Of course, Ye Wen wouldn't ask Zheng Ying to fiddle with battleships. Setting aside how troublesome they were to build, their utility would likely be quite limited unless the Celestial Mechanism Sect master could boost the cannon power by N levels—but if that happened, the question would then become whether the world itself could withstand it.

In short, Zheng Ying of the Shu Mountain Sect possessed formidable practical skills; he understood how to fabricate most electrical and mechanical devices from Earth. If the Celestial Mechanism Sect were truly willing to cooperate with Shu Mountain to modify some of these items into things that Immortals could use and would enjoy, then the Shu Mountain Sect would finally have a stable source of assets.

Currently, the items most suitable for Immortals were weaponry and means of transport. Especially for many, younger cultivators below the Earth Immortal realm faced great inconvenience due to their inability to fly long distances. Imagine driving an automobile; they would surely be delighted.

Even if their physical bodies were tough, no one enjoyed trudging along indefinitely. Once a more relaxed and convenient tool was available, fewer people would opt for that cumbersome method.

Laziness was inherent to human nature, and although cultivators gradually transcended the human realm, they were still cultivated from humanity.

Naturally, numerous issues required resolution, such as the engine and energy problems. As for metals? Those capable of refining formidable magical treasures surely could devise something to substitute for aluminum alloy plates.

If all else failed, Cui Jun could always be pulled in for assistance. At least the old man was familiar with these contraptions, and given his high standing within his sect, he could mobilize the power of the Celestial Mechanism Sect.

After contemplating these matters, Ye Wen gradually drifted off to sleep. When he awoke the next day, Cui Jun had already arranged four disciples, all of whom had packed their belongings. As soon as Ye Wen appeared, they were ready to depart.

“Senior Cui, why the rush?”

Cui Jun, however, was visibly excited. “Sect Master Ye, you cannot imagine! Ever since my trip to Earth decades ago, I have been captivated by the mechanical devices created by mortals. Sadly, I couldn't linger in the mortal realm for long then, nor did I acquire many artifacts. Thus, the idea in my mind remained unrealized.”

“Meeting Sect Master Ye now is surely fate’s design!”

It turned out Cui Jun had long coveted those Earthly creations. He simply hadn't understood their internal structures. While he had brought some things back, groping about alone was the most inefficient method, which is why his concepts never materialized into tangible objects.

Now that he had Ye Wen, someone knowledgeable (?), many of his grand ideas could finally be realized.

“Oh, right. Back then, I saw something on Earth called a ‘television,’ which could display images and transmit sound across a thousand li. I immediately thought this could be used to converse with people a thousand li away. Both parties could sit at home, not even needing to expend spiritual energy, yet still chat and relieve boredom. How wonderful! But I didn't understand many aspects, so always…”

Ye Wen was momentarily surprised, then stated, “That thing already exists on Earth; it’s called a ‘telephone!’”

“A telephone? That only seems capable of voice transmission, right? And it requires a physical line, which is terribly inconvenient…”

When Cui Jun spoke, Ye Wen realized the old man had visited before the advent of mobile or video phones. Ye Wen had to give a general overview of the subsequent developmental trajectory of the telephone, which thrilled Cui Jun.

“Is that so? So, if we can solve the signal issue, we could popularize telephones throughout the Sword Immortal Realm?”

Ye Wen blinked. He had thought of many potential revenue streams, but the telephone had not crossed his mind. Yet, upon reflection, this technology would be the most taxing on an Immortal’s limitless energy. If widely adopted, it would certainly be a colossal industry.

“This… when we return to Shu Mountain, I will have Zheng Ying discuss it thoroughly with you, Senior. My Zheng Ying understands these electronic devices quite well!”

Cui Jun nodded. “Excellent!” He then single-mindedly urged Ye Wen to depart, even neglecting to introduce his disciples to him. He dragged Ye Wen directly away from the Celestial Mechanism Sect, heading straight toward the west.

The disciples Cui Jun brought were all barely past the Earth Immortal realm. Although they could fly, their speed was mediocre. Cui Jun was anxious now and could hardly tolerate such a slow pace. With sudden resolve, he channeled his magic, causing the large gourd beneath him to expand several times over. The group sat upon it and sped toward Shu Mountain at a remarkably fast velocity.

Ye Wen stood on the gourd, assessed the speed, and estimated it wasn't much faster than an airplane, though airplanes were significantly more comfortable.

“Should I try to develop the airplane as well?”

Traveling swiftly, Ye Wen’s mind churned through countless ideas. In his view, the future development of the Shu Mountain Sect lacked nothing in terms of necessary “funding.” At least these miscellaneous inventions were sufficient to guarantee Shu Mountain’s future income.

However, upon returning to Shu Mountain, after summoning Zheng Ying and handing him over to Cui Jun, Ye Wen had no inclination to focus on these matters further, as more pressing issues demanded his attention.

The pressing issue was swiftly raising the general strength of the Shu Mountain disciples to above the Earth Immortal level. Otherwise, Ye Wen’s headache wouldn't be about elixirs or magical artifacts, but rather how to solve the dietary problem for several hundred people.

There were several hundred people on Shu Mountain currently, and only a select few could practice Bigu (abstaining from grains). This included Li Xuan, who required three regular meals a day.

Furthermore, since Shu Mountain was currently suspended in the air, only a few individuals could descend to the surface. Martial practitioners also had large appetites. If Shu Mountain hadn't carried substantial provisions during its ascension, and if the chickens, ducks, pigs, and sheep kept on the mountain hadn't been adequately raised, coupled with the expansion of the mountain's vegetable gardens—which were now quite sizable—basic sustenance for the disciples might not have been met.

“But if this continues, we will run out of stored grain before long. Are hundreds of people to go hungry?”

Li Xiaoyao led Ye Wen through the Shu Mountain granary, vegetable gardens, and livestock pens, explaining the sect’s current predicament.

“Recently, my Shiniang, Shishu, and those of us who don't need to eat have stopped taking rations. But even so, it has only slightly slowed the consumption rate. There are simply too many disciples on the mountain. If this continues, I fear that white bear might become the next food source!”

As he said this, Li Xiaoyao’s gaze suddenly darted to the side, his eyes holding a flicker of killing intent—though this killing intent seemed tinged with the flavor of, “Finally, more bear paws to eat!”

Whether by chance or not, the white bear that had ascended to the Immortal Realm with Ye Wen shivered violently. It then shook its head vigorously at Ye Wen, making a rather comical gesture—it licked its massive bear paw, then immediately made a gesture of disgust and nausea, as if it had eaten something particularly vile.

“…”

Ye Wen inwardly noted that this bear was becoming increasingly clever, then asked Li Xiaoyao, “Is there any solution?”

Li Xiaoyao shook his head. “Not temporarily!” Ye Wen felt a surge of frustration, thinking: A living person is about to die of thirst, and I have no idea how the Heavenly Court or other sects solve their food issues! At least I’ve never seen them fret over sustenance.

He was unaware that the major sects possessed their own established means to handle such matters, while the smaller sects had only a handful of members, enough to subsist purely on hunting without worrying about provisions.

Seeing his master troubled, Li Xiaoyao suggested, “Why not take some goods down to the towns to sell, exchange them for coin, and purchase grain?”

Zhou Zhiruo and others nearby also found Li Xiaoyao’s suggestion viable. At least for the time being, the Shu Mountain Sect had to rely on purchasing food to solve the dining problem.

Indeed, ever since Ye Wen began shaping the Shu Mountain Sect into its current form, the sect's industry had developed into a complete supply system. Coupled with the fact that the villages near the base of Shu Mountain were tenants of the sect, they had hardly worried about grain during the decades Ye Wen was gone. In fact, during bumper harvests, Shu Mountain had so much surplus grain it had to transport the excess elsewhere for sale.

There were also years when Zhou Zhiruo directed grain donations to the imperial court, indirectly aiding Wei Hong, as the court was engaged in numerous military campaigns, and Wei Hong, steadfastly refusing to impose heavy taxes, found grain supplies rather tight.

While the grain from Shu Mountain couldn't solve massive issues, it stabilized the situation in Pingzhou, giving Wei Hong considerable breathing room.

Wei Hong was deeply grateful. Since Shu Mountain truly treated him like family by offering aid, he naturally would not treat Shu Mountain poorly. Because of this past favor, he had now earned the opportunity to ascend to the Immortal Realm.

Ye Wen was worried now. Wei Hong bowed slightly. “Master, since the Heavenly Court intends for our Shu Mountain Sect to oversee the Western Frontier, they should offer some tangible support, right? Even if it cannot be overt support, grain should not be a significant trouble for them!”

Ye Wen nodded; that was one method. But he disliked it. Constantly relying on Yang Jian’s support meant Shu Mountain was essentially a chess piece in someone else’s hand. He desired a cooperative arrangement based on mutual benefit, not one where survival was entirely dictated by external control.

Wei Hong approached Ye Wen and whispered so only the two of them could hear, “A person aiming for great things must know how to endure momentary inconvenience. Once our Shu Mountain passes this trial, our time for ascent will surely come!”

“Your Master knows!” Ye Wen nodded, agreeing to the suggestion. As for who would approach Yang Jian for the grain, Ye Wen decided to go himself, taking Guan Luyan and Guan Shuying along. After all, he needed to visit Guan Yu anyway to fetch the formation expert to bring back to Shu Mountain; the two tasks could be consolidated.

Li Xiaoyao had wanted to go down the mountain to purchase grain, but since Ye Wen had finally managed to invite capable individuals to teach alchemy and artifact refining, Li Xiaoyao, as the Deputy Steward of the Elixir Pavilion, could not simply leave. Ye Wen sent him off to study alchemy.

As for grain procurement, Ye Wen assigned Xu Xian to the task. Considering this was the remote western border, frequently fraught with skirmishes, Chris and Tommy were not dispatched but remained on the mountain diligently cultivating.

Immediately after, Ye Wen departed Shu Mountain with Guan Luyan and Guan Shuying, flying north toward Guan Yu's encampment. It was located north of Shu Mountain, not far away—they spotted it shortly after ascending high into the sky.

Compared to the fortress where Yang Jian was stationed, this one seemed smaller, but its walls were taller and appeared sturdier. Although few guards were visible on the ramparts, Ye Wen vaguely sensed that the defense here was outwardly lax but inwardly tight.

Despite the seemingly small garrison, if attacked, it could unleash terrifying combat power—a large portion of its strength was hidden, and any aggressor failing to recognize the situation before attacking would surely be courting disaster.

Because Guan Yu had been duly notified, Ye Wen and his party passed unimpeded. Led by a guide, they arrived at the very center of the fortress, the command post, a vast hall.

“General Guan!”

“Sect Master Ye!”

The hall contained no one else besides the Guan family members and Ye Wen. Given their relationship, they were hardly outsiders.

Guan Yu, upon hearing of Ye Wen’s arrival, had specifically arranged a feast. After exchanging pleasantries, the two took their seats, drinking and chatting casually.

As for the person assigned by Yang Jian, neither mentioned it. The matter was straightforward: Ye Wen would simply take the individual upon leaving, and Guan Yu would not impede him. This situation was entirely different from the time he refused to return the four commanderies of Jing Province; there was no need to detain a cultivator skilled in formations.

Moreover, the Shu Mountain Sect was now akin to family; Guan Yu even had descendants within the sect, so he naturally felt obliged to look out for them.

After chatting about minor matters, Guan Yu inquired about Guan Luyan. Learning that Guan Luyan was merely an unregistered disciple of Ye Wen caused his brow to furrow slightly. However, upon hearing that Guan Luyan only managed to enter Ye Wen’s tutelage in his fifties, the furrow immediately smoothed.

Ye Wen also recounted the general situation of the cultivation world on Earth. Any lingering dissatisfaction in Guan Yu’s heart completely vanished; instead, he felt quite pleased with Guan Luyan.

“In the environment of Earth, to achieve mastery in this path at such an advanced age and ascend to the Immortal Realm—you truly do not disgrace the prestige of the Guan name! Though, that name of yours…”

During the Han Dynasty, single-character given names were valued. Guan Luyan’s name consisted of two characters, which displeased Guan Yu somewhat. Even though he knew the custom of favoring single names was long gone, it remained a slight sticking point in his heart. He considered having his descendant change his name but felt such an action would be rash, so he dismissed the thought and moved on to other topics.

“Right, General Guan, having been in the Heavenly Court for so long, are you familiar with the various immortal sects in the Immortal Realm?” Ye Wen, concerned about his sect’s impending difficulty, was keen to understand how these immortal sects managed their food supply.

The methods used in the Jiuzhou Ding World and on Earth—whether they would be applicable here—could save him considerable worry if they worked.

In the Jiuzhou Ding World, Shu Mountain was intimately connected with the mortal realm, even becoming a major regional landowner. Ye Wen thought this method was currently unreliable; immortal sects seemed to have little interaction with the mundane populace.

However, the methods of the various sects on Earth were worth referencing: establishing a mortal sect beneath Shu Mountain, allowing the main sect to remain hidden while all administrative matters and disciples were supplied and managed by the secular sect. This approach seemed to align well with the current situation in the Immortal Realm. The complication was that Ye Wen didn't know the status of mortal sects in this world. If they simply didn't exist, what then? Should he outright support a faction to become a regional sovereign in the mortal world?

“Ah? That is indeed an option!”

Guan Yu was unaware that Ye Wen was contemplating the possibility of dominating the secular world. Upon hearing Guan Luyan’s explanation—that Shu Mountain, having only recently arrived in the Immortal Realm, was completely unfamiliar with the situation and now faced a food shortage—he understood they were seeking counsel on how other sects managed this problem so they could learn.

“Grain, you say!” Guan Yu stroked his long beard, his eyes narrowing. “Actually, in the Immortal Realm, the land is fertile, and the population isn't excessively large, so grain has never truly been an issue. Immortal Dao sects either purchase locally or simply maintain their own tenants who farm the land, ensuring the development of their respective sects.”

“However, your sect is located far from civilization, which complicates things slightly. It seems you must rely on self-cultivation within the sect!” Guan Yu pondered but could not devise a better solution. “But I have heard that the provisions for the Heavenly Court armies are cultivated using immortal magic. Thus, there must be spells capable of solving the food problem, though Guan knows nothing of them!”

Ye Wen was stunned. He realized this was the Immortal Realm, where Immortal means were far more wondrous and complex than anything he had encountered before, and magic was certainly not used only for combat.

This Immortal Realm had existed for countless years, filled with old monsters who had lived for thousands of years. Who could say these beings hadn't devised strange and esoteric spells during their boredom? Even if a method existed to ripen grain in a single day, it wouldn't be considered strange.

“I have put the cart before the horse!”

Ye Wen gave a wry smile. “I was only thinking of ordinary methods and forgot this aspect. The question is, who understands such spells? I should ask Cui Jun when I return!”

Bidding farewell to Guan Yu, Ye Wen took the formation ‘expert’ previously designated by Yang Jian for Shu Mountain and returned directly. Guan Luyan and Guan Shuying did not return; Guan Yu kept them back, stating he would personally instruct them for a time before allowing them back to Shu Mountain. Thus, he left with three people but returned with only two.

Upon returning to Shu Mountain, after arranging lodging for the newcomer, Ye Wen immediately sought out Cui Jun to inquire about the crop-growing magic. However, Cui Jun’s first words stunned Ye Wen.

“That spell? I know it!”