"Who else could it be? Didn't you see that whole group is from the Jade Cave Sect? The elder behind them is the Nine Sword Immortal's senior brother, the Jade Cave Sect Master, Yu Qingzi!"

The murmuring of the crowd drifted clearly into Ye Wen’s ears, causing him to peer out a few more times. By this point, everyone’s attention had shifted entirely to the contingent from the Jade Cave Sect, and Liu Wulang was entirely ignored.

After standing there for a moment, his face flushed crimson with frustration, he roared, "You look down on me? Then I'll let you know my might! Behold my palm strike!"

With that shout, he immediately launched a move—Mountain Splitting Palm—straight down toward Ye Wen’s head! Ye Wen was seated precisely where the height of his head made it the most comfortable position for Liu Wulang to put all his strength into the strike. Down came the palm, requiring almost no adjustment, as if practicing a routine move. Liu Wulang was sure that if this strike landed squarely, it would surely split Ye Wen’s skull open and kill him instantly.

He didn't care about the trouble a dead man might bring. If one palm strike could fell their sect master, there was nothing to fear from such a sect.

But unexpectedly, just as the palm was about to connect with Ye Wen, it felt as if something had firmly intercepted it, stopping dead in mid-air, unable to move an inch further. He glanced down to see Ye Wen still holding his teacup with both hands, his right hand lifting the lid to stir the tea leaves, without even raising his head, let alone sparing him a glance.

This sight made the onlookers gasp in wonder. Liu Wulang seemed frozen in place, sweat pouring down his face, veins bulging on his arm, clearly exerting immense force, yet his hand remained suspended in the air in a most bizarre fashion, refusing to advance an inch no matter how hard he tried. The scene was utterly uncanny. Even as Liu Wulang continuously pressed harder, the palm remained fixed, yet nothing was visibly gripping or blocking it, as if a statue were holding a pose.

Only about a foot separated Liu Wulang’s palm from Ye Wen’s head, but this minuscule distance had transformed into an insurmountable chasm that he could not cross.

While the crowd secretly tried to decipher what was happening, Ye Wen spoke softly, "In the future, be more modest in your dealings, and refrain from such insolent talk! Go now!"

The moment his words fell, Liu Wulang’s tensed right palm, which had been straining for so long, suddenly became free. But instead of striking Ye Wen, it swung outward toward the inn’s entrance. The tremendous force in his arm seemed to yank him bodily outward, and he couldn't recall the motion even if he wanted to.

The martial artists watching heard Ye Wen’s casual remarks, and then saw Liu Wulang seemingly flung out as if thrown, sailing over their heads... followed by a loud thud as he landed outside the inn. He groaned for a moment before scrambling back up.

Such a miraculous display left everyone dumbfounded; not a single person even managed a jeer as Liu Wulang got up and fled in shame.

After a moment of stunned silence, someone suddenly shouted, "How many moves was that?"

At this exclamation, the crowd erupted, but no one could provide a definitive answer. Ye Wen had not visibly moved; he merely sat there drinking tea, and yet Liu Wulang was sent flying—it was clearly a defeat. However, the audience had no clue how any of it had transpired.

Only Ye Wen understood the whole process perfectly. As Liu Wulang struck, Ye Wen, while appearing to sip his tea, had subtly moved his arm, unleashing wave after wave of the Purple Qi Heavenly Net without anyone noticing. The harder Liu Wulang charged, the closer he got, the more the essence of the Purple Qi Heavenly Net wrapped around his palm. By the time he reached Ye Wen’s front, he was effectively mired in a quagmire, utterly unable to move. If Ye Wen had intended to kill him, it would have been as simple as raising a hand.

After that, he simply used the momentum of the Purple Qi Heavenly Net essence to fling him outward—this final push was less refined than the initial containment, akin to lifting a heavily loaded net and simply swinging it away.

These subtleties were utterly invisible to those whose cultivation had not reached a significant level. The assembled martial artists only registered that Ye Wen had defeated Liu Wulang without moving, concluding it was either achieved with impossible speed or through some immensely powerful and mysterious technique.

"It must have been too fast; we couldn't see clearly at all!"

"Not so! Not so! It must be some magical technique from the Shu Mountain Sect, just like the azure sword qi from the heroine Ning yesterday!"

"I think it was outright sorcery—first freezing Liu Wulang, then making him leap out of the inn like a madman, and finally fleeing wildly... This Shu Mountain Sect..." However, before he could finish his sentence, he was sharply reprimanded: "Watch your tongue! Do you take the Shu Mountain Sect for a nest of demons and monsters?"

The truth was, these people weren't necessarily defending the Shu Mountain Sect as a paragon of righteousness, but rather wanted to silence this fool before his nonsensical ramblings angered the Sect Master Ye and brought trouble upon everyone. Hadn't they seen Liu Wulang fly away without the man even lifting a hand? If that move had been directed at them, they were certain their meager skills wouldn't be enough to withstand it.

As the arguments continued, no one willing to yield to another’s opinion, finally, someone remembered that the foremost figure in the martial world, the Nine Sword Immortal, was present, and immediately requested, "Senior Hu, could you enlighten us juniors?"

The Nine Sword Immortal stroked his beard and smiled broadly, "Explaining this is quite a difficult task. Why don't we ask Sect Master Ye to demonstrate once more!" With that, he gave a slight shrug of his shoulder, and a long sword suddenly sprang out from behind him.

The sword circled once in the air before coming to rest perfectly balanced atop the Nine Sword Immortal’s shoulder: "Besides, this old man is also eager to witness the marvelous skills of the Shu Mountain Sect!"

The onlookers, without pausing to marvel at how illogically the sword hung suspended in mid-air, pointed directly at Ye Wen of the Shu Mountain Sect. One whispered to his neighbor, "Senior Sword Immortal’s swordsmanship is truly profound; is this legendary Sword Control Technique?"

Another retorted, "No wonder he is revered by the martial world as the Sword Immortal. This is beyond mere skill; it should be called an immortal art!"

The surrounding martial artists could only offer endless praise for the incredible feat of the Nine Sword Immortal, who hadn't moved his body, yet a sword flew out from his shoulder and hovered in the air.

Over there, Ye Wen’s face registered shock. He was deeply wary of the Nine Sword Immortal's skill, which seemed almost identical to the Sword Control Technique: "Does the Sword Control Technique truly exist in this world? Could this world be far more complex than I realize?"

Though inwardly suspicious, his expression remained calm. Observing this reaction, the Nine Sword Immortal secretly praised him inwardly: "Most people are utterly astonished when they see this move, and enemies are half-defeated before the fight even begins, unable to summon their full strength. Yet this young man remains composed upon seeing it. He is either supremely arrogant or has mastered the Daoist art of nurturing vital energy to an astonishing degree!"

The Nine Sword Immortal felt a strong desire to take such an exceptional talent as a disciple and pass on his legacy. However, he had just learned that this young man was the master of the Shu Mountain Sect, the honored leader of a major faction, and thus could never submit to another sect.

With a flicker of regret, Ye Wen set down his teacup, clasped his hands in a bow, and said, "Since Senior holds such an interest, this junior is obliged to oblige..." He looked around and spotted a pristine long sword resting on a nearby table—one of the weapons disarmed from an opponent earlier that morning by Xu Ping, the loser having stormed off in shame, leaving the weapon behind. It would serve perfectly now.

"Senior’s swordsmanship is profound; I too wish to exchange pointers. Please guide me!"

As he finished speaking, he flipped his palm, followed by a flick of his left hand with fingers together. The long sword, previously resting steadily on the table, suddenly sprang to life. It leaped into the air, spun a large circle, and then hovered securely above Ye Wen’s head. Simultaneously, the blade trembled incessantly, shifting unpredictably, seemingly aiming for several vital points around the Nine Sword Immortal. This single move astonished the Nine Sword Immortal, making him utter a surprised, "Oh?"

The onlookers seemed to explode into chaos, many crying out in alarm, "What is happening? Is this world so merciless?" "Does the Shu Mountain Sect Master also possess the Sword Control Technique? Have this man’s martial arts reached the same level as Senior Nine Sword Immortal?"

Of course, some loyal to the Nine Sword Immortal scolded them: "Stop spouting nonsense! Senior Nine Sword Immortal is famed for commanding nine swords; the Shu Mountain Sect Master is only using one. How far behind is he?"

Compared to them, the disciples of the Jade Cave Sect were even more shocked, as their reverence for the Nine Sword Immortal surpassed that of outsiders. Seeing Ye Wen display the same sword control ability, they stared at the young master dumbfounded, unsure of what to say.

Yu Qingzi, the Nine Sword Immortal's senior brother, felt his eyelid twitch, his expression growing solemn. However, his thoughts differed greatly from the crowd's: "Could my junior brother's method of sword control have been stolen?" But upon closer inspection, he noticed that Ye Wen's control method seemed quite different from his junior brother's, which eased his mind slightly, and he continued to observe the spar between his junior brother and the Shu Mountain Sect Master.

"This young man certainly has some means," he thought, not feeling any impropriety in addressing Ye Wen in this manner. Everyone in the martial world knew Yu Qingzi was nearing a century old, making his seniority exceedingly high. The surprise of others regarding Yu Qingzi outliving the martial world’s foremost figure, the Nine Sword Immortal, was less surprising to him; the higher one's cultivation, the stronger their physical body, leading to greater longevity, unless one practiced evil arts that consumed the self for power. Most orthodox masters lived long lives if they avoided accidents.

As for the Sword Control Technique Ye Wen displayed, Yu Qingzi was genuinely curious, knowing that he himself achieved remote sword control and used flying swords to kill enemies by relying on external aids. Yet Ye Wen seemed to possess no such external objects, and this move appeared connected to the energy he used to blast Liu Wulang away earlier. "Does this mean the Shu Mountain Sect truly possesses a method for Sword Control?"

While his mind churned with speculation, the sword on the Nine Sword Immortal's shoulder showed no hesitation. Without the Nine Sword Immortal making any visible move, that sword shot out with a whoosh, aiming directly for the sword above Ye Wen's head.

Since they agreed to a friendly spar to showcase their skills, neither would aim for a vital spot. Ye Wen knew this, so when the incoming sword approached, he flicked his finger. The trembling sword above his head shot out just as quickly. In the blink of an eye, the sharp clang of colliding steel echoed as the two swords met mid-air.

The swords struck and then sprang apart. At this moment, their differing techniques became apparent: the Nine Sword Immortal’s sword, after deflecting aside, suddenly locked in place in the air, adjusted its angle, and aimed once more at Ye Wen.

Ye Wen’s sword, although knocked aside, behaved like a master gracefully retreating; it adjusted its posture during its spin, circled back, and returned.

This single, subtle difference was invisible to the common observer, but the Nine Sword Immortal was a master of his realm. After a brief pause, he immediately grasped the vast disparity. Realizing this, the Nine Sword Immortal’s shoulder twitched again, and the sword locked in the air whooshed directly back. It then slotted with precision into the scabbard on his back. Only then did Ye Wen clearly see that the Nine Sword Immortal carried not only a greatsword nearly the size of a broadsword on his back but also a wider sheath beside it, housing a standard longsword.

Thus, he could see three swords in total. Since the Nine Sword Immortal claimed to command nine swords, he likely had several more concealed. However, as this was not a life-or-death battle, Ye Wen could not see where the other swords were hidden.

Seeing the Nine Sword Immortal recall his blade, Ye Wen also waved his hand, sending his own sword back to its resting spot. However, his recall lacked any scabbard or container. Furthermore, after the clash with the Nine Sword Immortal's sword, much of the Purple Qi Heavenly Net energy adhering to it had dissipated, making precise control difficult. Thus, the sword landed on the table with a considerable clatter. In the act of sheathing, Ye Wen was clearly inferior.

The Nine Sword Immortal observed clearly and merely chuckled, unconcerned. Based on his earlier assessment, the Shu Mountain Sect's Sword Control method seemed far superior, clearly relying purely on internal True Qi to command the sword. The issue with sheathing was merely a sign that the user hadn't perfected it yet. Compared to his own method, which required external aids to manage the swords, this was infinitely more profound.

Of course, this did not mean the Nine Sword Immortal believed he would lose to Ye Wen. With his level of cultivation, he could easily declare no one in the martial world his match and instantly shatter Ye Wen’s sword, severely wounding him. But that would be meaningless to him. He wouldn't have sought a contest with Ye Wen had he not found that subtle application of energy quite exquisite.

"Young man, this skill of yours is truly remarkable. Is this the unique art of your sect?" The Nine Sword Immortal was now genuinely intrigued by the Shu Mountain Sect. A sect possessing such divine ability should not be unknown. Yet, until today, he had never heard of such a sect in the martial world.

Ye Wen clasped his hands in a bow: "This is a technique I created on a sudden impulse! It is still crude and hardly useful!"

The Nine Sword Immortal stroked his white beard and nodded. He didn't believe Ye Wen was being falsely modest; he had already discerned from that brief exchange that while Ye Wen's Sword Control was exquisite, it was rough and simplistic. The sword lacked intrinsic force, relying only on the momentum of its flight to harm an opponent. In actual combat, it could, at best, serve as a distraction and would struggle to inflict serious damage.

He didn't know that if Ye Wen channeled Metal energy, a visible link would manifest between his hand and the sword, allowing an opponent to deduce the flying sword's trajectory. This rendered the remote sword control technique largely useless. As a crude imitation, it simply couldn't compare to the genuine article. Therefore, the Nine Sword Immortal reasoned: judging purely by practicality, this Sword Control method was far less potent than his own technique. However, in terms of future potential, it was far superior.

He kept these thoughts to himself. Though he held a favorable impression of Ye Wen, he didn't know him well enough to elaborate. After a few pleasantries, he took his leave, heading with his senior brother toward the residence already arranged for the North Sword Gate contingent.

On the way, the Jade Cave Sect members continued to discuss the Shu Mountain Sect Master and Ye Wen's Sword Control technique, which rivaled the skills of their own martial or grand-martial uncles. Yu Qingzi and the Nine Sword Immortal said nothing until they reached their lodging. After dinner, back in their private room, the Nine Sword Immortal finally spoke, "Senior brother must be bursting with questions. Ask whatever you wish!"

Yu Qingzi cleared his throat, dismissed the attendant disciples, and waited until only the two brothers remained in the room before inquiring, "Junior brother, did you notice any similarity between the Sword Control technique of the Shu Mountain Sect and your unique ultimate skill?"

The Nine Sword Immortal took a sip of tea. "Senior brother worries that my ultimate skill has been secretly learned?"

Yu Qingzi nodded.

The Nine Sword Immortal merely laughed, "Senior brother worries needlessly. Although the spar with the young man was brief today, I discerned that his technique differs greatly from mine. Moreover, I cannot perform this ultimate skill without the aid of this heavy sword made of profound iron, which possesses powerful magnetic properties!"

He pointed to the greatsword leaning against the wall. "As Senior brother knows, I can command nine swords primarily because of this Profound Iron Sword. Without its potent magnetism, I wouldn't have earned the title of the Nine Sword Immortal!"

Yu Qingzi countered, "Junior brother is too modest. With your cultivation level, even without this divine sword, couldn't you employ the Sword Control Divine Art using only your internal True Qi?"

To his surprise, the Nine Sword Immortal shook his head and sighed deeply, "No, because there are too many variables to resolve in the process!"

Yu Qingzi looked puzzled. "Then how did the young master of the Shu Mountain Sect manage it? Since you said Ye Wen’s method differs greatly from yours, he must be using the True Qi control path!"

The Nine Sword Immortal stroked his beard and frowned in thought. "Perhaps the Shu Mountain Sect already possessed some skill akin to remote object manipulation, allowing him to extrapolate and research this path of Sword Control! However, his technique, much like my own unorthodox method, is merely an imitation in form! Neither of us has achieved true Sword Control..."

Yu Qingzi didn't understand swordsmanship well. Though greatly confused by the explanation, he didn't press further, satisfied that the Shu Mountain Sect’s Sword Control had nothing to do with their own sect's techniques.

As for the relationship with the Shu Mountain Sect? The Jade Cave Sect was a major power in the martial world; they certainly wouldn't debase themselves to seek friendly ties over such a slight acquaintance.