Ye Wen brushed back his now-longer hair, careful the fierce winds wouldn't obstruct his vision. He wore a long robe, though not the one he wore during his initial breakthrough to the Void Shattering stage, but a fresh garment tailored these last few years—a pale blue, like the sky itself. Standing suspended high above the sea, he seemed to merge seamlessly with the surrounding heavens.

Before long, a figure materialized suddenly before Ye Wen: white-haired, white-bearded, clad in Daoist robes. It was Zhang Sanfeng. The old Daoist looked unusually cheerful today, greeting Ye Wen with a hearty chuckle, "It has been years, Sect Leader Ye, yet your presence is even more commanding!"

Ye Wen returned the salute casually. Yet, because his newly achieved True Qi was not yet fully under his command, and because they were positioned over the sea where moisture was abundant, this slight movement caused an uncontrolled surge of cool, refreshing aquatic energy to leak out, which Zhang Sanfeng immediately sensed.

The Wudang Sect Leader’s brow twitched slightly. He then clasped his hands toward Ye Wen. "It seems Sect Leader Ye's cultivation has advanced greatly once more!"

"This period of seclusion has indeed brought forth many insights!" Ye Wen replied with a slight smile, seemingly unimpressed by his significant leap in power, though the curve of his lips betrayed a sliver of his true excitement.

Furthermore, his eyes had remained closed the entire time, which greatly puzzled Zhang Sanfeng. "Sect Leader Ye's eyes..."

Cultivators generally cherish their bodies and seldom allow themselves to suffer harm, thus almost everyone carried numerous protective magical artifacts. While Ye Wen, as a martial cultivator, didn't require such artifacts, his physical body was peerlessly formidable, ensuring that ordinary people dared not approach him, let alone inflict injury. Since Ye Wen only kept his eyes shut and displayed no visible wounds, injury seemed unlikely.

If that were the case, only one possibility remained: Ye Wen was practicing some profound divine ability, one related to his eyes!

Indeed, both Buddhist and Daoist traditions held various divine abilities linked to the eyes, but these skills were heavily restricted by taboos and numerous prerequisites, meaning few ever mastered them. It was rumored that only true Immortals from the Celestial Realm could wield such arcane arts. Could it be that Ye Wen had somehow deciphered a particularly special secret method?

Although Zhang Sanfeng was intensely curious, as it concerned another person's cultivation technique, he felt it inappropriate to inquire deeply. Thus, seeing Ye Wen only smiling in response, he pressed no further.

"Venerable Zhang, have you come concerning that agreement?" Before Zhang Sanfeng could reply, Ye Wen continued speaking: "I shall certainly uphold what was agreed upon. However, the specifics must wait until after this upcoming Grand Assembly concludes."

"Naturally so!"

It was now the Year of Force, and Ye Wen and his company had been cultivating within the Penglai Immortal Realm for several years. After sending Zhang Feng and a few others back the previous year, the rest had remained in the realm to continue their training.

First, Zheng Ying had actually managed to cultivate his Absolute Domain to the Peak Realm. Zhang Ling, who cultivated this same power, had stalled at the Advanced Realm, but this minor gap was negligible; a burst of effort during actual combat would likely see her clear that hurdle instantly.

Of those sent back—the initial 'agents'—Li Yan and Wang Bing possessed the closest power levels. Upon their departure, both had surpassed the Middle Realm. Zhou Lei and Zhao Lin, the two young women, were just slightly stronger than Zhang Di, hovering around the Level of Blade (). The unfortunate Zhang Di had only reached the Level of Gaze (). Still, in a real fight, the two girls wouldn't defeat Zhang Feng, though Ye Wen suspected the pair were deliberately concealing their strength.

Moreover, Zhou Lei, the girl who particularly loved reading comics, had even attempted to comprehend the power of the Great Universe. Because the original source material provided a relatively detailed method of comprehension, her attempt failed to succeed; otherwise, her power might have experienced a dramatic leap.

However, a year had passed since they left. Ye Wen hadn't been completely secluded in Penglai during that time. Furthermore, Zheng Ying was frequently dispatched to purchase supplies to improve everyone's living conditions, so Ye Wen had received general updates on everyone's progress.

Over the past year, five people formed a Special Operations Team and executed numerous missions. Their performance greatly satisfied the higher-ups, who were now considering deepening their cooperative relationship with the Shushan Martial Arts School.

Ye Wen hadn't investigated the specifics yet, as those matters were peripheral. He could address them after settling his current affairs.

Nevertheless, over the past year, the Shushan Martial Arts School had begun experimental cooperation with the relevant departments. The sole difficulty was the school lacking a decisive leader on site, which caused Ye Wen considerable headache; for the past year, it had been Zheng Ying shuttling back and forth between the two locations.

Upon emerging from this seclusion, the first thing Ye Wen planned to do was send Vice Principal Guan Luyan back to take charge of the school and stabilize the various miscellaneous affairs there.

Speaking of Guan Luyan, Ye Wen couldn't help but marvel at the old man's incredible fortune.

To encounter him, learn legendary cultivation methods, and possibly embark on the path to immortality was one thing. Before Guan Luyan could practice the Complete Heart Sutra to a certain degree, Ye Wen unexpectedly obtained a secret manual perfectly suited for Guan Luyan, a descendant of the Guan family.

At that time, Ye Wen was already diligently training the Indigo Sea (). Hua Yi had acquired the necessary Wood of the Divine Light (). His junior sister required no further worry. His junior brother and Huang Rongrong practiced cultivation methods derived from Hong Kong comics, which still held significant untapped potential, so there was no immediate rush there.

Thus, Ye Wen tentatively attempted a random summoning, which resulted in obtaining a technique perfectly suited for Guan Luyan: the innate Crimson Power of Guan Yu (《》) from a certain serialized comic!

When Ye Wen first acquired the manual, he stood frozen for a long moment, unable to recall the origin of the technique. Only after opening it and carefully reading the introduction did he remember it stemmed from a long-running comic series that was nearing its infamous unresolved conclusion.

In the original source, this power wasn't really a martial art but something akin to an innate special ability. Yet, the Ring had boldly adapted such a concept into a cultivation manual, allowing practitioners to gain this peculiar strength.

"Thinking about it, the Five-Colored Divine Light isn't exactly a martial art either, yet the Ring managed to manifest it. This Ring is truly formidable!"

With that thought, Ye Wen dismissed his surprise and intently studied the secret manual. Upon finishing, he became excited to discover that the Crimson Power offered two distinct paths of cultivation: one evolving from the inside out, and the other from the outside in!

Specifically, the former path involved standard internal cultivation, beginning from the meridians and Dantian to generate a crimson Qi energy. Its deployment would resemble that of ordinary internal arts.

The latter path adhered more closely to the description in the source material: it refined the meridians through the refinement of the physical body. When executing this technique, the practitioner's body would turn deep crimson, and upon reaching mastery, the crimson color would never fade—in other words, they would permanently become a 'red-faced man.'

Since Guan Luyan was proclaimed a descendant of the Martial Saint, turning into an appearance similar to his ancestor seemed fitting. Moreover, Guan Luyan possessed eyes that, while subtle, held a hint of phoenix-eye features. If he truly achieved the fully red face, perhaps Ye Wen should procure him a large broadsword?

"Although the historical Second Brother didn't use a great blade, the image of him with one is deeply ingrained in the public mind!"

For this reason alone, Guan Luyan's future path was decided. Even Guan Shuying began practicing this technique, albeit following the first route—cultivating it like a conventional internal art. While it still affected the body, the impact was far less extreme than her father's; at most, a faint peach-red flush would emanate from her skin when channeling energy—which seemed easily misinterpreted?

Because Guan Luyan's cultivation method was settled, Ye Wen felt comfortable sending the old man back to manage the school. After successfully mastering the introductory stage of the Crimson Power, a significant period was required to control this volatile energy. If a person lacked sufficient mental fortitude, they would instantly plunge into a state of frenzied rage upon completion.

Elder Master Guan, being older, naturally possessed greater composure than younger individuals, allowing him to safely pass through that initial phase. However, this didn't mean the power was ready for use. The vexing aspect of the Crimson Power was that, after mastery, the practitioner needed considerable time to adapt to it. Sending Guan Luyan back to the school was precisely to allow him this necessary adaptation period.

Guan Shuying remained in the Penglai Immortal Realm to continue her cultivation. The path she chose was significantly gentler than her father's, which consequently made progress slower, meaning remarkable results wouldn't be seen anytime soon.

With the Guan father and daughter's issues resolved, Ye Wen had no pressing concerns left in the Immortal Realm, dedicating his days solely to cultivation. Consequently, his progress was quite rapid. Aided by the catalysis of the Glazed Essence within his body, by the time he exited the realm and reunited with Zhang Sanfeng, the Indigo Sea () was nearing the Great Accomplishment stage. Once he fully mastered the power that had just surged within him, he would have completely perfected the Seventh Layer.

Inside Ye Wen's Dantian, the Innate Purple Qi occupied the center. The energies of White Cloud Smoke (), Rose Haze (), Earth Kunlun (), Azure Snow Ice (), Purple Star River (), Dark Chaos (), and Indigo Sea () circled around it. Moreover, perhaps due to the effect of the Primordial Chaos Codex (), these seven energies did not form a perfect circle; spaces remained between them, with a significant gap separating White Cloud Smoke and Indigo Sea.

Ye Wen estimated that these gaps were precisely large enough to house three more energies: Golden Dawn (), Blood Character Azure (), and Profound Universe (). This suggested that the cultivation mantra of the Primordial Chaos Codex harbored many subtle, overlooked details, otherwise, the arrangement wouldn't be this way.

Furthermore, since mastering the Sixth Layer of the Primordial Chaos Codex, Ye Wen had noticed that the energies of White Cloud Smoke and Dark Chaos intermittently generated strange interactions, which then implicated his foundational Innate Purple Qi.

Initially, Ye Wen felt a brief panic. However, after meditating and observing meticulously for half a month, he ascertained that this influence was not detrimental; rather, it was slowly augmenting his power. Even when he wasn't actively training, his strength was increasing—Good heavens, it was this unbelievably heaven-defying, no wonder those who achieve mastery of the Primordial Chaos Codex were virtually unrivaled.

This must be the manifestation of what Ye Wen had previously deduced: once two opposing energies were cultivated, the Primordial Chaos Codex would undergo changes that made the practitioner stronger.

Of course, when utilizing these two energies together, the resulting power was significantly greater than someone cultivating only a single True Qi. It was a pity that there was no other practitioner of the Primordial Chaos Codex in this world for Ye Wen to compare notes with.

Such was the state of the True Qi within his Dantian, but Ye Wen's Dantian contained far more than just True Qi!

After years of relentless extraction, the once substantial undigested Essence began to change. Although the Essence had merged with the Glazed Fire and mutated somewhat, it remained a potent supplement for Ye Wen’s cultivation.

Coupled with Ye Wen occasionally drawing Essence for his eyes, the Essence mass had now shrunk by half its original size! This didn't imply that half the Essence remained usable, as Ye Wen's prior methods of refining and extraction hadn't affected its volume, indicating that size wasn't a perfect measure of quantity.

However, this current reduction certainly signified that the remaining Essence was dwindling fast!

Ye Wen estimated internally, unsure if the remaining Essence would suffice for him to complete all ten layers of the Primordial Chaos Codex. But having already reached the seventh layer, even if he couldn't ascend during daylight, he was unlikely to be chased around constantly anymore.

Conveniently, the Cultivation World Assembly was approaching. He intended to bring his entire group to assert their dominance. Surely, challengers would emerge seeking provocation, and it would be a disservice to himself not to soundly thrash a few of them in such a public arena.

As for his women and junior brother, he felt no undue worry. Hua Yi had mastered the Wood of the Divine Light () and was on the verge of cultivating the third technique, the Water of the Divine Light (). Even if she couldn't dominate the Cultivation World, she was certainly safe enough to protect herself.

Moreover, having mastered two Divine Lights made her far more composed in unpredictable combat situations. Cultivators overly reliant on magical artifacts likely wouldn't even scratch her.

Ning Rushue continued to delve into sword Qi, focusing specifically on how to mobilize the surrounding Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi. Currently, his junior sister could conjure dozens of spiritual flying swords with a mere wave of her hand; even Ye Wen would be disadvantaged if caught off guard. The only concern was how much potency this technique would retain when taken out into the Secular World where spiritual energy was scarce.

"I still have the Azure Lotus Sword for protection, what is there to fear?" she viewed the situation lightheartedly, though she was perfectly clear in her own mind: the truly powerful foes would be intercepted by Ye Wen; she would, at worst, face ordinary opponents. Against such foes, even if she couldn't win, self-preservation would be guaranteed!

Besides, the influence of Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi affected everyone, not just her, so it wasn't considered a true disadvantage.

As for the students, those accompanying them were led by Chris, Tommy, and Guan Jie. Chris had reached the peak of Red Dou Qi and was already brushing against the threshold of Blue Dou Qi, making him a formidable fighter now.

Tommy, spurred on by Chris’s example, had also trained with frantic intensity. Ye Wen believed the real driver for Tommy’s reckless exertion was that Claire had also begun cultivation and was extremely diligent; Tommy didn't want to be outdone by a woman.

And proving his innate talent was indeed extraordinary, Tommy had managed to catch up within a few years. He had stabilized his power at the peak of Green Dou Qi and could occasionally unleash a short burst of Red Dou Qi—unfortunately, it wasn't stable, and truly breaking through to Red Dou Qi would require even more desperate effort!

Guan Jie’s strength lagged behind the other two, partly due to starting his training later, but he, too, had reached the peak of Yellow Dou Qi. Even Zhao Qing was stuck at Yellow Dou Qi, with no sign of Green Dou Qi yet.

The rest of the students were mostly at Yellow Dou Qi, a few at White Dou Qi. Claire, who trained alongside them, was also at White Dou Qi. Her talent in this area was merely average; without her older brother's guidance and her own hard work, she might not have even reached White Dou Qi.

One point that concerned Ye Wen about these students was that they had reached their current levels around last year, yet they hadn't shown significant improvement over a full year. Ye Wen knew this was related both to their individual aptitudes and the very nature of the Seven-Colored Dou Qi.

The Seven-Colored Dou Qi required extensive combat to improve rapidly, a fact confirmed by Chris and Tommy. Chris frequently engaged vampires and werewolves in Europe, possessing the most combat experience, thus achieving the highest results. Even accounting for his original foundation in Dark Energy, managing to touch the threshold of Blue Dou Qi—few in the original source reached this level in such a short time.

Tommy also had significant experience, compounded by his superior talent, allowing him to reach the peak of Green Dou Qi. What about the rest? Zhao Qing spent more time performing than fighting, causing him to be surpassed by Guan Jie, who often participated in competitive matches.

Claire, being a policewoman, relied more on her pistol and was quite unskilled in close-quarters combat, leading to her slow progress. For this reason, Ye Wen slightly modified the Kamehameha wave, changing it from a palm strike to a finger projection.

"This is..."

A gesture intensely familiar to some caused beads of sweat to appear on their foreheads. Ye Wen, still acting oblivious, continued, "This technique is called Spirit Bomb ()!"

"It really is..."

A similar thought flashed across several minds. Only those completely unaware, like Claire and Chris, listened earnestly to Ye Wen's instruction.

"Just treat your hand like a gun! Perhaps this fighting style will be more comfortable for you..." After explaining, Ye Wen dismissed Claire and turned to the gathered students, asking, "Who else wants to learn this technique?" The result somewhat surprised him. He had expected many to be interested, but most shook their heads. Unbeknownst to him, their internal thoughts were murmuring, I don't want to end up being manhandled by the Headmaster like Zhang Ling...

Meanwhile, Zhang Ling, dressed in a black sailor uniform, black thigh-high socks, and with perfectly straight black hair, stood gloomily with her head bowed, repeatedly poking a small blade of grass with the long saber in her hand.