Cui Jun had no idea that Ye Wen harbored a degree of apprehension toward him, yet he continued to press with questions: “By the way, when this humble Daoist arrived on that Earth, I found its environment was already quite terrible. Under such conditions, one could only cultivate in specific minor realms. But those minor realms have limited space; it doesn't seem like an entire sect could enter, does it?”

Ye Wen hadn't expected this old man to know about that matter, so he casually fabricated a story: “Senior must not know that decades ago, the Martial Ancestor Zhang Sanfeng of Wudang inadvertently rediscovered the entrance to the Penglai Immortal Realm, and subsequently, I found the entrance to the Changbai Immortal Realm. Our Shushan Sect, in fact, originated from within the Changbai Immortal Realm…”

This tale was half-true and half-false, a blend of fact and fiction, making it impossible to immediately discern which parts were real. Cui Jun, only grasping the general outline, heard Ye Wen not only discuss Earth’s condition and recognize many worldly objects but also mention the names of Immortal Realms and Zhang Sanfeng, thus solidifying his belief that Ye Wen had indeed ascended from Earth.

Guan Yu and Yuan Hong remained silent throughout, listening quietly to the conversation. Initially, upon seeing Cui Jun casually produce many strange and exotic items, and then Ye Wen recognize what everything was without a moment’s thought, the two were already sixty percent convinced. Later, when Cui Jun asked a few more questions that seemed to concern people and events on Earth, and Ye Wen answered fluently, they were fully persuaded by what Ye Wen had claimed earlier.

It was only then that Yuan Hong realized he had been overly impulsive. The Shushan Sect truly had little connection to the Western Divine Realm; though, strictly speaking, they were just as separate from their Eastern Immortal Realm.

If one were to calculate meticulously, the Shushan Sect was still a group of outsiders who had suddenly intruded upon their domain. Fighting them was done. However, Yuan Hong was not an unreasonable person. He stood up, cupped his hands towards Ye Wen, and bowed: “Yuan mistakenly acted rashly just now; please forgive me, Sect Master Ye!”

“No matter…”

Ye Wen didn’t mind. After all, his Shushan Sect hadn't suffered any losses in that earlier exchange. Though Yuan Hong’s hand appeared fine now, it would require a good period of recuperation to fully heal. Ye Wen had no intention of treating him; since the man had made a move earlier, it was only right he suffer a lesson now.

With the matter clarified, those in the hall were momentarily at a loss for words. Fortunately, Guan Yu still had many lingering concerns. He glanced at Guan Luyan opposite him and then inquired, “Sect Master Ye, may I ask how long Luyan has been cultivating under you?”

Now that the Shushan Sect's origin from Earth was confirmed, the question of whether Guan Luyan was his descendant could finally be addressed. At this moment, the possibility that Guan Luyan was his descendant seemed quite high, and as the ancestor, it seemed perfectly natural for Guan Yu to inquire about his progeny.

“Thirty or forty years, perhaps?”

Ye Wen wasn't entirely sure of the specifics. Ever since entering the Changbai Immortal Realm to cultivate, he felt that time passed somewhat loosely. If he had to calculate precisely, it would take him a moment to recall. But at the moment, there was no need to be so exact.

Upon hearing this, Guan Yu’s expression suddenly broke into a smile. He proudly stroked his signature long beard: “A mere thirty or forty years, yet to achieve such cultivation—that is truly commendable!”

Judging by his demeanor, he seemed quite satisfied with the performance of this descendant, indicating that he hadn't disgraced the family line!

Originally, Guan Yu was an ordinary mortal. Later, as the ages progressed and he received widespread worship, he was revered as the Martial Saint. Coincidentally, the Heavenly Court was short of personnel, so Guan Yu’s name was inscribed on the Investiture of the Gods, and he was summoned to the Heavenly Court, granted the rank of Divine General.

In essence, he was just a hired hand conscripted by the Heavenly Court, whose status was decidedly not as lofty as the Martial Saint he was worshipped as.

Moreover, only Guan Yu himself was conscripted. His descendants and some acquaintances remained in the mortal world, caught in endless cycles of reincarnation. This fact always left Guan Yu feeling somewhat gloomy.

To dispel this melancholy, he would proactively volunteer for various campaigns. His arrival to quell the supposedly newly emerged force this time was also because he was bored of idleness and sought action himself.

He never expected such an unexpected gain this time—encountering his own descendant. This was undoubtedly a pleasant surprise, granting Guan Yu a faint sense of reunion with his family—a feeling weak as it was, yet enough to bring him joy.

“At last, one of my descendants is making me proud!”

Guan Yu was quite self-assured. He had always believed that among his future generations, at least a few promising ones would eventually ascend to this Immortal Realm. However, he never saw anyone until today, finally fulfilling this small wish of his.

What made him even happier was that after answering a few questions, Guan Luyan called his daughter over and revealed her identity. Upon hearing this, Guan Yu was even more delighted—it turned out the Guan family hadn't just sent one person this time! Now, his lineage seemed thriving, even if the generational gap was considerable.

At the same time, Guan Shuying’s subsequent bow truly honored the phrase, ‘returning to the ancestral root.’ After all, the person before whom she was bowing was indeed her ancient ancestor.

Ye Wen remained silent, observing everything with a cool gaze. Personally, he was pleased with the situation. In his complete ignorance of this Immortal Realm, establishing some connection with Guan Yu, who had been living here for a considerable time, was far better than charging in blindly.

So, once the spectacle of ancestral recognition was complete, Ye Wen inquired, “Speaking of which, in the exchange between you two generals just now, there seemed to be a hint that establishing a sect randomly in this area is forbidden. May I know the reason?”

Guan Yu could not conceal the joy on his face, and even when answering Ye Wen’s question, there was a hint of happiness in his tone: “This matter is actually quite tricky. Primarily, both the Heavenly Court and the Western Buddhist Realm, as well as the Western Divine Clans, regard this region as a buffer zone. No one dares to establish any force here for fear of inciting conflict!”

“Furthermore, this location is remote and rather desolate, so sects generally dislike settling here! Moreover, in the event of a conflict, these sects would be implicated. This discourages anyone from setting up their mountain here!”

“Oh…”

Ye Wen finally understood. The reason this world lacked many sects wasn't just because the Heavenly Court was unwilling to allow them, but also because those who might establish them preferred not to choose such a place—no wonder the excellent location he favored was unoccupied by any other power!

“It seems I stumbled upon a fortunate bargain!”

However, this bargain was precarious. The current Shushan Sect was perched atop a live volcano, one that could erupt at any moment. Furthermore, the Shushan Sect's current strength was insufficient to subdue an erupting volcano. Therefore, Ye Wen had to proceed with utmost caution, carefully navigating the intricate relationships here to avoid being utterly annihilated by a sudden eruption.

“General Guan, could you explain to me what powers exist in this Immortal Realm?”

Guan Yu nodded and readily agreed: “This Immortal Realm actually contains one vast and boundless continent. The eastern half of this continent is called the Eastern Immortal Continent, ruled by the Heavenly Court. Where we are now is on the westernmost edge of the Eastern Immortal Continent, which is essentially the very center of this entire landmass!”

“As for the west, flying swiftly west from here for about three to five days, you will see the great sea. This sea divides the western continent exactly in half, with the northwestern landmass being significantly larger than the southwestern one. Two major powers reside there: one is the Olympus Divine Clan, neighboring our location, and further northwest lies Paradise…”

As Ye Wen listened, he began sketching a map in his mind based on Guan Yu’s description. It appeared the distribution of power in the Immortal Realm was rather straightforward; a clear picture formed just by visualizing it.

At the same time, Ye Wen noted that the Olympus Divine Clan was adjacent to his location: “Huh? Isn't that the boss of the Saints? I wonder if there are any Saints in this world!”

However, Ye Wen soon realized there were no Saints in this world because Guan Yu proceeded to explain the situation of the Olympus Divine Clan: “Because Paradise is relatively stronger, surpassing the Olympus Divine Clan in power, the Olympus Divine Clan must expand eastward to develop its influence. This leads to frequent conflicts with the Heavenly Court in our Eastern Immortal Realm. Several major wars have occurred over the past few millennia, most of which were between the Heavenly Court and the Olympus Divine Clan!”

“As for the distant Paradise, our Heavenly Court has relatively little interaction with them… Additionally, it is rumored that there is a group called the Odin Divine Clan in the far north of the western continent, but there has been no news of them in the last few centuries. Some speculate they were destroyed due to internal strife!”

Only then did Ye Wen realize that these Immortals and Gods were not invincible or immortal; in wars between deities, the danger of extinction was real!

“To the southwest, closest to us, is the Western Heaven Buddhist Kingdom. Generally speaking, their relationship with our Heavenly Court is quite close, with occasional exchanges. However, these monks always try to extend their reach into the Eastern Immortal Continent—befriending them while simultaneously guarding against them overextending their influence, so…”

Ye Wen nodded, indicating understanding!

It seemed these Buddhas were not as detached from worldly affairs as imagined. At least these Buddhas constantly sought to convert everything in the world into their followers. Compared to a certain sect that relied on obliterating other faiths to proclaim its own uniqueness, they were relatively more reasonable!

As for the situation in the secular world of Earth, it was fundamentally a matter of balance! When no party possessed the strength to annihilate the others, a certain degree of compromise was necessary to ensure mutual existence. This is why the sects on Earth appeared increasingly peaceful—though this also had to do with the fact that these sects lacked any military force to wield.

In comparison, the forces in the Immortal Realm were more formidable because they commanded significant power! They could genuinely resort to military means to achieve their goals when necessary.

“It seems my Shushan Sect is caught between three major powers…”

Guan Yu glanced at the pondering Ye Wen, continuing his explanation as if noticing nothing: “Further west of the Western Buddhist Kingdom, it is much more mixed. There are said to be many forces there, but I am not very familiar with them…”

At this, Yuan Hong interjected: “It’s said there are places like ‘Qingzhen’ and the Hindu faith there—very diverse and mixed. They were quite powerful for a time, but gradually, they were suppressed by the Western Buddhist Kingdom!”

“Actually, it’s similar on the northwest side. There used to be many powers, just as Paradise was formed by the merging of many powers. There was a period of mutual conquest back then! It was only later that they gradually merged, reached a consensus, and then began attacking other forces.”

Ye Wen nodded, finally gaining an understanding of the celestial situation. Yuan Hong also briefly introduced the situation on the Eastern Immortal Continent; it was mostly similar to his impression of the Heavenly Court, although many aspects differed, such as official titles, which had reportedly changed quite a bit over thousands of years.

Additionally, on a certain island in the East, there was a force said to be subservient to the Heavenly Court—to put it more plainly, a enfeoffed minor noble.

“That’s the general overview, but since Yuan has always been stationed in the west, I don't know too much about the rest.”

Yuan Hong, being a military general, had no interest in tracking down trivial matters, and he was usually reluctant to get involved in the Heavenly Court’s internal affairs.

After hearing all this, Ye Wen finally had a general grasp of this world, but he was still unclear about the major sects existing here.

In his mind, the sects that most affected the Shushan Sect were the sects themselves. As for the rulers and surrounding national powers, they seemed to have little bearing on him, right?

Regarding this question, Guan Yu and Yuan Hong exchanged a glance before both expressing their inability to help. It wasn't that they didn't know about the sects in the Immortal Realm, but having spent their days in the military, they naturally paid little attention to such matters. Perhaps asking Cui Jun would be more appropriate than them.

The Gourd Immortal took a swig of wine and chuckled: “As for those Immortal Sects… there isn't much to say. Either they choose a good place to live in seclusion and cultivate, or they establish connections with the Heavenly Court. In truth, most sects have very little interaction; they might only gather briefly to exchange pleasantries if they happen to meet.”

Ye Wen was confused. Were the sects in this world all so detached? But then he considered—this world was not like the previous worlds he had known.

Firstly, the Immortal Realm was vast enough, and its resources were abundant! Compared to the limited cultivation resources in those two previous worlds, the resources in this Immortal Realm were almost inexhaustible—at the very least, the fact that such a large area suitable for establishing mountains remained unclaimed demonstrated this.

Furthermore, these were all Immortal Sects, and their disciples were long-lived beings. Unless something unforeseen happened, their numbers would only increase, not decrease.

Moreover, those born in the Immortal Realm inherently possessed superior physical constitutions compared to people from the other two realms, naturally increasing the probability of finding promising talent. They weren't afraid of failing to find good disciples—even if they missed one or two, they could always find others; they had nothing but time.

As their cultivation grew higher, the leaders of nearly every sect possessed limitless lifespans. This gave them ample time to slowly build their sects without needing to rush for immediate success. Once a sect developed, contributing a few talented individuals to the Heavenly Court was enough to establish prestige, so there was no need to fight to the death for fame and profit.

Therefore, sects in the Immortal Realm faced almost no competitive pressure. Even if a sect developed slowly, there was no fear of being wiped out by others. Of course, this was predicated on the sect not proactively provoking anyone; otherwise, annihilation was still possible. After all, while Immortals were somewhat detached, they weren't entirely without temper; provoking them could still lead to rivers of blood and fields of corpses.

“In that case, why was this old man crying and begging to take disciples just now?”

Ye Wen was puzzled. Based on Cui Jun’s desperate state earlier, he had assumed the sects here were highly competitive and the survival environment harsh. He hadn't expected the reality to be so different.

Operating a sect in this Immortal Realm was practically like playing a simulation game with the "No War" option enabled—no need to worry about external pressure causing annihilation. One could leisurely proceed at their own pace.

Moreover, because the environment was so relaxed, even if a wrong step was taken, the Sect Master had enough time to correct those errors one by one.

“Such a blissful environment…”

It was just a pity that such a happy external environment had little bearing on the current Shushan Sect. By inadvertently establishing their mountain in this location, Ye Wen hadn't just attracted the Heavenly Court’s forces, but he had also brushed against the nerves of both the Western Buddhist Kingdom and the Olympus Divine Clan.

If these two powers mistakenly believed the Shushan Sect’s actions were a statement from the Heavenly Court, or perhaps that the Heavenly Court was preparing to deploy troops to the border to make a move against them, the resulting fallout would be extremely difficult to manage.

This crucial point was grasped not only by Ye Wen but by most people in the hall. Wei Hong, who had once been an emperor, and Zhou Guan, the top enforcer of the Imperial Guard, understood this most clearly. They even speculated that if the next step was mishandled, it could trigger a chain reaction.

The worst possible outcome was that the Shushan Sect would be caught in the middle, alienated by all sides. Not only would the Olympus Divine Clan and the Western Buddhist Kingdom want to eliminate them, but even the Eastern Heavenly Court, which they expected to be their backer, might no longer tolerate the Shushan Sect.

“The immediate priority is to stabilize the Heavenly Court’s forces; under no circumstances should they view us as enemies!”

Almost simultaneously, the quicker minds in the hall reached this conclusion, and Ye Wen acted even faster, directly addressing Guan Yu and Yuan Hong: “I now wish to report the situation of the Shushan Sect to the Heavenly Court. May I ask how this should be done?”

Yuan Hong and Guan Yu both nodded, agreeing that this was the first thing that needed doing. But before they could speak, Yuan Hong’s expression suddenly changed, and he abruptly stood up: “Blast it! The True Lord has arrived!”