Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Shen Mo's words, like a warm current, inspired the hearts of every disciple. A deafening cheer erupted from below the stage!

"I will heed the sect leader's teachings!"

"Practice diligently and forge ahead with determination!"

Sun Hao and Xiong Meng were so excited that their faces turned red. They stepped forward, knelt on one knee, clasped their hands, and said in unison, "Disciple Sun Hao (Xiong Meng) has achieved Foundation Establishment today, entirely thanks to the cultivation of the sect, the guidance of the sect leader and all the masters! We will dedicate our lives to protecting the sect, even at the cost of our lives!"

"Alright! Get up!" Shen Mo smiled and raised his hand.

Next came the highlight of the celebration—the bestowal of treasures and encouragement.

Shen Mo personally took out two magical artifacts that had been prepared beforehand. One was the "Ice Dragon Sword," which was radiant and exuded a chilling aura. It was made by Zhao Qingyan using the finest cold iron collected in the secret realm and was given the "freezing" effect to Sun Hao, who was exceptional in swordsmanship.

The other item was a pair of heavy, jet-black "Earthshaking Gauntlets" engraved with wild patterns. Made primarily of "sinking gold" found in the Golden Stone Forest, they could greatly enhance strength and defense, which suited Xiong Meng's taste perfectly.

"These two treasures will help you slay demons and monsters, and protect your sect!"

"Thank you, Sect Leader, for bestowing this treasure!" The two accepted it with both hands, delighted with it. Feeling the powerful energy contained within the magical artifact, their confidence increased even more.

Su Xiao, Han Lin, Shi Tie, and others stepped forward to present pills and talismans as congratulatory gifts, and offered words of encouragement.

Shi Tie patted Xiong Meng's shoulder forcefully, laughing heartily, "Good lad! You didn't let your Uncle Shi down! From now on, you'll have to share more of the burden of the Battle Hall with your Uncle!"

Xiong Meng grinned憨厚ly and said, "Don't worry, Uncle-Master! My fists will be the gate of the sect from now on! Anyone who dares to invade will have to ask my fists if they agree!"

Seeing this, the disciples below the stage were filled with envy and secretly vowed to cultivate diligently.

The celebration was lively, filled with laughter and joy. However, beneath this festive atmosphere, there were some unexpected incidents.

Just as the celebration was halfway through, the disciple in charge of guarding hurriedly went up on stage and whispered a few words in Su Xiao's ear.

Su Xiao's expression changed slightly. She quickly walked to Shen Mo's side and whispered, "Sect Leader, we've spotted unidentified cultivators spying on us from a hundred miles outside the sect. Their movements are elusive, and they seem to be... mapping the nodes of our sect's formation!"

Shen Mo's gaze sharpened slightly, but his smile remained unchanged. He transmitted his voice, "Understood. Strengthen the defenses and activate the outer perimeter stalking array to deter them. Today's celebration must not be disturbed."

"Yes." Su Xiao accepted the order and quietly withdrew to make the arrangements.

This minor incident did not affect the main part of the celebration; the vast majority of disciples were immersed in joy and did not notice it.

However, Shen Mo and several core elders understood that the tree may wish to remain still, but the wind will not cease. The growth of the Qingyun Sect had inevitably attracted some watchful eyes.

The celebration lasted all day, finally concluding amidst a dazzling display of magical fireworks as night fell. The disciples dispersed in high spirits, filled with hope for the future.

The night was deep, inside the sect leader's main hall.

Shen Mo, Su Xiao, Han Lin, Shi Tie, Zhao Qingyan, Li Xiaocao, and the newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivators Sun Hao and Xiong Meng gathered together. The atmosphere inside the cave, no longer as lively as during the day, became serious.

"While today's celebration is auspicious, the external situation is far from optimistic," Shen Mo stated bluntly. "The spying outside Bai Ri Mountain Gate is no accident. It's likely that some forces have already taken notice of our sect's rapid development."

Su Xiao nodded: "According to the information from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, due to the great battle in the Black Wind Mountains, the surrounding area is in chaos. Many small forces have either been swallowed up or have moved away entirely. Some previously inconspicuous resource points have also become targets of contention among various parties. Our Qingyun Mountain, which is located in a remote corner, has seen its strength increase, which inevitably attracts attention."

Shi Tie snorted coldly: "What's there to be afraid of! Whoever tries to cause trouble, I, Old Shi, will be the first to twist their head off!"

Sun Hao calmly said, "Uncle-Master Shi, the enemy is in the dark while we are in the light, so we must be cautious. Today, Xiong Meng and I have completed our Foundation Establishment, which increases the sect's strength, but also makes us easier targets. We need to strengthen our defenses, especially at the entrance to the secret realm and the resource points."

Xiong Meng said in a deep voice, "Senior Brother Sun is right! We've just established our foundation and need real combat experience to solidify our realm! Whoever comes is a whetstone delivered right to our door!"

Zhao Qingyan said, "I have reinforced the mountain-protecting formation again and added several hidden early warning formations. As long as no Golden Core cultivator arrives in person, there should be no danger for the time being."

Li Xiaocao also said, "The Pill Hall has ample reserves; there are enough pills for healing, recovery, and burst damage."

Han Lin summarized: "Internally, we are stable, resources are plentiful, and the disciples' morale is high. Our top priority right now is to firmly defend our mountain gates and observe the situation. At the same time, we need to intensify our intelligence gathering efforts, especially monitoring the movements of surrounding forces."

After listening to everyone's opinions, Shen Mo pondered for a moment and said, "What you all say is very true. In the current situation, it is better to remain still than to act. Sun Hao, Xiong Meng."

"Disciples are here!" the two replied solemnly.

"Since you two have just reached the Foundation Establishment stage, your primary tasks should be to stabilize your realm and familiarize yourselves with your power. You should spend more time training in the depths of the 'Golden Stone Forest' or 'Raging Waves' areas of the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm. The time flow in the secret realm is different from that in the outside world, making it a shortcut to rapid improvement. The sect's contribution points will be tilted towards you."

"Yes! Senior Brother Sect Leader!" A fighting spirit flashed in their eyes.

"Junior Sister Xiao, increase cooperation with the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Spirit stones are not a problem. I need more timely and accurate intelligence, especially regarding forces that may have designs on our sect."

"Elder Han, internal management remains the same, but the contribution point system needs to be further refined to incentivize disciples' cultivation. For outsiders such as the Zhao family, we should strengthen guidance and assessment, and select the best candidates for recruitment."

"Qingyan, the maintenance and improvement of the formation must not be neglected. Xiaocao, continue your research on alchemy. Don't feel pressured about refining Foundation Establishment Pills; just accumulate experience."

"Junior Brother Tie, double the training in the Battle Hall, especially in joint operations and formation coordination."

The instructions were clearly issued, and everyone obeyed them with a solemn air.

"The world is in chaos, and opportunities and risks coexist." Shen Mo looked around at everyone one last time, his gaze profound. "Whether my Qingyun Sect can rise in this raging torrent depends on you all. Disperse."

Everyone bowed and withdrew. Silence returned to the main hall.

The news that Qingyun Sect had disciples achieving Foundation Establishment in succession and that the sect's overall strength was steadily improving could not be completely hidden from the outside world.

Especially during this sensitive period when war rages in the southern part of the Eastern Wilderness and all forces are on edge, any slight movement could attract unnecessary attention.

The tranquility and development of Qingyun Mountain, a veritable "Shangri-La," gradually caught the attention of some interested parties, including the nominal overlord of this region—the Lieyang Sect.

The Lieyang Sect, located in the most fertile Lieyang Mountain Range in the southern part of the Eastern Wilderness, is a veritable behemoth with a Golden Core True Person, the Lieyang True Person, in charge of the sect, more than ten thousand disciples, and dozens of Foundation Establishment elders.

Normally, small sects like Qingyun Sect, which are located in a remote corner and have only a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, would not even catch their eye.

However, now that the two old rivals, the Xuan Yin Sect and the Tian Jian Sect, have fought to the death in the Black Wind Mountains, the Lie Yang Sect, though not directly involved, is happy to see this and is paying close attention to the balance of power in the region.

The Qingyun Sect, a previously insignificant little player, not only survived in the chaotic world but also developed, which made it quite "eye-catching".