Three days later, Chris, Tommy, and Zheng Ying arrived at the school. During these past few days, Ye Wen had been guiding Zhang Sanfeng around the campus, allowing the elder to observe the overall layout of Ye Wen's school and, incidentally, to take a look at the students.

"These students..." Zhang Sanfeng's perception was naturally far beyond ordinary people; a mere glance gave him a clear picture. "The majority are only average. However, your vice-principal has above-average talent and foundation. It's a pity his age is too advanced!" Zhang Sanfeng was referring to Guan Luyan, whom Ye Wen had specifically hired. Since being persuaded by Ye Wen, this elder had poured all his energy into the school. If Guan Luyan was initially drawn by Ye Wen's 'Internal Strength Qi and Cultivation Methods,' his thinking had now shifted considerably.

Perhaps due to his advanced years, Guan Luyan had adopted a more detached view of many things. He knew that even if he obtained those cultivation methods, given his current age, achieving mastery would be nearly impossible.

Therefore, during this time, Guan Luyan had devoted his efforts entirely to teaching, even roping in his own disciple to serve as a teacher, helping to nurture the next generation of martial arts masters!

Zhang Sanfeng took a strong liking to Guan Luyan, who called him 'old brother,' especially after learning that Guan Luyan was a descendant of the Martial Saint, showing due respect.

Unbeknownst to these two old men, while they were conversing, Ye Wen muttered to himself, "Damn, calling Zhang Sanfeng 'old brother,' you're getting quite the advantage!" As he walked away, he quietly said to Guan Luyan, "Old Master Guan, go find a place to secretly chuckle!" This left the old man utterly baffled, not understanding the meaning behind the words. It wasn't until Ye Wen and Zhang Sanfeng had vanished that the old man suddenly clapped his hands, thinking to himself, "Could that old brother be Headmaster Ye's master?"

As this thought surfaced, the more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed. He sighed inwardly, "I missed a true master!" Then, he looked around, hoping to run into Ye Wen and that old brother again!

By now, Zhang Sanfeng had finished his tour of the school and was walking back with Ye Wen.

"Does Headmaster Ye really intend to find disciples among these students?" Zhang Sanfeng felt that very few students here were suitable for cultivation; they were already starting from a point of weakness compared to the disciples of current sects. For Ye Wen to cultivate these students into masters would require far more effort than cultivating a single disciple for them.

However, if Ye Wen could truly bring even a portion of these students to fruition, it would prove that Ye Wen’s previous assertions were no exaggeration.

"So much preparation has been done; it's too late now to seek more suitable disciples!" Ye Wen was unconcerned. These students' inherent qualities might not suit the traditional internal martial arts classics, "but as for this Seven-Colored Dou Qi..."

Ye Wen had already made up his mind: he would teach this batch of students the Seven-Colored Dou Qi, reserving the Absolute Domain for another purpose!

He had already discussed that matter with Zheng Ying. Upon hearing that his master intended to help the nation cultivate usable talent, Zheng Ying had become quite excited, promising to return and seek approval from his superiors. Given the specialized nature of his work, he could provide Ye Wen with feedback in the shortest possible time.

This was why Zheng Ying, immediately after seeing Ye Wen, rushed off to Beijing. Of course, before leaving, he had shown a glimpse of his power to Zhang Sanfeng. Zhang Sanfeng was greatly astonished to hear that this young man had been on the brink of death just a few months prior due to a peculiar physique, unable to practice any martial arts at all.

To confirm, he investigated carefully and found that everything Ye Wen said was true. Not only was Zheng Ying's life no longer in danger, but he could even sense a strange power constantly refining Zheng Ying's body, seemingly transforming him into a more formidable existence.

Zheng Ying’s Absolute Domain power remained at the introductory stage because his physical body was still not strong enough. Thus, the power he had cultivated recently was focused on tempering his physique; only after this stage was complete would his Absolute Domain power begin to rise.

Compared to Zheng Ying, the Dou Qi displayed by Chris and Tommy interested Zhang Sanfeng even more! The Seven-Colored Dou Qi was closer to traditional internal martial arts but differed significantly from them, affecting the practitioner's physical constitution from the inside out while relying on the use of Dou Qi to achieve greater combat power.

After inquiring in detail about several points, Zhang Sanfeng exclaimed happily, "This technique, once introduced, is more than enough to secure the safety of Huaxia!" His words affirmed Ye Wen's previous claim that a method easier to cultivate and better suited to the current world environment could replace the protective work currently undertaken by the cultivators.

Although Zhang Sanfeng hadn't witnessed the true might of the Black Dou Qi Ye Wen mentioned, he could roughly infer it from the Red Dou Qi displayed by Chris. According to this elder’s estimation, anyone who could cultivate to the realm of Black Dou Qi might achieve 'daylight ascension' to the realm of immortals.

As for the Seven-Colored Dou Qi, a power purely for combat, Zhang Sanfeng cared little that it couldn't prolong life like cultivation methods. Compared to cultivation methods that required at least a century to develop combat strength, the cultivation time for Seven-Colored Dou Qi was much shorter. Some prodigies could develop White Dou Qi by their teens, and by the time they reached adulthood, their cultivation level would be unimaginable—an immediate, formed fighting force.

Moreover, once the Seven-Colored Dou Qi progressed beyond Red Dou Qi, the strengthening of the body would also grant them a slightly longer lifespan than ordinary people; overall, it was beneficial.

In fact, in Ye Wen's memory, the Absolute Domain, when cultivated to a certain level, could also extend lifespan, though by how much was uncertain. In the original novel, there was an old fellow who lived over six hundred years, but that old ghost seemed to have achieved the ultimate power. Thus, it was hard to give a precise judgment.

After some thought, he dismissed these minor details. In any case, both techniques could form combat strength quickly, making them more suitable for the current national situation. Furthermore, they eliminated the need to study ancient texts like the I Ching, making the learning curve much lower. As for how to apply the power? That was not Ye Wen’s concern; he would let them explore that themselves!

Having seen the techniques Ye Wen spoke of and knowing the disciples Ye Wen intended to select, Zhang Sanfeng was ready to take his leave from Ye Wen.

"This old Taoist has learned what he needed to know, and I have observed the students. When Headmaster Ye brings the disciples in a few years, this old Daoist will certainly vouch for you!"

With Zhang Sanfeng's memory, a mere few years would not cause him to forget the appearance of these students. A single glance would suffice; upon seeing them again, he would naturally recall that this person was just an ordinary student on campus—enough for Ye Wen to have his testimony.

His immediate departure was also to seek out his old friends, brief them generally on the matters concerning the Shu Mountain Sect, and prevent the righteous factions from continuing to trouble the Shu Mountain Sect. Everything else could wait a few years.

Given Zhang Sanfeng's standing, this matter stood a very high chance of success. The only complication was that Ye Wen already held a deep feud with the Emei Sect, and it was likely the Emei Sect would adamantly refuse to reconcile their enmity with him!

Zhang Sanfeng did not deliberately conceal this point, stating his guess quite frankly. Ye Wen merely smiled upon hearing this: "If the Emei Sect wishes to avenge their own people, they can come find me! I dare to stand by what I do; I struck them, and I am willing to accept the consequences!"

Zhang Sanfeng smiled faintly, then Ye Wen escorted him to the main gate. He called out, "I depart!" and immediately vanished without a trace. Even with Ye Wen's current cultivation level, he couldn't discern how Zhang Sanfeng left; it seemed he employed some profound escape technique!

Looking up at the clear, cloudless blue sky, Ye Wen remarked, "The land of Shu can only accommodate so many major sects!" In his heart, he had already resolved that the Emei Sect must completely disappear!

However, to achieve this, his current strength was far from sufficient. He needed to enter seclusion for a period to cultivate diligently!

"The Hunyuan Baojian is a formidable technique. I have only reached the perfection of the second layer. I should summon the Earth Kunlun soon!"

He pondered and felt this wasn't enough. Currently, besides mastering the first two layers, he had also learned the Purple Star River. According to Ye Wen’s original plan, he needed to master all the techniques preceding the Purple Star River first, and then push the Purple Star River to perfection in one go. Only then could he begin cultivating the latter five layers.

Due to the nature of the Hunyuan Baojian, its true power is only unleashed when the first five layers are mastered before starting the sixth. To awe the martial world and deal with the Emei Sect, relying solely on the first five layers would likely be inadequate; he needed to cultivate to at least the sixth or even the seventh layer.

"Once the students are confirmed, I should go to the Penglai Immortal Realm for some serious cultivation!"

The Penglai Immortal Realm was rich in spiritual energy, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort. Coupled with the Nine Provinces Tripod and the essence of the mutated Glazed Fire within him, he should be able to push the Hunyuan Baojian to the sixth layer within five years.

"Hopefully..." Because, judging from the original novel, the cultivation of the Hunyuan Baojian didn't seem terribly difficult. It was just that those characters possessed protagonist halos; they seemed to achieve perfection almost immediately upon obtaining the Celestial Crystal. He, however, had to cultivate for a long time after obtaining the Celestial Crystal to achieve perfection. Compared side-by-side, the gap seemed too large.

"Truly pointless..."

He shook his head inwardly and turned to head back inside. However, the moment he lowered his gaze from the sky, he saw Guan Luyan standing dumbfounded under a distant tree.

"Huh? Old Master Guan..." Ye Wen was startled, then noticed Guan Luyan's expression of utter astonishment, his mouth agape unconsciously, as if he had witnessed something unbelievable. That expression alone made Ye Wen think, "Not good, did the old man see the moment Zhang Sanfeng vanished?"

He had assumed that with Zhang Sanfeng nearby, any slight disturbance in the surroundings would not escape the elder's notice, so he hadn't expanded his divine sense to survey the area.

Zhang Sanfeng, in turn, assumed Guan Luyan was Ye Wen’s subordinate and didn't exercise excessive caution when employing his departure technique. As a result, the completely bewildered Guan Luyan was left gaping in shock, staring blankly at Ye Wen.

Ye Wen grimaced, walked over, and gently brought Guan Luyan back to his senses: "Old Master Guan? Old Master Guan?"

"Ah?" Guan Luyan snapped back to attention, opened his mouth as if to ask something, but then felt it inappropriate, swallowing his question back down.

Finally, Ye Wen spoke, "Ask whatever you wish, but let's go inside first!"

Guan Luyan nodded, presumably realizing that discussing such matters openly here was highly inconvenient, especially since the topic was so earth-shattering.

Back inside, Ye Wen poured Guan Luyan a cup of tea and took a bottle of his own beverage before sitting opposite him. "Ask."

Guan Luyan thought for a moment, then finally spoke, "Just now..."

"Did you just see that old gentleman suddenly disappear?"

Guan Luyan nodded, ignoring the premium Tieguanyin tea before him, staring at Ye Wen with expectant eyes, desperate to know what had happened!

Ye Wen considered it. If he wanted to transform his school into the institution for national power projection he envisioned, he truly couldn't hide certain things from this elder. So, he nodded, "What you just saw was real... That senior gentleman just now was actually an immensely famous figure, possessing incredible abilities. In ordinary terms, he is an immortal..."

"Are there truly immortals in this world...?" Guan Luyan had prayed to gods and Buddhas, but he still harbored some doubts. After all, no one had ever seen an immortal. Yet, Ye Wen began by telling him: You just saw an immortal! How could he believe it?

Ye Wen offered no further explanation, simply circulating his Qi. A faint purple light briefly illuminated the top of his head, and then the Zixiao Sword materialized, hovering above his head. Since he wasn't activating the sword energy, the Zixiao Sword looked like any ordinary longsword, though it carried a very faint, shimmering glow, making it look quite beautiful.

A long sword suddenly appearing, suspended in mid-air, and all happening right before his eyes, eliminated every trace of doubt in Guan Luyan's heart, replaced by astonishment. "So it's not just that old gentleman who is an immortal; I have another one right beside me?" But upon reflection, immortals would not associate casually with mortals. If the old gentleman was indeed an immortal, then Ye Wen, who was acquainted with him, certainly couldn't be ordinary either.

"It's not quite 'immortal,' you could say we are all advancing on the path to becoming true immortals!" Ye Wen paused. "However, the one you just saw is probably the closest person to an immortal in this era! And you must have heard of his name!"

"Oh?" Guan Luyan inwardly wondered who that person could be. How could he know about immortals?

Then, he suddenly heard Ye Wen utter the words: "The Ancestor of Wudang, Zhang Sanfeng!"

"Ah?" Guan Luyan had been so surprised today that his jaw nearly dislocated, but this was followed by a bitter smile: "Zhang Sanfeng? That... that was Zhang Sanfeng just now?"

He thought about how he had actually called the man 'old brother,' realizing what a massive advantage he had taken. No wonder Ye Wen had told him, "Go secretly rejoice!" It was all for this very reason.

Given Zhang Sanfeng's age, he could easily be Guan Luyan's grandfather. His calling him 'old brother' was truly...

"It really is..."

Ye Wen remained silent, drinking his beverage. He understood that this kind of news would be hard for an ordinary person to process immediately, so he gave Guan Luyan ample time to digest these matters.

When Guan Luyan finally calmed down, his first curiosity was whether Ye Wen was also some famous historical figure, or perhaps a great senior of the Wudang Sect. Recalling that Ye Wen’s Soft Palm style was indeed derived from the Wudang lineage, the latter possibility seemed more likely.

The more he considered it, the more it seemed to fit, and he couldn't help but examine Ye Wen from head to toe.

"Stop thinking about it. I have no fame in history! Nor am I a member of the Wudang Sect." Guan Luyan awkwardly picked up his teacup and took a few sips. "Then, Ye... Senior..." He had intended to call him Headmaster Ye, but he quickly corrected himself; Zhang Sanfeng was a figure from seven or eight hundred years ago, and he had no idea how old the person before him actually was, so he immediately changed his address.

Ye Wen felt a wave of awkwardness. While he wasn't unused to old people calling him 'Senior,' those were usually strangers. Guan Luyan had spent some time with him, so the current address felt increasingly wrong. "Just call me Headmaster!"

"Headmaster Ye... Which sect are you from?" Ye Wen smiled faintly. "I am the Sect Master of the Shu Mountain Sect. Otherwise, why would I name this school the Shu Mountain Martial Arts School?" Seeing Guan Luyan nod, Ye Wen provided a rough explanation: "My Shu Mountain Sect is inherited from the Quanzhen lineage, so we have some historical connection with the Wudang Sect. However, we were in seclusion for several hundred years and only began walking the world in recent years, which is why we haven't left any name in history!"

"I see!" After clarifying these matters, Ye Wen explained his plans to Guan Luyan: "Currently, the cultivation world is preoccupied with its own troubles, and our Huaxia people lack any means to counter foreign powers. Therefore, I intend to transform our Shu Mountain Martial Arts School into a place dedicated to providing truly powerful masters for Huaxia. This will require cooperation with many government departments, and these matters must be explained to you first, lest you be confused when the time comes!"

He roughly laid out some of his ideas to Guan Luyan, who then learned that Ye Wen had already earmarked a portion of students who would receive private instruction after the winter break. They would then be taken to a hidden location for deeper training, and upon emerging, they would no longer be ordinary people.

"Will they become very strong?"

Ye Wen considered. "Let me put it this way: if everything goes according to my projections, every student in this class will become superhuman. If they were to participate in any sporting event, breaking current world records would be effortless. However, I believe there are international agreements prohibiting such individuals from participating in those competitions!"

Guan Luyan's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he suddenly asked, "I wonder... could I learn as well?"

"Oh?" Ye Wen was momentarily stunned, then recalled Zhang Sanfeng's assessment: Guan Luyan was the best among the entire Shu Mountain Martial Arts School staff!

Zhang Sanfeng thought Guan Luyan was too old, but Ye Wen didn't mind. The Shu Mountain Sect was currently in dire need of capable personnel. If Guan Luyan could truly achieve cultivation success, he would be a great asset! Even if he didn't achieve much, having one of his own manage the school was more reassuring than an outsider.

"It's just... figuring out what technique to teach this old gentleman is quite a consideration..."