Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Qingyun Sect, main peak council hall.

All the Foundation Establishment elders, deacons of each hall, and core inner disciples of the sect who were on the mountain were present.

All eyes were focused on the figure in blue standing at the head of the table—the sect leader, Shen Mo.

Shen Mo stood with his hands behind his back, his face calm and expressionless, revealing neither joy nor anger. However, when his gaze swept over the crowd below the stage, he paused for a moment in a few directions.

"Everyone knows the situation," Shen Mo said, his voice not loud, but clear enough to reach everyone's ears, breaking the silence.

"The Xuan Yin Sect, led by Master Gui Yin, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, along with over ten elite disciples, are blocking the mountain gate. They claim to have an 'ancient feud' with our Qingyun Sect and demand that we hand over the Liuyun Ancestor's legacy and relinquish our mountain gate and training grounds within three days. Otherwise…"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the tense faces of the crowd, and slowly uttered four words: "Leave no one alive."

"That's utter bullshit!"

A thunderous roar suddenly rang out, causing dust to fall from the beams and pillars inside the hall.

Shi Tie took a sudden step forward, his bronze face flushed red with rage, his bulging muscles bulging, and his blood and qi surging uncontrollably, radiating a scorching aura.

"What kind of ancient feud is this! I think it's just jealousy of the legacy left by our ancestor! So what if you're in the late Foundation Establishment stage? I, Old Shi, am the first to disagree!"

"Sect Leader! Let me lead the brothers from the Battle Hall out and fight that old bastard! Even if we have to bite, we'll bite off a piece of his flesh!"

Shi Tie's eyes were bloodshot, and his fists were clenched so tightly they cracked, like an enraged lion.

He had just broken through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment and was brimming with confidence; he couldn't stand such humiliation.

"Senior Brother Shi! Don't be rash!" A clear, urgent voice rang out; it belonged to Su Xiao, who stood to Shen Mo's left. Today, she was dressed in a simple white outfit, which made her expression even more solemn.

"That Ghost Yin Master is a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, and he has been famous for a long time. He is ruthless. The disciples he brought are at least late Qi Refining cultivators, and there are also several Foundation Establishment disciples."

"If we rashly engage in battle, we will play right into their hands! The mountain-protecting formation is still intact; if we defend it, we still have a glimmer of hope! To go into battle would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock!"

"Trying to fight a losing battle? Are you just going to cower in your shell and wait to die?" Shi Tie roared, his spittle almost landing on Su Xiao's face.

"Our Qingyun Sect isn't made of clay anymore! Our Sect Leader is in the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, and I, Elder Han, and Junior Sister Su are also at the Foundation Establishment stage! If we fight to the death, we might not be afraid of him!"

"Fight to the death? And then what?" Su Xiao remained unyielding, her beautiful eyes filled with anxiety and rationality. "Even if we manage a Pyrrhic victory, how many disciples will be left in the sect? With our foundation destroyed, how will we survive in the future?"

"Would other covetous forces let such an opportunity to take advantage of the chaos pass by? Senior Brother Shi, mere brute force cannot resolve the matter of the sect's survival!"

"You!" Shi Tie was speechless with anger. He was clumsy with words and couldn't out-argue the shrewd Su Xiao. He could only pant heavily and turn his gaze to Shen Mo.

"Sect Leader! Say something! My life, Shi Tie, was given to me by the sect. If you point east, I'll never go west! But I can't stand being a coward!"

At this moment, Elder Han Lin, who had been silent all along, coughed lightly and stepped out. His eyes were unusually calm.

He first gestured to Shi Tie, signaling him to calm down, then bowed deeply to Shen Mo, his voice clear:

"Sect Leader, Elder Su Xiao's words are wise and prudent. The Xuan Yin Sect is powerful, and a direct confrontation is definitely not the best strategy. However, Elder Shi Tie is sincere and also thinking of the sect's best interests. I believe that in the current situation, war is the worst possible option. However, peace... is not an easy matter either."

"The Xuan Yin Sect harbors wolfish ambitions. Their so-called 'ancient feud' is merely a pretext; their true aim is to annex everything. Even if we endure humiliation and fulfill some of their demands, it will likely still be difficult to satisfy their insatiable desires, and we will ultimately be doomed."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the pale-faced young disciples below the stage, especially those who had only recently joined the sect, and sighed:

"In my humble opinion, the best course of action now is to 'delay' the situation. We should use these three days to reinforce the formation, appease the disciples, and stockpile resources."

"At the same time... we could try to secretly contact forces that have a grudge against the Xuan Yin Sect, such as the Heavenly Sword Sect, to see if we can find a way out. Even if we have to pay a price, it's better than having our sect's foundation destroyed."

Han Lin's words expressed the sentiments of most mid-level deacons and ordinary disciples. War is a dead end; peace is a slow death; only by stalling might there be a chance for change.

But contacting the Heavenly Sword Sect? Easier said than done! Why would they help a little-known sect like yours to offend a behemoth like the Xuan Yin Sect?

A subdued murmur arose from the audience, filled with worry, fear, and confusion. The new disciples were utterly bewildered; they had joined the sect full of dreams of immortality, only to be met with such a devastating calamity.

"Elder Han makes it sound so easy! Contact the Heavenly Sword Sect? What would we use to contact them? Would they even bother with us?" a disciple couldn't help but whisper.

"Yes, that's the Heavenly Sword Sect... We barely even exchange a few words with them normally..."

"Could it be...could it be that our Qingyun Sect is truly doomed?" A young female disciple, Xiaoyun, asked, her voice trembling with fear. She was a promising disciple, but she was shaking with terror.

Standing beside Zhao Qingyan, Li Xiaocao squeezed Xiaoyun's cold hand tightly and whispered, "Don't be afraid. With the sect leader and the elders here, there will definitely be a way."

She comforted her junior sister, but her own face was terribly pale. The Pill Hall was important, but how much use could pills have against absolute power?

Zhao Qingyan pursed her lips, her hands trembling slightly inside her sleeves. As a steward of the Array Hall, she knew the limits of the mountain-protecting array better than anyone else.

Faced with the fierce attack of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, how long could the formation hold out? One day? Two days? She dared not think about it. She could only force herself to remain calm and consider which formations could be temporarily reinforced.

Wang Hu, Zhang Daniu, and other inner disciples all had eyes blazing with anger, yet they were helpless. They hated their low cultivation level, which prevented them from sharing the burden of the sect.

Shen Mo took in everyone's reactions and understood. Panic was normal, but the core cohesion and resilience of the sect were better than he had expected.

Shi Tie's courage, Su Xiao's wisdom, Han Lin's steadiness, and the resentment and attachment in the eyes of many disciples are all valuable assets of the sect.

He gently raised his hand.

With just a simple gesture, the entire council hall fell silent instantly. All eyes were once again focused on him.

"Junior Brother Tie's courage is commendable. Junior Sister Xiao's considerations are reasonable. Elder Han's plan is also a viable path."

Shen Mo spoke slowly, his voice steady yet carrying a strange, comforting power that dispelled the gloom in everyone's hearts.

"The power of the Xuan Yin Sect is undeniable. A direct confrontation is the worst possible strategy. Surrender is a dead end."

His gaze swept across the crowd like lightning: "But who says that my Qingyun Sect only has two paths to take: fighting head-on or surrendering?"

Everyone was taken aback, not understanding what he meant.

Shen Mo's lips curled into a barely perceptible smile, a smile both cold and wise: "Master Guiyin spoke of 'ancient feuds,' don't you all think... this is too much of a coincidence?"

Su Xiao was the first to react, her beautiful eyes widening suddenly: "Sect Leader, you mean...?"

"What kind of sworn enemy comes out of nowhere?" Shen Mo said calmly. "It's just that some people with ulterior motives need a knife, and my Qingyun Sect just happens to be a good whetstone."

His words were like a thunderclap, exploding in everyone's minds! Not a blood feud? Just an excuse? Then why did the Xuan Yin Sect specifically target the Qing Yun Sect?