The matter of Guan Luyan, Ye Wen had not yet made a final decision on, but currently, he was leaning heavily toward bringing the old master into the sect.

Though he wasn't sure which lineage he should assign the old man to, his Mount Shu Sect could easily establish a position like a Guest Elder, similar to other major sects, to recruit talented individuals.

While Old Master Guan might not qualify as a true talent by the standards of most sects in the cultivation world, Ye Wen currently lacked the standing to be picky. The only thing giving Ye Wen a headache was that if Old Master Guan truly joined the Mount Shu lineage, his disciples and that daughter would likely need to be taken in as well?

Scratching his head, Ye Wen found that Guan Luyan’s daughter, Guan Shuying, and his disciple, Zhao Qing, were relatively easy to handle; he possessed numerous cultivation methods he could offer them. As for the extent to which they could cultivate, that was beyond his control. Only the issue of Old Master Guan himself remained troublesome.

At present, Ye Wen had two relatively fast-track cultivation methods that could yield considerable combat strength in the shortest amount of time. However, both were body-oriented techniques. Although they required less natural aptitude and inherent quality than the traditional methods of some cultivation sects, the demand on physical condition was by no means low.

Old Master Guan was already elderly, and his physical fitness had long been on the decline. Asking him to practice such techniques now...

“It seems Old Master Guan can only practice the traditional methods then…” At this moment, Guan Luyan had returned to his residence. After hearing those mythical tales from Ye Wen, the old master appeared somewhat abnormal, his entire demeanor slightly dazed.

More importantly, when he proposed that he also wished to learn those techniques, Ye Wen did not give a direct answer, but instead furrowed his brow in contemplation. This inevitably led Old Master Guan to overthink matters.

“What does Principal Ye mean? Is it an agreement… or a refusal?”

Because of this question, Guan Luyan was distracted even during dinner, occasionally pausing mid-motion with food halfway to his mouth, lost in thought. This caused his wife, daughter, and disciple no small amount of worry.

After the meal, Guan Luyan sat alone in his study, sipping tea. His family members kept stopping by to check on him, fearing something might happen to him.

Finally, the restless and energetic Guan Shuying could not sit still. She marched straight up to her father and inquired, “Dad, what difficult matter is troubling you?”

“Hmm?” Guan Luyan actually wanted to discuss these matters and seek counsel, but he knew he couldn’t speak carelessly about them. Moreover, who would believe such things even if he did speak of them? So, he could only wave his hand dismissively and say casually, “Nothing, perhaps I’m just a bit tired from approaching the end of the term!” This explanation might fool outsiders, but it was impossible to deceive his own daughter. Besides, Guan Shuying taught at the school; she knew exactly what the situation there was. Her father, as Vice Principal, had almost nothing truly demanding to do; he spent his days wandering the campus. Unless some high-ranking official came for an inspection, he rarely needed to step up. How could he possibly be overworked?

Leaving the study, Guan Shuying checked with her mother and learned that Guan Luyan had just returned from Principal Ye’s place, immediately rushing out with great speed.

“It’s because of that Ye Jian again?”

Truthfully, Guan Shuying’s impression of Ye Wen was not great. All she knew was that because of Ye Wen, she was forced to resign from a job coveted and envied by countless people, leading her entire family to relocate to this remote mountain village! Although the living conditions and work benefits Ye Wen provided were top-tier nationally, she still harbored resentment.

She felt her freedom had been stripped away. Already in her twenties, she couldn't even choose her own career path, something she found incredibly difficult to accept peacefully.

If it were only that, it wouldn't be so bad, as Ye Wen hadn't treated her family poorly. More importantly, she noticed that after her father became Vice Principal of this school, he was cheerful every day, constantly chatting with his family in the evenings about which student showed outstanding performance or which had good potential but lacked diligence.

It was evident her father truly loved this job, and for his happiness, she had endured! But now…

“Absolutely intolerable!”

Standing before Ye Wen’s house, Guan Shuying swung her small fists, pounding furiously, thump-thump-thump. When the door opened, she almost failed to stop her momentum, nearly striking the person opening it with a punch.

“Excuse me…?” It was Ye Wen who opened the door. He happened to be watching TV in the living room downstairs, and since both women were cultivating in their respective rooms, it naturally fell to him to answer.

“I am Guan Shuying!” Ye Wen’s single sentence left her feeling helpless. For the principal not to recognize a teacher at his own school—wasn't that utterly absurd?

Little did she know that Ye Wen had been traveling constantly these past days, and when Guan Shuying first arrived at the school, Ye Wen happened to be away. Later, many other matters had arisen, so he had simply never met her and naturally didn't recognize her.

“Oh, you’re Old Master Guan’s daughter, right?”

However, once her name was mentioned, Ye Wen could recall her. Furthermore, the subjects Guan Shuying taught were the liberal arts, which he valued highly, so his impression of her was slightly deeper. “Please, come in!”

Inviting Guan Shuying inside, Ye Wen first offered her juice before asking, “Coming to see me so late, Teacher Guan, do you have some matter to discuss?”

He found it quite strange. Why was Guan Shuying seeking him out? Although she taught at his school, the two of them seemed to have no real connection. Given that she was Guan Luyan’s daughter, there was no need for her to deliberately curry favor with the principal.

Guan Shuying was quite direct. As soon as Ye Wen asked, she stated her purpose: “I want to know what Principal Ye said to my father just now?”

“Uh?” Ye Wen thought for a moment. The topic of discussion didn't seem that significant, did it? Although it was world-shattering, it shouldn't warrant the principal's daughter coming to confront him, right?

“After my father left you and went home, he looked completely lost. What exactly did you say?” Guan Shuying paused, then listed a few possibilities based on her own conjecture: “Did you perhaps decide to withdraw funding? Close the school? Or maybe you’re planning to dismiss my father from his position?”

Ye Wen then understood. Guan Shuying had come because of Old Master Guan’s unusual behavior. But judging by his own reaction if he had suddenly heard such astonishing facts, he probably wouldn't be much better off either, so he didn’t find Guan Shuying’s confrontation strange: “None of that… I was merely discussing the future direction of the school with Old Master Guan!”

“Direction for development?” Guan Shuying found it baffling. A martial arts school, focused primarily on traditional martial arts—what kind of development path could it possibly have? At best, it would train a few national martial arts experts to enter competitions and make a name for themselves, or perhaps arrange for some students to become stunt coordinators or action actors in the entertainment industry. What else was there?

While she was pondering this perplexity, the sound of urgent knocking echoed: bang, bang. When Ye Wen opened the door, Guan Shuying was astonished to find her father standing there.

Once everyone was seated again, Guan Luyan shot his daughter a sharp look, then turned to Ye Wen: “Principal Ye, this girl is still young and sometimes acts without thinking. She… she didn’t say anything inappropriate, did she?” After sitting in the study for a while, he had inadvertently overheard his wife mention that his daughter had rushed out, possibly to find Ye Wen, and he had hurried after her in panic.

He worried that given his daughter’s temperament, she might have been rude to Ye Wen—this Old Immortal who seemed impossibly old. If Ye Wen became angry, wouldn't his daughter suffer the consequences?

If that happened, wouldn't his original intentions become impossible to fulfill? After all, his desire to learn the arts from Ye Wen was mostly for the sake of his daughter and disciple.

Guan Luyan was self-aware; he knew he was too old. Even if Ye Wen was willing to teach him those immortal techniques, how much could he truly grasp? Immortality—he figured that was out of reach in this lifetime. His thought was to learn the skills and pass them on to the next generation. This was one of his quiet desires, but he hadn't dared express it for fear of angering Ye Wen.

But if Guan Shuying offended Ye Wen, wouldn't this plan be dashed? That was why he had rushed over, and upon sitting down, he immediately started criticizing his daughter to give Ye Wen an easy way out.

Ye Wen paused, then immediately understood why Guan Luyan was acting this way, and smiled, waving his hand.

However, the ensuing exchange made Guan Shuying both angry and vexed, turning her pale, fair face as red as Guan Gong’s: “Dad, what did I do? Why start scolding me the moment you arrive?”

Guan Luyan glared at her, ordering her to be quiet, then said to Ye Wen, “Principal Ye, please don't take her words to heart. I will discipline my young daughter properly when we return!”

Ye Wen gave a wry smile: “No need for that… but Old Master, you don't need to worry. I wasn't intending to refuse what you requested earlier!”

Ye Wen understood the crux of the issue. With a moment's thought, he grasped the entire reason: his lack of an immediate reply must have kept Guan Luyan preoccupied, leading to his strange behavior upon returning home. So, he decided to state things plainly: “I have the intention of accepting you into the sect. My hesitation earlier was over other matters!”

Guan Luyan was overjoyed and immediately prepared to rise and thank him. But considering it improper, he then intended to perform the formal ceremony of apprenticeship. However, in that moment of delay, as he was halfway out of his seat, he felt a gentle surge of internal energy press down, forcing him back onto the sofa.

Looking up, he saw Ye Wen casually holding a cup of boiled water, smiling faintly at him, and saying, “There’s no need for that yet. We can perform the formal apprenticeship ceremony when you officially join; it’s not too late then!” Guan Luyan realized he had been too hasty. After all, for those major sects, accepting a disciple was a momentous occasion, not something to be rushed through casually. It surely required choosing an auspicious date, extensive preparation, and a grand ceremony.

Although the dialogue between the two left Guan Shuying somewhat confused, she clearly understood the latter part of the exchange. Judging by the momentum, it seemed…

“Dad, you’re not going to…?” She pointed at Ye Wen, “Take him as your master?” This was too unbelievable. Her father was a nationally renowned martial artist with high prestige and seniority. Now he intended to take as his master that… young man who looked barely twenty, despite his evident martial skill? The world had gone completely insane!

Guan Shuying felt as if she were in a dream; everything seemed illusory and unreal. She truly couldn't comprehend what sort of evil spirit had possessed her father to harbor such a thought.

“Are you… coming down with a fever?” She reached out to touch her father’s forehead but was swatted away by Guan Luyan: “Little girl, what do you know?” Guan Luyan certainly didn't think he was mad. To be accepted as a disciple by an immortal being—that was fortune earned over how many lifetimes? He wondered if his ancestral grave had emitted smoke, or perhaps if the Second Master Guan of his lineage was watching over him? However, more than these matters, Guan Luyan was concerned about his descendants.

“Principal Ye… you see, although my daughter is rash, her comprehension is quite decent. What do you think…?” This was a form of testing. If Ye Wen nodded, it meant his daughter had also received an immortal destiny, which was far more significant than him learning the arts himself.

Ye Wen turned his head and scrutinized Guan Shuying from head to toe, finally saying, “Extend your hand!” He realized that simply observing her wasn't enough to gauge Guan Shuying's aptitude. He had heard that Guan Luyan had initially refused to pass down his family's ultimate skills to this daughter, causing her to run away and learn various miscellaneous martial arts. Based on that, this woman should possess some talent.

However, he was more concerned about the condition of her meridians. Compared to the children at the school, who were barely over ten, the twenty-something Guan Shuying was not highly favored by Ye Wen’s initial assessment.

Guan Shuying held her hands defensively across her chest, scrutinizing Ye Wen with a suspicious look: “What for?”

As Ye Wen was momentarily dazed, Guan Luyan casually slapped the back of Guan Shuying’s head: “Stop fooling around! If he tells you to extend your hand, extend it!” Stung, Guan Shuying reluctantly stretched her hand out before Ye Wen, who then extended a finger and placed it lightly on her wrist.

“So, he’s taking her pulse!”

Guan Shuying appeared somewhat curious. She had originally thought Ye Wen was just a rich young master, the lecherous sort—he had a beautiful wife, and he always brought along a secretary who was devastatingly beautiful. Anyone would suspect that secretary was not just a secretary.

More importantly, she later learned that the female secretary named Huayi lived with Ye Wen, solidifying her initial conjecture.

Later on, Ye Wen opened a school and displayed some martial arts skills. Her impression of Ye Wen gained another layer: a master of traditional martial arts. What she found hardest to accept was that her own father had been defeated by him. Even though her father spoke of him with great reverence afterward, Guan Shuying always believed Ye Wen must have used some underhanded trick to win!

Although she later came to work at this school, she had little contact with Ye Wen, and her impression remained stuck at that stage—until today, first staggered by the news of her father wanting to apprentice under him, and now discovering that Ye Wen knew how to take a pulse.

“Does he also know Traditional Chinese Medicine?” Ye Wen knew nothing of TCM; he was merely knowledgeable about meridians and acupoints due to practicing martial arts. Taking her pulse now wasn't about examining her actual pulse, but rather using his true energy to probe inside her body for examination.

Ye Wen’s brow furrowed, then furrowed again, and again…

Guan Luyan, sitting beside them, felt his heart was on a rollercoaster, perpetually stuck on the largest loop, as Ye Wen’s expression looked far from reassuring.

As for Guan Shuying, she felt a warm current rise from her wrist, flowing up her arm and into her body, circulating and moving around, making her whole body feel pleasantly tingly.

The only reason she didn't laugh out loud was that amidst the tingling sensation, there were intermittent sharp pains.

“What is this?” As this thought arose, she remembered the legendary concept her father had once mentioned: Qi.

“Could this Ye Wen actually know the method of manipulating Qi? How is that possible?”

While deeply shocked, she hadn't even noticed when Ye Wen withdrew his hand, until Ye Wen frowned and spoke to her father: “I have a general understanding of your daughter’s condition. Most of the meridians and acupoints in her body have already formed and sealed shut. Trying to learn internal cultivation now…”

“She can’t practice?” Guan Luyan was anxious, but Ye Wen shook his head: “It’s not impossible to practice, but it will be more troublesome, and the final achievement cannot be guaranteed!” If this had been earlier, Ye Wen wouldn't have believed that either Guan Luyan or Guan Shuying could successfully cultivate any of his techniques (apart from the two fast-track ones), because the current environment was too harsh and utterly unsuitable for practice.

But now, with the backing of the Penglai Immortal Realm, even if Guan Shuying and Guan Luyan's conditions were slightly poorer, it wasn't completely hopeless.

Moreover, the vital energy within the Penglai Immortal Realm was far denser than in the Grotto-Heaven World where he himself once resided. Cultivating in such an environment, even with a lower starting point, there was still hope for some achievement if one worked hard!

Afterward, Ye Wen didn't say much, only instructing Guan Luyan to return and prepare. Soon after the winter break ended, they might have to travel to another hidden location for cultivation.

Learning this news, Guan Luyan was ecstatic. He brought his bewildered daughter home, and the overjoyed old master even opened a bottle of treasured fine wine to celebrate, which only made Guan Shuying more confused about the situation.

“Dad, what exactly are you so happy about?” Just then, Zheng Ying arrived at the school with ten colleagues and the reply from higher-ups!