The night passed quickly. After breaking out from the Siren's lair, the bright sunlight made several people squint involuntarily. The sea reflected a dazzling glare; at a glance, the whole world seemed to be glowing.

"Setting aside everything else, the Sea Witch certainly picked a fine hideout. The scenery here is truly superb!"

Artemis remained silent, but her expression clearly indicated her agreement with Ye Wen’s assessment. However, this was hardly the time for idle chatter. She stepped onto her chariot, then turned to Ye Wen and said, "We should continue searching for the Stardust. But what about your apprentice and that strange monster?"

The Qilin could fly, but in its current weakened state, flying was out of the question. Ye Wen grinned and negotiated with Artemis, "Your carriage is big enough, isn't it? Just let it rest there. As for my apprentice, I'll handle him!"

To Ye Wen’s surprise, Artemis recoiled slightly, a look of sheer disgust crossing her face. "Absolutely not! How could I allow that filthy, hideous monster onto my chariot?"

Artemis was a goddess, an Olympian goddess at that, who adored cleanliness and beauty. The Jade Qilin before her, however, fit neither description.

It was filthy, to say the least. Having been imprisoned and tortured by the Siren for who knew how many years, it couldn't be clean even if it wanted to be. Most of the grime was a mixture of its own blood and mud.

As for beauty—in reality, the Qilin was quite magnificent. It was just that the Jade Qilin was currently in such a sorry state that it appeared rather dispirited.

Ye Wen glanced at the Jade Qilin. It still hung its head low, resting beside them, showing no displeasure at Artemis’s words. It seemed this ancient creature had long since achieved a state of perfect equanimity; no matter how harshly Artemis described it, it wouldn't take offense—in fact, the Qilin seemed to be utterly ignoring her.

Seeing this, Ye Wen realized that even if Artemis had a change of heart and permitted the Qilin into her chariot, the creature likely wouldn't accept. After all, even divine beasts have their pride; if you look down on a divine beast, it certainly won't offer you a pleasant gaze in return.

With no other choice, Ye Wen summoned a burst of sword light, enveloping both the Qilin and Yuwentuo within it, and shot straight up into the sky, taking the lead.

Artemis urged the two stags pulling her chariot to follow closely. In the blink of an eye, the rocky island that housed the Siren's lair vanished from their sight.

Both traveled at incredible speeds. In just one day, they had circled a large area again. If they hadn't needed to descend and investigate every island they saw, they would not have spent so much time at sea.

After this day passed, they had inspected countless islands but still hadn't found the so-called Stardust. A wave of frustration washed over them, coupled with a tinge of regret for not asking for clearer directions beforehand.

As the sun began to set, Artemis stood on the cooling white sands and tilted her head toward Ye Wen. "Let's not rest tonight; let's keep searching! Night time shouldn't affect you anyway!"

By now, she knew Ye Wen’s peculiar double pupils held many wonders, such as the ability to observe things regardless of distance or even their essence, or to see past her attire to view whatever Ye Wen wished to see.

When Ye Wen had let that slip, he had expected the Moon Goddess to fly into a rage and possibly unleash an Arrow of Starfall upon him. To his surprise, the woman had shown no reaction. After a day of fruitless pondering, now that they had a moment of quiet, Ye Wen decided to inquire about it.

"You're not angry?"

"Angry?" Seeing Ye Wen appraising her from head to toe, Artemis straightened her posture, pushing her twin peaks slightly forward, and declared haughtily, "Haven't you already seen everything?"

This retort made Ye Wen feel a bit awkward. Artemis’s next sentence left him speechless: "Besides, what good would it do if I were angry? I simply can’t defeat you."

That was the truth. Even if Artemis harbored the desire to settle scores with Ye Wen, it would likely lead nowhere. Firstly, Ye Wen saw flaws even in Artemis’s most prideful ultimate technique, Fury of the Stars. As for her ordinary archery or combat skills, while she hadn't seen Ye Wen exert himself fully, she had caught glimpses of his true capabilities in his few previous actions.

The ultimate conclusion was that she was inferior to Ye Wen in every aspect. If she rashly challenged him, it would only serve to anger this powerful man and potentially cause irreversible consequences; it would be utterly meaningless.

"So, it's better not to make a move!"

"Why does it sound like I've become the villain who bullies the weak?" Ye Wen turned his head to glance at Yuwentuo, his newly accepted disciple, thinking that in just one day, the boy had managed to tarnish his towering image.

However, when he turned back, he saw Yuwentuo sitting cross-legged, eyes closed in deep concentration, adopting a posture that suggested he saw and heard nothing. His hands traced a semicircle before settling into a supportive gesture, forming the Five Points to Heaven position. Looking at him, anyone would assume Yuwentuo was cultivating, but Ye Wen’s face darkened.

"Stop pretending. I haven't taught you anything yet!"

Yuwentuo acted as if he heard nothing and continued posing. Ye Wen suddenly remembered that since they were taking a break anyway, it might be a good opportunity to help Yuwentuo start his internal cultivation.

Given the young man's aptitude, Ye Wen didn't need to start with basic Neigong. Ye Wen walked over, extended a finger, and sent a wisp of True Qi into Yuwentuo’s body. He immediately felt the vastness of Yuwentuo's meridians, as if the youth had been cultivating internal arts for many years.

"With this talent, one year of his cultivation equals ten years of someone else's arduous practice."

Furthermore, Yuwentuo was cultivating in the Immortal Realm, where the ambient Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi was extremely abundant, meaning his progress would be even faster. If everything went smoothly, it probably wouldn't take long before Yuwentuo bypassed those initial hurdles to reach the Earth Immortal realm, perhaps even skyrocketing to Celestial Immortal in one go.

This was what Ye Wen discovered after transmitting the internal cultivation methods to Yuwentuo. The young man’s meridians were wide and tough, yet they hadn't fully solidified; there was still tremendous room for expansion, indicating limitless potential yet to be mined.

More importantly, as Ye Wen guided his circulation of Qi, the divine power within his physical body resonated in response. Although it wasn't absorbed or assimilated by the True Qi, it created a harmony—meaning that once Yuwentuo mastered his internal cultivation, this divine power would also fall under his control. This would grant him an edge, making his explosive power slightly greater than others of equal cultivation—a natural advantage.

"Truly enviable—a transmigrator with a cheat-like constitution! Fortune even more monstrous than my junior brother's."

In terms of initial opportunity, no one in Mount Shu could compare to this Yuwentuo. This was also a major reason why Ye Wen was so tempted to take him as a disciple. He now somewhat understood why those "old grandpas" lost their minds upon encountering anyone possessing the protagonist template: aside from the IQ-lowering halo attached to such a template, disciples like this were simply too tempting.

Once Yuwentuo entered the state of circulating the Great Heavenly Cycle on his own, Ye Wen withdrew his assistance. At that moment, he confirmed that the boy had mastered the Complete Truth Scripture in that brief instant and had simultaneously cultivated his very first strand of True Qi. Relying on his innate advantages, he rapidly amplified this strand. At this point, no one would suspect Yuwentuo had just begun his practice.

Under these circumstances, Ye Wen saw no need to intervene further; simple guidance from the side would suffice, making things much easier for him.

"Such heaven-defying aptitude. I wonder about his comprehension, though."

When it came to comprehension, Li Xiaoyao was unmatched among the Shu Mountain sect. Even Xu Xian lagged slightly behind this martial nephew. Li Xiaoyao’s freakish comprehension allowed him to master virtually any move he witnessed—it mostly depended on whether he wanted to learn it. Any technique Ye Wen had demonstrated before him, barring the Primordial Chaos Scripture which required special conditions, had been learned—though some moves couldn't be executed yet due to insufficient power.

As for Yuwentuo, Ye Wen couldn't be sure. But with a body like this as a disciple, no matter how poor his aptitude, he wouldn't be that bad.

After helping Yuwentuo get started and mastering the Complete Truth Scripture, Ye Wen returned to his previous spot. He casually waved his hand and produced a bamboo-woven lounge chair, setting it up on the sand, then gestured toward Artemis: "Please."

Artemis was stunned that Ye Wen carried such bizarre items with him. After a moment of surprise, she accepted without hesitation, settling directly onto the lounger and leaning back comfortably.

Ye Wen then produced another lounge chair, placed a small table between the two, and brought out some fruits and nuts. He gazed at the darkening sky and the increasingly tranquil sea.

"What were you doing just now?"

After lying down for a while, Artemis finally couldn't suppress her curiosity and asked. Although she hadn't understood what was happening, she had keenly sensed something unusual. Especially when Yuwentuo began cultivating, his divine power fluctuated, which was impossible for an Olympian deity deeply sensitive to such energies to ignore.

"Teaching him foundational cultivation methods."

Ye Wen casually retrieved a bottle of red wine from his ring—a pity it wasn't a high-end vintage, just common dry red wine one could buy at a supermarket. He chilled it slightly with his Jade Snow Ice True Qi, then produced two crystal stemmed glasses, pouring a serving for Artemis and himself.

Taking a small sip, the cool liquid washed over his tongue, and Ye Wen felt satisfied with the precision of his True Qi control. In his mind, he thought: Li Xuan can brag all he wants about this trick in front of me; I can do it too.

Artemis, unaware of Ye Wen’s thoughts, simply held her wine glass, momentarily lost in thought. The exquisite glass in her hand shimmered under the rising moonlight, and the liquid inside held an almost seductive beauty in the deepening night.

Taking a tentative sip, Artemis frowned. "This wine..."

"Cheap stuff, just make do," Ye Wen replied. He had tasted wine from Mount Olympus; it was truly superb. No wonder Olympus had a god specifically dedicated to wine—their brewing skills were indeed formidable.

Compared to that, his bottle was lacking, but since he couldn't fetch wine from Olympus right now, he had to make do.

Fortunately, Artemis didn't seem overly concerned about the quality. After a few more sips, she turned her gaze back to the sea, becoming pensive. It was rare to see the Moon Goddess in such a relaxed state. Ye Wen hadn't noticed until a long while later, when the sound beside him ceased, that he turned his head to glance over.

"Honestly, Artemis is quite beautiful."

Artemis lay serenely on the lounger, radiating a faint, pale glow that seemed to echo the moon in the sky. While the moon’s light was more prominent, anyone’s gaze would naturally be drawn to Artemis.

Ye Wen wasn't quite so bewitched, but compared to the bare moon, he preferred appreciating the scenery beside him.

He hadn't expected that after only watching for a short while, he would hear Artemis’s voice: "Beautiful?"

"Yes!" Blinking to confirm he wasn't hallucinating, Ye Wen admitted it readily and cleanly; it was the truth after all. "Your beauty makes even the moon in the heavens pale in comparison!"

The corner of Artemis's mouth lifted slightly, revealing a faint smile. "I never thought I'd hear such a sincere compliment from you!"

Since they first met, their interactions had been turbulent, and Ye Wen hadn't exactly treated Artemis with high regard. Given their history, such a scenario seemed unlikely.

Ye Wen recognized this too and offered an awkward smile. "There may have been misunderstandings, but I won't deny an obvious fact!"

"Is that so?" Artemis never turned her gaze away, her eyes fixed on the distant sea as if something lay there. "Then, are you willing to design a suit of battle armor for me?"

"Hmm? Battle armor?" Ye Wen knew this woman’s appreciation for weapons and armor was no less than any male's, but was this the right atmosphere for such a topic? Still, he quickly responded, "If I think of something suitable, I won't hold back!"

After some thought, he couldn't recall any suitable female armor, and even if there were, it probably wouldn't match Artemis's haughty and sacred temperament.

So, he had just spoken offhandedly; he wouldn't be able to fulfill it anytime soon anyway.

Artemis seemed to detect the perfunctory nature of his reply; her smile became slightly more pronounced, but she said nothing, instead turning her gaze toward the sea nearby.

Ye Wen followed her gaze and saw that Yuwentuo had awakened at some point. He was now walking into the sea with the Qilin, and after half his body was submerged, he was using the seawater to wash the creature.

"Hm?" Ye Wen didn't think much of it initially—it was normal for his apprentice to want to clean the Qilin. However, he didn't know that this request had actually come from the Jade Qilin itself; it was merely too weak to do it alone and asked Yuwentuo for help.

As time passed, the dirt coating the Qilin began to wash away, revealing scales of jade-like emerald green that shimmered under the moonlight.

With its original appearance restored, the image of weakness and listlessness vanished instantly. Although its eyes were not yet healed and one horn remained broken, a fierce, murderous aura now clung to it. Especially the scar across its eye, which was utterly terrifying to behold.

Standing tall in the water, the Jade Qilin finally displayed its true majesty. Even Artemis’s eyes brightened, and her look of disgust finally disappeared.

Simultaneously, the Jade Qilin likely noticed Artemis’s gaze. It immediately raised its head even higher. Though its weakened body trembled slightly, it stood stubbornly still in the seawater, as if deliberately showcasing its uniqueness.

Seeing this scene, Ye Wen felt an urge to laugh. This Jade Qilin was quite childish; after being mocked by Artemis, it immediately wanted to reclaim its honor. Its current posture was exactly the same as Artemis’s attitude that morning.

This divine beast, like the Moon Goddess, possessed an incredibly proud nature. Having just scored a point back, the Jade Qilin felt immensely pleased, but it didn't want to deflate its aura, so it continued to walk back with its head held high.

"This monster, it's called a Qilin, right?"

In the great war against Heaven, the East had generals who rode Qilins. Besides Huang Tianhua, the Black Qilin ridden by Wen Zhong was the most famous. Artemis had seen them a few times; their imposing appearance was somewhat recognizable.

However, the Jade Qilin's state the previous night had been too miserable. She hadn't connected the two initially. Seeing the Qilin's true appearance now, she remembered.

"Yes, this auspicious beast is named Jade Qilin."

"Truly impressive. It is barely worthy of me now." Her words clearly implied that she had taken a liking to the Qilin and intended to take it as her mount.

Ye Wen wasn't surprised by this. The woman naturally favored things that were powerful and beautiful; it wasn't strange for her to fancy the Jade Qilin. However, Ye Wen followed up immediately: "I think you would look better riding a white tiger."

"A white tiger?" Artemis retracted her gaze, looking puzzled. "Why?"

Ye Wen shrugged, offering no explanation, as none was truly possible. By this time, Yuwentuo had returned to the beach and was drying the Qilin, rolling his eyes as he muttered, "Master, are you determined to see your bandit enterprise through to the end? But this seems a bit too unreliable?"

Just as he was about to speak to his disciple, teaching him how to carry forward the characteristics of the Shu Mountain sect, he noticed something clinging to his disciple's leg that was emitting a starlike glow in the dark.

"Stardust?"