Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Zhao Yan's eyes flickered as he stared at Shen Mo for a long while before suddenly laughing heartily: "Sect Leader Shen is a man of few words! Since that's the case, I, Zhao, will truthfully report back to the sect. I hope your sect will act prudently and not make any mistakes that would betray the good intentions of my sect."

He stood up. "I've troubled you for quite some time today. I need to go on inspections elsewhere, so I'll take my leave now!"

"Take care, Steward Zhao." Shen Mo stood up to see him off, his attitude remaining calm.

After seeing Zhao Yan off and returning to the council hall, Shi Tie couldn't help but curse, "Bah! What a bunch of bastards! They're clearly here to probe our strength! They even want to stick their hands into our pot?"

Han Lin asked worriedly, "Sect Leader, won't such a firm refusal offend the Blazing Sun Sect?"

Su Xiao also said, "The Blazing Sun Sect is powerful; if they use force, it may be difficult to deal with them."

Shen Mo sat back in the main seat, his gaze deep: "The Blazing Sun Sect is not monolithic; there are factional struggles within it. Currently, their attention is mainly focused on the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Profound Yin Sect. As long as our sect demonstrates a certain level of strength and usefulness, and does not openly defy us, they will not easily take action against a 'submissive' sect that is protected by an array. The cost would be too high."

"Today, I displayed my late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation and pointed out that the formation was left by the patriarch, precisely to make him wary. Playing along and keeping my distance is the best option at present."

He looked at everyone and said, "However, this matter has also served as a reminder to us. Strength is the foundation. From today onwards, all development of the sect will enter a deeper period of 'hibernation.' New Foundation Establishment disciples will not be announced to the outside world for the time being, resource mining will be conducted in a more secretive manner, and transactions with the Hundred Treasures Pavilion will be handled with greater caution."

"We need to make the Lieyang Sect feel that the Qingyun Sect is a small thorn in their side, but one that they don't have time to deal with for the time being, and that might be useful."

"Yes! Senior Brother/Brother Leader understands!" Everyone solemnly responded.

On the other side, on the flying boat leaving Qingyun Mountain, Zhao Yan's face was gloomy. He recalled what he had just seen. Shen Mo's cultivation was profound, his response was shrewd, and his disciples were no ordinary people either. In particular, the protective formation of the mountain made even him feel a little uneasy.

"This Qingyun Sect is no simple matter..." he muttered to himself. "Sect Leader Shen Mo is in the late Foundation Establishment stage, with extraordinary array skills. He has at least five Foundation Establishment disciples, and their mountain-protecting array is suspected to be an ancient one. Their strength far surpasses that of ordinary small sects. Although they are respectful, they are cunning and not easy to deal with. We must remind the sect to treat this sect with 'caution.' We can make use of them, but it is not advisable to use force for the time being."

He took out a communication jade talisman, recorded his observations and judgments of the day in detail, and sent it back to the Lieyang Sect.

......

The earth-shattering battle at Fallen Soul Slope was like a massive boulder thrown into the deep waters of the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness. The ripples it created are sweeping across the land at an astonishing speed, completely altering the original landscape.

Before the aftershocks of the great battle had completely subsided, all sorts of true and false, thrilling news, had already arrived at Qingyun Mountain like snowflakes through channels such as Baibaoge.

The atmosphere inside the sect leader's hall was solemn. Shen Mo, Su Xiao, Han Lin, Shi Tie, Zhao Qingyan, Li Xiaocao, and the newly promoted Foundation Establishment cultivators Sun Hao and Xiong Meng, along with all the core high-ranking members, were gathered together.

The air was filled with a faint scent of medicine and sandalwood, but it did nothing to dispel the heaviness in everyone's eyes.

Holding a newly received crimson jade slip personally encrypted and sent by Chen Hao of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, Su Xiao's voice, slightly hoarse, announced the earth-shattering news to everyone:

"According to cross-verification of multiple intelligence sources, the decisive battle at Fallen Soul Slope... has come to a conclusion. The divine consciousness avatar of the Heavenly Sword Sect's Golden Core True Person 'Lingxiao Sword Lord' and the demonic soul dharma form of the Profound Yin Sect's Leader 'Xuan Gu True Person' have both suffered heavy losses and are nearly destroyed!"

"Before the Lingxiao Sword Lord's avatar disintegrated, he severely damaged the Xuan Gu Zhenren's demonic soul essence. It is said that his throne collapsed, the demonic realm crumbled, and he suffered great Dao injuries, falling into a deep slumber. It is feared that he will not reappear in the world for at least a hundred years!"

"hiss--!"

Even though they were mentally prepared, everyone still couldn't help but gasp when they heard the devastating news that "the Golden Core cultivators almost perished together"!

Golden Core cultivators are the pinnacle of existence in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness, the pillars that have sustained their sects for millennia! And now, two of them have perished in a single battle?! The shock of this news is utterly terrifying!

"The elite troops under both factions..." Su Xiao paused, then continued, "...suffered even heavier losses. The Heavenly Sword Sect has confirmed the deaths of eighteen Foundation Establishment elders! Seven are seriously injured and incapacitated! The number of Qi Refining disciples killed or wounded exceeds five thousand! On the Xuan Yin Sect's side, twenty-one Foundation Establishment elders have fallen, nine are seriously injured, and over six thousand members have been killed or wounded! Both sides have essentially lost seven out of ten!"

Dead silence! The cave was utterly silent! Fallen Soul Slope had truly become a deadly place where Nascent Soul Immortals lost their souls, Golden Core Immortals bled, and countless cultivators perished!

"Now," Su Xiao said with utmost solemnity, "the remnants of the Heavenly Sword Sect, under the leadership of their sect leader 'Heavenly Gang Sword,' have completely retreated, abandoning all their strongholds in the Black Wind Mountains and retreating to their main mountain, 'Heavenly Sword Peak.' Relying on the 'Ten Thousand Swords Soaring to the Heavens' formation left by their patriarch to hold their ground, they have suffered heavy losses and their strength has plummeted, falling from a first-rate force to a second-rate, or even... third-rate force!"

"The Xuan Yin Sect is in an even worse state. Its main altar, the 'Ten Thousand Ghosts Cave,' has been sealed off, and its remaining forces are leaderless. Under the siege of various enemies, they are on the verge of collapse and their destruction is imminent!"

The two giants who once dominated the southern region of the Eastern Wilderness and rivaled the Blazing Sun Sect collapsed in such a tragic way in just a few months!

This sudden power vacuum instantly transformed the entire Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness into a vast chessboard filled with both allure and danger!

"It's all in chaos... complete chaos..." Han Lin muttered to himself, clutching his chest, his face deathly pale. He had lived most of his life and had never witnessed such a dramatic change.

Shi Tie grinned, wanting to utter some grand words, but found his throat dry, and finally only managed to stammer out, "Damn... that's ruthless..."

Zhao Qingyan and Li Xiaocao's faces turned pale, their hands clasped tightly. The sight of Golden Core cultivators falling and countless cultivators bleeding was far beyond their imagination.

Sun Hao and Xiong Meng exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock and... a hint of barely concealed excitement in each other's eyes. Turbulent times breed heroes, and crises often conceal immense opportunities!

Shen Mo sat upright in the main seat, his expression calm, though a turbulent undercurrent churned deep within his eyes. He gently tapped the armrest, breaking the silence: "The old king has passed away, a new king shall ascend. Gentlemen, do you know which forces in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness are currently stirring with ambition?"

Su Xiao immediately replied, "According to the information from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion, there are three groups that are currently making the biggest moves!..." (Detailed descriptions of the movements of forces such as Burning Heaven Valley, Five Poisons Sect, and Beast Taming Mountain are omitted here, consistent with the previous content)

After the intelligence briefing was completed, a deeper silence fell within the cave. The outside world had been turned upside down, filled with the smoke of war, and how should the Qingyun Sect position itself?

Elder Han Lin spoke first, his tone filled with worry: "Sect Leader, the situation has changed drastically, and we are in grave danger. Burning Heaven Valley, Five Poisons Sect, and Beast Taming Mountain are all wolves in sheep's clothing, and there is also the giant dragon, the Blazing Sun Sect, lurking in the shadows."

"Our Qingyun Sect is confined to a remote corner and has limited strength. If we rashly get involved in this conflict, we may face annihilation! In my opinion, the most urgent task is to firmly defend our mountain gate, reinforce our formations, and observe the situation calmly. This is the best course of action."

He represented the thoughts of a segment of the sect's more experienced and prudent members. In chaotic times, self-preservation is the top priority.

"Elder Han, you are mistaken!" Shi Tie suddenly stood up, his voice booming like a bell. "I think this is a golden opportunity! The Heavenly Sword Sect and the Profound Yin Sect have fallen, leaving behind so much territory and resources. Why should those bastards take them?"

"Our Qingyun Sect is now strong and well-equipped, our Sect Leader is even at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and we have a treasure trove like the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm. Why should we cower like tortoises? We should charge out, seize some territory, and let us show off our glory!"

He was straightforward, admired bravery and ambition, and believed that sects should take the initiative.