The crowd turned in unison to look at Dongfang Kui! Truthfully, if she hadn't suddenly spoken, most people would have almost overlooked her presence in the hall—in fact, some Shu Mountain disciples below had already been privately wondering who this woman was. They waited for an elder to introduce her, but even after everyone dispersed, no one had clarified her identity.

As the disciples left, they naturally whispered among themselves. Most speculated she was an attendant to Ancestor Ye, or perhaps an attendant to the Ancestor’s wife. A few countered, "I think I've seen her on the mountain before; she looks like an attendant to one of the seniors in the back hills..."

Regardless of the guesses, Dongfang Kui was invariably categorized as a maidservant. This was partly due to her appearance; she looked barely twenty years old, and since she wasn't one of the sect's established, immortal elders, she couldn't possibly be ancient.

None of them suspected that in terms of seniority within the Shu Mountain Sect, very few could stand as her equal. Even Zhou Zhiruo, the most familiar face to the disciples, would respectfully address Dongfang Kui as 'Senior.'

It was unusual for this Senior Dongfang to actively voice a request. Dongfang Kui was typically taciturn, rarely engaging in idle chatter, resolving any necessary business in just a few brief sentences. If not for the subtle shifts in expression that occasionally crossed her face, Guo Jing might have suspected her temperament matched his Second Senior Sister’s—both were ice-cold.

Seeing everyone’s gaze fixed on her, Dongfang Kui spoke, "I was entrusted by the former Sect Leader Ye to guard the back mountain for Shu Mountain. Now that Sect Leader Ye has returned, my duty guarding the back mountain is finished. As I have nothing pressing, I might as well accompany Sect Leader Ye..."

The others exchanged glances, their attention eventually returning to Ye Wen. Ye Wen shook his head. "The safety of this journey is unknown, the path ahead uncertain. It would be inappropriate to ask Miss Dongfang to face such risks!"

Furthermore, he felt that with Dongfang Kui's cultivation—not even having reached Earth Immortal level—she would be of little use accompanying him. Frankly, she couldn't even manage the technique of flying on light; even if he wanted to take her, he couldn't properly assist her.

He couldn't say these things outright, but he hoped his meaning was clear. Dongfang Kui wasn't particularly dense and should understand.

As expected, Dongfang Kui bit her lower lip, clearly having perceived the implication in Ye Wen's words. Yet, she persisted in her desire to go. "Since Sect Leader Ye can move the entire Shu Mountain sect through the air, surely carrying one person won't be difficult..."

Ye Wen felt a throbbing headache. He thought grimly, Moving the mountain relies on the Nine Provinces Ding, I'm merely borrowing external power! While carrying one person isn't truly a problem, what happens if real trouble arises?

With his current strength, he lacked confidence even in protecting himself. In the Heavenly Court, while few surpassed Erlang Shen Yang Jian, there were countless beings only slightly weaker, who could descend upon him in swarms, leaving him no chance to flee. If he went alone, prepared with talismans he could crush to instantly teleport the Shu Mountain people into hiding, that would be safer.

But what about dragging Dongfang Kui along?

The others had considered this as well, yet Ning Ruxue felt bringing Dongfang Kui might not be a bad thing. At least with Dongfang Kui present, her Senior Brother wouldn't recklessly court death—if the situation turned dire for Shu Mountain, and Ye Wen decided to sacrifice himself by drawing the Heavenly Court's attention to buy escape time, Ye Wen would certainly perish.

If Dongfang Kui were with him, Ye Wen would act more cautiously, at least avoiding the most perilous courses of action. Thinking this, Ning Ruxue said, "It shouldn't be an issue to bring Miss Dongfang. Moreover, a single word from Senior Brother kept Miss Dongfang confined for decades; perhaps this journey will serve as a needed change of scenery for her!"

Ye Wen rolled his eyes internally, thinking, Is that how easy it is to clear one's mind? One wrong move and your life could be scattered!

Besides, bringing Dongfang Kui along made him genuinely awkward. He had seen her body more than once in the past. While having others around now wasn't ideal, if Dongfang Kui later demanded he take responsibility, what would he do?

"Wait? Where is that woman who relentlessly pursued Dongfang Kui back then?"

Decades had passed. Even with Ye Wen's current memory, recalling everyone was impossible, especially since that person wasn't from the Shu Mountain Sect. Thus, seeing Dongfang Kui earlier, he hadn't remembered her. Only now, recalling those trivial matters, did the memory surface.

Racking his brain, he recalled there seemed to be two small dwellings in the secluded valley behind the mountain. One appeared quite ancient, seemingly unused for a long time. Could that girl have passed away?

Of course, she might have simply left long ago. He couldn't ask too many specifics, as it wasn't his primary concern, so he dismissed the thought and moved on to other instructions.

"Shortly, I will descend the mountain to Yang Jian's encampment to negotiate the specifics. Junior Brother, how far along are you with practicing the Innate Qiankun Art these past few days?"

During these years in the Immortal Realm, Ye Wen hadn't been idle; everyone had been cultivating diligently. Ye Wen had intended to use the ring to summon more suitable cultivation methods, but his ring had fallen silent again after forcefully imparting the Profound Universe Art, similar to its state during an upgrade.

This time, however, the ring's upgrade cycle was much longer, only completing just as Ye Wen was preparing to enter the Nine Provinces Ding.

The ring’s appearance hadn't changed significantly, only looking more crystal clear and translucent. It was hard to say if it was silver, platinum, or diamond now; it looked neither like gold nor jade, quite beautiful. Moreover, the ring fit Ye Wen's finger almost seamlessly; one wouldn't easily notice it without a close look.

However, this object was the key to Ye Wen's ability to burst from the Ding world into the Immortal Realm, and he dared not disregard it. Before leaving, Ye Wen summoned it one more time. This time, the ring was highly responsive, immediately providing Ye Wen with the later stages of the Innate Qiankun Art.

After examining it, Ye Wen quickly copied a portion of the Innate Qiankun Art and handed it to Ning Ruxue, Xu Xian, and the others, instructing them to cultivate while scouting the surroundings.

Now, Ye Wen was asking about Xu Xian’s progress with the technique. If Xu Xian could master the Innate Qiankun Art well enough, Ye Wen could descend the mountain with greater peace of mind.

"I have only completed the four limbs of the Qiankun Vajra Body. As for the Seventh Absolute of Qiankun... I am still exploring, but I have some leads!"

The technique summoned this time included the cultivation method for the Qiankun Vajra Body, as well as the first three strikes of the Seventh Absolute: Heaven Shaking and Earth Moving.

If the first six Absolutes of the Innate Qiankun Art were considered standard moves, then the Seventh Absolute, Heaven Shaking and Earth Moving, held ultimate killing moves in each strike. With these three, Xu Xian’s combat power skyrocketed.

Compared to Xu Xian, Ning Ruxue’s situation was stranger. Since she began cultivating the Innate Qiankun Art, the sword energy within her body began to change. Its attribute was no longer singular; it gradually recovered some characteristics of True Qi.

However, when Ning Ruxue attacked, the True Qi that emerged still manifested like sword energy. Consequently, the Innate Qiankun Art she used was like a perverted sword technique. For example, if Xu Xian used the Third Absolute, Scorching the Fields with Heavenly Fire, he would simply wave his hand, unleashing a sky full of palm shadows imbued with fire energy.

Ning Ruxue was different: when she executed a move, a torrent of sword shadows appeared, each covered in flame—sharp and scorching hot. In terms of sheer power, her version was stronger than the original. But if Ning Ruxue deliberately chose to, she could still use the original form of the Innate Qiankun Art, though it seemed pointless for her to intentionally weaken its effect.

The side effect of the increased power in her movements was that Ning Ruxue’s progress in cultivating the Qiankun Supple Body was slower. Now that Xu Xian was practicing the Qiankun Vajra Body, Ning Ruxue had only just managed to reach the initial stage, having perfected only her palms to the Vajra Body level. She was currently working on her feet.

Ye Wen couldn't fault this situation; it was a consequence of their differing cultivation paths. Just as he had tried to practice the Innate Qiankun Art himself only to find he absolutely couldn't—as it risked conflicting with his own power—he reluctantly abandoned the technique.

Although he felt that once his cultivation deepened and he gained a profound understanding of power, the universe, and the Great Dao, he might be able to resolve this issue, he decided not to dwell on it for now.

After summoning the latter portion of the Innate Qiankun Art, Ye Wen also experimented with the ring's summoning function to see the cooldown period. He discovered the infuriating ring had upgraded again, and even more vexingly, the summoning time had switched to a cooldown system, where the duration of the next summon depended on what was summoned.

At least, in the short time since Ye Wen returned from the Nine Provinces Ding, the ring hadn't completed its cooldown. Currently, it could only be worn as a plain ornament.

If he hadn't returned, the Innate Qiankun Art would have been the last ultimate treasure of the Shu Mountain Sect. Thankfully, he managed to pull out the Qiankun Vajra Body and the first three strikes of the Seventh Absolute. With these, Shu Mountain should not fare too miserably...

After whispering a few final instructions to Xu Xian—his Junior Brother was admirably serious in crucial moments—and receiving an understanding nod, Ye Wen finally descended the mountain with a measure of relief.

Dongfang Kui had, after all, followed him. Even though Ye Wen didn't want to bring her, she stayed right behind him, one step unmatched. Ye Wen had no choice but to unleash his sword light, enveloping her within it, then ascending into the sky before sharply banking and shooting down the mountain.

This rapid flight caused Dongfang Kui to gasp. Seeing Ye Wen glance back at her, she grew slightly embarrassed, her face tinged with shyness, then averted her gaze to look down, closely examining a scene impossible to see before.

"This Dongfang Kui is becoming more and more like a true woman..."

The current Dongfang Kui, though not yet having mastered her final transformation, appeared far more alluring than she had decades ago. Though shielded from the fierce winds within the sword light, her pale pink gown couldn't conceal her graceful figure. Even through the fabric, Ye Wen could tell that Dongfang Kui’s physique had improved immensely since those earlier days.

"Her figure is even better than Huayi's!"

After a quick second glance, Ye Wen drew his gaze away. They had already left Shu Mountain. Dongfang Kui was looking back at the peak floating high above, utterly awestruck. Viewed from below, the summit of Shu Mountain seemed to pierce the clouds, with several smaller peaks floating alongside the mist. From this vantage, it was clearly an Immortal blessed land, something she’d never had the chance to witness. As her beautiful eyes swept around, she couldn't look away.

Unfortunately, no matter how much beauty there was to behold, this wasn't the time for sightseeing. Ye Wen had already spotted the Heavenly Court troops camped by the lake. He noticed these troops were only a fraction; most must have returned, leaving this contingent merely to arrange lodging for Yang Jian.

To show respect, Ye Wen’s sword light descended directly near the entrance of the main camp. The Heavenly Court soldiers saw a streak of purple light fly down from the peak, much like a meteor, arriving before the encampment in an instant. Then, without any sound or notable anomaly, they simply felt a blur before their eyes as the purple light vanished. Suddenly, a young man and an exquisitely beautiful woman hovered before them.

"Shu Mountain's Ye Wen, here to pay respects to the True Lord of Pure Essence and Marvelous Virtue!"

"The True Lord already gave orders: if Immortal Ye arrives, enter directly!" The gate guards had never seen Ye Wen, but they had been instructed by Yang Jian that if Ye Wen came, they were to lead him straight to the main tent.

Now that Ye Wen announced his name and flew from Shu Mountain, the soldiers had no reason to doubt his identity. After bowing to Ye Wen, the guard led the way, guiding Ye Wen through the camp for a short while before arriving before a large tent.

"The True Lord is inside. Immortal Ye, please enter directly!"

Ye Wen hadn't expected Yang Jian to be so straightforward. Just walk right in when I arrive? What if he was asleep when I got here? Should I still just walk in?

But he immediately realized his foolishness. Yang Jian had been an immortal for countless years; sleep was optional for him. It was unlikely Ye Wen’s arrival, whenever it happened, would disturb the God Erlang Shen.

Lifting the flap, Ye Wen entered to find Yang Jian seated on the main couch, a water jug by his hand, pouring water into a cup. His other hand rested on his chin, looking as if he had been waiting for some time.

Beside Yang Jian’s right foot lay a massive white hound. As Ye Wen entered, the dog’s ears twitched slightly, then it settled back into its previous position without even opening an eyelid—whether it was too lazy to acknowledge Ye Wen or knew Ye Wen was a guest summoned by its master, Ye Wen couldn't tell.

"So this is Howling Celestial Dog? It's quite large!"

Besides the Howling Celestial Dog, a giant eagle perched atop the back of Yang Jian's seat. Unlike the languid posture of the dog, the eagle looked fully alert. Its eagle eyes were incredibly sharp. As Ye Wen entered, he felt the eagle turn its head and scrutinize him up and down with those piercing eyes for a long moment, before displaying a flicker of disdain.

"Hey! You flat-feathered beast!"

Although the eagle’s face betrayed no expression, after a brief appraisal, it turned its head away, looking bored with the sight, clearly looking down on Ye Wen.

"Don't think just because you're called Sky-Soaring Eagle you're more formidable than the heavens!"

He cursed silently, but Ye Wen didn't intend to argue with a mere animal. He walked directly before Yang Jian, who gestured toward a prepared seat within the tent. "Sit!"

There were no formalities like rising to greet him or excitedly grasping Ye Wen's hand, shouting, "Why did you take so long to get here?"

Given Yang Jian’s current status, this level of conduct was sufficient. Ye Wen was, after all, currently an undocumented entity in the Immortal Realm, a target of the Heavenly Court's punitive expeditions, lacking any official standing. Even if Yang Jian appreciated Ye Wen, he wouldn't debase himself with excessive familiarity.

Ye Wen took no offense, sitting down promptly and pouring himself two cups of water, taking a small sip.

"Hmm? This water is quite delicious!"

He had expected ordinary clear water, but this water was incredibly cool, and as it went down his throat, it seemed to moisturize it, sending a wave of coolness straight into his lungs. With every breath, it felt as if his lungs were being cleansed—truly refreshing!

Yang Jian glanced at Ye Wen, seeing that his appreciation was genuine, and let out a soft chuckle. "Only now can this Lord be certain that Sect Leader Ye has only recently arrived here!"

"Oh?" Ye Wen paused, but did not continue the conversation, waiting for Yang Jian to elaborate.

"This water was drawn from the vicinity. Since the Sect Leader doesn't even recognize what is beneath his own feet, he must be newly arrived, no?" Yang Jian smiled and provided the answer, then took a large gulp himself. "Water this pure is common in the Heavenly Court, but quite rare outside."

Ye Wen finally understood. By ordinary standards, this water could be considered Shu Mountain’s property! The water source was nearby? He realized he needed to thoroughly examine the surroundings; who knew how many natural treasures awaited his discovery!

Moreover, those two sentences clarified something for Ye Wen: although Yang Jian had previously believed him and Shu Mountain ascended from the mortal realm, he still harbored doubts.

The primary concern was: were Ye Wen and his group truly newly ascended? They might have been in the Immortal Realm for a long time, only arriving at this location recently.

This meant Yang Jian and the others hadn't entirely dismissed the possibility that Ye Wen and Shu Mountain were spies sent from the West. Therefore, Yang Jian tested him with the pure water—if they were spies, they would certainly have thoroughly investigated the surrounding area before taking action, not rashly establishing a mountain base without understanding the situation.

Ye Wen's momentary lapse in vigilance had inadvertently cleared some suspicion, leaving him unsure whether to feel fortunate or frustrated.

"Very well, since Sect Leader Ye has arrived, let us discuss serious matters!"

Hearing Yang Jian say this, Ye Wen’s expression became solemn, and he sat upright. "I await your detailed explanation!"