And so, Ye Wentou, Ji, and a few others finally departed in that Flying Wolf Zero. Although Bai Yingxiong had managed to break one, in Zheng Ying's words, since this was an experimental unit, unexpected issues were bound to occur. To avoid destroying one before they even had a chance for refinement and subsequent testing, they had built five of them in one go!

If one was destroyed, four remained. After retrieving another unit, they loaded the group into the black metallic contraption. Watching the wildly spinning propeller whip up gale-force winds and the helicopter gradually ascend, Ye Wen suddenly mused that this thing might fetch a handsome price if sold on the market.

Especially captivating was the fact that Zheng Ying and Cui Jun had built it without any user limitations—this was the most attractive feature. In the current Immortal Realm, most flying artifacts used for transport impose strict requirements on the rider's cultivation level; as for divine beast mounts, they are not something just anyone can possess.

However, the Shushan version of this Flying Wolf was not so restrictive. One only needed to learn how to operate it—a task not difficult for cultivators who can already harness spiritual energy. They could master the necessary techniques in a very short time, allowing even a cultivator who had barely begun, someone not even a Earthly Immortal, to activate this flying "artifact" using only their faint internal power.

“As for those without any cultivation power whatsoever, we have a solution for that too!”

Cui Jun produced something that resembled a small key. “This little gadget serves as a substitute for the driver’s own internal power to drive the engine. With this, even an ordinary person can make the Flying Wolf soar into the heavens! Though, regarding weaponry, it can only utilize the inherent power of the equipped artifacts.”

This issue was hardly a problem for Ye Wen. Injecting his own power indiscriminately was easily liable to cause an explosion anyway, and until that problem was resolved, the Flying Wolf could only rely on the power of the attached artifacts, unable to unleash any greater might.

Furthermore, in Ye Wen’s eyes, the Flying Wolf remained merely a means of transport, certainly not a good tool for direct combat. A few bursts of his sword qi could shatter it; it lacked the necessary power to contend with enemies in the Immortal Realm.

Turning the little "key" over in his hand, Ye Wen probed it with his divine sense and discovered that this item was, in fact, consumable. One "key" could initiate at most ten startups before the little device became scrap. This meant that while the Flying Wolf could be used by ordinary people, the rate of key consumption would likely prove unbearable for them.

Yet, considering the internal structure of the Flying Wolf was entirely composed of immortal arrays, requiring no fuel or anything of the sort, having a consumable component was somewhat normal.

Though he strongly considered proposing that all Flying Wolves be converted to use "key" ignition—allowing Shushan to profit by selling the "keys" to acquire resources—he dismissed the idea, worrying it might damage their reputation. After all, in the Immortal Realm, the trade of artifacts and elixirs relied entirely on reputation! A poor reputation would make recovery difficult. Ye Wen possessed numerous other items he could trade; there was no need to waste effort on this.

After chatting with Cui Jun for a bit longer, Ye Wen learned that Zheng Ying had not only built five Flying Wolf Zeros but had also started manufacturing the VC series fighter jets!

Hearing "VC series," one might struggle to recall what exactly that referred to. At least Mino, standing nearby, pondered blankly for a long time without success.

It wasn't until Zhang Ling chimed in from the side, “Space Fortress…” This girl... she remained thoroughly confused, prompting Zhang Ling to sigh, “A generation gap!”

But whether she understood or not was irrelevant; what mattered was that Ye Wen understood. That variable-geometry fighter currently existed only as a frame because, according to Zheng Ying's design, this thing needed to be equipped with energy shielding like an "Invulnerability Field" (Ao-like field). Otherwise, it would stand no chance in combat against immortal spells.

If a fighter jet can't enter the battlefield, is it truly a fighter jet? Until that issue was solved, this creation could only remain a frame, incapable of final assembly.

Ye Wen looked at the basic frame that had been constructed and found himself quite interested... Being a genuine Earthling, shaped by the era of his upbringing, he naturally held a special fondness for things like planes and cannons. After cultivating his techniques and stepping onto the path of immortality, he had cast such things aside. He never expected Zheng Ying to actually bring something like this to fruition.

“By the way, is that kid also planning to build an Evangelion Unit-01, a Gundam, or something similar?”

Zhang Ling replied expressionlessly from beside him, “He said he doesn’t plan on building things like Gundams, but a Mecha Girl suit is something he might consider—even planning one set for every person on Shushan!”

This was something Ye Wen knew absolutely nothing about. It seemed to be the favored obsession of people from another world. He could only listen blankly as Zhang Ling explained, only grasping the concept after a long while—ah, it was essentially a mechanical battlesuit resembling a Gundam!

Or, to put it another way, armor similar to a Cloth (Saint Cloth), just with a much more advanced, high-tech appearance!

“So that’s what it is!”

Ye Wen remained noncommittal about this idea. Shushan was already debating whether to mass-produce the Gold Cloths for sale. Such things as the "Mecha Girl suits" were completely optional. If Zheng Ying was interested, he could build one for himself and wear it for fun.

However, Mino, standing nearby, suddenly became interested. It was unclear how this girl, who didn't even know what a Gundam was, knew about Mecha Girl suits, but she enthusiastically declared, “I’ll preorder a set!”

Next, Cui Jun presented Zheng Ying's latest creation: “...This set of scaled armor was forged recently. However, the exterior style seems somewhat reminiscent of Japanese aesthetics!”

Cui Jun was unaware that many of the designs Zheng Ying created originated from blueprints provided by Ye Wen, believing this armor to be Zheng Ying’s own design. Having traveled extensively, Cui Jun was well-traveled and naturally recognized the style of the armor.

Ye Wen patted the set of green armor, smiling, “Yes, it is indeed that style. Since we are heading to the Land of the Rising Sun soon, I might as well take this along; who knows, it might come in handy!”

Cui Jun nodded and then left to attend to his own affairs. As he and Zheng Ying resolved various technical problems, his workload gradually decreased. Perhaps after this current flurry of activity, he could return to the Tianji Sect and no longer need to stay at Shushan.

However, over the past decade or so, Cui Jun had absorbed a wealth of knowledge from Zheng Ying. He now harbored many new ideas that he could test to his heart's content upon his return. “Perhaps I can even manage to build that so-called Space Fortress!”

Tucking the green armor into his storage ring, Ye Wen had finally completely deciphered the restrictions within the Ring of Bethsephina. He then discovered that this ring not only stored items but also possessed other profound uses, even allowing direct communication with the Underworld and exerting a deterrent effect on souls.

It was a pity that for Ye Wen now, none of these functions were as practical as the storage capability. If he had known about these abilities earlier, he might have been excited, but now...

“It just means I have a much larger space to carry things!”

Leaving Cui Jun and Zhang Ling, Ye Wen glanced at Mino trailing behind him and asked with surprise, “Where have you been these past few days?”

Mino grinned mischievously, “I was looking for that fellow named Ling Zhu. Too bad I don't know where he’s hiding!” That Ling Zhu must have been severely hit by something and was probably hiding in some corner now. Ye Wen didn't pay it much mind; since they were both on Shushan, nothing serious could happen.

He took Mino on a long tour around Shushan, eventually checking the back mountain. Zhang Gui was still faithfully guarding that cold spring; even though nothing had happened for over ten years, he had never left that secluded valley for half a step.

Since he had nothing else to do besides cultivation, he had managed to break through to the Earthly Immortal realm. None of the Shushan disciples knew when he achieved this breakthrough. If Ye Wen hadn't suddenly felt like checking today, he might never have known.

But...

“Why haven't you restored your youthful appearance?”

Seeing Zhang Gui still white-haired and long-bearded, his face lined with wrinkles, Ye Wen was quite puzzled. Didn't this fellow wish to regain his youth?

Zhang Gui, however, seemed quite philosophical: “If the heart is old, making the appearance young is useless!”

Ye Wen nodded, not quite grasping the meaning, and didn't press the matter further. After all, it was his own business; he could do as he pleased.

Still, seeing Zhang Gui looking this way, outsiders might mistake him for an elder of the Shushan Sect! Moreover, this appearance might better fit the common perception of an immortal. Having him here to receive those who might ascend from the Cauldron seemed rather appropriate.

And now that Zhang Gui had become an Earthly Immortal, his strength level was no longer a concern. The Immortal Reception Pavilion wouldn't need so many disciples; leaving a few to serve Zhang Gui would suffice. After all, those emerging from the Cauldron would at best be at the newly broken-through Earthly Immortal level, and Zhang Gui should be able to handle them unless they were exceptionally abnormal.

After chatting for a while, Ye Wen was surprised to find Ling Zhu there. No wonder he couldn't find the boy anywhere—he was hiding here. Ye Wen didn't say much, only instructing him, “Just focus on your cultivation. Immortals place very little value on physical appearance; some even intentionally maintain an ugly facade to temper their Dao heart!”

This wasn't mere idle talk; it had a precedent! The origin lay precisely with Li Xuan’s previous life: Iron Crutch Li’s original appearance wasn't that unsightly. It was only due to some accident that he took on that appearance, and it was that visage that allowed him to become the foremost of the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave.

Ling Zhu listened and nodded vaguely, perhaps contemplating whether he was being too fixated on looks.

However, Ye Wen didn't say, "I think your current appearance suits you quite well!" fearing he might further provoke the young man.

After talking for a while, Ye Wen left the secluded valley. Ling Zhu, as if having understood something, followed him out. Watching the boy float along behind him barefoot, Ye Wen didn't know how to react.

As for Mino, whose eyes had turned green and who was drooling, Ye Wen chose to ignore her.

Upon reaching the back courtyard, he happened to see Hasna and Huayi together. They seemed to be practicing martial arts? But after watching for a moment, he realized they were doing yoga.

Huayi enjoyed practicing yoga; even as an immortal, she didn't need to worry about her figure changing, but practicing yoga kept her body flexible. Ye Wen was naturally happy about this and didn't stop her. Hasna, on the other hand, was exercising her self-developed Yi Jin Jing (Muscle/Tendon Changing Classic), which fell under the category of cultivation, so Ye Wen certainly had no reason to object. But... ever since Huayi and Hasna started spending time together, Hasna’s clothing choices had drastically changed!

When Ye Wen first met her, Hasna had wrapped herself up like a mummy, revealing nothing but her eyes at most. Now...

Two small mounds were contained by something restrictive, her delicate shoulders and slender waist and lower abdomen were all exposed. Below that was a pair of baggy white trousers, which tightened abruptly at the ankles, revealing a pair of bare, tender feet. “Is our Shushan so poor that we can’t even afford shoes?”

Hasna’s attire made her look somewhat like an Arabian dancer. Ye Wen had no idea where Huayi had found such an outfit to put on her, and what impressed Ye Wen even more was that she managed to persuade Hasna to wear it happily and parade around openly... Fortunately, there were many Earthlings among the Shushan disciples who were more relaxed about attire, so the Shushan disciples had long grown accustomed to it, and no 'bloody incidents' had occurred because of it.

“Master!”

Seeing Ye Wen arrive, Hasna respectfully bowed. She had now fully integrated her memories from her previous life, and all her Buddhist power had been converted into the pure true Qi of the Yi Jin Jing, allowing her to break through a bottleneck and become one of the masters on Shushan.

Concurrently, the Tathagata's Divine Palm technique Ye Wen had taught her had also been fully mastered after more than ten years of practice. However, she realized the final move, Ten Thousand Buddhas Paying Homage, would probably require her to reach the Heavenly Immortal realm to unleash its true power. At present, she could only use it tentatively, and its effectiveness was limited, rendering it rather impractical.

Other than that, she hadn't practiced anything else. It was only when Ye Wen returned this time and saw she had nothing left to practice other than the Yi Jin Jing that he casually taught her a few moves he hadn't practiced himself, such as the Mighty Vajra Palm, Prajna Palm, and Plucking Flower Finger—techniques obtained from Shaolin.

With her pure Buddhist essence, Hasna found learning these techniques yielded twice the result with half the effort. In just a few days, she mastered these techniques, lacking only true proficiency. Subsequently, Ye Wen realized this path wasn't sustainable and simply told her to practice as she wished. Hasna then returned to focus on her own Yi Jin Jing.

Seeing her again this time, Ye Wen recalled that he seemed overly focused on martial arts. Didn't he possess a Buddhist divine ability he could teach her? He wondered if Hasna could learn the Six Paths of Reincarnation?

“Six Paths of Reincarnation?”

After hearing Ye Wen’s explanation, Hasna tilted her head, her softly curled hair falling to one side with the movement. “Master, do you also know the Heavenly Dance Wheel?”

“Hahaha!” Ye Wen threw his head back and laughed heartily, then nodded, “What’s so special about the Heavenly Dance Wheel? Of course, your Master knows it!”

Hearing Ye Wen’s words, Huayi first frowned, appearing to be deep in thought, then suddenly understood, looking at her husband with an amused expression—she recalled the time back in the Kyushu World when Ye Wen had poked Huang Rongrong’s eyes and jokingly claimed he had comprehended the Heavenly Dance Wheel.

Ye Wen hadn't told her this story, but after Huang Rongrong became paired with Xu Xian, she had privately told this incident to Huayi and Ning Ruxue. The two women had only found it amusing then, thinking Ye Wen was just messing around, and hadn't taken it seriously. To think Ye Wen would bring up the Heavenly Dance Wheel again today!

“If you wish to learn, wait until I return from this trip, and I will teach you!”

After boasting a little more, Ye Wen continued his stroll until he returned to his courtyard in the afternoon, where he found Artemis waiting for him.

“Are you all packed?”

Artemis nodded. In truth, she didn't have much to pack; she hadn't brought many things when she arrived, perhaps just that carriage frame.

However, Ye Wen wasn't planning to let her use the carriage frame on this outing; it was far too conspicuous, and its speed wasn't particularly fast, besides! As for the deer, they were probably running wild all over Shushan by now!

But Artemis’s appearance today gave Ye Wen a jolt of surprise. “Your attire...”

It was a long, pale white formal gown, one with a high slit. Artemis’s perfect figure was flawlessly showcased by the dress, and what surprised Ye Wen was the faint glimpse of a thin nylon covering on her long, elegant legs?

“Oh? What is this…”

Artemis glanced down at herself and then declared proudly, “Huayi said these things have a very noticeable effect on you, so she gave me quite a few!”

“Uh...” So it was meant to capture his gaze, preventing his attention from straying to other women! It seemed these women had put considerable thought into his upcoming journey. Still, this situation was a favorable one for him.

“Since preparations are complete, let’s set off!”

He led Artemis directly toward the mountain gate. There was no grand spectacle of disciples following in a massive entourage, as Ye Wen disliked such displays. Thus, along the way, although the disciples wished Ye Wen a smooth journey, none followed him to the gate.

After leaving Shushan, the two ascended to the high sky. Just as they were about to speed eastward, two beams of light shot toward them from the distance, arriving moments later.

As the light dissipated, one figure was none other than the Vermillion Bird Divine Lord, whom Ye Wen had met before. He exclaimed in surprise, “Sect Master Ye is heading out?” Then he turned and scrutinized Artemis, his face clearly showing astonishment as he recognized her true identity.

Accompanying the Vermillion Bird Divine Lord was another person. Upon seeing Ye Wen, this person immediately stepped out from behind the Divine Lord and said obsequiously, “Does Sect Master Ye remember me?”

Ye Wen turned his head—wasn't this Zhong Dajun, the Celestial Court official who had helped him register the Shushan Sect? Why was he at Shushan? And by the sound of it, he had come looking for him? (To be continued)