More than four months, plus another ten-odd days, during which Dongfang Kui lay silent like a vegetable—unmoving, her breathing slow and even, her heartbeat and pulse exceedingly faint and barely detectable. If an incompetent physician had seen her, they might have taken one glance and declared, "She's dead. Clear her away for burial..."

Yet, the assembled experts of the Shu Mountain Sect knew that not only was Dongfang Kui not dead, but she was likely undergoing a transformation so shocking that few could fathom it. When Dongfang Kui finally opened her eyes, the martial world might gain an unparalleled master. The only thing that troubled Ye Wen was that, due to the repeated blows she had suffered, whether this supreme expert would prove a blessing or a curse to the Jianghu was impossible to tell.

Lying on the bed, Ye Wen pondered what the future held for his Shu Mountain Sect.

"Though the Demonic Cult hasn't been entirely wiped out, the remaining task seems to have little to do with me. Let my disreputable little disciple worry about that!"

"The Shu Mountain Sect is now on the right track. Its prestige and strength are established, and the outer disciple system has taken shape. As long as we continuously recruit new disciples and send out those who graduate to maintain this cycle, the Shu Mountain Sect will continue to flourish!"

"Xia Ke Village and Shu Sheng Village have developed and stabilized. The villagers in both settlements rely on the Shu Mountain Sect for their livelihood, and some of the children there are likely to become the primary source of future disciples for Shu Mountain!"

In fact, even now, some villagers were sending their very young children to Shu Mountain, hoping they might be accepted as disciples.

It was a pity that the aptitudes of these children were mediocre at best. Ye Wen had examined them with some anticipation, but their talents were merely average. He accepted them into the outer sect, bypassing the inner circle and direct tutelage, a decision made only because they were young and had more room for development than those who arrived in their late teens or twenties seeking entry.

Even so, those parents who had sent their children were ecstatic. Ye Wen didn't understand why they were so delighted until one parent, speaking incoherently with joy, finally illuminated his understanding.

The Shu Mountain Sect not only taught martial arts but, more importantly, taught literacy. Considering that Shu Mountain had already produced a top scholar like Xu Xian, these impoverished families couldn't afford to send their children to prestigious academies, so they thought of sending them to Shu Mountain. Even if they didn't master profound martial arts, being able to read and write would give their offspring a trade, perhaps enough to become an accountant later.

Ye Wen then remembered he had hired several tutors for the Shu Mountain disciples. However, this seemed insufficient. Hearing the parents’ words, he suddenly considered teaching even more subjects. Even if these outer disciples couldn't sustain a long martial arts career, they could rely on other skills to support themselves and their families.

This thought had been revolving in Ye Wen’s mind for days, though only as a vague notion: "Perhaps something like a vocational school?"

"What do you think? If I teach the disciples more about writing, mathematics, or even rudimentary medical knowledge, would it benefit our sect?"

Hua Yi, leaning heavily against Ye Wen and breathing lightly, tilted her beautiful, flushed face upward. "Whatever Master deems appropriate, I wouldn't know much about these things!"

Before she could finish speaking, a gentle slap echoed from beneath the covers. Hua Yi, suddenly struck in a sensitive area, gasped in surprise, then cast a reproachful glance at Ye Wen with eyes that seemed ready to overflow with moisture.

"You used to be an Elder. Didn't you know anything about these matters?"

Hua Yi innocently shook her head. "Not very well! And the Tianle Gang wasn't a sect; many things are different!"

Ye Wen could only sigh. His hand slid from the exceptionally elastic, soft flesh onto Hua Yi’s back, savoring the smooth touch beneath his fingers as he rested his hand there.

Hua Yi, squinting in pleasure, pressed herself even closer to Ye Wen. The two, already intimately connected, seemed on the verge of merging into one being.

Since Ye Wen and Hua Yi had shared their deepest connection, and he had discovered that such intimacy benefited both their cultivation (though Ye Wen benefited little now), scenes like this occurred almost daily. Finally free from the shackles of monastic life, Ye Wen happily indulged in the bliss of holding fragrant warmth in his arms.

And during this time, as Ye Wen fully integrated that past store of power, Hua Yi, whom he "favored" daily, benefited immensely. Not only did she further consolidate her own realm, but her gongfu also grew purer, and even her skin became more supple, making Ye Wen constantly want to test if he could squeeze water from it.

Given that they were both still in the novelty phase of marital bliss, engaging in three hundred rounds whenever they had a moment of free energy was nearly unavoidable. Ye Wen’s only regret was that although Hua Yi accommodated him in every way, some things he intensely desired to try had not yet come to fruition.

When the sun rose, the two rose from the bed. As Hua Yi helped Ye Wen dress, she suddenly asked, "Master, the wedding with Madam..."

"Mmm... preparations are nearly complete!" Ye Wen nodded, remembering how his junior sister had been deliberately avoiding him since his return, as he had begun preparing for their grand wedding.

Ning Ruxue was, after all, a woman. Being naturally shy, she found it too awkward to assist while Ye Wen busied himself with their marriage preparations. Overwhelmed by shyness, she simply hid away.

Recently, only Aunt Zhao and Hua Yi had seen Ning Ruxue regularly. Ye Wen would catch only a distant glimpse of her, and his junior sister, sensing his presence, would dart away like a frightened rabbit before disappearing instantly.

However, how long could she hide? Everything was now settled; they only awaited the pre-selected auspicious date to marry.

That was a day he had long anticipated.

"In the end, she still landed in my palm?" Thinking of his triumph, Ye Wen couldn't help but let out a wicked chuckle. Hua Yi, noticing his expression, commented, "Master is thinking wicked thoughts again; that smile is terribly sinister!"

"Hehe..."

News of the Shu Mountain Sect Leader's grand wedding had spread, and various sects sent disciples to offer congratulations. Given Ye Wen’s current stature, the sect leaders themselves should have come to pay respects. However, the world was currently a volatile place. Although the imperial court held a slight advantage in the war against the rebels, quelling such a massive uprising quickly was no easy feat.

Moreover, the various sects had suffered heavy losses recently, and there simply wasn't enough time to sort out their affairs. Thus, they sent congratulatory gifts and personal letters of apology.

Ye Wen didn't mind. His wedding concerned him and his close circle; an expression of congratulations was sufficient. If he were forced to turn his wedding into a grand martial arts convention, he wouldn't enjoy it either.

He had worried briefly that Ning Qiexue might be displeased, but then he remembered his junior sister wasn't that sort of person, so he decided to conclude the marriage arrangements quickly.

He had already made his junior sister wait for so many years; he couldn't postpone the wedding for trivial reasons like having too much going on or too few guests, pushing it back another year.

Thus, the wedding date was set.

Originally, Ye Wen had intended to invite Xu Xian and Huang Rongrong to marry at the same time—a grand celebration for the martial brothers. But Xu Xian seemed utterly uninterested in such boisterous affairs, merely stating, "Whether we marry or not, Rongrong and I no longer care. In my heart, I already consider her my wife, and she considers me her husband. That is enough!"

"Tsk... such a high realm. Senior Brother, I am ashamed to compare myself!"

Watching the sweet affection between them, Ye Wen admitted he couldn't be so detached. He felt strongly that denying his junior sister a wedding ceremony would be deeply unfair to the woman who had stayed by his side. Therefore, this wedding had to happen.

During this time, Xu Ping and Nangong Zixin had also returned to Shu Mountain. After stabilizing the affairs of the Nangong family, they rushed to Shu Mountain upon learning the Sect Leader was getting married. They arrived just the other two days ago. However, after Ye Wen's wedding, they planned to leave and return to the Nangong Clan. The clan was only recently stabilized and the situation was not ideal. Therefore, Nangong Tinghai and Nangong Yun had not come in person, only sending gifts and letters via envoys.

Nangong Huang also returned, and this time he would not be leaving. Although the Nangong family situation remained precarious, it was stable enough. Furthermore, his father's injuries had largely healed—about seventy to eighty percent—though Nangong Tinghai had lost an eye and his left leg was severely damaged, meaning he would walk with a limp, perhaps needing a cane sometimes.

Seeing his father in this state, Nangong Huang wished to stay and care for him, but Nangong Tinghai merely smiled and said, "What’s the fuss? I won't be fighting anyone anymore; I'll just focus on helping your cousin manage the clan's petty administrative matters. Don't worry!" Then he sent Nangong Huang back to Shu Mountain, urging him to study diligently and learn all the martial and scholarly skills of his master.

As these few returned to the Shu Mountain Sect, members from the Tiandao Sect, the Chan Sect, and the Yudong Sect also arrived successively, bringing gifts to offer congratulations.

Compared to the deeply rooted Tiandao Sect and Chan Sect, the Yudong Sect's circumstances were far from good. Although Ye Wen had asked Li Xiaoyao to help Yudong repair their mountain gate, it was only barely restored for now. The sect suffered devastating losses among its disciples; only about twenty people remained to hold the fort.

This number was less than that of many third-rate sects, a far cry from their former standing in the Jianghu. Unless something unexpected happened, the Yudong Sect’s position would plummet over the next few years, perhaps even becoming an ordinary Taoist sect.

However, if the Yudong Sect could fully commit to cultivating the Dao and cease involving themselves in worldly disputes, this might turn out to be an opportunity. If the Yudong disciples were stubborn and insisted on reclaiming their former glory in the martial world, then the sect was destined for demise.

When Ye Wen spoke with the disciples sent by the Yudong Sect, he subtly inquired about the younger generation’s mindset. From what Ye Wen heard, these young men were brimming with ambition, seemingly unwavering in their belief in revitalizing the sect and restoring its former glory.

"Sigh... forget it! They must look out for themselves. As long as they avoid the complete annihilation of the Yudong Sect, that will be enough!"

The situation was evolving toward the worst-case scenario he had predicted, but Ye Wen couldn't reproach them. It was their internal affair. Even though he was friendly with their former leader and had connections with their legendary figure, he couldn't meddle that deeply. As long as the Yudong Sect's lineage survived, his promise would be fulfilled.

The Azure Dragon Society did not send anyone to offer congratulations. The Association Master and the Young Master had both died in battle, and the Second Young Master's whereabouts were unknown. The Azure Dragon Society had fractured into several subsidiary gangs, each claiming to be the true successor. They were currently engaged in a fierce struggle for power and profits and had no time to bother with Ye Wen’s celebration.

Regarding the sect's status, Ye Wen only paused for a moment before murmuring, "Perhaps... this is better for her?"

Although this statement caused the girl, Xia Qinghe, visible displeasure, she had no idea how deeply Dongfang Kui now loathed the Azure Dragon Society. She assumed that when Dongfang Kui awoke and learned of everything, she would return and severely punish those fellows who had thrown the Azure Dragon Society into chaos.

Ye Wen said nothing about this, merely smiling lightly and offering no further comment.

However, Xia Qinghe soon asked, "Sect Leader Ye... how did you know that A'Sheng is now like a woman?"

At these words, Ye Wen nearly spat out the tea he had just taken. He coughed a few times before replying with slight awkwardness, "Senior Yuqingzi once explained the Phoenix Nirvana Art in detail, which is how I knew..."

Xia Qinghe tilted her head, looking entirely suspicious. "Sect Leader Ye only said that the further one cultivates, the more they resemble a woman, until reaching completion, at which point they are indistinguishable. A'Sheng clearly hasn't reached completion yet. How did Sect Leader Ye know what A'Sheng looks like now?" As she spoke, her expression suddenly shifted to shock, and she pointed at Ye Wen, exclaiming, "Did you... look?"

Ye Wen’s hand trembled slightly, and the teacup nearly slipped from his grasp. Only reacting quickly, Ye Wen managed to steady the cup and place it aside, pretending to be perfectly composed. "That..."

Seeing Ye Wen's reaction, Xia Qinghe immediately understood the answer and cried out in dismay, "How could you do that? Don't you know... know... one must not casually view another person's body?"

She had meant to say, How could you casually look at a girl’s body? But in her mind, Dongfang Kui was still Dongfang Sheng, and she could never fully accept the fact that Dongfang Sheng had become female. Therefore, the words simply wouldn't form, resulting in her current phrasing.

Seeing that she had figured it out, Ye Wen could only say helplessly, "At that time, Dongfang... ahem... was severely injured, covered in countless wounds. If I hadn't applied medicine immediately, she would have bled out... so I had to..."

Although she understood Ye Wen had looked at things he shouldn't have in order to save a life, Xia Qinghe still felt angry, and slightly embarrassed for A'Sheng, her face flushing as she pressed on relentlessly, "Even so, you could have called a woman to tend to A'Sheng's wounds and bandaging. Why did you do it yourself...? Could it be...?"

"Could be my foot!" Ye Wen cursed inwardly, feeling utterly depressed. "I only knew she would grow increasingly like a woman; I had no idea what state she was actually in! If I had a woman tend to the wounds, and upon removing her clothes, she appeared female, that would be fine. But what if certain parts were still masculine?"

He looked at Xia Qinghe with exasperation. That helpless glance was enough to make the woman understand Ye Wen's dilemma. Fortunately, she was clever and quickly grasped the awkward position Ye Wen and the others had been in. When the situation was uncertain, calling a man to tend to Dongfang Kui's injuries was the safest and most sensible option!

However, Ye Wen recalled the words spoken by Master Huixin and those she later told him at the dock, and he felt something was amiss. "Miss Dongfang has suffered a great change, and her cultivation method torments her spirit. Whether she can maintain clarity in her spiritual sea depends on Sect Leader Ye! I hope Sect Leader Ye can guide Miss Dongfang well and prevent her from bringing disaster upon the Jianghu... The martial world now cannot afford further upheaval..."

"Why don't you use Buddhist teachings to resolve it properly?" Ye Wen wanted to yell at the old monk for constantly creating trouble for others.

Yet, he knew that given Dongfang Kui's condition, housing her in a Chan monastery would likely be even more inappropriate. Moreover, Dongfang Kui might not even respect the old monk, so he had to swallow his displeasure and keep his complaints to himself.

After chatting with Xia Qinghe for a while, the conversation grew increasingly awkward, especially since the way she now looked at Ye Wen was akin to how a wife views someone who has taken advantage of her. This made Ye Wen feel both embarrassed and uneasy.

However, the woman was reasonable enough not to cause a massive scene. After exchanging a few words with Ye Wen, she departed.

At this moment, Hua Yi approached. "Master, is Miss Dongfang... really like a woman now? Even... down there?"

Seeing his maidservant's curious expression, Ye Wen simply nodded vaguely.

"Is this martial art truly so miraculous?" Hua Yi refilled Ye Wen's tea cup with a note of astonishment. She had previously assumed the Phoenix Nirvana Art merely made one externally resemble a woman, but she hadn't expected it to be so potent. Especially since the more beautiful one became practicing the art, Hua Yi even felt a desire to cultivate it herself—perhaps the pursuit of beauty was inherent in a woman's nature?

Ye Wen glanced at her, then finally sighed, intending to take a walk in the back mountains. He had merely wanted some fresh air, but upon entering the Jue Gu Cold Cave, he was so stunned by the sight before him that his mouth dropped open in disbelief.

"Whoa..."

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