Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Shen Mo remained silent for a moment, then slowly guessed, "I hope so. But... the possibility is slim. When that divine sense swept over, although it was indifferent, it seemed... to carry a hint of inquiry. Moreover, it lingered for a moment above our Qingyun Mountain."

He recalled the feeling when that will swept over him; it wasn't complete indifference, but rather... a very faint, almost instinctive pause and exploration when he sensed that Qingyun Mountain was somewhat "unusual."

Was it because of the subtle fluctuations from the improved mountain-protecting formation? Or was it because of the unique stellar energy within him? Or perhaps... he sensed the presence of the system?

Shen Mo wasn't sure, but the feeling of being targeted by an irresistible force made him feel uneasy.

"Then... what do we do?" Su Xiao panicked completely. A Nascent Soul True Monarch! If he really had malicious intent, he could wipe out the Qingyun Sect with a single breath!

What mountain-protecting formation? What valiant disciples? They're all a joke in the face of absolute power!

Seeing Su Xiao's panicked state, Shen Mo gradually calmed down. Panic wouldn't solve anything. He walked to the stone bed and sat down, gesturing for Su Xiao to sit as well.

"Panicing won't help." Shen Mo's voice returned to its usual calm. "What's meant to be will be. As it stands, the other party has only scanned us with their divine sense and hasn't made any other moves, which means they don't intend to act immediately, at least for now. This might be our only chance."

"An opportunity?" Su Xiao asked, puzzled.

"Yes, an opportunity." A sharp glint flashed in Shen Mo's eyes. "The other side is observing and evaluating. This means that our Qingyun Sect has value that they are willing to observe. This value may be our shield."

He paused for a moment, then continued his analysis: "The owner of this divine sense is most likely connected to the Flowing Cloud Water Mansion."

"They could be old acquaintances of the true owner of the Water Mansion, or other powerful figures interested in the secrets of the Water Mansion."

"The commotion we made before finally caught the attention of some truly important people."

"Then... what about the 'Patriarch Manifests His Power' story we wrote before..." Su Xiao asked worriedly.

"What's fake will always be fake." Shen Mo sighed. "In front of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, our little tricks can probably be seen through at a glance."

"So what we need to do now is not to continue acting, but... to show our true value."

"True value?"

"Yes!" Shen Mo's gaze swept across the cave wall, as if it could penetrate the rock and see the disciples outside diligently cultivating.

"Our value lies not in a vague and ethereal 'Nascent Soul Ancestor,' but in ourselves, and in the Qingyun Sect itself, a sect struggling to survive and striving for progress!"

He looked at Su Xiao, his tone firm: "Which is more worthy of... investment, or rather... exploitation: a sect with ancient heritage (even if incomplete), disciples with resilient character who can unite in dire straits and demonstrate extraordinary potential, or a sect that only knows how to play tricks and is empty inside?"

Su Xiao was stunned, carefully considering Shen Mo's words. Did the sect leader mean that they wanted to demonstrate the Qingyun Sect's "potential" and "malleability" to that potential Nascent Soul True Monarch?

"But... what does our potential amount to in the eyes of a Nascent Soul True Monarch?" Su Xiao still felt that hope was slim.

"Even small ants have their uses," Shen Mo replied calmly. "The key is to make the other party feel that we, this group of 'ants,' are worth cultivating, or have something special that deserves attention."

"For example, our improved formations, our unique understanding of cultivation techniques, and even... our ability to grow rapidly under pressure."

He stood up and paced around the cave: "Pass down the order that from tomorrow onwards, everything in the sect will remain the same, but all affairs must be handled with greater care, and the disciples' cultivation assessments must be more rigorous."

"The research on herb gardens, weapon crafting, and formations cannot stop; we must produce even better results. We must let the 'Observers' see that Qingyun Sect is a seed that is sprouting; although it is weak, it contains boundless vitality."

"But... what if the other party doesn't have the patience, or just..." Su Xiao was still worried.

"Then we can only deal with it as it comes." Shen Mo stopped, his gaze fixed on the deep night outside the cave, his tone resolute.

"But in any case, sitting idly by and waiting to die is not our style. Even if it really is a Nascent Soul True Monarch, trying to touch my Qingyun Sect, we'll see if we can knock one of his teeth out!"

At this moment, the composure and decisiveness emanating from Shen Mo seemed to possess a strange power that infected Su Xiao, gradually calming her panicked heart.

"I understand, Senior Brother Sect Leader." Su Xiao nodded vigorously. "I'll make the arrangements right away and will absolutely not allow the sect to show any signs of weakness!"

Watching Su Xiao regain her composure and turn away, Shen Mo slowly sat back down on the stone bed. The forced calm on his face gradually faded, replaced by an unyielding solemnity.

"The attention of the Nascent Soul stage... System, the trouble we're facing this time is truly considerable," he muttered to himself.

......

After that vast will swept over, Qingyun Mountain fell into an eerie calm.

There was no thunderous rage as expected, nor any further probing; it was as if it were truly just a fleeting glance from a supreme being passing by.

But Shen Mo's heart was on edge even more. Beneath this calm, there were often turbulent undercurrents.

He did not make public the speculation about the existence of Nascent Souls, as that would only cause unnecessary panic. Instead, he secretly instructed core disciples such as Su Xiao and Shi Tie to be extra vigilant and further strengthened the sect's daily management and cultivation requirements.

The entire Qingyun Sect, like a clockwork mechanism wound up tightly, was operating at full capacity in a silent and efficient manner.

As the days passed, the world outside the mountains seemed unaffected by the slight changes at Qingyun Sect.

The Blackwater Marsh remains rife with rumors of treasure hunting, battles, and conspiracies. The behemoths like the Blazing Sun Sect and the Profound Ice Pavilion still loom high in the sky, overlooking all living beings. On this vast and cruel Eastern Wilderness, the Azure Cloud Sect's existence is as insignificant as a grain of sand in the Ganges.

However, a sudden piece of news, like a stone thrown into a stagnant pond, stirred up a small ripple in the relatively closed-off lower levels of the cultivation world.

On this day, Wang Lie, who was responsible for going down the mountain to purchase daily necessities and gather information, practically tumbled back to the mountain gate.

He disregarded etiquette and barged into the main hall where Shen Mo was, clutching a pale gold jade slip tightly in his hand, his face a mixture of disbelief and excitement, along with a hint of bewilderment and fear.

"Sect Leader...Sect Leader! Something...something terrible has happened!" Wang Lie gasped for breath, holding the jade slip high. "The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion! It's the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's 'List of Potential Sects in the Eastern Wilderness'! We...we, the Qingyun Sect, are on the list!"

"What?" Even with his calm and collected nature, Shen Mo suddenly stood up from the futon and took the jade slip.

The jade slip was warm to the touch and emitted a faint spiritual energy fluctuation. The front was engraved with the words "Heavenly Secrets" and the back was inscribed with the words "Yi Hai Potential Ranking".

This is undoubtedly the logo of the Tianji Pavilion!