Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Before he could finish speaking, a rapid bell rang out from outside the window. Su Xiao's expression sharpened: "It's the warning bell from Sharpening Sword Cliff! Enemies have infiltrated the sect leader's secluded training area!"

The two flew out on their swords, and saw sword energy soaring into the sky from the direction of the Sword Sharpening Cliff! A familiar cyan sword light pierced the night sky, and the sound of metal clashing against metal could be faintly heard.

"It's the sect leader's sword energy!" Han Lin exclaimed.

Su Xiao shook her head: "No, it's the protective sword intent left by the sect leader before his seclusion that has been triggered." She looked at the many auras stirring in the darkness and sneered, "It seems that someone is eager to test the sect leader's condition."

At this moment, Qingyun Sect was surrounded by enemies on all sides. But Su Xiao showed no fear and drew his short blade with a backhand.

"Elder Han, activate the final transformation of the 'Flowing Cloud Lock'."

"Let all those who covet it know that Qingyun Sect is not a pushover!"

......

On the main peak of Qingyun Mountain, the fog was much thicker than usual in the early morning, as if the entire mountain was wrapped in soaked cotton. The sea of ​​clouds in the direction of Lijian Cliff was churning strangely, not flowing gently as usual, but like a pot of spiritual porridge nearing boiling point, bubbling ominously.

The thousand-year-old pine tree on the cliff edge moved without wind; before its needles even touched the ground, they were crushed into dust by an invisible force.

Han Lin's hands, gripping the compass, were bulging with veins; the magnetic needle on the compass spun wildly, almost leaping out of its frame. "The seventh time! This spiritual energy tide... is more than 30% stronger than it was two hours ago!"

His voice was strained as he shouted to Su Xiao, who had rushed over, "If this continues, the spiritual patterns of the mountain-protecting formation will crack, and it definitely won't last until midnight!"

Su Xiao pressed down on her hair, which had been disheveled by the strong wind, her gaze fixed on the stone door of the secluded cultivation cave on the cliff face of the Sword Sharpening Cliff. Cracks were spreading on the stone door, like a spider web, and with each violent fluctuation of spiritual energy, fragments of stone would fall down, revealing the deep darkness behind it.

"How is Junior Sister Qingyan doing?" she asked, forcing herself to calm down.

"Elder Zhao is leading people to urgently repair the star-pattern array at the entrance to the secret realm!" Zhou Yi ran up, panting, his robes scorched. "But... but we're running out of Void Stones! The last one was used last night to patch a hole in the Poison Dragon Ravine array!"

Before the words were even finished, the entire main peak suddenly shook! Li Xiaocao's exclamation came from the direction of the Pill Hall, followed by the sound of medicine cabinets tipping over and pill bottles rolling and shattering!

"Oh no! The spiritual energy of the Concentration Pill is out of balance, it's going to explode!" Li Xiaocao's anxious voice could be faintly heard.

Inside the council chamber, Shi Tie, who had just kicked the door open, still had dew and mud on his armor from last night's patrol. Hearing the sound, he frowned.

"Senior Sister Su! Things are still turbulent outside! The Crimson Flame Guards of Burning Heaven Valley have advanced another ten miles! The Five Poisons Sect is releasing poisonous miasma in Blackwater Swamp! What's most infuriating is that Xuan Yang Venerable from the Blazing Sun Sect, who hypocritically sent a disciple to deliver some 'Soul-Stabilizing Pearl,' claiming to request an audience with the sect leader, but clearly he's just here to probe our strength!"

He grabbed the teapot on the table, took a few gulps, wiped his mouth, and said, "You need to make a decision quickly—to fight or to negotiate? We can't just sit here and wait!"

Suddenly, a blue light shot into the sky outside the window, and the sounds of dragons roaring and tigers howling seemed to echo through the clouds, causing the entire mountain to tremble!

The teacup on the table jumped high into the air. Han Lin hurriedly reached out to catch it, but was scalded by the boiling tea that overflowed from the cup and was agitated by spiritual energy. The tea condensed into ice beads in mid-air and then vaporized and disappeared in an instant.

"Yin and Yang reversed, spiritual energy disordered..." Li Xiaocao murmured, staring at the medicinal powder in her palm that was spontaneously combining and dispersing due to the disturbance of spiritual energy. "What kind of pill did the sect leader form? How can its aura be so domineering and strange?"

This question lingered in everyone's mind. When an ordinary Golden Core cultivator forms their core, it's merely a matter of attracting a vortex of spiritual energy, a cause for celebration by heaven and earth. But during the months that Shen Mo has been in seclusion, strange phenomena have been frequently occurring around Qingyun Mountain: the medicinal herbs in the herb garden are withering and flourishing at an accelerated pace, the furnace fire in the artifact hall is fluctuating between hot and cold, and even the mountain stream waterfall once flowed backward for three days.

This seventh surge of spiritual energy is now causing the protective array of the sect to groan in despair.

"Senior Sister Su!" Another disciple from the Array Hall rushed in, "The 'Star Pattern Array' at the entrance to the secret realm has been destroyed by an abnormal spiritual force! Uncle Zhao is doing his best to repair it, but we urgently need Void Stones to stabilize the array foundation!"

Shi Tie suddenly stood up: "The last Void Stone in the warehouse, wasn't it...?"

Before he could finish speaking, the scene fell into a deathly silence. At that moment, the communication jade talismans lit up one after another, and the phantom images of the Blazing Sun Sect, the Burning Heaven Valley, and the Five Poisons Sect appeared one after another. Their words seemed concerned, but in reality, they concealed veiled sarcasm.

The illusory figure of Master Xuanyang smiled warmly: "Junior Nephew Su, I heard that your sect leader seems to be encountering obstacles in his breakthrough? I have brought the 'Soul-Stabilizing Pearl' with me, which may be of assistance. Would you be so kind as to grant me this favor?"

Su Xiao dug her fingers into her palm, suppressing her anger as she tried to maneuver. She knew these vultures were there to test her strength! However, just as she was feigning compliance, a sharp, tearing sound came from the direction of Sharpening Sword Cliff, and the protective array's light screen visibly dimmed and shattered!

"Activate the final transformation of the 'Flowing Cloud Lock'!" Su Xiao ordered without hesitation. "Elder Han, oversee the main peak and coordinate resources; Junior Sister Qingyan, spare no effort to repair the great formation; Xiao Cao, do your utmost to refine pills to stabilize spiritual energy; Shi Tie!"

She looked at the elder of the Battle Hall, "Take your men and clear out the 'uninvited guests' within three miles of the mountain gate! Those who refuse to leave... will be treated as intruders!"

"Understood!" Shi Tie grinned, a fierce glint in his eyes, picked up his battle axe and strode out.

The others received their orders and hurriedly departed. Su Xiao climbed the observatory alone, letting the mountain wind whip her robes. Gazing at the pillar of spiritual energy that seemed to tear the heavens and earth apart, she recalled Shen Mo's private words to her the night before his seclusion:

"Junior Sister Xiao, my purpose in this seclusion is far-reaching. Success will bring hope to the sect, while failure will... bring utter ruin. If there is any turmoil outside, no matter what, you must remain calm and wait for me to emerge from seclusion."

At the time, she only noticed the sect leader's solemn tone but didn't think much of it. Now it seems the sect leader probably foresaw today's situation.

As midnight approached, the spiritual energy tide finally reached its peak! Cracks on the stone door of the cave were as dense as a spider web, as if it would completely collapse at any moment.

The faint sounds of Shi Tie's roar and the clash of weapons could be heard outside the mountain gate. The light barrier of the mountain-protecting formation was already as thin as a cicada's wing and was about to collapse.

At this most chaotic and critical moment, what came from the cave was not an explosion or screams, but a clear and melodious hum that penetrated straight to the soul!

A massive golden sphere of light, solid beyond measure and far exceeding the diameter of an ordinary Golden Core phantom, burst through the stone gate's restraints and soared straight into the sky!

The ball of light resembled a small, blazing sun, its golden light pure and domineering. Its size was more than twice that of the phantom of an ordinary Golden Core cultivator when forming their core!

The sphere of light slowly rotated, absorbing and releasing massive amounts of spiritual energy from heaven and earth, radiating a terrifying pressure. On the surface of the sphere, faint, mysterious patterns flowed, resembling neither talismans nor seal script, causing the surrounding spiritual energy to tremble!

"This is... a Golden Core phenomenon? But... but this is too big!" Han Lin exclaimed in disbelief.

After hovering for a moment, the ball of light did not dissipate. Instead, it began to frantically devour the spiritual energy of heaven and earth within hundreds of miles, forming a huge vortex of spiritual energy. Even the distant mountains seemed to dim a bit.