Two hamlets sprung up at the foot of Mount Shu. For the Shu Shan Sect, this offered more than just a steady supply of provisions; they also provided a substantial labor pool. The sect could easily hire workers from these villages for odd jobs, or assign mundane tasks—like mending and washing—to the ordinary villagers.

This arrangement freed up manpower on the mountain to attend to other matters, saving them from being perpetually busy without even a moment to lift their heads all day.

Simultaneously, the Shu Shan Sect and the two villages became mutually dependent. The villagers turned into the sect's most loyal adherents. If anyone showed disrespect to the Shu Shan Sect, without the sect even needing to send a retainer, these villagers would manifest extreme displeasure, even directly confronting and severely beating the offender.

As a final utility, these villages functioned as the Shu Shan Sect’s network of eyes and ears spread around them. Quite a few outer disciples frequented the hamlets, ensuring immediate alarm would be raised should any figures from the jianghu appear.

“Ah, like two satellites!”

Ye Wen stroked his chin, having just defined the role of these two small villages. By his side, Hua Yi, as she massaged his back, inquired curiously, “What is a satellite?”

“It’s like the moon!”

Explaining it further would be futile; Ye Wen dismissed her with a quick answer, deeming it sufficient to get by. Though Hua Yi remained unclear, she did not press the matter, instead lowering her gaze to continue kneading Ye Wen’s shoulders.

As Ning Ruxue entered, she took in the scene. She was hardly surprised by such a sight, at most offering a mild comment: “Senior Brother is learning to enjoy life more and more!” Then she sat down nearby, offering no reprimand.

Ye Wen smiled: “Perhaps Hua Yi should massage Senior Sister too? I imagine you’re feeling weary after finishing your practice?”

Ning Ruxue shook her head: “No need!”

She was not as accustomed to luxury as Ye Wen. She always felt being served by others was awkward, let alone having someone touch her body? In her entire life, only Ye Wen had been so close to her, and though he had taken liberties with her many times, the establishment of their status later provided a suitable justification. No one else had even dared touch her; not even the female disciples she was closer to would be allowed such familiarity.

Ye Wen knew his junior sister was overly reserved; even a slight touch would elicit a loud outcry. His previous offer was merely a casual remark, as he knew she would refuse.

After a while of massage, Ye Wen called out again: “Tea!”

“Yes, Master!” Hua Yi replied immediately, dutifully filling the teacup before handing it to the hand Ye Wen had already extended mid-air: “Master, drink your tea!”

“Mmm.”

This sequence of actions was performed fluidly and skillfully. Ye Wen perfectly embodied the mannerisms of a wealthy landlord, enjoying the labor of the poor and exploiting common folk, causing Ning Ruxue to involuntarily curl her lip.

However, he was subtly displaying the bearing of someone in authority. Based solely on those actions, no one would suspect this man was the leader of a prominent sect in the martial world.

But after taking a sip of tea, Ye Wen suddenly chuckled and said, “Junior Sister, do I carry the air of a sect leader in this guise? If I spoke to others like this from now on, what do you think?”

Ning Ruxue pouted. While she conceded the demeanor showed supreme authority, she disliked it internally, replying, “The way you were before is better!”

“Is that so?” He gulped a large mouthful, then turned to Hua Yi: “You think so too?”

Hua Yi smiled: “It’s all the same to me, Master is Master. I will serve you regardless!”

As the three were chatting and laughing, a sharp sound of cloth tearing through the air suddenly pierced the quiet. Ye Wen’s eyelids flickered; he recognized the sound of someone arriving swiftly. With a casual flip of his left hand and a slight tremor, the firmly closed door burst open. A figure darted inside, bowing deeply: “Sect Master, a disciple reports that a group of unidentified martial artists are heading toward Mount Shu!” This man was Zhou Ding, the current steward of external affairs. Though he had not entered the inner circle, his martial arts skill was not weak, and he had learned several techniques reserved only for core disciples, save for his internal cultivation, which remained at the basic Quan Zhen Xin Fa—though even this, practiced diligently, could yield considerable power.

Consequently, though Zhou Ding rarely descended the mountain, every time he acted, he easily resolved situations, carving out a reputation over the years. However, because he spent so long managing all external affairs on Mount Shu, his fame was largely confined to Pingzhou and the surrounding regions.

Ye Wen set down his teacup and inquired, “How many are there, and can you discern which sect they belong to?”

Zhou Ding replied, “There are quite a few, and more are arriving at Mount Shu in waves. Their attire is disorderly, so I cannot identify the sect, but this group approaches aggressively; they clearly intend harm to the Shu Shan Sect!”

Ye Wen pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed: “It must be the Demonic Cult. They likely learned that the righteous heroes are preparing to attack their overseas stronghold and decided to strike first to eliminate one faction! This group is probably composed of Demonic Cultists!”

He stroked his chin, the more he thought, the more convinced he became. Ye Wen immediately commanded, “Send word to the disciples guarding the manor at the foot of the mountain; call them back!”

Over the past few years, the Shu Shan Sect had raised carrier pigeons for communication. Since the messages were only between the two villages, Shushan County, the manor, and a few locations on the mountain, there was little fear of interception. This system was primarily established to link these few places, preventing vital messages from taking half a day and slowing response times.

Today, thanks to these carrier pigeons, the Shu Shan Sect was forewarned of the enemy’s approach.

Hearing Ye Wen’s analysis, Ning Ruxue couldn't help but ask, “Why would the Demonic Cult choose our Shu Shan Sect?” In her view, if the Cult truly wanted to strike and neutralize one force while the righteous factions were still preparing, they should target either the weakest or the strongest.

Targeting the weakest would allow for swift defeat, achieving the goal of reducing enemy strength.

Targeting the strongest would prevent their formidable power from consolidating, making them harder to handle later.

But selecting the Shu Shan Sect now seemed to align with neither scenario, or perhaps touched on both a little. While strong, the Shu Shan Sect surely couldn't compare to established great sects like the Heavenly Dao Sect, the Chan Sect, or the Tian Shan Sect. In terms of overall sect strength, they might even fall below the well-established Northern Sword Gate.

As for being weak, losing the Nine Sword Immortal, and with Yu Qingzi on the brink of collapse, the Jade Cave Sect was truly feeble—the Demonic Cult could likely wipe them out with minimal force.

Yet, Ye Wen’s thinking was precisely the opposite.

“It is precisely because our Shu Shan Sect is neither too strong nor too weak, and has shallow roots, that we are being targeted!” Ye Wen sneered, then began to analyze the situation for his junior sister point by point.

“Firstly, attacking the weakest yields little benefit for the Demonic Cult. Take the Jade Cave Sect’s current situation: even if they managed to join the assembled heroes, they would amount to little more than cannon fodder; their presence or absence would have no significant impact on the Demonic Cult! Conversely, attacking a much stronger sect, they might not secure a victory, and a defeat would be a great humiliation!”

“By choosing the Shu Shan Sect, they exploit the fact that we are newly risen, lack deep foundations, and have few disciples, leaving only a few of us to hold the fort. In the eyes of the Demonic Cult, even I, the Sect Master, am not considered a peak master, making us easier to handle than those great sects guarded by figures like Li Xuan or the Chan Master Huixin!”

“Furthermore, our Shu Shan Sect has repeatedly clashed with the Demonic Cult. Wiping us out before the grand battle would greatly boost their own morale and prestige! It would also serve to intimidate the righteous heroes. Simply put, we are the chicken displayed to scare the monkeys!”

When Ye Wen finished his analysis, Ning Ruxue understood why the Demonic Cult had chosen the Shu Shan Sect as their target. In the short time it took, the group had moved from the back rooms to the front hall, concurrently summoning all sect disciples.

The strength of the Shu Shan Sect was indeed not top-tier; among the first-rate martial sects, they ranked toward the rear. In a full-scale clash, they could only slightly surpass the Jade Cave Sect.

However, the Shu Shan Sect possessed their ultimate defensive secret—the True Martial Seven Intercept Formation (Zhen Wu Qi Jie Zhen). Today, it was certainly time for it to taste bloodshed! But to prevent enemy experts from shattering the formation with their formidable internal energy, causing needless casualties among the disciples, Ye Wen ordered the disciples from the foot of the mountain to return, arranging the formation directly in the front courtyard to await the arrival of the Demonic Cultists. With the support of a few masters like themselves, the True Martial Seven Intercept Formation could fully exert its power, focusing on slaughtering the rabble.

Standing in the center of the main hall, Ye Wen surveyed the many disciples assembled before him. The foremost few were his personal disciples. Excluding Liu Muyan, who held an official post, and the unannounced disciple who was the Emperor, the other five stood in a line: from Yue Ning, to Zhou Zhiruo, then Xu Ping, Guo Jing, and Li Xiaoyao. These disciples were considered the elite of the Shu Shan Sect.

Beside him were Li Sen, Nangong Huang, and Nangong Zixin. Zhou Ding and the host of outer disciples had already arrayed themselves outside the hall, awaiting the enemy.

Ye Wen hummed softly, glancing at Ning Ruxue by his side, but noticed Xu Xian’s absence on the other side: “Where is Junior Brother?”

Ning Ruxue replied, “Junior Brother went home for a few days; Rongrong went with him.”

“Oh.”

This Xu Xian was always roaming about. Especially now that his martial arts had reached this level, he could hardly sit still, taking Huang Rongrong everywhere. This suited Huang Rongrong’s temperament perfectly; the two were living an utterly carefree life, neglecting even Nangong Huang, Xu Xian’s own disciple.

When descending from Ten Thousand Buddha Mountain, Ye Wen had intended to find Xu Xian and return to the mountain together. Unexpectedly, as soon as he reached the base, a child ran up asking if he was Ye Wen of Shu Shan. After confirming, the child handed him an envelope containing only a few words: “Rongrong and I are traveling around; Senior Brother, please return first.”

After Ye Wen returned to the sect for several days, his junior brother returned with Huang Rongrong, only to vanish again shortly after. It seemed they had endured confinement on the mountain for years and, upon achieving some cultivation success, were now taking leave to celebrate.

Ye Wen felt helpless about this, but he said nothing. Since the Demonic Cultists were already en route, whether his junior brother was present or not, a fight was inevitable.

He had just managed to say, “Forget it!”

When a loud laugh echoed from outside the hall, followed by a voice: “How can we forget it? How could I miss such an exciting event?” The voice was faint at first, barely audible, but halfway through the sentence, everyone saw a shadow rush in from the mountain gate. Before anyone could react, the shadow was already inside the hall, finally stopping beside Ye Wen.

As this person’s figure settled, everyone clearly saw it was Xu Xian, and just then, the word “I” finally registered in everyone’s ears.

“You’re back?”

Xu Xian laughed heartily: “Not only am I back, but I’ve also dealt with a few arrogant brutes along the way!” Xu Xian looked disdainful: “With such meager abilities, they dare to boast of destroying my Shu Shan Sect? They clearly don’t know how to value their own lives!”

It turned out that Xu Xian and Huang Rongrong were wandering around Shushan County when they stopped for tea at a roadside shed. Coincidentally, they overheard a few men discussing ‘Our Cult,’ ‘Shu Shan,’ ‘Blood Flowing into a Corpse Pile,’ and similar topics, which caught their attention.

They then secretly tailed the men out of the county until they reached a secluded spot. They leaped out and blocked the group, interrogating them closely. They learned that these men were heading to Mount Shu to slaughter every member of the Shu Shan Sect. Seeing Xu Xian, who looked impossibly young, and a petite young girl, they assumed they were just two heedless youths, mocked them, and prepared to silence them—only to be annihilated by the duo instead.

Upon learning their sect was in danger, the two immediately rushed back. However, Xu Xian’s Lightness Skill was superior, allowing him to arrive first. He had instructed Huang Rongrong that if the enemy forces seemed overwhelming, she should not rush up the mountain alone, but instead gather the disciples scattered in the vicinity to prevent them from being slaughtered by these Demonic Cultists. This was why only Xu Xian had managed to return to the mountain first.

“How skilled are these people? Did you encounter any true masters?” Ye Wen urgently wanted to gauge the strength of this incoming Demonic Cult contingent. If their skill level wasn't high, he could relax, perhaps even refrain from intervening, letting his juniors demonstrate their prowess as practical combat training.

But if the force was formidable, he would need to seize an opportunity to eliminate their strongest member first, to avoid endless future trouble.

Xu Xian gave an awkward smile: “I was rushing back too quickly; I didn’t pay close attention, so I didn't really test their skill levels. The occasional two I bumped into were both slain by my single sword strike... Should I go back down and scout again?”

Ye Wen waved his hand: “No need! They are almost here anyway; whether they are strong or weak will be clear at a glance!”

After a brief exchange with Xu Xian, Ye Wen turned back and explained the precise situation to the assembled group. The disciples already had some idea of what was happening, so there were no excessively intense reactions, except for Li Xiaoyao, who clenched his teeth and sneered, “I thought we’d have to wait until spring to settle accounts with these villains, but they’ve delivered themselves to our door today. I’ll kill these scoundrels first as an advance payment!”

He held a deep, personal vendetta against the Demonic Cult, and at that moment, no one else in the hall possessed his fighting spirit. Hearing of the Cult’s attack, the long sword in his hand actually trembled uncontrollably. The blade within its scabbard seemed on the verge of unsheathing itself—a result of Li Xiaoyao’s agitated internal energy causing his weapon to vibrate under the strain of his surging Neijin.

Since joining the Shu Shan Sect, he had practiced assiduously. Due to his temperament, Ye Wen taught him the Xiao Wu Xiang Gong. At present, Li Xiaoyao’s mastery of the Xiao Wu Xiang Gong was considerable. Furthermore, he meticulously studied swordsmanship, mastering not only all the techniques Ye Wen knew but also those known by Xu Xian and Ning Ruxue.

Even his senior sister’s famous Mie Jue Shuang Jian (Extinction Dual Swords) had not escaped his study—after learning so many sword forms, Li Xiaoyao’s ambition, in his own words, was to slay every enemy with this long sword in his hand.

This disciple was excellent in every way, his comprehension being the highest among Ye Wen’s disciples. However, he was blinded by hatred. While his progress was rapid under the heat of his rage, if he could not adjust his mentality later, Li Xiaoyao’s martial arts would stall here. Fortunately, his enemy was right before him. Once this Demonic Cult threat was eliminated and his vengeance satisfied, he should gradually be able to readjust over time.

However, being agitated now and rushing into a life-or-death duel was risky. Ye Wen’s gaze shifted, and Yue Ning, as the most senior disciple, immediately walked over. He clapped his junior brother on the shoulder, channeling his Zi Xia Zhen Qi to quell the restless internal energy within him.

Then, he softly recited a few lines of the Quan Zhen Xin Fa centering mantra into Li Xiaoyao’s ear, urging him to calm down.

“Thank you, Senior Brother!”

Yue Ning smiled, saying nothing, and returned to his position.

Ye Wen looked over his assembled disciples one last time and concluded: “Let’s all go out together, and see just how capable these so-called masters of the Demonic Cult are, daring to cause trouble at our Shu Shan Sect!”

The disciples had been somewhat tense, anticipating a major battle.

But upon seeing their Sect Master’s nonchalant demeanor, they instantly calmed down, thinking that whatever disaster struck, their Master would handle it; why should they be nervous? Thus, they emerged from the main hall, relaxed and smiling, one after another.

Zhou Ding was already standing at the entrance of the hall, briefing the assembled one hundred or so outer disciples, even assigning groups on how to cooperate in setting up the formation. Seeing Ye Wen emerge, he asked, “Does the Sect Master have anything further to say to the disciples?”

Ye Wen laughed loudly: “What is there to say? They are merely a swarm of overestimating insects! After we deal with these fellows, everyone return to whatever you were doing!”

At these words, the outer disciples burst into laughter. Ye Wen then continued, “However, their arrival is timely. Our sect’s grand competition was already scheduled for winter; today will serve as that competition. Let this Sect Master see the results of your training over the past year! But this time, disciples, do not hold back your strength. Bring out whatever moves you have to show this Sect Master.”

The outer disciples cheered loudly, their fists already clenched in anticipation of the arrival of those blind Demonic Cultists. Only Ye Wen, looking down from above at the outer disciples, muttered inwardly, “I wonder how many disciples we will lose today…”

……………………………………… PS: Oh dear… I habitually added a PS, but I don’t know what to say.