Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Wonderful!" Upon hearing the exquisite part, Li Xiaoyao couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice. He then realized he had overstepped his bounds, quickly covered his mouth, and glanced around to make sure no one was blaming him. Only then did he breathe a sigh of relief and continue to listen intently, his eyes gleaming with admiration.

After the sermon ended, the disciples gradually dispersed, some lost in thought, others exchanging ideas, and many cast curious glances at the outsider.

Li Xiaoyao stood up, straightened his robes, and bowed deeply to Su Xiao and the approaching Shen Mo, a rare display of seriousness.

"The Taoist arts of Qingyun Sect are exquisite, and the fairy's explanations are profound yet simple, enlightening me greatly! I have been incredibly fortunate to have disturbed you today, and I thank you in advance!"

Shen Mo sized him up and said calmly, "Fellow Daoist Li, you are too kind. My humble insights are of good quality, and it is fortunate that they are pleasing to your ears."

Li Xiaoyao chuckled, reverting to his usual carefree demeanor:

"Sect Leader Shen, you are too modest! Your sect's lecture platform is a treasure! Just standing outside listening makes one feel refreshed and mentally sharp! It's far better than us rogue cultivators trying to figure things out on our own!"

"To be honest, I've been wandering around this Blackwater Marsh for quite a few years now, and it's rare to see a sect like yours that possesses genuine skills and doesn't keep them to itself!"

He changed the subject, leaned closer, and lowered his voice, saying, "However, Sect Leader Shen, the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow. Your sect has been gaining momentum lately, so you should be careful. Some people may not say anything openly, but they might not be so well-behaved behind the scenes."

His words seemed nonsensical, as if they were a well-intentioned reminder, or perhaps just something he said offhand.

Shen Mo's gaze shifted slightly as he gave him a deep look: "Thank you for the reminder, fellow Daoist. The Qingyun Sect acts only to ensure that we have a clear conscience."

"That's right, that's right!" Li Xiaoyao laughed heartily, cupping his hands in thanks again. "Thank you for your hospitality today! I'll take my leave now! If there's an opportunity in the future, I'll come again to receive your guidance!"

Having said that, he turned around and went down the mountain without any hesitation, as swift as the wind.

Watching his figure disappear into the mountain path, Shi Tie said in a muffled voice, "Sect Leader, this kid is strange, and we don't know if what he says is true or false."

Su Xiao also said softly, "This person seems carefree, but he is quick-witted. His last words seemed to have a hidden meaning."

Shen Mo stood with his hands behind his back and calmly replied, "Whether they are friends or enemies, we'll know in the future. However, he was right about one thing: the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow against it."

"Our Qingyun Sect has been dormant for too long. Now that we are showing some signs of improvement, it is inevitable that we will attract attention. It is time for our disciples to show their skills and demonstrate the results we have achieved in this period of time."

He turned to Su Xiao and instructed her, "Junior Sister Xiao, pass on the order that the sect's minor competition will be held at the martial arts arena in half a month. All inner disciples must participate."

"The three newcomers, Wang Hu and his companions, are no exception. This small competition is intended to test their cultivation, exchange skills, and share experiences. Those who rank at the top will be rewarded."

"Yes, Senior Brother Sect Leader!" Su Xiao's spirits lifted. The sect's minor competition was an excellent opportunity to test the effectiveness of the newly built facilities such as the lecture platform, the body tempering pool, and the scripture pavilion!

The news sparked a surge of enthusiasm for cultivation within the Qingyun Sect.

The disciples were all eager to compete, especially the three newcomers, Wang Hu, Sun Xiaolan, and Li Tiezhu, who were determined to prove themselves in this competition.

The queues around the Body Tempering Pool grew longer; more people were studying late into the night in the Scripture Pavilion; and even the usually quiet forest clearings were now filled with the whooshing sounds of spell practice.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

On the day of the competition, the martial arts arena was packed with people, and the atmosphere was lively. Shen Mo sat in the main seat, with Han Lin, Su Xiao, Zhao Qingyan, Li Xiaocao, and others sitting on either side.

Below the stage, the senior disciples, led by Shi Tie, and the new disciples, including Wang Hu, stood on both sides, all full of energy and eager to try.

The rules of the competition are simple: opponents are determined by drawing lots, and the contestants exchange skills until the point is reached. Shen Mo and Han Lin will be the judges.

The first match was between Sun Xiaolan, a new disciple, and a disciple who had entered the Qi Refining stage a little earlier. Seeing that her opponent was a young girl who had only recently entered the sect, the disciple was somewhat careless and launched a fireball attack. Although the attack was powerful, it lacked agility.

Sun Xiaolan, however, remained calm and composed. She was quick-witted and not only studied cultivation techniques in the library, but also gained considerable insight into the characteristics of various low-level spells.

With light steps, she sidestepped the fireball, and at the same time, her fingertips quickly formed a hand seal, casting a faint but extremely precise "Gentle Breeze Spell." It wasn't an attack, but rather a perfectly timed deflection of the opponent's next fireball, disrupting their rhythm.

Taking advantage of the opponent's confusion, Sun Xiaolan approached and gently tapped the opponent's wrist with a hand chop imbued with spiritual power, interrupting the spell.

"You flatter me." Sun Xiaolan stopped her movements and gave a slight bow.

The disciple blushed and realized he had underestimated his opponent, and retreated in embarrassment.

A cheer erupted from the audience. Han Lin stroked his beard and nodded in praise, "This woman's fighting style is skillful, employing clever techniques to overcome the strong with the weak. She is meticulous and thoughtful, not bad."

The following matches were full of exciting moments.

The senior disciples had a solid foundation and were skilled in magic. In particular, Shi Tie combined the "Giant Spirit Shaking Mountain Technique" with his self-developed half-form "Shaking Mountain Tremor," which was so powerful that almost no one could withstand it head-on, and he easily won a series of victories.

The performance of the new disciples was even more impressive.

Wang Hu faced off against a senior disciple at the third level of Qi Refining. Despite having the lowest cultivation level, he was incredibly resilient.

The opponent's water arrows were relentless, and he couldn't dodge them all. He had to take a few hits head-on, relying on the strong physique he had developed in the Body Tempering Pool to grit his teeth and hold on, while keeping his eyes fixed on the opponent's spellcasting rhythm.

He finally found an opening, disregarded his own injuries, pounced on his opponent, and with a near-life-or-death fighting style, knocked him out of the ring with a single punch.

Although he himself was teetering on the brink of collapse, he won thunderous applause. Shen Mo nodded to himself, this young man's willpower far surpassed that of his peers.

Li Tiezhu's match, on the other hand, was rather simple and unpretentious. His opponent was skilled in earth-based defensive magic, condensing a stone shield that was difficult to break through.

Li Tiezhu remained calm and composed, employing the most basic "Great Strength Technique" to continuously move around the stone shield, landing each attack on the same spot with powerful force and a steady rhythm.

After dozens of punches, he actually managed to blast a crack into the stone shield, breaking its defense and winning easily.

Han Lin commented: "With a solid foundation, precise control of force, and a calm temperament, he is a person destined for greatness."

The climax of the competition was the sparring between Shi Tie and Han Lin. Han Lin suppressed his cultivation to the ninth level of Qi Refining and only used his swordsmanship to fight.

Shi Tie roared repeatedly, his iron rod swung wildly, and the "Mountain Shaking Tremor" was activated frequently, with astonishing momentum.

Han Lin strolled leisurely, his blade flashing like blood. He always managed to deflect Shi Tie's fierce attacks by the slightest margin. Occasionally, he would counterattack, but it would always hit a vital point, forcing Shi Tie into a state of panic.

In the end, Shi Tie ran out of spiritual energy and voluntarily admitted defeat, but he was deeply impressed by Han Lin's swordsmanship.

"Elder Han is amazing! I'm impressed!" Shi Tie said with a big grin, panting heavily.

Han Lin sheathed his sword and smiled, "Nephew Shi is exceptionally brave; given time, he will surely achieve great things."

The competition concluded successfully. Su Xiao announced the results: Shi Tie, Han Lin (specially invited), and Sun Xiaolan won the top three places, each receiving rewards such as pills and talismans.

What excited the disciples even more was that Shen Mo announced that, based on the performance in the small competition, the priority order for using the Body Tempering Spirit Pool and the Scripture Pavilion would be adjusted in the future, and that higher-level cultivation technique guidance would be provided to those who performed exceptionally well.

This small competition not only tested the disciples' cultivation levels, but also demonstrated the tremendous effectiveness of the newly built facilities.

The new disciples are making rapid progress, and the veteran disciples are making steady progress. In particular, the teamwork and high morale shown by the team members have made Shen Mo, Han Lin and other senior executives feel very gratified.

The Qingyun Sect is undergoing a complete transformation at a speed visible to the naked eye.