Having set the final objective, and given that the destination was not far from the assembled forces, Ye Wen nonetheless directed the fleet to take a circuitous route to avoid detection by any scouts the Demonic Sect might have placed.

“Why the detour?”

Ye Wen gestured to the company. “Naval combat is not our strong suit, and after such a long voyage, everyone is utterly exhausted. They are ill-suited to this constant pitching and rolling on the sea. If we were to engage in battle now, wouldn't we simply end up feeding the fish?”

His reasoning was sound, and the others offered no objection, complying with Ye Wen’s instructions. By the time they reached the predetermined island, their arrival was three days later than anticipated.

As a result of these delays, the righteous faction, who had originally expected to reach the Demonic Sect’s headquarters within a month, spent nearly two full months adrift at sea before closing in on their destination.

Fortunately, the great ships had not been filled to capacity at the outset; the unused space had been allocated for storing provisions. Thus, even after two months at sea, they still had enough food. While securing meat was simple during their drift, the primary concern was carrying a sufficient quantity of fruits and vegetables. Ye Wen had prepared for this: the contingent from Mount Shu had brought a large supply of soybeans, which they began sprouting aboard the ships to prevent the miserable affliction of scurvy.

In the end, Ye Wen felt his efforts were somewhat redundant. The other ships hadn't seemed to carry anything special, nor had they suffered the ill effects he’d feared. He surmised that the fruits and vegetables they had brought must have already contained the necessary remedies, though he simply didn't recognize them.

Upon reaching the small island, the group did not immediately disembark. Instead, they encircled it, dispatching a small contingent of the better-rested masters in smaller boats to scout ahead. They were instructed to eliminate any Demon Sect members they encountered immediately. Furthermore, to prevent the Sect from discerning their point of attack and to minimize rest time, the assault was to be launched as soon as possible.

Thankfully, Ye Wen’s worries proved unfounded. The Demonic Sect appeared to have concentrated its defenses close to its main headquarters, not extending its surveillance this far out.

“Is this an issue of perspective?”

Ye Wen considered this location a strategic bottleneck, but the contemporary military mind would not see it that way. In this era, warfare lacked the high mobility of later times. Even relying solely on the surrounding chain of islets as sentry posts provided the Demonic Sect with ample time to react. Therefore, they saw no need to establish outposts this far away.

Ye Wen had merely gambled that the Demonic Sect might have overlooked this possibility, and it seemed his gamble had paid off.

“Rest well. We will take another day here, and assess the situation the day after tomorrow!”

“The day after tomorrow?” Dongfang Yi felt this schedule was too lax; they should strike immediately while the Sect was unprepared.

Ye Wen nodded. “The Demonic Sect already knows our target and direction. But the vast ocean is limitless. Since they cannot find us, they can only wait at their stronghold and make a rough estimate of when we might arrive! A surprise attack now is meaningless; we must choose a strategically optimal moment!”

Dongfang Yi nodded, signifying understanding.

The other sect leaders began discussing how to infiltrate the Demonic Sect’s lair. Ye Wen observed them for a moment before suddenly smiling. “It is still early; why don't you all rest? Tonight, I will require a few masters for a vital task!”

“What vital task?”

Ye Wen pointed to the maritime chart before them. “To scout the defenses of the Demonic Sect’s home base!”

Ye Wen’s original intent, if possible, was to have a few masters infiltrate first to coordinate an inside-out attack, destroying the shore defenses the moment the main fleet arrived to ensure safe anchorage for the landing of the righteous assembly.

This tactic was hardly novel; it was foundational knowledge even in later eras, something a mildly educated child could devise. Even in ancient warfare, coordinated surprise attacks were common, though the inside agents usually comprised long-term infiltrators or, frankly, defectors. Ye Wen’s plan to send an elite team to forcibly infiltrate and establish a foothold was relatively rare.

Such a tactic demanded the elite of the elite; otherwise, it was doomed to failure.

However, the people before Ye Wen were the crème de la crème of the contemporary martial world—the absolute pinnacle, and moreover, masters who excelled in individual combat rather than large-scale group fighting.

When the others heard Ye Wen’s proposal, they agreed it was feasible. Several even volunteered eagerly. But Ye Wen shook his head and dismissed them. “You two are too conspicuous. The moment you land, the entire Demonic Sect will know we’ve arrived!”

He referred to Long Batian and Xuanyuan Wudi. Having suffered significant losses at Ye Wen’s hands previously, they already resented him, and now seeing him dictate terms only fueled their dissatisfaction. Long Batian scoffed, “Long claims he is going today! What can you do about it?”

Ye Wen merely glanced at him without speaking, too indifferent to bother arguing. He continued, “It would be best if we had some masters adept at stealth and assassination with superior Qinggong. Regrettably… we likely don’t have such individuals among the righteous assembly?”

At this statement, the faces of the sect leaders became exceedingly awkward.

When it came to masters of Qinggong, they could certainly think of a few. But the moment assassination and infiltration were mentioned, even if such talent existed, no one dared admit to it. The righteous martial world prided itself on open and honorable conduct; even killing had to be done openly, with grievances stated clearly before any action was taken, lest one's reputation be tarnished.

Techniques like assassination and stealth sounded far more characteristic of the Demonic Sect.

A momentary silence fell over the group. Finally, Master Huixin broke the tension. “This old monk shall go!”

“Ah?”

No one expected Master Huixin to volunteer for such an undertaking. This was hardly beneficial to his reputation.

“The Buddha teaches: If I do not enter hell, who will? Furthermore, this old monk has achieved some measure of success in the path of Zen meditation. I imagine infiltration is not so different from sitting in meditation…” Ye Wen felt a vein throb on his forehead, but upon reflection, Master Huixin was indeed a suitable candidate. An ordinary person might struggle with the required solitude, but a monk skilled in Zen discipline…

“In that case, with Master Huixin leading, they shall depart around the first watch tonight. They will use the darkness to infiltrate near the Demonic Sect’s headquarters. They need not go deep inside, only map out the immediate coastal defenses. Then, when the main fleet arrives, they will strike from their hiding places, forcing the guards to fight on two fronts, unable to cover both, allowing the large ships to dock safely!”

This plan was met with unanimous approval. With Master Huixin taking the lead, the other sects also nominated their elite disciples for the mission. The Tianshan School members exchanged glances, and Zheng Ting stepped forward decisively: “Zheng is also willing to accompany the Master!”

Ye Wen’s heart skipped a beat when he saw Zheng Ting volunteer so readily. He immediately declared, “Our sect will be represented by my junior brother, Xu Xian!”

Upon hearing that Mount Shu nominated Young Hero Xu, the others exclaimed, “Everyone knows Young Hero Xu’s martial prowess; it would be best if he accompanied them!”

Though Xu Xian had not appeared at the most recent martial arts gathering, his travels in recent years had frequently showcased his skills, so his renown had not waned but rather increased. Coupled with the supreme display of his Qinggong at the last assembly, the others naturally offered no objections to his participation.

However, Ye Wen seemed to have forgotten to seek the candidate’s consent…

“Ah? Senior Brother?” The junior brother had just spent two harrowing months floating on the sea, nearly dying on the ship. Now that he had finally set foot on solid ground, his senior brother wanted him to board a boat again? And a small one at that? (To avoid detection, the smallest boat possible was chosen—luckily, the weather was fair today, with no major winds or waves, otherwise, such a small craft would have been capsized immediately upon hitting the water.)

Ye Wen shot Xu Xian a contemptuous look. “Don't think I don't know—you’ve already adapted to the ship’s rocking this past month. You’ve been clinging to Rongrong’s side only because you want her to wait on you more!”

This remark caused Xu Xian to immediately signal for silence with his fingers. Finally, he could only grimace and say weakly, “Don’t tell Rongrong!” Then he gritted his teeth, swallowing down his frustration like bile.

Seeing Xu Xian’s expression, Ye Wen felt both exasperated and amused, but he dared not delay the mission. “Tianshan’s Zheng Ting will also be accompanying you. I am sending you, Junior Brother, to keep a close eye on this man. I find the people of the Tianshan School somewhat peculiar…” He paused, “Be extremely cautious on this mission…”

“Senior Brother means, the Tianshan School might be colluding with the Demonic Sect?” Xu Xian was a man of profound intellect and immediately grasped Ye Wen’s meaning. “You fear Zheng Ting might be reporting back to the Demonic Sect?”

Ye Wen nodded. “Our righteous assembly’s impending siege against the Demonic Sect is a grand affair. They surely know of it! Especially since they previously sent forces to attack our Mount Shu Sect?” Thinking of this, Ye Wen suddenly smiled. “But what the Demonic Sect certainly didn't anticipate is that the mighty righteous assembly would be delayed at sea for so long. They must assume we have imperial support and would arrive at their doorstep in the shortest possible time, meaning all their preparations can be brought into play!”

“But we actually received very little aid from the Imperial Court—nothing substantial besides one piece of intelligence. And our unfamiliarity with the ocean cost us a great deal of time!” Xu Xian, having heard the first part, automatically deduced the rest. After all, he was the truly learned one; Ye Wen was merely widely experienced, much of which was currently irrelevant.

“Exactly. Under these circumstances, if the Demonic Sect wants our precise attack time, they can only rely on an inside agent…” Ye Wen leaned in. “Your mission, Junior Brother, is to prevent this possibility. With most people gathered on this island now, any insider wanting to send a message must seize this very opportunity!”

In the preceding moment, apart from Master Huixin, only Zheng Ting of the Tianshan School had proactively volunteered. All others participating in this infiltration were disciples selected by their respective sect leaders. While this alone couldn't confirm Tianshan’s complicity with the Demonic Sect, there was the persistent issue involving Lingxuzi between Tianshan and Mount Shu.

“If it truly is the Tianshan School, does that mean the entire righteous faction has allied with the Demonic Sect, or just a portion?”

Ye Wen had initially assumed only a faction was allied with the Sect, recalling that it was only after Li Xuan left the martial arts assembly that Zheng Ting dared to launch his sneak attack.

But later, he had spotted traces of Li Xuan, making him wonder if Li Xuan had deliberately staged that sequence to deflect suspicion from himself.

He wrestled with the dilemma until his head ached, reaching no definitive conclusion. Finally, Ye Wen chose the most practical course: to take things one step at a time.

Furthermore, if any other sect were colluding with the Demonic Sect, it could be confirmed that the entire sect was aligned with them. Since he had revealed the infiltration plan to no one beforehand—the others were unaware of the action—there was no possibility of prior arrangement. In this scenario, the sect leaders had merely nominated disciples casually; it was unlikely any disciple had already petitioned to participate in such a mission.

Therefore, if it were any of the other sects, they would certainly be aligned with the Demonic Sect from top to bottom.

“But thinking about it this way, the Tianshan School’s situation seems quite strange!”

Lying on the beach, Ye Wen watched the sun gradually disappear beneath the horizon. The still-warm sand offered no chill. Huayi knelt beside him, using her resilient thighs as a pillow.

“Master, Young Master Xu has already gone to meet the others!”

“Mm.”

“Master isn’t going?”

“No. Rest well. A significant battle approaches in a few days.”

Another moment of silence passed before Huayi finally spoke, “Master, my Xuanguan has been opened!”

“Oh? Good news!” Ye Wen responded casually, appearing unconcerned.

Huayi sighed. “Master, I have a request…”

“To challenge Shen Yuqing to a duel to the death?” Ye Wen guessed Huayi’s desire instantly. He was compelled to sit up, reaching out to gently stroke her cheek twice. “Don’t do anything foolish. Even though your Xuanguan is now clear and you are at the Great Perfection of the Innate Realm, it was forced through external means. Your cultivation and power will require time to consolidate before it truly becomes Innate Perfection. Moreover, that old hag’s power is terrifyingly potent and strange—you are not her match right now!”

“I know…” “But…” A trace of unwillingness lingered.

Ye Wen withdrew his hand, turning away from Huayi to cross his legs and play with the sand. “There are many things that breed unwillingness. Everyone encounters many such things in life. Sometimes, you must choose to forget them!” Aided by his internal qi, Ye Wen quickly constructed a sandcastle. He smiled at Huayi. “You have a future ahead of you; there’s no need to argue with an old crone of unknown age. Besides, if the Master acts, isn't that the same as you acting? Remember, you are one of the Ye family now!”

“Mmm…” The previous lengthy speech hadn't swayed Huayi, but the final sentence caused her face to flush slightly. She nodded, abandoning her insistence, and then said, “I’ll see if I can find some wild game to give Master a change of pace!”

“Don't bring back a pile of poisonous mushrooms again!”

This remark made Huayi’s face turn even redder, and she hurried away, disappearing in a flash.

The moment she vanished, Ye Wen glanced to the side. “Junior Sister, come out!”

As he spoke, Ning Ruxue’s figure materialized not far behind him, and she immediately leaped to sit beside Ye Wen.

“Sit!” He patted the spot where Huayi had been sitting. After watching Ning Ruxue sit down, Ye Wen casually rested his head on her lap.

This caused Ning Ruxue to blush deeply, and she scolded him fiercely, “Senior Brother…”

“No one is around!”

Lying back, Ye Wen could see Ning Ruxue lowering her head, looking down at him. He observed her expression. “Junior Sister, do you feel your progress in martial arts is slow and are you feeling discontent?”

Ning Ruxue shook her head. “It’s just that the closer we get to the Demonic Sect, the more I feel this venture will not go smoothly. I always feel like something is going to happen!”

Ye Wen smiled. “A group of reckless—unrefined vagrants—charging across the sea to attack a stronghold that has been developed for decades and is heavily fortified. They understand so little about many things, are insufficiently prepared, and have endless internal problems. It would be strange if nothing happened!”

Hearing Ye Wen say this only worried Ning Ruxue more, and she entertained the thought of retreating. “Senior Brother… perhaps… perhaps we should just leave!”

He reached out and took Ning Ruxue’s soft hand, gently caressing it. “We’re already here; why leave now? Don't worry. As long as we are cautious, it won't be easy for them to keep the entire Mount Shu Sect stranded on the ocean!”

He then reminded her, “Do you remember what I instructed you?”

“Mm, no matter what, I am not to wander off. I must stay with the group and look after the disciples.”

Ye Wen had actually assigned her this task to prevent her from getting carried away in the fighting and disappearing. Ostensibly it was to care for the disciples, but in reality, it was to have a group of people protect Ning Ruxue. As long as this group remained, anyone trying to harm Ning Ruxue would first have to wipe out the entire Mount Shu contingent. That was the polite interpretation; the impolite one was that even if Ning Ruxue died, a group of people would be buried alongside her. Ye Wen knew his action was selfish, but he couldn't help it! Furthermore, he would be one of those buried with her.

“Even if something truly unexpected happens, we will be together!”

This was a thought only in his heart. Ye Wen felt that speaking such things before the battle even started would severely damage morale. He himself wasn't worried about dying, as he was certain he hadn't lived long enough yet, so he would do everything possible to survive.

The two stayed nestled together, speaking no more. Ye Wen looked up at his Junior Sister, and she kept her head bowed, watching her Senior Brother resting on her lap.

Huayi returned from afar and did not interrupt them, standing quietly at a distance and observing the pair.

That night, Xu Xian and Master Huixin departed. In the morning, the small boat sent to fetch them returned, bringing good news: the infiltration team had successfully reached the Demonic Sect’s headquarters. The small boat had waited silently near the island for a considerable time without any commotion erupting, suggesting everything had gone smoothly.

Three days later, the rested assembly boarded the large ships and set sail toward the Demonic Sect’s headquarters! This time, they could no longer conceal their presence. As they passed the two islets believed to be guarded, two warships materialized within their sight.