Ye Wen hadn't expected that. The solution that was giving him a headache was right here on his mountain; Cui Jun actually understood this arcane art. He had always assumed Cui Jun specialized in artifact refining and alchemy!

Cui Jun nodded. "Actually, this divine ability isn't truly an arcane art. Different sects employ various means to achieve this goal. Our sect, the Tianji Gate, utilizes formations!"

"Oh?"

Ye Wen was surprised by the depth of the matter; even a simple spell for growing grain came in many varieties.

"Setting up a formation in a place where grain is grown can increase its growth rate by three to five times. If one can establish a complex array, combined with magical artifacts crafted from superior materials, it’s entirely possible to achieve twelve harvests a year, allowing for normal planting throughout all twelve months!"

A year in the Immortal Realm is also twelve months, roughly determined by the progression of spring, summer, autumn, and winter. However, for Immortals, this time frame holds little significance. Only younger disciples meticulously track their time; by the time one reaches the Earth Immortal or even Celestial Immortal stage, time becomes mere stacks of numbers.

Even Ye Wen didn't pay much mind to the passage of time anymore. But his disciples did, and the issue of food supply was pressing. The formation Cui Jun proposed—one that yielded twelve harvests annually—piqued his interest. However, the senior quickly clarified: "Given your sect's current state, even if I acted personally, setting up a monthly harvest formation would be difficult. At best, we could manage three or four harvests per year!"

"Oh?"

Seeing Ye Wen wasn't overly disappointed, Cui Jun wondered if it was due to his composure or genuine indifference.

"It's because your sect lacks those rare materials... or rather, even the common materials are missing. If your sect truly wishes to develop in formation setting, artifact refining, and alchemy, it would be best to procure some basic materials as soon as possible. Otherwise, even elementary study will be sluggish due to the lack of practice items!" Ye Wen nodded, realizing these matters needed to be prioritized. He did possess some materials, mostly plundered from the Kunlun Sect and the Ran Hai Immortal Palace. Though not abundant, it should suffice for a while. The only question was the quality of these materials.

He brought out the items, filling Cui Jun's room to the brim, and asked the elder from the Tianji Gate to examine them. The resulting assessment satisfied Ye Wen for the most part.

Although these materials weren't top-tier, they were adequate for crafting entry-level elixirs and magical artifacts. Currently, only a few stewards in the Shushan Sect were learning these two skills, keeping consumption low. This stock should last about ten years. After that decade, the Shushan Sect would need to find ways to acquire its own treasures.

"Ten years—that should be enough time for a batch of disciples to reach the Earth Immortal level, right? Then they can descend the mountain to search for materials!" These matters weren't immediately urgent, as there was enough buffer time. If necessary, Ye Wen could take a few artifacts to the Tianji Gate to sell in exchange for materials. While the Kunlun Sect's artifacts weren't the absolute pinnacle, they were sufficient to satisfy some Earth Immortals.

Thinking back, the Kunlun Sect truly was benevolent. They not only solved his basic artifact needs but also bestowed so many items, establishing a foundation for the Shushan Sect's development in the Immortal Realm. Otherwise, facing so many trivial tasks from the start would have driven Ye Wen to collapse; the Shushan Sect might not have even stabilized on a development track for at least a decade.

And among the current contingent of Shushan disciples, how many could last ten years? Perhaps by the time the Shushan Sect truly began to flourish, these disciples would have already passed into the netherworld. Had he exerted himself to bring his disciples and the entire Shushan Mountain into the Sword Immortal Realm for nothing?

He entrusted Cui Jun with setting up the formation for the fields and vegetable gardens on the Shushan grounds. Ye Wen calculated that even with only four harvests per year, it would be enough to cover the Shushan Sect's consumption. Moreover, since the ambient spiritual energy in the Immortal Realm made the soil fertile, the grain yield was inherently higher than in the lower realms, and the Shushan Sect's future consumption would gradually decrease. Calculated this way, there was no need for that advanced formation promising twelve harvests a year.

With these tasks finally completed, Ye Wen could return to rest. Since bringing the Shushan Sect into the Sword Immortal Realm, he hadn't stopped moving. Running about constantly meant he hadn't even properly figured out where he should be living!

Fortunately, although the inner courtyard of Shushan had expanded significantly, the fundamental layout remained unchanged. He walked directly toward the core area, and soon, he spotted the courtyard where he had originally resided.

Ning Ruxue stood there, like countless wives awaiting their husbands’ return, watching him from the entrance. "You're back?"

"Mhm, I'm back!" He strode to the gate of the courtyard and gently smoothed Ning Ruxue’s hair, slightly disheveled by the mountain breeze. "Why are you standing here? Waiting for me?"

"Just stepped out for some air!" Ning Ruxue mumbled, then added as if casually, "This courtyard has been tidied up again. Senior Brother should still take your old room!" Ye Wen didn't even look around. He had lived in this courtyard for nearly ten years; he was intimately familiar with every blade of grass and every tree, such as the old tree in the corner. Looking at it now, that tree had grown considerably taller and thicker, its sprawling branches and dense foliage nearly shrouding half the courtyard.

In the spot that used to be Ning Ruxue's room, the patch of earth by the window was now bursting with daisies. Ye Wen noticed them and suddenly recalled that Hua Yi had planted these flowers. She had even specifically asked him what kind of flower he wanted planted, and on a whim, he had casually mentioned daisies. At the time, neither woman understood the meaning but happily planted the flowers and carefully nurtured them, waiting for them to bloom.

Now...

Ning Ruxue noticed Ye Wen's gaze, her face flushing scarlet. She then shot him a fierce glare, finishing with a soft huff. "So you were thinking about these things back then!" Ye Wen let out a brief, sheepish chuckle to cover his amusement, then took Ning Ruxue’s hand and led her inside. Now that they were married, Ning Ruxue naturally could not continue staying in a separate room. Leading her directly to the main bedroom was the proper course.

As for Hua Yi, although Ye Wen wished he could pull her into the main room as well, she refused. Fortunately, the main house had two bedrooms. The slightly smaller one was given to Hua Yi.

The other two guest bedrooms in the courtyard were currently empty. One was being prepared to be Ye Wen's study, while the use for the other hadn't been decided—perhaps it would become a dedicated training room for the three of them, saving the sect's most senior members from competing with the juniors for space.

These things could be sorted out in the coming days. Ye Wen led Ning Ruxue back to the bedroom. After a brief washing up, he lay down and couldn't help but grin at Ning Ruxue.

"What are you smiling at? You haven't rested well these past few days, running around everywhere. Shouldn't you sleep quickly?"

"Y-yes! I'll get to it right away!" In truth, Ye Wen wasn't tired at all; with his current cultivation at the peak of Earth Immortal, he was hardly considered mortal anymore. A few nights of poor rest meant little. But his junior sister was concerned, and he couldn't disappoint her kindness. He obediently closed his eyes and soon fell into a deep sleep.

When he awoke the next day, dawn had yet to break. It was high summer in the Immortal Realm, and since Shushan Sect was not situated in a particularly cold region, the heat persisted well into autumn. Thankfully, Shushan Mountain was high enough to keep the climate pleasantly cool.

However, because it was so high, the day broke much earlier. The sun was already fully risen, yet the time was barely morning. Ye Wen stroked the head of his junior sister, sleeping soundly in his arms, and began pondering cultivation methods.

"Divine Lord Vermillion Bird said our sect lacks the body-tempering steps. I haven't had time to address this before, but I must resolve this issue quickly now!"

With this thought, he lost the desire to linger in the warm embrace, enjoying the fragrant warmth, and quietly slipped out of bed. After washing up, he strode out of his small courtyard.

But once outside, he stopped, realizing that in his recent travels, he had completely forgotten where his disciples were housed. Although the surrounding small courtyards mostly belonged to his disciples, he couldn't just go around sniffing them out—that would be too undignified and beneath his status!

Fortunately, as the Sect Master and the highest-ranking person in Shushan currently, he didn't need to handle every detail personally. He glanced around and spotted several disciples on night watch duty not far away. He casually called one over and instructed him to fetch Chris.

"Chris?"

"That's the one with the greatly different appearance!"

"Uh... Senior Ancestor Master, are you referring to the one who is completely dark-skinned and bald, or the one who is very pale with yellowish hair?"

"The one with slightly yellowish hair, the white one!" The disciple did know Chris, but he couldn't match the names to the faces. To him, those names all sounded convoluted and unreliable. Though he remembered these few individuals, he couldn't align them with the names, so he had to ask Ye Wen for precise clarification before turning to leave.

Ye Wen thought Chris probably wouldn't arrive immediately, so he returned to his room to brew a pot of tea. To his surprise, when he stepped out holding the teapot, Chris was already waiting for him in the courtyard.

"Master!" "Mhm? Why are you up so early?"

"Hehe, I was already awake, doing my morning exercises!" Chris had always been diligent; in Changbai Immortal Realm, he was always the first to rise, which earned him particular favor from Ye Wen. Ye Wen had taught him the Kamehameha and the Galick Gun, and had begun imparting some of his own ultimate techniques, such as the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms.

The moves of the Eighteen Dragon-Subduing Palms did not rely on flashy changes but focused on overwhelming opponents with sheer force, which, in some aspects, resonated with the Seven-Colored Battle Qi. Thus, Chris could manifest some of the power of the palms. However, truly mastering the palms required decades more effort—this was due to differences in culture and ideology, not a lack of comprehension on Chris's part.

Ye Wen sat down by the stone table and gestured for Chris to join him, pouring two cups of tea. "No more coffee. You'll have to get used to things like this from now on!" "It's fine, I'm getting used to it!"

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Ye Wen quickly steered the conversation to the main topic. "Chris, how much do you know about the Absolute Domain?"

"The Absolute Domain?" Chris was slightly surprised. As his mind worked quickly, he guessed his Master's intention.

But he wasn't rash. After all, it was only his speculation, so he followed Ye Wen's lead: "...The Absolute Domain cultivated by Zheng Ying and Zhang Ling shares some similarities with the Seven-Colored Battle Qi. In terms of sheer power, they are nearly equal, but in terms of dominance, the Absolute Domain even surpasses it!" If practitioners of the Seven-Colored Battle Qi needed suitable moves to unleash their Qi's power, the Absolute Domain, to some extent, could even render techniques negligible. Practitioners could rely solely on their refined bodies to shrug off most techniques, even in a desperate, move-for-move slugfest, they wouldn't inflict irreparable harm on someone cultivating the Absolute Domain.

This was the advantage of the Absolute Domain, and it even elicited a touch of envy from Chris. Unfortunately, he had already committed to the Seven-Colored Battle Qi and assumed cultivating the Absolute Domain was impossible. Yet now, there seemed to be hope?

Ye Wen sipped his tea and probed cautiously, "Your strength is currently at the peak of the Seven-Colored Battle Qi. Although there is a higher level, the Black Battle Qi, you are aware that the Black Battle Qi has a major side effect: the rampant Qi flooding the body can affect the fragile brain. If one isn't careful, they might turn into an idiot!"

Chris was aware of this problem, which was why, over the years, he had simultaneously suppressed the increase in his Qi while using the method Ye Wen taught him, constantly using Purple Battle Qi to accustom his brain to the Qi's ferocity.

He estimated that once his brain could withstand the Purple Battle Qi, the Black Battle Qi, even if violent, wouldn't inflict too much damage on his mind.

This was the solution Ye Wen had initially conceived. The troublesome part of this method was the immense time required, and it needed Ye Wen to use a strand of Innate Purple Qi to shield Chris's brain, preventing his disciple from accidentally ruining himself before mastering the Black Battle Qi.

But now, he decided to change tactics, perhaps using the Absolute Domain to solve this problem inherent to the Seven-Colored Battle Qi.

Once the Absolute Domain begins cultivation, it continuously tempers the practitioner's body, including muscles, meridians, bones, and even internal organs. The brain is naturally included.

The greatest reason the Black Battle Qi affects the brain is its sheer brutality. When the brain cannot withstand this violent Qi, madness ensues. But if the brain can withstand it? Then there would be no issue.

"This idea is purely a hypothesis of mine. If successful, your strength could undergo a qualitative leap. At least within Shushan, few could surpass you!"

After laying out the benefits, Ye Wen presented the potential risks. "But this method is not without hidden dangers, as it is only my conjecture, and the resulting consequences are unpredictable! The best outcome would naturally be that your Seven-Colored Battle Qi stabilizes, you simultaneously cultivate the Absolute Domain, and your physical quality continuously improves. Once it reaches a limit, your Qi could naturally advance to the Black Battle Qi stage without any side effects! More importantly, your cultivation would no longer be restricted to the realm of the Seven-Colored Battle Qi, allowing you to attain even greater strength in the future."

"But that is the most ideal scenario. A slightly lesser outcome is that you fail to successfully cultivate either the Seven-Colored Battle Qi or the Absolute Domain, or perhaps one system completely swallows the other after successful cultivation. In that case, you might retain only one power, bringing no real change to your current situation—at most, you'd waste some time!" "The worst case is that the two powers conflict and cannot coexist, mutually devouring each other, with neither able to overcome the other. In that case..."

Chris understood the gravity of the situation; it concerned his future path and perhaps his life. He had to ask for clarity. "Will I die?"

Ye Wen patted the disciple he had taken in through unforeseen circumstances. "No. With me here, you absolutely will not die!" Even if the worst occurred, Ye Wen was confident he could preserve Chris's life. Therefore, the absolute worst outcome was that all of Chris's cultivation would be crippled.

"If it truly comes to the worst, don't worry. Our Shushan Sect still has plenty of elixirs capable of healing your injuries! Afterward, you can resume cultivation. This time, you won't necessarily have to cultivate the Seven-Colored Battle Qi; you can choose any technique you wish!" After all, this disciple had followed him for decades; Ye Wen felt Chris deserved such consideration. Even if he wanted to learn the Innate Purple Qi or the Innate Qiankun Art, Ye Wen could teach him.

If the Primordial Chaos Scripture could not be practiced by anyone other than himself, he would have long since passed it down. Alas, that technique required Celestial Crystals for cultivation.

However, as Ye Wen understood the Primordial Chaos Scripture better, he gradually gained some insight: perhaps the technique didn't strictly require Celestial Crystals. If he could thoroughly digest the art, he might be able to transcribe the cultivation mantras based on his own comprehension. Then, future Shushan members could cultivate using his written guide instead of needing Celestial Crystals.

But these matters would likely take a long time to achieve. For now, he needed to focus on solving the immediate problem.

"What do you say? Have you decided?"