Ye Wen sat down cross-legged, with Zhang Sanfeng not far in front of him. The two stared at each other, and compared to before, Zhang Sanfeng now possessed not a trace of fighting intent. It was likely he felt that since he was trapped here, matters outside no longer concerned him, and thus he wouldn't trouble Ye Wen further.

Seeing Ye Wen settle opposite him, Zhang Sanfeng asked with curiosity, "The Kyushu Ding is an ancient, wondrous treasure, yet it shouldn't cause Sect Leader Ye such distress, should it?" He couldn't quite grasp it. If Ye Wen yielded the treasure, according to their plan, they could completely refine the vital energy of this world anew, making the entire realm suitable for cultivators like themselves to live and practice. Ye Wen had absolutely no need to intentionally oppose everyone like this.

Moreover, if he truly relinquished the treasure, everyone would remember his goodwill. The Shushan Sect could then legitimately become an undeniable force within the cultivation world. While permanence was uncertain, for at least three to four hundred years, no one would dare touch the Shushan Sect, as it was the Shushan Sect Leader who yielded the Kyushu Ding, granting everyone the opportunity to continue their cultivation.

Ye Wen let out a long sigh. At this juncture, there was no need to conceal anything, so he explained, "Venerable Zhang, you are unaware. If the Kyushu Ding were merely an ordinary treasure, this Ye would not regard it with such importance. Though I have no personal friendship with you all, I understand the severity and urgency of this matter. If an entire realm's future could be secured by exchanging one treasure, what does it matter if this treasure is given up!"

Hearing these words, Zhang Sanfeng became even more perplexed. "If that is the case, why is Sect Leader Ye acting this way?" He remained unaware of what transpired with Ye Wen in Europe, only hearing that Ye Wen refused to hand over the Kyushu Ding and had even clashed with several fellow Daoists; not only could Zen Master Dihong not handle him, but Ren Tuze was also slain by him.

Ye Wen continued, "Venerable Sir, you do not know that the Kyushu Ding concerns the lives of hundreds within my sect. If you take it and destroy it, not a single member of the Shushan Sect will remain alive."

"Abandon the matter for this?"

Although Zhang Sanfeng didn't openly mock him, his expression revealed that the foremost figure in the cultivation world held more doubt than belief.

Thinking it over, he murmured inwardly, "The Kyushu Ding is rumored to be a supreme treasure for suppressing destiny. Could it be that the Shushan Sect faces a great calamity that requires this treasure to weather it?"

His speculation was reasonable, yet no one could have imagined that Ye Wen’s entire Shushan Sect resided within the world contained in the Ding. Naturally, they wouldn't consider that possibility.

Given that the Kyushu Ding was generally perceived as merely a treasure—a vessel—the first thoughts would lean towards suppressing destiny or refining spiritual energy, not an enclosed universe. The claim that the Kyushu Ding could form its own world was merely a scarce rumor, barely hinted at, so who would think along those lines?

After much consideration, Zhang Sanfeng concluded that if the Shushan Sect truly faced a calamity requiring the Ding to avert it, the matter was indeed difficult to resolve. He spoke up, "If Sect Leader Ye feels it is warranted, why don't we make an agreement! As long as you yield the Kyushu Ding, this old Daoist guarantees that whatever trouble befalls the Shushan Sect, this old Daoist will commit the full strength of the Wudang Sect to ensure the Shushan Sect remains safe..." But immediately he realized that he and Ye Wen were currently trapped within the Penglai Immortal Realm and could not leave; saying this was moot.

He offered a wry smile, "Alas, this old Daoist spoke nonsense. Sect Leader Ye, please disregard it..."

Ye Wen, however, cupped his hands in thanks. "Venerable Zhang, I acknowledge your kindness, but the matter is not as you perceive it!" Zhang Sanfeng had thought the conversation would conclude there, but finding an underlying secret made him inwardly wonder: Was his guess wrong? Yet, he was also curious about the true situation.

Since neither of them could leave at the moment, they might as well talk to pass the time and relieve their worries.

It was the change in environment that allowed Ye Wen and Zhang Sanfeng to sit and converse peacefully. Had they been outside, influenced by numerous external factors, they absolutely could not have maintained a civil discussion; a few contentious words might have immediately led to a fight.

It was precisely the absence of immediate conflict over vested interests that allowed them to negotiate slowly, enabling Ye Wen to explain the details to Zhang Zifeng. Even if Zhang Sanfeng didn't believe him, it wasn't a major issue, which was far better than being perceived as babbling nonsense and deceiving everyone outside.

"This is a bit complicated to explain. Let me put it this way," Ye Wen began, "I imagine Venerable Zhang and the other esteemed predecessors have pondered where exactly my Shushan Sect might be?" Zhang Sanfeng nodded. In fact, they hadn't just discussed it; they had dispatched people to search far and wide. Not only had the lands of Shu been turned inside out, but other famous mountains and great rivers had also been thoroughly scoured. Still, there was no clue. The idea that Ye Wen’s Shushan Sect was hiding in some insignificant mountain was hard for these people to accept.

After all, Ye Wen’s cultivation was not weak, and it was rumored that his wife was also quite formidable. Venerable Cang had cultivated for several hundred years; although her methods were self-developed without tutelage from a known master, her centuries of power were undeniable. Yet, she was driven into a wretched state by only a few moves from Madam Ye. Even allowing for underestimation, it demonstrated Madam Ye’s strength.

A sect capable of fostering such power could not possibly make do in a mere mountain ravine; they would need to occupy at least a notable mountain range to cultivate and develop.

Seeing the look of curiosity in Zhang Sanfeng's eyes, Ye Wen pointed to his own chest, where the Kyushu Ding was located, still emitting a faint glow. "It is right here!"

"What?" Even Zhang Sanfeng, a venerable expert who had cultivated for over seven hundred years, could not help but lose his composure. He never could have imagined such a thing: the very entrance to the Shushan Sect was inside the Ding? How could he possibly believe it?

Ye Wen ignored his shock and continued, "I assume Venerable Zhang has also heard the tales that the Kyushu Ding can manifest its own world?"

"You mean... there is a universe within the Ding, and all members of your sect cultivate inside?"

"Precisely!" Ye Wen nodded. This was tantamount to showing his hand to the foremost expert in cultivation, and also a declaration, making Zhang Sanfeng understand why he was unwilling to hand over the precious Ding: it represented the lives of countless disciples of his sect. As Sect Leader, he naturally could not do such a thing.

Zhang Sanfeng remained silent. He didn't know how to judge this situation. However, a sliver of doubt remained in his heart, making him wonder if Ye Wen was merely fabricating an excuse to deceive him.

Ye Wen knew that a simple spoken word was difficult to make credible. This was why he couldn't negotiate with those outside; the problem was his inability to produce evidence. Otherwise, if he could summon a few disciples from within the Ding, Zhang Sanfeng would have to believe him whether he wanted to or not.

He gave a wry smile and ceased speaking, focusing instead on how he might escape this place.

However, he knew nothing of the Penglai Immortal Realm. After some thought, he found no solution and finally had to ask Zhang Sanfeng for guidance, "Venerable Zhang, might I ask what exactly the Penglai Immortal Realm is..."

Zhang Sanfeng didn't seem overly concerned at this moment. Although he suspected the truthfulness of Ye Wen's words, the matter had, in a sense, passed. Since he was trapped anyway, he cared little whether Ye Wen was lying to him.

Hearing Ye Wen's question, Zhang Sanfeng asked, "Sect Leader Ye wishes to find a way out?"

"Yes!"

Zhang Sanfeng shook his head. "Difficult!"

Without further explanation, that single word signaled to Ye Wen that it was essentially hopeless for anyone in the cultivation world to solve it. However, Ye Wen noted that Zhang Sanfeng said difficult, not impossible.

Zhang Sanfeng seemed to realize Ye Wen had grasped that point, so without waiting for a question, he continued, "To leave this Penglai Immortal Realm, based on what I know, there are only a few methods!"

"The first is to cultivate to the realm of Ascension, shedding this mortal realm to ascend to the Immortal Realm. Then, naturally, you can leave here..."

Upon hearing the first method, Ye Wen managed only a bitter smile. He knew that if he could truly ascend, this Penglai Immortal Realm certainly couldn't contain him. But he had no idea how many years it would take to reach Ascension, and more importantly, he wanted to find his Junior Sister and Huayi outside; ascending would mean separating from the two women.

Zhang Sanfeng seemed to understand this method was rather demanding, so he didn't elaborate, moving on to the next method.

"The second is for someone proficient in spatial sorcery to be able to tear open this dimension!" Zhang Sanfeng paused, "And more critically, to locate the correct exit. This step is infinitely harder than tearing space itself!" Saying this, Zhang Sanfeng suddenly remarked, "The Kyushu Ding in Sect Leader Ye's possession seems to possess this divine efficacy. If Sect Leader Ye can control that treasure freely, why not try it?" He had forgotten this detail earlier. If Ye Wen could use the Kyushu Ding, they could leave exactly as they entered.

Ye Wen was momentarily stunned, but then could only offer a wry smile. "This treasure does not heed my command at all. It forcibly dragged me into this place by its own accord just now..." Zhang Sanfeng frowned. "That makes things difficult!"

These were the only two methods they could conceive of, and both left Ye Wen utterly depressed.

In his memory, the tenth level of the Huantian Baojian, the Profound Universe, seemed related to spatial planes. If he could master it, this small world likely couldn't trap him. The problem was that he had only reached the second level of the Huantian Baojian to completion; he hadn't even begun cultivating the third level, let alone summoning it. To master them one by one... by the time he reached the tenth level, he would likely be close to Ascension himself.

In that case, hadn't he achieved nothing?

After much thought, the most reliable method seemed to be manipulating the Kyushu Ding. He intended to force the Kyushu Ding out of his body for careful study, but Ye Wen found that no matter what he did, the Ding seemed stubbornly lodged there, unmoving, which nearly drove Ye Wen to curse aloud.

Zhang Sanfeng watched from the side, growing more convinced that Ye Wen's earlier claims were merely a deception. If the entire Shushan Sect truly cultivated inside the Ding, they must have successfully refined the artifact and achieved complete control, otherwise, how could they allow people to enter the Ding's world to cultivate, and then exit?

He was unaware that Ye Wen had not entered willingly, and that the Shushan disciples were native inhabitants of the Ding's world, thus naturally free from his conjectures.

After cursing himself into exhaustion, Ye Wen stopped, his face etched with frustration. He noticed Zhang Sanfeng’s expression again, seeing the suspicion deepen, and sighed, "If only someone would pop out of the Ding right now to prove what I'm saying is true!"

He detested being misunderstood, especially when he was speaking the truth yet was met with constant doubt. This bottled-up frustration was immense, yet he was helpless. The accumulated pressure was so intense that if his innate Purple Qi hadn't automatically circulated to regulate him, he might have passed out from the sheer frustration.

In the tumult of his emotions, he failed to notice that the light from the Kyushu Ding on his chest was gradually brightening again. Simultaneously, the ring on his right finger emitted a faint glow. The two lights seemed to merge, becoming indistinguishable after a moment. Suddenly, Ye Wen couldn't tell where the light from his ring ended and the Ding's began.

Zhang Sanfeng was startled by this anomaly and immediately stood up, adopting a posture of full defense. He saw Ye Wen sitting frozen in place, realizing this sudden event was again the doing of the Kyushu Ding, seemingly independent of Ye Wen.

Just then, Ye Wen's chest rippled like the surface of water, and the Kyushu Ding drilled out of his body. Once outside, the Kyushu Ding spun rapidly, radiating dazzling light, and it grew larger with every rotation.

After a short while, the Kyushu Ding had returned to its original size, nearly as tall as a person. It appeared cast in bronze, and the carved huāwén (decorative patterns) seemed alive, mesmerizing the onlookers.

Zhang Sanfeng was also astonished by this bizarre spectacle, but not knowing the reason, he maintained his defensive posture and watched from the side.

Ye Wen, however, felt his cultivation rapidly draining away, leaving his body from any part, causing him to feel at a loss and helpless. In desperation, he even attempted to mobilize the Glazed Fire latent in his Yintang acupoint, but the fire, the moment it left his body, transformed into pure spiritual energy and vanished.

"What trick is this thing pulling now? Is it trying to suck away all my cultivation?" As he pondered this, Ye Wen felt his cultivation reserves reach their bottom. But precisely at that moment, the outflow of his energy stopped. Simultaneously, the Kyushu Ding flashed violently—like a sudden flashbang thrown in front of them—forcing both Zhang Sanfeng and Ye Wen to shut their eyes involuntarily.

When they opened their eyes, all phenomena had vanished, and the Kyushu Ding stood silently on the ground!

"What happened?" Ye Wen stepped forward, about to investigate, when the Kyushu Ding suddenly shuddered, and a shadow shot out from within the vessel.

Startled, Ye Wen retreated a step, adopting a defensive stance. He had been completely drained of his cultivation, leaving only a bare foundation. Although his innate Purple Qi recovered quickly, it couldn't restore his true energy to its peak instantly. Thus, the current Ye Wen couldn't even summon the Zixiao Sword, much less execute a single move from the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms.

Just as he assumed his stance, another shadow shot out from the Ding. This time, he saw it a bit more clearly: the second shadow was slightly smaller than the first, and he vaguely perceived it to be a woman!

Zhang Sanfeng opposite saw much more clearly. The aged Daoist looked up at the man who had shot out and was now flailing his arms as he tumbled downward. The man suddenly halted in mid-air, adjusted his posture, and descended lightly—using a movement technique that the old Daoist had long since deemed inferior for gaining elevation.

Ye Wen also looked up and saw the scene. What astonished him most was the identity of that man!

"That dashing posture, the noble and ornate clothing, the impossibly demonic good looks... Isn't that Junior Brother Xu?" Ye Wen blinked, doubting his vision, confirmed it several times, and finally knew it wasn't a trick of the eye or a hallucination.

Because the moment the man landed, he saw Ye Wen standing not far beside him: "Senior Brother!"

The utterance of "Senior Brother" confirmed for Ye Wen that this was indeed Xu Xian, not some impossibly similar look-alike. Just as he was about to speak, Xu Xian suddenly threw open his arms in an embrace. Ye Wen assumed his junior brother was overjoyed to see him and wanted a bear hug?

However, a shriek sounded from overhead, and then a smaller figure swiftly landed in Xu Xian's arms—he had spread his arms to catch someone.

The slightly self-important Ye Wen felt a bit awkward. Only then did he clearly see that the second shadow was that girl, Huang Rongrong!

After placing Huang Rongrong on the ground, Xu Xian came over to pay his respects to Ye Wen. "Long time no see!" He then glanced around. "Is this the world after its shattering? Looking at Senior Brother's appearance..." Observing him closely, he noticed Ye Wen's hair was cut much shorter, and his clothes were somewhat strange. "Why has Senior Brother become a mendicant monk?"

"..."

Huang Rongrong was also full of curiosity and kept looking left and right, failing to see Ning Ruxue and Huayi. Her expression suddenly changed drastically. "Could it be... Could it be... Sister Ning..."

The wife met with misfortune, and the husband, overwhelmed with grief and anger, became a monk!

This was such a familiar plot point. Huang Rongrong, who often tagged along with Xu Xian to listen to storytellers, was already immersed in her fantasy, and a single tear traced its way down her cheek.

Ye Wen's forehead was covered in black lines. Knowing these two well, he instantly understood what they were imagining and shouted, "It's not what you think! Could you two please listen to some more cheerful stories in the future?"

Seeing Xu Xian shrug, Ye Wen then recalled a deeply irritating question. "Even if Xu Xian had shattered the void immediately after me, it should still be at least ten years later, right? How did he appear before me now?"

At this moment, Zhang Sanfeng spoke from beside him, "Is this person Sect Leader Ye's fellow disciple?"