Yang Jian said nothing, merely casting a glance first at Dongfang Kui. The mere look suggested something was amiss, and only after a sweep of his divine eye did a flicker of surprise cross his face.

Ye Wen noticed Yang Jian’s astonishment but didn’t dwell on it, inwardly scoffing, Haven't seen anything like it before, have you? Pretty special, huh? Scared the daylights out of you?

Regrettably for Ye Wen, Yang Jian’s surprise was fleeting. He quickly regained his composure, turning back as if he had seen nothing, and addressed Ye Wen: “Sect Leader Ye, what is it you wish to know?”

Ye Wen blinked, thinking, Weren't you the one who came to discuss serious matters? You should be the one talking; I’ll listen to whatever you say! Why are you asking me now? After a moment’s thought, however, he took the initiative: “Why has the True Lord suddenly changed his mind and agreed to let my Shushan Sect remain here? Isn’t this area designated a forbidden zone by the Heavenly Court?”

At these words, Yang Jian let out a heavy snort: “The entire Eastern Immortal Continent belongs to the Heavenly Court, under its jurisdiction. What sense does it make for the Heavenly Court to forbid its own subordinates from residing in its territory? Those fellows in the Court seem to decline year after year. Just to prevent those two factions from getting too nervous, they cooked up this so-called buffer zone—truly laughable!”

Ye Wen then understood that Yang Jian held considerable dissatisfaction with the Heavenly Court’s decision to establish this buffer zone. Coupled with the fact that he was responsible for guarding the Western territories, his displeasure was naturally amplified. Due to an inexplicable decree from the Jade Emperor, Yang Jian’s troops were even forbidden from stationing near the border. For a general guarding the frontier, this command was genuinely maddening!

He could fully sympathize with Yang Jian’s feelings. Moreover, based on his understanding of warfare, the best strategy was always to block the enemy outside the national gates, keeping the battlefield as far outside one’s own domain as possible to prevent major damage to the homeland.

But the Jade Emperor’s order effectively meant abandoning the most crucial defensive line, equivalent to telling the enemy, Come quickly if you want to fight us; we won't be able to react immediately anyway. Move fast, and you might seize a large swath of land.

“But… are there no strategists within the Heavenly Court?”

Ye Wen himself didn't know much about military affairs. He had only played a few strategy games. He could manage some casual remarks, but delving deeper would only expose his own inadequacies.

Yang Jian, unaware of this, was slightly surprised that Ye Wen could discern the implications behind his words. He hadn't expected a sect leader to understand such matters. Could it be that he had served in the army or fought on a battlefield in his early years?

“Naturally, there are. It’s just that they hold little sway within the Heavenly Court... Those who advocated for the buffer zone argued that both the Western Buddhist Kingdom and Mount Olympus are far from our Eastern Immortal Continent. If they dispatched troops, our side would detect them long before they covered half the distance. By then, deployment arrangements would already be in place...”

“Wouldn’t that result in a pitched battle?”

Though he didn't know what warfare in the Immortal Realm was like, battles always boiled down to the same thing in the end! Two groups lining up for a massive brawl.

But if one side had prior arrangements, they would undoubtedly seize the initiative—setting up a grand formation beforehand, for instance. This was especially true in a defensive battle, where the defender was already at a disadvantage. Without prior preparation, the outcome was predictable.

“Precisely!”

Yang Jian’s expression grew uglier as he spoke, likely infuriated by those Heavenly Court officials. Now, the implication was that he expected Ye Wen and the Shushan Sect to help him resolve these issues?

If that were the case, Yang Jian intended for the Shushan Sect to become the very first line of defense for the Eastern Immortal Continent, perhaps even for Yang Jian’s own troops? If the enemy attacked, the Shushan Sect would bear the responsibility of holding them off.

“But... doesn't this overestimate the Shushan Sect?”

Although Ye Wen didn't voice it, his facial expression betrayed some reservation. Seeing this, Yang Jian quickly added, “Sect Leader Ye need not worry. We fought a coalition force from Western Mount Olympus and Heaven just a century ago. They will not attack again in the short term, so your esteemed sect has ample time to improve its strength...,.”

Only then did Ye Wen grasp it: Yang Jian wasn't asking him to defend the West single-handedly right now. What he desired was to first establish an alliance-like cooperative relationship with Ye Wen. In return, Yang Jian would do everything possible to provide conveniences for the Shushan Sect, allowing it to grow rapidly to meet his expectations.

After that stage, the Shushan Sect would become the primary checkpoint guarding the West. Any enemy intending to attack the Eastern Immortal Continent would first have to flatten Shushan... Honestly, this prospect didn't feel entirely pleasant.

However, with Yang Jian’s backing, the growth rate of the Shushan Sect would increase immeasurably. At the very least, rare medicinal herbs or equipment for refining magical artifacts could be secured.

More importantly, with Yang Jian’s support, he could arrange for people skilled in setting up formations and refining elixirs and artifacts to instruct his disciples—he wouldn't need to teach them everything; just getting them past the entry point would suffice. Then, the disciples could gradually delve into these crafts through their own understanding, potentially developing the Shushan Sect's unique style over several centuries.

In truth, what troubled Ye Wen most was that initial entry point. Stepping into a completely unknown field, without a guide, they couldn't even find the front door, let alone achieve self-innovation. Only after crossing that threshold was there a possibility for slow research and expansion of knowledge!

“May I ask the True Lord one question?”

“Go ahead.”

Ye Wen pondered for a moment before finally asking, “Has the True Lord ever done this before?”

He was intensely curious; Yang Jian's manner didn't suggest a sudden whim. Had he perhaps engaged in similar activities before? Yang Jian fell silent for a moment before replying, “I have supported various cultivators and spirits in the past, even a group of ordinary human bandits, hoping they could relay information for me, but the results were always quite limited!”

Ye Wen now understood that Yang Jian had been engaged in this sort of activity all along. However, compared to those earlier actions, which were akin to planting spies, Yang Jian’s current move was undoubtedly far more significant.

If the Heavenly Court wouldn't have taken Yang Jian's past behavior seriously even if they knew about it, would they simply turn a blind eye now that he was openly supporting an entire sect in this region?

“I know what you are worried about!”

Yang Jian smiled: “Sect Leader Ye, rest easy on this matter. In this domain, no one dares to cause trouble for Sect Leader Ye and your esteemed sect under my nose!” This declaration was arrogant and brazen, practically treating the Jade Emperor as nothing. It was as good as raising a banner and openly challenging the Heavenly Court.

But Yang Jian certainly possessed the capital for such arrogance, and he wasn't afraid of incurring the Jade Emperor’s suspicion—they were family, after all. Although there had been significant friction between them in the past, over the years, the Jade Emperor had gained a clearer understanding of his nephew and was absolutely trusting of Yang Jian. It was just that Yang Jian's refusal to show deference prevented the Jade Emperor from getting closer to him.

Simultaneously, based on Yang Jian’s words, it seemed the Heavenly Court's divine soldiers and generals likely supported such measures, while perhaps the civil officials were the ones opposed.

“Are there any civil officials in the Heavenly Court?”

Thinking hard, Ye Wen could only recall Taibai Jinxing, and that was only because a certain monkey had tormented the old man severely, further magnified by a certain unscrupulous television drama, leaving Ye Wen with a deep, albeit negative, impression of the poor Heavenly Court bureaucrats. Beyond that, he couldn't recall anyone else. Figures like the Barefoot Immortal, while part of the Heavenly Court, didn't hold formal administrative positions, more like honored guests maintained by the Court.

“Perhaps Wen Zhong... he counts as a civil official, right?”

If Wen Zhong were present, he shouldn't be ignorant of military strategy; the man was a true genius capable of commanding armies in battle or protecting the populace when off duty. Even if the Heavenly Court housed many figures unknown to him, anyone admitted there must be talented. Why couldn't they see the crucial point?

The more he thought, the more his head ached. Ye Wen felt things were becoming unnecessarily complicated.

Yang Jian remained silent, sitting there, waiting for Ye Wen to ponder for a while before saying, “Actually, Sect Leader Ye is overcomplicating things. It’s not that troublesome!” “Oh?”

“The internal affairs of the Heavenly Court are quite united, and they have no intention of compromising regarding external enemies—to be frank, as long as the Investiture of the Gods list exists, the Heavenly Court cannot help but be united!” The officials in the Court were mostly those granted divine ranks after being placed on the list. As long as their names were on it, they had to serve forever; there was no possibility of resignation. And what would happen if the list were destroyed, no one knew. Likewise, if the Heavenly Court perished, they would have nothing.

“This situation arises simply because people hold different views—some genuinely believe their way is correct!”

“Oh!”

In the end, it was quite simple: a difference in ideology! Yang Jian, coming from a military background, was more aggressive than the civil officials; he preferred to hold the initiative in his own hands. For example, when that certain monkey caused too much trouble back then, the Heavenly Court debated for ages before settling on a seemingly stable course of action. Though that choice later proved suboptimal, it revealed the Jade Emperor’s character—perhaps sitting on the throne for too long made him reluctant to invite too many complications.

Furthermore, after fighting the West for millennia, the Heavenly Court was likely severely weakened. In such a state, choosing a gentler approach to maintain peace would be a better option for the Jade Emperor.

“In that case... even if my Shushan Sect receives Yang Jian’s assistance, we likely cannot officially acknowledge it. On the surface, establishing this sect here must appear to be the sole endeavor of the Shushan Sect, unrelated to the Heavenly Court!”

Having figured this out, Ye Wen felt the headache worsen, yet the benefits for the Shushan Sect were undeniable. With Yang Jian’s help, his sect could develop much faster, especially in quickly grasping the fundamentals of alchemy, artifact refinement, and formation diagrams.

Since it benefited the Shushan Sect’s development, Ye Wen had no reason to refuse. He also analyzed that the Heavenly Court wouldn't overreact to the Shushan Sect establishing itself here. Even if they wanted to dispatch troops to conquer Shushan, without Yang Jian’s nod, no one would foolishly march an army onto his territory to cause trouble.

Otherwise, if Yang Jian defeated those troops and their commanders, the Jade Emperor wouldn't blame Yang Jian, as he was his direct nephew; regardless of their strained relationship, blood ties remained. Moreover, when confronting the Western forces, Yang Jian was the Heavenly Court's greatest guarantee. Over millennia, countless soldiers under Yang Jian’s command had died, yet he steadfastly guarded the Western frontier, demonstrating he understood the larger picture and wouldn't abandon his official duties due to personal grudges.

Therefore, Yang Jian was the de facto emperor in this region! With the Jade Emperor tacitly approving, no fool would dare attack Shushan. Furthermore, the existence of the Shushan Sect was indeed a good thing for the Heavenly Court, and the commanding generals wouldn't fail to see this. Thus, they wouldn't criticize the Shushan Sect’s establishment here; they might even offer covert support.

“If you want to develop, you must be ruthless! Being ruthless to others isn't enough; you must be ruthless to yourself too!” Ye Wen pondered for a moment, then directly asked, “In the True Lord’s estimation, how much longer can this Western frontier remain peaceful?”

Hearing this, Yang Jian knew Ye Wen intended to agree. After a quick calculation, he replied, “Currently, the relationship between the Heavenly Court and the Western Buddhist Kingdom is decent; conflict in the Southwest won't arise soon. The only threat comes from Western forces approaching from the Northwest. Mount Olympus is the closest to our Eastern Immortal Continent, and the gods there are restless types. I estimate that in another one or two centuries, they will launch an offensive against us!”

“One or two centuries...”

Ye Wen estimated that in that timeframe, the Shushan Sect would barely manage to transition from an earthly sect to an immortal realm Sword Immortal lineage. How much their strength would truly improve was uncertain. By then, perhaps only he and his martial siblings would be capable fighters. He didn't know how powerful the deities on Mount Olympus were.

Thinking of this, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he cursed himself for being dense. Didn't he have someone right in front of him who knew a great deal about Mount Olympus? Why not just ask him?

“I wonder just how formidable the gods on Mount Olympus are?”

Yang Jian considered this, then stated, “The powerful gods on Mount Olympus are perhaps slightly stronger than this True Lord, but whether they could win a full battle is still debatable! For example, their so-called God of War, Ares, was beaten senseless by me several times in the past. I heard that after his last defeat, their Divine King Zeus was so enraged that he stripped Ares of his title as God of War!”

“Oh?”

Ye Wen’s knowledge of the Olympian gods was limited. The few names he knew were Zeus, Ares, Athena, Poseidon, and Hades, most of whom he learned about from an animated series.

“I wonder who they will send when they attack us next,” Yang Jian mused, adopting a mocking expression: “But those barbaric fellows might eagerly volunteer to lead troops against our Heavenly Court! These people treat warfare as a game. Especially those Mount Olympus deities—their tenacious vitality allows them to launch this 'game' endlessly!”

Hmm... Ye Wen vaguely recalled that the divine power of the Mount Olympus gods was essentially fixed at birth; once they attained a divine position, there was almost no room for further advancement. Thus, the concept of 'cultivation' was utterly foreign to them. With such long lives and no time-consuming cultivation to occupy them, the boredom must have been considerable.

Consequently, the two favorite pastimes of the Mount Olympus gods were fighting and watching others fight! It seemed they were using war as a way to alleviate boredom, not necessarily aiming to incorporate the Heavenly Court’s territories into their own domain.

“A bunch of... perverts...”

Ye Wen felt a headache coming on. His Shushan Sect might have to face opponents who treated war like sport. Dealing with such people was far more troublesome. Unless they were beaten to the point of permanent incapacity, the enemy might not retreat even if all their soldiers were annihilated.

This implied they would launch attacks without regard for casualties. Could the Shushan Sect withstand an assault launched by such frenzied entities? Currently, the Shushan Sect could likely be wiped out in a single sustained charge.

“One or two centuries...”

Given the current situation, if the Shushan Sect relied on slow, independent exploration and development, it might take millennia just to see minor improvements. How many disciples could endure that long?

Currently, Zhou Zhiruo and Guo Jing were not a primary concern; their martial arts were progressing steadily. In this new environment, supplemented by elixirs, they might quickly break through that threshold. Once they crossed the Earth Immortal barrier, the issue of longevity would be mitigated.

Nangong Huang and the others were less optimistic. Even though they were now in the Immortal Realm, they still depended on their own cultivation to break through that barrier. While their chances of success were much higher than when they were inside the Jiuzhou Ding, failure was still a possibility.

Yang Jian remained silent at this juncture. Seeing Ye Wen thinking again, he threw down a new bargaining chip: “I observe that the young lady beside you seems to possess the power of the Phoenix but is not a being transformed from one. I presume she has cultivated a technique related to the Phoenix clan. Coincidentally, this True Lord has some acquaintance with the Vermilion Bird Divine Monarch of the South, who might be able to offer some assistance to this young lady...”

Yang Jian’s underlying message was: If necessary, I can solve some problems that were a major headache for you in the lower realm. That, he surmised, was the Shushan Sect’s most pressing issue right now.

Indeed, Ye Wen’s eyes lit up upon hearing this. Since the Shushan Sect arrived in the Immortal Realm, his first concern had been how to preserve his disciples’ lives, and his second concern was the matter of cultivation methods! Most of the Shushan Sect currently practiced mortal realm techniques, and in the Immortal Realm, the efficacy of those techniques was unknown.

“Although the change in environment can multiply the effect of cultivation methods significantly, the exact extent is still uncertain. If I could ascertain the general level of techniques in the Immortal Realm, I would know whether our current methods are sufficient. If not, I need to find a solution as soon as possible!”