The brief spar between Ye Wen and the Nine Sword Immortal instantly became the most rapidly spreading topic among the bamboo groves below the North Sword Peak these past few days. In a mere overnight, the name of the Shu Mountain Sect had almost reached the ears of everyone.

Even some of the established great sects had been hearing the names of the Shu Mountain Sect and Ye Wen constantly these days. Some scoffed, some disdained, some were wary, and many simply didn't believe it. However, regardless of their feelings, none of these individuals dared to seek trouble with Ye Wen or the Shu Mountain Sect at this time, as they all valued their reputations. Even if they wished to spar with Ye Wen, they would wait until the grand assembly officially commenced.

The Thunder Sword Sect, which harbored significant ill will toward the Shu Mountain Sect, was no exception in hearing this news. Compared to the casual amusement of the others, Lei Zhenshan found himself utterly unable to relax. Ye Wen, the Sect Master of Shu Mountain, could actually exchange blows with the Nine Sword Immortal! Although it was only a single exchange mid-air, what truly concerned him was the fact that Ye Wen also understood the art of controlling a sword in flight. That skill was originally the unique signature of the Nine Sword Immortal, and no other person in the entire Jianghu knew it. This showed just how miraculous and difficult this technique was to master; otherwise, how could there have been only one Nine Sword Immortal for so many years? It was precisely because of this divine skill that Hu Shuwen of the Jade Cave Sect earned the title of Sword Immortal. Now that Ye Wen also knew this divine technique, could it be that Ye Wen’s cultivation had reached the same realm as the Nine Sword Immortal? “Even if he possesses only half the power of the Nine Sword Immortal, he is still not someone I can afford to provoke…”

Disciples of the sect inquired everywhere, and the more they investigated, the more astonished they became. The azure sword energy, the swordplay that could conjure illusions in one's eyes, coupled with the sword-controlling divine art rumored today—any one of these was a rare and exquisite secret technique in the Jianghu. What was the origin of this Shu Mountain Sect that it possessed so many formidable martial arts? Furthermore, the sect had quite a few masters. Compared to the Thunder Sword Sect, which was visibly declining and currently only had him holding the fort, the Shu Mountain Sect was undoubtedly far stronger. “Is the downfall of my Thunder Sword Sect imminent…”

While Lei Zhenshan was terribly conflicted here, Hua Yi was whining to her master on the other side: “Master, I know I was wrong! Please let me go out, okay…” “Go out for what…” Hua Yi felt, though she wasn't sure if it was her imagination, that although her master still wore the same benevolent smile as always, the words she spoke were much colder than before. But after much thought, she couldn't make sense of it and finally dismissed it as her overthinking. Seeing Shen Yuqing ask, she smiled and said: “Master, please just let me go find that Ye Wen one more time. This time, I will certainly make him kneel at my feet. Then, won't the Shu Mountain Sect become part of our Heavenly Joy Gang…”

This wasn’t the first time Hua Yi had said this. Shen Yuqing hadn't paid much mind previously, but now, seeing this nominal disciple mention Ye Wen repeatedly, she couldn't help but become wary: “Why do you place such importance on that Ye Wen…” As she spoke, the full smile from before had vanished, replaced by a look of stern seriousness—an expression quite rarely seen on Shen Yuqing’s face.

Hua Yi didn't know which of her words had caused her master’s expression to change drastically, and she hurriedly explained: “Isn’t that Ye Wen highly skilled and a great threat to our Heavenly Joy Gang? That’s why your disciple wanted to…” “If you wanted to eliminate this threat, why not just strike hard and kill him…” Shen Yuqing now knew the rough details of the past conflicts between the Heavenly Joy Gang and the Shu Mountain Sect. When the power of Shu Mountain was not yet exposed, everyone assumed Ye Wen was their only master; removing him directly out of caution would have been normal, though it would inevitably tarnish their reputation somewhat.

Hearing this, Hua Yi could only open her mouth but say nothing. After a long pause, she replied: “Wouldn't that be a pity? It would be so much better to win him over and make him serve our Heavenly Joy Gang. As long as your disciple can learn a bit more from you, Master, I'm certain Ye Wen won't escape my grasp…” As she spoke, her face shone with excitement, as if imagining the beautiful days ahead when she could command him left and right, and if she told him to wash her feet, he wouldn't dare hand her a pear. But the moment she thought of making him wash her feet, her face flushed scarlet again: “Ay! Why am I thinking of such things? I won't let that annoying fellow take advantage of me…”

Little did she know that the rosy glow on her face was seen clearly by Shen Yuqing, who instantly became vigilant: “Oh no, this girl has been struck by spring fever! Could it be…” A shock went through her heart, and she immediately pulled Hua Yi close, tearing the sleeve of her right arm to shreds. This sudden action startled Hua Yi, but the disparity in their cultivation, coupled with the fact that the person was her Master, prevented her from struggling. She could only let out an instinctive cry: “It hurts…”

Shen Yuqing pulled Hua Yi’s fair, jade-like arm forward for inspection. There, on her upper arm, as white as jade, a spot of bright crimson was quite conspicuous. Upon seeing that vermilion mark, she finally let out a breath of relief: “Thank goodness, her Yuanyin hasn't been broken…”

Martial artists and dancers often sustain injuries from stretching tendons and legs. It’s less of an issue for men, who only need rest and recuperation. However, for women, they cannot preserve that layer of "freshness film," so those active in the Jianghu needed other methods to determine virginity. No one knew when this recipe originated. A medicinal paste prepared according to an ancient formula, when dotted onto the arm of a virgin woman and activated by a relatively simple Dao guiding method (accessible to those with basic internal energy control), would leave a crimson mark on the woman's arm. As long as she had not engaged in sexual intercourse with a man, her Yuanyin remained untainted, and the mark would persist. Because of its function, it was named the Palace Guarding Cinnabar (Shou Gong Sha).

Hua Yi was extremely important to Shen Yuqing, so having the Palace Guarding Cinnabar placed on her for monitoring was natural. Earlier, upon hearing Hua Yi mention Ye Wen in three out of every few sentences, she was greatly alarmed, thinking Hua Yi had already suffered a great loss at Ye Wen's hands, which caused her sudden, extreme reaction.

In reality, Hua Yi deeply respected her Master, strictly adhering to her teachings: "Do not let men take advantage; only then will they always think of you! Letting them see you but not attain you is the highest realm of charm." She obeyed these words completely. The only time she was taken advantage of was because Ye Wen ignored her continuously, and after her ribbon—used as a weapon—was destroyed, she became furious and used her wiles, only to be soundly kissed by Ye Wen in return. As for anything else, she had never even let anyone touch her hand.

Shen Yuqing felt relieved and resumed her original demeanor: “You still remember my words. It wasn't for nothing I taught you all these years!” Hua Yi rubbed her bruised arm with a wronged expression, her face etched with bitterness: “Naturally, your disciple remembers Master’s teachings…” But in her heart, she harbored great doubts, not understanding why her Master reacted so strongly.

Shen Yuqing, being well-versed in human affairs, discerned Hua Yi’s doubts in an instant. Even though Hua Yi concealed it well, it couldn't escape her eyes; she had raised this girl herself. Her expression unchanging, she spoke as if casually: “Don’t blame your Master for being anxious. This matter concerns your entire cultivation! Although your Profound Yin Qi is a charm cultivation technique, you absolutely cannot get too close to men, or your entire cultivation base will be ruined in an instant…”

Hearing this, Hua Yi immediately understood that her Master suspected something had happened between her and Ye Wen, and she quickly clarified: “Your disciple hasn't been close to any man… I certainly wouldn’t let that fellow take any advantage!” Shen Yuqing saw that Hua Yi’s voice grew quieter as she spoke, and immediately guessed that this spoiled girl, having never faced true adversity, relied on her looks to charm men—most people were already mesmerized upon seeing her face, and her usual tactics had never failed. Now, having been thwarted by Ye Wen time and again, her competitive spirit and curiosity were likely surging. If this continued, things would become increasingly troublesome.

They say that when a man develops curiosity about a woman, it is the precursor to falling in love with her. But in truth, this also applies to women. Moreover, although Hua Yi was not young—a couple of years older than Ye Wen—under Shen Yuqing’s protection, she was completely inexperienced in romantic matters. If she were to become truly invested, it would be even harder to extricate herself. Hua Yi constantly insisting on finding Ye Wen was the clear sign. She had given many reasons, but the fundamental one was simply wanting Ye Wen to look at her a few more times.

Unfortunately, this matter was of too great consequence to Shen Yuqing. She did not want her cultivation vessel, which she had raised for over twenty years, to develop such variables just as she was about to achieve success. The only solution now was to keep Hua Yi confined by her side and prevent her from seeing Ye Wen again. If this girl threw a tantrum and recklessly engaged in something with Ye Wen, destroying this Profound Yin Qi, her thirty years of effort would be wasted.

After much consideration, she finally adopted the authoritative stance of a master and firmly stated: “Don’t run around these few days. Stay by my side, so I can personally guide your martial arts up close! You can’t even handle an unworldly country boy; your skills must have regressed significantly!” Hua Yi looked utterly dejected and could only meekly reply: “Yes, Master…” Then she stood quietly, listening to her Master’s instruction, though her thoughts had drifted far away. After Shen Yuqing lectured for a while and left, Hua Yi’s eyes darted around. After secretly glancing around and confirming that the door and windows were unlocked, she bolted out…

In the adjacent room, Ye Wen moved his fingers, commanding the long sword suspended in the air not far away. Although his exchange with the Nine Sword Immortal today was brief, he had gleaned some information. “The power of the Nine Sword Immortal’s flying sword is much greater than my knock-off. That long sword must have true Qi attached to it! But if it were like the Purple Heaven Net skill, then with deep cultivation, it should manifest abnormalities! Could the Jade Cave Sect’s technique be special, manifesting outwardly only under certain conditions?” He didn't know that although the Nine Sword Immortal did attach true Qi to his sword, he controlled the flying sword not with Qi, but with the Black Iron Sword strapped to his back. Unaware of the marvel of the Black Iron Sword, he naturally couldn't hit the mark, endlessly turning his focus to the characteristics of the technique.

With a movement of his finger, he circulated his internal energy, trying to attach stronger true Qi to his long sword to enhance its power. However, as soon as he circulated his energy, a clear, purple "long ribbon" appeared between his finger and the sword. Initially, it was only as thick as a thumb, and the color was faint and unobtrusive, but the more true Qi he used, the deeper and thicker the "ribbon" became.

In reality, Ye Wen’s sword-controlling technique was akin to a soft whip or chain technique; an invisible chain connected him to the sword, and he used the force of swinging it to manipulate it. This was why Ye Wen’s long sword always spun once in the air when he used the technique. “How did the Nine Sword Immortal achieve it? I can’t figure it out…” Putting the long sword away, Ye Wen gave up dwelling on this problem and instead pondered the level of cultivation the Nine Sword Immortal had reached.

Although he had gained considerable recognition today, appearing to match the Nine Sword Immortal, he would never be arrogant enough to truly believe he possessed the same strength. If he thought that, his death would likely not be far off. “I truly wish I could witness it…”

Ye Wen’s wish was simple: to personally witness a duel involving either the Nine Sword Immortal or Li Xuan of the Tianshan Sect, in order to gain a more intuitive understanding of true masters. But upon reflection, this wish seemed difficult to realize. Even if the martial arts assembly were held, he doubted anyone would be audacious enough to challenge these two, would they? At least Ye Wen himself wouldn't do something so foolish; he wasn't ready to die yet! “Once the Shu Mountain Sect has established a stable standing in the Jianghu, I’ll spend my days enjoying a warm stove with my wife and children—what beautiful, happy days…” “Heh heh, what grand ambitions, Sect Master Ye…”

Ye Wen murmured happily to himself, only to hear a light laugh and a slightly mocking voice drift from outside the window the moment the words left his mouth. Just by hearing the voice, he didn't need to ask: “Who is outside?” Such a pointless question! Because he was extremely familiar with that voice—it belonged to Hua Yi.

Putting his long sword back into its sheath, Ye Wen walked to the window, opened it, and saw Hua Yi, dressed in a light yellow skirt, standing there with a playful smile. “Elder Hua, it’s so late, and you are lingering by my window. May I ask your purpose…” “I’m certainly not lingering!” “Oh! Then Elder Hua is up late without sleeping, standing by my window. What brings you here…” Hua Yi tilted her head: “I came to chat with Sect Master Ye.” Then she added to Ye Wen: “Is Sect Master Ye not inviting me in for a seat? Talking through the window like this is rather impolite…” “A lone man and woman sharing a room—I fear it would negatively affect Elder Hua’s reputation…” Ye Wen wasn't afraid of the lone man and woman situation; he was merely concerned about what his junior sister might think if she saw them. “What reputation do I have? Someone has likely been calling me a seductive vixen quite readily! I think Sect Master Ye is worried that Sister Ning will get jealous!” Hua Yi directly exposed Ye Wen’s concern. She thought this would embarrass him, but unexpectedly, Ye Wen simply nodded in acknowledgment: “If Elder Hua knows this, good! It saves me from wasting my breath…” What he said was casual, but it somehow reminded Hua Yi of something, causing her face to turn slightly rosy.

Late night, bright moon, a beauty with a flushed face and shy eyes standing by the window—this was a scene dreamt of by countless men. To say Ye Wen was unmoved would be a lie. For a moment, he couldn't help but feel a stirring of emotion, but fortunately, he recovered quickly, avoiding revealing his true feelings, or he would have certainly been teased by this woman again. “Since Sect Master Ye won't invite me in, it should be fine to step out and keep me company for a chat, right?” “Step out?” Ye Wen glanced around. These were all guest rooms; although there was a large courtyard, it wasn't a suitable place for sitting and chatting, and people coming and going made it easy to be seen. “I think it’s best to decline… Elder Hua should rest early…”

With that, he shut the window with a bang and paid no more attention to Hua Yi. After waiting a moment and hearing no movement outside, Ye Wen assumed Hua Yi had finally left and let out a long breath: “Oh heavens, what a temptress!” As soon as he said this, a voice called out from outside: “So, Sect Master Ye isn't entirely unmoved by me either!” Her tone seemed quite pleased. After that, there was another light laugh, and only as the laughter gradually faded away did Hua Yi truly leave. “…”

Ye Wen dared not speak again, fearing Hua Yi might seize some handle against him. He simply stayed quiet, returned to his couch to rest, and continued pondering the level of the true masters in the Jianghu and what he should do at this martial arts assembly. The night passed just like that.

The next day, Xu Ping stood guard by the entrance of the inn, but no one came to challenge him. Many who had come specifically to watch the excitement gradually dispersed as there was nothing to see. On the third day, the crowd of onlookers dwindled further. Guo Jing stood firmly in a horse stance, holding his heavy sword aloft. He paid no mind to the whispers of the surrounding crowd regarding his conduct. On the fourth day, no idlers came to watch anymore, though another challenger did arrive. This man was not a disciple of any sect or school but a lone swordsman in the Jianghu, renowned as the Divine Sword of Hundred Paces. Upon hearing that Shu Mountain had produced an expert capable of matching the Nine Sword Immortal in a sword fight, he rushed over to issue a challenge.

Unfortunately, this happened just as Xu Xian had gone ahead to fetch some food. The challenger was struck by Xu Gongzi’s technique, ‘Nine Geese Felled by Returning Wind and Falling Wild Goose Sword,’ and was forced back a hundred steps, sent tumbling from the main hall into the adjacent noodle shop—a huge loss of face. “Cough, cough! I yield…” This single sentence made the so-called Divine Sword of Hundred Paces so ashamed he wanted to hide in the ground. He promptly broke his long sword, declared, “From this day forward, I dare not boast of understanding swordsmanship again…” and then fled, covering his face. This whole affair left Xu Xian bewildered. Only after the man had vanished did he sigh and say: “Why go to such lengths…”

Originally, they thought the incident with the Divine Sword of Hundred Paces would completely extinguish the desire of those wishing to challenge the Shu Mountain Sect. But ultimately, they underestimated the determination of Jianghu people who would stop at nothing to gain fame. Ever since Ye Wen and the Nine Sword Immortal dueled with divine sword-controlling skills, the rumors had grown increasingly exaggerated. Some even claimed Ye Wen and the Nine Sword Immortal fought a hundred moves without a victor—though most people would not believe this. Yet, many who considered themselves quite skilled still came seeking trouble with the Shu Mountain Sect. The Nine Sword Immortal’s fame was long-established, and the Jade Cave Sect was also a major Jianghu power, so they dared not provoke them casually. But Shu Mountain… These challengers were single-mindedly focused on defeating Ye Wen, believing they could leverage that victory to gain fame in the Jianghu. Thus, the challengers not only increased in number but also surpassed the strength of the miscellaneous sects and gangs from the previous days.

One day, another fellow, calling himself the 'Number One Saber of the North,' appeared from somewhere. He was swiftly dealt with by Ning Ruxue, who was in a foul mood due to certain physiological matters causing her to quarrel with Ye Wen. She shattered his weapon with five moves of the Innate Body-Breaking Formless Sword Qi. This gentleman stared at his broken saber, muttering loudly: “I have dedicated my life to the way of the saber and have never tasted defeat until now. Having lost to you, my long-cultivated state of mind is now flawed. If I cannot defeat you, my martial arts will never advance in this lifetime! I implore you to reveal your name, so I may seek your guidance often in the future…”

Ye Wen, who was just fretting about how to handle the situation, was instantly filled with disgust upon hearing these words: “Damn it, why are you talking so much nonsense? You suffer a crack in your mental state from one loss, and your cultivation can never improve? Do you even know what 'sharp swords are honed through constant grinding' means? With a psychological fortitude like yours, you dare call yourself a Jianghu wanderer? Go home and farm!”