Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

While Shen Mo was secretly observing A Yuan's special talent, the world outside the sect was not peaceful. As the Qingyun Sect's reputation grew, the frequency and scope of the disciples' outings for training also increased significantly.

On the one hand, it was to hone their skills and earn contribution points; on the other hand, it was also to intentionally or unintentionally promote the sect's prestige and make friends from all directions.

That day, the disciple responsible for patrolling the mountain rushed to the sect leader's hall to report: "Sect Leader! Something terrible has happened! Senior Brother Sun Hao and Senior Brother Xiong Meng... something has happened!"

Shen Mo frowned: "What is it? Speak slowly."

The disciple, panting and his face filled with panic, said, "Senior Brother Sun and his group accepted a mission from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to escort a merchant caravan to 'Black Wind Pass.' On their way back, they were attacked by a pack of 'Blood Wolves' at the edge of Black Wind Ridge!"

"Senior Brother Xiong Meng was seriously injured while covering everyone's escape! Senior Brother Sun fought his way through the encirclement and they've just returned to the mountain gate, where he's receiving treatment at the medicine hut!"

Shen Mo's figure flashed and disappeared from the spot, appearing outside the medicine hut the next moment.

The atmosphere inside the medicine hut was tense, filled with a strong smell of blood.

Li Xiaocao was sweating profusely as she cast healing spells, while Zhao Qingyan assisted her, stabilizing Xiong Meng's disordered qi and blood.

Sun Hao was covered in blood, his left arm was bandaged, and he stood pale-faced by the bedside, his eyes filled with bloodshot eyes and guilt.

Shi Tie also rushed over upon hearing the news, his face ashen, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

"What's going on?" Shen Mo asked in a deep voice, as a gentle spiritual energy entered Xiong Meng's body.

He was severely injured, with multiple fractures, displaced internal organs, and excessive blood loss. To make matters worse, a violent demonic aura was eroding his meridians.

"Sect Leader!" Upon seeing Shen Mo, Sun Hao knelt down with a thud, his tiger-like eyes filled with tears. "It's all my fault! I failed to protect Junior Brother Xiong! On our return from completing our mission, we were passing near 'Wolf Howl Valley' when suddenly more than twenty blood wolves charged out!"

"The wolf king, the leader, is probably at the peak of the first tier! They're attacking like madmen, disregarding their own lives!"

"Junior Brother Xiong was covering our retreat when the wolf king ambushed him, slapping him on the back with a paw... If he hadn't pushed me away, I'd be lying here right now!"

His voice choked with emotion, filled with self-reproach.

Shi Tie roared, "Damn Blood Wolf Valley! How dare they touch my disciple! I'll go and raze their lair to the ground!"

He was about to rush out when he said that.

"Stop!" Shen Mo shouted coldly. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority, and Shi Tie froze on the spot.

"Will impulsiveness solve the problem? Should Xiong Meng's life be saved?"

Shi Tie, panting heavily, slammed his fist against the wall and stopped talking.

Shen Mo carefully examined Xiong Meng's injuries, his brows furrowed.

Although blood wolves are common monsters in Black Wind Ridge, they usually don't attack a team led by a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator in such a large and fearless manner, let alone the wolf king personally launching a sneak attack.

There's something fishy about this.

"Xiaocao, Qingyan, how are things?" Shen Mo asked.

Li Xiaocao wiped her sweat and said urgently, "Sect Leader, although Junior Nephew Xiong's external injuries are severe, Senior Sister Qingyan has stabilized his qi and blood with golden needles. I can handle it."

"The troublesome thing is the demonic energy within him; it's extremely violent. My 'Heart-Cleansing Pill' isn't very effective and is currently eroding his heart meridian!"

Zhao Qingyan added, "This demonic aura... seems to be purer and more sinister than that of ordinary blood wolves, carrying a... bloodthirsty madness."

Shen Mo's gaze sharpened, and a wisp of pure Foundation Establishment spiritual power gathered at his fingertips, containing the peaceful and righteous artistic conception of the "Flowing Cloud Dao Body," which he slowly pointed towards Xiong Meng's Tanzhong acupoint on his chest.

The spiritual energy entered the body, like a gentle spring breeze and rain, beginning to neutralize and dispel the violent demonic energy.

However, at the moment of contact, Shen Mo keenly sensed that deep within this demonic aura, there seemed to be a trace of something extremely faint yet exceptionally stubborn…

The cold and eerie aura was somewhat similar to, yet different from, the lingering aura of the evil cultivator in the Green Moss Market.

"This is no ordinary monster attack." Shen Mo withdrew his hand, his expression grave. "The demonic energy is unusual; it's likely been artificially catalyzed or manipulated."

Everyone was shocked when they heard the words!

"Man-made?" Shi Tie's eyes widened. "Who the hell is so insidious? Targeting our Qingyun Sect?"

At this moment, Su Xiao also arrived after hearing the news. After understanding the situation, he pondered and said, "The forces in Black Wind Ridge are complex. In addition to the demonic beasts, there are also several small evil cultivator groups known for their beast taming and poison refining."

"Could it be that our recent success has aroused the suspicion of certain individuals, leading them to deliberately set us up?"

Shen Mo nodded slightly: "That's not impossible. It's also possible that it's retaliation by that evil cultivator's accomplices. This matter needs to be thoroughly investigated."

He looked at Sun Hao, "Do you remember the exact location where you were attacked, and the direction the wolves retreated?"

Sun Hao tried hard to recall: "I remember! It was at a three-way intersection about thirty miles west of Wolf Howling Valley. When the wolf pack retreated, they headed northwest towards the 'Poisonous Miasma Forest'!"

"The Poisonous Miasma Forest..." A cold glint flashed in Shen Mo's eyes. "That's the territory of those old poison masters, the 'Five Poison Masters'."

"Pass down the order: from this day forward, all sect disciples going out for training must travel in groups of three or more, and are strictly prohibited from venturing into the depths of Black Wind Ridge."

"Wang Hu, strengthen the security at the mountain gate and activate the outer early warning array."

"Junior Sister Xiao, go to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion yourself and check the recent unusual information in the Black Wind Ridge area, especially regarding the movements of the Five Poisons Master and his followers."

"Yes! Sect Leader (Senior Brother)!" Everyone accepted the order.

Shen Mo then said to Li Xiaocao and Zhao Qingyan, "Do your best to treat Xiong Meng. If he needs any medicinal herbs, just go to the storeroom and get them. I will use my spiritual power to expel the alien aura from him every day."

"Understood!" The two women nodded emphatically.

Having arranged everything, Shen Mo stepped out of the medicine hut, his face calm, but his heart was in turmoil. The expansion of the sect would inevitably infringe upon the interests of the existing powers; it's easy to dodge open attacks, but hard to guard against hidden arrows.

This attack, whether or not it was targeted at Qingyun Sect, is a dangerous sign. The road ahead is destined to be bumpy.

He looked up towards the northwest, his gaze seemingly piercing through the mountains to see that treacherous land shrouded in poisonous miasma year-round.

"Master Wudu... if it really was you who pulled these tricks behind the scenes..." A cold glint flashed in Shen Mo's eyes, "My Qingyun Mountain is not a place where you can just stick your claws out."

The news of Xiong Meng's serious injury caused quite a stir within the Qingyun Sect.

Although Shen Mo personally expelled the evil energy, and Li Xiaocao and Zhao Qingyan did their best to treat her, her life was not in danger, but her meridians and internal organs were severely damaged. Without several months of recuperation, it would be difficult for her to recover her vitality.

This incident also served as a wake-up call for all disciples—the path of cultivation is fraught with thorns, and the strength of a sect does not guarantee absolute safety; dangers from the outside world still lurk everywhere.

Shen Mo ordered increased security at the mountain gate and stricter regulations for disciples leaving the mountain. Meanwhile, Su Xiao, through various channels of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, confirmed that the wolf pack that attacked Sun Hao's team was behaving abnormally and showed signs of being catalyzed by some kind of evil means. The clues vaguely pointed to the "Poisonous Miasma Forest" deep in Black Wind Ridge, but lacked conclusive evidence and could not be used to prosecute them for the time being.

An atmosphere of shared hatred and resentment, yet also a sense of oppression, permeated the entire sect.

On this day, Shen Mo was deducing the key points of the Foundation Establishment stage cultivation technique in the main hall of the sect when Chen Hao, the manager of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, personally came up the mountain to visit him, with a respectful yet slightly mysterious smile on his face.

"Sect Leader Shen, I apologize for disturbing you." Chen Hao bowed respectfully. Now, his attitude towards Shen Mo was no longer just that of a business partner, but also carried the sincere reverence of a Foundation Establishment Ancestor.