Ren Tuzhe now faced a grueling choice: save his flying sword, or risk losing it to flee instantly? Either one of Ye Wen's blows connecting would leave him severely injured, if not dead! But the issue was that he had cultivated to the state of man and sword as one; abandoning his flying sword would undoubtedly cause him to suffer as well.

These thoughts flashed through his mind in mere moments; in a blink, he understood that the flying sword could be retrieved, but losing his life was beyond remedy.

The cultivator's inherent tendency to cherish life manifested vividly at this juncture. Ren Tuzhe abruptly twisted in mid-air, abandoning all concern for his flying sword, and immediately prepared to escape on his sword light. He was confident that even having lost his sword, Ye Wen could not catch him in a short time. A brief delay would allow him to use a sect communication talisman to call his senior brother for aid. If Ye Wen still pressed the pursuit then, he could seize the opportunity to reclaim his flying sword.

“A true man knows when to yield and when to advance; I must go quickly!” With a flash of sword light enveloping him, Ren Tuzhe spun violently in the sky, intending to shoot upward, only to find, as he turned, a beam of purple sword light hurtling directly toward him.

“This is impossible?” He had seen clearly just moments ago; Ye Wen’s flying sword was clearly in a different direction. How could it traverse to the opposite side so swiftly?

A slight turn of his head confirmed Ren Tuzhe’s astonishment: there was still a purple sword light aggressively slashing towards him from that direction, while the sword before him was indistinguishable from the one behind—it was clearly a pair!

“Dual flying swords?” He naturally did not know that Ye Wen’s Zixiao Sword was a manifestation of condensed true essence. If pushed, a hundred swords would not be impossible. Ye Wen had waited until this precise moment to summon the second sword, intending to finish the battle in one decisive strike, slaying Ren Tuzhe on the spot without giving him any chance to react.

As Ren Tuzhe was thrown into confusion by the sudden appearance of the second sword, Wang Pan’s voice suddenly boomed from the heavens. Ye Wen looked up to see the old Daoist also wearing an expression of shock, hastily shouting, “Sect Master Ye, please hold yo—”

But before he could finish his plea, two streaks of sword light violently crisscrossed. Ren Tuzhe, standing precisely in the middle, was instantly shredded into pieces. Furthermore, the sword light trailing both flying swords was exceptionally powerful and long, each one dragging a lengthy purple tail. Yet, one must not underestimate these tail-like sword lights; they were condensed sword qi, possessing incomparable might. Having been bisected by the crossing beams, Ren Tuzhe was not only minced but his very fragments ceased to exist; not a speck of him remained.

These events transpired almost simultaneously. Ren Tuzhe, realizing his forward path was blocked, crushed a talisman, preparing to dodge away, but as he moved, he felt a surge of fierce energy closing off his retreat. Ye Wen, from a distance, had already unleashed the Purple Qi Arriving from the East; if he had truly retreated that way, he would have been inevitably struck by the palm strike.

Just then, Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu arrived. Upon hearing the old Daoist call out a plea for clemency, Ye Wen immediately spurred all his cultivation power; the speed of the two Zixiao Swords surged dramatically in an instant, leaving Ren Tuzhe no opportunity to react before he was instantly slain!

While Ye Wen’s execution of Ren Tuzhe appeared effortless, if he had not previously engineered the impression—This man is powerful, but he cannot kill me!—he could not have utilized the sudden appearance of the dual Zixiao Swords for the kill at the final moment.

As for inviting the enmity of the Emei Sect by killing Ren Tuzhe? He could not afford to worry about that now.

Lifting his gaze to the stunned and uncertain Wang Pan in the sky, Ye Wen’s mind spun with countless thoughts. He inwardly murmured, “Killing this Emei member today means the coming days will certainly be difficult! The priority now is to leave Europe immediately—I absolutely cannot walk into the trap these people have set!”

With this thought, Ye Wen clasped his hands in a bow and addressed Wang Pan, “Daoist Wang, you arrive just in time. That Ren Tuzhe did not deserve his standing among the righteous sects; he actually used my sect disciples and Ye Wen’s wives and concubines as hostages. Such a wicked villain deserves death by all!” He continued, “Ye Wen is no coward who shies from trouble. I say this only so Daoist Wang can relay to the Emei Sect precisely why this man was executed. Moreover, Daoist Wang and Mr. Zhang can attest that Ye Wen is not wantonly murderous!”

After speaking, he cupped his hands again and, without waiting for any response from the two, declared, “If the Emei Sect wishes to seek vengeance against Ye Wen, they are welcome to try! However, if anyone else tries to threaten Ye Wen using my sect disciples... Hmph! I have said enough. Farewell!” With that, his sword light erupted. The two Zixiao Swords acted as vanguards, unleashing even more powerful sword light to envelop Ye Wen. Before Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu could recover their senses, Ye Wen had soared far away, leaving behind only a faint blur of purple.

The two exchanged a look. Wang Pan offered a helpless, wry smile: “This matter is troublesome!” Zhang Jiyu’s brow was deeply furrowed as he considered how to recount today’s events to his own Sect Master upon their return.

If things had remained as they were before, the issue would have been easier to manage. At worst, they would report the facts, and whether the righteous faction chose to continue coercion or negotiate properly with Ye Wen would be irrelevant to them; after this battle, both needed a good rest.

Besides, Ye Wen had spared their lives when he could have killed them. They owed him a debt. To rely on brute force to snatch his magic artifact, having already felt ashamed of that prospect, would make them despicable ingrates. That was utterly out of the question.

“Let’s return and discuss it then!”

Glancing at where Ren Tuzhe had vanished without a trace, only the faint dissipation of spiritual energy remaining, Zhang Jiyu shook his head resignedly: “I don’t know about other sects, but after today, the Emei Sect will hardly let this go!” Wang Pan knew this too: “Although Ren Tuzhe’s arrogance was grating, he was one of the Emei Three Elders. His death at Ye Wen’s hands means Emei is certain to seek retribution. Daoist Tianxing and Chan Master Dihong are not easy men to deal with; that Sect Master Ye…”

It was common knowledge in the cultivation world that Ren Tuzhe spoke harshly, so what Ye Wen said before was likely true! Coupled with his previous actions demonstrating that this Sect Master Ye was not an inherently tyrannical person, the two largely believed Ye Wen’s account.

But what could they do? With cultivators from all over converging, Ye Wen had not only killed Ren Tuzhe but also possessed the Nine Provinces Cauldron, making him the target of countless covetous eyes. For now… “We can’t manage it. You and I should focus on cultivating and returning!” Zhang Jiyu mused, “If Sect Master Ye is captured, I will speak up for him to save his life!”

Wang Pan considered this and nodded in agreement: “Indeed, we must not act wantonly as righteous cultivators!” With that, the two employed their respective techniques to head back. However, not long into their journey, a cultivator flew toward them. Merely judging by the divine light upon which the person rode, they knew this was someone from the Emei Sect. As the figure drew closer, Wang Pan clearly saw the monk’s kasaya robe, the alms bowl held in hand, and the soft halo behind his head—it was Chan Master Dihong of Emei.

“Venerable Sir!” “Two Daoist friends!” Chan Master Dihong was momentarily surprised to see them, then stopped his flight and inquired, “Have you seen my junior brother?”

Wang Pan and Zhang Jiyu exchanged glances. Finally, Wang Pan stepped forward and meticulously recounted the events to Chan Master Dihong. Wang Pan’s telling was unbiased, presenting only what he knew. But upon hearing it, the monk roared in anger: “How dare that brat be so arrogant? To kill my junior brother! Does he hold the Emei Sect in contempt? I will not rest until I have peace!” With that, he ignored the two, soaring away on his divine light in the direction Ye Wen had fled. Though his speed might not have been faster, his imposing presence was incomparably greater. Seeing this, Wang Pan knew Ye Wen was likely heading into another calamity, but wasn't Chan Master Dihong excessively reckless?

After he vanished in the distance, the two frowned and sighed: “The Emei Sect has developed rapidly over the past few centuries, and many of its disciples are arrogant, looking down upon cultivators of the world!” “Let them be; let’s go back first!” Zhang Jiyu was also displeased that after they had taken the trouble to explain everything, Chan Master Dihong offered no thanks. While anger over his junior brother’s death might excuse some behavior, completely disregarding them and leaving immediately after demanding their attention was too much.

Among cultivators, especially those who have achieved great cultivation, who isn't high-spirited and proud? The two said nothing aloud, but their opinion of the Emei Sect dropped several notches.

The two departed, needing no further mention. Ye Wen, astride his sword light, flew at great speed. In a day, he had covered an unknown distance. Unlike his erratic movements with Ning Ruxue, this time he flew in a straight line. Looking down, Ye Wen could no longer see any land below—only a vast, rolling ocean. He realized he had unintentionally flown over the Atlantic and had no idea how long it would take to see land again.

After flying for so long, Ye Wen felt somewhat weary. He had already recalled one of the two Zixiao Swords. While his speed had not diminished significantly, it was just enough to allow him time to recover his true essence.

Moreover, ever since his body had transformed to resemble crystal glaze, Ye Wen had known no rest: flying for a stretch, fighting Ren Tuzhe, and then exerting full power in rapid flight. Under the accelerated circulation of true essence, he found he was growing more familiar with the Glazed Fire.

The rapid flow of true essence naturally accelerated the circulation of the Glazed Fire within him. After this exertion, the seven-colored crystalline radiance on Ye Wen’s body had dimmed considerably; it seemed the tempering effect of the Glazed Fire on his body was nearing completion.

Concentrating his divine sense slightly, Ye Wen observed that the crimson essence fruit in his Dantian had merged entirely with the Glazed Fire, becoming the Glazed Fire Essence. This portion of essence he could not utilize for the time being.

The Glazed Fire in his meridians seemed to have been significantly depleted by the body tempering, but once tempering was complete, he could control the remaining flames, and control them with ease. The only thing that frustrated him was that the remaining Glazed Fire was scarce! Furthermore, he needed to find a stable location to house this Glazed Fire.

“Having it constantly circulate in my meridians makes me look like a neon light, which isn't sustainable! Setting aside other issues, in this state, I doubt I could even get into my junior sister’s bed!” After much thought, he considered his Upper Dantian, the Baihui acupoint, where his divine sense was concentrated. However, that area was ethereal and intangible, taking up almost no space. He wondered if storing the Glazed Fire in his Upper Dantian would burn his brain out?

He channeled a trace of Glazed Fire toward his Upper Dantian and discovered that upon entering, the fire immediately intertwined with his divine sense. After a brief struggle between the two, the Glazed Fire surprisingly vanished!

Although his divine sense seemed to have received a slight boost, wasting a portion of Glazed Fire for this gain was far from worth it. It appeared the divine sense and the Glazed Fire could not coexist.

“Damn it! I already have too much energy in my body! Never mind the Huantian Treasure Mirror—once I succeed in cultivating it, my Dantian will form ten distinct types of true essence, plus the innate violet qi that is the source of all my power. My Dantian could host a sports day!” He dared not store the Glazed Fire in his Dantian for fear it would interfere with the Huantian Treasure Mirror. That technique was predicated on the concept of dualities, generating greater battle prowess through interactions akin to the clash and harmony of Yin and Yang—introducing an extraneous element like Glazed Fire could yield unknown results.

Under normal circumstances, Ye Wen might conduct an experiment, but currently, surrounded by threats and ready for combat at any moment, harming himself through recklessness would be a massive loss.

After pondering for a moment, Ye Wen considered placing the Glazed Fire in his Middle Dantian, the Tanzhong acupoint. However, he awkwardly discovered that spot was already occupied by the Nine Provinces Cauldron.

After integrating into his body, the Nine Provinces Cauldron initially resided in his Dantian. Subsequently, perhaps sensing the Dantian was too cramped for habitation, the Cauldron began roaming Ye Wen’s body searching for a suitable dwelling. Eventually, the vacant Tanzhong acupoint was claimed and settled upon by the Cauldron.

If Ye Wen sent the Glazed Fire to the Tanzhong acupoint, nothing would happen except feeding the Cauldron’s bottomless pit.

“Is the Upper Dantian the only option?” Ye Wen considered that the Upper Dantian was not a single location. His difference from Ning Ruxue was that his Upper Dantian was opened at the Baihui acupoint, the spot on the top of his head, whereas Ning Ruxue opened hers at the Yintang acupoint, between her eyebrows.

He had chosen the Baihui acupoint as his Upper Dantian initially because he used his brow to store the curse energy to temper his divine sense. Now that the curse energy was gone, his Yintang acupoint was vacant. Moreover, due to the previous curse energy, his Yintang acupoint was stronger than a typical one.

Simply put, Ye Wen’s Yintang acupoint existed in a state between a normal acupoint and a fully opened Upper Dantian. Ye Wen didn't even need the complex preliminary work; he merely needed to channel the Glazed Fire there, and gradually the Upper Dantian would open!

“Besides this, there are two theories regarding the Lower Dantian—I wonder if I can open that one too?” Besides the commonly known location in the lower abdomen, another theory placed the Lower Dantian in the genitals. Ye Wen considered that location too sensitive and risky to tamper with for now; he should test the Yintang acupoint first for greater security.

After all, the Yintang acupoint had prior experience in storing energy and had shown no conflict with his divine sense. From every angle, storing the fire in the Yintang acupoint seemed much safer and held a higher probability of success!

He acted immediately. Ye Wen slowly transferred the Glazed Fire circulating in his meridians to his Yintang acupoint, though not all of it. A portion remained in his meridians, slowly tempering his physical body. Based on his recent experience, Ye Wen judged this remaining fire would temper his body for a considerable time. Once it was depleted, he could draw more from the Upper Dantian. Following this flurry of activity, the seven-colored radiance on his body finally dimmed, becoming less conspicuous.

However, losing focus caused his flying speed to slacken slightly, but he didn't care. Having killed Ren Tuzhe, the Emei Sect would certainly dispatch assassins. He needed to display his power again to make those righteous figures understand what true pain felt like, paving the way for his subsequent plans.

Of course, Ye Wen didn't only consider the best-case scenario. He also factored in the worst: becoming a public enemy of the cultivation world, even being branded a great demon, and his own Shushan Sect being branded an evil sect. If that happened, he would have to prepare for a life on the run.

The only people he truly worried about were his two women and his three newly accepted disciples. With just these few, he could find a remote place to hide for a good while.

If he were given a few years to fully temper the essence within his body, perhaps even advancing the Huantian Treasure Mirror beyond the sixth layer, he would be confident enough to emerge and teach those who had crossed him a harsh lesson!

Furthermore, the Seven-Colored Dou Qi and the Absolute Domain were relatively fast-track powers. If his disciples could cultivate them successfully, they might offer some assistance. With such formidable power at his command, would the cautious cultivators of the realm dare to clash head-on with him?

“In the end, it all comes down to raw power!”

He scratched his head, glanced toward the void, and smiled, saying, “Wouldn’t you agree, Fellow Daoist Qiu?”

Before the words fully left his mouth, a figure materialized from the void—it was the Old Ancestor of the Bloody Jade, Qiu Yuanlong. The Old Ancestor was no longer dressed in his previous furtive manner but wore a dignified black long robe, appearing quite imposing. After assessing Ye Wen up and down, his eyes, which glowed with an eerie jade light, were filled with vigilance: “Sect Master Ye…” You look rather haggard! “Haha, I pale in comparison to you, Mr. Qiu!” Ye Wen appeared enthusiastic, yet inwardly he suspected this sudden appearance by the Old Ancestor of the Bloody Jade was likely motivated by the Nine Provinces Cauldron.

Yet, to Ye Wen’s surprise, Qiu Yuanlong immediately stated: “Sect Master Ye, are you interested in cooperating with this Old Ancestor? I believe that with the combined strength of you and I, it might be possible to utterly destroy all those so-called esteemed sects!”

Ye Wen’s heart lurched, but before he could carefully consider the implication of those words, he felt someone charging from behind him. Even from a thousand miles away, the sheer aura of that approaching force sent a chill down Ye Wen’s spine!