The great ship had been adrift for a month; this time, there was no resting along the route, at most, stopping by some islands for a single day to replenish fresh water and the like, before continuing the westward voyage.

The people aboard were no longer suffering as they were at the start. Having adapted to life at sea, they could now move about the rocking vessel freely without any discomfort, and even a slight increase in waves could not affect them.

"Senior Brother!"

Ye Wen emerged from Dongfang Kui’s room. The condition of the Dongfang maiden was improving steadily. Although her breathing was barely perceptible, it had become much more stable. The superficial wounds on her body had all healed, with only a few major injuries leaving slight pink marks that would likely vanish soon enough.

Upon exiting, he glanced at Ning Ruxue, who was waiting for him, and nodded: "Let's go to the bow!"

"En!"

They walked without speaking the entire way, only arriving at the ship's head when Ning Ruxue quietly said, "The Shu Shan Sect was quite fortunate this time, suffering no major losses, though of the twenty-one disciples, only two remain alive!" These two were among the seven left to guard Xu Xian; the original seven left behind to protect him had all perished in successive conflicts, with not even their bodies recovered.

Ye Wen remained silent in contemplation. He had been prepared for casualties among the disciples; it was already incredibly lucky that none of his personal disciples had died.

Even so, it was largely thanks to Ye Wen shielding the disciples early on, single-handedly slaying the formidable enemy, preventing the disciples from becoming like scattered sheaves of straw cut down by the masters on the other side.

Simultaneously, the direction Ye Wen attacked in—the path taken by Xiang Yutian and others who habitually resolved matters through martial prowess—also saved the Shu Shan Sect from casualties. The people from Shu Shan who died were those lost in the chaotic melee, facing overwhelming numbers of Demonic Cult soldiers.

It was the confluence of these reasons that allowed the Shu Shan Sect to retreat intact, preserving the core of their elite members, which would serve as the foundation for the sect's ascendancy in the martial world for some time to come.

"Once we return to the Central Plains, only the Tian Shan Sect will likely stand shoulder-to-shoulder with us..."

Ning Ruxue was no fool; seeing the current state of the righteous factions, she recognized the gravity of the situation. As the saying goes, the nail that sticks out gets hammered down; other sects suffered heavy losses this time. Even the Tian Shan Sect lost two masters, leaving only Li Xuan to hold the banner.

Upon returning to the Central Plains, if the Shu Shan Sect could not handle matters skillfully, they might face a united boycott from various sects, which would be a disaster for the recently rising Shu Shan Sect.

Tidying the strands of his junior sister's hair, slightly disheveled by the sea breeze, Ye Wen smiled: "Don't worry! There won't be any trouble."

Recalling the words spoken to him by the Venerable Master Huixin, Ye Wen understood that this was the Zen Sect abbot's final act of assistance for him and his Shu Shan Sect.

The old monk had said one thing: "The righteous martial world needs someone to preside over it, otherwise, the righteous martial world will become the next Demonic Cult..." This made Ye Wen realize that the enemy the sect would face next would no longer be the severely weakened and recovering various sects, but the Imperial Court, which was already deeply wary of martial powers.

With the Tian Dao Sect severely damaged and the Zen Sect about to close its gates, if the Court lacked a suitable martial world spokesperson to guide the actions of the righteous factions, it would inevitably provoke the Imperial Army's punitive expedition. Venerable Master Huixin hoped that Ye Wen's Shu Shan Sect could shoulder this responsibility, acting as the liaison and mediator between the Court and the righteous sects.

"They must have their eyes on Liu Muyan and Xu Xian..."

In terms of martial prestige, although the Shu Shan Sect's renown would greatly increase upon their return, it wasn't enough to make all the sects recognize Shu Shan as the leader of the righteous path. The only explanation was that the Shu Shan Sect possessed Liu Muyan, a disciple serving as an official in the Court, and Xu Xian, the top scholar personally chosen by the Emperor back then.

This connection between the Shu Shan Sect and the Court, along with Ye Wen himself, was why Venerable Master Huixin selected the Shu Shan Sect.

"As for asking me to look after the Tian Dao Sect repeatedly, it's tantamount to accepting our sect into the established circle long controlled by the two great powers, Zen and Tian Dao..."

However, none of these matters could be resolved overnight. They just needed to handle things gradually upon returning, without needing to do anything specific. At worst, they would need to maintain some contact with the Emperor—perhaps no one would have imagined that the current Emperor was also a disciple of the Shu Shan Sect.

Upon returning to the harbor where they departed, the great ship had barely shown its silhouette on the horizon when the Azure Dragon Society disciples, who had been keeping watch, erupted in cheers and rushed back to raise the alarm.

When Ye Wen and the others finally disembarked onto the long-absent soil, a crowd had already gathered around them.

Looking around, these people included Taoists from the Tian Dao Sect, monks from the Zen Sect, and members of other sects; their clothing was a motley display of various affiliations. In the distance stood many figures from the martial world, presumably waiting here for news.

Seeing Ye Wen descend, everyone immediately began to discuss.

"Who is that?"

"You don't know? That's Sect Master Ye of the Shu Shan Sect, known in the martial world as the Gentleman Sword!"

"Oh, so he's the Gentleman Sword!"

After Ye Wen came down, the others gradually disembarked one by one, and with each person, discussions continued.

"Alas, it's Venerable Master Huixin and Venerable Master Huineng of the Zen Sect!" Immediately, Zen disciples rushed forward, greeting their abbot and master with joyful faces.

Then, Li Xuan of the Tian Shan Sect led his group down.

"It's the Tian Shan Sect!"

"Oh? Where are the great heroes Zheng Ting and Li Zhen?"

"Did those two perish overseas?"

"No way? Their martial arts are top-tier!"

Hearing these discussions, Li Xuan could only offer a wry smile. Both junior martial brothers had died by his own hand, a fact he certainly couldn't disclose to outsiders. He could only lead his disciples forward to meet the waiting Tian Shan disciples.

"Master!" Then he glanced at the surrounding martial artists who were murmuring and asked again, "Martial Uncle Zheng and Martial Uncle Li..."

"Dead!" Li Xuan replied casually and fell silent, turning around to wait for others to disembark.

Afterward, Bei Cheng Yan also came down. The disciples of the North Sword Gate were naturally overjoyed to see their Sect Master. From the previous words of Li Xuan, they understood this battle was not as easy as imagined and were extremely worried about their master and fellow disciples.

Seeing Bei Cheng Yan now brought immense joy, but to their dismay, only Bei Cheng Yan descended alone—no one else from the sect followed?

"Sect Master... this..."

Bei Cheng Yan saw this disciple and could only sigh mournfully, then shook his head without another word. Seeing Bei Cheng Yan's demeanor, the crowd immediately gasped!

"Could it be that only Sect Master Bei Cheng survived from the North Sword Gate?"

At this moment, everyone finally realized the brutality of this expedition against the Demonic Cult. Especially considering they had set out with four large ships, and now only one had returned—a fact previously ignored by the subconscious was now starkly revealing the deadliness of this battle.

Next, two boatmen carefully carried a wooden plank, the person lying upon it bound by soft ropes to prevent falling off. This simple stretcher was prepared for Dongfang Kui; she was still in a state of suspended animation and needed to be carried.

Ye Wen had disembarked first to find someone to bring a carriage. The Azure Dragon Society members, recognizing the Shu Shan Sect Master, dared not delay. A carriage was already waiting nearby. Ye Wen called over the two sailors and instructed them to carry Dongfang Kui up.

Unexpectedly, a woman suddenly rushed out and lunged onto Dongfang Kui: "A Sheng!" she cried out while examining Dongfang Kui from head to toe, constantly looking up at the two sailors, "What happened to him? What happened? What injuries did he sustain?"

Ye Wen saw this woman blocking Dongfang Kui, and knew from the name 'A Sheng' that she was an acquaintance of Dongfang Kui. He walked over and said, "She's fine; she’s just in a state of suspended animation and will wake up soon!"

Hearing this suddenly, the woman wept with joy, turned back, grabbed Ye Wen, and shook him incessantly: "Is that true? Is he really fine? You're not lying to me, are you?"

Ye Wen was shaken until his head spun, so he could only reply, "True... ly... fine..."

Meanwhile, many people were still gazing toward the great ship, but after looking for a long time, they saw no one else descending except for a contingent from the Nangong family. Even the sailors had begun to disembark, yet no one from other sects appeared.

Many people rushed forward and asked Venerable Master Huixin: "Are there other ships?"

Venerable Master Huixin looked at their expectant eyes and softly intoned a Buddhist chant: "No, this is everyone who is still alive!"

Hwa!

Although the old monk hadn't intentionally used his inner power, everyone present had been holding their breath awaiting his answer, so every word was clearly heard. Who would have expected such an answer?

"No one? How is that possible? Did everyone die?"

Venerable Master Huixin closed his eyes. Though he said nothing, this expression made everyone understand the answer.

"Did you encounter a storm after setting sail?"

Those who understood the dangers of sea voyages immediately inquired. They truly couldn't comprehend how the gathering of the Central Plains' righteous elite to suppress the Demonic Cult could result in such devastating losses.

The Xi Men Family, the Tian Dao Sect, and the Azure Dragon Society were all nowhere in sight! Looking at the Nangong Family, Nangong Wentian was also missing. Nangong Tinghai was covered in bandages, having even lost an eye. The North Sword Gate was reduced to only its Sect Master; all others were gone, not even the new generation's talent, Bei Cheng Xuan, was seen.

"Is the Demonic Cult that powerful?"

The old monk sighed: "Very powerful... If it weren't for Sect Master Ye and this Miss Dongfang disregarding their own safety to slay the Demonic Cult Leader, perhaps none of us would have returned..."

Sss...

Everyone gasped, especially those martial enthusiasts who had questioned why so many from the Shu Shan Sect had returned while others hadn't. Upon hearing this statement, they said no more, looking at Ye Wen with disbelief.

At this moment, Ye Wen was still being vigorously shaken by the unknown woman: "That monk said he sacrificed himself to kill the Demonic Cult Leader, yet you say he’s fine. You’re lying to me!"

Ye Wen, dizzy from being shaken, quickly said, "Not... lying... to... you! The inner power he cultivated automatically protected his body when he was severely injured... his injuries are almost... completely healed..."

"Then why hasn't he woken up?"

The woman finally stopped shaking him, looking at Ye Wen with tear-filled eyes.

"That is because his cultivation had already reached the threshold of a breakthrough, and this severe injury has caused his inner power to begin its next transformation..."

"Transformation?" This woman clearly didn't understand the martial arts Dongfang Kui practiced. Finally, Ye Wen briefly explained the situation, managing to free himself from the woman's hands, which felt like they could shake him to pieces.

"You mean... he will turn into a woman?" The woman pointed a trembling finger at Dongfang Kui: "How is that possible?"

Ye Wen rubbed his arms, thinking, "This woman has incredible strength!" He then replied, "There are many strange things in this world; what's so strange about this? I also know of a divine skill that can turn a woman into a man!" He secretly mused, "It's just that this divine skill, called surgery, doesn't exist here!"

The woman turned pale and stepped back two paces, then looked at Dongfang Kui, who had been lifted onto the carriage, unsure of what to do next.

Ye Wen looked at her. Seeing her so utterly devastated, he wondered what her relationship with Dongfang Kui was and asked out of curiosity, "Miss, what is your name?"

"Me?" The woman stared blankly at Ye Wen, clearly still reeling. Seeing her state, Ye Wen stopped asking, simply saying, "We'll talk when you've composed yourself..." He turned and resumed discussing with the Shu Shan members whether they should return to Shu Shan directly.

Just then, a female voice suddenly rang out from the crowd, continuously crying: "Make way, make way, clear the way..." accompanied by rising curses from afar. Before long, Nangong Zixin carved a bloody path through the crowd and squeezed through, immediately spotting the wretched state of Nangong Tinghai.

"Uncle!"

Nangong Zixin rushed forward upon seeing Nangong Tinghai's appearance. Fortunately, although Nangong Tinghai looked terrible, he had regained some vitality over the past month; otherwise, her desperate leap might have cost him his remaining life.

Afterward, Nangong Tinghai recounted the events concerning Nangong Wentian to Nangong Zixin. Upon hearing the sudden tragic news, Nangong Zixin immediately fainted, causing a commotion among the Nangong family and the nearby Shu Shan contingent. At this moment, Zhou Ding arrived with several Shu Shan disciples, pushing through the throng.

"Sect Master!"

"You're here!"

Seeing Zhou Ding, Ye Wen felt a sudden easing in his heart. The experiences of the past few months had certainly not been pleasant. Seeing a familiar face finally brought him a sliver of happiness, a feeling of returning home.

"Yes, Sect Master. There are some matters I must discuss with you in detail!"

Seeing Zhou Ding's solemn expression, Ye Wen knew the matter was serious. The two moved behind the carriage and spoke in hushed tones.

It was then that Ye Wen learned that while they were away on the expedition against the Demonic Cult, the cult hadn't been idle. Rebellious armies had suddenly sprung up in various prefectures, and several contingents marched straight toward the mountain gates of the major sects, clearly intending to eradicate them in the shortest possible time.

Hearing this, Ye Wen's expression became grim, especially upon learning that the Tian Dao Sect and the Zen Sect had also been attacked. However, these two sects had deep foundations and numerous disciples, managing to withstand the assaults until the prefectural troops arrived to crush the rebels and relieve their danger.

"And then?"

Zhou Ding continued: "Except for the Tian Shan Sect, which was too far away to be attacked, the Yu Dong Sect was almost completely wiped out, and the North Sword Gate suffered heavy losses! The Azure Dragon Society barely withstood the attack, but fortunately, there was a naval base nearby. The Azure Dragon Society had much communication with the navy and managed to send for aid before the attack struck, thus escaping the calamity!"

Finally, he came to the Shu Shan Sect. Ye Wen was not anxious, as Zhou Ding's presence proved their sect hadn't suffered much.

Indeed, Zhou Ding's expression suddenly turned odd: "The strangest thing is our Shu Shan Sect. The rebellious army was intercepted by the Pingzhou border troops before they even reached our mountain base, so the Shu Shan Sect never suffered any attacks whatsoever!"

"What did the County Magistrate say?"

"The Magistrate said that because rebellions erupted everywhere, the Court mobilized the border troops to suppress them, and they happened to intercept that rebel force..."

Ye Wen sneered: "What 'happened to'? He clearly had prior information, but considering I am his master, this disciple ordered the border troops to look after our sect!"

Of course, these words couldn't be said aloud. Ye Wen merely remarked, "Then let's say our Shu Shan Sect was blessed with good fortune!" With that, the two emerged from the rear. They saw that the members of various sects were whispering with the returning elders. Bei Cheng Yan and Nangong Tinghai both looked unhappy, and Li Xuan’s expression was very strange, glancing toward Ye Wen intermittently.

"He might have realized something!"

But as long as such matters weren't spoken, who could investigate thoroughly? It was hard to argue with the Shu Shan Sect being lucky. As for the old monk Huixin, he seemed to have foreseen this situation, remaining composed. He inquired about the temple's situation and then fell silent.

Finally, the old monk approached the Tian Dao Sect group. These Taoists looked ashen-faced, with tears hidden in the eyes of a few, all looking toward the middle-aged Taoist leading them, presumably the one authorized to make decisions.

Huixin approached and scrutinized him, looking at his attire before asking, "Did your master pass the position of Sect Master to you?"

"My master passed the Sect Master position to this disciple before departing!" This middle-aged Taoist, though slightly sorrowful, maintained composure in his speech and response, showing he was indeed a capable individual.

Huixin nodded: "The Tian Dao Sect will rely on you to support it from now on. If you face difficulties, you may go to Pingzhou to find Sect Master Ye of the Shu Shan Sect!"

The Taoist knew this was guidance from a senior and bowed in thanks. Ye Wen, overhearing this, realized that the Celestial Master Tianyi had long anticipated his likely demise, having even passed on the Sect Master position before the departure. He likely reasoned that even if he returned safely, the martial world would no longer be the domain of his old generation, so establishing a successor early was crucial for the sect's continuation.

At this point, the sounds of grief at the dock gradually subsided, and most of the onlookers from the martial world dispersed. Those who returned safely reunited with their respective factions and prepared to return to their home bases immediately. Ye Wen, too, finished making arrangements and was about to depart when Li Xuan approached Ye Wen: "I hope Sect Master Ye has not forgotten the agreement between us!"

Ye Wen nodded: "Naturally, I remember!" Then he watched as Li Xuan led the Tian Shan disciples away into the distance.