The middle-aged man’s mouth opened slightly, looking like a carp taken out of water. He didn't even notice Lianyan’s lips falling onto the counter, instead asking with a face full of shock, "This... brother... no, this senior, may I ask which lineage or sect you belong to?"

"Ye Wen of the Shushan Sect!" Ye Wen smiled as he introduced himself. He revealed his sect's name to see if the Shushan Sect existed in this world. If it did, he would have much to deliberate—whether to absorb it or crush it, he ultimately needed to claim that banner.

The Daoist frowned, pondering for a moment, and finally replied respectfully, "Please forgive my ignorance, senior, I have never heard of your sect. Truly... I am Zhang Hengguang, an outer disciple of the Tianfu Sect from Guangdong. I deeply apologize for my earlier offense; I hope the senior will not take it to heart!"

Although Zhang Hengguang was only an outer disciple of the Tianfu Sect, he knew things ordinary people did not. This world was far less safe than it appeared on the surface; the forces hidden in the darkness were one stronger than the next, and within the mystical land of his own country, there existed many inconceivable powers.

The Tianfu Sect he studied under was merely one among numerous factions. It held some renown locally, but in the entire cultivation world, it amounted to nothing.

While he had never met a true senior cultivator, he had heard bits and pieces from elders in his sect. He didn't know much else, but he clearly remembered that anyone who could unleash Sword Qi was no ordinary person. If it was urged forth by a magic treasure, that was one thing; but to manifest it barehanded suggested a terrifying level of cultivation, at least hundreds of years of practice from an old monster. At least no one in the Tianfu Sect could casually release a bolt of Sword Qi.

Thinking of this, Zhang Hengguang’s address shifted slightly, becoming even more deferential: "Old Senior... why would you come all the way to America?" Usually, such fellows hundreds of years old were diligently cultivating, rarely wandering about aimlessly. This was because although cultivators possessed long lifespans, their existence was not infinite.

What cultivators sought through 'Xiu Zhen' was primarily longevity! After cultivating for several centuries, no one wanted to leave this world with their power intact. Thus, they worked hard to cultivate further, extending their lifespan even longer.

This person before him, who could casually release Sword Qi yet appeared so young—could he be an old senior who had broken through a difficult level and emerged for a relaxing sojourn?

Glancing again at the two women, although they appeared unremarkable to others, subtle movements in their bearing hinted at ancient habits, especially the slight awkwardness they displayed concerning their attire, which made his guess feel increasingly certain.

Ye Wen, whose title had escalated from 'brother' to 'senior' and now to 'old senior' in a matter of minutes, offered no explanation. Since the people of this world believed that those with high cultivation were ancient monsters, he didn't mind playing the part of the formidable master!

Furthermore, the fact that Zhang Hengguang had never heard of the Shushan Sect was good news for him; perhaps this world did not know the Shushan name.

"I have been cultivating in the mountains for a long time and have been wandering around since coming out. You can tell me about the cultivation world of the Central Plains later!" Seeing Zhang Hengguang still bowing inside the counter, Ye Wen waved his hand, signaling him to stand up straight before speaking further.

"Yes, as the Senior commands!"

A faint sheen of sweat appeared on Zhang Hengguang's brow. He was worried that his earlier words and actions might have displeased this senior. He stole glances several times, and seeing Ye Wen maintain his gentle smile, he finally felt slightly relieved.

"The Senior truly has an extraordinary temperament; I was overthinking things."

With a slight easing of tension in his heart, Zhang Hengguang walked directly to the entrance, closed the main door, and hung up the 'Closed' sign. He gestured toward the back with an invitation: "Senior, please come to the backyard for a cup of clear tea!"

Ye Wen now carried the bearing of the Shushan Sect Master of old, chest held high, hands clasped behind his back, striding into the rear courtyard. If one ignored his clothing, his bearing alone would suggest a figure of immense importance. Flores and Claire were stunned, while the well-traveled Paladin finally understood that he might have just allied himself with a major figure from the Eastern cultivation world, following silently without a word.

Invited into the rear hall, Ye Wen observed that the decoration and furnishings were entirely designed according to the customs of ancient [China]. After Zhang Hengguang invited him to sit in the head seat, Ye Wen simply waved his hand toward the adjacent seat and said, "Sit with me!"

When the tea cups were subsequently served in the ancient manner, Ye Wen's practiced movements further convinced Zhang Hengguang that this young-looking man was absolutely an ancient monster of unknown age. Many of his mannerisms perfectly mirrored those of the ancestors of his own sect, and they were completely innate, not feigned in the slightest.

Ning Ruxue and Huayi were quite familiar with these customs, and Flores understood a little too. Only Claire stared, looking at the handleless yet scalding teacup, unsure how to begin.

Even at this point, Flores was still sizing up the Eastern man he had initially disregarded, his eyes darting around as he pondered something.

After some polite exchanges with Ye Wen, Zhang Hengguang finally asked, "May I inquire why the Senior has come to America?"

Ye Wen smiled: "To find some things, and incidentally, to earn some worldly wealth!"

"Hmm?" Zhang Hengguang was somewhat confused. Very few items used by cultivators could be purchased with money. He couldn't grasp why this senior from the Shushan Sect needed money.

Noticing his confusion, Ye Wen explained, "I intend to establish a school to promote the reputation of my sect!"

"Oh!"

With that explanation, Zhang Hengguang understood. This was not an unusual matter.

Never mind others, even the famous Wudang, Emei, and Shaolin—which of them did not maintain some worldly businesses? For what purpose? If not to enhance their own prestige! After all, the cultivation world was composed of people, and cultivators rarely had offspring, so they naturally needed to continuously recruit more individuals into their circle.

Therefore, drawing ordinary people into certain worldly enterprises and then selecting those with outstanding aptitude to cross the threshold of cultivation was the most common strategy among the major sects.

Besides these major sects, some minor ones might open martial arts halls or schools, or perhaps simply maintain their own Daoist temples or monasteries on certain mountain peaks—the methods varied from sect to sect.

Take Zhang Hengguang himself; when he was young and fond of fooling around, he didn't even finish high school. He ended up working odd jobs at a Daoist temple on a mountain, drawing talismans for pilgrims to earn money.

At the time, he never imagined he would encounter such an opportunity, being noticed by an inconspicuous old Daoist who subsequently brought him into the Tianfu Sect behind the main mountain. However, his playful nature caused him to miss a greater opportunity, leaving him as merely an outer disciple of the Tianfu Sect, never having been accepted into the inner sect to study deeper talisman arts—a regret he carried for years.

Of course, that was a tangent. In any case, every sect had its own means of attracting disciples; opening a martial arts hall or school was not considered strange. The only inconvenience was dealing with worldly people and the need for substantial funds.

Looking at Ye Wen, this senior was clearly a man of understanding. He hadn't foolishly set up a sign and opened a school immediately after leaving seclusion; instead, he wandered around to grasp the situation before preparing to act.

If that were the case, as long as this senior was willing to intervene, that damned Dark Mage would pose no threat. Dividing the spoils obtained wouldn't be an issue. Moreover, establishing a good relationship with this senior would be beneficial to him personally.

If this senior were pleased and offered him some guidance, his long-stagnant cultivation might advance, and upon returning to the sect, his teachers might finally accept him into the inner circle.

Hearing Zhang Hengguang’s explanation, Ye Wen realized that opening a martial arts school was not an uncommon tactic. Even major presences in the cultivation world like Shaolin and Wudang used martial arts schools to find exceptional disciples, confirming that his approach was not wrong.

No one would have guessed that Ye Wen intended to first establish sufficient prestige in the eyes of ordinary people before slowly permeating the local cultivation world. Beyond that, he truly couldn't think of a better way. Should he dive headfirst into the cultivation world and then worry about disciples later?

After chatting with Zhang Hengguang for a while—even if it was just idle talk—he gathered that in the current Central Plains cultivation world, there were almost no reclusive cultivators; all practitioners were trained by various sects, large or small. Achieving mastery through solitary effort, as in the world he originally came from, was practically impossible here.

In fact, he really wanted to ask: have there been no lone wolves in the past few centuries who broke into the cultivation world through immense fortune? But reconsidering, the Central Plains cultivation world boasted a history of several thousand years. Even if the Central Plains were vast, it was not boundless. How many spiritual treasures and secret manuals must have already been claimed by predecessors? It was unlikely for people today to find any.

Coupled with the current Industrial Age, the roar of machinery destroyed much of the environment. Perhaps the few remaining small pockets of spiritual treasure sites and blessed lands were already ruined.

Considering these points, Ye Wen swallowed his question. Besides, even if truly solitary cultivators existed, what of it? Those who survived without a sect now were either incredibly long-lived old fixtures or people strengthened by chance encounters. Protagonists, ordinary figures—none of these were suitable for being taken in as disciples by a sect. It seemed his plan for a martial arts and culture school was indeed necessary; otherwise, even if he established a proper gate, he might not recruit a single disciple.

After some discussion, Ye Wen learned something that made him laugh wryly.

"Although I haven't heard of your sect, Senior, in the region of Sichuan—the Shu lands—there are no fewer than eighty or ninety schools named Shushan Martial Arts School or Shushan Cultural and Athletic School. And that’s being conservative, as these schools are somewhat well-known. As for those in more remote areas, the number of similar schools unknown even to people slightly further away is countless..."

Ye Wen lowered his head to drink his tea, feeling immensely vexed internally. He hadn't expected that the casual name he chose back then would cause him such a headache now. But if he chose a different name, it wouldn't reflect his Shushan Sect!

"Alas, who told me to rename the sect to Shushan? I must first find a way to make the name famous!" Ye Wen set down his cup. His first thought was: Publicity!

"First, I must build up my own fame, and then I can resolve the school's reputation!"

Saying that was easy, but how to magnify his name was a significant challenge. While Ye Wen possessed countless ways to become famous overnight, those methods were either too cruel to ordinary people and offered no direct benefit to opening his school back home, or they were too cruel to himself. Ye Wen believed that given his looks, becoming a celebrity was certainly possible, and opening a school under the guise of a celebrity would definitely attract attention. But he didn't believe that circle was clean—did he have to face unwanted advances?

He shuddered and immediately abandoned the idea. Afterward, he decided to use the most conventional and easily scorned method to gain notoriety.

Bragging about wealth!

Yes, using money to buy fame—but this still required a prerequisite: sufficient capital to back it up, otherwise, it would just be a joke.

"Um... are the Dark Mages very wealthy?"

No one expected the topic to suddenly pivot back to the Dark Mage, and what surprised them even more was that this person of supposedly high standing, Ye Wen, started by asking about money.

Zhang Hengguang also felt this senior was a bit different. The ancestors of his own sect were all like statues, utterly uninterested in worldly wealth, which they viewed as no different from scraps of paper. Yet this senior, possibly older than his own ancestors, talked about money constantly.

However, considering he had important matters to attend to, caring so much about the amount of money was understandable. He explained, "Dark Mages are solitary figures, and they are accustomed to residing within ordinary society. Experiments and research require substantial funding to purchase equipment and suitable testing grounds. Furthermore, Dark Mages usually have few scruples and have many ways to acquire vast sums of money, so..."

"I see!" Ye Wen nodded, instantly confirming in his mind that the fellow named Mudrak must die, and he intended to secure a significant portion of his assets as basic seed capital.

"Then, let's first figure out how to locate this fellow!"

Seeing that the conversation had finally returned to the main topic, Flores interjected. He had been sitting like a statue because he couldn't contribute to the discussion between Ye Wen and Zhang Hengguang. But he hadn't gained nothing; he finally learned something about the mysterious Eastern cultivation world.

In fact, if Flores had taken a trip to the mainland and looked around slightly, he would have understood the situation. However, European powers rarely venture East, leading to this ignorance. The things he heard today were common knowledge in the Eastern cultivation world; otherwise, Ye Wen wouldn't have learned about them by questioning an outer disciple of a small sect.

Regarding the Dark Mage’s hiding place, the group began discussing countermeasures. Claire even suggested checking immigration records and property transaction logs, hoping to find suspicious points for gradual investigation.

"If you investigate by following that method, by the time you find your brother, you might as well be arranging his funeral!"

It wasn't that Claire's approach was incorrect, but sorting through things one by one using conventional means would take forever. At this point, Zhang Hengguang spoke up: "I do know of a spell that could find that Dark Mage in the shortest amount of time, but my cultivation level is too low to cast it!"

Seeing Zhang Hengguang look at him, Ye Wen assumed the fellow intended to ask for his help and inquired, "What spell is it?"

"It's actually a minor spell, but with my cultivation, I can only search within a radius of about a hundred meters. If it were cast by the Senior's cultivation..."

He didn't elaborate, as Zhang Hengguang didn't know how far the search range would extend if Ye Wen cast the spell!

"Is it troublesome?" Ye Wen was tempted, though he wasn't sure if the vital energy he cultivated could power a magical spell.

Zhang Hengguang smiled and pulled a talisman from his robe: "Not troublesome at all. This 'Mind-Search Soul Talisman' was something I won in a bet from an elder in the sect. It's considered one of our sect's more well-known talismans! One only needs to hold this talisman and channel their energy following specific incantations to project their divine sense outside the body to seek the person or object desired. Generally, when searching for a Dark Mage, finding the place with the densest dark aura is the right spot. I will tell the Senior the incantation, and then we can find a place..."

Before he finished speaking, Zhang Hengguang stared blankly at Ye Wen, who was holding the talisman. The talisman had begun to burn, but its rate of combustion was far slower than even a stick of incense. If one didn't look closely, they couldn't even tell it was lit.

This signified that the talisman had activated, and the senior before him had triggered it without even reciting the incantation. This wasn't impossible, but it required an extremely stringent condition: the required level of internal power was terrifying. Furthermore, the deeper the user's power, the slower the talisman burned—for Zhang Hengguang, it would have been consumed in a few minutes.

Ye Wen stood, holding the talisman with closed eyes and silent lips, while Zhang Hengguang, too stunned to stop him, watched along with everyone else.

A moment later, Ye Wen opened his eyes. The talisman in his hand had stopped burning; only a single corner had been consumed.

Taking the talisman back, Zhang Hengguang gripped it and cried out in shock, "How is this possible?" He sensed that the spiritual energy within the talisman had not diminished in the slightest, meaning it was still usable, indistinguishable from new. This also proved that when Ye Wen used the talisman moments ago, he was drawing entirely on his own spiritual energy.

But that wasn't the most astonishing part. Ye Wen’s next words almost made him scramble under the stool. "I sense an extremely dense dark aura emanating from a luxurious villa in the suburbs—that must be the Dark Mage's lair. Let's prepare and depart..."

"The suburbs..." Zhang Hengguang was speechless, only able to respectfully attend to this Old Senior of unknown age.