The oppressive atmosphere of the Heavenly Court army was finally behind him, and Ye Wen felt immensely relieved. Staying in a place where the chilling martial aura pierced the heavens had weighed heavily on his spirits.

He glanced back at Lu Bu, who seemed somewhat reflective, constantly looking back toward the receding military camp with every third step.

“If only I could command such troops, this life would hold no regrets,” Lu Bu, ever the general born for war, couldn't help but feel restless seeing the Heavenly soldiers. After all, the Heavenly soldiers were top-tier, both in combat power and quality of personnel!

But as soon as he spoke these words, Ye Wen, standing beside him, inwardly sighed: When did he remember Diao Chan at a time like this? He had just been contemplating throwing Lu Bu into the thick of battle so he might forget about Diao Chan, only for the man to bring her up again himself.

“Hmph, I must have Chan'er accompanying me,” Lu Bu muttered.

..., drifting along listlessly, Ye Wen hadn't bothered to summon his sword-light, simply floating. Lu Bu smacked his lips suddenly and declared, “Having left the main camp, I suddenly have a craving for wine.” Before the words were even fully out, a bottle was tossed toward him. Lu Bu caught the crystal-clear vessel, expertly uncorked it, and downed the legendary seventy-proof Erguotou in one long, gulping rush.

After emptying the entire bottle of baijiu, Lu Bu licked his lips, still wanting more, before finally moving on to his real questions: “Right, that kind of armor—are there other styles?”

“Yes,” Ye Wen replied, naturally knowing Lu Bu was asking about the Divine Armor. Just the styles belonging to the Eight Legions alone numbered eight varieties, not to mention numerous other designs.

Lu Bu’s face lit up with undisguised joy upon hearing this: “If that’s the case, perhaps you could gift me a set I fancy?”

“If you like it, gifting you a set is no trouble at all.” This wasn’t some Earth-protecting treasure; moreover, Ye Wen planned to mass-produce and sell the Divine Armor anyway. Giving away such a purely commercial item posed no issue. Not just Divine Armor, but Sacred Garments or Divine Battle Armor—these things could all be bestowed.

Lu Bu was unaware of Ye Wen’s larger plans and only felt that this Sect Master Ye was exceedingly generous. Giving away such prized items so casually—a person like that was rare to encounter, and he considered himself fortunate to have met him.

He wasn't entirely ungrateful. He understood the principle that if someone was good to him, he must reciprocate. As a result, he became increasingly candid with Ye Wen, almost spilling intimate bedroom secrets, all under the pretense of wanting Ye Wen to get more familiar with Chan’er, making things 'easier to manage' later on.

“Spare me. I fear if I listen to too much, you’ll end up silencing me to protect your secrets.”

“How could I? Although Lü Fengxian’s reputation isn’t exactly sterling, I’m not someone so ungrateful.”

Initially, Ye Wen didn’t pay much mind to Lu Bu’s words, acknowledging that Lü Bu’s reputation was indeed tarnished. Whatever the truth might be in the official histories, his actions in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms were hard to ignore.

But upon deeper reflection, he realized Lü Bu wasn't entirely irredeemable. Throughout his life, Lu Bu had only served a few masters. Except for the incident involving Ding Yuan, which was truly dishonorable, his subsequent defections could arguably be justified.

Thinking of it this way, Ye Wen concluded he didn't need to treat Lü Bu with excessive suspicion. More importantly, there was no inherent master-vassal relationship or conflict of interest between the Shu Mountain Sect and Lu Bu. Treating him as a friend, Lu Bu wasn't an impossible person to associate with.

With this realization, Ye Wen couldn't help but give a wry smile. Lu Bu had been trailing him for quite some time, and only now had he figured this out—a testament to his own lack of quick wit!

His mind cleared, conversations with Lu Bu became far less strained than before. Although the journey lacked excitement, talking kept them from being too bored. Ye Wen shared interesting anecdotes about Shu Mountain, causing Lu Bu to start yearning for life there as well.

“If I can find Chan’er, and then find a secluded spot to retire on your sect’s mountain, that would be a great joy.”

That single sentence made Ye Wen’s face cloud over again. He inwardly groaned: Where am I supposed to find Diao Chan for you? Of course, Lu Bu didn't know this and continued his chatter, occasionally interjecting with, “By the way, Sect Master Ye, could you forge me another huaji (halberd)? The one I have just doesn’t feel right.”

Ye Wen nodded: “Let’s see when we get back to Shu Mountain. I’m not sure if we can forge the kind of huaji you want up there right now.”

While the Shu Mountain Sect could forge many magical artifacts now, they truly lacked designs for halberd-type weapons. The primary issue was that Ye Wen hadn't summoned blueprints for any halberd-style artifacts. Without a blueprint, creating an artifact required the forger to painstakingly explore the process themselves—a time-consuming and costly endeavor. Although the Shu Mountain Sect had accumulated some reserves over the years, Ye Wen didn't think they had the capital to indulge in such extravagance—every time he thought of Zheng Ying and Cui Jun tinkering endlessly with their 'steel bombs,' his head ached fiercely.

Walking and talking, they unknowingly arrived back at Shu Mountain. Crossing the mountain range that framed the perimeter of the Ghostly Might Circle—recently renovated by the disciples—Ye Wen looked at the high peak suspended in the air and let out a deep sigh: “I only hope I can stay here for a good while this time.”

It wasn't Lu Bu's first time seeing Shu Mountain; he had reached the main entrance area a few days prior, just without landing. Seeing it again, he was still astonished by the wonders of this Immortal Realm—a mountain peak floating in mid-air, shrouded in mist, with waterfalls cascading down from the height like shimmering silk ribbons, connecting the entirety of Shu Mountain to the massive lake below.

The two happened to be on the back side of Shu Mountain. This side housed another sizable lake, and its waters flowed down into the great lake beneath. When Lu Bu first arrived, he had only seen the front, never expecting such stunning scenery on the rear. He stared, completely captivated, reluctant to move.

“Sect Master Ye, if I settle down beside this lake, the Immortal Elder won't mind, will he?” Ye Wen looked over. Lu Bu wasn't pointing toward the great lake below but the lake on Shu Mountain’s rear side. This area was the flattest spot on the backside, surrounded by clusters of trees—truly exquisite scenery. Ye Wen himself had long planned to build a small cabin there for occasional retreats, but endless affairs always prevented him from acting on it.

Currently, Zheng Ying had installed numerous facilities there. Besides supplying running water to the entire mountain, it also provided some electricity. However, by utilizing certain Immortal Array formations, the environment remained pristine and beautiful.

“If that is your desire, granting it is only natural.”

Seeing Ye Wen agree, Lu Bu grew even happier. He floated higher, gazing all around, falling more in love with the view the longer he looked.

Ye Wen added: “My disciple, Zheng Ying, in order to make travel easier, specifically built a small path leading straight from that lake area to the main court of our sect. So Fengxian, if you settle there, moving back and forth will be quite convenient.”

Having spent so much time together, Ye Wen now addressed Lu Bu by his courtesy name.

“Excellent.”

Continuing their journey, they circled halfway in the air to approach the front of Shu Mountain. Ye Wen brought Lu Bu down at the main gate and explained, “Our sect is protected by a great formation. While the mountain's appearance can be seen from elsewhere, landing is impossible. Anyone attempting to approach from another direction will only be trapped by the formation.” Only then did Lu Bu understand why Ye Wen had deliberately taken the long route around to the front and insisted on using the main gate—it wasn't just a matter of etiquette.

“If you travel elsewhere in the future to visit other sects, be cautious of this. Almost every sect will have some similar measures in place.”

Lu Bu nodded. Having previously traveled around with Ye Wen, he hadn't actually visited any other sect’s grounds, so he was genuinely ignorant of these matters.

After nodding to the disciples guarding the gate, Ye Wen led Lu Bu inside, starting to outline the layout of his sect’s mountain.

The architecture of the Shu Mountain Sect was quite grand. Even Lu Bu, who had visited imperial palaces, found it impressive, which pleased Ye Wen somewhat.

“Behind the main hall is the Great Training Square. That’s where disciples usually practice, and it’s also the venue for our grand competitions. It's also where instruction is given! Of course, that’s primarily for the Outer Sect disciples who haven't yet entered the Inner Sect.”

After a brief introduction to the sect’s structure, Lu Bu understood that Shu Mountain disciples were divided into Outer and Inner ranks. For instance, routine tasks like patrols and guard duties were mostly handled by Outer Sect disciples. Outer Sect disciples rarely received detailed one-on-one instruction from a master; learning involved receiving occasional lectures from true disciples or sect masters on the square, where they learned the sect’s more rudimentary methods.

This was normal in Lu Bu’s view; to rise above, one had to perform better than others. If performance was strong, one could naturally be accepted into the Inner Sect to study superior and more powerful techniques.

However, after Lu Bu inquired, he learned that the Shu Mountain Sect was currently focusing on cultivating existing disciples and rarely accepting new ones.

“Won’t the number of disciples dwindle?” Having understood that cultivation was not guaranteed for everyone, nor did immortality await all, Lu Bu grasped the critical point.

“It’s only been this way for a few decades. We’ll start recruiting Outer Sect disciples again soon.”

“How will you recruit? This kind of Immortal Sect is different from ordinary secular schools or private academies—your main gate is open for anyone who wishes to learn to enter. For a sect like Shu Mountain, hidden away and floating in the sky, it’s not easy for people to seek apprenticeship.”

“Once this batch of disciples matures, they will naturally be sent out to travel. Then, the Ghostly Might Circle can bring back promising young talents to the sect.”

This issue had once troubled Ye Wen. Although he favored a 'special forces' approach for the sect, even an elite force couldn't consist of just a handful of people maintaining an entire establishment, could it? Especially since Shu Mountain had expanded its influence so widely, requiring quite a few disciples just for menial tasks. If these people vanished, relying solely on the few core members to maintain such a large operation would be anything but amusing.

Therefore, Shu Mountain needed a steady infusion of new blood. After researching how other sects managed this, Ye Wen had a plan.

Besides these methods, Ye Wen intended to forge the Shu Mountain Sect into a brand: much like a prestigious university, aspiring to attend Shu Mountain for advanced study, even if one had already achieved success elsewhere!

This advanced study wouldn't be limited to the Eastern Immortal Realm. A few individuals from the Western corner, if they wished to learn something, could apply for 'enrollment' at Shu Mountain. He had already tasked Yuwen Tuo with this. He was confident that as Kratos gradually established a respectable position on Mount Olympus, Athena would inevitably send envoys to Shu Mountain for 'advanced training.'

Kratos’s strength and rise implied that although the power of the Cosmos had inherent flaws, achieving godhood was possible—this represented an opportunity for Athena to cultivate a force entirely her own.

After Ye Wen thwarted her bid for God-King status, this would become her next strategic direction—and she practically had no other choice.

Furthermore, Amaterasu was also expected to send representatives. Ye Wen wouldn't hoard knowledge; if you wanted to learn, he would teach—though the core doctrinal knowledge of the Shu Mountain Sect would certainly not be disseminated widely; they’d only get surface-level teachings at best.

But these were not the most crucial aspects. Shu Mountain’s foundation remained in the Eastern Immortal Realm, so Ye Wen also set his sights on the Heavenly Court—Wasn’t the Heavenly Court struggling with a lack of high-end fighting power? Shu Mountain could help train them. Even if they couldn't cultivate true top-tier experts, raising a legion of mid-level forces would certainly keep the Jade Emperor content.

Then, a majority of Heavenly generals would be Shu Mountain alumni. “Even if the Jade Emperor considered scheming against our Shu Mountain Sect, he probably wouldn't be able to move effectively.”

Of course, such a scenario was unlikely to manifest fully. At most, the Shu Mountain faction would become a significant force within the Heavenly Court. Completely taking over the Heavenly Court from the bottom up was almost impossible, unless the Jade Emperor suddenly lost his mind—he would never allow such a situation to develop.

Passing through the main hall and reaching the training square beyond, they encountered a young woman rushing toward them. Upon seeing Ye Wen, she immediately stopped and executed a respectful bow: “Greetings, Grandmaster-Uncle.”

In the entire sect, only one person addressed him that way! The girl before him was naturally Liu Mengli, the daughter of Liu Muyan.

“Oh? Long time no see, Mengli. Your cultivation progress is quite good.” Ye Wen hadn’t seen much of Liu Mengli on his last visit, having heard she was immersed in deep cultivation. Seeing her now, looking no older than twenty, he knew she must have broken through the threshold of Earth Immortal. Otherwise, based on her actual age, she would already be entering middle age.

Of course, the techniques of the Shu Mountain Sect possessed significant life-prolonging and youth-preserving effects. Zhou Zhiruo, practicing the Lesser Limitless Technique, still possessed the appearance of a young woman even near a century old. Judging a Shu Mountain disciple’s age by appearance alone was rather difficult.

“A disciple reported your return, Grandmaster-Uncle, so I specially came to welcome you,” she said.

“Oh,” Ye Wen nodded. “That’s thoughtful of you.”

He then looked around and noticed that besides Liu Mengli, no one else was present. He frowned in confusion: “Where are the others… Where are your Grand-Mistresses and Martial-Grand-Uncle?” Grand-Mistresses naturally referred to Ning Ruxue and Huayi, and Martial-Grand-Uncle referred to Xu Xian. Logically, these individuals should have been the freest people in the current Shu Mountain Sect. Why were they missing?

It was understandable that his own disciples weren't there; he had assigned them a mountain of tasks, keeping them all frantically busy! It could be said that the true managers of the entire Shu Mountain at this time were Ye Wen’s disciples; he only needed to handle major issues.

“This… Grand-Mistress said…”

“Said what?” Hearing Liu Mengli begin this way, Ye Wen immediately understood that it wasn't that the others were too busy to greet him, but that his wives had given instructions, leading to Liu Mengli being sent alone.

“Grand-Mistress said that if Grandmaster-Uncle returned, he should just walk in, why make such a fuss?” Although Liu Mengli was already quite aged, having spent her life cultivating on the mountain, her temperament was still much like that of a young girl. Facing Ye Wen, who held the rank of Sect Master and her own grandfather, she felt a little uneasy relaying these words.

Fortunately, Ye Wen wasn't bothered and smiled: “She’s right. A crowd running to see me for a moment only to disperse immediately, as if I were some rare spectacle. This is better.”

He then chatted with Liu Mengli for a bit, asking about Yue Lingshan and Xu Changqing. Those two children had grown up now, and in Ye Wen’s absence, both youngsters had shown remarkable talent. Ye Wen’s disciples were taking turns teaching them, fully intending to cultivate these two into the most outstanding members of the ninth generation of Shu Mountain disciples.

After all, considering seniority and closeness, the descendants of Yue Ning and Xu Ping naturally received more attention. Coupled with the fact that Yue Ning and Xu Ping had already passed away, these disciples felt a sense of debt toward them, making their intense focus understandable.

After saying a few words to Liu Mengli, Ye Wen turned to call out to Lu Bu, only to see the Great General Lü with eyes wide as bronze bells, scrutinizing his ‘granddaughter’ from head to toe.

Seeing his expression, Ye Wen couldn't help but press his temples: Here we go again.

Before the thought had even finished, Lu Bu strode over to him: “Immortal Master Ye, I think…”

“Don’t think. This child is the daughter of my disciple, making her my granddaughter by seniority. Furthermore, she is someone I know inside and out. She is absolutely not your Chan’er.”

“Oh,” Lu Bu’s face fell into palpable disappointment. The shift in emotion was so rapid that Liu Mengli, standing by, was left wide-eyed, forgetting the small flicker of dissatisfaction she had felt moments before.

He then called out to Liu Mengli: “This is General Lü Bu, courtesy name Fengxian.”

“You first find him lodging somewhere suitable. I’m going back to rest. If there is anything urgent, just find me in the inner quarters,” Ye Wen instructed.

“Yes, Grandmaster-Uncle.”

Having delegated Lu Bu’s matters to Liu Mengli, Ye Wen no longer concerned himself, the only thing he needed to guard against was Lu Bu mistaking everyone he saw for Diao Chan. He specifically warned: “Don’t worry, there is absolutely no Diao Chan on Shu Mountain.”

He wondered if this final statement would only make Lu Bu more miserable for a while longer!

Ye Wen didn't intend to dwell on it. At worst, in a couple of days, he'd give Lu Bu a set of armor as consolation and then leave. He headed straight back to his own courtyard, only to find the gate slightly ajar. Inside, he saw Hasna leading Huayi, Ning Ruxue, and Artemis practicing yoga. The exquisitely curved lines of their forms momentarily blinded Ye Wen.

“Oh, you put on such an intoxicating display for me the moment I return? Is it really necessary?”