Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

On this day, a rather peculiar group arrived at the camp. An old man, dressed in rags and with a sallow complexion, carrying a huge medicine basket on his back, was accompanied by a little girl of about seven or eight years old, who was thin and pale but had bright, lively eyes.

"Name? Background? Skills?" Zhou Yuan asked as usual, his sharp gaze sweeping over the old man and the young man.

The old man bowed tremblingly, his voice hoarse: "Reporting to the Immortal Master, my surname is Mu, my name is Mu En, and I am a herb gatherer. This is my granddaughter, Mu Xiaoya. We were originally from 'Bai Cao Ji' in the northern part of the Black Wind Mountains. A few days ago, the Earthly Fiend Gang and the Blood Blade Sect fought, and the market was destroyed. We fled here."

"I have no other skills except that I recognize some wild herbs and know some basic processing techniques."

Zhou Yuan glanced at the medicine basket; it did contain some decent herbs, but nothing particularly rare. He was about to routinely arrange for them to go to the ordinary refugee area when the little girl beside him suddenly spoke up timidly:

"Grandpa Immortal, my... my grandpa is amazing! He recognizes the 'talking grass'!"

"Little girl! Don't talk nonsense!" Mu En's expression changed, and he hurriedly covered his granddaughter's mouth.

Zhou Yuan's heart skipped a beat: "Talking grass? What does that mean?"

Mu En looked troubled, but under Zhou Yuan's intense gaze, he could only whisper, "To be honest, Immortal Master, I... I seem to have an innate sensitivity to plants. Sometimes... I can vaguely sense the emotions of some spiritual herbs, such as whether they are happy or afraid, thirsty or sick. But it's unreliable, and can't be taken seriously..."

Sensing the emotions of plants? Zhou Yuan's pupils contracted slightly. This was not something an ordinary herb gatherer could do! He immediately remembered that Uncle Li of the Pill Hall had been searching for people with special talents in spiritual plants!

"This matter is of great importance and requires detailed investigation. You two come with me." Zhou Yuan dared not delay and immediately led the two to a quiet room in the camp, while sending someone to report to Benshan immediately.

Similar situations are also occurring in Shadowmoon Valley. A down-on-his-luck young man, claiming his ancestors were array masters, his family wiped out, and left all alone, displayed an extraordinary and keen intuition for array patterns during the assessment; an orphan from a small family skilled in taming low-level prospecting rats…

Talented individuals with exceptional skills or special gifts were carefully and rigorously selected by the Qingyun Sect amidst the chaos of the world, much like gold being sifted from sand.

The Qingyun Sect attaches great importance to these talents. After passing the rigorous "Heart-Questioning Array" assessment, they will be secretly sent to the corresponding halls of the sect based on their specialties, where they will be personally interviewed and trained by elders such as Li Xiaocao and Zhao Qingyan.

Although the process is rigorous and even harsh, once passed, one can obtain stable cultivation resources, a safe place to live, and the inheritance of the system. For cultivators who are wandering in the chaotic world, this is undoubtedly a great opportunity.

Under pressure, the Qingyun Sect is demonstrating astonishing resilience by employing multiple approaches to combat external blockades. Within the Pill Refining Hall and Weaponry Hall, there is relentless self-reliance in tackling technological challenges; deep within the secret realms, there is audacious ambition to forge new paths; and in the Welcoming Camp, there is a quiet accumulation of knowledge and skills.

All of this, like an underground current, is silent yet contains the power to change the course of events. The Lieyang Sect's encirclement network, seemingly tight, may not be able to trap this hidden dragon that is determined to transform into a dragon and ascend to the abyss.

The economic blockade imposed by the Lieyang Sect acted like a giant whetstone, sharpening the nascent sword of the Qingyun Sect. Instead of crushing the sect, external pressure fostered a powerful internal cohesion and creativity.

The Pill Hall, Weapon Hall, and Array Hall are working hard to overcome the technical barriers. The "Cloud Shuttle Project" for secret trade is progressing steadily in top secret. With the continuous influx of a large number of foreign cultivators, a new and vibrant wave has begun to surge within the sect, bringing both opportunities and unprecedented challenges.

Qingyun Mountain, Welcoming Peak. This place was originally where the remnants of the Zhao family were settled. Now it has been expanded several times over, with rows of simple yet sturdy stone and wooden houses built against the mountain, bustling with people.

Newly recruited independent cultivators, cultivators from small clans who have joined them, and special talents recruited through various channels are mostly temporarily placed here after initial screening, to undergo further observation and integration.

On this morning, in the small square in the center of Yingke Peak, hundreds of newly initiated disciples (both inner and outer sects) were lined up neatly, listening to the instructions.

The one in charge of today's sermon was Elder Han Lin, the Internal Affairs Elder. He had a kind face, and his voice, amplified by spiritual power, clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Fellow new disciples!" Han Lin's gaze swept over the faces below, some expectant, some apprehensive, some defiant. "Welcome to my Qingyun Sect! From this day forward, you will share the sect's fate, its glory and its loss!"

He paused, his tone turning serious: "However, nothing can be accomplished without rules! The sect has its own laws and regulations! The contribution point system is the foundation of the sect! Diligent cultivation, completing tasks, and innovation all earn points, which can be exchanged for cultivation techniques, elixirs, and opportunities to experience secret realms! Rewards and punishments are clear and impartial!"

The reactions of the crowd below varied. Some of the undisciplined cultivators, who were used to being carefree, secretly grimaced, feeling that there were too many restrictions; while some from small families nodded in approval, thinking that having rules to follow was a good thing.

"Furthermore!" Han Lin raised his voice, "The sect's prohibitions must be remembered at all times! First, it is strictly forbidden for fellow disciples to kill each other; violators will have their cultivation crippled and be expelled from the sect! Second, it is strictly forbidden to betray the sect; those who leak secrets will be executed without mercy! Third, you must respect your teachers and value the Dao, and unite and help each other! You may come from all over the country, with different cultivation methods and habits, but having entered this sect, you should all consider yourselves 'Qingyun disciples'! Put aside past grievances and strive together for the Great Dao!"

As soon as he finished speaking, several discordant snickers rang out from the ranks.

"Tch! That sounds nice! Why can those senior disciples enter the Flowing Cloud Secret Realm while we have to stay here and mine stones?" A burly man with a scar on his face and a fierce aura muttered in a low voice. He was originally a well-known rogue cultivator in the area, with the cultivation level of the eighth level of Qi Refining, and he was used to being wild.

"Exactly! Contribution points? I'll grab them myself... When I was earning spirit stones, I didn't even know where you guys were!" A tall, thin guy chimed in.

Although the voice was soft, everyone present was a cultivator, so how could they not hear it? Several senior disciples of the Battle Hall who had entered the sect earlier immediately glared at him, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Han Lin frowned slightly, about to speak, when a clear, cold voice rang out first:

"On what grounds?"

Everyone looked over and saw that Su Xiao had appeared at the front of the square at some point. Today, she wasn't wearing her usual fitted outfit, but rather an elegant long dress, yet she possessed an unassailable air of authority. Her gaze, sharp as lightning, landed on the scarred, burly man:

"Just because they fought monsters in the secret realm, narrowly escaping death! Just because they were covered in scars while protecting their fellow disciples during missions! Just because they cultivated diligently day and night, building a solid foundation!"

"The sect's resources are limited. If we don't prioritize cultivating loyal, reliable, and tested disciples, are we going to distribute them equally among you newcomers whose loyalty is uncertain?"

Her tone was calm, yet every word struck like a hammer blow to everyone's hearts: "Feeling it's unfair? Fine! The sect contribution point ranking is updated monthly, and the mission hall's doors are always open!"

"If you're so capable, go take on dangerous missions, go to secret realms to hone your skills, and prove your worth with your strength and contributions! Don't just complain here! Qingyun Sect doesn't support idlers, much less parasites!"

The scarred, burly man paled upon being struck by Su Xiao's Foundation Establishment stage spiritual pressure, and dared not utter another word. The tall, thin man shrank back even further.