Having soothed his junior sister and encouraged Huang Rongrong, the group's journey forward became significantly smoother than at the beginning. At least Huang Rongrong no longer wore a perpetual frown, and Ning Ruxue was willing to speak with Ye Wen again.

However, Ye Wen never anticipated that upon arriving at the capital city, before they even had a chance to approach the Five City Constabulary personnel, they would be intercepted right at the city gate by this very group.

This was hardly surprising. In the crucial capital region, how could they allow a troupe carrying swords and blades like Ye Wen’s party to enter freely? Even when Xu Xian displayed his small booklet certifying him as an examinee, it was no use.

Ultimately, Ye Wen produced the small tablet given to him by True Man Tianyi. Upon seeing this token, the Five City Constabulary men immediately turned and called over a young man, perhaps in his early twenties, before handing the tablet over for his inspection.

“May I inquire as to your name?”

“I am Ye Wen of the Shu Mountain Sect. This gentleman is my junior brother, Xu Xian, who has come to the capital for the imperial examination, so we all came along!” Ye Wen then introduced the rest of his company and explained their purpose in entering the capital.

The young man opposite nodded casually, then scrutinized the small tablet in his hand again, finally smiling: “I presume you have just come from that Martial Arts Assembly!”

“Indeed!” It turned out that Ye Wen’s group, traveling swiftly through the woods, had actually arrived a bit faster than those who left earlier. Thus, word of the various events at the Martial Arts Assembly had not yet reached the capital.

Given the Shu Mountain Sect’s previous lack of renown, and the reputation forged at the Assembly not yet having spread, this disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect was quite puzzled to see an emissary token from a sect he had never heard of.

“I wonder why the Sect Master True Man bestowed this token upon this head of the Shu Mountain Sect!” It wasn't until he heard that the reason for their journey was a disciple taking the examination that he understood. “Perhaps the Sect Master True Man saw that Xu Xian possesses exceptional talent and wished to form an alliance!” Thinking this, he dismissed the Shu Mountain Sect as unremarkable, merely noteworthy because they happened to produce a scholar capable of participating in the Palace Examination. (At this point in time, only the Palace Examination remained; this year’s Metropolitan Examination had already concluded.)

“Please follow me! However, for your sect to enter the capital, a few formalities must be observed.” He then explained to Ye Wen, “It is customary for any martial artist entering the capital to undergo this procedure, so Head Ye should not take offense!”

Ye Wen hadn't minded initially, but seeing that this Heavenly Dao Sect disciple, after his initial self-introduction, had maintained a purely official demeanor throughout, and showed no sign of returning the small tablet he held—Ye Wen understood that the young man was looking down on him, likely assuming the Shu Mountain Sect was minor, only gaining contact with True Man Tianyi due to the Palace Examination, and thus receiving this token.

This young man probably figured his True Man had merely given the wooden tablet to this Shu Mountain Sect head on a whim, to avoid trouble entering the city gate as a martial artist and missing the examination. While all martial artists intending to enter the capital were supposed to complete procedures, many were outright denied entry. Only a few highly skilled individuals might sneak in, but to walk in openly with swords and blades was no simple feat.

“I suppose this tablet serves that purpose; it can be collected after use!”

It must be said that sometimes clever people are overly clever, and this disciple of the Heavenly Dao Sect was one such example. In his posturing, he believed his mind was too sharp, that he had grasped the True Man’s full intentions, yet he failed to foresee that he might offend the Shu Mountain Sect.

Or perhaps, in his eyes, offending them was inconsequential, as they were merely an unheard-of minor sect. What harm could it do?

Ye Wen could guess all these thoughts, but seeing the young man’s self-satisfied air, he bothered not to argue further. He completed the simple procedures, offered a polite thank you, and led his disciples into the city.

“Senior Brother, that…” Ning Ruxue had seen Ye Wen enter with a smile, and though he emerged smiling, there was a barely perceptible undercurrent of suppressed anger in that smile—something only those who spent the most time with him, like her, could detect. Unsure why Ye Wen was acting this way, she inquired.

Ye Wen waved a hand, took a deep breath, and said, “It’s nothing!”

It was just that recently, everyone had treated the Shu Mountain Sect with deference, and he was unaccustomed to feeling looked down upon. This incident today served as a lesson. He muttered inwardly, “Today made me realize that my Shu Mountain Sect is still not powerful enough; our prestige is far from sufficient! If even a junior disciple cast out by the Heavenly Dao Sect for experience can give the Shu Mountain Sect a cold shoulder, it proves I haven’t done well enough! Those smug feelings from a few days ago should be put away quickly, or the sect will never develop further!” Upon entering the capital, the group searched several inns before finding a suitable place. This was partly due to the constant flow of people through the capital, and partly because the impending Palace Examination had drawn all sorts of varied individuals.

There were scholars and literati visiting from various regions, vendors looking to take advantage of the situation, and even unsavory characters flooding the city. "Unsavory" meant those high officials or princes currently outside the capital, looking for promising talents to recruit to bolster their own factions.

It wasn't necessarily about establishing separate domains, but attracting more talent would undoubtedly strengthen their influence in the imperial court.

Xu Xian’s late arrival actually saved him considerable trouble; with his reputation, he would have attracted countless visitors.

However, being late meant more pressing matters. As soon as Xu Xian settled into the lodging, he rushed out to purchase gifts to visit his ‘teacher.’

Calling him a teacher was generous; he was merely the examiner who had overseen Xu Xian’s Metropolitan Examination. In keeping with tradition, he was now considered part of that lineage, and in officialdom, Xu Xian would inevitably carry his label.

Ye Wen only understood a portion of these customs. Seeing Xu Xian rushing about frantically, he grumbled, “Didn’t you say you didn’t really want to pass? Why are you so eager about these things?” Generally, only scholars aiming for a career in officialdom cared so much about these social courtesies, as carelessly offending someone could lead to stagnation in their careers. Those who gained supervisory examination posts were no ordinary people; without significant influence in the court, how could they secure such a lucrative assignment?

Xu Xian, while purchasing gifts and organizing them, suddenly realized Ye Wen's point upon hearing the comment: “That’s right! I was only here to fulfill an obligation—why the rush?” He turned to Huang Rongrong, who was helping him tidy up, and said, “Rongrong, stop being busy; I’ll take you out to see the capital, and then we can come back and rest well!”

“Aren’t you going to visit your teacher?” Huang Rongrong, holding a box of ginseng, was about to hand it to Xu Xian when she heard this and asked curiously.

“No need, I can visit him anytime. Let’s go!” With that, he casually tossed the ginseng aside and dragged Huang Rongrong away.

The box of ginseng landed nearby, its lid popping open upon impact, and a decent-sized root bounced out. Ye Wen instinctively reached out and caught it.

“Ouch, this is quite heavy!” he called out casually, summoning the inn waiter over, and handed him the ginseng. “Stew me a pot of ginseng chicken soup, prepare a couple of small side dishes, and bring a small jar of wine!” Having finally reached the capital, he deserved some rest. As for the ginseng, he could buy another one for Xu Xian tomorrow; this was the capital, after all, where ginseng was not rare.

When the waiter brought the simmering chicken soup into Ye Wen’s room, accompanied by two vegetable dishes and one meat dish, and finally a small jar of wine, Ye Wen praised it simply by smelling the aroma: “Worthy of the capital’s inns; even such an unassuming little place can produce such exquisite dishes!” He uncorked the wine—while not the finest vintage, it was certainly superior to the cheap liquor of smaller counties. Ye Wen, who had long resided in the backwater of Shushan County, had mostly drunk mediocre wine.

“What a treat!” Ye Wen tasted a sip first, then exclaimed, “But it’s still damn expensive!”

As he was savoring his meal, Ning Ruxue pushed open the door and entered. She immediately spotted Ye Wen drinking: “Senior Brother called me over for what reason?”

When Ye Wen had instructed the waiter to stew the soup, he had also asked him to call Ning Ruxue, but without stating a reason, prompting her question.

However, seeing the spread of dishes and chopsticks in Ye Wen’s room, she knew her senior brother had called her to eat: “Should I call Junior Brother Xu?”

“Junior Brother Xu has taken Huang Rongrong out to tour the capital!”

“Oh!” Ning Ruxue sat down. Immediately, Hua Yi also walked in. Seeing the two of them in the room, she said, “This young lady should take her leave!” She had come looking for Ye Wen but hadn't expected this scene and turned to depart.

Unexpectedly, Ye Wen spoke up directly: “It’s good you came; saves me the trouble of calling you. You haven’t eaten either, have you? Sit down with us!”

Hua Yi looked at Ye Wen, then at Ning Ruxue, finally settling down at the table, though her eyes held a flicker of curiosity about what Ye Wen had wanted to discuss.

Ye Wen looked left, then right, first ladling a bowl of ginseng chicken soup for Ning Ruxue and Hua Yi separately. Then he said, “You two have endured hardship camping out these past few days, it’s been tough on you. Junior Brother bought this ginseng, which is perfect for nourishing you both!”

He first addressed his junior sister: “Drink the soup first, or it will get cold and won't taste as good!” Fearing Ning Ruxue might suddenly flare up, he quickly soothed her first, then turned to Hua Yi: “Your health hasn’t fully recovered; drinking some ginseng chicken soup is just the thing to help you recuperate!” After both had finished their soup, Ye Wen took a swig of wine and then said, “We are in the capital now, and Miss Hua’s health is gradually improving. I wanted to speak with you today to ask about your plans for the future.” Hearing this, Ning Ruxue realized Ye Wen intended to find out Hua Yi’s intentions so they could make arrangements. With this, perhaps a resolution could finally be reached today, so she stopped interjecting and sat aside to observe their conversation.

Hua Yi kept her head down, gazing at the empty bowl before her as if something fascinating lay there. Seeing her silence, Ye Wen cleared his throat and continued, “Miss Hua’s injuries have largely healed. Even without my continued assistance in regulating them, you will gradually recover! As for your martial arts skills... if you wish to recover them, you can do so by training slowly again…” Before he finished, Hua Yi shook her head violently: “I never want to practice that skill again.” As she spoke, a hint of tears entered her voice. Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue immediately knew Hua Yi was reminded of painful memories, and she actually began to weep.

Mentioning that particular martial art brought back memories of Shen Yuqing, who had raised her. She recalled when she was young, Shen Yuqing bathing her and making her take medicinal soaks, claiming it was to enhance her aptitude, while also teaching her etiquette, literacy, and dance, much like a mother. When she was willful, Shen Yuqing would gently persuade her and buy her any toy she wanted. It turned out all of it was a lie, intended only to coax her into diligently cultivating the Profound Yin Qi. Thus, the moment she thought of that skill, she remembered Shen Yuqing and felt like a fool, leading to intense loathing for that martial art, and by extension, for the self who practiced it.

“Well… in that case, perhaps I can introduce you to a good match?” Saying ‘I can introduce you’ actually meant relying on Xu Xian’s family in the end. The Xu family held considerable standing, extending beyond the small county of Shushan. Having the Xu family help Hua Yi find a good family should not pose a major difficulty. Moreover, Hua Yi’s beauty was unparalleled, and to cultivate her demeanor, she had learned many things. Aside from her slightly advanced age, she was an unparalleled beauty who could attract countless suitors—and the only issue, her age, was invisible in her outward appearance.

Hua Yi remained silent, head bowed. Ning Ruxue, observing quietly, discerned a flicker of Hua Yi’s thoughts and spoke up, “Does Miss Hua perhaps wish to remain at Shu Mountain?” Upon hearing this, Hua Yi’s body immediately stiffened. She timidly raised her head to glance at Ning Ruxue, then at Ye Wen: “I…” Though she didn't speak the words, her expression clearly indicated this was her desire. Seeing this, Ning Ruxue fell silent, instead looking at Ye Wen, clearly wishing to see how he would handle the matter.

“Alas… this… to stay at my Shu Mountain Sect?” Ye Wen scratched his head, unsure how to phrase his reply.

In truth, when Ning Ruxue uttered those words, “Wish to stay at Shu Mountain?”, his heart had nearly stopped beating for half a beat. Then, seeing Hua Yi’s inclination, it resumed beating vigorously twice. To say he wasn't tempted was false; bringing such a visually pleasing woman home was a choice few would refuse. However, considering his junior sister, Ye Wen had to steel himself: “What do you hope to gain by returning to Shu Mountain with me? Is it to study martial arts?”

This question caused Ning Ruxue’s eyes to snap wide open. She glared fiercely at Ye Wen and stomped hard on his foot several times before withdrawing it.

Ye Wen’s mouth twitched uncontrollably; he endured the pain without a sound until Ning Ruxue lifted her foot. Only then did he sigh and take a large gulp of wine: “If I drink enough, the pain goes away!” But as he, Ning Ruxue, and Hua Yi were so close, even such a subtle movement could not escape Hua Yi’s notice. Seeing this, she immediately stood up, then dropped to her knees with a thud, crying out, “This humble girl once caused trouble for the Shu Mountain Sect. Although we each had our allegiances, to you two, we were enemies. When this humble girl was injured, you two set aside past grievances and meticulously healed and cared for me, allowing me to recover fully. Having received such immense kindness from you both, I have no way to repay it; I willingly become your servant, to serve you forever!”

She finished speaking in one breath, and without waiting for Ye Wen or Ning Ruxue to react, she kowtowed several times.

This action stunned Ye Wen into speechless confusion, and even Ning Ruxue was startled and at a loss. Seeing Hua Yi striking her forehead until it bled, she quickly pulled out a handkerchief to press against the wound and hurried to say, “What is this, Miss Hua? You were misled at the time. Though you have suffered a great misfortune now, you have escaped a terrible situation; why debase yourself so?”

Hua Yi remained kneeling, weeping, “I was raised by my master since I was small. Now that my master has abandoned me, I have nowhere to go. I beg you both to take me in…”

Ye Wen’s head was spinning. He had only intended to ask Hua Yi what her plans were. If she wished to live out the rest of her life quietly, he could arrange it. Even if she sought revenge, given her aptitude, recovering her skills wouldn't take long. But he never expected her to offer herself as a maid. This proposal, while certainly enticing, was something a righteous sect leader should probably—or perhaps absolutely should not—accept... right?

While he was hesitating on how to respond, Ning Ruxue unexpectedly spoke up: “Since you insist, then you shall return to Shu Mountain with us! But stop speaking of being a slave or maid.” Ning Ruxue had been abandoned as a child and often wondered why her parents had left her, feeling that vast as the world was, there was no place for her. Fortunately, she had her Master and Senior Brother, so she wasn't lonely. But now Hua Yi had nothing, and with the affair of the Tianle Gang, she was an enemy to all sides. With her martial arts crippled, wandering the world alone would likely lead to a tragic end. Furthermore, with her beauty, lacking self-preservation skills would be a source of disaster. Rescuing her only to push her into a more perilous situation was not something Ning Ruxue could countenance.

However, Hua Yi replied, “Thank you, Miss Ning, for taking me in! Hua Yi will certainly serve you both diligently and adhere strictly to the duties of a maid.” But as Ning Ruxue held her shoulder, Hua Yi could not bow her head again.