With Zheng Ying's technique sorted out, Ye Wen now had another immediate combat asset. Although Zheng Ying's current strength was negligible, "just wait for the future..."

Ye Wen stroked his chin, rather pleased. Due to the Li Huo Zhi Ti (Body of Departing Fire), it was as if Zheng Ying had an internal energy generator constantly manufacturing Li Huo Zhi Qi (Departing Fire Qi). The only caveat was that to ensure a continuous supply, Zheng Ying’s diet would need to be sufficient for some time to come.

Fortunately, Zheng Ying had just taken on a very wealthy magnate as a master; Ye Wen was sure he wouldn't have to worry about going hungry.

This intense requirement would only last initially. Once his body had been thoroughly tempered, this need would drop dramatically, and then his Jue Dui Ling Yu (Absolute Domain) power would skyrocket as if propelled by a rocket.

"Master, if I train in this, will I turn into a muscle-bound man?"

Ye Wen paused, then recalled that in the original story, even seemingly delicate women who practiced this Absolute Domain exhibited clearly defined muscle contours. It was almost impossible not to become a muscular man after training this technique. "Perhaps. I think the possibility is quite high!"

The real-world example of Chris, a fair-faced scholar who cultivated the Seven-Colored Dou Qi and transformed into a formidable, robust man, solidified this belief. Ye Wen started to worry about his own practice of the Hun Tian Bao Jian (Primordial Chaos Treasure Compendium).

Zheng Ying scratched his head. He had once dreamed of having a muscular physique, but later decided a more average appearance aligned better with modern aesthetic standards. To think that just when he had given up hope, he might actually become a bodybuilder.

After dismissing his newest disciple, Ye Wen turned his attention back to Claire. The girl had actually traveled all the way to Europe. Although she claimed to be visiting her brother, Ye Wen knew her true objective was far more complicated.

"I know your objective isn't that simple. You had better tell me exactly what you are here for, or I won't be taking you along for whatever I do next!"

Claire’s gaze drifted for a moment, searching for a suitable shield. Unfortunately, the few people standing near her were not on her side. Her brother had already been sent elsewhere by Ye Wen. After thinking it over, she had no choice but to honestly reveal her purpose.

"I am now a member of the Special Incident Response Team..."

"What is that?" Ye Wen had never heard of a Special Incident Emergency Team, but Claire quickly clarified with the simplest explanation.

"They are those men in black suits I mentioned before..."

"Oh? You were recruited into that department?"

Claire nodded.

Upon joining the organization, she realized the world was far from the pristine place she had once imagined. Many bizarre factions and figures only spoken of in legend were actually real.

Furthermore, most of her colleagues were special individuals possessing unique skills. As a mere ordinary person, she had almost no standing.

Her superiors presented her with a few options. One was to undergo the latest biological modification technology developed by the United States. However, this process was not guaranteed to succeed and carried a significant chance of turning her into a monster. Haunted by this prospect, Claire naturally refused.

The other option was equally unappealing: undergo the most rigorous training to become an elite among humans, followed by equipping her with a series of high-tech gadgets to allow her to contend with those super-human entities. But relying on external tools was not a good solution. Not long ago, their organization lost one of its most outstanding infiltration operatives, proving that relying solely on technology offered no advantage against non-human entities.

Having witnessed these events, Claire understood she must either find a way to become a being transcending humanity or become cannon fodder relying on tech tricks. Yes, cannon fodder—she had personally seen an internal staff member press a button that could instantly kill an operative in the field, purely to maintain the organization's secrecy.

She didn't want to end up as one of those pitiful souls one day. It was then she remembered the mysterious Eastern man—the one who looked young but was rumored to have lived for hundreds of years; the one who prevented her brother from becoming a demon and instead made him seem almost superhuman.

"So... you want to learn from me?"

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ye Wen hadn't expected this outcome, nor had he anticipated Claire being absorbed into that organization.

Seemingly understanding Ye Wen’s thoughts, Claire sighed helplessly. "Either join, or be erased... so..."

Ye Wen nodded, not dwelling on the issue. Simply put, Claire knew too much, and the organization couldn't allow such a person to wander freely. They needed to control her, or perhaps, precisely because they considered Ye Wen's situation, they absorbed a seemingly unremarkable female police officer like Claire instead of simply eliminating her, which might have been the more straightforward choice.

But... did this really concern Ye Wen?

"Just because you want to learn means I have to teach you?"

His Shu Shan Sect was once a premier celestial school standing at the peak; it wasn't some common sect where any stray cat or dog could beg for tutelage. Even though he had arrived in this world and the renown of the Shu Shan Sect was yet to be fully displayed, Ye Wen was highly selective about his disciples.

Look at the ones he had accepted so far: Tommy, due to his exceptional comprehension, managed to cultivate the Seven-Colored Dou Qi on his own in this environment. If placed in a better setting, his progress would likely be terrifyingly fast. Chris had the dark energy providing him with confidence, and he himself was diligent, constantly training and frequently engaging in real combat to improve—a point where he surpassed Tommy. Honestly, given Tommy's insight, if he had fought alongside Chris against vampires, he might have already advanced to Yellow Dou Qi.

The newly accepted Zheng Ying possessed the rare Li Huo Zhi Ti. Once his Absolute Domain stabilized, his physical issues would gradually be resolved. Ye Wen planned to pass on the Yong Heng Bu Mie Ti (Indestructible Eternal Body) to him once the Absolute Domain reached a certain level; mastering that would allow him to handle enemies far stronger than himself with ease.

In short, at the major cultivation gathering years from now, these three would be outstanding disciples he could present publicly. And Claire...

"What makes you think you have any exceptional quality worth accepting into my school?"

At this moment, everyone present finally felt the gravitas associated with the name Shu Shan Sect. Disciples from Kunlun, like Jiang Ning and Wang Zhao, although outwardly respectful to Ye Wen, inwardly harbored thoughts like: "Shu Shan Sect? Never heard of it. Must be some small-time family!" They respected Ye Wen, but held little reverence for the sect itself. Even the Northern River Layman, despite having met Hua Yi and Ning Ruxue, remained mostly curious about Shu Shan.

However, Ye Wen’s words today carried the authority of a venerable school—the kind of aura possessed by a sect that had existed for a long time and held significant prestige.

"Strange. Given Elder Ye's demeanor, the Shu Shan Sect must have been a powerhouse, yet I’ve never heard of it. Could the Shu Shan Sect have existed longer than I think?" But then he reconsidered: Ye Wen had recently mentioned that the Shu Shan Sect inherited the Daoist tradition of the Quanzhen School. In that case, the timeline shouldn't be that outrageously long; his own Kunlun Sect should have some record of it.

Claire fell silent. She had no answer for Ye Wen’s question, so she remained quiet. Although she had undergone a year of specialized training in the organization and was confident she could handle ordinary soldiers, she knew that compared to these cultivators, she was nothing—perhaps not even able to withstand a single finger strike from Ye Wen. She hadn't seen all the techniques Ye Wen used previously, but she knew he was essentially an immortal figure from the Eastern world. How could she, a former ordinary police officer just a few years prior, possibly contend with an immortal?

Seeing her silence, Ye Wen’s brow furrowed deeper. His previous words were not meant to embarrass Claire but were merely a test, a way to assert the status and dignity of his Shu Shan Sect. He hadn't expected such a reaction, where one sentence reduced her to silent submission—a far worse outcome than he had anticipated.

He had originally thought if Claire offered a halfway decent reason, he could easily accept her as an external disciple for now and decide whether to teach her later. He hadn't expected this.

"If that’s the case, better not accept you then..." If a person lacked self-confidence, Ye Wen didn't want to waste time on them. Thus, he offered no guidance. After a moment more of Claire’s silence, he turned and left.

When Ye Wen returned inside, he found Chris had already arrived. He signaled Chris, and the two immediately entered the study.

"I didn't accept your sister as a disciple. Are you perhaps displeased?"

Chris shook his head, though his expression was slightly downcast. However, he understood that acceptance was Ye Wen's prerogative; he had no right to express dissatisfaction. Moreover, his own life had been saved by Ye Wen; one needed a conscience and shouldn't treat kindness as an obligation.

Seeing Chris quickly return to a normal expression, Ye Wen knew the disciple understood the core issue and didn't press the matter further. Instead, he asked, "How are things in the North?"

"The situation has shifted slightly. According to the latest intelligence, both the Blood Clan and the Werewolves are converging on Germany! The Church has dispatched three Paladins to lead the contingent, and some Easterners are also heading toward Germany..."

"Easterners..."

"Yes. Besides people from your homeland, we also spotted some Japanese!"

Ye Wen nodded. "We should depart too. Since everyone is heading to Germany, the focus of the event will likely occur there. By the way, what has the Northern River Layman been doing lately?"

"The Layman has mostly stayed at the villa, but that woman Jiang Ning and Wang Zhao are running out frequently, establishing contact with local British forces..."

Ye Wen’s eyebrow twitched. The Northern River Layman had never mentioned these things to him, not even letting slip a hint. They had secretly connected with British powers, possibly even reaching some agreement.

"If they don't want to talk, we won't pry. However, this entire incident is very peculiar, with many variables likely to emerge. We must proceed cautiously. After we depart with the Northern River Layman in a few days, we will say nothing; we will just observe how they act!" Ye Wen was only here to help, after all; he didn't need to invest himself too deeply in every detail. As long as he confirmed the matter posed no threat to him, he would leave.

But would things really go as smoothly as he imagined?

As soon as Ye Wen and his party arrived in Germany, before they even left the airport, a change occurred. The group followed their usual habit toward the main exit, but just as they were about to step out, Ye Wen suddenly sensed something was wrong. He had felt a strange sensation ever since disembarking, something he couldn't quite pinpoint until now...

"Wait... something's not right!"

The group stopped immediately. Tommy and Chris adopted flanking positions, while Wang Zhao and Jiang Ning moved to the sides, even reaching into their magical pouches to retrieve artifacts. This team was not large, but not small either. Such a display would typically draw curiosity and onlookers, but as they halted and took formation, the surrounding people seemed not to see them, continuing to walk past.

At this point, even the most grounded person, Claire, realized something was amiss. It was as if their entire group was being ignored by the world.

"What's going on?"

Ye Wen activated his divine sense, focusing his spiritual intent into his eyes. A quick scan revealed that the numerous figures were merely illusions. Realizing this, Ye Wen channeled energy to his fingertips and pointed his shimmering purple-lit finger toward the crowded area ahead. Everyone felt a flash of purple light beside them, like a sudden violet sun erupting nearby, forcing them to squint shut.

After the flash subsided, everyone looked back. The crowded entrance they had just been observing had vanished. Not only were the people who looked indistinguishable from ordinary folk gone, but the doorway itself had disappeared, replaced by a solid steel wall.

"Damn, we've walked into an illusion formation!"

The Northern River Layman possessed the most experience among the group. Although Ye Wen held the title of senior, he wasn't highly versed in the magic of the cultivation world. His current knowledge covered rather common techniques, like controlling magical artifacts or the Five Thunders True Law. He had never encountered an illusion technique like the one they had stumbled into and naturally didn't know how to respond.

He was only able to discern that those people were mere fleeting phantoms thanks to years of diligently cultivating his divine sense and experimentally focusing it through his eyes—a lucky discovery. If they had blundered into the formation instantly, he might not have been able to distinguish reality from illusion.

The Northern River Layman, however, had cultivated for centuries and fought through countless formations. He naturally encountered illusionary arts frequently. Even if one didn't specialize in that path, one needed to learn countermeasures to avoid being helpless against practitioners of illusion or formations.

Now, the Northern River Layman unleashed the Tian He Shen Sha (Heavenly River Divine Sand), instantly generating eight beams of blade light striking out in eight directions—following conventional formation-breaking methods to first test where the formation’s eight gates lay. Typically, formations in the Central Plains cultivation world were closely linked to the Eight Trigrams; finding the exit gate often meant a safe passage out.

However, after this probe, the eight blade lights vanished in a flash, leaving no trace. It was as if a stone had been dropped into a pile of mud—splashing a little, but quickly sinking until the stone was entirely obscured in the murky depth.

Seeing this, the Northern River Layman’s expression darkened. After a brief assessment, he stated flatly, "This is not a formation from our Huaxia (China)!"

That statement elevated the level of trouble significantly. If the formation had been set by someone from the Huaxia cultivation world, they could assume it was a peer trying to delay them from finding the God-Beating Whip without causing serious conflict. But if it was a foreign power, the situation implied an irreconcilable, life-or-death scenario.

"Can you determine which nation's power it is?"

Ye Wen wasn't skilled in this area; currently, only the Northern River Layman could offer any insight. He frowned, then replied, "Perhaps the illusion techniques of the Little Devils (Japanese). I heard they are quite fond of manifesting abilities from their comics in reality. If we’ve run into that thing, it will be troublesome!"

Hearing this, Wang Zhao and Zheng Ying’s faces grew grim, baffling Ye Wen, who pressed for details. "What is that?"

Finally, the disciple Zheng Ying respectfully explained, "Master might not know, but over the years, several popular long-running comics have been hugely successful there, three of which are known as the 'Three Great Shonen Mangas.' As a result, the Japanese have brought many of the abilities from those into practice, causing our people considerable losses in secret..."

Ye Wen's expression turned extremely peculiar, and he finally cursed under his breath: "What the hell, so I’m not the only one doing some knock-off engineering?"