Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Looking at the passionate crowd, Shen Mo felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He nodded:

"Very well! In that case, starting tomorrow, all sect rules, cultivation plans, and resource allocations will be readjusted with this goal at the core!"

"The specific details will be drafted later by Su Xiao together with Elder Han, Qingyan, and Xiaocao."

"Yes!" the crowd responded in unison, their morale soaring.

Just as the meeting was about to end and everyone was preparing to go about their busy lives, Shen Mo suddenly felt something. A very faint yet unusually clear throbbing came from the depths of his soul without warning!

That feeling was neither sound nor image, but more like a...calling that transcended endless time and space, carrying vicissitudes and anticipation!

At the same time, the pale gold progress bar representing "reputation energy" on the dormant system interface in his mind flickered slightly on its own!

Although he still couldn't activate it, Shen Mo clearly felt a faint, almost imperceptible thread of energy following the call, pointing far away towards... the south! The far, far south!

Shen Mo's body jolted violently, and he abruptly turned his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the walls of the main hall and through layers of mountains, casting his gaze upon the unknown, vast and boundless southern world!

Is it the ancestral master Qingyunzi? Is this the true place of inheritance for the "Star Radiance Lineage"?

This sudden sensation made his heart pound, but he forcibly suppressed it. This matter was of utmost importance and could not be easily revealed.

"Sect Leader, what's wrong?" The observant Su Xiao noticed Shen Mo's unusual behavior.

"...It's nothing." Shen Mo slowly withdrew his gaze, his face returning to calm, but deep in his eyes, a flame ignited that was even more intense and resolute than before.

He uttered four words softly, as if addressing everyone, or perhaps responding to some unseen call:

"It's just beginning."

The name Qingyun has begun to appear in the world. However, the road ahead is long and arduous. Is this sudden summons a blessing or a curse? Is it a legacy from the patriarch, or a new trap? He doesn't know.

......

Just as Qingyun Sect set its goal, a group of young people who came to become disciples arrived at the sect's gate once again.

Most of them were simply dressed, and their cultivation levels were mostly hovering around the first or second level of Qi Refining. There were even a few ordinary teenagers who had just touched the threshold of Qi Sensing.

They stood outside the somewhat somber mountain gate, gazing at the misty peaks and the faint glow of the array formation, their faces showing both longing for the immortal sect and fear of the unknown trials.

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, another dozen or so people have gathered at the foot of the mountain. It seems... they genuinely come to become disciples." Su Xiao entered the Sect Leader's Hall and reported to Shen Mo, her delicate brows slightly furrowed. "However, the people are a mixed bag, and their qualities vary. How to handle them is up to the Sect Leader to decide."

Shen Mo opened his eyes from the futon, his gaze calm. He had already sensed the situation down the mountain through his divine sense.

These people mostly possessed faint and pure auras, unlike cunning individuals. However, on the path of cultivation, character is far more important than talent, especially given that the Qingyun Sect's foundation is currently unstable and it is surrounded by powerful enemies. Therefore, it is even more important to be cautious when recruiting disciples.

"Better to have none than to have something of poor quality" is an ironclad rule.

"Junior Sister Xiao, what do you think?" Shen Mo didn't answer immediately, but asked instead.

Su Xiao pondered for a moment and replied, "I observed that some of them had clear eyes and sincere attitudes, as if they were truly devoted to the Dao."

"However, our Qingyun Sect is just beginning to gain fame and has limited resources. If we were to collect them all, we fear it would be difficult to sustain ourselves, and there is no guarantee that there won't be any unscrupulous individuals among them."

"But if we turn them all away, we risk discouraging those who are truly devoted to the Dao, and it would also damage the reputation of our sect."

"Well said." Shen Mo nodded. "The development of a sect needs fresh blood, but the entry threshold cannot be lowered. Talent can be made up for, and resources can be found, but temperament is difficult to change later in life."

"What my Qingyun Sect wants are people who can share joys and sorrows and have a firm Dao heart, not opportunists who abandon righteousness for personal gain and retreat when faced with difficulties."

He stood up, walked outside the cave, and looked down at the faintly visible figures below the mountain: "Since the rules have been established, then let's follow them."

"Activate the first level of the 'Heart-Questioning Array,' the 'Heart-Mirroring Array.' All those who wish to join my sect must pass this test. Only those who pass will be considered for further assessments."

"Yes, Senior Brother Sect Leader!" Su Xiao's spirits lifted.

This "Heart-Questioning Array" was set up by Shen Mo by combining the sect's remaining array classics, Zhao Qingyan's array talent, and his own unique understanding of divine sense. It took a lot of materials to set it up. It is divided into three layers and aims to examine one's true heart and filter out the wicked.

Now is the perfect time to test the mettle of these apprentices.

The news quickly spread down the mountain. Upon hearing that Qingyun Sect had set up the "Heart-Questioning Array" test, the young men and women at the foot of the mountain stirred with excitement. Some were excited, some were nervous, and some hesitated.

A dark-skinned boy, dressed in patched clothes, clenched his fists, his eyes resolute. He stepped out of the crowd first, bowed to Zhang Daniu, who was guarding the mountain gate, and said, "Immortal Master, this humble one, Wang Hu, wishes to be the first to challenge the formation!"

Zhang Daniu looked at him and asked in a gruff voice, "Kid, have you thought this through? The sect leader said this 'Heart-Testing Formation' is no simple matter. Failing it isn't a big deal, but if your intentions are impure, you'll suffer!"

Wang Hu raised his head, his eyes clear: "My family has fallen on hard times, and I've ended up here. I have no other skills, only a heart yearning for the Dao! If there's even the slightest chance, I'm willing to try, even through mountains of knives and seas of fire!"

"Good! You've got guts! Come with me!" Zhang Daniu patted him on the shoulder and led him toward the array platform on the back mountain.

On the platform, Zhao Qingyan was already in place. She made a hand seal, and in the center of the platform, a seemingly ancient bronze mirror with mysterious runes engraved on its edges slowly rose up. The mirror surface was hazy, as if shrouded in a layer of water vapor.

This is the "Mirror of the Heart," which can reflect the most authentic emotional fluctuations and hidden thoughts of those who enter the formation.

At Zhao Qingyan's prompting, Wang Hu stepped into the area enveloped by the mirror's light.

Upon entering the formation, Wang Hu felt a warmth spread through his body, as if enveloped in lukewarm water. Ripples spread across the bronze mirror before him, but instead of reflecting his image, various illusions appeared:

Sometimes it was the luxurious scenes of fine clothes and sumptuous food, and a large retinue of servants that tempted him; sometimes it was the fierce enemies that forced him to submit; and sometimes it was the sight of his former relatives and friends in their destitution and pleading that stirred his compassion... All sorts of desires, fears, and hesitations came rushing in.

Sweat beaded on Wang Hu's forehead, his body trembled slightly, but his eyes remained fixed on the mirror, his lips pressed tightly together, muttering to himself, "All is illusion... all is illusion... I only want to cultivate immortality... I only want to become stronger..."

He was quite determined; despite the shock, he always maintained a clear mind and was never misled by illusions.

After an incense stick's time, the ripples on the mirror subsided, and the illusion vanished. Zhao Qingyan nodded slightly and addressed Su Xiao, who was outside the array:

"Senior Sister Su, this boy's temperament is acceptable. Although he has some distracting thoughts, he is able to control himself and pass the first test."

Wang Hu breathed a sigh of relief, staggered a step, and bowed deeply to Zhao Qingyan and Su Xiao, his face full of excitement.