As they traveled, whether from spending too long in the cycle of rebirth or simply due to his nature, Lü Bu peppered Ye Wen with questions, leaving him dizzy and his head feeling several sizes too large.

Regarding the query about whether a Daoist priest could marry, Ye Wen dismissed it with a single sentence: "Although our sect inherits the Daoist tradition, we are not ascetics who have renounced the world!"

Of course, not all Daoists were forbidden from marrying; it depended entirely on the specific lineage or sect. Only the Quanzhen school strictly forbade marriage and carried numerous precepts. Ye Wen’s Shu Mountain Sect, however, merely wore the superficial robes of Quanzhen doctrine.

As for those barbarian foreigners... Lü Bu’s utterance had barely left his lips before Artemis nearly had an arrow bury itself in his face. Seeing this woman poised with her longbow glaring at him, Lü Bu recognized instantly that she was no ordinary woman.

“Artemis is the Olympian goddess of the Moon and the Hunt, one of the Twelve Olympians…” Ye Wen gave a brief introduction, assuming this would silence Lü Bu. Unexpectedly, this time it drew a question from Xue Rengui.

“The Olympian lineage? Which gods are those? And what rank do these Twelve Olympians hold?” Xue Rengui, having recently been appointed a Heavenly General, felt that if he were to make a name for himself in this realm, he first needed to fully map out the state of the world. Seeing Ye Wen address this topic, he seized the opportunity and pressed the inquiry.

“The Olympian lineage hails from the Northwest, a divine race neighboring the Heavenly Court, dwelling atop Mount Olympus and governed by the Sky King Zeus! The Twelve Olympians represent the highest beings beneath the Sky King!”

After just this brief explanation, the way both Xue Rengui and Lü Bu looked at Artemis instantly shifted—putting aside the fact that women held relatively high status during the late Han and early Tang periods, neither man harbored any intention of disrespecting women (Lü Bu had only scorned Artemis’s foreign nature). Simply based on Artemis’s status, in the mortal world she would command the rank of at least a regional king. Growing up in eras defined by rigid class structures, their change in demeanor was hardly surprising.

Their gaze towards Ye Wen also shifted slightly. Considering that such a high-ranking figure from a divine race walked alongside this Immortal Elder, did that imply Ye Wen also held an extremely elevated position within the Heavenly Court?

The two men couldn't quite ascertain this, nor did they know what specific office Ye Wen held in Heaven. After a moment of contemplation, Xue Rengui and Lü Bu spoke in unison: “We are unaware of the position Immortal Elder Ye holds in the Heavenly Court?”

“I don’t work for the Heavenly Court, so how could I have a post?”

Ye Wen smiled. “My presence here in Heaven is merely at the request of Steward Zhong. Normally, I cultivate in the farthest west reaches of the Eastern Immortal Realm, on Mount Shu!”

Only then did they realize this man was not a subordinate of the Heavenly Court; in other words, he was a Free-Roaming Immortal. However, the fact that Heavenly Court officials sought him out when they encountered trouble suggested his standing in the Immortal Realm was quite respectable.

In reality, Ye Wen currently held little widespread fame in the Immortal Realm, let alone recognized status. Yet, the recent battle against the Eight-Headed Serpent Yamata no Orochi was gradually becoming known, bringing gradual recognition to the name Shu Mountain among the Immortals.

Furthermore, the shops the Shu Mountain Sect had established in the Heavenly Mechanism Gate had earned some minor renown. Now, with the imminent release of the ‘Immortal Realm Edition Mobile Phone,’ their fame was indeed beginning to grow significantly. Should news spread in the coming days of Ye Wen single-handedly chasing down the Skyfire Dragon Lord of Doushuai Palace after he fled, his prestige would instantly soar to considerable heights.

Lü Bu and Xue Rengui were ignorant of these matters, so they could only deduce Ye Wen’s standing in the Immortal Realm based on his few words and their own conjecture.

Lü Bu didn't dwell too deeply; his conclusion derived from Artemis’s status was simply: ‘This Immortal Elder must be a formidable figure!’

Xue Rengui thought a little more, but still within limits: He recalled Ye Wen displaying distinct displeasure when discussing the Nine Heavens Mystic Maiden seemingly scheming against him, indicating this man did not fear her. Based on that, his status must be significant.

In short, within a few brief exchanges during their journey, both Xue Rengui and Lü Bu firmly agreed: This man was certainly a mighty existence in the Immortal Realm!

In truth, their guess was close enough. Ye Wen possessed the cultivation of a Heavenly Immortal; there were few places in the Immortal Realm he could not access. Coupled with the fact that his cultivation arts were geared toward combat, his battle prowess was somewhat superior to that of ordinary cultivators. Not to mention his Myriad Sword Technique, which few could withstand, let alone the higher-tier ‘Myriad Swords Merged into One’ he had recently comprehended.

Speaking of ‘Myriad Swords Merged into One,’ Ye Wen recalled the lively debate he had with the women in his private chambers over what to name this newly created move.

Hua Yi had described how, upon unleashing the move, all one could see was a vast expanse of purple dominating the space, obscuring everything else. When the purple haze dissipated, the Eight-Headed Serpent was left kneeling, riddled with wounds. This move was simply…

“Shun-yoku-satsu [Instantaneous Hell Kill]?”

Ning Ruxue, who often indulged in such fantasies, blurted out the name without thinking.

Ye Wen listened, a vein throbbing on his temple. “Can we go with something a bit more elegant, please?”

Hua Yi tapped her chin thoughtfully. “How about Sunlight Illumination? Everything returns to nothingness?”

Ye Wen pressed his temples. “Change it. I’m not that eight-headed long worm!”

After much back and forth, they reached no consensus. Ye Wen settled on calling the move ‘Myriad Swords Merged into One,’ and thus the name was established.

Only Artemis remained slightly confused. Ning Ruxue then took out her notebook and demonstrated both moves for her, prompting a response: “They are indeed very similar!” Baidu Shi Shang Di Yi Zhang Men Ba Tiand Fire Dragon Lord provides “…”

Traveling eastward, they flew for an indeterminate amount of time until Ye Wen, looking down from the clouds, spotted the vast, surging ocean, knowing they had reached the Eastern Sea. Another short flight, and they should glimpse the islands of Dongying.

At that moment, Lü Bu, seated on the cloud, peered down and asked Ye Wen, “Immortal Elder, shouldn't we descend and ask for directions?”

“Ask what?”

“I’ve heard that navigating the seas is extremely difficult. If we slightly stray without first confirming our route, what happens if we can’t find this ‘Dongying’?”

His concern was not unfounded. Lü Bu, once a great general commanding armies, placed the utmost importance on proper navigation. Having previously heard tales of the perils of the sea, he felt uneasy upon seeing the expanse of water and offered his suggestion. Xue Rengui, though silent, nodded in agreement.

Ye Wen, however, replied, “No need. I have my own means of locating the Dongying Islands!”

He certainly did have methods. Moreover, even if those failed, he had Artemis. As the Moon Goddess, the stars in the heavens were somewhat under her dominion; once night fell, she could ascertain direction using the power of starlight.

Of course, finding Dongying across the vast ocean required more than just stellar navigation. He still had the jade slip in his hand.

Cui Jun had given him this item precisely in case Ye Wen couldn't locate Dongying. Once Ye Wen reached the Eastern Sea, crushing the slip would release a bird formed of immortal light to guide his way.

Now arrived at the Eastern Sea, Ye Wen did not delay. He casually crushed the jade slip and watched as a small figure, about half the size of his palm and bearing wings, materialized before the group.

“Follow me!”

While Lü Bu and Xue Rengui were startled, the small figure chirped the command, turned, and flew straight out over the sea. Seeing the figure move with great speed, Ye Wen told the two men, “Dismiss the auspicious cloud!” Without waiting for their reaction, he erupted with sword light, enveloping them, and sped off in pursuit of the small guide.

This leg of the journey took another half-day. Ye Wen estimated that the distance from the Eastern Immortal Continent to the Dongying Islands here was vastly greater than the separation between the two continents on Earth. With his current cultivation, crossing that distance on Earth would have been instantaneous, yet here it required over half a day of flight.

When they first saw the sea, the sun was just beginning to rise in the east; now, it was already descending toward the west.

Fortunately, they wouldn't have to travel into the night. Ye Wen could vaguely make out a massive expanse of land ahead. More importantly, even before approaching, a beam of light shot out from the area to greet them. Focusing his gaze, he saw a middle-aged man whose appearance was otherwise unremarkable. However, this man was clad in armor and mounted upon a fine warhorse. What caught Ye Wen's attention most was that the style of the armor was distinctly that of the Eastern Heavenly Court, not native Dongying battle gear.

“He must be the Divine General stationed here by the Heavenly Court?”

Although the Heavenly Court did not dispatch officials to govern this place directly, they maintained a garrison of Divine Generals to demonstrate that this territory fell under Heaven’s jurisdiction. These generals usually had little to do, serving primarily as a precaution and to supervise the indigenous deities.

As he pondered this, the small guiding figure vanished. Ye Wen seamlessly halted his sword light, hovering in the air to await the general’s arrival.

Indeed, before the general drew near, he called out, “Are you the Shu Mountain Sect Master, Immortal Ye Wen?”

The clear announcement of his sect and name suggested prior notification. Ye Wen replied, “That is correct!”

Within moments, the general flew close. Despite being mounted, he deliberately positioned himself slightly below Ye Wen’s altitude, bowing with cupped hands: “I am Zhang Guifang, dispatched here by the Heavenly Court! I have been waiting a long time for the arrival of Sect Master Ye to slay the Eight-Headed Serpent!”

Ye Wen blinked. He hadn't expected to run into an ‘acquaintance!’

Zhang Guifang might not recognize Ye Wen, but Ye Wen knew the man’s name. It all stemmed from the Investiture of the Gods—Zhang Guifang was a named figure in that classic tale, leaving Ye Wen with some impression.

At the same time, Ye Wen understood that Zhang Guifang was an old servant of the Heavenly Court. Although his position wasn't high, his deliberate wait for Ye Wen showed considerable respect.

One gives respect where respect is due!

Ye Wen always adhered to this principle. Thus, he politely returned the greeting to Zhang Guifang: “General Zhang is too kind!”

He then introduced Lü Bu and Xue Rengui standing beside him, and also mentioned that Xue Rengui was here under the Mystic Maiden’s orders to seek the location of the ‘Cave of Separate Heavens.’

Zhang Guifang was already apprised of this matter. He nodded. “I am aware of this. I shall guide General Xue to that entrance later!”

Although Zhang Guifang was an established official, his magical abilities and combat strength were average. His position in the Heavenly Court had remained middling, and realizing there was little chance for advancement, he had proactively requested stationing in this remote eastern region.

The Jade Emperor, recognizing him as an old retainer, granted the request!

Zhang Guifang was content with this arrangement. He also knew that although Xue Rengui was a newly appointed Divine General, having earned the regard of the Mystic Maiden, his future prospects were far brighter than his own. Throughout their conversation, he subtly positioned himself as subordinate, which made Xue Rengui somewhat uncomfortable.

Lü Bu, however, saw nothing improper with the dynamic and stood aloof, saying nothing—in his view, Zhang Guifang was merely a local garrison commander, perhaps not even ranking as a Commandant, so he naturally disdained to speak.

After exchanging courtesies for some time, Zhang Guifang took the lead, guiding Ye Wen toward the Dongying island and descending first toward a high mountain peak.

As Ye Wen landed, he saw that the mountain peak, which had appeared shrouded in thick mist from above, held an entirely different vista within. Several wooden structures were nestled among swathes of pink, making the group feel as if they had fallen into a sea of rose-colored blossoms.

The layout of the buildings and the landscaping of the courtyards were distinctly native in style. Ye Wen knew instantly this was not Zhang Guifang’s residence.

“This is…”

Zhang Guifang smiled. “I didn't explain clearly earlier, Sect Master Ye. The principal deity of this place, Amaterasu, wishes to meet with Sect Master Ye to discuss the matter of the Eight-Headed Serpent!”

The deity Amaterasu was originally referred to as Amaterasu Ōmikami or Great God Amaterasu. However, having since submitted to the Heavenly Court, using the honorific ‘Great’ was no longer appropriate—though in truth, the Heavenly Court didn't concern itself with such titles—so she voluntarily dropped the superfluous characters and now simply went by Amaterasu.

Ye Wen had anticipated that this Amaterasu might wish to meet him, but he hadn't expected it to happen so swiftly—the moment he arrived, she sought an audience, even sending Zhang Guifang to greet him. This made refusal difficult... though he had no real reason to refuse.

As Zhang Guifang was explaining, the door of the structure opposite was thrown open, revealing the silhouette of a beautiful woman in an orange-red kimono.

Ye Wen stood in the courtyard. From his angle, he could only see a woman in a kimono kneeling behind the sliding door, her full appearance gradually revealed as the door slid open.

Even so, her waterfall-like long hair obscured nearly half her face, and with her head slightly bowed, only two or three tenths of her features were visible. Baidu Shi Shang Di Yi Zhang Men Ba Tiand Fire Dragon Lord provides Out of curiosity, he couldn't help but gaze longer. Before he could see clearly, however, he felt a crushing pressure on the top of his foot—it was Artemis’s high-heeled foot making intimate, intimate contact with the top of his foot.

He looked up at Artemis; she stood there as if nothing had happened, head held high, acting as if she hadn’t just planted her foot on Ye Wen.

“Good thing she didn't use the heel!”

Though Ye Wen’s frame was sturdy, Artemis was no mere mortal, and the force of her stomp was considerable. Had she used her heel, even if he hadn’t been injured, it would have smarted for a while.

However, her interruption distracted Ye Wen from examining the woman’s features. When he turned back, the kimono-clad woman was already kneeling at the threshold, hands resting on her thighs, bowing deeply towards Ye Wen: “We welcome the True Immortal from the Superior Realm…”

Seeing her so polite, Ye Wen felt a wave of confusion. Zhang Guifang whispered quietly beside him, “Sect Master Ye, the Eight-Headed Serpent caused immense devastation here. It killed Tsukuyomi and Susanoo, who governed this land at the time, and inflicted heavy casualties among the so-called Eight Million Gods, leaving only Amaterasu alive. Even she was in extreme danger then! If Lao Jun had not personally arrived to subdue the beast, Amaterasu would likely have ended up in the serpent’s belly or been captured as a plaything… It was because of this incident that our Heavenly Court was able to claim this land so easily!”

“And since then, this Amaterasu has been exceedingly respectful toward the Immortals from our side... especially powerful Immortals like Sect Master Ye, who can defeat the Eight-Headed Serpent!”

Hearing this, Ye Wen understood the reason. He thought to himself, “This seems drastically different from the stories on Earth?” But he didn't waste energy pondering the discrepancy. In any case, Amaterasu being respectful was a good thing. If she had met him with a cold shoulder, acting utterly arrogant, it would have just caused unnecessary aggravation.

He cupped his hands and said, “There is no need for such courtesy…”

Even as he said it, Ye Wen showed no pretense of modesty. He walked directly to the wooden house, removed his long boots, and stepped inside.

Upon entering, he saw that wine, dishes, fruits, and other refreshments had already been laid out. Amaterasu had even explicitly offered him the seat of honor. Even with Ye Wen’s thick skin, he felt a twinge of embarrassment.

He intended to offer a polite refusal, but Zhang Guifang whispered again, “Sect Master Ye need not be modest! If you are too humble, Amaterasu will think you look down on her.”

“…”

Since the matter was put that way, Ye Wen simply took the seat of honor. Artemis, who also had a designated place, disregarded protocol and sat down right next to Ye Wen. Then, the others took their seats in order. After another round of formal pleasantries and toasts offered by Amaterasu, the entire affair stretched until dusk. Only then did Amaterasu finally turn to the actual business with Ye Wen.

“I hear Immortal Ye intends to slay the Eight-Headed Serpent. Is this true?”

Amaterasu’s voice, usually soft and melodious, suddenly betrayed a thread of martial heroism. Ye Wen’s eyes sharpened, bringing him back to alertness: I almost let myself be lulled. I forgot this woman, who appears so delicate, is actually a divine ruler governing one domain!

“The Eight-Headed Serpent harmed my Shu Mountain; naturally, it cannot be forgiven lightly!” Ye Wen replied casually, avoiding confirming whether he would definitely kill it, waiting to see what scheme Amaterasu was plotting. Simultaneously, though his gaze didn't shift, he secretly kept an eye on Zhang Guifang, wondering why the general seemed so invested in this issue—was there some hidden complication?

Upon his answer, before Amaterasu could respond, Lü Bu suddenly interjected: “Sect Master Ye, does this woman look like…?” Seeing Ye Wen turn toward him, Lü Bu nodded seriously: “I think she looks a bit like it!”

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