Blinking his eyes open again, Ye Wen found himself not suspended high in the air as before, but in a place as dark as the universe, where nothing but blackness existed.

Even more baffling to Ye Wen than the profound darkness was the fact that as far as his sight could reach, there was nothing else to be seen apart from himself.

“Where is this?”

Any person encountering such a situation would first ask this question, but the moment Ye Wen voiced where he was, the scene before him abruptly shifted. The darkness began to slowly collapse, revealing a faint starlight, which was precisely the cloud layer he had just been above.

Looking down, Ye Wen realized his feet rested upon that very cloud layer, as if he were standing on the vapor itself, though he was completely naked. The strong high-altitude winds buffeted him, sending a chill through his body.

What astonished Ye Wen further was his own physique. The muscles he had gradually built up over the years seemed to have vanished. His entire body had taken on a frail appearance, and his skin shone like glazed glass, with light flowing across its surface. He had transformed into a massive, humanoid lantern, blindingly brilliant. This transformation made Ye Wen forget the strangeness he had perceived upon first opening his eyes.

“I really turned into a lightbulb!” he muttered casually. Ye Wen raised his head to look toward Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu. As he watched them, they seemed only just to have regained their freedom. Especially to Ye Wen’s eyes, within the seemingly empty void, two strange, long serpents were detaching themselves from Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu—it must have been these unseen entities that had trapped the two of them.

Ye Wen himself could not see them, but at this moment, his eyes flowed with seven-colored light, and it seemed as though faint flames were rising within his pupils. It was these anomalies that allowed him to see the serpents, things that should have remained hidden. Then, watching as the serpents lunged toward him, they shot directly into his Dantian before Ye Wen could react.

As soon as the two serpents entered his body, they burrowed toward the depths of his Dantian. Ye Wen closed his eyes and immediately discovered something new inside him.

“The Nine Provinces Cauldron?”

The two serpents, formed from some unknown energy, plunged into the Nine Provinces Cauldron. The Cauldron emitted only a slight glow before returning to stillness, exhibiting no other peculiarities. However, the Cauldron was now inside his body, and he couldn't immediately determine whether this was a blessing or a curse.

Furthermore, the manner in which the Nine Provinces Cauldron existed within him was strange: seeming real yet ethereal. He could sense it, but this object was definitively not physically present within his body. It was likely similar to the concept of 'man and sword as one' among sword cultivators—the Nine Provinces Cauldron had transformed into a kind of illusory existence that had entered him.

“Perhaps it exists as an energy form?” Now that the Nine Provinces Cauldron was inside him, Ye Wen presumed he could control it freely. If so, the numerous problems that had plagued him earlier might finally be resolved.

Previously, while conversing with Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu, Ye Wen had considered revealing the full truth. But the biggest headache was the lack of evidence!

He could speak of it—for instance, that his Shushan Sect was actually cultivating inside the Nine Provinces Cauldron, and if they shattered the Cauldron, there would be no hope for survival for any of the hundreds of disciples. But who would believe such a claim?

The simplest way to gain belief would be for Ye Wen to summon a few Shushan disciples from the Cauldron, but the problem was, he couldn't! Setting aside whether he could freely control the Nine Provinces Cauldron to bring those inside out, the Shushan Sect hadn't even been established yet. The time within the Cauldron was still years before his founding of the sect. How could he explain that?

Frankly, even if he laid out the whole truth, they might not believe him. More critically, these titans of the cultivation world had gathered here, their collective power likely immense. They might already have considered resorting to force if Ye Wen refused their demands. Under such circumstances, Ye Wen wanting a calm discussion... well, that depended entirely on whether the other party was willing.

Negotiation only occurs when both sides are on an equal footing. As it stood, Ye Wen was in no way comparable to these established figures in the cultivation world. To them, they could deal with Ye Wen however they saw fit!

This attitude was evident in Zhang Jiyu. Although this expert from the Huashan Sect had been relatively polite to Ye Wen, showing appropriate respect, the reality was different: the moment he saw Ye Wen refuse to hand it over, he attacked without another word, driven by this very mindset.

If you don't hand it over, we’ll kill you! And then the Nine Provinces Cauldron will naturally become ours!

Cultivators indeed cherish their lives, but they cherish their own lives, not others’. When they are certain of victory, they see no need for excessive scruples.

However, what frustrated Zhang Jiyu and Wang Pan was that Ye Wen’s strength was greater than they had anticipated. At the very least, the two of them together couldn't handle him. Moreover, Ye Wen had just gained immense fortune from the Nine Heavens Blazing Fire Array, receiving the baptism of the Glazed Fire to temper his body, further enhancing his already formidable physical strength. For Ye Wen, who was fundamentally a martial cultivator, this was akin to a regular cultivator consuming a supreme spiritual treasure.

Simply put, Ye Wen’s combat power had just received another significant boost after that ordeal. Engaging him in battle now would be unwise for them.

Besides, Ye Wen had just shattered Zhang Jiyu’s Bamboo Scroll and then, through some unknown method, damaged Wang Pan’s Taiji Plaque. It remained a dull, black iron disc, utterly unresponsive no matter how much they tried to urge it on, as if the artifact had instantly reverted to an ordinary object.

“Strange, I can clearly feel the vast spiritual power within the Taiji Plaque, but why can’t I activate it?” The two exchanged glances, then looked at Ye Wen, who stood in the distance radiating seven-colored light. Finally, they let out a helpless sigh, cupped their fists toward Ye Wen from afar, and each employed their means of departure, leaving Ye Wen alone, naked in the air, buffeted by the gale.

“They actually left?” He was unaware that his previous burst had damaged Zhang Jiyu’s Bamboo Scroll, rendering it unusable for a short time. And the strange movement of the Nine Provinces Cauldron had somehow corrupted the Taiji Plaque. This left the pair in a predicament: their most relied-upon artifacts were useless. Continuing the fight now would simply be suicide.

Although Ye Wen didn't know the specifics, after a moment of thought, seeing that they had indeed retreated, he could generally surmise the reasons. He let out a breath and muttered inwardly, “This crisis has been weathered, but what about the future?”

Now, the major figures of the cultivation world had come seeking to seize the Nine Provinces Cauldron in his possession. Yet, the Cauldron was intrinsically linked to the survival of the Shushan Sect, and possibly his own life. More importantly, he was now integrated with the Cauldron, and he assumed the two who witnessed this would report it to the others. This now seemed like a dead end.

Either Ye Wen killed every aggressor who came! Or Ye Wen would be killed by them!

“Hmm, is there really no other way?”

Ye Wen pondered for a while and realized it wasn't an absolute dead end. At least from today’s encounter, not all the giants of the cultivation world were unreasonable. If he found an opportunity to clearly explain the stakes, perhaps a life-or-death struggle wouldn't be necessary.

But what capital did Ye Wen have to compel them to sit down and discuss matters civilly?

“Damn it, it all comes back to the same point!” Ye Wen curled his lip in annoyance, thinking, “But this will at least let these fellows know that my Shushan Sect isn't a soft persimmon for anyone to squeeze! Let them learn the prestige of Shushan, and see who dares to offend me casually in the future!”

After some thought, Ye Wen grasped the crucial point!

There was indeed a way to make them sit down and negotiate properly: display his strength. Make them understand that if they wanted to fight him to the death, the price they would pay would be ten or a hundred times what they expected! At that point, would these life-cherishing cultivators still rush forward to cause him trouble?

“Today, Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu suffered a setback, but that’s far from enough!”

Although Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu were experts from their respective sects, based on their self-introductions, neither was a top-tier figure in their faction. Logically, the pinnacle figures of each sect would be their Sect Masters. Ye Wen needed to force these Sect Masters out and make them fearful before he could consider his goal achieved.

This meant his stay in Europe might need to be extended significantly—perhaps several months of maneuvering. Crucially, his two disciples might also be dragged into this mess, so Ye Wen needed to make suitable arrangements for them.

With a casual gesture, a mobile phone appeared in Ye Wen’s hand. He dialed Chris and laid out general instructions: “Take Tommy and Zheng Ying and leave the hotel immediately. Find a secluded place to hide! Do not use your martial skills, do not reveal any unusual abilities, and do not contact anyone!”

Chris was somewhat confused by Ye Wen's instructions, but he understood that his Master wouldn't joke about such matters. Ye Wen’s command meant something important had occurred, so he simply replied, “Understood!” hung up, and went to rouse Tommy and Zheng Ying.

Ye Wen paused, then dialed Ning Ruxue. Due to the time difference, it was daytime there, so it wouldn't affect her rest or cultivation. However, he couldn't explain things too clearly over the phone. He just instructed: “There are some troubles. For the next little while, take Huayi and find a hidden place to lie low; don't let anyone detect you!”

He didn't elaborate further. Ning Ruxue was obedient and didn't ask many questions, knowing that when Ye Wen could tell her things, he would; asking about what he couldn't say would only cause him annoyance. She simply agreed and immediately went to find Huayi.

Ye Wen wasn't worried about the two of them. After all, the school was within the borders of Shu, which was mountainous. If they hid themselves deep within some mountain ravine, it would be truly difficult to find them—safe from discovery for at least a year or two.

Moreover, Ye Wen didn't truly fear that these so-called righteous heroes would trouble those two women. They were all from righteous factions; being forced to act against him this time was a last resort, and they had internal disputes about this action. Where would they find the nerve to commit such a taboo act?

However, if the forces of evil, demonic cultivators, or foreign powers targeted his relatives, and he had to divide his attention…

Hanging up the phone, Ye Wen fiercely spat out, “If any bastard dares to try that, I will annihilate their entire family!” The Ye Wen of before might not have had such confidence, but the current Ye Wen had unexpectedly gained the Seven-Colored Glazed Fire. After this period of intense tempering and probing, he noticed a change in the essence of the Crimson Fruit within his body. That mass of red essence had completely transformed into something like seven-colored glaze, and the Glazed Fire continuously circulated through his meridians, relentlessly refining his body and channels.

At this moment, Ye Wen flicked his finger, and a cluster of Seven-Colored Glazed Fire appeared before him, demonstrating that he could now command this immensely powerful flame.

“Although I can’t wield a large amount, with this ultimate weapon, conquering a nation might not be impossible!”

He had felt the fire’s destructive power within the array just moments ago. If he found a target, hovered high in the sky, and simply dropped it, an entire city could be incinerated.

After a moment’s thought, Ye Wen suddenly felt a jolt, realizing he had become somewhat extreme. He extinguished the flame, letting the strong wind buffet his cheeks to calm himself down. Then, he looked down at his still-naked body and remembered to retrieve clothing from his ring to put on.

But even though he was clothed, his body still radiated the seven-colored glazed light, making him look like a conspicuous light bulb. It seemed he wouldn't be able to appear before ordinary people for some time.

He knew this was because the Seven-Colored Glazed Fire was still remodeling his body, and also because he hadn't yet truly mastered the fire. If he could control the Glazed Fire with ease, these abnormalities would naturally vanish!

Estimating that Zheng Ying, Chris, and the others should be leaving the hotel by now, Ye Wen violently unleashed a burst of sword light to buy them time to escape. The Purple Firmament Sword hovering beside him flared with brilliant light; the purple sword aura was incomparably more dazzling than usual. Even from a thousand li away, Ye Wen's sudden burst of sword light could be seen.

The ordinary people below, already agitated by the succession of strange phenomena in the sky that night, found themselves unable to sleep. Earlier, bursts of light had intermittently flashed across the sky, but they weren't conspicuous. Now, things were vastly different.

Ye Wen’s unrestrained sword light, despite being partially obscured by the clouds, caused the entire sky beneath to appear dyed in a layer of purple. The clouds themselves turned a deep violet, bathing the entire city in a purple sheen. Many people left their homes, standing in the streets and gazing up at the miraculous sight.

What was even more astonishing was that within the purple, a faint seven-colored glow could be discerned. Strangely, although this seven-colored light was not large or dazzling, everyone felt it was impossible to ignore. As they looked toward it, some even felt their initially startled hearts slowly becoming calm. Those who noticed this fact were astonished.

When Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu returned to the hotel, they were about to contact their respective Sect Masters using their private means. However, they were startled by the heavenly phenomenon and, after a brief pause, rushed out of the hotel with horrified expressions.

“What is that fellow trying to do? Is he trying to destroy the entire city?”

Such a thought uncontrollably surfaced. And if such a thing were to happen, they would be in serious trouble! In their haste, they couldn't pause to consider Ye Wen’s motive or what benefit he could gain.

This psychological state stemmed largely from their self-hypnosis over the past few days, telling themselves that Ye Wen was not a good person; perhaps the Shushan Sect went into seclusion precisely because their reputation was too notorious in the past! Moreover, Ye Wen’s actions since emerging were somewhat secretive, unlike people from their own sects.

In essence, they continuously told themselves that pursuing Ye Wen was merely carrying out divine justice—a righteous act—so they could proceed with a clear conscience, unburdened by psychological baggage.

Under this mindset, whatever action Ye Wen took, they instinctively interpreted negatively. That was the case now: as Zhang Jiyu rushed out, he immediately produced two flying-dart shaped artifacts. Though these were single-use items, they were convenient to deploy. He was fully prepared to use them the moment the situation shifted.

Yet, the moment he and Wang Pan rushed out, they saw the light emanating from Ye Wen, standing suspended in the air, suddenly retract. The figure transformed into a streak of astonishing sword light and shot rapidly into the distance!

“Hmm?”

“What is this…”

Before Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu could process what had happened, the Emei Sect member suddenly cried out in alarm: “Not good! Ye Wen is escaping!”

Hearing this, the faces of the other two changed drastically. They had concentrated all their plans in Europe because most of their preparations were based there. If Ye Wen fled, all their schemes and preparations would come to naught. Both were alarmed. After exchanging a look, they immediately employed their methods and chased after him.

The Emei Sect member, however, was much faster than the other two. Seeing Ye Wen escaping on his sword light, he immediately summoned his flying sword and darted out on a streak of golden sword light to pursue. Furthermore, the speed of this man’s sword light was beyond imagination. In the blink of an eye, he had caught up to Ye Wen, who had departed first!

However, for Ye Wen, the pursuit was a good thing. If the man hadn't chased, Ye Wen wouldn't have known how to proceed.

Glancing back slightly, he saw the golden sword light rapidly approaching his side. Ye Wen muttered inwardly, “The Emei Sect specializes in sword cultivation. Fighting this man for a while will be a good way to gauge the true strength level of those who came to besiege me!”