The news Zheng Ying brought back was largely what Ye Wen had anticipated: not an immediate, enthusiastic acceptance, nor a blunt refusal, but rather a conditional agreement to cooperate, with the depth of the partnership to be determined by future developments.

The core basis for this collaboration was the ten individuals Zheng Ying specifically brought back; whether this alliance would last hinged entirely on Ye Wen's ability to train these people into true talents.

Because he had foreseen this precise scenario, Ye Wen had explicitly instructed Zheng Ying beforehand that if he were to select people to bring back, he must choose those possessing special abilities.

It wasn't that those with abilities were inherently superior, but given the current circumstances—coupled with Zheng Ying's own inability to discern true aptitude from lack thereof—the simplest metric was the most logical choice: bring back those closest to Zheng Ying!

Due to the nature of their constitutions, these individuals inherently harbored various forms of energy within their bodies. If this energy was utilized correctly, their progress in the initial stages of cultivation would far outpace ordinary people, and they would find entry into cultivation significantly easier.

Look no further than Zheng Ying himself, the quintessential example. His Li Huo (Blazing Fire) physique allowed him to manipulate flames, and when he cultivated the Absolute Domain, his body continuously generated energy, providing the necessary fuel for the technique. This is what allowed him to grasp the fundamentals so rapidly!

Otherwise, if an ordinary person were to cultivate the Absolute Domain, Ye Wen estimated it would take at least a year or more just to gain entry, and that would only be for someone with outstanding natural talent! Moreover, mastering the Absolute Domain first required conditioning the body to its absolute peak; an ordinary person lacked Zheng Ying’s special constitution to constantly supply the Absolute Domain with energy, which in turn continuously compensated for the physical deficiencies in Zheng Ying’s body.

In summary, Zheng Ying returned with ten ability users, and Ye Wen retained the right to dismiss any he deemed unsuitable, though he had to retain a minimum of five, and tangible success had to be evident within three to four years.

“Hmph, as long as these individuals work hard enough, I can show your superiors results within a single year!”

Ye Wen paid no mind to their doubts. Representing the apex of worldly authority, their caution was natural, especially when dealing with the creation of high-tier combat strength that could potentially reshape the global balance of power. Furthermore, since the reputation of the Mount Shu Sect was obscure and they had scarcely heard of him, a period of probing and testing was inevitable.

He distinctly remembered the original story where a certain mercenary leader, the man with the headband, could withstand a tactical, low-yield nuclear warhead using his peak Absolute Domain, sustaining only minor injuries. If he could cultivate five warriors this formidable, the Mount Shu Martial and Academic School would inevitably become a unit requiring top-level protection.

For an ordinary person who had mastered such power, they might contemplate whether contributing it would lead to them being neutralized or even confined. But Ye Wen feared none of that. Besides, those on the other side understood that Ye Wen offering such assistance was already a magnanimous gesture worthy of great celebration. If they pushed this great immortal too far, he could easily initiate a regime change—something they absolutely could not afford.

Do not assume otherwise; history is replete with examples where hidden immortal figures significantly influenced the transition between dynasties. The most famous, naturally, is the transition from the Shang to the Zhou. When the Qing dynasty was established, if the immortals themselves had not been divided in their opinions, the Manchus could not have so easily passed the Great Wall to claim this magnificent land.

Thus, in this negotiation, Ye Wen held the upper hand from the very beginning. Moreover, Ye Wen was actively presenting them with benefits; they had no rational basis to refuse.

After reviewing the ten candidates, Ye Wen sent five back. The reason was simple: either their abilities overlapped with someone else but were significantly weaker, or their powers offered no meaningful assistance to cultivating the Absolute Domain—such as telepathy!

When he discovered one individual possessed telepathy, Ye Wen was momentarily startled. Fortunately, the person honestly admitted he could not probe Ye Wen's thoughts, as if they were shielded by some powerful energy, which brought Ye Wen considerable relief: “It seems that as one grows stronger, one's Zhenqi and Shennian provide comprehensive protection for the self!”

Of course, he also suspected the assistance of the Nine Tripods, but since these matters couldn't be definitively confirmed, he temporarily set them aside.

Of the final five remaining, one could manipulate wind, another commanded ice, and a third wielded fire like Zheng Ying, though this person's flame was a pale blue, significantly hotter than Zheng Ying’s. Upon seeing this ability, Ye Wen inwardly quipped: "Is Iori Yagami here?"

Although the flame was blue, blue and violet share some similarity, prompting Ye Wen to mischievously ask: "Do you like Iori Yagami from King of Fighters?"

Receiving a negative reply, Ye Wen sighed: "A pity!"

Of the remaining two, one possessed the peculiar ability to command plants, and the last commanded lightning.

As for those dismissed, besides one controlling wind, one controlling fire, and the telepath, there was also a person capable of short-range instant movement—Ye Wen had initially placed high value on this individual. However, upon inspection, he discovered this person’s physical condition was even stranger than Zheng Ying's, rendering cultivation impossible, forcing him to reluctantly give up.

The final person manipulated shadows—unique and interesting—but Ye Wen noticed something odd. As he dismissed this candidate, he quietly instructed Zheng Ying: "The one who controls shadows is a bit strange; better have your superior keep an eye on him!"

Zheng Ying initially thought Ye Wen was joking, but noticing Ye Wen’s serious expression, he immediately grew alert. After a moment of thought, he placed a call to his superior and reported the matter using a lengthy, circuitous speech peppered with coded information.

Regarding the five retained candidates, their names were Zhang Feng, Wang Bing, Li Yan, Zhao Lin, and Zhou Lei!

When Ye Wen heard their self-introductions, he immediately remarked: "These don't sound like real names?" It was no wonder he thought this; their surnames corresponded exactly to Zhang, Wang, Li, Zhao, and Zhou, while their given names neatly matched their respective abilities.

"Because of the nature of our work, our original names have been discarded; these are merely our operational codenames!" Zhang Feng, clearly the team leader, wore a stern face. From the moment he appeared until he spoke, his expression was rigid. His bearing carried the discipline of a soldier, suggesting a military background.

As soon as he finished, Zhou Lei pouted and muttered under her breath: "It’s clearly because the author was too lazy to think of better names..."

"..."

Ye Wen acted as if he heard nothing. For him, knowing how to address them was sufficient; he didn't need overly detailed knowledge of their backgrounds.

His sole task was to ensure these five mastered the power of the Absolute Domain within three to four years, reaching at least 50% intensity. Only then would their superior capabilities be demonstrated.

Of course, if possible, Ye Wen hoped they could all reach the peak of the Absolute Domain within three years, and then spend the final year attempting to break through to the Ultimate Power. This would serve as a discreet experiment for Ye Wen: to see if he could forge a subsequent power system using only the Absolute Domain cultivation method.

This would save him from relying on the ring to summon the later forms of power. After all, the opportunity, which was once available monthly, was now only accessible every six months, making it incredibly precious—he couldn't afford to waste it.

Considering these thoughts, he simultaneously began mentally shortlisting the student roster. By the time Ye Wen finalized his decisions, two months had passed.

A fair amount had happened during these two months, such as the Liverpool club, which Ye Wen had almost forgotten, hiring a new Executive Manager whose job was to ensure the club ran smoothly during Ye Wen’s absence.

Furthermore, due to injuries, Ye Wen issued another check to Mourinho, authorizing team reinforcement in January. Concurrently, Ye Wen remained in England to watch several matches.

Upon returning home, Ye Wen celebrated a relatively lively Lunar New Year with his two women and the disciples he had taken in this world. Although everyone was still somewhat unfamiliar with each other, the atmosphere was warm and bustling.

On the first day of the New Year, Guan Luyan came to pay his respects, bringing Guan Shuying, who carried a persistent question in her heart, and Zhao Qing, who had absolutely no idea what was happening.

Guan Luyan’s action sparked renewed dissatisfaction among his daughter and apprentice. They felt Ye Wen, as the younger generation, should have been the one visiting Guan Luyan, the senior figure and elder.

“Oh, that Principal Ye is an elder of unknown age; how could I possibly wait for him to pay his respects to me? It would shorten my life!”

Misunderstandings, when one party deliberately avoids clarification, can gradually lead to consequences of immeasurable scope. The current situation between Guan Luyan and Ye Wen was much the same, but since the consequence suited Ye Wen's expectations, he had no intention of explaining away the misunderstanding, allowing it to develop naturally.

Then, a calm fortnight slipped by. During this time, Ye Wen helped the five individuals gain a preliminary understanding of how the Absolute Domain's power operated.

When he introduced them to the cultivation method, they remained impassive until Zhao Lin suddenly asked: "What is this technique called?"

Ye Wen offered a peculiar smile, then posed a question seemingly unrelated to the matter: "Does anyone here like reading comics?"

Seeing Zhou Lei and Li Yan raise their hands, Ye Wen followed up: "Hong Kong comics!"

He had expected Zhou Lei, being a girl, to lower her hand, but surprisingly, it was Li Yan who dropped his. Zhou Lei’s small hand, flashing with electrical energy, remained steadfastly raised.

"Then have you read King of Fighters from the Hong Kong comics?"

Zhou Lei nodded.

"Good... that's excellent, because the technique I am about to teach you is one I personally adapted from the Absolute Domain featured in those Hong Kong King of Fighters comics!"

"..." (Followed by a beat of silence.)

After a long pause: "Are you kidding?"

After a while, Wang Bing finally managed a wry smile. "I’ve glanced at the King of Fighters Hong Kong comics a few times. Though I don't fully grasp what that Absolute Domain thing entails, how could anything from a comic book actually be used in reality?"

Ye Wen ignored his skepticism, tilting his head back slightly as he declared: "Because I wish it, it is so!"

Such a pompous statement should have elicited widespread resentment, but Ye Wen immediately had Zheng Ying perform a live demonstration. This silenced those who still held doubts. As Zhou Lei exclaimed: "It really is just like the Absolute Domain from the comics!" everyone understood that this person, who appeared to be around their own age, could indeed transform the seemingly impossible into reality.

More importantly, Ye Wen then introduced himself: "Perhaps when Zheng Ying brought you here, he didn't tell you my identity!" The group nodded, confirming this; they had merely followed orders to report to a specific location to study a certain technique under a specific person; they knew none of the particulars.

Only now did they grasp that the technique they were about to learn was something profound. Zheng Ying, notoriously known within the department as useless beyond fire control, casually struck the ground with enough force to create a pit after his body was enveloped in a faint, bright light.

Then, Ye Wen waved his hand casually, and a powerful burst of Qi instantly filled the pit Zheng Ying had labored to create. Enjoying their astonished gazes, Ye Wen formally introduced himself.

"My surname is Ye, given name Wen. I am the current Sect Master of the Mount Shu Sect. You may not have heard of our sect because we have practiced in seclusion, hidden from the world for several centuries. It is normal that you are unfamiliar with us..."

This much was sufficient; no further explanation was needed. None of those present were naive novices. Ye Wen's mention of centuries of seclusion immediately made them realize that this young man, who looked much like them and wore modern attire, was actually one of those immortals capable of flying and tunneling through the earth?

"No wonder he possesses such means..." Although they hadn't heard of the Mount Shu Sect, they were more familiar with Wudang, Emei, and Kunlun. To ability users like them, who were only marginally stronger than ordinary people, immortals were beings they had to look up to, just as they were looking up to Ye Wen now. All five were seated side-by-side while Ye Wen stood, necessitating their upward gaze.

Having settled these matters, Ye Wen continued his discourse on the Absolute Domain, and the disparity in aptitude among the five began to emerge.

What surprised Ye Wen slightly was that the person with the sharpest comprehension turned out to be the usually quiet Li Yan, closely followed by the two girls, Zhao Lin and Zhou Lei.

Wang Bing’s comprehension seemed merely average, though still within an acceptable range. More importantly, the innate Ice Power within Wang Bing was exceptionally strong; if he could master its application, his speed in cultivating the Absolute Domain might surpass the others.

Conversely, Zhang Feng, the team leader, possessed neither excellent aptitude nor comprehension, and his innate Wind Power wasn't strong enough to override those limitations.

In this scenario, it was likely that within a year, Zhang Feng would fall significantly behind his teammates in strength. Ye Wen wondered if, once his power waned, he could still command the others based solely on charisma.

"Thinking too much..."

He pulled his thoughts back and continued his lecture until he had covered nearly everything and answered several of their questions. Suddenly, Zhou Lei asked enthusiastically: "We wonder what level Sect Master Ye has reached in the Absolute Domain?" Seeing Ye Wen smile and shake his head, Zhou Lei’s eyes lit up: "Could it be that Sect Master Ye has already reached the Ultimate Power?"

Ye Wen continued to shake his head.

"Could it be... that you have cultivated the Universal Force?" Seeing Ye Wen remain smiling and silent, Zhou Lei finally gasped, mouth wide open: "Thousand-Year Power or Destructive Power? I wonder how many times Sect Master Ye can use it?"

Noticing Zhou Lei’s increasingly wild conjecture, Ye Wen quickly cut her off: "Actually, I don't practice the Absolute Domain!"

"... (Another silence.)"

Nearly everyone mentally cursed: "You create something you yourself haven't practiced and make us practice it? Are you treating us like lab rats?" All of them were thoroughly stunned by Ye Wen’s statement, until Ye Wen explained: "Because once one cultivates the Absolute Domain, they cannot cultivate other techniques. When I began my training, the Absolute Domain didn't exist..."

The group finally understood the situation and ceased pursuing that line of questioning. Although they still felt somewhat like they had been used as guinea pigs, since they had accepted the mission, they resigned themselves to the task. After all, Zheng Ying had already practiced it, and there were no adverse effects apparent.

While the group began learning the Absolute Domain, Hua Yi and Ning Ruxue, sitting on the second-floor balcony, could observe the glowing activity in the courtyard through one-way panoramic windows. Since their cultivation was not weak, they heard every word clearly. Hearing Ye Wen feigning profundity, Hua Yi covered her mouth and remarked: "Someone else is about to be fooled!"

Ning Ruxue merely smiled softly without commenting. Over these past few days, Ye Wen had explained everything to the two women. They also knew that soon they would be heading to the Penglai Immortal Realm to train, where they would reunite with Xu Xian and Huang Rongrong.

"I wonder if those two have changed at all..."

Ye Wen had only vaguely mentioned Xu Xian's situation, omitting finer details. Ning Ruxue quietly estimated that many years must have passed since they shattered the void. Rationally, Xu Xian should be approaching forty now; she wondered if he had grown any white hair.

If Ye Wen had known Ning Ruxue's thoughts, he would have shaken his head definitively and told her: "Setting aside Brother Xu's age, given the cultivation technique he practices coupled with his continuous fortuitous encounters, he likely wouldn't sprout a single white hair even if he were eighty!"

Of course, Ye Wen might only share those words with Ning Ruxue later, as time slowly passed and all preparatory arrangements were finalized.

And Zhang Sanfeng, surprisingly, made a special trip to see Ye Wen just before Ye Wen and his group were scheduled to depart.