The two newcomers were young men, and their attire immediately set them apart from the surrounding crowd of people in ancient garb. One wore a jacket and jeans; the other was impeccably dressed in a suit, looking every bit the successful businessman.

Upon reaching the summit, these two retracted their sword lights—one shimmering with purple, the other with green—which then vanished into rings on their fingers, clearly specialized storage artifacts for their magic treasures. They then noticed the slightly peculiar looks from the crowd, many of whom kept glancing toward another direction.

Following the direction of their gaze, Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue became clearly visible. Their modern clothing also made them stand out starkly among the assembly dressed in historical attire.

Ye Wen made no attempt to hide, allowing the two men to scrutinize him for a moment. Finally, he offered the man a slight smile. The man opposite seemed momentarily surprised but returned the smile amiably before turning to converse with his fellow sect member: "Junior Brother, this situation is a bit troublesome. Don't be reckless later on!" The young man in the suit waved a dismissive hand: "Senior Brother worries too much. With so many fellow practitioners here, what is there to fear? Moreover, since you and I have joined forces, even if that so-called Master of Diancang has truly lived for five or six hundred years, we have nothing to fear..."

The two spoke without deliberately lowering their voices, and given that the surrounding crowd consisted of cultivators with profound attainments, every word was heard clearly.

Although the statement sounded somewhat arrogant, these two were sent by the Emei Sect and presumably possessed considerable skill. It was merely strange that the preceding man and woman seemed entirely unfamiliar with them. Could those two not be from Emei?

A few quick thinkers realized the earlier assumption about the man and woman’s sectarian background must have been mistaken. Especially the middle-aged Daoist who had first summoned them stepped down from his cloud and approached Ye Wen, offering a greeting.

"Fellow Daoist... may I know your name?" Ye Wen returned the gesture, simply stating his name: "Ye Wen..." His reply was extremely brief; he offered nothing more beyond his name. Even when the Daoist turned to Ning Ruxue, Ye Wen offered only one sentence: "This is my respected wife..."

"Oh, greetings to the esteemed couple..." The middle-aged Daoist, seeing the other party was not volunteering his lineage, changed tactics: "May I ask where in the famous mountains you and your respected spouse cultivate?" "Shu Mountain!"

This answer caused the Daoist to scratch his head again, finding the response utterly nonsensical. Mount Shu did not refer to a single peak but a range of mountains; merely saying "Shu Mountain" gave him no indication of the location. Unable to figure it out, he felt the pair’s origins were quite peculiar. If he hadn't known the adversary was alone, he might have suspected these two were spies.

Just as he was thinking this, he heard Ye Wen say: "I know what you are thinking. My wife and I were merely passing through this area by chance. We intended to ask someone for directions to this place when we were summoned in by you, Daoist..." Ye Wen then inquired: "May I ask where this location is?"

The middle-aged Daoist finally understood that he had summoned a couple who were purely passing through. He chided himself for not asking clearly earlier, then smiled and replied: "This place is within the Yun and Gui territories, and Diancang Mountain is not far from here..."

Ye Wen then realized that he and Ning Ruxue had blundered their way here. They exchanged a look, finding the situation somewhat amusing. They certainly couldn't fly around so recklessly next time.

"Thank you for informing us, Daoist..." Ye Wen then pressed for details about the current situation, and more importantly, he clearly stated that if assistance was needed, they could offer what little strength they had.

He observed that this group spoke politely, and their spiritual energy fluctuations were mostly upright, peaceful, and incomparably pure; they were undoubtedly cultivators of the righteous path. Since fate had brought them here, it was a good opportunity to build some rapport and explore the current state of the cultivation world. If he could establish even a minor reputation, that would be even better.

He had initially planned to slowly develop his presence in the cultivation world after his sect was somewhat established. However, the current situation had shifted slightly. He and Ning Ruxue had accidentally stumbled upon a gathering of cultivators, and judging by the atmosphere, a major battle was imminent. Perhaps utilizing this opportunity to enter the cultivation world wouldn't be a bad idea. "Senior... Brother..." Ning Ruxue didn't understand why her Senior Brother had suddenly changed his mind, but she heard him explain in a low voice: "Plans yield to changing circumstances. At worst, we can leverage our strength to establish the name of the Shu Mountain Sect first. The prerequisite, of course, is to determine the actual power level of these cultivators—how high or low they stand compared to us..."

As long as he could confirm that their own strength ranked among the formidable in the cultivation world, making a name for the Shu Mountain Sect based on individual power was feasible.

Since the Shu Mountain Sect consisted of only a few people and lacked a fixed mountain stronghold, it would be impossible for others to locate them or verify their true capabilities. Once disciples were cultivated in a few months, they could directly engage in conflicts, and others would simply assume the Shu Mountain Sect had been in seclusion and inactive until now, never realizing the sect had grown strong so rapidly.

Overall, this approach would not disrupt Ye Wen's larger plan; in fact, establishing their name first might even feed these cultivators a false impression: that the Shu Mountain Sect was an ancient sect that had long been in deep seclusion!

The severance of the Martial Cultivation lineage and the two cultivation methods that could be practiced in the secular world gave Ye Wen the confidence to remain here and test the general strength and fighting styles of these cultivators.

Ning Ruxue nodded and fell silent. She could be playful with her Senior Brother when they were alone, but with so many eyes on them, she could only follow Ye Wen's lead and obey his every instruction.

The middle-aged Daoist replied: "I am Xuan Ningzi, cultivating at Diancang Mountain. I am an old acquaintance of the Diancang Sect Master, Liu Zhu. The reason all you esteemed colleagues have gathered here is that my friend recently encountered some trouble, so I widely invited fellow practitioners to lend aid..."

"Oh? What trouble?"

Xuan Ningzi sighed deeply and continued: "A few months ago, an elder suddenly appeared at Diancang Mountain, claiming to be the True Man of Diancang. He stated that Diancang Mountain was originally his immortal cultivation cave-abode, and establishing a sect there without his permission was a deliberate provocation..."

Ye Wen found this interesting and inquired further: "The Diancang Sect has been established for several hundred years; surely the True Man of Diancang’s claim is..."

Xuan Ningzi sighed again: "The trouble lies precisely here: the True Man of Diancang is indeed an elder who has cultivated for several hundred years, and his years of practice genuinely predate the existence of the Diancang Sect! That's why my old friend is so distressed." Hearing this, Ning Ruxue couldn't help interjecting: "What's so difficult about that? Diancang Mountain is huge; they could just be neighbors and move on!"

Xuan Ningzi gave a wry smile: "My old friend initially thought the same, but the True Man of Diancang is relentless, insisting the entire Diancang Mountain is his cave-abode and demanding the entire Diancang Sect relocate, or else he would slaughter them all..."

"Ha, this person is quite overbearing!" Ye Wen laughed, finding the temperament and airs of this True Man of Diancang rather grand. "Diancang Mountain was formed by heaven and earth; did he engrave his name on it? Just because he calls himself the True Man of Diancang does not mean the entire mountain belongs to him..."

"The friend speaks the absolute truth..." It was the young man from the Emei Sect wearing the jacket who stepped forward, offering Ye Wen a bow. The etiquette, though similar to Daoist customs, had subtle differences. Although Ye Wen noticed the variation, he didn't dwell on it and returned the greeting with standard decorum: "How should I address this friend?"

The man instantly knew Ye Wen was not from his sect when he saw the gesture Ye Wen used to return the bow. The gesture he had made earlier was the mutual greeting used between members of his own sect, serving as a subtle sign of recognition. Given the vastness of the Emei Sect, with so many elders and disciples, no one could claim to know everyone, so encountering a stranger wasn't uncommon.

This man had earlier heard an acquaintance mention that Ye Wen and Ning Ruxue had also arrived riding purple and green sword lights, and that their clothing was quite modern, so he had asked if they were fellow sect members. He came over to investigate, only to find they were not. As for the purple and green sword lights, he hadn't paid them much mind.

Since the publication of that novel decades ago, the Purple Firmament Sword and the Azure Rope Sword seemed to have become symbols of the Emei Sect. A host of young Emei disciples enjoyed taking a Purple Firmament Sword or an Azure Rope Sword as their personal flying swords—once upon a time, any young Emei disciple plucked from the mountain would invariably wield a Purple Firmament or Azure Rope, causing the Purple and Azure Double Swords to genuinely become emblems of the Emei Sect.

However, because that novel was only a product of a few decades past, the users of the Purple and Azure Double Swords were mostly younger disciples, and younger disciples were generally more receptive to new things, meaning their attire was often more modern. It was for this very reason that Ning Ruxue and Ye Wen were mistaken for junior members of the Emei Sect upon their appearance.

Of course, the Emei Sect wasn't the only one fond of the Purple and Azure Double Swords; others would also specifically commission a Purple Firmament Sword or an Azure Rope Sword. In any case, these items had become commonplace. Artifact forges and instrument halls that specialized in crafting magic treasures sold them, so it wasn't unusual for non-Emei members to use similar flying swords.

However, there were subtle distinctions. Due to differences in price, even two Purple Firmament Swords could vary significantly in power. The Purple Firmament Sword held by the man in the jacket was one of the most potent within the Emei Sect. He and his Junior Brother had spent a great deal of wealth, trading rare treasures and medicinal herbs for these two best flying swords. Currently, their Purple and Azure Double Swords were considered the most formidable in the cultivation world.

They were specifically sent to assist in this fight because their treasures were the most powerful. After all, the Diancang Sect was also a renowned major sect in the cultivation world; if they were to be wiped out by some sudden newcomer without a proper challenge, it would bring shame upon the entire cultivation world.

After a brief exchange with Ye Wen, the man in the jacket introduced himself: "My name is Yan Xing, and this is my Junior Brother, Zhou Chong..."

"I am Ye Wen... and this is my respected wife." "Oh, Madam Ye..." Yan Xing didn't press Ning Ruxue for her name. Since Ye Wen had introduced her as his wife, calling her Madam Ye was sufficient. Although Ye Wen wore modern clothes, without asking, one couldn't gauge his age or habits; asking his wife's name if he preferred privacy would just invite trouble.

"May I ask which lineage you and your respected spouse hail from?"

Ye Wen had already decided to announce his sect's name, so he concealed nothing further: "My wife and I both originate from the Shu Mountain Sect!"

Upon hearing this, the expressions of Yan Xing and Zhou Chong immediately shifted. They exchanged a glance before their faces returned to normal.

Ye Wen keenly observed the subtle change in their expressions and understood quickly.

Both were disciples of Emei, and Mount Emei was one of the mountains in the Shu region. If his sect was called the Shu Mountain Sect, wasn't he inadvertently encompassing their sect? Understanding this, he grew secretly vigilant, worried these two might suddenly turn hostile and attack him. However, Yan Xing smiled and replied: "The name of your esteemed sect... is truly grand... May I ask which peak your mountain gate resides upon?"

Seeing that Yan Xing did not escalate the matter, Ye Wen breathed a sigh of relief. If he had made an issue of it, clashing with the Emei Sect and the Qingcheng Sect over territorial claims would have been genuinely difficult. However, this question was hard to answer; he could only vaguely evade it: "It is upon an unnamed small peak within the mountains of Shu. I doubt you two would know it..."

Anyone hearing this understood that this was merely a vague deflection. It seemed this Ye Wen had no intention of revealing his sect's location.

This might be acceptable when speaking to others, but these two had lived in the Shu region for a long time, constantly traveling back and forth. Which of the Shu mountains did they not know? The entire Bashu region was as familiar to them as their own backyard!

Since Ye Wen did not wish to disclose it, they couldn't press the issue further. After a few more exchanges, they stopped dwelling on that topic.

During this period, several other individuals arrived one after another. Xuan Ningzi greeted them and was preparing to lead everyone toward Diancang Mountain when Yan Xing suddenly spoke up: "I have also invited an expert this time. We should wait for him to arrive before we all depart together!"

Xuan Ningzi asked curiously: "May I ask which other fellow practitioner has agreed to come and assist?"

Yan Xing, perhaps pleased that he had managed to invite an expert who would greatly enhance his prestige, answered with no small amount of pride: "The Hermit of Beihe from Kunlun Mountain!"

"It's him?" "Oh dear, this time things are certain! That True Man of Diancang is likely in for some trouble..." "I was worried this matter would be difficult, but now I am completely relieved!" The crowd murmured amongst themselves, while Ye Wen suddenly laughed. Since everyone else was smiling, his laughter did not seem out of place, but Ning Ruxue curiously asked: "Senior Brother, why are you laughing?"

Ye Wen whispered: "I know that Hermit of Beihe!" Seeing Ning Ruxue look surprised and slightly curious, he explained: "I encountered him unexpectedly a few months ago while handling some business. That person also referred to me as a senior elder..."

Ning Ruxue then understood. Considering the crowd's high regard for the Hermit of Beihe and recalling that such a person would call her Senior Brother an elder, she found it amusing, and a charming smile crossed her face.

The group, who had been slightly apprehensive about the expedition, became invigorated and their morale significantly boosted upon hearing the Hermit of Beihe was coming. Their speech gained a newfound confidence.

However, at this moment, Ye Wen suddenly found the situation somewhat strange. First, if the True Man of Diancang truly claimed to have cultivated for several hundred years, why were the people heading there now not led by such a stabilizing figure? If such a person existed, there would be no need for such a large mobilization; they could simply go and negotiate with the True Man of Diancang.

If peers or even higher-ranking seniors went, they should be able to communicate! Take the Emei Sect, for instance—they sent two juniors? Was this meant to temper their junior disciples?

Furthermore, if the True Man of Diancang was an old senior, why hadn't he been cultivating in that so-called special place, instead of suddenly appearing now?

"Could it be..."

After much contemplation, Ye Wen concluded the most plausible explanation was that the True Man of Diancang was indeed an elder cultivated for hundreds of years, but sensing he could no longer achieve further breakthroughs and his lifespan was nearing its end, he emerged intending to pass on his life's learning. Unfortunately, the place he coveted was already occupied, leading to his deliberate agitation.

"They intentionally harbored wicked thoughts, which is why they sent out some juniors to handle the initial confrontation! If the True Man of Diancang wins and the Diancang Sect is destroyed, these old foxes would step in to mediate. The likely result would be the Diancang Sect clinging to a thread of life, while the sect the True Man of Diancang intended to establish would only be a minor affair! Even if the Diancang Sect wins, they would suffer devastating losses."

Ye Wen reflected on this. Although he couldn't be certain if this was the absolute truth, he could only murmur: "Impressive!"

He had just mentally sidelined two potential competitors. The leaders of these long-established major sects were indeed formidable strategists. Simultaneously, he recognized the extent to which the situation in the current cultivation world had deteriorated, requiring them to suppress fellow practitioners just to secure the dwindling benefits available to them.

"Vicious! If my Shu Mountain Sect hadn't been developing secretly in the secular world, we would probably face suppression from these major sects as well, making a comeback extremely difficult then..." The more he thought, the more he realized that accumulating sufficient strength before entering the cultivation world had been the correct choice. Although he had decided to announce his sect's name for now, he still couldn't reveal the true strength of his sect immediately. It would be best to cultivate an air of mystery so they couldn't fathom his depth.

While lost in thought, a brilliant streak of blue blade light flashed across the distant sky. Starlight faintly twinkled within the blade light, sweeping across the heavens like a magnificent river of stars.

At the sight of this blue river, everyone knew who had arrived, and some even shouted: "The Hermit of Beihe is here!" The two from the Emei Sect immediately mounted their swords and flew to meet him, while Xuan Ningzi also floated up into the air on his cloud. It seemed the Hermit of Beihe held significant renown in the cultivation world.

Seeing this display, Ye Wen began to fantasize: if the Hermit of Beihe saw him and addressed him as 'Senior Elder,' would the surrounding crowd be utterly dumbstruck?