Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Seeing the crowd's excited and chattering expressions, Shen Mo smiled slightly, raised his hand, and gestured for everyone to quiet down.

"Inheritance is good, but it cannot be rushed." His voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable power. "Cultivation techniques must be advanced step by step, formations must be adapted to local conditions, and alchemy and artifacts must have a solid foundation. The most important thing right now is to digest and absorb it, and transform it into real strength for our Qingyun Sect."

His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on Su Xiao: "Junior Sister Xiao, you are meticulous and have made a great contribution this time. Together with Elder Han, you drafted a list of core disciples based on their qualifications and contributions. Disciples on the list can access the corresponding sections of the inheritance jade slips in batches and for a limited time."

"Remember, you must make a vow against your inner demons and strictly forbid it from being divulged. In addition, the Scripture Pavilion must be expanded immediately and equipped with multiple layers of restrictions, which Qingyan will personally arrange."

"Yes, Senior Brother Sect Leader!" Su Xiao nodded solemnly, feeling a great sense of responsibility.

"Junior Brother Tie." Shen Mo then looked at Shi Tie, who was rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"I'm here!" Shi Tie immediately straightened his back.

"Your cultivation is high, but you are also impatient. While the entire 'Flowing Cloud Dao Body' is powerful, the higher you go, the higher the requirements for your temperament become. You must avoid being greedy for quick results and rushing ahead. Starting tomorrow, you will go into seclusion, and Elder Han will personally protect you. You must first solidify your foundation before attempting a breakthrough."

Shi Tie scratched his head and chuckled, "Don't worry, Sect Leader! I know what's important! I'll take it one step at a time!"

Shen Mo then gave instructions to Zhao Qingyan, Li Xiaocao, and the others, arranging the initial use and secrecy of the inheritance in an orderly manner. Everyone accepted the orders, working with great enthusiasm, as if they could already see the bright future of the Qingyun Sect.

Just as the Qingyun Sect was busily digesting the inheritance and improving its strength, the news of the complete collapse of the Liuyun Cave and the Qingyun Sect's suspected acquisition of the core inheritance spread like a hurricane across the southern part of the Eastern Wilderness, causing a huge sensation in the Blackwater Marsh and even further regions.

Teahouses, taverns, and market corners were filled with discussions.

"Have you heard? The Flowing Cloud Cave is gone! The entire core area collapsed! Those who went in suffered heavy casualties!"

"It's more than just collapsed! It's said that someone stole the core inheritance, triggering the self-destruction restriction!"

"The core inheritance? Who got it? The Heavenly Sword Sect? Or the Profound Yin Sect?"

"Hey! Neither of those! You might not believe it, but it's that little sect called... Qingyun Sect!"

"Qingyun Sect? Never heard of it! How could this be?"

"Absolutely true! My senior brother's sworn brother's maternal uncle was there! I heard that only three people from the Qingyun Sect went, led by a young girl named Su Xiao. She's really weird!"

"That 'Myriad Streams Returning to Clouds' formation is powerful, isn't it? So many experts from the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Profound Yin Sect couldn't do anything about it, but guess what? That little girl went up, mumbled a few words, and casually tapped a few buttons, and the formation opened up! Not long after they went in, the entire hall collapsed!"

"My God! Is this for real? What kind of background does the Qingyun Sect have?"

"They're incredibly powerful! I heard their ancestor was a disciple of True Master Liuyun for countless generations! Their cultivation methods share the same origin! That's why the formation recognized them!"

"That's not all! It's said that before they even entered the cave, the 'Flowing Cloud Illusion' guarding the mountain gate nodded to them! That means they've received the patriarch's approval!"

"Tsk tsk, that explains it! No wonder we broke the formation so easily! It's like we're back home!"

"Foresight? A master of formations? And a connection to a true immortal? The Qingyun Sect is truly hiding its secrets!"

Similar dialogues were playing out in every corner. The image of Qingyun Sect as "prophetic" (always able to avoid danger), "master of formations" (easily breaking the Myriad Streams Returning to Clouds Formation), and "deeply connected with True Person Liuyun" (gaining the approval of the illusionary body and sharing the same cultivation method) quickly took root in people's hearts.

Although there were voices of jealousy and doubt, the vast majority of people tended to believe this explanation. After all, it was hard to imagine how an unknown little sect could win the top spot amidst fierce competition.

Black Mountain City, the Zhao Family Mansion.

As the head of the family, Zhao Kuo, listened to his trusted steward's report, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of his armchair, his eyes flickering.

"Qingyun Sect... Shen Mo..." he murmured to himself, "First he helped Yuan Ming stabilize the situation in Black Mountain City, and now he has obtained the inheritance of True Person Liuyun... This young man is no ordinary person. Pass down the order: the cooperation between my Zhao family and Qingyun Sect will be upgraded to a higher level; we must ensure a good relationship!"

"In addition, have Yuan Ming interact more with Shen Mo, sound him out, and see if there is any possibility of cooperation at the 'Tianyuan Conference'."

"Yes, Master!"

Meanwhile, Baibaoge Qingtaifang branch.

Manager Chen Hao looked at the detailed report in his hand about the collapse of Liuyun Cave, especially the description of how the three members of Qingyun Sect "easily" entered the core area, and a smile of "I knew it" appeared on his face.

"I knew it! Sect Leader Shen's good fortune is extraordinary! Investing in the Qingyun Sect was the right move!" He rubbed his hands together and instructed the servant beside him, "Prepare a generous gift immediately! No, I'll personally go to Qingyun Mountain to congratulate Sect Leader Shen on receiving the Ancestral Master's inheritance!"

The atmosphere was much more somber for forces like the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Xuan Yin Sect, who had grudges against the Qingyun Sect.

At the Heavenly Sword Sect's headquarters, a Foundation Establishment elder with a cold face and profound aura far surpassing the Qi Refining stage looked down at the pale-faced, still-injured chief disciple and coldly reprimanded him: "Useless! You can't even compete with a small sect like Qingyun Sect! And you've lost several disciples!"

The chief disciple gritted his teeth and said, "Uncle-Master, please calm down! It's not that I didn't try my best, it's just that the Qingyun Sect... is incredibly cunning! They seem to know everything about the restrictions inside the cave, and they always manage to get there first..."

"Enough!" The Foundation Establishment Elder interrupted him, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "No matter what methods they used, the fact remains that they obtained the inheritance. The inheritance of True Person Liuyun is extraordinary. If the Qingyun Sect is allowed to grow, it will surely become a major threat! However... right now they are at the height of their power, and they also have the skin of 'ancestor's approval,' so it's not advisable to openly make trouble."

"Hmph, let them be smug for a few days. At the Tianyuan Tournament, we'll make them pay back everything, with interest! Send people to keep a close eye on Qingyun Mountain; I need to know their every move!"

"Yes, Uncle-Master!"

Inside the Xuan Yin Sect's stronghold, the atmosphere became even more eerie.

The young master of the Xuan Yin Sect had a sinister expression, surrounded by black mist, and his injuries seemed to have worsened. Before him, an old man shrouded in black robes spoke hoarsely, "Young master, the Qingyun Sect has obtained the inheritance and has become quite powerful. To act now would be a loss. Perhaps... we should wait."

"Wait?" the young master's voice was icy. "Wait until they've fully grown their wings?"

"The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind." The black-robed elder chuckled sinisterly. "The Heavenly Origin Tournament, a gathering of heroes, is the best stage. Moreover... the legacy of True Master Liuyun, heh heh, I'm afraid some people are even more restless than we are..."

Similar conversations were taking place quietly among several forces hostile to the Qingyun Sect. Despite their intense jealousy and hatred, they had to temporarily suppress their urge to act immediately in the face of the banner of "ancestral master's approval" and the mysterious foundation displayed by the Qingyun Sect, and instead adopted more covert surveillance and longer-term planning.

For a time, although Qingyun Sect did not directly participate in the conflict, it became the focus of attention for many forces in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness and an important variable in reassessing the regional landscape. Various spies, both overt and covert, began to appear around Qingyun Mountain like ghosts.

The Qingyun Sect seemed oblivious to all of this, or perhaps they simply didn't care.

Inside the mountain gate, the atmosphere of cultivation was unprecedentedly high. The expansion project of the Scripture Pavilion was being carried out day and night, and Zhao Qingyan, along with several disciples with array formation talent, was carefully setting up a combined protective and spirit-gathering array.

Under Li Xiaocao's leadership, the herb garden began planning a new round of spiritual plant rotation according to the newly acquired traditions.

On the platform, Han Lin began to systematically explain more refined methods of circulating qi to his disciples, combining the basic chapters of "Flowing Cloud Dao Body".

Shi Tieze began a painful period of seclusion, under Han Lin's supervision, to rebuild his foundation.

Su Xiao was extremely busy, assisting Shen Mo and Han Lin in handling sect affairs, arranging for core disciples to review the inheritance, and also making the most of her time to comprehend the parts of the jade slip that were suitable for her, as her cultivation showed signs of breaking through to the seventh level of Qi Refining.