Seated cross-legged atop a mountain crag, Ye Wen adjusted the flow of true qi within his body while practicing the Golden Morning Radiance technique.

This Golden Morning Radiance was the eighth layer of the Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex. Upon reaching this level, even in the original stories, one could traverse the world unimpeded. However, in this current reality, Ye Wen had no idea what tier he would reach once he fully mastered it.

"About the same as Zhang Sanfeng? Stronger than Zhang Sanfeng?"

For now, he could only compare himself to Zhang Sanfeng, as the Martial Ancestor of Wudang was the pinnacle master he was most familiar with. More importantly, he could not discern the true extent of the cultivation level attained by that ancient serpent spirit.

Footsteps approached from behind, the newcomer making no attempt at concealment. The person stopped directly behind Ye Wen, who didn't need to turn around; his inner sight instantly informed him that it was his junior martial brother, Xu Xian.

Before Ye Wen could speak, Xu Xian smacked his lips and exclaimed with awe, "Senior Brother, you're looking more and more like a Saint Cloth Warrior... a Gold Saint, no less!"

Although Ye Wen’s back was turned, a golden aura enveloped his Golden Body, mirroring the image of those Saints burning their Cosmos to unleash the Athena Exclamation. Furthermore, there was actually a Saint in that group who favored sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

Ye Wen curled his lip, knowing Xu Xian was teasing him. Ever since they had watched that animation during a lull, Xu Xian had taken an interest in that flashy group known for their splendid attire as much as their moves. He had even learned a knock-off version of Ye Wen's Lightning Bolt Speed Fist, though he executed it wielding a longsword.

Besides that, having stayed in this frozen landscape for so long, Ye Wen had also used his summoning abilities to aid the group's cultivation.

As for himself, after bringing the Indigo Sea cultivation to perfection, Ye Wen had summoned the Golden Morning Radiance, pushing his Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex to the eighth layer.

Yet, the difficulty of the eighth layer far exceeded that of the Indigo Sea. Worse still, Ye Wen had noticed that the essence within his body was now reduced to a very, very small fraction. This essence, though incredibly condensed, could barely push the Golden Morning Radiance to its peak if fully refined.

But what about later?

Ye Wen knew the final two layers of the Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex were harder to cultivate than the first eight combined. The Blood Dome Sky was manageable, but the Profound Universe—few figures in the entire original narrative had ever mastered it. What troubled Ye Wen even more was that none of the protagonists had mastered the Profound Universe; in fact, only a handful of characters had even attempted it.

One of those who tried was an empty shell with no foundation, ultimately defeated by the protagonist. Strictly speaking, in the entire original series, only one person had ever successfully cultivated the complete Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex.

Even with that person's talent as described in the original work, it had taken immense effort to achieve mastery—and it still hadn't reached full perfection, only stepping onto the threshold of the Great Accomplishment. According to the descriptions of the Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex, it shouldn't possess such limited destructive power.

Thinking of this, Ye Wen recalled how, upon that character’s achievement, the ten layers of power in his body transformed, centering on the Profound Universe, arranging themselves like the nine major planets in a solar system. He wondered if his own Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex would undergo a similar transformation.

After much contemplation, he realized he wouldn't find the answer until that time came, so he temporarily set the issue aside and focused solely on cultivating the Golden Morning Radiance.

He cultivated like this for who knew how many days. Ye Wen would rise early every morning, take a brief walk, wash up, and then find a spot to practice his techniques.

The others largely followed a similar routine.

It was impossible to say how long they had been in this Changbai Wonderland. The group had constructed their residences at the base of a mountain—several unassuming small wooden cabins were erected. To avoid any unforeseen calamities, they chose a location slightly elevated, ensuring that an avalanche would not sweep over them.

Nearby flowed a river teeming with creatures unafraid of the bitter cold, providing options for food. The crystal-clear water guaranteed a supply of fresh drinking water.

Furthermore, a coniferous forest lay not far from their dwelling, home to various small animals. The group had no need to worry about their sustenance.

The peak Ye Wen now sat upon was not far from their settlement. From here, he could observe the few wooden cabins they had built, even spotting wisps of cooking smoke. Typically, when he noticed the smoke rising, he would stop his practice and head down the mountain for the evening meal.

With his level of cultivation, eating daily was unnecessary, but he had grown accustomed to it; even without hunger, he felt the urge to put something in his mouth at the usual time.

Moreover, eating had long ceased to be purely about filling the stomach. For the group, the evening meal was also the time when everyone, after a full day of training, gathered to chat. In this isolated world with few other diversions, it was one of their rare forms of entertainment, and no one was willing to miss it.

"Senior Brother, how is your progress with the Golden Morning Radiance?"

Ye Wen shook his head, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "The progress is terribly slow. I don't know when I'll reach that state of perfection for this layer!," he admitted, feeling frustrated, even doubting if he could advance further without the aid of that initial essence, even in this immortal realm saturated with abundant spiritual energy.

Compared to him, Xu Xian's advancement was much quicker. "What about you?" Xu Xian smiled. "Senior Brother is truly gifted; you even managed to create the Innate Qian-Kun Art!"

The full name of the Innate Qian-Kun Art was the Innate Eight Trigrams Qian-Kun Art. It was a supreme cultivation method focusing on both internal and external refinement, on the same tier as the Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex Ye Wen was practicing, originating from the same series of works.

It contained numerous techniques, a method for externalizing internal energy into Gang Qi, and most importantly, a supreme technique for thoroughly tempering the physical body.

Setting aside the moves for now, Qian-Kun Gang Qi was merely a skill for projecting inner strength externally, and could also be ignored for the moment. The most exquisite aspect of the Innate Qian-Kun Art was the formula for body tempering.

The level of achievement in this formula determined the practitioner's overall attainment in the art, showing how vital it was.

It was divided into three tiers. The entry level was the Qian-Kun Supple Body. This stage presented no major obstacles; most practitioners could achieve it after training for a certain period. Its characteristic was a vast increase in bodily flexibility, allowing the bare physique to negate lesser impacts.

The second level was the Qian-Kun Vajra Body. This level was far more difficult to master, riddled with challenges. Unlike the Supple Body, this stage required slow, meticulous practice, usually starting with the hands and feet.

Those who mastered this tier could physically clash with sharp weapons using only their palms and emerge unscathed. Once this level was reached, possessing a weapon became largely irrelevant for a practitioner of the Innate Qian-Kun Art.

The third level, the Qian-Kun Limitless Body, was legendary in the original work—a tier no one in the orthodox series achieved, even more despair-inducing than the Profound Universe Ye Wen was practicing. Fortunately, someone in a side story managed it. As for achieving this realm...

Ye Wen estimated it would be impossible unless one could ascend to the Immortal Realm first.

In addition, there were the Seven Ultimate Qian-Kun techniques. The first six were ordinary moves; while potent, they weren't particularly noteworthy. However, starting from the seventh move, the true power of the Innate Qian-Kun Art began to manifest, accompanied by devastatingly problematic aftereffects!

Ye Wen obtained the Innate Qian-Kun Art through some tentative summons made recently. At the time, he was practicing the Golden Morning Radiance, his junior sister had a breakthrough regarding the advanced version of the Innate Unphased Sword Qi, and Hua Yi was striving to bring the Ethereal Water Divine Light to Great Accomplishment.

The others required no specific techniques, so Ye Wen performed a random, generalized test summon and ended up acquiring an incomplete fragment of the Innate Qian-Kun...

Yes, a fragment. It contained only the Six Qian-Kun external combat moves, and the first strike of the seventh move, Wind Whistle Shattering Earth! Also included were the methods for operating the Qian-Kun Gang Qi and the cultivation method for the Qian-Kun Supple Body.

It seemed the Innate Qian-Kun Art required gradual progression before he could return to this ring for the subsequent manuals. The trouble was manageable, not unacceptable.

After deliberation, Ye Wen decided it was more appropriate to let Xu Xian cultivate this art first. He was currently focused on the Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex and genuinely lacked the energy to concurrently practice two complex martial disciplines. He wasn't a freak of nature like the original protagonist who learned and mastered anything instantaneously.

Given Xu Xian's outstanding aptitude, he could quickly turn this art into actual combat power. Moreover, his Supreme Pure Yang Art was also a Daoist technique, complementing the Innate Qian-Kun Art.

More crucially, Ye Wen felt the Innate Qian-Kun Art was perfectly suited for his Mount Shu Sect, potentially serving as one of its foundational supreme martial arts. Regardless of what technique his disciples practiced initially, they could eventually converge on mastering the Innate Qian-Kun Art.

The Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex, meanwhile, could remain his unique, personal technique. Furthermore, the two arts did not conflict—it seemed the Chaos Heaven Treasury Codex possessed immense compatibility, clashing with almost no other discipline, which was an innate advantage.

"This way, the core techniques of my Mount Shu Sect won't become a complete mess!" Previously, he hadn't had the time to consider this, but now that he was idle, and having long resolved to find a way to bring all the Mount Shu disciples out, he naturally had to address the sect's martial inheritance.

Obtaining the Innate Qian-Kun Art now perfectly fulfilled all requirements; it was exceptionally suitable.

He also noticed the Innate Qian-Kun Art's adaptability. He even considered whether his junior sister might benefit from trying it, perhaps yielding unexpected results.

For the time being, Xu Xian was the first to practice it. Huang Rongrong also began cultivation recently. Ye Wen only discovered later that this couple (who had somehow managed to live together without a formal ceremony) were progressing quite rapidly and would likely master the Qian-Kun Supple Body soon.

Ye Wen speculated that Xu Xian and Huang Rongrong's internal energies naturally resonated with the concept of Qian-Kun, speeding up their progress in the Innate Qian-Kun Art when practicing together.

Indeed, their energies complemented each other, the Innate Qian-Kun Art was an exquisite divine skill, and as disciples of Daoist arts, their cultivation naturally proceeded quickly.

"I think it won't be long before the Qian-Kun Supple Body is mastered. Then, I'll have to ask Senior Brother for the cultivation method for the Qian-Kun Vajra Body!" Xu Xian had no idea Ye Wen summoned these techniques via the ring; he believed Ye Wen had derived them himself based on his understanding of martial arts from comics and novels!

Ye Wen responded with a couple of hums, pondering when he could spar with his junior brother to obtain a bit of the Innate Qian-Kun Art's energy flow, otherwise, how could he summon the subsequent techniques?

At this moment, he somewhat regretted not having taken up the Innate Qian-Kun Art himself. Otherwise, there would be no need for this complication; he could have just summoned it himself and moved on!

The two walked down the mountain slowly. Countless snowflakes dusted their natural bear-pelt coats, turning their shoulders and hair stark white; it had started snowing again at some point.

In this Changbai Wonderland, snow was an exceedingly common occurrence. You might step outside into clear weather, and by the time you turned to close the door, flakes would be falling, instantly escalating into a blizzard. Thus, they found nothing unusual about it, having lived here for quite some time.

"Senior Brother, how long do we plan to stay here?" Xu Xian was also high-spirited and proud. Having been chased away by the Kunlun Sect that day had left a deep grievance. He hadn't mentioned it earlier because he knew his power was insufficient. Now that he had cultivated extensively and was mastering the Innate Qian-Kun Art, the thought of going out for revenge naturally surfaced.

Ye Wen felt the same, but this matter could not be rushed. Setting aside the serpent demon for a moment, the Kunlun Sect was formidable. Even if their leader were defeated, their overall strength would remain significant. Moreover, leaving now would likely involve successive difficult battles; without reaching a certain level of strength, how could they resist?

"Junior Brother, do not rush. We will certainly avenge this!"

He had originally intended to integrate the Mount Shu Sect into the world of immortal cultivation. However, he now realized that Mount Shu was fundamentally incompatible with those so-called prestigious sects. Due to a series of coincidences, Mount Shu had gradually drifted away from them, yet he had been wholeheartedly pursuing friendly relations—a completely wrong path.

Besides, the original goal was to gain access to the Kunlun Immortal Realm by integrating into the cultivation world. Now that Ye Wen possessed control over several immortal realms, there was no need to stick to that original plan.

With a secure fallback option, Ye Wen even entertained the thought of eliminating those opponents entirely, but he quickly dismissed the notion. "We aren't bloodthirsty maniacs; there's no need to make it so gruesome! We’ll only settle scores with those who hold a grudge and then leave!" Ye Wen had always strived for clear lines between gratitude and enmity, and so far, he felt he was doing reasonably well.

As they spoke, Xu Xian suddenly remembered something, reached inside his robes, and produced several large white radishes.

"Where did the radishes come from?"

Xu Xian shot Ye Wen a look. "Senior Brother, what kind of memory do you have? Have you forgotten the Ginseng King I mistook for a radish and ate that day?"

Ye Wen finally realized. No wonder they looked so familiar. "Where did you find the ginseng?"

Xu Xian smiled. "There are quite a few on this mountain. Remember, after accidentally consuming the Ginseng King the Changbai Sect had nurtured for a century, Senior Brother said he would find something to compensate them. Now we have a ready alternative!"

Ye Wen nodded; that was indeed the case. Their actions concerning the Changbai Sect's treasure were dishonorable, and an apology was certainly due.

"I'll have Zheng Ying make a trip later. It will also be an opportunity to check the situation outside!"

Zheng Ying's strength had significantly increased over the past few years; he had broken through the Absolute Domain's barrier and achieved Ultimate Power. However, the young man had started contemplating the Great Cosmic Power, seemingly intending to use it to instantly surge his Ultimate Power, achieving a leap into the heavens effect.

Ye Wen was not optimistic about this. He advised Zheng Ying to cultivate steadily. Aside from the question of whether he could control a power gained so rapidly, understanding and manipulating that power was not something achieved overnight. Slow progression would allow the disciple to control his strength better.

It was similar in the original narrative: Cao Yong and Bashan fought for decades in some space to fully master their power. When they emerged, they could instantly kill those so-called experts whose strength had multiplied countless times in just a few years—even if their power levels were theoretically equal, the actual destructive output differed immensely.

To discipline his student, Ye Wen had even engaged him in a spar, using only a fraction of his own power, beating the young man until he was dizzy with strength weaker than Zheng Ying's. Only then did the disciple obediently return to methodical training.

Similar to him was Zhang Ling, the girl who inexplicably enrolled in the Mount Shu School, inexplicably joined Ye Wen's son's class, inexplicably became part of the Mount Shu faction, and was ultimately inexplicably tied to their fate. Now, filled with frustration, she was irrevocably allied with Mount Shu.

In fact, when Zhang Ling revealed her true age, everyone was shocked.

"What? You’re already thirty-something, nearly forty?"

Zheng Ying felt his glass-like heart shatter into countless pieces. Zhang Ling, whom he had always regarded as a little sister, was several years his senior.

This meant Zhang Ling was nearly thirty when she was undercover at the school. After living in the Changbai Wonderland for several more years, she had truly passed the age of forty. However, thanks to her cultivation, her appearance hadn't aged; if anything, she looked even more youthful—a truly vibrant young woman.

Of course, she still couldn't compare to Huang Rongrong, who had cultivated the Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies, Self-Respecting Art so successfully that she looked unnaturally young. Ye Wen often wondered how Xu Xian could bring himself to be intimate with such a youthful-looking Huang Rongrong.

"Beast!" Of course, these thoughts were only voiced internally; he would never dare utter them aloud. While eating dinner and chatting with everyone, he instructed Zheng Ying to take the radishes—the ginseng—to the Changbai Sect later, conveying that the person who mistakenly consumed their treasured item years ago had come to apologize.

Just as he finished speaking, Ye Wen suddenly noticed the Kyushu Tripods within his body vibrating violently, exhibiting a faint sense of being beyond his control. He had experienced this phenomenon once before, and he instantly knew what was happening!