Upon entering the rear courtyard, Ye Wenyi saw the Prince Wei (Liu Muyan's presumed identity) hunched over a table, writing furiously, no one quite knew what. Seeing Ye Wenyi approach, the Prince set down his brush, took a towel from a servant to wipe his hands, and greeted Ye Wenyi.

"Prince Wei!" Since the other party afforded him the status of a prince to deal with him, Ye Wenyi saw no reason to expose the charade. Furthermore, if he plainly stated he knew the man was the Emperor, wouldn't his previous actions be subject to a charge of gross disrespect?

As Ye Wenyi pondered this, Prince Wei beckoned him over: "Master Ye, come and look at this painting of mine, what do you think?"

Hearing this, Ye Wenyi finally understood that the noble gentleman had been deeply engrossed in painting and had specifically called him over to view it. Ye Wenyi mused inwardly, "Perhaps this Emperor saw my calligraphy, knew he was inferior, and now seeks to best me in painting?" In his impression, emperors were invariably high-spirited and arrogant individuals; such behavior was not unexpected.

Little did he know that Wei Hong was well aware of Ye Wenyi's profound skill in painting, having seen the picture of the dancing girls Ye Wenyi had gifted to Liu Muyan, which prompted his desire to finally see the painter himself.

Walking a few steps closer, Ye Wenyi cast a quick glance and discerned the painting. With his eyesight, that distance was enough for him to see every minute detail, yet he still approached the table, studied it intently for a while, and then declared, "It is vividly lifelike; truly an excellent piece of work!"

Wei Hong chuckled, "Master Ye is too modest. In your presence, my painting hardly deserves such high praise!"

"Hmm?" Ye Wenyi paused, then glanced at Liu Muyan, noticing his disciple subtly signal him, whereupon he instantly understood that the Emperor knew all about him: "Your Highness flatters me!"

Wei Hong laughed heartily and then pointed to the fresh sheet of white paper laid out on the table. "A few days ago, I was fortunate enough to receive a piece of calligraphy from Master Ye. I now wish to humbly request a painting from you; would Master Ye be willing to grant me this favor?"

Ye Wenyi considered that gifting a painting to this Emperor seemed unobjectionable, so he picked up a brush. He looked around but found no dyes, so he inquired, "I presume Your Highness desires an ink wash painting!"

Wei Hong then realized that the piece he had seen earlier was a watercolor, and he hadn't prepared watercolors this time. "Indeed, that was my oversight..." Just as he was about to wave a hand to summon a servant for watercolors, he heard Ye Wenyi say, "No need to trouble anyone; ink wash is just as good!"

Then he looked at Wei Hong: "May I ask what kind of painting Your Highness desires?"

Wei Hong knew Ye Wenyi's depiction of dancing girls was rare in the world, but he didn't know what else Master Ye specialized in. Seeing Ye Wenyi's demeanor, he seemed extremely confident, and given the request was for an ink wash, he simply said, "Please paint a landscape then!"

Ye Wenyi heard this and assumed the current Son of Heaven wished for a grand, sweeping panorama. He glanced at the white paper briefly before remarking, "If that is the case, this paper is likely too small!"

Without further regard for the servants or Wei Hong, he began rummaging through the untouched scrolls of paper nearby. After some searching, he pulled out the blank scroll at the very bottom and spread it on the table—it was so large it refused to lie flat.

Seeing this, Wei Hong immediately commanded, "Bring more tables!"

But Ye Wenyi merely waved his hand, flinging the scroll onto the floor: "No need; painting like this is more convenient!"

With that, he utilized his light body skill, hanging upside down in mid-air. His brush danced furiously across the scroll, moving from one end all the way to the other. As his feet touched the ground, the brush detached from his hand, darted into the ink stone for a quick dip, and returned instantly to Ye Wenyi's hand. This rapid movement through the air was swift, yet not a drop of ink spilled—Ye Wenyi was using his True Qi to envelop the brush, preventing any splatter.

With the brush secured, Ye Wenyi again activated his light body skill and flew up, suspended in the air. This time, unlike the first pass, his brushwork was like lightning, only tapping the scroll repeatedly. With every tap, he darted forward a short distance, continuing until he reached the far end of the scroll. There, he flipped in the air and gracefully landed back on the ground.

At this point, the scroll displayed only lines and dots; nothing recognizable could be made out. Although the guards marveled at Ye Wenyi's skill, they couldn't decipher the painting. Wei Hong was the same, though he masked it, continuing to watch Ye Wenyi leap and bound.

Unexpectedly, after two passes, Ye Wenyi stopped flitting back and forth. He stood before the scroll, suddenly leaning forward, his body held perfectly straight, his face less than a meter from the parchment, as if tethered by a rope to his lower back, yet he did not fall. Simultaneously, his brush moved rapidly, and in mere moments, a portion of the scroll faintly began to reveal the majesty of towering mountains and peaks...

He painted for two full hours without taking a single breath. By the time he finished the stroke at the far end, the section he started with had already dried. Wei Hong stood there, examining it, murmuring praises nonstop: "A fine painting! A truly fine painting..."

Only when Ye Wenyi walked up beside him and cupped his hands in greeting did Wei Hong snap back to attention, realizing Ye Wenyi had finished!

Glancing over, he saw the scroll, when fully unfurled, spanned three zhang in length and about three chi in width. It was densely covered with various landscapes: the ocean, rivers, streams, towering mountains, rugged peaks, and forests. Yet, viewed together, they harmonized perfectly, as if they were always meant to be so.

Wei Hong walked back and forth several times, examining it countless times, yet could never get enough. Being a true lover of art, he fully understood the significance of this work. If he tried to purchase even an inch of it with gold and silver, it would be priceless.

"This painting... is truly a gift for me, Wei?" Now that the painting was so magnificent, Wei Hong began to doubt Ye Wenyi would give it away so casually. He knew that an artist producing such a masterpiece would cherish it like a treasure and never part with it easily. He even suspected that Ye Wenyi himself hadn't anticipated painting such a masterpiece before starting and wondered if he might retract the offer now—in which case, Wei Hong would have little recourse.

Unexpectedly, Ye Wenyi took a sip of tea from a cup passed to him by Liu Muyan and stated lightly, "It is merely an external object, and besides, it was already agreed that it would be given to Your Highness!"

Hearing this, Wei Hong suddenly reflected: "A mere man of the martial world possesses such broad-mindedness, understanding not to cling too tightly to external things. I, the reigning Emperor, have made such a scene over a scroll; it is truly shameful!" Thinking of the myriad affairs awaiting his attention in the capital, he felt even more mortified. He coughed twice to settle himself slightly.

He then bowed to Ye Wenyi, the one who had given him this insight: "Thank you, Master Ye, for your guidance. This Wei has learned much!" These words were sincere, devoid of any affectation. Ye Wenyi felt a surge of goodwill, thinking, "This Emperor is quite decisive. Having met him a few times now, perhaps we can forge a good connection!"

Smiling, he addressed Wei Hong: "I observe that Your Highness's complexion is not good; are you feeling unwell?"

Wei Hong was startled by this, then remembered that powerful martial artists often possessed such abilities. He chuckled, "Constant toil, it's unavoidable to pick up some ailments. Master Ye has noticed?"

Ye Wenyi nodded: "With ordinary physiognomy, I can only see the surface. My sect has a Doctor Chen, who is a true master of reading qi. Whatever the problem within the body, he can diagnose seven or eight parts correctly with just one look!" Chen Yizhong's art of reading qi had become a unique mastery of Mount Shu, one that no one else could learn, truly his exclusive skill.

As for Ye Wenyi, his observation was nothing special; he merely saw the yellowing of Wei Hong's eyes, slightly sunken orbits, and a faint darkness—any ordinary person could tell his complexion was poor.

Wei Hong knew exactly what was wrong with his body: overwork coupled with countless consorts in the harem had left his health deteriorating day by day, yet he could never truly rest properly, leading to his current state. If he hadn't practiced martial arts early on and maintained some foundation, his appearance would likely be far more wretched.

As he sighed, he suddenly recalled that many martial arts masters possessed methods for nourishing the body. He wondered if Master Ye had any such techniques: "Does Master Ye have any methods?"

The question was direct, but the matter of his vitality had excited him too much; he had no patience for veiled language at this point.

Ye Wenyi seemed surprised by the Emperor's eagerness on this matter and smiled: "Your Highness's condition is merely from excessive strain. It can be rectified with regular exercise!"

Hearing this, Wei Hong could only sigh: "I know, but day and night I toil; I barely have time to rest, let alone exercise diligently?" His political duties had been so demanding in recent years that he hadn't even practiced his modestly successful Qi Refining techniques, letting his martial arts lapse entirely.

Though the Imperial family supported many experts, those guards were solely responsible for protecting him from assassination. It was unnecessary, even counterproductive, to urge the Emperor to practice martial arts; doing so might invite accusations of teaching the Emperor to neglect his duties, so no one dared to broach the subject.

Ye Wenyi understood the difficulty of being Emperor, but hearing it firsthand gave him a different perspective. Seeing Wei Hong's weary expression, he said, "If Your Highness trusts me, perhaps I can condition your body for you!"

"Oh?"

Liu Muyan interjected: "Master's internal cultivation has remarkable efficacy in nourishing vital essence. Your Highness might as well try it!" Being an insider, Liu Muyan knew the profound nature of Ye Wenyi's cultivation methods far better than outsiders, understanding perhaps seventy or eighty percent of it. Moreover, Liu Muyan himself practiced the Zixia Divine Art (currently only the initial Zixia Gong), giving him deep knowledge of its intricacies.

Upon hearing this, Wei Hong was quite moved and said, "Then I shall trouble Master Ye!" He then led Ye Wenyi into a side chamber. The two sat upon a couch. Ye Wenyi took hold of Wei Hong's palms and instructed, "Close your eyes, gather your focus, and do not let your thoughts wander." He then channeled his Innate Violet Qi, probing into Wei Hong's meridians through his palms, gently regulating the hidden ailments within the body.

Ordinarily, this single session wouldn't cure problems accumulated from years of fatigue, but Ye Wenyi could use the Innate Violet Qi to suppress these issues to the maximum extent possible, while simultaneously stimulating the True Qi already present within Wei Hong. He used a portion of the Violet Qi to drive the internal Qi into continuous circulation, encouraging it to resolve its own issues.

During this period driven by the Innate Violet Qi, Wei Hong would feel incredibly refreshed, and his daily rest would sink into deep sleep, recovering a full day's fatigue in just over an hour.

However, once Ye Wenyi's Innate Violet Qi dissipated, if Wei Hong failed to maintain his own internal circulation, his condition would slowly revert.

When Wei Hong opened his eyes, Ye Wenyi explained all these points, even adding, "If Your Highness is willing, I can teach you a set of longevity exercises. It won't take much time; practicing briefly before sleeping each night will benefit you for life."

Wei Hong was overjoyed, but he thought to himself: "The techniques of the Mount Shu Sect are so marvelous; does their sect possess even more profound arts?"

Especially recalling Daoist Master Tianyi, another great martial expert, who seemed no older than forty or fifty despite his untold age. Wei Hong had envied him for a long time. But he knew Tianyi practiced the most divine art of the Heavenly Dao Sect, one rarely taught even to ordinary disciples, let alone someone outside their sect like himself?

Originally, the Jade Cave Sect's techniques also offered longevity benefits, but they required significant study time and deep dives into Daoist scriptures—conveniences Wei Hong couldn't afford given his lack of free time.

"The Mount Shu Sect's arts seem to offer longevity as well. Ye Wenyi is nearly thirty, yet he looks barely over twenty. And listening to Liu Muyan, the beautiful maid attending Master Ye is also quite old, yet she still appears as vibrant as a girl in her twenties. Their sect's cultivation methods must greatly aid in extending life!"

Moreover, after Ye Wenyi's recent conditioning, his body felt much lighter, and his spirits had improved considerably. Briefly recalling the alluring consorts in his harem, the occasional moments of waning stamina he had recently experienced were replaced by a feeling that he could fight three hundred rounds.

After long contemplation, he finally asked, "Does Master Ye still accept disciples?"

"Hmm?" Ye Wenyi was slightly taken aback, but upon seeing Wang Hong's slightly eager gaze, he immediately understood: "Throughout history, few Emperors have been able to let go of the pursuit of eternal life! Furthermore, this Emperor has personally experienced the profound efficacy of my sect's methods. It seems he wishes to learn the arts of Mount Shu for the sake of longevity!"

However, after some thought, accepting an Emperor as a disciple seemed somewhat troublesome. He feigned difficulty on his face: "I currently have six disciples, and I am already struggling to attend to them all. I have no plans to take on more students for the time being!"

Hearing this, Wei Hong immediately became anxious and urged, "I am sincerely hoping Master Ye will accept me as a disciple!"

He glanced around, noticing no one else in the room, and confessed, "I will tell Master Ye the truth: I am the current Emperor!" He was confident that once he revealed his imperial status, Ye Wenyi would eagerly accept him into the fold. After all, being the master of an Emperor was a momentous affair; at the very least, he would be honored as an Imperial Tutor, revered by thousands. If the Emperor achieved great deeds, the Imperial Tutor would inevitably be immortalized alongside him.

Unexpectedly, Ye Wenyi merely murmured a casual acknowledgment, executing a simple Daoist salutation: "Oh! Greetings, Your Majesty!" He deliberately took a shortcut, assuming the stance of a recluse outside worldly affairs.

This exchange left Wei Hong dumbfounded. He had never considered that his status might mean nothing in the eyes of another, leaving him momentarily lost and unsure how to proceed.

Seeing his reaction, Ye Wenyi found it amusing, thinking to himself, "This Emperor is indeed not a tyrannical ruler. Another with a worse temper might have shouted by now, 'Insolence! How dare you disrespect me? Drag him out and behead him!'"

While Wei Hong was figuring out how to persuade Ye Wenyi to accept him and impart his supreme arts, Ye Wenyi suddenly stated, "If you wish to become my disciple, it is not impossible, but you must abide by the rules of the Mount Shu Sect. I wonder if Your Majesty can comply?"

"What rules?"

"The rules of the Mount Shu Sect are quite simple: do not bully the weak, do not harm fellow disciples, and do not betray the sect!" Just as Wei Hong was thinking these sounded manageable, Ye Wenyi added, "These are the three main directions. Specifically, our sect has Ten Great Prohibitions and Twenty Great Forbiddens. Furthermore, each Great Prohibition has fifty Medium Prohibitions, and each Medium Prohibition has one hundred Minor Prohibitions!"

Seeing Wei Hong’s eyes begin to resemble spiraling smoke, Ye Wenyi casually said, "Forget it, I can't list them all. In a few days, I will have Muyan send you a booklet detailing everything clearly!"

"A booklet?"

Ye Wenyi nodded: "Yes, that booklet will be the catalog of the Mount Shu Sect's rules! The specific regulations will require others to move in bulk to deliver!"

As he got carried away speaking, his words grew increasingly outrageous. This was entirely because Ye Wenyi completely lacked the awareness that the man before him was the current Emperor; he treated him like any ordinary aspiring apprentice. Naturally, whatever he said went. In his mind, this man was seeking his favor; thus, he could boast and ramble as he pleased. If the situation were reversed, and he were the one seeking favor, he would certainly behave differently.

After a period of talking, Wei Hong gritted his teeth, steeling his resolve, and declared, "I will certainly obey your esteemed sect's rules. I implore the Master to accept me as a disciple!"

Ye Wenyi looked at Wei Hong, saw the determination in his eyes, and knew the Emperor's desire to become a disciple was resolute, not just a passing fancy. He asked, "Does Your Majesty join my Mount Shu Sect in pursuit of longevity?"

Wei Hong was stunned that his true motive had been discerned. He hesitated for a moment before finally nodding, "I do hold that thought!"

Ye Wenyi nodded: "Your Majesty need not feel awkward; this is merely human nature and nothing to be ashamed of. However, since Your Majesty seeks longevity by joining our sect, I will teach you methods that emphasize nurturing life and conditioning the body!"

Seeing the relief in Wei Hong's expression, Ye Wenyi continued, "But there is one final point before discipleship! Your Majesty will be treated no differently from any other disciple in our sect, regardless of your status!"

Wei Hong replied, "I understand! When I return to the capital, I will proclaim this matter to the world, so that all under heaven may know!" He presumed Ye Wenyi would be ecstatic about this decision; what immense honor it was to become an Imperial Tutor! How many people in the world yearned for that position?

Unexpectedly, Ye Wenyi waved his hand and said, "No need for that. In my eyes, you are merely one of my ordinary disciples! And to you, I am merely the Master who transmits skills. Involving the messy affairs of the court will only cause trouble! Just focus on learning the martial arts from me; leave those messy things alone!"

Only then did Wei Hong grasp Ye Wenyi's meaning: he accepted him not for the title of Imperial Tutor, nor did he wish to be associated with that notoriety—it was a nuisance! Considering this, Wei Hong felt Ye Wenyi was truly a legendary transcendent master: possessing unparalleled calligraphy and painting skills, profound magical methods, and that being accepted into his lineage was likely due to ancestral spirits blessing him.

As for Ye Wenyi, he had merely intended to foster good relations with the Emperor, unexpectedly gaining an imperial disciple as a byproduct—something done casually. In any case, he only needed to transmit some internal cultivation methods focused on health preservation, offering simple guidance, and perhaps not even needing to teach any external martial arts.

"I will now transmit to you the Pure Heart True Method of our sect. This technique has unique merits in nourishing life. Even if you cannot learn our sect's profound arts in this lifetime, practicing this method alone will ensure your health throughout your years." After explaining it in detail, he added, "Your Fourth Senior Brother, Liu Muyan, has received the inheritance of our sect's Zixia Divine Art. If your cultivation reaches the required level in the future, ask your Fourth Senior Brother to guide you in practicing that divine art nearby! For now, you only need to focus on cultivating this Pure Heart True Method well!"

Although Wei Hong was curious about the Zixia Divine Art, he didn't inquire further as he didn't understand it well. Hearing that the Pure Heart True Method offered health benefits was satisfaction enough. By the time Ye Wenyi finished explaining the entire Pure Heart True Method, night had fallen. He told the Emperor to ask Liu Muyan if he had any future doubts, and then he departed.....................

PS: Getting increasingly wicked!