Beihe departed, but Ye Wen knew he would return! After all, the two had already made plans to travel to Europe together. As for the matter Ye Wen had inquired about, he wouldn't need to worry about it anymore; he trusted that Beihe Jushi would handle everything for him within these few days.

Indeed, in less than a week, this Yu Shiyun left Chengdu with a strange expression. Before that, she had been lingering in a small town near the school, awaiting further instructions from above! But soon, a phone call came through, telling her directly: "Your mission is over, return immediately!" Yu Shiyun was initially confused and wanted to discuss it with her superiors, but this time, the leader who had always been rather polite to her actually scolded her sharply, ending with, "This matter is no longer under our jurisdiction; return at once!" When she got back to the capital, she learned from a few colleagues she was on good terms with that their leader was also furious because a far more formidable figure had directly taken over the operation and seized all the information they had previously gathered on Ye Wen.

“Who were those people?” Yu Shiyun had always thought her department was the most powerful and mysterious, but judging by the situation, there was an organization even more powerful and secretive.

“Don't know!” The person paused to think, “These people were all very arrogant; they barely gave anyone a proper look! But the leader was quite affable; if you met him on the street, you’d probably mistake him for a very ordinary big shot…”

Yu Shiyun felt a secret sense of strangeness, but she also understood that this was likely how things were. Given her own background, she wasn't entirely ignorant, and if she acted rashly in this situation, she could invite serious disaster.

“But… we still have one person left there!” Recalling how that girl Zhang Ling had disobeyed her orders, Yu Shiyun muttered resentfully, “To hell with her; the work is finished anyway, and she’ll be called back sooner or later!” With that, she dismissed it, took a long vacation for herself, and went elsewhere to relax and enjoy herself. She never expected that due to some unforeseen twists of fate, Zhang Ling's file would also be taken away by those mysterious people. Coupled with Yu Shiyun's failure to report, Zhang Ling's current situation became extremely awkward.

She was an active agent, yet her file was gone from her own side; even if she reported back, no one might acknowledge her status. If she were a regular student, she still needed to fulfill duties beyond her studies and was anxiously awaiting the latest instructions from above.

Furthermore, with her identity exposed, Zhang Ling felt somewhat adrift in front of Ye Wen, even suspecting if Ye Wen had kept her around for some other reason.

“Most of these wealthy people have peculiar habits, and I heard things like ‘glasses girl’ being popular now… I need to be careful!” Fortunately, Ye Wen had behaved normally during this period, which somewhat eased Zhang Ling’s worries. She just wondered what Ye Wen would think if he knew the kind of person some people perceived him to be? He would probably kick the overthinking girl out of school the next day.

Meanwhile, Ye Wen received a phone call. It didn't say much, only stating: “If you run into any trouble, you can call this number to contact him!” The tone was quite respectful, likely because Beihe Jushi had vaguely hinted at Ye Wen’s status as a "senior," leading to the caller's deference.

Ye Wen didn’t pay it much mind. As long as their side coordinated well and didn't bother him, he saw no need to proactively seek their help.

With most trivial matters dealt with, Ye Wen began to reflect on his recent activities. Although he had cultivated diligently during this time, due to numerous distractions, his progress was far slower than before. Although the Mei Xia Dang had advanced quite rapidly, it was still some time before reaching full mastery.

Hua Yi's Geng Metal Divine Light had just entered the initial stage and required gradual refinement. Conversely, the Green Lotus Imprint cultivated by his junior sister was gradually revealing more subtle uses. According to his junior sister, when the Green Lotus manifested, her Green Lotus Sword saw significant boosts in both power, speed, and agility. More importantly, it could directly absorb vital energy from the world to replenish any depletion—even enabling the execution of more potent moves.

Hearing this, Ye Wen even considered creating a sword technique for Ning Ruxue; he had even decided on a name: Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword!

When in use, the Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword seemed quite similar to the Myriad Swords Art, both involving summoning countless non-physical flying swords to attack the enemy. However, Ye Wen’s self-created Hundred Swords Art was driven by True Qi rather than Spiritual Energy, and its effect differed slightly from the Myriad Swords Art in video games.

He hadn’t paid much attention to the Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword initially, as having the Myriad Swords Art already made creating another slightly redundant in function. But since Ning Ruxue had inadvertently cultivated the Green Lotus Imprint, if utilized properly, she could borrow the power of heaven and earth to condense countless flying swords—this perfectly aligned with the concept of the Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword.

Simultaneously, to differentiate Ye Wen’s version of the Myriad Swords Art from the Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword, Ye Wen decided that the version propelled by his own True Qi would be the Myriad Swords Art, while the one relying on the vital energy of heaven and earth would be the Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword.

Overall, the Myriad Swords Art, driven by one's own True Qi, might be slightly weaker than the Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword because human strength has its limits; the power of one person can hardly match the might of heaven and earth!

But in certain situations, this dynamic shifted entirely. Ye Wen’s own strength was formidable, and with the inherent Primordial Purple Qi having unique uses, his recovery speed was extremely fast. Consequently, the Myriad Swords Art he employed certainly didn't lack power.

The Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword, while capable of condensing peerless flying swords through vital energy, lacked the convenience of being manipulated by one’s own True Qi in terms of flexibility. Yet, precisely because Ning Ruxue had cultivated the Green Lotus Imprint, coupled with the agility and versatility inherent in her primary cultivation method, the hard-to-control Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword presented no great challenge for her.

Ning Ruxue's issue was insufficient power. If she used the Myriad Swords Art, she would likely be stretched thin and might exhaust herself after just one move! If she could master the Thousandfold Remnant Light Sword, it would provide her with an additional killing move.

Ye Wen, on the other hand, would continue to prioritize the Myriad Swords Art. He had further refined this technique recently, and its speed and power now far surpassed what they were previously.

In his few previous skirmishes, Ye Wen could easily defeat enemies using just Sword Control. If he unleashed the Myriad Swords Art… Ye Wen suddenly felt an impulse: to travel to the Kunlun Immortal Realm and spar with that Zhang Sanfeng, just to gauge his own standing in this world.

Although Beihe Jushi called him an Earth Immortal, that description was far too broad, and without an actual fight, it would be hard to truly ascertain his real strength.

“Hmm… the Kunlun Sect and Wudang don’t seem to be on the best of terms either. Perhaps I’ll truly have a chance to spar with that world-renowned True Master Zhang someday!” After a period of rambling thoughts, when Beihe Jushi reappeared before him, Ye Wen almost failed to recognize the man as the esteemed Guest Elder of the Kunlun Sect.

Beihe Jushi was dressed in a suit this time, though without a tie, the collar left naturally open. His long hair was casually tied back, falling loosely down his back.

In this attire, he looked more like an immensely popular idol star than a master cultivator.

“M-Master Jushi, you are…?”

Beihe smiled and explained, “I might need to frequent the mundane world this time, so I dressed accordingly!” Ye Wen nodded, understanding that Beihe often moved in the secular world and was naturally familiar with it, yet this appearance still surprised him a little.

Glancing behind him, Ye Wen noticed Beihe hadn't come alone; he had two companions. Compared to Beihe's somewhat relaxed demeanor, these two seemed somewhat constrained.

“This is my martial nephew, one of the best among the new generation of Kunlun disciples; his name is Wang Zhao! He currently works in the secular world. The other is Wang Zhao’s colleague, named Zheng Ying; he’s assisting us this time!” Ye Wen knew Beihe Jushi had connections with the secular world’s special agencies, but he was somewhat surprised that secular personnel were involved this time.

After inviting them inside, Beihe Jushi immediately explained, “That Kunlun traitor is currently somewhere in Northern Europe. We need to establish contact with the European Holy See once we arrive to learn the specifics!” “The Holy See is involved in this?”

This was something Ye Wen hadn't anticipated. He had initially thought it was a minor affair: capturing a traitor and recovering a stolen treasure. He hadn't expected other powers to be entangled.

It seemed this matter was far more complicated than he had imagined, and there might be more parties involved.

Seeing Ye Wen’s expression grow serious, Beihe knew he needed to explain things thoroughly. Otherwise, if he only revealed the full details to this senior elder upon arrival, and the senior felt he had been misled, he might fly into a rage and abandon the task, which would be disastrous for Beihe.

Beihe chuckled awkwardly twice, “This matter is indeed a bit tricky, which is why this junior sought the senior’s assistance!” Ye Wen thought to himself, Does he really take me for one of those powerful seniors he can rely on for backup? He only calls me when he runs into trouble?

Thinking this, Ye Wen suddenly felt that Beihe shared some common traits with his junior brother Xu.

Junior Brother Xu’s life experiences were the textbook definition of a protagonist: meeting a powerful master upon entering the mountain, nearly suffering a cultivation deviation while practicing, but ultimately achieving massive power gains! Even injuries led to breakthroughs! He was the epitome of a novel protagonist.

And typically, these protagonist types possessed a special skill: calling upon a senior to step in at critical moments… Ye Wen currently felt like the old master being cornered by the protagonist, asked to sort things out.

Logically, this should be something to feel proud of, but Ye Wen felt a sense of foreboding because, invariably, any senior cornered by a protagonist usually ended up facing a heap of trouble, while only the protagonist walked away with the ultimate rewards due to luck.

With that thought, Ye Wen decided he couldn't agree lightly. If Beihe didn't explain the situation clearly, he would rather forfeit the 'senior' status than agree.

“Tell me precisely what the situation is first?”

Beihe Jushi was slightly stunned but quickly recovered. The two young men sitting further away, however, looked even more astonished. One even secretly used a minor trick to whisper to his companion, “Hey? This senior doesn't seem very easy to talk to, does he?”

“Why?”

“Usually, when a junior asks a senior for a favor, they agree immediately, don't they? Why does this senior need to hear the details first?”

“I don’t know… perhaps this senior is just more cautious in nature…”

The two didn't realize that while they spoke with great caution, everything they said was clearly overheard by the other two. Beihe Jushi managed an awkward smile, only relaxing slightly when he saw Ye Wen paid them no mind.

“This matter has to start with the Kunlun Sect. Due to our location, our sect rarely involves itself in the disputes of the Central Plains, nor is it often affected by them. Thus, over the many years of our lineage, many ancient relics have been perfectly preserved.”

“Among these are many magical artifacts, and one such artifact was stolen by a traitor two hundred years ago! That person was called Ning Sanren; he was originally a highly valued disciple in the sect, but for some unknown reason, swayed by someone, he betrayed his master and stole a major sect treasure!” “Ning Sanren? Is that a title?”

“No, it’s his actual name!” Ye Wen nodded, signaling Beihe to continue.

“Afterward, the entire sect, along with many allied cultivators, sought to capture Ning Sanren, but they could never locate him until recently when we discovered this man had fled to Europe and become involved with the European vampires…”

Ye Wen blinked. He hadn't expected this to involve European bloodlines? No wonder they mentioned contacting the Holy See earlier; it seemed this was a joint operation involving multiple factions.

Seeing that Beihe had paused, Ye Wen was about to speak when he noticed the two young men seemed hesitant to speak further. A thought flashed through his mind, and he immediately understood. He resettled into an indifferent posture, legs crossed, and pressed, “There’s more to it than that, isn't there?”

Beihe smiled, as if he had anticipated that he couldn't hide it from Ye Wen, “The senior is indeed formidable. If that were all, it wouldn't be a major issue; even this junior could handle it alone!” “However, the current situation is a bit troublesome. We don’t know who spread the word that Ning Sanren possessed an ancient, exotic treasure. Now, not only are we tasked with capturing Ning Sanren, but the local European dark mages and werewolves are also coveting the treasure in his possession. Moreover, forces from across the Pacific seem to be making moves too!” “And those little devils are eyeing our country’s treasure too!” “Little devils?” Ye Wen paused, then understood who they meant: “So many people are targeting this one thing. What exactly did your Kunlun Sect lose?”

“This…” The young man who had interjected earlier was Kunlun disciple Wang Zhao. Hearing the question, he involuntarily glanced at Beihe, unsure whether he should reveal this—most factions only knew Ning Sanren had a treasure; they didn't know what it specifically was.

Only those within the Kunlun Sect and a very small number of others knew the true nature of the item. Given the treasure's immense background, he hesitated on whether to tell Ye Wen or not.

Beihe Jushi answered quickly, stating directly, “This matter is usually kept quiet, but there’s no need to hide it from the senior!” This statement subtly implied that Ye Wen was part of the Kunlun Sect family, and if taken deeper, it was a gentle reminder that they were on the same side now, and he was expected to offer assistance.

If one were to analyze it even further, it was an implicit question: Will you help or not? If he was willing to help, then there was no need to conceal anything.

Negotiation, indeed, was the art of language. A single, unremarkable sentence could weave through so many subtle meanings. If Ye Wen hadn't possessed the experience garnered over ten years, he truly might not have grasped the full implications.

Ye Wen nodded. Although it seemed simple, Beihe Jushi understood this was Ye Wen's affirmation, and he stopped holding back, frankly disclosing everything to Ye Wen.

After listening, Ye Wen finally understood why Beihe Jushi had rushed to seek his help. The situation was indeed extremely thorny.

It turned out too many parties coveted that treasure. Not only did the Kunlun Sect need to send people to capture the traitor and retrieve the artifact, but some demonic cultivators from the Eastern cultivation world were also stirring, and it could already be confirmed that several of them were preparing to head to Europe to seize the treasure.

And their neighbor, the island nation, had also dispatched numerous individuals to Europe, with an attitude that suggested they were determined to obtain it!

As for the Americas, there was no question; Uncle Sam's men absolutely believed in the maxim, "Good things should belong to us." Reportedly, they had sent their most elite squads to Europe. Furthermore, given some existing ties between the European local powers and the Americans, they were practically fighting on home turf.

“That’s not all; the local European powers are unwilling to let the treasure on their own ground leave either, so…”

Ye Wen frowned, “What about the Holy See? Haven’t you already made contact with them?”

Beihe gave a wry smile, “Although the Holy See has agreed to assist us, this junior believes that at a critical moment, these people might turn treacherous. So, they cannot be trusted either…”

Ye Wen pinched the bridge of his nose, realizing this entire affair was too troublesome. According to Beihe, even cultivators from other renowned orthodox sects were contemplating seizing the treasure. It meant that if he agreed to go to Europe with Beihe, then everyone besides the Kunlun Sect members would be an enemy; none could be trusted.

Thinking of this, he glanced at Zheng Ying. This person's presence suggested the attitude of the ruling authorities—they endorsed the Kunlun Sect reclaiming what was rightfully theirs. However, their influence within the cultivation world was… limited!

But Ye Wen wasn't surprised by this situation; it was all because the name of that treasure was too grand and well-known. Even Ye Wen, who was not deeply versed in the cultivation world, had heard of that item.

He had always assumed it was merely a myth, never imagining that the thing genuinely existed. The name of this treasure was: The God-Beating Whip!