Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Just as morale within the Qingyun Sect was soaring due to Shen Mo's sermon, the turmoil outside continued unabated. The attitude of the behemoth, the Lieyang Sect, towards the "ant" Qingyun Sect was not monolithic.

Lieyang Sect, Lieyang Peak, side hall of the Law Enforcement Hall.

Master Chixiao looked at a secret report in his hand with a gloomy expression. The report detailed the recent activities of Qingyun Sect: successful production of various alternative pills, breakthroughs in array research, accelerated integration of new and old disciples, and even signs of secret contact with several small forces.

"Well done, Qingyun Sect! Well done, Shen Mo!" Master Chixiao slammed the jade slip heavily on the table and sneered, "I thought that under the economic blockade, they would inevitably fall into internal strife within six months. I didn't expect that not only would they not collapse, but they would be thriving even more! This boy's methods should not be underestimated! If left unchecked, he may become a major threat!"

Opposite him sat a middle-aged cultivator in a crimson robe with a refined appearance. He was an elder of the Lieyang Sect's Foreign Affairs Hall, named "Yanyang Jushi." His cultivation was also at the late Foundation Establishment stage, but unlike Chixiao's radicalism, he preferred appeasement and checks and balances.

"Senior Brother Chixiao, please calm down." Yanyang Jushi slowly sipped his spiritual tea. "Although Qingyun Sect has some cleverness, its foundation is shallow. At most, it can only be considered a capable ant, unable to cause any great trouble."

"Our sect's primary task now is to digest the legacy left by the Heavenly Sword and the Profound Yin Sect, stabilize the newly occupied territories, and guard against those like the Burning Heaven Valley and the Five Poisons Sect who are eyeing us covetously. To wage war against such minor sects, waste resources, and possibly even push them to the opposite side would be a case of losing more than one gains."

"To lose sight of the bigger picture for a small gain?" Crimson Heaven Venerable sneered. "Junior Brother Flame Sun, don't be so soft-hearted! The cultivation world is a dog-eat-dog world. How can we let a tiger grow stronger? Now that its wings are not yet fully grown, it's the perfect opportunity to wipe it out in one fell swoop! Just send a Golden Core elder to lead the team, and with a thunderous strike, we can uproot it completely!"

Yan Yang Jushi shook his head: "Senior brother, you are mistaken. Firstly, we have no legitimate reason to attack. Qingyun Sect has not openly rebelled against our sect so far, but has instead been outwardly submissive. If we rashly wipe them out, it may discourage other forces in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness that are attached to our sect, and damage the sect's reputation."

"Secondly, the cost will be considerable. Their protective mountain formation is quite ingenious, and a direct attack will inevitably result in casualties. In these turbulent times, every bit of strength is crucial. Thirdly, it will force them into a corner. If their remaining forces flee into the mountains or collude with forces like Burning Heaven Valley, it will only create more trouble."

He set down his teacup, a glint of insight in his eyes: "In my opinion, we should try a different approach. Since blockades are ineffective, we can switch to 'restriction' and 'infiltration.' On the one hand, we should maintain the embargo on high-end resources to limit their development potential."

"On the other hand, we can secretly contact them, offer them some benefits, and divide and win them over. Wouldn't it be better if we could make them our vassals? We could even... support them in their struggles against the Earthly Fiend Gang and the Blood Blade Sect, so that they can wear each other down, and our sect can reap the benefits."

"A vassal? Hmph, I think that Shen Mo is definitely not the kind of person who would willingly be subservient to others!" Master Chixiao said, flicking his sleeve.

"It's all up to human effort." Yan Yang Jushi smiled slightly. "Even if we can't subdue them, we can lull them into a false sense of security and buy them time. Once our sect has dealt with the current important matters, we can deal with them easily."

The two elders disagreed and could not reach an agreement. This also reflected the internal divisions within the Lieyang Sect regarding the Qingyun Sect. The radicals advocated for its annihilation by force to prevent future troubles; the moderates believed the cost was too high and that restriction and utilization should be the primary approach.

News of the debate quickly reached Shen Mo's ears through the highest-level informants of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

Inside the main hall of the sect leader, Shen Mo looked at the secret report presented by Su Xiao and a cold smile appeared on his lips.

"The Blazing Sun Sect is not a monolithic entity either. Crimson Sky advocates war, while Flame Sun advocates peace... This is indeed good news."

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, should we make contact with that Hermit Yan Yang? Perhaps we can feign compliance and buy more time for development?" Su Xiao suggested.

"No." Shen Mo shook his head. "Trying to negotiate with a tiger will only result in being hurt by it. Whether the Lieyang Sect advocates war or peace, its fundamental goal is to control and even annex our sect. Hoping for the enemy's mercy is the most foolish thing to do."

His gaze sharpened: "However, their internal rifts are our opportunity! Since some are unwilling to use force immediately, we should seize this opportunity to accelerate our development, and at the same time... create more 'trouble' for them, so that the pro-war faction can't find an excuse to attack, and the pro-peace faction feels that 'appeasing' us is more worthwhile!"

"Junior Sister Xiao," Shen Mo looked at Su Xiao, "the matter of forming alliances and counter-alliances can begin."

"Senior Brother Sect Leader, please give your orders!" Su Xiao's spirits lifted.

"You will personally take charge and, through Chen Hao's channels, secretly contact those forces that have a long-standing grudge against the Lieyang Sect or have been deeply exploited by it. There are several key targets:"

"First, the 'Blackwater Gang,' which has conflicts with the Earthly Fiends Gang; second, the 'Gold and Stone Family,' whose mines were forcibly swallowed up by the Blazing Sun Sect."

"Third, the Lin family, who are dissatisfied with the 'Flowing Fire Valley,' a vassal of the Blazing Sun Sect, for seizing their ancestral land." Shen Mo pointed out several locations on the map.

"When making contact, there's no need to mention forming an alliance. Just act as a 'Random Cultivator Merchant Guild' or an 'Anonymous Fellow Daoist,' providing them with the pills and talismans they urgently need. The price can be discounted, but they must exchange them for minerals and spiritual herbs that are prohibited from being transported by the Blazing Sun Sect."

"At the same time, we can 'unintentionally' reveal some inside information about the Lieyang Sect's internal transfers or things that are unfavorable to them, thus doing them a favor."

Su Xiaoxin understood immediately: "Sect Leader, you're brilliant! This move kills three birds with one stone! It breaks through some of the resource blockade, secretly supports the Blazing Sun Sect's rivals, and weaves an invisible network of relationships in the surrounding area to gather intelligence! Even... if something happens in the future, these people might become unexpected allies!"

"That's exactly right." Shen Mo nodded. "Remember, it must be done in secrecy, with only one line of communication. Never reveal your identity as a member of the Qingyun Sect. Right now, all we need to do is plant the seeds and wait for them to blossom."

"Xiao'er understands! I will do it flawlessly!" Su Xiao nodded solemnly, her eyes sparkling with excitement. This kind of maneuvering and strategic approach was exactly what she excelled at.

"Furthermore," Shen Mo pondered, "we must also intensify our infiltration efforts within the Blazing Sun Sect. The focus should be on the faction of that 'Blazing Sun Hermit,' to see if we can find a breakthrough that we can exploit. Perhaps we can start with his nephews and disciples, catering to their preferences."

"Yes! I'll arrange it right away!"

Su Xiao accepted the order and left, his figure disappearing outside the cave.

......

Since the two forces, Heavenly Sword and Profound Yin, were both severely injured, this land in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness has never truly been at peace.

The old balance has been broken and a new order has yet to be established. While the major powers are licking their wounds and dividing up the inheritance, they are also wary of each other and secretly vying for power.

The air was thick with the oppressive atmosphere of an impending storm, as if a single spark could ignite the entire powder keg.

While consolidating its newly acquired territory, the Lieyang Sect became increasingly wary of the expansion of forces such as the Burning Heaven Valley and the Five Poisons Sect, and border clashes occurred frequently.

Small, "disobedient" forces like Qingyun Sect, which demonstrate remarkable resilience, are their primary targets of "attention."

Although there were voices advocating peace within the sect, the hardline stance of the pro-war faction always prevailed, and their reconnaissance, probing, and even small-scale harassment of the Qingyun Sect never ceased.

Outside Qingyun Mountain, unidentified cultivators are frequently spotted spying on the area, creating an increasingly tense atmosphere.