Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Huoyun Daoist and Jian Wuhen's faces were as black as the bottom of a pot. They were completely put on the hot seat! Joining now would be forced by circumstances and result in a loss of face; not joining would leave them immediately isolated and forced to watch helplessly as their rivals consolidated resources and expanded their power!

The Xuan Yin Sect's ghostly hand, with its triangular eyes darting around, suddenly chuckled, "Hehe, with such a lively scene, how could our patriarch be absent? The Xuan Yin Sect, let's join in the fun!"

He actually stood up, left a sinister divine imprint on the covenant, then stepped aside, arms crossed, to watch the show. He was determined to infiltrate first and then act according to circumstances.

All the pressure fell on the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Shen Mo stopped looking at them and instead began to talk quietly with Chen Hao and Ling Shuang, as if they were already allies.

"Manager Chen," Shen Mo smiled, "Now that the alliance is established, the flow of resources is of paramount importance. With the Baibao Pavilion's channels being so open, we will need your esteemed presence to help with the future alliance contribution point exchange system. For the alliance's bulk material procurement needs, we can give priority to your pavilion."

Chen Hao was overjoyed; this was a huge, long-term deal! He patted his chest and guaranteed, "Sect Leader Shen, rest assured! I, Chen, will do my utmost to ensure the price is absolutely fair! From now on, all Alliance disciples who bring their contribution points to any of my Hundred Treasures Pavilion branches will receive a 10% discount! No, a 15% discount!"

Shen Mo nodded, then said to Ling Shuang, "Elder Ling Shuang, regarding the Xuanbing Cave matter, I will have Junior Sister Qingyan contact your esteemed organization later to set up the appropriate formations to ensure the effectiveness of cultivation."

Ling Shuang bowed slightly: "Thank you for your trouble, Sect Leader Shen."

Seeing Shen Mo chatting happily with Chen Hao and Ling Shuang, clearly already at the core of the alliance, Daoist Huoyun finally sighed, as if he had aged decades in an instant. The tide had turned; there was nothing he could do!

He stood up with difficulty, his voice hoarse: "The Blazing Sun Sect... agrees to join the alliance."

After speaking, he almost dragged his feet to the jade table, imprinted his divine sense on it, and then sat back down in his original position without looking back, closing his eyes and remaining silent, as if he had exhausted all his strength.

Jian Wuhen stood alone, feeling the silent pressure and subtle mockery around him. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, "Heavenly Sword Sect... join the alliance!"

He strode forward, almost snatching the talisman brush, and fiercely left a mark on the jade slip. He then retreated, his face ashen, radiating a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.

At this point, all the prominent forces in the Southern Region had joined the "Azure Cloud Alliance"!

Han Lin, his face flushed with excitement, announced loudly, "The Azure Cloud Alliance is established today! With the alliance covenant now in effect, I hope all fellow Daoists will unite as one and abide by its rules!"

A deafening cheer erupted in the square! Especially the smaller sects and independent cultivators, who felt as if they had found a pillar of support and were filled with hope for the future.

The rest of the assembly proceeded much more smoothly. Han Lin announced the framework of the contribution-based reward system, sparking another round of heated discussion. Shen Mo quietly left the stage; some things needed to be discussed offstage.

In a quiet room in the side hall of Liuyun Hall.

Chen Hao rubbed his hands together, his face beaming with a smile: "Sect Leader Shen, no, you should call me Alliance Leader Shen now! Don't worry, leave the contribution point exchange system to me! I guarantee I'll handle it perfectly!"

"But... this alliance is newly established, and the issuance of contribution points, the stockpiling of resources... hehe, the initial investment is quite substantial."

Shen Mo knew exactly what he was thinking, and smiled calmly: "Manager Chen is a wise man. Qingyun Sect can provide a batch of resources first, including some secret realm specialties, pills, and magic weapons, as initial reserves."

"Furthermore, for the Alliance's first large-scale procurement—the upgrade of the War Hall's standard equipment—how about entrusting Baibaoge with the task?"

Chen Hao's eyes lit up—this was a huge order! The Qingyun Sect's battle hall needed to upgrade its equipment, and the requirements for both quantity and quality were extremely high! He quickly said, "Alliance Leader, you're so generous! I, Chen, will definitely supply it at cost price! No, I'll even offer a 50% discount!"

"Shopkeeper Chen, you're too kind. Mutual benefit is all that matters." Shen Mo waved his hand. "Besides, there's one more thing."

The alliance's intelligence network is in its early stages, and the Baibaoge branch offices are spread throughout the Southern Region, with excellent information dissemination. We still need Manager Chen's assistance.

"Of course! Of course!" Chen Hao readily agreed. "From now on, any news received by the branches should be reported to Elder Su of the Shadow Guard immediately!"

After seeing off the satisfied Chen Hao, Elder Ling Shuang of Xuanbing Pavilion entered gracefully.

"Elder Ling Shuang, please have a seat." Shen Mo personally poured a cup of spiritual tea. "The affairs of the alliance are complicated, and we will need the strong support of a pure stream like the Xuanbing Pavilion in the future."

Ling Shuang took the tea and sipped it lightly: "Alliance Leader Shen, please speak frankly."

"Elder Ling Shuang speaks frankly," Shen Mo said seriously. "The alliance is newly established, and rules and regulations are of utmost importance. Xuanbing Pavilion is known for its fairness and has a long-standing reputation. I would like to request that your pavilion take the lead, together with Elder Han, in managing the 'Hall of Punishments and Rewards,' responsible for matters such as enforcing alliance rules, verifying contributions, and arbitrating disputes. What is your opinion, Elder?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Ling Shuang's eyes. The Hall of Punishments and Rewards—this was the core power department of the alliance, wielding the power of rewards and punishments! Shen Mo actually trusted the Xuanbing Pavilion so much? This was both an act of giving them important responsibilities and a calculated move to completely bind the Xuanbing Pavilion to the war effort.

But power And it does indeed conform to the principles of Xuanbing Pavilion.

She pondered for a moment and slowly nodded: "Thank you for your trust, Alliance Leader Shen. Xuanbing Pavilion... has no choice but to do our duty."

"That's excellent." Shen Mo smiled. "Elder Han will discuss the specific details with your esteemed establishment later. The array setup for the Xuanbing Cave can be activated within three days."

After seeing Ling Shuang off, Su Xiao appeared silently.

"Sect Leader, the people from the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect have been settled in, but they are extremely vigilant. The people from the Profound Yin Sect are acting suspiciously, and Ghost Hand has been in contact with people from several smaller sects," Su Xiao reported in a low voice.

"As expected." Shen Mo walked to the window, looking at the still noisy crowd in the square in the distance. "The alliance is just the beginning; the real contest has only just begun. Junior Sister Xiao, the Shadow Guards need to keep their eyes peeled even more."

"Yes," Su Xiao replied solemnly, then hesitated for a moment before asking, "Sect Leader, are you truly comfortable entrusting the Hall of Punishments and Rewards to the Xuanbing Pavilion?"

"Ling Shuang is a smart woman, and Xuanbing Pavilion also needs the alliance platform. In the short term, they will be more committed to upholding the fairness of the alliance rules than we are." Shen Mo's gaze was profound. "Moreover, with Han Lin around, there is enough to keep them in check. Now, we need friends, even if they are only temporary."

He turned to Su Xiao and said, "Next, it's time to digest our spoils. Notify all hall masters that an internal sect meeting will be held tomorrow. The leader of the Qingyun Alliance must first and foremost be the sect leader of the Qingyun Sect."

Su Xiao nodded: "Understood."

......

Early that morning, just as dawn was breaking, a mud-covered iron-feathered hawk stumbled into the message room in the side courtyard of the Flowing Cloud Palace, the jade slip tied to its leg flashing a red light that signified "urgent".

The disciple on duty dared not delay and immediately delivered the jade slip to Su Xiao, who had just finished his morning lessons.

Su Xiao scanned the jade slip with her divine sense, her delicate brows furrowing slightly before she turned and headed towards the main hall.

Inside the hall, Shen Mo was listening to Han Lin report on the inventory of supplies and the return gifts from various parties following the Dharma assembly. Seeing Su Xiao walking hurriedly, both of them stopped.

"Sect Leader, Elder Han," Su Xiao presented the jade slip, "Something has happened at Blackwater Marsh. The 'Green Wood Sect' and the 'Golden Knife Sect' have clashed over a newly discovered spirit ore vein, and both sides have suffered losses. They are currently locked in a standoff on the south bank of Blackwater Marsh and request the Alliance to arbitrate."

"Oh?" Han Lin raised his white eyebrows, took the jade slip and examined it closely. "Qingmu Sect, Golden Knife Sect... are both small sects that have just joined the alliance. Their strength is comparable, and they usually have some friction because of the hunting area."

"This spirit ore... judging from the description, it's of good quality, and the reserves are estimated to be medium-sized. No wonder they're fighting over it."