Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

These disturbances naturally reached Shen Mo's ears, who was secluded in the Enlightenment Cave. Although he was in seclusion trying to break through the bottleneck of Foundation Establishment, his divine sense covered the entire mountain, and he was fully aware of everything that was happening in the sect.

"Even a sect of a hundred members is already in such turmoil... What if there were a thousand or ten thousand?" Shen Mo slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and serene. "Water that is too clear has no fish, that's human nature. However, rules cannot be abandoned, and the atmosphere cannot be corrupted."

With a slight shift of his consciousness, a gentle yet undeniable thought simultaneously entered the minds of Su Xiao, Han Lin, Shi Tie, and other key figures:

"A sect is not the sect of one person, but the path of all. There is struggle, and there is progress; there is affection, and there is life. However, struggle must be guided by principles, and affection should not hinder the path. A 'Hall of Discipline' should be established, with Han Lin in charge and Su Xiao and Shi Tie as his deputies, to discuss the detailed rules and regulations of the sect."

"Resource allocation will prioritize contribution while ensuring fairness. A 'task leaderboard' will be established with tiered rewards. Personal relationships among disciples will not be prohibited, nor will they be encouraged. Everything must be done in accordance with sect rules and without harming cultivation."

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. With chaos just beginning to emerge, it is the perfect time to establish rules and set a new standard. You should all work together to guide your disciples and overcome this challenge."

This thought, like a stabilizing force, brought peace of mind to the somewhat overwhelmed Su Xiao and Han Lin, and also calmed the restless Shi Tie. Although the sect leader was in seclusion, he had been paying close attention to the sect's activities and had pointed out the direction.

Soon, the sect issued a series of new rules: establishing a Discipline Hall and clarifying rewards and punishments; refining the task system and increasing rewards for high-risk tasks; strengthening guidance and care for new disciples; and even tacitly allowing normal interactions between disciples, but strictly prohibiting them from neglecting public duties for private reasons or bullying the weak.

The new rules initially encountered some setbacks, but with Shen Mo's covert oversight and the strong enforcement by the core disciples, they gradually got on the right track.

The disciples discovered that as long as they worked hard, there was a clear path to advancement; mistakes were met with fair punishment; and unnecessary disputes could be resolved through the arbitration of the Discipline Hall. The atmosphere of the sect was thus cleansed up.

Of course, undercurrents of competition, minor disagreements, and budding feelings still exist, but they are all confined to a controllable and benign range.

Competition breeds vitality; friction fosters tolerance. This is perhaps an inevitable growing pain for any sect during its development.

On this day, as the sun was setting, Han Lin was explaining the profound meaning of "the balance of strength and gentleness" in the "Flowing Cloud Dao Body" to his disciples on the preaching platform.

Below the stage, over a hundred disciples sat cross-legged, their expressions focused. Shi Tie sat in the front row, his gaze deep and thoughtful, seemingly digesting the sect leader's earlier instructions.

Su Xiao assisted with the explanation, presenting it clearly and logically; Zhao Qingyan and Li Xiaocao were also listening attentively; Sun Hao, A Tu, and others sat among the new disciples, their eyes filled with longing for a higher realm.

Xiao Yun sat among the female disciples, listening quietly, occasionally glancing up at the figures in front of her with a complex expression.

Shen Mo's divine sense swept across the entire scene, taking in everything. A sect is like a large tree; during its growth, it's inevitable that branches will grow wildly. All that's needed is timely pruning to guide it upwards.

"Foundation Building..." He withdrew his divine sense, closed his eyes again, and the spiritual power within his body surged like a river, launching a final assault on that invisible barrier.

The sect's trivial matters are to be handled by the disciples. What he needs to do now is to possess a greater power sufficient to protect this great tree and help it grow strong.

At the summit of Qingyun Mountain, deep within the Enlightenment Cave.

Time seemed to stand still here, with only the rich, almost liquefied spiritual energy flowing gently like a tranquil tide, making a soft rustling sound.

Shen Mo sat cross-legged on a futon in the center of the cave, his eyes closed and his face calm and expressionless. Yet, his aura was like a volcano about to erupt, concealing unimaginable violent power beneath the extreme silence.

After three years of seclusion, he had adjusted himself to his peak condition. The Qi Refining Chapter of the "Flowing Cloud Dao Body" had long been perfected, his Qi and blood were like mercury, his spiritual power was like a tide, his divine sense was as refined as silk, and his understanding of the technique had reached an unprecedented level.

However, that invisible barrier leading to the Foundation Establishment realm remains unbreakable, like an insurmountable chasm standing in front of us.

Foundation Building is the first true watershed on the path of cultivation. Shedding the mortal body, condensing the Dao foundation, lifespan doubles, spiritual power liquefies, and divine consciousness undergoes a transformation... Taking this step is like a fish leaping over the dragon gate, truly embarking on the path to immortality.

However, this hurdle is extremely dangerous, with only one in ten surviving. The pain of spiritual energy flowing into the body is like having one's bones scraped and marrow cleansed; the danger of inner demons attacking directly targets the very foundation of one's Dao heart; and there are even more calamities such as an unstable Dao foundation, rampaging spiritual power, and death and the dissipation of one's Dao.

Shen Mo focused his mind on his body, observing the slowly rotating vortex of spiritual energy within his dantian, which was already at its limit. It was time. He ceased suppressing his power, and with a thought, fully activated the Foundation Establishment Chapter of the Flowing Cloud Dao Body technique!

"boom--!"

As if a dam had burst, the pent-up spiritual energy instantly went out of control, surging wildly along the meridians like a runaway horse! A violent tearing sensation came, and the meridians cried out in agony, unable to bear the burden!

Even more terrifying is that the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the outside world was drawn in, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea, and surged wildly into his body, making his already violent spiritual power even more turbulent!

Pain! An indescribable, excruciating pain swept through every inch of his flesh, every bone, and every meridian! Veins bulged on Shen Mo's forehead, cold sweat instantly soaked through his robes, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

But he held fast to the clarity of his mind, using his powerful willpower to guide the raging spiritual energy, following the path of the cultivation technique, to break through that solid barrier.

Once, twice, three times... The barrier remained unmoved, but the force of the recoil caused his blood to surge, a sweet taste rose in his throat, and a trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth.

At the same time, inner demons quietly arrived. Countless illusions sprouted in his sea of ​​consciousness: the resentment and regret for his mediocre life in his previous life, the bewilderment and fear when he first arrived in this world, the powerlessness and struggle when facing powerful enemies, and the deep worry for the future of the sect and the disciples' future... All kinds of negative emotions were amplified infinitely, like the whispers of evil spirits, trying to undermine his will and tempt him to give up.

"Give up... Foundation Establishment is too dangerous, why struggle so hard?"

"Isn't it enough for the mere Qingyun Sect to live peacefully in its corner? Why bother competing in that Tianyuan Tournament?"

"You are not originally from this world, why must you bear such a heavy burden?"

Illusions came one after another, and Shen Mo's mind wavered. His Dao heart was like a small boat in a storm, which could capsize at any moment.

He gritted his teeth, his mind flashing back to every detail of his journey: from the bewilderment of taking over the dilapidated sect, to the hardship of accumulating strength bit by bit, from the trusting eyes of disciples like Shi Tie and Su Xiao, to the sect's ever-growing prosperity... How could he give up on all of this so easily?

"My path lies in the Azure Clouds! My responsibility lies with my disciples! How dare a mere inner demon disrupt my path!" He roared silently in his heart, his divine sense like a sharp sword, slashing at the chaotic illusions!

However, just as the inner demons receded, the crisis of uncontrolled spiritual power followed! Because the barrier was too strong, under repeated impacts, some of the spiritual power began to deviate from the meridians, rampaging through the body, damaging the meridians and injuring the internal organs wherever it passed!

If this continues, he will explode and die before he can successfully establish his foundation!