Ye Wen's face darkened. He knew Zhang Ling was doing this on purpose, likely due to instructions from his two wives. Zhang Ling had devised this method because, despite Ye Wen’s tall and slender build, he certainly didn't resemble a towering, two-meter-tall muscle-bound man.

The Gold Cloth of Taurus was practically designed for that specific physique. It wasn't that standard builds couldn't wear it, but the original character’s image was deeply ingrained in people's minds. Ye Wen couldn't help but feel that seeing the Taurus Cloth draped over a lanky stick figure would be awkward.

Ye Wen knew he wasn't a lanky stick, but compared to the original image, "Moreover, the knee, shoulder, and elbow sections of the Taurus Cloth all feature sharp points. Armor with such a design truly looks strange unless worn on a man of great stature."

He imagined himself, a scholarly gentleman who looked like a bookworm, wearing such armor—the sight would be unbearable. Ye Wen pictured himself in the Taurus Cloth for just a moment, and a shiver ran down his spine.

"You are being..." Ye Wen started, ready to give his mischievous disciple a wry reprimand, but the words were cut off by Athena.

"Oh? Taurus? That sounds rather interesting..." Athena scrutinized Ye Wen from head to toe, then covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled for a moment. "I'm quite curious to see what effect that Cloth will have when worn on you?"

When Ye Wen had drawn the blueprints for Hephaestus, each drawing featured two forms of the Cloth. The humanoid appearance of the Taurus Gold Cloth was specifically based on the image of a massive, two-meter-plus strongman. Athena naturally saw this… she felt the Cloth would suit Heracles perfectly.

Athena, of course, didn't know that in Earth's mythology, Heracles later became the constellation of Hercules (or Klitia in some contexts), and in that animated series, the Hercules Cloth was also worn by a hulking figure. Thus, the Taurus Cloth naturally suited Heracles very well.

Even if Heracles didn't wear it, many demigods on Mount Olympus had physiques well-suited for this Cloth. In fact, the designs of all twelve Gold Cloths were highly favored by the Olympian gods, not only because they were magnificent and practical but also because they showcased their outstanding physiques.

Compared to those muscular giants, Ye Wen’s build was clearly substandard—Easterners generally possessed a smaller frame than these fellows. Furthermore, the cultivation paths practiced by Eastern cultivators didn't emphasize the muscular hero archetype. This wasn't universally true, but few could truly compete with them in terms of sheer bulk, perhaps only figures like Guan Yu (even Yang Jian wasn't that kind of muscular man).

In Athena's mind, a comical image had already formed: a small child wearing oversized armor. Although she knew the Gold Cloths automatically adjusted their size to the wearer, she momentarily ignored that fact.

Ye Wen looked at the happily smiling Athena, then glanced at Zhang Ling, who stood beside him looking completely calm, as if nothing had happened.

Taking a deep breath, clenching his jaw, and steeling his resolve, Ye Wen’s stubborn streak flared up!

"I will wear the Taurus Cloth! Let's see you laugh then!"

His declaration only made Athena laugh harder. Even Zhang Ling, who had been maintaining composure, could no longer hold back; her perpetually icy expression instantly melted into the warmth of early spring, shining as brilliantly as a blooming flower.

But the most outrageous of all was Garfield, who had been quietly observing nearby. The little creature actually tumbled onto the table, covering his bulging little white belly with his front paws, rolling back and forth repeatedly, his hind legs kicking wildly, as if he were convulsing with laughter—he couldn't even keep his eyes open.

Ye Wen snatched Garfield up, glaring fiercely at the little thing. "Do you even know what the Taurus Cloth looks like? Why are you laughing so hard?"

Unexpectedly, Garfield displayed an expression clearly suggesting he did know. This reminded Ye Wen that when they were bored, everyone would gather to watch Saint Seiya, and this little creature was present. He hadn't realized Garfield remembered it so clearly... On second thought, since Garfield could remember the Cosmo, he naturally knew about the Cloths; Ye Wen had just been too worked up and forgot this point.

Athena watched Ye Wen speaking to a small cat, which then appeared to respond, and curiosity piqued. "Oh? Where did this little one come from?"

Ye Wen held Garfield's scruff without the slightest gentleness, simply turning the cat so it faced Athena. "This little one is one of the mountain-protecting divine beasts raised on Mount Shu. Come, 'greet the Goddess of Wisdom!'"

"Mrow!"

Garfield raised a front paw as if waving, all the while blinking his big, round eyes in an attempt to look adorable. Unfortunately, Athena only gave a lukewarm nod, tossing out, "Hmm, quite cute!" before falling silent.

"..."

Having failed in his attempt to use cuteness, Garfield squatted where Ye Wen set him down, his head drooping low. A palpable gloom hung over him, making the surrounding air seem noticeably dimmer than elsewhere.

With a casual wave of her hand, a golden chest materialized in front of Ye Wen. Judging by the patterns, it was unmistakably the Gold Cloth of Taurus.

This Gold Cloth carried considerable weight. As it materialized, it crashed onto the ground with an exceptionally dull thud, startling Yuwentuo, who had been lying on the floor, so much that he bounced upward and immediately opened his eyes, jolted awake by the sound.

His reaction was swift. Having already sprung into the air, he smoothly flipped and landed cleanly on the ground. As he turned his head, however, he saw Zhang Ling standing beside him. A fresh wave of pain shot through his stomach, and he instinctively shuffled two steps sideways.

"Senior Sister... hehe."

"Hmph!"

Having received such a cold response to his greeting, Yuwentuo only wanted to keep a distance from his Senior Sister. "She looks and dresses so soft and cute, but when she attacks, there's no mercy at all. That kick nearly killed me!"

He reached a hand to his abdomen, which churned unpleasantly. Although Ye Wen had repositioned his slightly displaced internal organs and dissolved the bruises, an injury was an injury; discomfort was inevitable. Ye Wen did have ways to heal the injury completely, but if he couldn't tolerate this minor pain, how could he achieve greatness later? So, Ye Wen hadn't bothered with the residual aches.

As for long-term consequences, once one cultivated to a certain realm, the body would be tempered, and such after-effects would no longer be a concern.

After opening his eyes, Yuwentuo took in his surroundings, his attention quickly drawn to the golden chest. Upon closer inspection of the carvings, he asked in confusion, "Is this the Taurus Cloth? Is someone planning to wear it?"

He looked around, finding no one with a suitable build. Then, for some unknown reason, the boy blurted out a question to Zhang Ling beside him, "Don't tell me you are going to wear it?"

He regretted the words the moment they left his mouth. Before he could react, a sharp, intense pain struck his lower flank—Zhang Ling had jabbed him hard with the scabbard of her long saber.

Squatting there with tears welling in his eyes, Yuwentuo felt it would be best to stay quiet and pretend to be mute. Yet, his curiosity wouldn't let his gaze stop wandering. Finally, he was astonished to see his Master walk over and lift the golden chest in one grab.

Although the Gold Cloth was incredibly heavy, it was not a significant burden for Ye Wen. With a gentle lift, he raised the golden chest and turned toward the bedroom area.

"Where are you going?" Athena asked, perplexed. Didn't wearing a Gold Cloth require no concealment from others? Once the box opened, wouldn't the Cloth decompose and attach itself to the wearer as golden light? It could even ignore whatever clothes the user was wearing at the time.

This manner of wearing the armor caused no embarrassment, even in public. If even Athena saw no need for secrecy, why was Ye Wen, a man, hiding away?

Ye Wen turned back, wearing an expression of tragic finality, like a warrior heading off on a journey of no return. "What is there to fear? I said I'll wear it, I'll wear it. I just need to put away my outer robe first!"

He slipped into the inner chamber and wasn't playing games. He promptly took off his long robe—though he hadn't been wearing one originally, he had a simple white shirt hastily sewn by the Olympus tailors to cope. The style of dress on Mount Olympus—a simple wrap around the waist and another cloth draped over the body—was something he simply couldn't accept, especially since he lacked the exaggerated musculature to show off.

But after removing the robe, Ye Wen didn't immediately put on the Gold Cloth. Instead, he took out a communicator and established a direct connection. Before Zheng Ying could ask what was happening, Ye Wen cut in: "Pass the communicator to Elder Cui. Your Master has an urgent matter to ask him!"

Zheng Ying didn't waste time; he immediately handed the communicator over. Cui Jun was right beside him; the two were studying a blueprint, figuring out how to install automatic water pipes in the important rooms of Mount Shu.

"Sect Master Ye, what urgent matter is it?"

When Ye Wen specifically requested him, it always meant there was a problem. Cui Jun got straight to the point, as he still had work to attend to. If this current task succeeded, he planned to install a complete system of running water and electricity for the Tianji Sect back home, based on this experience. He wasn't aiming for anything else; having electricity would make using the computer, that rather convenient tool, much easier.

"Does Elder Cui know any spell that can increase body size?"

Ye Wen dared to ask about wearing the Taurus Cloth because he naturally had a plan. He figured that the Eastern Immortal Realm must have countless strange and rare spells. A simple change in physique shouldn't be that hard to learn, right? Besides, he didn't need an extreme transformation; just growing to over two meters tall and bulking up would suffice.

It was far less dramatic than that monkey who kept growing larger and larger, forcing people to cry out, "Elder Sun, hurry up and retract your divine power!"

Cui Jun was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected Ye Wen to ask such a question, but he answered readily. "There are spells. The most common one is Fa Tian Xiang Di (Manifesting Heaven and Earth). If this divine ability is cultivated to a high level, one can increase their size severalfold with a mere shift of the body, even becoming a giant tens of thousands of feet tall... However, cultivating this ability is quite troublesome; it’s not something achievable overnight."

He understood that Ye Wen was seeking him out urgently because he needed to use it immediately. While the ability was powerful, it typically required several centuries of practice just to enter the threshold; even those with exceptional talent would need a period of secluded, intense training to master it.

Ye Wen immediately dismissed the idea upon hearing this. "That ability is too troublesome, and I don't need something that powerful. Something moderate will do!"

Cui Jun unconsciously scratched his hair. After a moment of contemplation, he suddenly chuckled slyly. "Actually, Buddhism also has a similar divine ability: the Vajra Buddha Body. Once mastered, one can change size at will, and the body will emit golden divine light, repelling all evil. Since Sect Master Ye possesses Buddhist magical power, it shouldn't be difficult for you to cultivate!"

"Although I have Buddhist magical power, I possess none of the Buddhist teachings. Even if you placed the Six Divine Powers of Buddhism before me, I couldn't master a single one!" Buddhist cultivation relies on sudden enlightenment, and Ye Wen didn't consider his own comprehension to be that high; he certainly hadn't experienced the kind of instant realization that makes one a living Buddha.

"I see," Cui Jun said, no longer in a hurry. After thinking for a moment, he whispered, "Actually, this old Daoist possesses a unique divine ability. If Sect Master Ye is interested, I don't mind passing it on." Ye Wen was startled, suddenly remembering that Cui Jun had once offered to take him as a disciple. He sharply recalled the specific skill Cui Jun had mentioned then: "Could it be that technique called the Seven Gourd Secrets?"

"Oh? You still remember that, Sect Master Ye? That's wonderful!"

"Wonderful, my foot!" Ye Wen cursed internally. Thinking about how his disciple was researching alongside the old Daoist, he realized the old man must have taught him many techniques. Learning a skill from him wasn't a huge deal. "Is this technique easy to learn? I don't have much time right now; I need to master it immediately!"

Cui Jun scratched his head. "It's both easy and difficult to learn. With Sect Master Ye's cultivation level, the introductory part shouldn't be too hard. Once you cross the threshold, even if the first secret only displays a fraction of its power, it should meet Sect Master Ye's requirement... By the way, Sect Master Ye, how big do you need to get?"

"Around two meters tall... but the build needs to be solid and muscular!"

Cui Jun slapped his thigh—a sharp cry followed immediately by Zheng Ying's complaining voice: "Next time, please refrain from slapping my leg!"—then he exclaimed enthusiastically, "Two meters tall is nothing! If Sect Master Ye practices diligently, reaching twenty meters isn't difficult. I'll recite the incantation for the first secret for you first!"

Ye Wen quieted his mouth and listened as Cui Jun recited the incantation. Ye Wen couldn't figure out what method Cui Jun used, as Zheng Ying, standing right next to Cui Jun, couldn't hear a thing. He could only see the old man's lips moving without sound.

A full minute later, Cui Jun concluded, "That’s the entrance incantation. Once you master this section, a mere two-meter height is nothing!"

Ye Wen nodded, focused his spirit, and circulated his inner energy according to Cui Jun's method. Suddenly, a faint red glow emanated from his body, followed by an immediate surge in his stature; he visibly bulked up—as this red light flashed, Ye Wen suddenly remembered that Yu Shuang, the Sect Master of Qingcheng, had used a similar move before. It turned out she was using Cui Jun's Gourd Seven Secrets.

However, Yu Shuang had used the move with great strain and soon lost control. Ye Wen had no such worries. He felt that not only had his body size increased, but his strength had also surged severalfold; though the body was now less agile than before.

As he was testing it out, Cui Jun's voice reached his ears again: "My Gourd Seven Secrets, the first secret enhances body size and strength. In the initial stages, for every unit of size gained, strength surges by one unit. Becoming a giant dozens of feet tall is not impossible!"

"And once cultivation deepens, you gain full control, allowing you to enlarge only specific parts. For example, keeping your main body size the same, but having your palm suddenly expand to tens of meters across. A strike from that palm would blot out the sun and sky; few could withstand it, no matter how much they tried to flee?"

Speaking of which, the old Daoist suddenly gave a sly chuckle. "Even during intimate activities, it proves quite beneficial."

Ye Wen’s face darkened, while Zheng Ying beside him’s eyes lit up with excitement.

Seeing no immediate reply from the other end, Cui Jun assumed Ye Wen was busy testing the technique. He chuckled sinisterly a few times before continuing, "Upon reaching the peak, you can maintain your original size while dramatically increasing strength! At this point, the physical body is virtually reforged. Its dominating power is comparable to Erlang Shen's Eighty-Nine Arcane Arts!"

These words were delivered with great confidence, astonishing even Ye Wen. But thinking it over, since the Gourd Immortal Cui Jun was renowned in the Immortal Realm, he must possess extraordinary means! It wasn't surprising that he could create such a marvelous technique.

Hearing this, Ye Wen genuinely became interested and couldn't help but press further: "And this is only the first secret? I wonder what wonders the remaining six secrets hold?"

Cui Jun was immensely pleased, shaking his head and swaggering slightly. "To speak of my Gourd Seven Secrets, each secret holds a divine ability. The second secret specifically cultivates the eyes and ears. Sect Master Ye, do you recall how you were able to see great distances using your pair of Buddhist Divine Pupils, and how this old Daoist also has means to observe distant scenes?"

"Oh?" Ye Wen thought back to the day Cui Jun's pupils flashed with an orange light, and he immediately seemed to understand everything—he had clearly seen the situation far away.

Does this mean the second secret grants clairvoyance and clairaudience?

"Ah? This sounds a bit familiar." Cui Jun didn't realize the connection, continuing his sales pitch like the most competent salesman. "Not only that, but if cultivated to a high level, these eyes can see through all illusions. With these eyes, illusion formations are merely a decoration for the cultivator!"

"Furthermore, certain shape-shifting demonic creatures will have their true forms exposed under these eyes. If desired, you can even channel divine light to force their true forms to manifest."

"A Demon-Revealing Mirror?"

"Essentially, yes... but far more convenient to carry!" Cui Jun nodded, finding Ye Wen's analogy quite apt—in fact, when he created this technique, he had referenced some functions of the Demon-Revealing Mirror.

"The third secret refines the physical body, allowing it to be used as a weapon or magical artifact in battle. In fact, the third secret complements the first; only when the third secret is mastered can the first reach perfection."

"Wait a minute." A flash of realization struck Ye Wen. He finally understood what these so-called Seven Gourd Secrets were: "Aren't you basically creating a Little Gourd Vajra? Did you plan to take seven disciples, teach each one a secret, and then call yourselves the Calabash Brothers?"

Cui Jun let out a chuckle. "Didn't I just pass the first secret on to you?"

Ye Wen: "..."