Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Fourth, and most importantly," Shen Mo's gaze sharpened, "the Blazing Sun Sect wants to isolate us, but we'll insist on building good relationships! Junior Brother Tie!"

"Here!" Shi Tie's spirits lifted.

"While you are stationed at Black Stone Village, you can be more lenient with the surrounding small families and independent cultivator settlements. They are under pressure from the Blazing Sun Sect, and their livelihoods are bound to be difficult. We can purchase their specialty minerals and medicinal herbs at prices slightly higher than the market price, and exchange them for the pills and talismans we refine."

"Let them know that following our Qingyun Sect is a better way to survive than relying on the Lieyang Sect! But we must be careful not to over-provoke the Lieyang Sect."

Shi Tie grinned: "Hehe! Don't worry, Senior Brother Sect Leader! I'm an expert at this! We'll use a combination of persuasion and pressure to make those fence-sitters turn to us!"

"Finally," Shen Mo said in a deep voice, "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are needed. Issue the order that a portion of the sect's mid-grade spirit stones may be used as appropriate to ensure uninterrupted resource procurement."

"At the same time, the training rewards for the 'Golden Stone Forest' and 'Raging Waves' difficulty levels in the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm will be doubled to encourage disciples to break through their limits in dire situations!"

The clear and concise instructions transformed the pressure from the Lieyang Sect's economic blockade into motivation for tapping into internal potential and breaking through external barriers. Everyone accepted the orders and went about their tasks.

In the days that followed, the entire Qingyun Sect entered a tense "wartime" state. External pressure did not break them; instead, it inspired even stronger cohesion.

Inside the Pill Refining Hall, Li Xiaocao and her disciples worked tirelessly, experimenting with new pill formulas day and night, failing time and again, and starting over each time. Meanwhile, the Weaponry Hall and the Array Refining Hall were searching for alternative materials and optimizing their processes.

The disciples in charge of procurement racked their brains to explore new channels. Meanwhile, Shi Tie and Su Xiao at the front lines patiently dealt with the surrounding forces, gradually undermining the Lieyang Sect's policy of isolation.

Even in adversity, there are surprises. After countless failures, Li Xiaocao finally succeeded in using "Tianyang Flower" as the main ingredient, supplemented with several kinds of special spiritual herbs from Yinfeng Valley, to refine a "simplified version of Foundation Building Pill" with slightly inferior effects but significantly reduced costs. Although the success rate of pill formation was not high, it solved the immediate crisis.

Zhao Qingyan also successfully improved several nodes of the stronghold defense formation, greatly reducing the reliance on the Blazing Sun Essence Gold.

More importantly, under the intense pressure from the Lieyang Sect, some previously wavering smaller forces, seeing that the Qingyun Sect had not only not been crushed but had instead become internally united and flexible, gradually began to secretly gravitate towards them, providing them with considerable convenience and information.

On this day, Shen Mo stood at the entrance of the sect leader's hall, looking down at the orderly yet resilient sect below the mountain, and felt a sense of peace in his heart.

The blockade imposed by the Lieyang Sect is a crisis, but it is also a touchstone, testing the sect's true worth.

"System, assess the extent to which the current resource shortage has been alleviated and the changes in the sect's ability to withstand risks."

[Instruction received. Evaluating...]

[Difficulty of obtaining strategic resources from outside sources: Extremely high (Liyang Sect's blockade continues).]

[Progress of internal alternative solutions: Good (35% replacement rate for elixirs, 28% replacement rate for array materials, and 15% success rate in new technology development).]

[New Channel Development: Initial Success (Acquiring some scarce resources through the hidden channels of the Treasure Pavilion and smaller factions, but costs have increased by 45%).]

[Sect Cohesion: On the rise (external pressure promotes internal unity, and the contribution point incentive system is highly effective).]

[Overall risk resistance: Slightly improved (from "weak" to "below average").]

[Warning: Prolonged blockade may lead to resource depletion and a 35% reduction in development speed. A key breakthrough must be found as soon as possible.]

Shen Mo's gaze sharpened slightly. While their ability to withstand risks had improved, they were far from being able to rest easy. The Blazing Sun Sect's subtle attack was indeed formidable. They needed to find a more fundamental way to break this deadlock.

......

Qingyun Gate, Dantang Side Peak, Dihuo Hall.

The hall was sweltering, filled with the strange fragrance of dozens of medicinal herbs, some refreshing, some spicy, and mixed with a faint, unique chill.

Li Xiaocao, dressed in a plain dress stained with various colors of medicine, with specks of ash on the tip of her delicate nose, was intently staring at a bronze alchemy furnace about half her height.

The furnace fire was not the usual blazing white earth fire, but rather a faint, almost transparent pale blue. This was an improvement she had made by combining the properties of "Cold Smoke Grass," a specialty of Yin Wind Valley, to create "Ice Flame," which was more suitable for refining Yin-attribute pills.

From the gaps in the stove lid, wisps of milky white mist rose, condensing into various blurry images of plants and trees, before quietly dissipating.

This time, she wasn't refining a "Foundation Building Pill," but a completely new kind of pill—using the "Ghost Flower" produced in the core of Yin Wind Valley as the main ingredient, supplemented with "Mind-Concentrating Grass," "Moonlight Dew," and other ingredients, in an attempt to replace the scarce "Spirit-Nourishing Pill" used to nourish the soul.

"The Ghost Flower herb is cold in nature and needs to be slowly guided by the spiritual energy of the Wood element to transform its Yin energy into pure Yin soul power... The Mind-Concentrating Grass strengthens the foundation and nourishes the vital energy, while the Moon Dew neutralizes and regulates it... The heat needs to be reduced to a gentle 'slow fire' by three-tenths of an inch, using a method of gentle nourishment, for six hours..."

She muttered incantations, and the energy flowing from her fingertips was no longer scorching fire, but vibrant emerald green wood spirit energy, like the finest carving knife, controlling the faint icy flames. She didn't even bother to wipe away the fine beads of sweat on her forehead.

Several capable disciples from the Pill Hall nearby held their breath, recording every subtle change. They had already failed seven times, consuming a considerable amount of spiritual herbs, but no one complained. Everyone knew that once they succeeded, the sect's dependence on the Blazing Sun Sect would be greatly reduced.

"Freeze!"

Suddenly, Li Xiaocao let out a sharp cry, and her hand seals moved at an abruptly faster! Under the extreme control of her mental power, the medicinal liquid inside the furnace frantically condensed towards the center point!

"Buzz—!"

The alchemy furnace emitted a clear, melodious hum, the lid trembled slightly, and a refreshing, soul-cleansing fragrance suddenly burst forth! It's done!

Li Xiaocao carefully lifted the furnace lid and saw three pills, each the size of a longan, translucent light gray in color, with natural cloud patterns flowing on their surface, lying quietly at the bottom of the furnace, emitting a soft halo.

"Success! It's a top-grade 'Soul-Soothing Pill'!" a disciple exclaimed excitedly.

A sweet smile of relief appeared on Li Xiaocao's pale face as she carefully placed the pill into a jade bottle. Although this "Soul-Soothing Pill" was slightly less effective than the "Mind-Nourishing Pill," it was remarkably effective in stabilizing the mind and resisting inner demons, and the main ingredient was entirely self-produced, greatly reducing costs!

"Quickly! Write down the pill formula and refining instructions in detail!" she ordered wearily but excitedly. "Also, inform Elder Han that the harvesting grade of the 'Ghost Flower' and 'Cold Smoke Grass' in Yin Wind Valley has been upgraded to 'Grade A'!"

"Also, we need to expedite the testing of a simplified version of the 'Blazing Sun Pill' that uses 'Crimson Sun Fruit' combined with 'Earth Root Grass' to replace 'Earth Core Fire Lotus Petals'!"

"Yes, Senior Sister!" The disciples responded in unison, full of enthusiasm. Under pressure, the Pill Hall did not fall silent, but instead showed unprecedented vitality. A belief in "self-sufficiency and self-reliance" took root in everyone's heart.