Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

The most bustling spot is the entrance to the "Liuyun Secret Realm" on the cliff edge of the back mountain.

Before the white jade archway stood a prominent jade tablet, on which the rules of the secret realm were personally inscribed by Zhao Qingyan:

Entry requires 50 contribution points and is limited to one hour. The difficulty is divided into three levels: "Light Cloud," "Flowing Cloud," and "Raging Cloud," corresponding to the early, middle, and late stages of Qi Refining. Maliciously destroying the core of the secret realm is strictly prohibited.

Even so, disciples eager to enter the secret realm for training still lined up in long queues. After all, the experience of fighting to the death against illusory demonic beasts was far more valuable than secluded cultivation.

"Next, Liu Chuang! Choose the 'Flowing Clouds' difficulty!" Elder Han Lin, who was in charge of guarding the entrance to the secret realm and also served as the referee, announced loudly.

A well-built disciple at the fourth level of Qi Refining stepped forward, swiped his identity jade token in a groove next to the archway, deducted contribution points, and stepped into the light gate with a determined look in his eyes.

About an hour later, the light gate fluctuated, and Liu Chuang staggered out, his clothes torn and covered with fine wounds. His face was pale, but his eyes were unusually bright, filled with excitement and lingering fear.

"Liu Chuang, lasted seventy-three breaths, killed one Illusionary Wolf Spider, rating: Good. Gained ten contribution points," Han Lin recorded.

"Elder Han, that wolf spider was so realistic! Its claws looked just like real ones! It almost ripped me open!" Liu Chuang gasped for breath, still shaken but also excited. "But it was totally worth it! I feel like I've become much more proficient in using the 'Flowing Cloud Palm'!"

The surrounding disciples cast envious glances, further strengthening their resolve to accumulate enough contribution points to try their luck.

Shi Tie, as a benchmark of the sect, is a frequent visitor to the secret realm.

He has begun to attempt the "Raging Cloud" difficulty level. Each time he emerges, he is covered in wounds, as if he has been pulled out of a pool of blood. However, his aura becomes more and more ferocious and refined with each attempt. His combination of "Giant Spirit Shaking Mountain Technique" and "Flowing Cloud Dao Body" is becoming more and more proficient, and he is faintly touching the bottleneck of the seventh level of Qi Refining.

Su Xiao focused more on honing his skills and mental fortitude. In the "Flowing Clouds" difficulty level, he mastered various spells, footwork, and even simple illusion arrays, steadily advancing his cultivation towards the seventh level of Qi Refining.

The entire Qingyun Mountain is like a precise and efficient cultivation machine, with each disciple being an indispensable cog in the machine. Lubricated by contribution points and guided by inheritance, the machine operates at full speed, and the improvement in strength is visible to the naked eye.

In this daily grind of cultivation and accumulation, time quietly slipped away. In the blink of an eye, more than half a year had passed since the Flowing Cloud Cave incident.

On this day, an uninvited guest arrived once again at the foot of Qingyun Mountain. It was Chen Hao, the manager of the Blackwater Marsh branch of Baibaoge.

Compared to six months ago, his smile was warmer, even carrying a hint of respect.

He held an exquisite jade box in his hands, saying that he had heard that the Qingyun Sect had made progress recently, and he had come to congratulate them. He also brought the latest issue of the "Eastern Wilderness Region Potential Sect Ranking" from the Tianji Pavilion.

Inside the main hall, Shen Mo received Chen Hao. Su Xiao and Han Lin accompanied him.

"Sect Leader Shen, Fairy Su, Elder Han, how have you been?" Chen Hao greeted with a smile, presenting the jade box. "This is a small gift, a newly arrived 'Tranquil Cloud Pattern Tea' from our pavilion, which has the effect of calming the mind and promoting enlightenment. It is just a token of my appreciation."

"Manager Chen, you're too kind." Shen Mo smiled slightly and gestured for Su Xiao to accept the gift.

Nowadays, Qingyun Sect and Baibaoge cooperate closely. Most of the low-grade pills and talismans produced by the sect are sold through Baibaoge's channels, in exchange for a large amount of urgently needed spirit stones and materials. The two sides have become close partners.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Chen Hao got down to business, took out the brand-new jade slip that emitted a faint spiritual light, and presented it with both hands:

"Sect Leader Shen, this is the latest Heavenly Mystery Pavilion ranking. Your sect's ranking has changed quite a bit this time!"

His tone carried an undisguised astonishment.

Shen Mo remained calm as he accepted the jade slip and immersed his consciousness into it. Su Xiao and Han Lin also looked over curiously.

Information flowed through the jade slip, and the rankings at the top remained largely unchanged, with the well-known major sects still dominating the top spots.

Shen Mo's gaze immediately fell to the middle and back of the list. He quickly found his target.

[Eastern Wilderness Region Potential Sect Ranking - Grade B]

Ninety-second place: Qingyun Sect (↑Up eight places from the previous period)

Location: Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness, Blackwater Marsh, Qingyun Mountain.

Comments: The sect has a fresh new look, the disciples are diligent, and the cultivation atmosphere is strong. The lineage is well-established, the techniques are quite unique, especially the art of cloud and mist manipulation, and the disciples' combat abilities have improved significantly.

The incident at Liuyun Cave half a year ago further revealed its unfathomable depth, and its connection with ancient immortals seemed to be not unfounded.

However, the sect is still small in scale and lacks high-end combat power, but its future development potential is huge. Rating: Unfathomable.

The ranking has improved by eight places! From 100th to 92nd!

The assessment has changed from "its foundation is growing and its potential is yet to be estimated" to "its lineage is well-established, its disciples are outstanding, and its depth is unfathomable"!

Especially the last four words, "unfathomable", are extremely high praise in the evaluation system of Tianji Pavilion. They are usually used for sects with profound foundations and whose strengths and weaknesses are hard to fathom!

Elder Han Lin's hand trembled slightly as he stroked his beard, his old face flushed with excitement. Su Xiaomei's eyes also shone with admiration, a surge of pride welling up within her.

Although I knew the sect was making progress, the significance of receiving public recognition from an authoritative institution like the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is completely different!

Shen Mo put down the jade slip, his face remaining calm and composed. He simply smiled faintly and said, "The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion flatters us. My Qingyun Sect is content with its remote location and only hopes that its disciples will have a smooth path in their cultivation. We dare not accept the assessment of being 'unfathomable'."

Chen Hao waved his hands repeatedly and sighed sincerely, "Sect Leader Shen is too modest! To be honest, who around Blackwater Marsh doesn't know that the Azure Cloud Sect has received the true teachings of Ancestor Flowing Cloud, and that every disciple is as fierce as a dragon or a tiger?"

"Even the head of my Hundred Treasures Pavilion holds your sect in high regard and has specifically instructed me to maintain a good cooperative relationship with your sect! Please feel free to ask if you have any needs in the future!"

He lowered his voice and said, "Moreover, according to information from within the organization, the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Profound Yin Sect have rather mixed opinions about your sect. In the short term, I'm afraid no one will dare to provoke you easily."

"After all, the phrase 'unfathomable' is enough to make many people with ill intentions think twice."

Shen Mo nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. He understood the principle that a tall tree catches the wind, but appropriately displaying one's strength could also save a lot of trouble.

The list from Tianji Pavilion has inadvertently added a layer of protection for Qingyun Sect.

After seeing off the profusely grateful Chen Hao, only Shen Mo and two others remained in the main hall.

"Sect Leader! Ninety-two! Unfathomable! Haha! Let's see who dares to underestimate our Qingyun Sect from now on!" Han Lin couldn't help but laugh heartily.

Su Xiao smiled and said, "In this way, it will be much smoother for the sect to recruit disciples and trade with the outside world."

Shen Mo's gaze swept over the two of them, his tone calm yet carrying a profound meaning: "A good reputation is a good thing, but it's also a pressure. The phrase 'unfathomable' used by the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is less of a compliment and more of a death wish."

"Countless eyes are watching us, waiting to see if we live up to our reputation."

He stood up, walked outside the cave, and looked down at the thriving scene below the mountain: "Although my cultivation has improved rapidly, my foundation is of utmost importance. I must not slacken in my training in the secret realm."

"The contribution point system needs to be further refined to encourage innovation and collaboration. In the three areas of alchemy, formation, and weaponry, we need to cultivate talents who can stand alone as soon as possible. The Tianyuan Tournament will be the time for our Qingyun Sect to truly shine."

"Right now, we are merely a dragon lying in wait, gathering strength. The real storm is yet to come."

Han Lin and Su Xiao's expressions hardened, their excitement gradually subsiding, replaced by a deeper sense of urgency and responsibility.

"Don't worry, Sect Leader (Senior Brother)! We understand!"

The news quickly spread among the core disciples, and their enthusiasm for cultivation soared even higher. The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion's recognition acted like a shot in the arm, reinforcing everyone's belief that following the sect's lead would lead to a bright future.