Though Ye Wen intended to hand over all these secret manuals for Chong Lou to practice, he couldn't just teach them haphazardly and let him cultivate without direction. That wouldn't be nurturing a Demon Venerable; it would be treating Chong Lou like a lab rat—though, admittedly, he looked much like an experimental subject for now.

Exactly how to cultivate, which techniques should take precedence, which parts of which manual could be kept, and which sections would conflict and prove impossible to master—these were the problems Ye Wen needed to solve in the coming time.

Since he had become Chong Lou’s master and intended to properly cultivate a mighty Demon Venerable, he couldn't shirk these responsibilities. Of course, he enjoyed it, because success would signify that he had successfully guided another powerful figure. It seemed Ye Wen’s personal cultivation had reached a plateau; reaching the final Golden Immortal realm was not simply a matter of effort but also depended on destiny.

Ye Wen had been incredibly blessed in this life, but he deeply understood the principle that one should not be too greedy. His previous fortunes were sheer luck; he couldn't constantly rely on such chance encounters.

Therefore, he was now cultivating step-by-step, waiting to see when he might cross that final barrier. Even if he couldn't, it wasn't a major issue, as his current cultivation level was more than enough to guarantee a secure life for himself and the Mount Shu Sect in the Immortal Realm.

This way, he seemed to lack further ambition, so now he preferred nurturing disciples, hoping to see Mount Shu disciples spread far and wide. This would give him a huge sense of accomplishment!

This was his thought, and this was what he put into action. By taking in Yuwen Tuo from the Western God Clan and helping him settle there, he effectively expanded the Mount Shu Sect's "operations" into Western territory. It was likely that no sect in the entire Eastern Immortal Continent could boast of opening a "branch office" in the West like Mount Shu.

Simultaneously, taking disciples in this world—if Chong Lou developed smoothly...

The thought alone made him excited. As for the disciples already on Mount Shu, they were no longer a major worry; their cultivation paths were already set, requiring only steady practice. At most, he needed to consider when to properly send them down the mountain for worldly experience.

Take Zhou Guan, for instance. Though not Ye Wen’s direct disciple, Zhou Guan fighting for the Heavenly Court served as a stepping stone planned by Ye Wen. If everything went smoothly, Mount Shu disciples would gain another place for experience, or perhaps an avenue for those aspiring to military service.

Naturally, Chong Lou’s situation was similar. If Chong Lou cultivated successfully and made a name for himself, Mount Shu disciples could also come to this world for trials. After all, this place was a period of conflict, with a fiercely martial populace; a few years adventuring here would yield far more than time spent in the Immortal Realm.

Chong Lou’s existence could also ensure the safety of these disciples—at the very least, they wouldn't be left without someone to turn to when trouble arose.

Ultimately, all the effort Ye Wen expended boiled down to the sustainable development of the Mount Shu Sect. Only if everything proceeded smoothly would the sect rarely need his direct management in the future. Disciples would cultivate independently, occasionally travel the world, and every so often discover a child with good aptitude to nurture. In a few hundred years, even if Mount Shu couldn't become the foremost power in the Immortal Realm, it would certainly rank among the top few.

Especially since Mount Shu currently barely worried about artifacts and elixirs. Since the cooperation between Mount Shu and the Tianji Sect gradually deepened, the artifacts and elixirs refined by Mount Shu began to find markets, gaining some renown in the Immortal Realm. The various materials Mount Shu needed were continuously transported over by the Tianji Sect.

Normally, these materials wouldn't suffice for an immortal cultivation sect, but Mount Shu was no ordinary sect. A crucial factor was that Mount Shu didn't need to waste vast amounts of materials on experimentation and exploration; they possessed ample established prescriptions and complete blueprints, requiring only methodical execution according to those instructions. Thus, Mount Shu’s demand for these materials was far lower than that of typical sects.

That was their advantage!

Moreover, Mount Shu disciples relied on their inherent abilities in combat, not artifacts, which served only as aids. They wouldn't even care if they lacked artifacts. Therefore, once a Mount Shu disciple’s cultivation level rose, they formed combat strength, unlike sects that had to search for suitable artifacts in addition to focusing on their disciples' cultivation.

Consequently, the future of the Mount Shu Sect was exceedingly bright. Having single-handedly orchestrated Mount Shu's current standing and paved the way for countless disciples, Ye Wen found himself with seemingly little left to do.

Especially now that his junior brother Xu Xian had also reached the Celestial Immortal realm, relieving Ye Wen of the duty to remain on the mountain for oversight, he finally had the leisure to travel here after slaying the Eight-Headed Serpent to cultivate a Demon Venerable.

Carrying a stack of scrolls back to his quarters, he found Artemis staring curiously at the pile of books clutched in his arms as soon as he entered.

Since arriving at Mount Shu, the Moon Goddess had gradually begun to grasp the nature of these Eastern sects. She understood how these so-called Immortal Dao sects transformed ordinary humans into beings as formidable as gods or Buddhas.

These seemingly unremarkable scrolls were almost the most treasured possessions of these immortal lineages. Never mind that the books looked ordinary; the knowledge recorded within was profoundly important. According to Hua Yi and the others, sometimes a full-blown conflict could erupt over a single top-tier cultivation manual.

In her leisure time, Artemis had visited the Huanshi Water Pavilion where Mount Shu stored its secret manuals and examined a few. She found herself utterly clueless about the contents, especially words like meridians, zhenqi, and dantian, which left her completely mystified. Although Hua Yi had explained some concepts when free, Artemis still couldn't fully grasp them.

However, Ye Wen believed that Artemis was simply too lazy to apply herself. Otherwise, given her capabilities, those rudimentary cultivation methods wouldn't pose any obstacle. If she focused slightly to clarify the basic concepts, she could probably master the simpler techniques in half a day.

Artemis merely rolled her eyes at this, saying nothing—because she genuinely lacked interest in these matters, even finding many of the techniques and moves too tedious, far less satisfying than the freestyle combat methods she had forged through countless years of accumulated experience.

Ye Wen didn't press the issue. Since Artemis was already an ageless, undying being, she didn't need cultivation to extend her lifespan. Coupled with her inherent formidable strength, she needed no cultivation manuals for protection. So, if she was unwilling to practice, Ye Wen wouldn't compel her.

"What are all these?"

Knowing Artemis didn't comprehend the specific cultivation principles, her fundamental reason for asking was to ascertain what special abilities these techniques possessed. To Artemis, the most direct way to differentiate Eastern cultivation methods was to inquire about the resulting effects.

Turning rivers and stirring seas, or perhaps being struck by five thunders? Moving mountains and filling oceans, or something else? Though rudimentary, it was direct enough. Artemis used this method to distinguish the skills practiced by the various individuals on Mount Shu.

For instance, Ning Ru Xue’s technique produced beautiful displays of azure lotuses!

Hua Yi’s technique involved five beams of light, each of a different color, weaving and clashing!

Ye Wen... well, the one on Mount Shu most fond of stabbing people with a sword, especially a purple one, was undoubtedly Ye Wen!

In truth, Ye Wen wasn't the only one on Mount Shu cultivating the Zixia Gong or the Innate Purple Qi; Wei Hong and Liu Mengli also practiced Zixia Gong and had reached commendable cultivation levels. They then began practicing the Innate Qiankun Technique, and the resulting moves manifested in half-colored effects.

However, neither of them mastered sword flight or the Myriad Sword Arts, so they lacked the habit of fighting with flying swords. Thus, the one on Mount Shu who favored fighting with a purple longsword was indeed only Ye Wen.

Xu Xian could also condense a flying sword, but its color was vermilion. Hua Yi's flying swords came in various colors, but never purple; Ning Ru Xue's was azure. Zhou Zhiruo and Li Xiaoyao’s flying swords lacked distinctive colors, appearing no different from ordinary longswords, which seemed connected to their Wuxiang Gong.

As for the rest, Nangong Huang resembled his master, Guo Jing... he preferred beating people with his bare hands and didn't use flying swords!

Now, Artemis was curious: what effects would the techniques Ye Wen selected for Chong Lou produce?

"This one can absorb an enemy's power into one's own body and turn it into one's own strength."

"Oh?"

As Ye Wen introduced the first manual, Star Absorbing Great Method, the woman immediately showed great interest. Her body, previously slouched lazily by the bedside, suddenly straightened, and her eyes glowed brightly!

To many cultivators, the ability to seize another's power might be considered the most heinous capability. But for the inherently powerful Olympians, it didn't seem so bad. Apollo, for example, had killed the original Sun God and seized his divine power, yet no one thought this act improper. The only complication for these Olympians was that the seized divine power wasn't easy to wield effectively...

Unexpectedly, there was such an interesting cultivation method in the East? Artemis had originally been uninterested in these Eastern arts, but now her eyes began to turn, contemplating whether she should learn a few of the more interesting spells. If so, she could also become stronger and perhaps discipline that detestable woman, Athena, later on.

Having spent so much time with Ye Wen, he had a decent grasp of the woman’s thoughts. Judging by her expression, he knew exactly what she was plotting.

However, Artemis’s appearance at that moment—like a pure young woman—was quite rare. He usually saw her as haughty and aloof; seeing her now possessed a unique charm.

"But this manual has many flaws, such as the absorbed power being impure, potentially causing a backlash, and it's not very smooth to wield..."

"What use is that?" Upon hearing Ye Wen's explanation, Artemis realized this situation was no different from the issue Apollo once faced. This supposed manual didn't seem very remarkable.

Ye Wen paid little mind to the trace of disdain in Artemis's words. In truth, he himself wasn't overly fond of the Star Absorbing Great Method.

"It can't be helped; this Star Absorbing Great Method is merely an incomplete fragment of a true divine art! The original divine art has none of the above problems, only requiring caution against those stronger than oneself."

Upon hearing that the original divine art didn't suffer from conflicting energies, Artemis's eyes lit up again. She even began to ponder whether she should cultivate that divine art and challenge the hateful Athena, hoping to seize some of her power.

"Do you know the original technique?"

Ye Wen let out a hearty laugh. Seeing his reaction, Artemis thought there was hope she could finally make that annoying woman suffer a major loss. But Ye Wen merely laughed before stating flatly, "No!"

For unknown reasons, Ye Wen had never managed to summon classic martial arts divine arts like the North Sea Profound Art, Nine Yang Divine Art, or Nine Yin Manual. He wondered if the ring was deliberately prejudiced against these famous manuals, or perhaps because so many people had practiced them, the ring found them unworthy.

Artemis then realized Ye Wen was deliberately teasing her. She glared at him before falling silent, just sitting there watching him.

Ye Wen knew the woman's temperament; teasing her briefly was enough, and he returned to introducing the remaining books.

"This one, the Heaven and Earth Great Shift, focuses on redirecting kinetic force. If mastered, even if an enemy strikes you with a punch, you can transfer that immense power to another location."

"Transfer it where?"

Ye Wen shrugged, "To a nearby small mountain, a lake, or perhaps onto another enemy—wherever you wish."

Artemis considered it. This ability was somewhat interesting, but after asking a few more questions, she found the theories behind the Heaven and Earth Great Shift too dizzying. After listening for a while, she couldn't bear it anymore and stopped inquiring further.

Next, Ye Wen explained the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and the Blood Scripture. Both manuals were somewhat sinister, and many of their abilities were cruel. Although Artemis was a goddess renowned for martial prowess, she disliked these abilities. She listened with a frown and asked nothing more.

As for the Dao Heart Seed Demon Great Method... she couldn't understand it at all!

In summary, after a lengthy discourse, Artemis confirmed one thing: if Chong Lou truly mastered all these skills as Ye Wen planned, even if he wasn't the most powerful being in this world, he would be the entity no one wanted to face.

First, the Heavenly Demon Golden Body from the Heavenly Demon Divine Art and the Blood God Body from the Blood Scripture would render Chong Lou nearly immortal and indestructible. Ordinary attacks and spells would barely harm him.

Concurrently, the Blood Scripture, the Heavenly Demon Divine Art, and the Star Absorbing Great Method all contained the ability to assimilate others' power. This meant that even without actively cultivating, Chong Lou could continuously enhance his strength merely by engaging in combat.

Finally, the Blood Scripture's ability to vanish without a trace would be troublesome enough, ensuring Chong Lou's life safety before he became truly powerful—if I can’t win, I can run!

The Heaven and Earth Great Shift served as auxiliary technique, allowing Chong Lou to calmly handle group assaults, even using the enemy’s own strength to wear them down before launching a final, devastating strike, incidentally absorbing all their power for himself.

Thinking it through, if she encountered such an existence, Artemis believed her only recourse would be swift flight. The notion of such a terrifying being emerging under Ye Wen's tutelage sent a chill down her spine, and her gaze toward Ye Wen became somewhat strange.

"What is it?"

Seeing Artemis looking at him like that, Ye Wen remained completely oblivious, still poring over the manuals, trying to figure out which parts could merge and which content was absolutely incompatible and must be discarded.

After only a short while, Ye Wen discovered that the incantations of the Star Absorbing Great Method could be completely integrated into the Blood Scripture and the Heavenly Demon Divine Art. Especially those vicious moves in the Heavenly Demon Divine Art capable of dissolving sinews and melting bones—combined with the Star Absorbing Great Method, they would be infinitely more potent.

As for the Blood Scripture... its Blood Shadow Divine Light could instantly annihilate an opponent and absorb their essence for personal use, which was even more domineering than the Star Absorbing Great Method. Thus, Ye Wen used the theories from the Blood Scripture to enhance the power of the Star Absorbing Great Method.

For example, after Chong Lou mastered these divine arts, merely touching an opponent—even without using the Blood Shadow Divine Light—would allow him to employ the Star Absorbing Great Method to achieve the same effect. To make this move seem less repulsive, Ye Wen intensified its power: anyone touched instantly turned to dust; if their cultivation was low enough, even their nascent spirit might be sucked away.

"Such a brutal move, I can't claim credit for creating it."

He found the process interesting while working on it, but after compiling these martial arts, he realized that combining these few techniques resulted in something too vicious. Although it suited the identity of a Demon Venerable, if word got out that these techniques originated from him, Ye Wen, the Mount Shu Headmaster, he would surely become the most notorious great demon in the Immortal Realm.

With this in mind, Ye Wen didn't even plan to keep the manuals. He intended to destroy them immediately after teaching Chong Lou, specifically instructing Artemis, "You may know about these techniques, but do not mention them to anyone else!"

Fortunately, while Artemis didn't understand why, she wasn't one to chatter idly. After nodding in assent, Ye Wen stopped worrying.

With arrangements made, Ye Wen finally summoned Chong Lou in and formally began teaching him these methods!

However, because Chong Lou, despite his not-weak strength, lacked a solid foundation, Ye Wen started with the absolute basics, tutoring Chong Lou anew. During this process, he couldn't resist acting playful: "This move concentrates all your vital energy onto the fingertip, then transforms it into the fiercest fire energy, compressing it, compressing it, constantly compressing it, until it can be compressed no more, and then you fling it out... Hmm, this move shall be called the Great Serpent's Imprisonment!"

Li Xiaoyao: "..."