Standing beneath the sun, with a makeshift chair strapped to his back—fashioned from sticks and resembling a seat—Yekaterina sat immobilized, secured by vines, appearing as if she were sitting back-to-back with Ye Wen.

The sight was quite similar to a Saint Cloth wearer carrying their Cloth box, except in this case, Ye Wen was carrying a living person.

“Uncle… do you need to rest?”

Although Ye Wen looked no older than his early twenties, making the title ‘Uncle’ seem excessive even though he was slightly older than Yekaterina, old habits were not easily broken.

“No need!”

Ye Wen straightened his posture slightly. To make the burden slightly more comfortable for Yekaterina behind him, he consciously leaned his body forward just enough so she could fully rest against the backrest, preventing the ropes binding her from digging into her. This naturally made the effort much harder for him, and moreover…

“What in the blazes is this world?”

At this moment, Ye Wen had been sent to this nameless world by Athena. Rumor had it that this realm was accidentally discovered by the Olympian Gods, but due to its peculiar nature, no deity was willing to venture here to 'expand their territory.'

Upon arrival, their divine power felt suppressed, as if bound. Who, accustomed to the ease of reshaping the world with a mere thought, could tolerate suffering here? Even though their godly might rendered them immensely powerful even in this place, being unable to exert their full strength was inherently frustrating. Furthermore, the possibility of encountering unforeseen dangers increased significantly, so they preferred not to endure the hardship.

For these very reasons, the Olympian Gods referred to this world as the Forbidden Land! While the term held a touch of mockery, it nevertheless underscored the Olympians' apprehension toward this location.

Athena chose to cast Artemis’s true form into this world precisely because she knew no one else would want to come here. Moreover, the environment of this world seemed tailor-made for Apollo, perfectly suited for his needs.

Sighing, Ye Wen didn’t feel fatigued, but he sensed that maintaining this stance indefinitely was untenable. Before leaving, Athena had informed him that the reincarnation of Artemis’s lunar aspect had already attained a reasonably high status in this world, meaning she wouldn't be hard to locate. Furthermore, Ye Wen’s arrival point was not far from Artemis’s whereabouts. The only complication was that he could only travel on foot.

However, Ye Wen was quickly realizing that matters were far more complex than Athena had suggested, as he currently had no idea where he was, unable even to judge his direction.

Fortunately, after crafting a support structure that Yekaterina could lean upon, he soon discovered a flat pathway that seemed to be a main road.

“This world… there must be some civilization, right?”

He had arrived in such haste that Ye Wen forgot to inquire about such basic matters. While Athena mentioned the reincarnation of the Moon Goddess had gained status here, who knew if she was being worshipped by a band of primitives? Still, seeing this road suggested frequent traffic, which was, after all, a sign of civilization.

Walking along the road, Ye Wen momentarily shelved concerns about direction. His immediate priority was to find the natives of this world, ascertain his location and the general circumstances, and then decide on his next course of action.

What worried Ye Wen at that moment was whether the native inhabitants possessed strange appearances or perhaps were incapable of meaningful communication.

Thankfully, his worries did not last long. Soon, he encountered a group of people clad in light leather armor and carrying weapons. Upon seeing Ye Wen, the group clearly froze, with several men already preparing to draw their arms.

Fortunately, the apparent leader waved a hand, signaling his men to hold back—this was the only one wearing metal armor, a broadsword hanging at his hip.

Taking a few steps forward, the man in metal armor broke away from the group and gestured toward Ye Wen, presumably offering a greeting.

Since Ye Wen also had questions, he nodded back but remained silent, uncertain about the local language.

To his relief, the moment the man opposite him spoke, Ye Wen knew he would face no communication barrier in this world—the man spoke the same tongue as the Olympian Gods: Olympian Greek.

“Greetings. You look like you need assistance!”

Ye Wen was carrying a girl who presumably was not large, and whose body required the support of vines, suggesting some kind of serious injury. The man wore a genuinely kind smile, appearing quite the helpful soul.

Alas, no matter how well he masked it, the flicker of lust that flashed in his eyes did not escape Ye Wen’s notice: “This kid has ill intentions!”

Ye Wen instantly grasped the situation; likely another man overcome by carnal desire, approaching now to find an excuse to get close, or perhaps to gauge his strength.

As for why this was happening, Ye Wen wasn't surprised. As Artemis’s reincarnation, Yekaterina, despite being a Saint Cloth wearer who usually downplayed her femininity, possessed an undeniable, striking beauty. Placed within a human kingdom, her appearance was the type that could incite wars between nations!

“I only wish to inquire if there are any temples nearby dedicated to any specific deity!”

“A temple?” The man was momentarily taken aback, then realization dawned: “Are you seeking the Moon Goddess?”

“The Moon Goddess?” Ye Wen immediately froze, thinking internally: That easy? I just asked casually and got a hit?

The man opposite grew confused by Ye Wen’s reaction: “Surely you aren't looking for the legendary Moon Goddess?” He then glanced at Yekaterina still strapped to Ye Wen’s back: “You look like you’re seeking the goddess to heal the young lady behind you. If that’s your purpose, then yes, the Moon Goddess is indeed who you need to find!”

Then, feigning concern, the man circled around to Ye Wen’s back, taking in Yekaterina’s condition: “What ails this… Miss?”

“Paralysis!”

Ye Wen offered a brief reply, but even though the man’s expression shift was subtle, Ye Wen observed it clearly—the man probably thought Ye Wen couldn't see his expression from that angle, unaware that Ye Wen’s ‘Mind’s Eye’ allowed him to perceive every minute change in his surroundings.

Shock, disappointment, and then pity crossed the man’s features; he seemed to lose interest instantly. He pointed into the distance: “Continue in that direction for about half a day’s journey, and you’ll see a forest. That is the renowned Moonlight Glade. Once inside, if you are fortunate, you might find the Moon Goddess… Of course, be wary of the Elves residing there; they are not terribly fond of outside intruders.”

Ye Wen nodded, mumbled a quick thank you, and continued on his way, carrying Yekaterina. After they had traveled some distance, Yekaterina whispered to him softly, “Those people don't look like good sorts. Their eyes are full of greed and desire!”

The Sagittarius Gold Saint must possess sight far beyond ordinary humans. Although Yekaterina was young and not yet at her peak strength, her talent was undoubtedly supreme—after all, she was the reincarnation of the Goddess of the Hunt.

Ye Wen smiled: “I know. Just ignore them; they are nothing but clowns!”

Compared to Yekaterina, Ye Wen ‘perceived’ far more! Perhaps because they had traveled a sufficient distance, the group speaking behind him became careless and stopped bothering to lower their voices, not expecting Ye Wen to overhear their entire conversation.

“Why did we let those two go? That little girl is a top-tier prize; if we grabbed her, we could sell her for a handsome price… And before that, us brothers could have some fun too!”

“Pah! Stop talking nonsense, damn it, she’s a paralyzed cripple!” This voice was clearly the one who had just spoken to Ye Wen.

“A cripple? Tsk, no wonder she needs carrying. What a waste of such a pretty face!”

“Didn’t you notice? That girl’s figure is first-rate too. What a pity she’s useless!”

“Are we really letting them walk away? Remember, our target this time… is a female Elf!”

The familiar voice again: “Hey, that kid is heading toward the Moonlight Glade too. Wouldn’t it be perfect if he scouts the path for us? If possible, maybe we can grab a few more this time. Finishing this job should keep us satisfied for a good while!”

“Heh heh heh…”

The words that followed became even more unrestrained, but to Ye Wen, they were nothing more than a joke. From the moment they encountered him and revealed their true nature, their fate was sealed.

“Damn it, I hate scumbags who pull this kind of stunt the most!”

However, there was no need to move immediately to wipe out these beasts. As long as he continued moving forward, these fellows would inevitably reappear, and then it would be time to kill them. Right now, the most urgent task was locating this so-called Moon Goddess so that Artemis could awaken…

After that, presumably, would come dealing with Apollo, that obsessive sister-complex sufferer.

Perhaps Ye Wen didn’t strictly need to involve himself in this messy situation, but after some consideration, he realized he genuinely wanted to put Apollo in his place. After all, they had already established animosity on Mount Olympus. Ye Wen was not known for being overly forgiving, and now that a suitable opportunity had arisen, he certainly wanted to vent his frustration thoroughly.

Beyond that, there was another compelling reason why he and Apollo were destined to cross paths eventually!

Yekaterina was Artemis’s reincarnation. If Artemis awoke without any changes, that would be one thing. But if she was in the slightest bit influenced by Yekaterina’s memories, it would inevitably lead to an irreconcilable conflict between Ye Wen and Apollo.

Sometimes, things are just that simple. In the final analysis, Ye Wen’s clash with Apollo wasn't about Athena, nor was it about some wretched claim to the throne of the Gods; it was about a woman!

Ye Wen suddenly recalled the saying: The reasons for conflict between men are usually just a few—money, power, but most often, it’s over a woman!

It seemed he hadn’t escaped the common lot.

“How ironic… cultivating oneself to become an immortal, only to end up fighting another man over a woman!”

Raising his eyes to look at the dense forest ahead, Ye Wen stepped into it without hesitation, as if what lay before him wasn't a slightly gloomy and somewhat terrifying thicket, but merely the small wood in his own backyard.

His demeanor stunned the group trailing him in secret: “Did he… just walk in so brazenly?”

“I say, it’s nearly dark! Is this kid an idiot? Walking into the deep woods at this hour—is he looking to die?”

“I think this kid is just some pampered noble descendant. Look at his frail, soft-skinned appearance; he clearly hasn’t endured any hardship!”

“That seems right. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have such poor common sense!”

After a lengthy murmur session, the group looked to their leader: “Boss? Should we follow?”

The leader shook his head: “This kid is an idiot courting death; we shouldn't keep him company! In that case, we’ll stick to the original plan. We rest here tonight and enter the woods tomorrow morning!”

These words still did not escape Ye Wen’s notice, as he maintained a sliver of divine consciousness to monitor their movements. Moreover, he realized that ever since entering the forest, he had been marked.

He continued walking casually for a long while; the sun had long set, making visibility in the dense woods almost zero. At this point, Ye Wen suddenly looked up at a towering tree perhaps fifteen meters high and said, “Can you guide me to the Moon Goddess? I assume you know where to find her?”

Unfortunately, he received no favorable response. An arrow, vibrating slightly, embedded itself in the soil before him, serving as a warning. Then, a clear, melodious voice rang out from above: “Go back, human! The Moonlight Glade is not a place you may tread!”

“Tsk, those words are annoying!”

Ye Wen’s complaint was quiet; even in the stillness of the dense woods, only Yekaterina, standing close beside him, could hear it. Her subsequent laughter, however, carried far, even creating echoes.

Perhaps her laughter angered the archer. Almost simultaneously, three sharp arrows shot toward Ye Wen’s side in rapid succession, but Ye Wen could tell these three were still meant to scare him, not to strike him or Yekaterina behind him.

Looking at the four arrows near him, Ye Wen finally determined that convincing the entity to guide him was nearly impossible. He shrugged, then said to Yekaterina, “Looks like we’ll have to rely on ourselves!” With that, he stepped forward, ignoring the entity above him, drawing a bow, aiming at him—a slender, fair-featured creature with pointed ears… one of the beings known as Elves.

Seeing that the other party completely disregarded her warning and stubbornly continued forward, the Elf, having no other choice, leaped down from the tree. She then drew the short blade sheathed at her waist and positioned herself directly in Ye Wen’s path: “I said, no further, human!”

“Could you use a different title? Saying it like that makes it sound like you aren’t human!”

“I am a noble Moonlight Elf, of course I am not human!” The female Elf lifted her chin, immensely proud of her race: “The noble and sacred Moonlight Glade shall not be tainted by filthy, greedy humans!”

For some unknown reason, the Elf’s words gave Ye Wen an urge to flare up. While strictly speaking, he wasn't entirely human anymore, he felt a distinct sense of being discriminated against.

More importantly: “To lecture me, an immortal, on status—Elves are still leagues away from being qualified!”

He was never the type to cling to someone who gave him the cold shoulder. Since this female Elf was immovable, refusing to listen to polite discourse, Ye Wen simply decided to ignore her and continued walking deeper into the woods with Yekaterina on his back. This time, however, the female Elf was clearly preparing to fight seriously.

The short blade in her hand was nearly invisible in the pitch-black forest. Despite the Elf claiming holiness and nobility, she wielded this deadly weapon in the most treacherous manner possible. Furthermore, the blade appeared specially treated; it reflected almost no light in the darkness, making it even harder to detect.

Unfortunately, all this effort was wasted on Ye Wen. The Elf’s movements, while fast to an ordinary person, appeared sluggish, like a slideshow, in his eyes. Simultaneously, the blade concealed in the darkness could not hide from his Glazed Pupils.

Quietly waiting for the Elf to close the distance, and noting the short blade about to strike his side, Ye Wen calmly raised his leg and, with a move faster than the blink of an eye—swift, accurate, and incredibly fierce—struck the Elf precisely on her lightly shielded, delicate lower abdomen.

A dull thud echoed nearby. The female Elf, kicked flying, slammed into a large tree, finally stopping her experience of flying sensation. In reality, she wouldn't have felt anything further, as she had already lost consciousness the moment Ye Wen struck her.

Although Yekaterina couldn't see what happened, she could sense the outcome. She was paralyzed, but her cultivation remained intact; in fact, if she ignited her Cosmo, she could temporarily regain mobility. However, doing so would be seeking death.

She found nothing wrong with Ye Wen’s action. Putting aside the awful attitude of the self-proclaimed Moonlight Elf, the fact that she immediately resorted to violence meant killing her wouldn't have been out of line—Saints never show mercy to their enemies!

Having kicked the Elf unconscious, Ye Wen didn't press the attack. He simply stood his ground, surveyed the now silent surroundings, and gave a distinctly meaningful smile: “It seems we won’t have to wander around aimlessly any longer!”

As he spoke, one by one, Elves—drawing their hunting bows and aiming razor-sharp arrows at him—stepped out from the darkness. They emerged from all directions, completely surrounding Ye Wen.

“What an impressive gathering!”