Accepting the current Emperor as a disciple, beyond certain considerations, also satisfied a latent, mischievous desire deep within X’s heart. However, he knew well that if the title of Imperial Preceptor were broadcast too widely, it would only invite a host of troubles. So, he kept his secret satisfaction to himself and moved on, seeing no need to boast about it.

As for Wei Hong’s recent demeanor, Ye Wen found nothing strange. Since ancient times, no emperor has been able to escape the temptation of longevity. Whether in his former world or this one, after so many years, he knew precisely why the preceding dynasty had collapsed. It was because the emperor, obsessed with achieving immortality, focused solely on cultivation and consuming elixirs, neglecting state affairs. This led to increasing chaos in the court, eventual widespread suffering among the people, and the utter disintegration of a massive dynasty.

Compared to that foolish ruler, Wei Hong showed remarkable restraint, understanding that even the concept of longevity has its limits. He merely wished for his vital energy and spirit to be enhanced. By chance, he encountered Ye Wen, an otherworldly master who seemed utterly uninterested in his imperial status or courtly politics. If he were to seek tutelage from an ordinary person, Wei Hong would have to constantly worry if his master would leverage the title of Imperial Preceptor to manipulate power. However, Ye Wen’s indifference made it clear: this Sect Leader Ye held no interest in such matters, refusing even the title of Imperial Preceptor.

This arrangement meant their relationship was merely that of a common master and disciple, rendering the imperial title meaningless. Wei Hong could learn with peace of mind, and Ye Wen could teach with ease—truly at ease, barely needing to involve himself beyond arranging for Senior Brother Liu Muyan to provide guidance.

As for how the Emperor and Liu Muyan would interact in the future, Ye Wen couldn't be bothered to contemplate. He simply stated, “That is your business and has nothing to do with your master!”

Wei Hong grasped Ye Wen’s meaning from that sentence: Mount Shu Sect is Mount Shu Sect, and the Imperial Court is the Imperial Court. Privately, he and Liu Muyan were martial brothers, but once in court, they were sovereign and subject. In other words, the study of martial arts was one thing; how to conduct oneself in court remained unchanged.

Emerging from the Imperial Villa, Ye Wen ambled back to his own courtyard. He happened upon Ning Ruxue instructing Nangong Zixin in practice in the courtyard. He watched for a while, and only after Nangong Zixin returned to her room did Ye Wen smile and say, “Junior Sister is looking more and more like a master.”

Ning Ruxue shot him a look and retorted, “Was I not looking like a master before?” Then, seeing Ye Wen pick up the nearby plate of pastries and stuff them into his mouth, she asked curiously, “Senior Brother, haven't you eaten?”

“Mmm-hmm!” His mouth stuffed full, Ye Wen could only nod vaguely before directly lifting the teapot and chugging a large gulp from the spout: “I was so busy, I didn’t even get to eat a meal!”

“Busy with what?” Ning Ruxue stepped closer, her cute nose twitching as she sniffed a few times near Ye Wen. “There’s no scent of alcohol either; it seems Senior Brother really hasn't eaten!” This made her even more curious, unable to fathom why King Wei had kept her Senior Brother so long—was he too stingy to even offer dinner?

Ye Wen felt helpless. He hadn't expected that first painting, then tending to his health, followed by accepting a disciple and teaching the complete Heart Sutra, would mean it was already dark when he returned. The matter of eating had completely slipped his mind.

It wasn't until he was back in the courtyard, seeing that plate of pastries, that he suddenly remembered his stomach was empty. Alas, Nangong Zixin was nearby at the time, so he could only swallow dryly, waiting for her to leave before finally diving into the pastries.

“Senior Brother, eat slowly!”

“Mmm-hmm…” Waving a hand dismissively, Ye Wen continued cramming pastries into his mouth until the entire plate was empty. Only then did he feel much better. “As soon as I got there, I drew a painting for that King Wei and gave it to him. Then I passed on a health-preserving technique and accepted him as a disciple!”

“Ah?”

Ning Ruxue was surprised her Senior Brother had taken on another disciple during this trip, and this one was from the royal family. “This… is this appropriate? Wouldn't that mean Mount Shu Sect would become entangled with the royal family?”

Ye Wen waved his hand. “No trouble. I’m only teaching him some Qi-gathering techniques, and Liu Muyan lives in the capital; as his senior brother, he can offer guidance nearby! That King Wei merely wants to learn some martial arts to strengthen his body. Calling it accepting a disciple is effectively just giving him a nominal title!”

He felt certain he wouldn't be running off to the capital on a whim, so this imperial disciple status was merely a master-disciple formality. It provided a suitable pretext for the Emperor to learn profound techniques from Mount Shu Sect. In reality, accepting or not accepting this disciple made little difference to Ye Wen.

However, having accepted the Emperor as a disciple, officials would inevitably treat Mount Shu Sect with more deference. Ye Wen had previously thought that Liu Muyan and Xu Xian were enough to guarantee the sect wouldn't suffer suppression from the court, but in the final analysis, neither compared to the current Son of Heaven’s influence.

“Well! With this disciple, at least I won't have to worry about the court moving to suppress martial arts sects and destroying the foundation of our Mount Shu Sect. We are, after all, half an official sect now!”

Ye Wen had long understood that the court tolerated the existence of so-called martial arts sects primarily to deal with the demonic cultivators, serving as a check and balance.

Now, with the righteous martial world preparing to encircle and annihilate the Demonic Cult, for many martial artists, if a few demonic cultivators managed to escape, it might even be a good thing for the righteous path. If they were truly wiped out entirely, would the court still tolerate the existence of all these martial arts factions?

At that time, all the major sects would have just finished fighting the Demonic Cult, leaving them at their weakest. If the court decided to discard them after their usefulness ended, who could resist?

Even taking the best-case scenario, even if the court didn’t eliminate them after the battle, the major sects, severely weakened, would still likely face suppression from the court when trying to recover their strength, unless they were supported by the court, like the Heavenly Dao Sect and the Buddhist Sect. If the court allowed the major sects to recover too quickly, they might again worry about the influence these sects held over their rule.

“The existence of the righteous martial world is to counter the Demonic Cult, so…” Ye Wen lay on his couch, contemplating the future path of his Mount Shu Sect after this great war. “Even flying the banner of the righteous path, in the eyes of the court, we remain an ungovernable force. If we become too arrogant, it will be difficult to survive long. Although we now have ties with the Emperor, if we act foolishly, a sudden severing of ties isn't impossible!” While pondering, Ye Wen also believed this was a golden opportunity for Mount Shu Sect. As long as he didn't cross the court’s bottom line, after this war ended and the major sects were weakened, Ye Wen could rely on these subtle connections with the court to recover his strength in the shortest time possible, perhaps even developing Mount Shu Sect to be even stronger while others were in a period of decline.

“Alas, danger and opportunity always coexist!” Thinking thus, Ye Wen drifted off to sleep. It wasn't until the sun was high in the sky the next day that Ye Wen finally emerged from his room—not because he had just woken up, but because he had spent quite some time lost in thought in his bed before rising to dress.

“Say farewell to Master Huixin, and then we shall return to the mountain!” “Yes, Sect Leader Senior Brother (Master)!” everyone responded in unison, simultaneously expressing their happiness about returning to Mount Shu. Having been away for so long, with winter approaching, everyone was eager to return home early to spend the winter. According to custom at this time, winter meant returning home for the New Year reunion.

Nangong Zixin and Nangong Huang now considered Mount Shu their home too and were overjoyed to hear they were going back. However, that boy Xu Ping had suffered quite a bit again. Nangong Zixin chirped ceaselessly next to him like a sparrow; Ye Wen wondered how his third disciple managed to endure it.

“Will Ping'er go deaf in the future?” Ye Wen intended to share a joke with his junior sister, but when he turned, he saw Zhou Zhiruo. Although this second disciple occasionally showed a spark of emotion over the past few years, she usually maintained a cool and aloof demeanor. Seeing her master speak to her now, she looked at him expressionlessly for a few moments before managing to utter, “Third Junior Brother has something stuffed in his ears!”

“…”

Ye Wen was taken aback by his second disciple’s response. In his momentary lapse, he peered closely into his disciple's ear and indeed saw a bit of cotton wadding stuffed inside. If one didn't look closely, it was impossible to spot. Yet, Nangong Zixin had been chattering away right beside him and hadn't noticed—that was truly careless.

“Go back and tell Junior Sister to make this girl practice her observational skills. What kind of eyesight does she have!”

The journey back was uneventful. By the time Ye Wen and his group arrived at Mount Shu, it was already winter. The sky was low and overcast, with occasional flakes of snow drifting down, reminding people to layer up.

Huayi looked at Ye Wen, still striking a pose on the large boulder, and asked, “Master, don't you need another layer of clothing?”

Ye Wen was still wearing his simple, long outer robe, with only a single layer underneath—much the same as in summer. However, with his Innate Violet Qi nearing perfection, he was already impervious to cold and heat; such a slight chill couldn't touch him.

Let alone him, Huayi, wearing a thin skirt that offered no protection against the cold, was standing casually beside him, enduring the cold wind.

A gust of cold wind blew by, carrying a few icy snowflakes that merely slid off Ye Wen’s body, deflecting to the side. They didn't melt upon contact with his body heat like they would on an ordinary person; it was like striking a stone.

Ye Wen closed his eyes, feeling the snowflakes glide past him, and said, “Dressed like a bear, movement becomes inconvenient. Furthermore, with my current cultivation, why should I worry about such trivialities!” Huayi smiled. “But we must consider how ordinary people see us, right? When Master descends the mountain dressed like this, countless people stare, thinking Master is mad! It’s so cold, yet he wears summer robes!”

Ye Wen teased, “Are they staring at me? They’re looking at you!” Then, recalling something, he added, “Right, Master, I’m missing another set of clothes. Next time you make them, use a different color, okay?” “What color does Master desire?”

“Let’s do a pale blue this time. Wearing so much purple—I’ll truly turn into an eggplant!” Whenever he used his inner energy, his entire body glowed purple; his sword energy was purple; even the Dragon Subduing Palms he struck unleashed a purple dragon's head. Wearing another purple outfit would be too much. A slight change of flavor would be nice.

Huayi seemed to agree, covering her mouth to let out a soft chuckle. They fell silent again. After a while, Ye Wen spoke again. “How is your Demonic Heaven Technique cultivation progressing?”

Because of its name, the Demonic Heaven Technique was not mentioned to outsiders. Only Ning Ruxue, Xu Xian, Ye Wen, and Huayi herself knew what cultivation she practiced. When the name was first mentioned, Huayi paid it no mind, but Ning Ruxue commented, “The name of this technique is genuinely easy to misunderstand; it might be difficult to discuss it with outsiders!” Ye Wen countered, “Anyway, when fighting enemies, others won't ask what internal art you use; at most, they’ll ask what move you used.” In reality, that was mostly true; unless an opponent’s internal energy was highly distinctive, ordinary people wouldn't pay attention to the internal art itself.

The force of the Demonic Heaven Technique had several unique characteristics, but not so pronounced as to draw excessive attention. Furthermore, the technique's signature Demonic Heaven Aura was rendered even less suspicious because Ye Wen had also mastered an aura; people would only assume this woman practiced a technique belonging to the Mount Shu lineage.

“This servant has broken through the Twelfth Profound Gate!”

Huayi's original cultivation was already formidable. Regardless of her actual combat power, she had pierced the Earthly and Heavenly Profound Gates. These past few years, under Ye Wen's close tutelage, combined with the unparalleled miracle of the Demonic Heaven Technique, not only had her power fully recovered, but it surpassed its former peak.

She had even managed to break through two more Profound Gates in one go. As for the sword and weapon skills she had long practiced, Huayi had now integrated them with the Demonic Heaven Dance, increasing their power slightly beyond their original strength.

Ye Wen nodded, though in his mind, he debated whether to bring Huayi along for the crusade against the Demonic Cult. After all, there was a person there whom Huayi cared deeply about. But if he took her, her emotional reaction could lead to unpredictable behavior.

Perhaps sensing Ye Wen’s concern, she suddenly pleaded, “Master, I beg you, do not leave this servant behind this time!”

He looked back at Huayi; in her eyes, there was a flicker of fierce determination. Ye Wen gently brushed the wind-tousled hair from her forehead and sighed, “Alright. Consider it an opportunity for you to achieve closure yourself!”

Hearing this, Huayi immediately revealed a captivating smile. “Thank you, Master!” Ye Wen did not reply, merely offering a slight smile before turning and leaping down from the large rock. He addressed Li Xiaoyao, who had just run up, “Did your Martial Aunt send you to call for your master again?”

Li Xiaoyao nodded, expecting Ye Wen to offer some comforting words, but Ye Wen followed up with, “She gave the right order. Otherwise, how will you reduce that weight of yours! Next time, I will remember to run farther away. Then you’ll have to walk a few extra steps to find me!”

At these words, Li Xiaoyao nearly tripped and fell. He grumbled internally, I’m already so much thinner than I used to be! My once round figure is long gone, and now I look like a bean sprout, yet they still demand I lose weight. This is abuse!

Of course, this was just Li Xiaoyao’s internal monologue. Ye Wen glanced at Li Xiaoyao, who still weighed around 170 jin (about 85 kg), and felt his appearance utterly failed to match his name, solidifying his resolve to make this disciple slim down.

The days after returning to the mountain passed quickly. Since there wasn't much to do on the mountain, and with Mount Shu Sect gradually expanding, even Li Sen had selected several assistants from the outstanding outer disciples to help him. The two young men Chen Yizhong had chosen back then had now become minor stewards.

The structure of the entire Mount Shu Sect was gradually taking shape. As Sect Leader, Ye Wen now found himself with little to do. He spent his days teaching disciples, wandering around the sect, and occasionally listening to reports, which covered the vast majority of matters. Most industries were running smoothly, with nothing requiring immediate changes for a long period.

“Furthermore, many more households have settled around Grandmaster Guo’s estate, forming a large village. Grandmaster Guo has been elected village head. Since he knows the land belongs to Mount Shu Sect, Grandmaster Guo wants to ask what name this village should be given?”

Grandmaster Guo was naturally Guo Nu, who had settled at the foot of Mount Shu. He had chosen his location and built his manor several years ago. After construction was complete, he sold his residence in Shushan County and settled his entire family at the foot of Mount Shu.

Due to Mount Shu Sect’s growing renown, ordinary bandits and thieves dared not venture within a hundred li of the mountain. Many homeless people or impoverished families often harassed by bandits moved here. Moreover, Mount Shu Sect provided them with fields and tools for cultivation, and the rent charged was not too high, attracting even more people to settle here.

Because Guo Nu’s manor was conspicuous, some people built their houses nearby (it must be said, humans are gregarious creatures; seeing others settled makes a place seem appealing). After several years, a reasonably sized village had formed.

In addition, there was another village on the opposite side, populated entirely by Mount Shu Sect's tenant farmers, cultivating land provided by the sect. These two villages subtly formed the largest source of grain and economic revenue for Mount Shu Sect.

As the villages gradually developed, the matter of naming them became a priority. Moreover, once a village was established, a formal petition had to be submitted to the local county yamen for filing and backup, even needing to be reported to the Ministry of Revenue for official registration. Thus, the name could not be chosen lightly.

Ye Wen, however, possessed no such sense of gravity. Upon hearing the news, he casually replied, “Let one be called Scholar Village, and the other be called Hero Village! As for which one gets which name—let them decide themselves!” Li Sen mumbled the names and then laughed, “Martial Uncle Sect Leader, these two names are truly brilliant. Scholar and Hero—one civil, one martial, subtly reflecting the characteristics of our Mount Shu Sect. Truly excellent names!” Ye Wen was dumbfounded. He hadn't expected the names he tossed out casually would carry such meaning. “Good heavens, I just pulled the place names from a game I used to play; must you praise me so much?”

If Li Sen knew that his Martial Uncle had merely adapted names from a video game, he might have spat blood. But regardless, the names for the two villages surrounding Mount Shu Sect were officially settled: the village where Guo Nu resided was named Hero Village, and the other was named Scholar Village—which happened to be closer to Shushan County, making the name quite fitting.