Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

With the agreement reached with Baibaoge, Qingyun Sect has finally taken its first step toward economic independence.

Although it is just a small counter, its significance is extraordinary.

This means that Qingyun Sect is no longer just a small group that relies on chance and the personal charisma of its leader, but has begun to have the ability to generate its own revenue and is steadily moving towards becoming a sect in the true sense of the word!

That afternoon, Shen Mo was in the Enlightenment Cave, guiding Zhao Qingyan in analyzing a section of the "Zhou Tian Xing Chen Zhen Tu" (a fragment of the Zhou Tian Star Array Diagram) about the improvement of the "Small Gathering Spirit Array".

The cave was filled with spiritual energy, and several pieces of array base ore used for experiments emitted a faint light. Zhao Qingyan was completely focused, beads of sweat appearing on her small nose, and her fingers traced patterns in the air, deducing the direction of the spiritual runes.

Suddenly, a series of slightly hurried footsteps came from outside the cave. Wang Lie, who was in charge of guarding the mountain gate for the day, appeared at the cave entrance with an unprecedentedly solemn expression on his face.

"Sect Leader! A few people have arrived from the foot of the mountain!" Wang Lie's voice was somewhat strained, unlike his usual calm demeanor.

Shen Mo raised his head, his brows furrowed slightly. After the Black Wind Stronghold incident, the sect had not relaxed its vigilance. Wang Lie's demeanor indicated that the visitor was definitely not ordinary.

"Who goes there? Is it someone from Black Wind Stronghold who has returned?"

"They're not from Black Wind Stronghold!" Wang Lie quickly shook his head and replied, "Judging from their clothes and demeanor, they seem... like disciples of a major sect! The leader is a young woman, very cold, who said she's from... the Profound Ice Pavilion!"

Xuanbing Pavilion!

These three words were like icicles, instantly lowering the temperature inside the cave. Zhao Qingyan also stopped her deductions, her pretty face slightly pale, and subconsciously looked at Shen Mo.

A glint of light flashed in Shen Mo's eyes.

Xuanbing Pavilion is a true behemoth in the vicinity of Blackwater Marsh. Although its strength is not as great as that of Lieyang Sect, it is far superior to that of Tianjian Sect. It is a prestigious family with a long history and a Golden Core cultivator in charge!

Such a powerful force would never normally pay attention to a small sect like Qingyun Sect in such a remote corner, yet now it has taken the initiative to send people here.

Is it a blessing or a curse?

"How many people came? What is their cultivation level?" Shen Mo asked in a deep voice, his face remaining expressionless.

"Including that woman, there were four people in total. They were all wearing moon-white silk robes and jade pendants with ice patterns at their waists," Wang Lie recalled carefully. "That woman's cultivation level... I couldn't discern it, but judging from her aura, she was at least in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage!"

"The other three are also in the late stage of Qi Refining, their auras are highly concentrated, far surpassing that of ordinary rogue cultivators!"

Mid-Foundation Establishment stage! Three late-Qi Refining stage cultivators! With such a lineup, if they harbored malicious intentions, they could easily crush the current Qingyun Sect several times over!

Shen Mo's heart sank slightly, but the more this happened, the calmer he became.

If the Xuanbing Pavilion were truly going to make a move, they wouldn't have sent so few people, much less be so "polite" as to have Wang Lie inform them. It's more likely a test!

"Did they explain their purpose?" Shen Mo asked again.

The woman only said, "I am Leng Yueyao, a disciple of the Xuanbing Pavilion. I was passing through this place and, having heard of the Qingyun Sect, I have come to pay my respects to Sect Leader Shen Mo."

"His tone...it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry, it was just cold and unsettling," Wang Lie reported truthfully.

A visit? Shen Mo sneered inwardly, thinking "inspection" would be a more accurate word. The matter of the Flowing Cloud Water Mansion had, after all, attracted the attention of a true behemoth.

Leng Yueyao's visit was ostensibly a formality, but in reality, it was a test to see just how capable the suddenly rising Qingyun Sect truly was.

"Sect Leader, these people are up to no good. Should I... take some men and stop them at the foot of the mountain?" Shi Tie rushed over upon hearing the news, speaking in a deep voice, his face full of vigilance.

He now reveres Shen Mo as a god and will not tolerate anyone posing the slightest threat to the sect.

Shen Mo shook his head: "We can't stop them; it would only make us look guilty. Since it's a 'payment,' we should treat them with courtesy. Send word to open the mountain gate and ask them to wait in the reception hall."

"Junior Sister Xiao, go and prepare some tea. Qingyan, continue your deductions, don't get distracted. Junior Brother Tie, come with me to greet the guests."

His calm and clear tone instantly calmed the somewhat flustered crowd.

Su Xiao nodded in agreement and quickly left to prepare.

Zhao Qingyan forced herself to calm down and refocus her attention on the array diagram, but her slightly trembling fingers revealed her inner turmoil.

Shi Tie thumped his chest and said, "Sect Leader, rest assured, with me here, I will never allow outsiders to act recklessly!"

Shen Mo patted his shoulder without saying anything, straightened his faded blue sect leader's robe, his gaze returned to its calm and undisturbed state, and walked out of the cave first.

What's meant to happen will happen; there's no escaping it. Since it can't be avoided, then let's face it squarely. He wanted to see just what kind of spectacle this "visit" to the Xuanbing Pavilion was all about.

A moment later, inside the rather simple reception hall of Qingyun Sect.

Leng Yueyao sat upright in the head seat of the guest section, her posture graceful, like a snow lotus blooming on an icy cliff.

Her face was beautiful, yet it seemed as if covered by an impenetrable layer of frost. A faint icy blue light flickered in her eyes as she opened and closed them. Her gaze swept over the furnishings in the hall, the mottled tables and chairs, and the ordinary ceramic tea sets, revealing a barely perceptible indifference deep within her eyes.

Behind her stood three Xuanbing Pavilion disciples with their hands at their sides, exuding the arrogance characteristic of disciples from major sects, silently scrutinizing what they considered to be no different from a rural ancestral hall, the so-called "Welcoming Hall."

The air seemed to freeze at the arrival of these people, carrying an invisible pressure.

Su Xiao, who was in charge of serving tea, felt her palms sweating. She tried her best to behave properly, but the faint chill emanating from the other person made her heart race.

Footsteps sounded, and Shen Mo led Shi Tie in slowly.

"I apologize for not being able to welcome you properly, my esteemed guest." Shen Mo cupped his hands, his tone neither humble nor arrogant, with a perfectly measured smile on his face.

Leng Yueyao's gaze instantly fell on Shen Mo, like two lines of ice, as if she wanted to see through him from the inside out.

But she soon discovered that the young sect leader in front of her had a restrained aura and his cultivation seemed to be only at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, with nothing particularly remarkable about him. Yet, she couldn't sense any tension or obsequiousness that one would expect when facing a powerful figure. Instead, his calmness seemed somewhat... unfathomable.

"Sect Leader Shen, you're too kind." Leng Yueyao nodded slightly in return, her voice clear and cool like jade beads falling onto a plate.

"I am Leng Yueyao from Xuanbing Pavilion. I was passing through your esteemed place when I heard that Qingyun Sect has recently gained fame and has a close relationship with Liuyun Water Mansion. I was curious and thus took the liberty of visiting you. I hope Sect Leader Shen will not take offense."

Her words seemed polite, but the phrases "rising to fame" and "having a deep-rooted background" carried a condescending and scrutinizing tone.

"You flatter me, Fairy Leng." Shen Mo sat down calmly and gestured for Su Xiao to serve tea. "These are just empty titles and well-deserved praise from fellow enthusiasts. They shouldn't be taken seriously."

"Our Qingyun Sect is a small sect with few people, living in a remote corner. It is truly frightening that we have attracted the attention of a major sect like the Xuanbing Pavilion."

His response was flawless; he neither denied his "reputation" nor admitted any wrongdoing.