The discussion between Ye Nu and True Man Tianyi concluded imperceptibly, and True Man Tianyi had already departed before Ye Wen realized it, leaving him still pondering the old Daoist's words from earlier.

"Conserve strength..."

Seeing no one around, Ye Wen circulated his Innate Purple Qi, and his palm instantly became shrouded in violet vapor, which moved with the continuous turning and manipulation of his hand.

With another exertion of power, these clumps of qi abruptly sharpened into sword energies. Ye Wen could only maintain the circulation for a brief moment around his palms before he had to retract his cultivation, allowing the energy to dissipate naturally.

"This method, though slightly weaker in raw power, is far more unexpected. However, the cost is simply too immense!"

Nevertheless, armed with this technique, Ye Wen was confident he could preserve his life against anyone; even those top-tier masters wouldn't be able to kill him easily.

As for slaying the Gold Emissary of the Five Elements today, it turned out his position wasn't as lofty as Ye Wen had initially imagined, which was somewhat surprising.

After conversing with True Man Tianyi for a while, he had gained some insight into the hierarchy of the Demonic Cult. Besides the position of Cult Leader, there existed the Sacred Maiden, who was none other than Shen Yuqing, who had escaped today.

The Sacred Maiden cultivated the Profound Yin True Art, passed down through generations of the Demonic Cult's Sacred Maidens. This was a formidable technique, just as potent as the Blood Heaven Demonic Art, and its ability to draw vitality was scarcely less potent than the Blood Heaven Demonic Art's reliance on absorbing the vital essence of others for cultivation.

Below them were the Four Directional Guardians, representing the highest fighting strength in the Demonic Cult apart from the Leader and the Sacred Maiden, usually filled by the four most highly skilled martial artists in the sect.

Only beneath the Four Directional Guardians did the Five Elements Emissaries rank. However, the Five Elements Emissaries focused less on martial prowess and more on other matters. For instance, Xiao Ming, due to his considerable ability to generate wealth, earned the title of Gold Emissary.

"Although Xiao Ming's martial arts are no longer weak, they are insignificant when compared to true masters within the Demonic Cult. The reason he obtained the post of Gold Emissary was most likely because the Cult intends to rely on him to amass silver to fund the entire sect's needs!"

The establishment of the Tianle Gang was likely his doing as well. Calculated this way, the Demonic Cult had already amassed substantial funds through the Tianle Gang as a front organization; their initial preparations were likely complete!

"The next step is to engage in battle with the heroes of the Righteous Path. I wonder if our Mount Shu Sect will be the first target!"

Ye Wen sat still for a while longer, feeling the weight on his shoulders increase significantly.

This pressure wasn't due to any meaningless expectations from the Righteous Path, nor the high hopes placed on him by True Man Tianyi or Chan Master Huixin. It stemmed from the decision he had already made: to ensure the prosperity and continuation of the Mount Shu Sect.

"I promised my junior sister I would make Mount Shu flourish! Since I made that promise, I won't let a mere Demonic Cult extinguish my sect!" He stood up, saying, "So what if it's the Demonic Cult? I want to see what they truly are capable of!"

He roared silently a few times in his heart, then struck a few poses, feeling the increasingly cool autumn wind wash over him, Ye Wen suddenly realized how pointless his actions were.

Then, as the cold wind blew, he suddenly remembered what True Man Tianyi had shouted at him earlier.

"Damn it, is this guy's founding ancestor Shen Gongbao? I never thought I'd be called out like that one day!"

As he walked back, his thoughts wandered, the more he thought, the more absurd his ideas became. He felt that True Man Tianyi calling him out boded nothing good.

Every time Shen Gongbao uttered such a phrase, it heralded someone falling into a bottomless pit. Today, True Man Tianyi calling him out gave him an ominous feeling, as if Mount Shu had been placed under intense scrutiny, awaiting the Demonic Cult’s attack so that the heroes of the Righteous Path could gather to strike back at the Cult.

"Why does it feel like I've been made bait?"

Perhaps the Tian Dao Sect and the Chan Sect weren't so malicious, but one could never be too careful. Ye Wen felt it was best to prepare early!

"When I return this time, I must properly instruct my disciples! Although their combat strength won't leap forward immediately, they must at least be able to fend off ordinary Demonic Cult members! Moreover, even if the Demonic Cult doesn't attack first, there will inevitably be a scenario where several major sects besiege the Cult in the future. This battle is unavoidable."

Returning to the courtyard, the lamp in his junior sister's room was already out; she must have gone to sleep. Ye Wen deliberately quieted his footsteps as he returned to his own room, not lighting a lamp, and lay down fully clothed on the couch, planning to sleep through the night and leave the next day.

"Since the Martial Arts Assembly can't continue, I'll descend the mountain tomorrow and head for the capital!"

The next day, not only Ye Wen but also the other sects were preparing to depart. Ye Wen spotted Guo Nu among the Chan Sect contingent. This former elder of the Tianle Gang looked out of place amidst the monks, not only dressed in extremely opulent clothing but also looking glossy and well-fed, clearly a false monk who hadn't abstained from meat and wine.

It was only after speaking with them that Ye Wen discovered that this entire group of monks from the Chan Sect did eat meat.

"Huh? Aren't monks supposed to abstain from meat and fish?"

Chan Master Huixin laughed: "If they don't eat meat, where will they find the strength? Our temple's martial monks do not restrict themselves from meat; only those disciples dedicated purely to cultivating Buddhist doctrine and self-refinement strictly adhere to vegetarianism!"

"Crap, misled by wuxia novels!" Ye Wen cursed internally, then forced a few awkward laughs to cover it up, seizing the opportunity to talk to Guo Nu to change the subject: "Elder Guo... Mr. Guo, are you planning to return to the Chan Sect?"

Frankly, Ye Wen doubted this man could tolerate the strict regime of the Chan Sect, especially after enjoying such a comfortable life for so many years. How could he willingly go back to suffering?

Indeed, Guo Nu immediately replied: "Return to the Chan Sect? I can't. Sect Leader Ye, you don't know, life in our Chan Sect monasteries is far from easy." As he spoke, perhaps recalling something, he let out a long sigh: "Besides, I have many wives and concubines back home. If I go back to become a monk, what will become of that large group of people?"

"What are your plans, Elder Guo?"

Guo Nu thought for a moment before saying: "I don't know yet. I plan to return to Yuezhou first to bring my wives and concubines over, then find a quiet place to build an estate and live out my days peacefully as a rich gentleman!"

Ye Wen hadn't expected Guo Nu to harbor such thoughts: "Are you planning to withdraw from the Jianghu, Mr. Guo?"

When Guo Nu heard this, he could only offer a bitter smile: "Once you enter the Jianghu... it’s impossible to leave! Although I, Guo Nu, have conducted myself openly and honorably in the past, I have taken quite a few lives. If someone comes looking for trouble in the future, I'll have to deal with it! It can't be dismissed with a mere declaration of retirement from the Jianghu."

At this point, Chan Master Huixin interjected: "If one is entangled by cause, one must bear the fruit. Disciple, having this realization means your twenty-plus years walking the Jianghu were not in vain. Even if you don't return to the monastery, you can still cultivate at home."

Guo Nu quickly paid his respects to his master, then continued speaking with Ye Wen: "I was thinking of finding a secluded spot near Sect Leader Ye's domain... to build an estate! Pingzhou is somewhat distant from the Central Plains, which should offer some temporary peace and quiet!"

Ye Wen readily agreed with this idea and extended a warm welcome: "If Mr. Guo is willing to settle in Shushan County, our two families could become neighbors!"

Guo Nu considered that having the highly skilled Sect Leader Ye as a neighbor would offer mutual support in the future, so he readily agreed with a smile. Only then did he realize that not falling out with Ye Wen back then was an extremely wise decision; otherwise, not only would his reputation have plummeted due to the Tianle Gang incident, but finding a place to live now would be incredibly difficult.

"I wonder how many people will be willing to follow me to such a remote place!" Thinking of his large number of wives and concubines, he worried about how many were truly devoted to him and how many were only after wealth. Now that the Tianle Gang and he himself had suffered such a great upheaval, moving his entire household to Pingzhou, he had no idea how many would abandon him.

But these concerns were not for outsiders to know. After accompanying Ye Wen and the others for a while, Guo Nu took his leave, planning to head east first and then take a boat south. This route would be much faster than traveling solely by land and would spare him discomfort.

The farther they moved away from Beijian Peak, the fewer people remained in their traveling party. Everyone had assumed Ye Wen’s group would head east after leaving Beijian Peak, but unexpectedly, they were going south.

Curious, some inquired, only then learning that Ye Wen’s junior brother was heading to the Imperial Examination.

"Xu Xian? Could he be that great scholar from Pingzhou?" True Man Tianyi, having traveled more widely in the Jianghu than Chan Master Huixin, had indeed heard of the highly renowned scholar Xu Xian.

However, he never imagined that the martial arts prodigy Xu Xian was the same famous scholar Xu Xian known throughout the realm.

"This old Daoist only thought Young Master Xu possessed exceptional literary talent; only now do I realize his martial arts are no weaker than others. Truly a master of both literature and martial arts!" These words were spoken with complete sincerity, without a hint of falsehood.

The others around them also looked at Xu Xian with sparkling eyes—even Ye Wen felt a twinge of jealousy at such treatment.

It was only at this moment that he realized the sheer extent of Xu Xian's renown; even those in the Jianghu, who generally cared little for the imperial court, held him in high regard.

After a brief chat, True Man Tianyi casually pulled out a small token from his robes and handed it to Ye Wen, saying, "This item is a token of recognition from my Tian Dao Sect, and I present it to Sect Leader Ye today! Many disciples of the Tian Dao Sect serve in official capacities. If Sect Leader Ye encounters any trouble in the capital, presenting this token at the Five Cities Military Command might help resolve those issues easily!"

Ye Wen accepted the unremarkable small plaque, thanked True Man Tianyi, and thought to himself: "If every sect has its own means for disciples to earn a living, then the Tian Dao Sect's enterprise is sending its people to serve the government!"

He also secretly wondered: "Could the legendary Imperial Guards be disciples of the Tian Dao Sect?"

In reality, Ye Wen's speculation was partially correct but not entirely comprehensive.

After graduating, if many disciples of the Tian Dao Sect sought employment, senior brothers or older relatives would introduce them to various government departments.

For example, the Five Cities Military Command was primarily responsible for security in the capital. To prevent martial artists from becoming arrogant due to their superior skills, they recruited some Jianghu experts to assist. Disciples of the Tian Dao Sect were naturally the first choice, being 'one of their own.' Alternatively, they might be assigned to secret departments to serve as bodyguards for royalty, noble officials, or high-ranking ministers.

Of course, the best assignment was serving as the Emperor's personal guard; not only was their status higher, but their compensation was also substantial. The royal family would even assist these guards with marriage arrangements.

As for the department reputedly possessing the greatest deterrent effect over the Jianghu—the Imperial Guards—its composition was more complex. Besides some outstanding disciples from the Tian Dao Sect, there were also skilled individuals from the military or experts recruited through other channels. Despite their lofty reputation, their standing within the capital was actually lower than that of the Emperor's personal guards, perhaps even slightly below that of some noble officials' bodyguards. Nevertheless, even so, they were not individuals to be trifled with lightly.

The token True Man Tianyi gave Ye Wen could, at best, help him locate Tian Dao Sect disciples within the Five Cities Military Command. To contact anyone more influential would require Ye Wen's own efforts.

"Good, we have a place to stay sorted out for when we reach the capital!"

After parting ways with the Tian Dao Sect members, Ye Wen listened to Xu Xian describe the various government agencies in the capital, gaining a proper understanding of the jurisdiction of the Five Cities Military Command, immediately knowing how to reasonably utilize this resource in hand.

Ning Ruxue blinked upon hearing this, finally saying to her senior brother, "Senior Brother, isn't this a bit much?" She felt the Tian Dao Sect had given them the token as a precaution for emergencies, yet Ye Wen was immediately talking about employing someone for such a small matter...

Ye Wen countered: "What do you know? This is called 'power unused expires'! If we don't take advantage of our current good relations with the Tian Dao Sect to make connections, they might forget who we are over time!"

Then, flicking the unremarkable token, Ye Wen added, "Besides, my junior brother is arriving in the capital so late; he probably won't find suitable lodgings easily for a while. Why exhaust ourselves when we have local help available?"

His reasoning was sound enough, and Ning Ruxue did not argue further. Instead, she secretly pulled Ye Wen aside and asked, "Regarding Huayi, what are you planning to do, Senior Brother?"

Hearing Ning Ruxue ask this, Ye Wen turned to look at Huayi, who was still following the group. Huayi, at this moment, did not appear as lifeless as before, but she seemed utterly dispirited, and having lost her internal energy, sweat was already visible on her brow as they walked.

"We'll keep her for now! Once she recovers a bit, we'll ask her what she thinks, and then we'll make a final decision!"

This statement, however, caused Ning Ruxue's expression to darken slightly. She eyed Ye Wen with suspicion for a moment, and only when Ye Wen began to feel uncomfortable under her gaze did she finally speak: "Senior Brother, could you possibly be reluctant to part with Huayi?"

"What makes you say that?" Ye Wen felt as if a million ants were crawling over him; everything felt wrong, especially the places where Ning Ruxue's gaze swept, which felt like being poked by sword qi: "Junior Sister is overthinking things. I just feel Miss Hua is too pitiful, and abandoning her like this would be wrong!"

"Didn't you just casually toss her aside on the platform yesterday? And now you're playing the good Samaritan!"

The two whispered conspiratorially as the group moved slowly forward, but they kept their distance so no one else could overhear their conversation.

"This..." Mentioning the throw from yesterday made Ye Wen somewhat awkward. Fortunately, Huayi had been thrown horizontally onto the ground, so she had only sustained superficial injuries, perhaps just bruises from hitting the ground. If she had landed headfirst, such a delicate beauty would not only have died instantly but her face would inevitably have been ruined—that seemed too cruel.

Seeing Ye Wen unable to respond, Ning Ruxue continued, "Senior Brother struck quite hard yesterday! Miss Hua's arm is badly bruised, and she has several dark bruises on her body... Senior Brother, what were you thinking about?"

As she was speaking, she suddenly noticed Ye Wen's eyes flick away, clearly distracted, and she couldn't help but chide him. Especially since he got distracted right when she was discussing the condition of Huayi's body, Ning Ruxue's expression instantly changed.

Ye Wen was brought back to reality by the sharp rebuke, realizing he had drifted into thoughts he shouldn't have entertained, but he couldn't admit it. He quickly used an excuse: "I was just thinking of some methods that might help Miss Hua recover her power!" hoping to gloss over it.

He hadn't anticipated women's keen perception in these matters. Ning Ruxue's eyes narrowed sharply, and with a face full of doubt, she asked again: "Senior Brother, you weren't thinking about that just now, were you?"

"Absolutely not! I swear on the sun!" He made a gesture pointing toward the sky, adopting an expression of sincerity to enhance his credibility that he wasn't considering anything improper.

However, Ning Ruxue glanced sideways at the sky and stated flatly, "It’s overcast today; where is the sun? Is Senior Brother just casually fooling me?"

It was only then that Ye Wen noticed the sky was indeed heavily clouded. In their haste to travel through the forests along the way, he hadn't noticed the change in weather. Looking up now, he saw the sky was low, dark, and rather menacing; forget the sun, there was hardly any sunlight visible.

"No wonder it feels so dim; I thought it was getting dark already!" He forced a dry laugh, cursing himself for not noticing his surroundings sooner. Such a lapse was tantamount to inviting trouble.

Seeing Ye Wen's awkward demeanor, Ning Ruxue grew even more displeased. She didn't speak to him again, let out a huff, and walked a few paces ahead, leaving Ye Wen behind.

Ye Wen was startled, finding himself suddenly ten feet behind Ning Ruxue. In his haste, he immediately hurried to catch up, thinking to himself, If I don't chase now, I'd be an idiot...

Indeed, seeing Ye Wen quickly follow, Ning Ruxue's mood improved slightly, and she stopped sulking, instead resuming the discussion about Huayi.

"If Miss Hua cannot recover her martial arts, what will you do?"

"Uh... perhaps find her a good husband?" The moment he said this, Ye Wen glanced back at Huayi, and that single glance was caught by Ning Ruxue again.

"Senior Brother is reluctant to let her go, aren't you? Since Senior Brother enjoys looking at her so much, why don't you just marry Miss Hua and look at her every day!" Ning Ruxue glared at Ye Wen again, which jolted him back to reality; the person before him was his fiancée, whom he absolutely could not offend.

"Heh heh, how could I?"

Unexpectedly, Ning Ruxue slightly lowered her head, pondered for a moment, and then suddenly spoke: "Actually, I'm not an overly jealous woman. If Senior Brother desires to take several wives, it’s not unheard of. In this world, it's not unusual for capable men to have three wives and four concubines. However, that Miss Hua..."

Ye Wen was completely stunned by Ning Ruxue's words, thinking to himself: Could the delights of a harem await me? Junior Sister doesn't object to me taking more wives? Can I finally live out the fantasy of Lord Wei Xiaobao?

He was bewildered, and in that moment of stupefaction, a slight expression of joy actually appeared on his face, causing Ning Ruxue’s expression to change drastically: "Senior Brother really is thinking that! I won't talk to you anymore!"