Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

With Wang Hu's example as an example, others were either encouraged or became more nervous, and one after another, people stepped forward to try. The results, however, were mixed, with some happy and some disappointed.

A seemingly honest, chubby boy, soon after entering the formation, had his image reflected in the mirror: a fantasy of how he would become an immortal and bully the good.

He was completely absorbed in it, chuckling to himself, when he was suddenly thrown off by the gentle force of the formation, landing on his backside, completely bewildered.

Zhao Qingyan shook her head: "Too greedy, and with impure intentions, he's unqualified."

A young man dressed in fine clothes, seemingly from a small family, was so frightened by the vision of his family's decline and his enemies coming to his door that he turned pale and instinctively tried to kneel down and beg for mercy, but was also sent away by the formation.

Zhao Qingyan commented: "Weak-willed, unfit for great responsibilities."

There was also a tall, thin man with shifty eyes. After entering the formation, the mirror reflected a scene of him being instructed by a small family to infiltrate the Qingyun Sect and gather information!

He was terrified and tried to argue, but he was directly imprisoned by the power of the formation and collapsed to the ground in fright.

Having anticipated this, Shi Tie strode forward, lifted him up like a chick, and sneered, "Hmph! As expected, there's a petty scoundrel here! Get out of here, and if you dare come any closer, I'll break your legs!"

After saying that, he threw him out of the mountain gate area, causing an uproar among the other waiting people, and at the same time making them even more respectful of the Qingyun Sect's assessment.

The assessment lasted a full day. In the end, only three out of more than a dozen applicants passed the test of the "Mirror of Heart".

Besides the dark-skinned boy Wang Hu, there was a clever girl named Sun Xiaolan and a taciturn, robust boy named Li Tiezhu.

These three individuals all possessed remarkable qualities, some resolute, some intelligent, and some composed. Despite their low cultivation levels, they impressed Shen Mo, who observed them with his divine sense and nodded slightly.

"Congratulations to the three of you for passing the first test," Su Xiao said, stepping forward.

"However, entering this sect is no child's play. There is a second trial, the 'Forest of Refining Intent,' which will test your perseverance and resilience. The third trial, the 'Stage of Performing the Dharma,' will examine your comprehension and foundation. Only by passing all three trials can you become outer disciples. Are you willing to continue?"

"Yes!" the three answered in unison, their eyes burning with fervor. Having come this far, they had no way out and were unwilling to give up this hard-won opportunity.

Although Shen Mo did not personally attend the subsequent "Refining Intent Forest" and "Dharma Platform" assessments, he kept an eye on them through his divine sense.

In the Forest of Refining Intent, one must persevere through various challenging environments generated by formations (such as thorny paths, scorching deserts, and illusions of icy caves), testing one's endurance and willpower.

The Dharma Platform is used to practice the most basic Qi-guiding techniques, testing one's affinity for spiritual energy and comprehension.

Wang Hu was the most resilient, struggling through the Refining Forest yet never falling; Sun Xiaolan was the most astute, always finding weaknesses in the illusions to overcome force with skill; Li Tiezhu had the most solid foundation, practicing the Qi-guiding technique with proper form and absorbing spiritual energy quite smoothly.

In the end, all three of them gritted their teeth and persevered, passing all three tests!

Although they were all in a sorry state and weak, the light in their eyes was even brighter than before.

As the sun set, it cast long shadows of the three men. They stood before the Qingyun Palace, anxiously awaiting the final verdict.

Shen Mo appeared at the entrance of the main hall, his gaze sweeping over the three people. Su Xiao, Shi Tie, Han Lin, Zhao Qingyan, Li Xiaocao, and other core disciples stood on either side.

"Wang Hu, Sun Xiaolan, Li Tiezhu," Shen Mo said, his voice clearly reaching the three of them, "You have passed the three tests of the heart, and your character, perseverance, and comprehension have been tested. From today onwards, you will enter the Qingyun Sect as outer disciples."

Upon hearing this, the three trembled with excitement and immediately knelt on the ground, their voices choked with emotion: "Disciple Wang Hu (Sun Xiaolan/Li Tiezhu) pays respects to the Sect Leader! We are willing to die for the sect!"

"Rise," Shen Mo said, offering a slight gesture of support. "Those who have entered my sect must abide by its rules, diligently cultivate, cherish their fellow disciples, and never betray them. The sect will also provide cultivation techniques and resources to assist your practice. I hope you will not forget your original aspirations and embark on the path to immortality as soon as possible."

"We will heed the sect leader's teachings!" The three kowtowed again before rising excitedly, their faces beaming with barely suppressed joy. They knew that from this moment on, their lives would be completely different.

Shen Mo instructed Su Xiao, "Junior Sister Xiao, take them to register for the sect, receive their disciple tokens and entry supplies, and arrange their accommodations. Starting tomorrow, they will cultivate together with the other disciples."

"Yes, Senior Brother Sect Leader." Su Xiao replied, and said gently to the three of them, "Please come with me."

Watching Su Xiao lead the three new disciples away, Shi Tie grinned and said, "Hehe, our Qingyun Sect has gained new members again! They all look like promising talents!"

Han Lin stroked his beard and nodded: "His character is indeed excellent, especially Wang Hu, whose will is quite firm; he is a promising talent. The Sect Leader's 'Questioning the Heart' Formation is truly ingenious, saving us a lot of trouble in the future."

Zhao Qingyan also said softly, "The formation is operating smoothly, and the effect is even better than expected. However, maintaining the formation consumes a lot of energy..."

Shen Mo gazed at the mountain gate gradually sinking into twilight and slowly said, "The cost was worthwhile. The quality of the disciples we recruited far outweighs the quantity. These three are enough. As for resources... we'll have them eventually."

He silently thought to himself: The system's "reputation energy" progress bar seemed to have solidified by an almost imperceptible amount.

Perhaps, only when Qingyun Sect is truly on the right track and its disciples are loyal can this energy truly be used to his advantage.

......

Inside the Qingyun Hall, the atmosphere was solemn and warm. All the inner disciples, the three newly initiated disciples Wang Hu, and the guest elder Han Lin were gathered together.

Shen Mo stood at the head of the table, his gaze sweeping over the young, expectant faces below.

After being screened by the "Inquiry Formation," the addition of new disciples has injected fresh blood into the sect and greatly boosted its previously somewhat thin popularity.

It's time to reveal his long-planned scheme to the public.

"I have gathered you all here today," Shen Mo began, his voice not loud, yet clear enough to reach everyone's ears, carrying an undeniable power, "to announce the official launch of the first step of the Qingyun Sect's 'Sixty-Year Revival Plan'—the 'Spiritual Ground Foundation Building' project!"

"The Jiazi Revival Plan? Foundation Building in the Spiritual Land?" A low murmur arose from below the stage, the disciples' eyes gleaming with curiosity and excitement. Even Han Lin was slightly moved, listening intently.

Shen Mo raised his hand and pressed down, and the hall quickly fell silent.

"Our Qingyun Sect was founded here. Although it is not a blessed land, our ancestors must have had a profound reason for choosing this place to live."

His tone was slow and deliberate, carrying a sense of reminiscence and certainty, "Recently, after thoroughly examining the sect's remaining scrolls and combining them with the insights gained from the Flowing Cloud Water Mansion, I have finally discovered that the 'Cold Pool' shrouded in perpetual chill on the back mountain of my Qingyun Mountain is not an ordinary spring, but rather the foundation of a long-sealed... 'Body Tempering Spirit Pool'!"

"A Body Tempering Spirit Pool?" Shi Tie's eyes widened, and he asked in a deep voice, "Sect Leader, is it that kind of precious pool that can temper muscles and bones and accelerate cultivation?"

"Not bad." Shen Mo nodded, a hint of insightful wisdom flashing in his eyes. "The cold energy in this pool is not death energy, but the residual essence of an extremely pure 'Taiyin Cold Fiend.' If it can be guided using a special method to transform the fiend into a spiritual force, it can become an unparalleled aid in nourishing the physical body and solidifying the foundation of one's cultivation! It is of great benefit to Qi Refining disciples in tempering their bodies and forging their souls!"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the audience!

A Body Tempering Spirit Pool! That's a cultivation resource that only major sects might possess!

For these low-level cultivators, it was simply something from legend! If it could really be built, everyone's cultivation speed would be greatly increased!