Ye Wen sized up the youth before him, and upon hearing the name, he genuinely wondered if this fellow might be that Thunder God from the Aesir lineage.

However, Thor was supposed to be a brawny man with blond hair and a beard. The youth before him was slight and frail; setting aside his build, his black hair was undeniably pure, and his features were distinctly Eastern. By all appearances, this youth sharing a name with the Thunder God was not that burly figure.

Yet, Ye Wen perceived a strange anomaly through his Glazed Pupils: a faint trace of divine power subtly emanating from the youth's body. It was so slight that Ye Wen hadn't noticed it when he wasn't exerting much internal energy. Now, with his power concentrated in his eyes, the pupils swirled with ever-shifting, seven-colored light, emitting a faint glow that startled the Daoist Yuxuan.

Although Artemis had witnessed the seven-colored light streaming from Ye Wen's eyes before, that was when Ye Wen was unleashing a full-force technique, the brilliance of which made it impossible to look directly at. While the rainbow light was beautiful, she hadn't been able to discern exactly what was happening. This time, however, she observed clearly, scrutinizing Ye Wen’s pupils with visible curiosity.

Daoist Yuxuan even spoke up, "These divine eyes faintly reveal the spiritual power of the Western Buddhist Realm. Those jade-like pupils bear a resemblance to the Buddhist Seven-Colored Glazed Fire. Could this be some sort of Buddhist divine ability?"

Ye Wen did not answer. After a moment of careful observation, he retracted the ability. Noticing the youth named Thor gazing back with equal curiosity, Ye Wen smiled, "Your eyes are also extraordinary. Once cultivated, they too will manifest various marvels. Don't envy my pupils!"

By now, Ye Wen had shut down the Glazed Pupils, and his eyes returned to their normal appearance—this was the most significant progress he had made with this divine ability. Otherwise, staring all day with eyes that looked like seven-colored light bulbs would likely make anyone uncomfortable; he’d have to walk around with his eyes shut pretending to be blind.

Having said that, Ye Wen asked with renewed curiosity, "You don't remember your original name or where you came from?"

Thor nodded but remained silent. However, even though his gaze didn't wander, Ye Wen could still detect a flicker within his eyes—the advantage of sharp vision was that even the slightest change was perfectly clear.

Seeing that the boy was unwilling to speak, Ye Wen pressed no further. After all, the boy would be by his side every day from now on; he would eventually coax the full story out of him.

Indeed, Ye Wen had no intention of sending him back to Shu Mountain! First, since he was planning to take the youth as a disciple, he naturally had to instruct him. Ye Wen was in Olympus and couldn't return; sending him back directly would mean letting others teach him? That would be utterly irresponsible.

The second point was that teaching him locally would allow him to thoroughly investigate the young man’s background, which was a major reason he agreed to take him on—even if the youth harbored trouble, Ye Wen could resolve it directly, right? For instance, if he discovered the boy had poor character, Ye Wen wouldn't hesitate to clear house.

Ye Wen had first discovered the latent divine power hidden within the young man. Unlike Artemis, whose divine power permeated almost every part of her being, this power in the youth was entirely concealed within his physical body. This suggested the divine power did not belong to the young man himself but to the vessel he occupied.

This situation was rare in this realm. The divine power possessed by Aesir members like Artemis was almost always innate, meaning not only the body but also the soul and other aspects would contain divine energy.

This held true even for demigods—it was precisely because of this inheritance that in the land of Olympus, almost no human could possibly ascend to godhood; they lacked the necessary 'bloodline.'

Upon realizing this, Ye Wen had hesitated. Could his original goal still be achieved? But after consideration, he realized there was no need to worry. Firstly, he could always provide assistance later. Secondly, there were ways for humans to become gods in Olympus, although it was considerably more arduous.

But even those who later achieved godhood through various means would not possess such a bizarre state as the youth before him.

Once he noticed this, Ye Wen had already formed a conjecture. Since this was not the appropriate moment to inquire, he didn't press the issue, choosing instead to sit down and chat with the youth.

Daoist Yuxuan listened for a while before moving to a distant corner to meditate. He understood that Artemis held him in low regard, so he consciously kept his distance.

Artemis was uninterested in the conversation. After listening briefly, she turned and walked to the large bed, sitting on it lost in thought—since people were nearby, she decided against resting. As a major deity, skipping sleep posed no issue for her.

Thus, only Ye Wen and Thor remained seated, talking. They were now, in a sense, master and disciple—even without a formal ceremony, the situation was essentially settled.

Considering him as one of his own, Ye Wen didn't feel that asking certain questions was improper. So, upon sitting down, he directly asked, "Why do you wish to cultivate?"

"To become strong!" Thor’s answer was instantaneous, and he met Ye Wen’s gaze without flinching.

"And why do you wish to become strong?"

Ye Wen felt his own question was somewhat trite. There were many reasons to seek strength, and some individuals simply desired power for its own sake. Back when he read stories, he often encountered the question, "What is your reason for becoming strong?" and always found it meaningless.

Now, he understood. Perhaps asking this question wasn't truly about the specific reason for seeking strength, but merely a way to initiate the conversation leading to later dialogue.

Just as now, after a moment of contemplation, the youth named Thor spoke his reason: "To find someone, and to protect her..."

"Oh..." Ye Wen observed the young man's expression shift from determination to tenderness, then a slight blush of shyness, followed by a wave of melancholy—the speed of the transition astonished Ye Wen and made it clear why this young man was seeking a powerful master. "A woman?"

"Yes!" Thor paused before admitting, not concealing anything. Perhaps realizing that the person before him would be his master, the closest person to him, there was no need for secrecy.

Ye Wen pondered, organizing the information he had so far: "That woman... she's the one who saved you, isn't she?"

Thor blinked, then nodded slowly. "The name... she gave that to me too!"

"Why did she give you that name?"

Ye Wen was genuinely curious. This name wasn't something one would casually use. Moreover, based on Thor’s recent words, it was hard not to connect the place where the youth appeared with that other realm.

Indeed, Thor subsequently replied, "She said the place where she found me was the very place where that person fell. She felt finding me there was that person's will, so she gave me that name... the name of the person she loved most!"

Ye Wen felt a jolt of awkwardness. No matter how rich his imagination, he never expected such a scenario: this young man loved a woman, and that woman had always loved the fallen Thunder God. Saving a youth led her to name him Thor for this reason or that... Young man, your path of romance is strewn with thorns!

However, someone who knew the Thunder God, who could move freely in the fallen lands of the Aesir, surely meant this woman was... Recalling the incident he’d heard about earlier, Ye Wen instantly guessed her identity: "Valkyrie?"

Thor blinked, seeming slightly surprised, but nodded dazedly, "She is a Valkyrie. She said she is the last one, so she discarded her original name and took 'Valkyrie' as her own name!"

"A rare specimen on the verge of extinction!"

He didn't say it aloud, but that was his thought. Ye Wen felt a touch of sorrow for that fallen Aesir, who had vanished so completely, leaving only a Valkyrie, not of the highest echelon, struggling to survive.

Yet, this young man was entangled with a Valkyrie... and worse, a mortal falling in love with a goddess. The sheer disparity in status was hard to accept. Setting aside other issues, in a few decades, this youth might be a dying old man while that Valkyrie remained young—that difference alone was a massive obstacle.

No wonder the young man sought a powerful master to learn from. Even if only to extend his lifespan and preserve his youth, he had to embark on this path; otherwise, he wouldn't even qualify to pursue that goddess.

The conversation lapsed into a momentary silence. The youth sat somewhat stiffly, shifting occasionally. Perhaps uncomfortable under Ye Wen's gaze, he finally spoke first, "Master, what exactly is the situation of our sect...?"

While the question served to ease his awkwardness, he was genuinely curious; the hope and wonder in his eyes could not be hidden. Ye Wen even sensed a trace of doubt amidst that curiosity.

"Our sect... it isn't exactly flourishing, nor does it have a long history in the Immortal Realm, but we have managed to secure a foothold, barely!"

"Our Mount Shu is situated in the westernmost part of the Eastern Immortal Continent, within a basin surrounded by mountains on all sides. Without certain means, one couldn't even enter the basin to see Mount Shu!"

Upon saying this, Ye Wen glanced at the youth again, "It was smart of you to ask Senior Yuxuan for a mount! Otherwise, even if you traveled east, you might not find the true cultivation sect, as the locations of these sects are quite hidden. Even if ordinary people knew the spot, entering would be difficult!"

Thor chuckled, looking somewhat smug, his eyes darting around as he pondered something Ye Wen couldn't discern.

Ye Wen continued, "As for our Mount Shu Sect, we still have quite a few disciples. Your master is currently the highest-ranking member of the current generation!"

Thor didn't doubt it. Although Ye Wen looked young, the Moon Goddess over there looked equally youthful, but who knew how old that woman truly was? Ye Wen’s appearance suggested youth, but who knew his actual age? Thus, Thor surmised his master had cultivated for a long time and was already a master whose appearance was untouched by the passage of years.

From this perspective, taking Ye Wen as a master aligned with the youth's expectations. Although the Daoist Yuxuan was immensely powerful and legendary, his outward appearance was rather poor. Perhaps it was due to his cultivation technique that he couldn't maintain the handsome, youthful appearance his master possessed.

"Besides your master, you have two Martial Uncles... I also have several disciples. If you join the sect, you will be the youngest!"

At this, Thor became even more certain of his judgment. How could he have so many disciples if he hadn't accumulated considerable age? He didn't realize Ye Wen took disciples partly to develop the sect and partly due to a mixture of fate and opportunity.

After Ye Wen gave a general overview of Mount Shu’s situation, the young disciple finally understood his standing within the sect. Knowing that upon joining, although he would be Ye Wen’s youngest disciple, there would be a host of martial nephews and grand-disciples beneath him, he became surprisingly happy, for reasons Ye Wen couldn't fathom.

Then, Ye Wen uttered a sentence: "Don't assume that just because you've activated your protagonist aura and taken an old man as a master, everything will go smoothly from now on. If I find your conduct lacking, I will still expel you from the sect!"

The latter half of this admonition was the key point, but the first half caused Thor's expression to shift to one of shock. He looked Ye Wen up and down with a strange gaze, then quietly asked uncertainly, "Master, what is the protagonist aura?"

Ye Wen let out a cold chuckle without speaking, which sent a chill down the youth’s spine before he said, "Stop playing dumb. Do you really think I can't see it? You’re from Earth, aren't you?"

At these words, Thor could no longer conceal himself. He gaped at his master as if seeing an alien, then suddenly thought of his sect name, Mount Shu, and asked tentatively, "Master, the name of our sect..."

"I named that..."

Thor smacked his lips twice, then suddenly asked curiously, "Master, you..."

Ye Wen didn't mind. "I am also from Earth. I cultivated there for a long time before leading the entire sect to ascend to this Immortal Realm!" Although he was now certain the youth was a fellow countryman, not everything could be revealed; a slight hint was sufficient.

Thor’s mouth opened even wider, astonished that he could encounter someone from Earth in this place, and equally shocked that he never knew Earth possessed immortals.

"Master... are there gods and immortals on Earth?"

"Not exactly gods and immortals. You know about cultivation, right?"

The youth nodded.

"It's roughly like that! When one cultivates to a certain level, there is a chance to ascend and arrive in this Immortal Realm."

"Why are these settings so..."

"Like a novel!" Before the youth could finish, Ye Wen waved his hand dismissively, "Just assume it's like that. In truth, no one knows which author, perhaps one of the sect members out of boredom, wrote it all out!"

Stunned again by the 'actual truth,' the youth slowly calmed down after a while, gradually accepting the reality. Then, Ye Wen pressed for details about his background.

"Actually... I was a recent university graduate, worrying about finding a job. I finally got notification that an interview passed and I was told to report to the company. Unexpectedly, on my first day of work, an accident happened..."

"What kind of accident?"

"I was run over by a suddenly turning dump truck right after leaving the house..."

"..."

This memory was far from pleasant; even he shuddered slightly. Then he continued, "After that, I was groggy for an unknown period. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing in a blizzard. I didn't even have a stitch of clothing on me. If it hadn't been for the Valkyrie, I might have frozen to death! When I saw the Valkyrie, I was already delirious from the cold, and I even asked her: 'Did I just click to resurrect?'"

"..." Ye Wen finally understood the youth's general situation: "What was the date when you arrived here?"

The youth thought for a moment. "It should have been right before the World Cup in South Africa was about to start!"

"Oh!" Ye Wen said nothing. At that time, he should have been in the Changbai Immortal Realm. How did this young man end up in the Immortal Realm? But he didn't need to dwell on those details. Rather than worrying about those things, it was better to ask for useful information. "What's the situation with this body and those eyes of yours?"

Thor shook his head. "My eyes have been like this since I arrived here. As for the body... the Valkyrie said my body seemed to carry a portion of the Thunder God's divine power. At first, she thought the Thunder God had been resurrected, which is why she rushed over to check. She didn't expect to save me instead. But I can't feel any of it myself!"

Perhaps sensing he had someone he could talk to, Thor held nothing back, telling Ye Wen everything about his situation. After all, in his eyes, Ye Wen had cultivated for an unknown number of years, hailed from the same place, and was now his master—truly the closest person to him right now.

Hearing his words, Ye Wen formed a guess in his mind, though he couldn't be certain. Perhaps only through future interaction and observation would he know if his judgment was correct or not.

For now...

"We should give you a name first! It's not appropriate to have just a given name."

Thor chuckled, "Actually, I already named myself. Master, look at these eyes of mine. Wouldn't it be a waste not to call me Yuwen Tuo?"

Ye Wen said nothing, pursing his lips, then clapped the young man on the shoulder, finally uttering a phrase that utterly confused the youth: "As expected of a disciple of my Mount Shu Sect. It seems your joining my discipleship was predestined by Heaven!"

With this single sentence, he affirmed the name Yuwen Tuo had chosen for himself, then continued, "Let's settle it like this for now. We'll discuss your cultivation later; we need to handle these trivial matters first!"

Before he could say more, the detector emitted another sound. Ye Wen pulled the device out, and he saw Yuwen Tuo staring intently at the detector in his hand. Ye Wen then said, "This is a product of our Mount Shu!"

Yuwen Tuo instantly understood with a look of realization—he had been a little perplexed when he first saw it. Hearing Ye Wen’s explanation now clarified the key point, but his expression immediately turned extremely strange. Now he began to grasp what Ye Wen's earlier statement meant.