Unfortunately, the plan Ye Wen had hatched to take advantage of his intoxication for that particular matter did not come to fruition. It turned out that Hua Yi and Ning Ruxue were with Artemis, discussing Ye Wen's past. Naturally, this conversation inevitably included matters concerning Dongfang Kui. Ye Wen bursting in was like walking directly into the line of fire, with no chance to retreat.

The entire evening was spent in casual conversation. During these chats, Artemis deepened her understanding of the Shu Shan Sect's situation and gained further clarity on Ye Wen's history.

"So, your past life was quite eventful too!"

Her half-smile, the slight upturn of her lips, and her eyes brimming with amusement left Ye Wen unsure how to respond. After watching her for a moment and confirming Artemis wasn't upset, he finally said, "Eventful? It was exhausting!"

Even if the past was exciting, how many people truly enjoyed a life constantly punctuated by 'surprises'? At least for him, he preferred a slightly more relaxed existence, much like the present.

Noticing that several women were present, Ye Wen seized the opportunity to share his plan to rebuild some living quarters. This immediately piqued the interest of the women.

Perhaps due to inherent talent, these women, despite having little in common and possessing vastly different personalities, engaged in a lively debate over this issue—specifically, how large the structure should be, and whether to build a single house or maintain the courtyard style they currently had.

Artemis even suggested constructing a sufficiently large bathing pool, a proposal Ye Wen readily agreed to. Though he knew Artemis’s motive wasn't exactly what he was thinking; she simply found washing in a tub too inconvenient.

"Don't worry, that pool... will definitely be big enough!"

He simultaneously thought to himself, And the bed will be big enough too!

This secret thought did not escape the notice of the women. They were all sharp-minded and understood Ye Wen intimately. The moment they saw his eyes darting around, they knew precisely what mischievous idea was brewing.

However, Artemis didn't mind, and Hua Yi would never object to Ye Wen; sometimes, she would even facilitate his ideas. As for Ning Ruxue, although she felt a bit shy about such matters, ultimately, she could never prevail against Ye Wen. Thus, even though the women saw Ye Wen’s intentions, not one voiced an objection.

This only made Ye Wen more triumphant. He proposed several more suggestions, though he deliberately left their true purpose unstated. He merely described the upcoming residence in glowing terms—how magnificent and comfortable it would be. The women’s attention was indeed diverted, and no one questioned him further.

Once these matters were largely settled, Hua Yi went to find the disciples responsible for construction work at Shu Shan—disciples who usually worked in the Dharma Treasure Pavilion—to begin the actual inspection of the floating island Ye Wen had selected.

Ning Ruxue and Artemis also went to take a look, discovering that Ye Wen had chosen one of the larger islands among the dozen or so floating islets. It was big enough to build a small castle upon, which only excited the two women more. After walking around the island, they confirmed it would be quite comfortable for residence.

Besides the living quarters, they could even build separate training rooms, eliminating the need to compete with the disciples for practice space. This was especially relevant now, as many Shu Shan disciples were cultivating intensely, frequently requiring seclusion, yet there were only a few established training grounds, forcing them to seek alternative spots.

Although the movement of Ye Wen and the others out meant not many spaces were freed up, it was still better than before! Moreover, once he built his residence here, Xu Xian wouldn't be able to continue living in the old spot; he might also pick a small island to build his own dwelling!

This setup would also subtly proclaim the seniority of Ye Wen and Xu Xian, as they were the highest-ranking figures in the Shu Shan Sect. Mixing constantly with the disciples might diminish their unique status.

Ye Wen’s appearance inherently lacked imposing authority, and over time, the disciples might stop regarding him as their Martial Ancestor, which would cause trouble. Therefore, maintaining some distance and preserving a degree of mystery was better.

These thoughts flashed and vanished quickly; there was no need to ponder them deeply. Knowing the action was beneficial was sufficient. While Ning Ruxue and Artemis continued exploring, Ye Wen wandered around the sect, partly to guide the cultivation of the disciples below.

His direct disciples no longer required extensive guidance. Zhou Zhiruo’s cultivation path was long set; she merely needed to follow it, requiring his input only occasionally to resolve cultivation bottlenecks, not daily attention.

Guo Jing remained diligently focused on cultivation. When Ye Wen arrived at Guo Jing's courtyard, the disciple was practicing palm techniques, attended by one of Guo Jing's own disciples who served and observed. Ye Wen arrived silently, standing for a long while before the attendant noticed someone had arrived. The attendant was shocked, wondering who it was, only to realize it was the Sect Master Martial Ancestor. He immediately prepared to bow, but Ye Wen waved his hand to stop him.

Though not the sharpest, this disciple understood that his Martial Ancestor did not wish to disturb his master’s practice. He bowed briefly, refrained from speaking, and stood respectfully to the side.

Ye Wen looked toward the training area. Guo Jing had now regained the appearance of his prime—looking to be in his late twenties or early thirties, with thick eyebrows, deep-set eyes, a square jaw, considerable height, and a robust physique. Anyone seeing him would praise him as a magnificent man!

This appearance differed slightly from the Guo Jing Ye Wen first knew. Back then, Guo Jing was just over twenty; although his features were similar, he appeared much more youthful, lacking this mature bearing, and his eyes lacked the deep sense of vicissitude seen now.

"He doesn't look like Guo Jing this way; he looks more like Qiao Feng!"

Of course, it didn't matter who Guo Jing resembled; the better the disciple became, the happier the master would be! After Guo Jing finished his palm routine and exhaled, he turned and walked over. Ye Wen’s arrival was no secret to Guo Jing, but seeing his Master remain silent, he understood his Master's intention. Yet, as soon as his practice concluded, he respectfully approached and saluted his Master, his etiquette flawless.

"This point is exactly the same as the original Guo Jing!"

Ye Wen chatted with Guo Jing about his cultivation matters, then walked around the sect with the disciple for a while, using the opportunity to deepen their master-disciple bond.

Ye Wen had first left the Kyushu World, departing for fifty years. After they reunited, he had been constantly busy, leading to some estrangement with these disciples. This visit was a form of mending that gap.

Fortunately, the few disciples he had taken were understanding. They knew their Master was extremely busy and held no grievances about his absences.

After his tour, Ye Wen checked on the cultivation of the younger generation. Naturally, he didn't need to look closely at everyone, but Liu Mengli, Yue Lingshan, and Xu Changqing were his most direct disciples; he couldn't miss any of them.

Upon inspection, Ye Wen’s grin widened until he could barely close his mouth, because these disciples were doing far better than he had anticipated.

Leaving Liu Mengli aside for a moment, Yue Lingshan and Xu Changqing—perhaps because their bodies were tempered with medicinal aids from a young age—had grown far faster than ordinary children. Now, they looked almost like adults, though a trace of youthful innocence still lingered in their expressions.

In cultivation, they also displayed remarkable talent. Xu Changqing, following his father’s path, was cultivating the Pure Yang Limitless Art and had already achieved considerable proficiency. He might even reach the Innate Realm within the next few years.

"Although the Immortal Realm has abundant spiritual energy, and our Shu Shan Sect provides plenty of low-grade elixirs for him, reaching this level in such a short time testifies to his innate talent!"

Compared to Ye Wen, Guo Jing, who remained on the mountain, was actually more informed about these matters, especially since many of these disciples also learned martial arts from him.

For instance, Guo Jing taught Xu Changqing the Pure Yang Limitless Art because, among the eighth-generation disciples, only Guo Jing had mastered it to its peak.

Other disciples who attempted the Pure Yang Limitless Art either lacked the necessary innate talent or met with unfortunate ends. For Xu Changqing to learn his father's technique, Guo Jing had to teach him; Ye Wen wouldn't have trusted anyone else to teach it.

Viewed this way, Ye Wen seemed somewhat partial? But no matter how supremely skilled Ye Wen was, he was still human, and humans cannot be absolutely fair. Moreover, this favoritism was not without reason, so naturally, no one complained.

However, aside from internal cultivation, Xu Changqing did not follow his father’s path of Sword-Man Unification; instead, he dedicated himself solely to the Way of the Sword. His comprehension of swordsmanship was among the very best on all of Shu Shan, so guidance in this external aspect was largely entrusted to Xu Xian, the foremost sword master of the Shu Shan Sect!

Yue Lingshan’s situation was similar. Although her cultivation was slightly less advanced than Xu Changqing’s, the gap was not significant. The only difference was that this girl had not cultivated her grandfather's lineage's Innate Purple Qi; instead, she studied a rather chaotic mix of techniques, dipping her hand into one thing and then another. However, this disciple utilized the Grand Ultimate Divine Art.

It could be said that Yue Lingshan was practically the second disciple in the Shu Shan Sect to genuinely practice the Grand Ultimate Divine Art. Before her, neither Ye Wen nor Ling Zhu had fully practiced it; they had merely referenced its exquisite subtleties, integrating only the parts they needed into their own techniques.

The difference was that Ye Wen integrated it actively, while Ling Zhu passively accepted the merged cultivation method.

The first person on Shu Shan to truly practice the Grand Ultimate Divine Art was Chang Mei Daoist, Zhou Zhiruo’s disciple. This man could be considered the only ordained ascetic in the Shu Shan Sect. Originally, diligently cultivating the Minor Formless Art passed down by his master would have been enough to occupy him for a lifetime.

But that was in the Kyushu World. Here, in the Immortal Realm, no matter how profound the Minor Formless Art was, it could not sustain cultivation for several hundred or a thousand years; it definitely required integration and strengthening with other techniques.

For example, after Zhou Zhiruo refined the Minor Formless Art to its limits, she formally began cultivating the Innate Heaven and Earth Technique. "In fact, Guo Jing and others have also started cultivating the Innate Heaven and Earth Technique."

Chang Mei Daoist’s situation differed from Zhou Zhiruo’s. The old Daoist had switched sects already possessing skills, and while he wasn't ancient when he took Zhou Zhiruo as his master, he wasn't particularly young either, putting him at a disadvantage in terms of innate potential. Although he had perfected the Minor Formless Art, in Ye Wen's eyes, something still felt lacking.

If he continued cultivating the Innate Heaven and Earth Technique as it stood, whether he could complete it was uncertain, but his ultimate achievement would surely be limited! Out of a sense of responsibility to his disciple's disciple, Ye Wen summoned Chang Mei for a thorough examination and told his grand-disciple, "Your situation is not difficult to resolve!"

He casually transmitted the Grand Ultimate Divine Art to Chang Mei, saying, "In terms of subtlety, this technique is no less profound than our sect's Innate Purple Qi, and its mastery of Yin-Yang transformation is even deeper. If you can fully comprehend it, it will greatly benefit your future cultivation of the Innate Heaven and Earth Technique!"

Chang Mei respectfully received the manual and, under Ye Wen’s guidance, began practicing this Grand Ultimate Divine Art—becoming the first official practitioner of this divine technique in the Shu Shan Sect.

Ye Wen mused that if he could summon the authentic blueprints for the Purple Cloud Silver Cord Double Swords in the future, forge them, and give them to Chang Mei, allowing Chang Mei to comprehend the profound ways of Yin-Yang transformation alongside those divine swords, he would likely be able to stride across the Immortal Realm unchecked.

The Yin-Yang transformation in the Grand Ultimate Divine Art was reflected not only in Daoist principles but also greatly aided one's state of mind cultivation and battlefield prowess; it was an incredibly potent divine technique. However, the numerous benefits of this technique were not easily grasped by everyone. Among the many Shu Shan disciples, Ye Wen saw only a few suitable candidates, yet Chang Mei, who diligently studied Daoist scriptures, was the most fitting.

This was also why Ye Wen himself did not practice this divine technique. If he practiced the Grand Ultimate Divine Art, at best, he would grasp the parts related to combat, gaining none of the benefits concerning mental state or Daoist philosophical comprehension. Thus, Ye Wen did not cultivate it, focusing instead on the Innate Purple Qi which suited him better, only integrating some essential principles of the Grand Ultimate Divine Art into his own practice.

After Chang Mei began practicing the Grand Ultimate Divine Art, his original shortcomings gradually strengthened. The Minor Formless Art, which had been difficult to fully perfect, finally achieved success, and it even integrated seamlessly with the later cultivated Grand Ultimate technique. Now, Chang Mei’s true energy manifested states like: Grand Ultimate transforming into Yin and Yang, Yin and Yang evolving into all creation, all creation returning to formlessness, and formlessness returning to truth—a cascade of profound and esoteric realms.

After observing for a while, Ye Wen couldn't fully grasp what Chang Mei had ultimately realized, but he was certain of one thing: he had unintentionally nurtured another extraordinarily powerful Shu Shan disciple!

As long as he understood that point, it was enough. As for those Daoist philosophies, he didn't need to comprehend them, since his own path was entirely different.

This whole affair, however, made Chang Mei even more respectful toward his Martial Ancestor, with whom he previously had little interaction. Besides the normal greetings, he would visit from time to time, much like leveling up the 'favorability' rating in a game.

Ye Wen certainly wasn't displeased that his grand-disciple was growing close to him. Following this, Chang Mei smoothly took on a small task: guiding Yue Lingshan.

Yue Lingshan’s practice of the Grand Ultimate Divine Art was not entirely orthodox, primarily because she lacked the foundation of sufficient Daoist knowledge. While this wasn't apparent yet, she would feel powerless if she cultivated it to a profound level. After his rounds, Ye Wen spotted this hidden danger and, seizing an opportunity, sent Chang Mei over.

Actually, Chang Mei had originally taught Yue Lingshan the Grand Ultimate Divine Art. However, the girl only learned the technique and not the Daoist philosophy behind it. At that time, Chang Mei hesitated to say much due to Yue Lingshan’s status. Now, with the command of the Sect Master Martial Ancestor, he had no such reservations and sharply reprimanded the girl.

However, some people on Shu Shan worried that Yue Lingshan might become too absorbed in Daoist studies and end up becoming an ascetic nun. Ye Wen responded, "Must studying the Dao require becoming a nun? Haven't you heard of lay practice?"

Still, despite his words, he felt a lingering worry, contemplating whether he should help settle Yue Lingshan’s lifelong commitment to avoid such an outcome.

Amidst Ye Wen's blend of leisure and business, Li Xiaoyao’s wedding took place, the disciples’ cultivation advanced, and the days passed one by one. Autumn yielded to winter, and the Shu Shan mountain range became veiled in a layer of pure white.

Originally, with the profound mystery of the Great Kyushu Formation, Ye Wen could have, with a mere thought, ensured that everyone in the Shu Shan Sect remained unaffected by the four seasons, enjoying eternal warmth like spring.

But Ye Wen felt this was wrong. Furthermore, the cycle of the four seasons was a crucial pattern in the world—on a grand scale, it was the 'Way of Heaven,' and it also benefited one's state of mind. He had no intention of separating them further using the formation.

Besides...

"Looking at the same scenery all year round would get tiresome, wouldn't it?"

Everyone suspected this was Ye Wen’s real reason for not using the Kyushu Formation to block the seasonal changes. Yet, they had to admit that Ye Wen’s preceding reasons were indeed valid; the changes of the four seasons were vital, and for those practicing specific techniques, observing the seasonal changes even aided their cultivation. Thus, the matter was dropped.

But as winter set in, the inhabitants of Shu Shan noticed that the chubby, white figure rarely seen usually was frequently spotted these days. They even saw the great beast wielding a large broom, sweeping snow in the front courtyard, though the reason remained unknown.

Naturally, some curious outer disciples inquired. They all knew this great white bear was the mountain-guarding divine beast of their Shu Shan Sect and understood human speech—it was no joke; its movements and demeanor were indistinguishable from a human’s.

"Why are you sweeping here?"

The white bear casually flipped its paw, and a large wooden sign appeared in its hand. It read: Ate all the fish thawed from the kitchen last night. Punished to sweep the grounds!

The crowd burst into laughter, finally understanding why there wasn't a trace of meat in this morning's breakfast—the brute had stolen it yesterday. This gave everyone an excuse to slack off; they all sat down nearby, watching the white bear sweep alone. However, they were only joking. After some teasing, they returned to their assigned tasks, leaving only a portion for the white bear.

Just then, a figure appeared from the main gate. The person's features were clearly not Eastern. Standing at the entrance, he first looked up at the plaque bearing the name of the Shu Shan Sect, then peered through the open main doors into the interior. Finally, his gaze settled on the white bear holding the broom.

"Huh? A bear that sweeps?"