "Your Gang has dispatched all its elites this time; I presume you intend to make a grand showing at this Martial Arts Assembly!"

Guo Nu glanced at Ye Wen, pondered for a moment, then smiled: "I won't hide it from Sect Leader Ye. Our Gang Leader Lin intends to challenge several experts at this Assembly to expand the Tianle Gang's enterprises! If successful... we can afford to relinquish our interests in Pingzhou to the Shu Mountain Sect..."

This statement served as a partial disclosure—a clear signal to Ye Wen: the Tianle Gang now has loftier goals and cannot afford to provoke the Shu Mountain Sect for the time being. They were even willing to foster a friendly relationship. If the Shu Mountain Sect agreed not to interfere with the Tianle Gang during this Assembly, they would appropriately yield some of their Pingzhou interests for Shu Mountain to take over.

Ye Wen immediately understood the implication and began analyzing whether this proposal benefited the Shu Mountain Sect in the long run.

In reality, the "yielded interests" the Tianle Gang spoke of were negligible. Although both the Tianle Gang and the Shu Mountain Sect were martial arts factions, their modes of operation differed fundamentally.

The Shu Mountain Sect was akin to a local pillar industry; its foundation and sphere of influence were confined to a specific region, dealing in industries essential for sustenance. While they needed to make money, this was secondary. Everything centered on the survival and continuation of the sect.

The Tianle Gang, however, resembled a chain of businesses whose primary objective was profit. They strived everywhere for gain, ultimately aiming to optimize their profitability rather than securing dynastic heritage.

Furthermore, the Tianle Gang's largest industries included the trade of miscellaneous goods and establishments like brothels and entertainment venues. Because they had branch offices spread across the land, they had convenience in trading miscellaneous goods, allowing them to purchase local specialties cheaply in one place and sell them at a high markup elsewhere through constant shuttling.

Brothels were a major form of entertainment at the time, an excellent diversion for the wealthy, and since the Imperial Court did not prohibit them, the financially powerful Tianle Gang naturally got involved. Although this industry earned the Tianle Gang widespread criticism from many major sects, they were often subjected only to a few harsh words before continuing to profit handsomely.

They engaged in other profitable ventures, but none reached the scale of these two main pillars. Analyzing just these two key industries, as long as the Tianle Gang maintained a branch in Pingzhou, they could continue procuring Pingzhou’s local specialties. As for brothels, Pingzhou's sparse population meant the business there would be far less lucrative than elsewhere; they could simply keep one or two of the most profitable ones and close the rest to save expenses.

Therefore, the Tianle Gang was essentially losing nothing substantial. Although they appeared to be withdrawing significant force, the critical assets remained rooted in Pingzhou.

Moreover, if the Tianle Gang truly succeeded in their current objective, their development focus would inevitably shift slightly towards wealthier regions. Concentrating their strength there meant that drawing manpower and resources from Pingzhou was expected. Thus, the so-called yielding of interests was, in fact, something the Tianle Gang was compelled to do anyway.

"Heh! That old fox!"

Despite discerning the key implications, Ye Wen did not refuse. This matter brought nothing but advantage to his Shu Mountain Sect. Setting aside the reason for the Tianle Gang’s resource withdrawal, the Shu Mountain Sect would gain greater room for development.

Furthermore, having one less formidable enemy looming meant the Shu Mountain Sect could enjoy a more comfortable period for growth.

Ye Wen smiled enigmatically, but Guo Nu was far less composed, feeling a slight anxiety over how Ye Wen would respond. If Ye Wen accepted, it would be excellent news for the Tianle Gang. If Ye Wen insisted on a decisive clash, Guo Nu's gambit would have exposed their hand unnecessarily.

This move was indeed risky, but if successful, it promised massive long-term benefits for their Gang—this thought drove Guo Nu to speak as he did. Fortunately, as the foremost of the Four Elders, he held the authority to make such pronouncements, so he wasn't overly concerned about incurring the Gang Leader's wrath should the negotiation fail.

What frustrated him was that Ye Wen never gave a definitive answer on whether he agreed or not! Guo Nu had hoped to use this as leverage to forge a temporary alliance between the Shu Mountain Sect and the Tianle Gang, but that opportunity never materialized.

This matter dragged on until they reached the foot of Beijian Peak, the location of the Northern Sword Sect, without any concrete assurance.

"The bad news is, Ye Wen never agreed to my proposal!" Guo Nu said with self-mockery upon meeting Pei Wei. "The good news is, the fellow didn't immediately declare a showdown with my Tianle Gang either!"

Pei Wei looked rather helpless and remarked, "Elder Guo, isn't that equivalent to saying nothing?"

Guo Nu shook his head: "Not quite! This situation is actually somewhat advantageous for us. Ye Wen not directly falling out means there is room for maneuver. I suspect he wants to observe the Tianle Gang’s true strength. If he feels he cannot win, or that the cost would be too high, he won't attack, maintaining a suitable distance from us. Not friendly, perhaps, but temporarily not an enemy either!"

Pei Wei considered this, finally grasping the core idea: "Elder Guo means that the Shu Mountain Sect wants to conserve strength to deal with the Thunder Sword Sect?"

Guo Nu nodded: "Or perhaps it's more accurate to say to handle the Thunder Sword Sect. Those two sects have already exchanged formal challenges. It's only because the Martial Arts Assembly is imminent that they haven't engaged in direct conflict. Lei Zhenshan even openly declared he would make those Shu Mountain bumpkins pay for his son’s life! They are now locked in a death feud; our issue with the Shu Mountain Sect is merely a minor grievance by comparison!"

Just then, Hua Yi entered and remarked, "There will definitely be a battle between the Shu Mountain Sect and the Thunder Sword Sect at this Assembly. Why don't we wait until the Shu Mountain Sect is exhausted and seize the opportunity to eliminate them?"

Guo Nu thought it over, then sighed: "The Tianle Gang's biggest adversary this time is the Azure Dragon Society Master, Dongfang Yi. His skill is among the best in the current martial world. Gang Leader Lin needs to focus all his energy to confront him. Regardless of victory or defeat after that engagement, he likely won't have the strength left to spar with Ye Wen..."

Hua Yi pouted: "But isn't there my Master?"

Guo Nu scratched his head: "Although your Master’s skill is supreme, she rarely intervenes. Her presence this time is mostly as a contingency. I don't know if your Master will truly take up this matter! So, it's hard to judge..."

Hua Yi, unbothered, simply turned and walked away: "When Master arrives, I will go and speak with her myself!" Before the words finished fading, she was gone.

Only after she had walked some distance did Pei Wei whisper, "Elder Hua’s position might be in jeopardy!"

"Hm?" Guo Nu blinked, then sharply reprimanded, "Stop talking nonsense..." He couldn't believe Hua Yi would lose her Elder status just for being a bit willful. She had always been like this; it hadn't caused issues before. Besides, her Master was someone even the Gang Leader treated with caution—who in the Gang could possibly remove this favored daughter of heaven?

Pei Wei lowered his voice: "It’s not nonsense. Two days ago, a brother from the headquarters came ahead as a scout and informed me that both the Gang Leader and that woman surnamed Shen are quite displeased with Elder Hua’s unilateral actions this time. Although the woman surnamed Shen didn't use harsh words, she stated she could no longer tolerate Elder Hua’s arbitrary behavior."

Guo Nu quickly cut off Pei Wei: "Do not mention this again. These matters are not for you or me to worry about! Otherwise..." He left the threat hanging, needing no elaboration. Still, Guo Nu had a vague feeling that major changes were about to sweep through the Tianle Gang.