Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

After giving his instructions, Shen Mo walked up to the two men, his gaze sweeping over these two pillars of the sect, one a scholar and the other a warrior, and said earnestly, "Elder Han, Junior Brother Tie, we will handle the storms from the outside world. But within the sect, the cultivation of the disciples is the most fundamental thing."

"One of you is in charge of general affairs, and the other is in charge of the troops. You bear heavy responsibilities and great pressure, but you must not slacken in your self-cultivation."

He looked at Han Lin: "Elder Han, you have been stuck at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage for many years, not because of a lack of talent, but because you are burdened by complicated affairs. In the future, you can delegate more trivial matters to capable disciples, freeing up time to calmly comprehend your inner thoughts."

"The newly refined 'Condensing Essence Pill' from the Pill Hall may be helpful to you. You can get it from Junior Sister Xiaocao."

Upon hearing this, Han Lin's eyes reddened slightly. How could he not want to break through? It was just that sect affairs were numerous and complicated, and he had never been able to find a complete period of time for seclusion.

The sect leader's words truly resonated with him.

However, he was already quite old when he broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and in recent years he has been busy with sect affairs, which inevitably delayed his cultivation. Being able to break through to the mid-Foundation Establishment stage already shows that he has good aptitude.

He was able to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage in this lifetime thanks to his decision to join the Qingyun Sect back then, and he was already very satisfied with his life.

As for the Golden Core? He had long since given up on that hope, but being able to see the sect grow stronger in his lifetime was already his long-cherished wish.

But he still bowed deeply in gratitude and said, "Sect Leader... I am ashamed! I will certainly work hard and live up to your expectations!"

Shen Mo patted Shi Tie's muscular shoulder again: "Junior Brother Tie, your courageous progress is a good thing. But the path of the Golden Core is not just about brute force. You have a strong earth elemental root, so you should understand the meaning of 'great virtue carries all things'."

"Sometimes, stopping to look at the mountain beneath your feet and feel the pulse of the earth may be more beneficial than simply practicing hard."

"Strive to complete the Foundation Establishment as soon as possible and form the Golden Core. At that time, you and I, brothers, can truly stand shoulder to shoulder and face great storms together."

Shi Tie seemed to understand, but the sect leader's words that he could form his core and his brotherly attitude warmed his heart. He stubbornly replied, "Sect Leader! I, Old Shi, will definitely work hard! I will never let you down!"

"Good." Shen Mo smiled with satisfaction. "Go, everyone, do your jobs. Remember, to forge iron, one must be strong oneself. As long as we are united and of one mind, and as many Golden Core cultivators emerge from within, no matter how fierce the storms outside may be, our Qingyun Sect will remain steadfast!"

"Yes!" the three answered in unison, turned and strode away with firm steps.

Silence returned to the hall. Shen Mo walked alone to the window, gazing at the distant, undulating mountain silhouettes in the darkness, his eyes filled with longing.

He gave a push to his right-hand men, hoping they could break through as soon as possible. His intuition told him that the time left for the Qingyun Sect to develop steadily was running out.

He gently touched his fingertips, where a barely perceptible golden-blue light flashed and disappeared. The nascent golden core within his body was already incredibly solid, needing only one final opportunity to reach complete perfection.

"The Golden Core... is far from enough." He muttered to himself, his voice fading into the night wind. "To protect all of this, perhaps... a stronger power is needed."

......

With the establishment of the Qingyun Alliance and its continued expansion of influence, the call to elect Shen Mo, the leader of the Qingyun Sect, as the first leader of the Qingyun Alliance is growing louder and louder.

This call arose naturally, yet it carried an undeniable momentum.

The first to openly boast about it was Chen Hao of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion. This fat shopkeeper acted as if he'd struck gold, telling everyone he met, spitting as he spoke:

"Look! Look at this! In the past, wouldn't the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect have called the shots based on who had the bigger fist? Small fry like the Green Wood Sect and the Golden Saber Sect would have been beaten to death and had no recourse!"

"But what about now? The Qingyun Alliance has stepped in, acting according to the rules, impartially and fairly, and both sides are satisfied!"

"Why? Because Sect Leader Shen is fair in his dealings! With him in charge, we business people feel at ease!"

He patted the counter and spoke candidly to the sect leaders who had come to make purchases: "Brothers, let's be frank! Besides Sect Leader Shen, who else is qualified to sit in this position of Alliance Leader?"

"Master Xuan Yang of the Blazing Sun Sect? He might want to, but does he have the magnanimity to share his secret realm slots? Jian Wuji of the Heavenly Sword Sect? Heh, it's questionable whether he can even hold onto his sword now!"

"Elder Ling Shuang of the Xuanbing Pavilion? He's certainly upright, but can he really control the situation? This alliance leader must be Sect Leader Shen! He's the one everyone wants!"

His words expressed the sentiments of many small and medium-sized sects and independent cultivators. What they sought in joining the alliance was stability and opportunity, wasn't it?

Shen Mo's strength, methods, and especially his seemingly "disadvantaged" generosity in sharing, gave them real hope.

The Xuanbing Pavilion's attitude was much more reserved. During a small gathering with friendly sects, Elder Ling Shuang casually mentioned, "The alliance is newly established, and everything needs to be rebuilt. We need a virtuous and capable person who can command respect to lead the overall situation and prevent chaos."

Although not explicitly named, the phrases "possessing both virtue and talent" and "being able to command respect" are unmistakably relevant in the Southern Region at present. The Xuanbing Pavilion's statement has spurred many previously hesitant neutral forces to make their decision.

The Green Wood Sect and the Golden Knife Sect truly brought this call to a climax. These two sects had just experienced the spirit mine turmoil and had a firsthand understanding of the Alliance's fairness.

The Green Wood Sect and the Golden Knife Sect truly brought this call to a climax. These two sects had just experienced the spirit mine turmoil and had a firsthand understanding of the Alliance's fairness.

The leaders of the two sects jointly visited several sects with which they had good relations, and their words were simple yet carried great weight:

"Brother Mu Chen (Zhao Laosan and his brother), let's not mince words. Before, small sects like ours were just meat on a chopping block! Now, with the alliance and the rules, we can stand tall! Who set these rules? Sect Leader Shen! And who upholds them? Sect Leader Shen and his men!"

"We don't understand any grand principles, we just know that whoever treats us well, we'll support them! As for the alliance leader, we'll recognize Sect Leader Shen!"

The support from lower-level cultivators was the most fervent. These rogue cultivators would gather in teahouses and taverns, drink a bowl of cheap "fiery roast," and their conversations would flow freely:

"Brother Wang, have you heard? The alliance is electing a leader!"

"Is there even a choice? It's definitely Master Shen!"

"Exactly! If it weren't for Master Shen, would we ever even get close to the secret realm in our lifetime? Dream on!"

"Following Master Shen, there's hope for the future! It would be an injustice if he didn't take the position of alliance leader!"

Even some smaller sects that were originally affiliated with the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect have begun to have differing opinions. Some elders have privately advised their sect leaders:

"Sect Leader, it's an inevitable trend... Shen Mo has now achieved the Golden Core stage, his prestige is soaring, and he also controls the resources of the secret realm... If we continue to closely follow the Blazing Sun Sect (Heavenly Sword Sect), we're afraid... we'll be marginalized. Perhaps..."

Rumors, discussions, public support, private schemes... all these voices eventually converged into a torrent, surging towards Qingyun Mountain.

On this day, inside the Flowing Cloud Palace, Shen Mo was discussing the details of establishing the Alliance's standing law enforcement team with Han Lin and Su Xiao when a disciple on duty hurriedly entered, his expression a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

"Reporting to the Sect Leader! Manager Chen Hao of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion and Elder Ling Shuang of the Profound Ice Pavilion, along with representatives from seventy-eight sects, guilds, and the alliance of rogue cultivators from the Southern Region, are requesting an audience outside the mountain gate! They say they have important matters to discuss and require an audience with the Sect Leader!"

Han Lin's hand trembled, and the water in the teacup spilled. Su Xiao's eyes flashed as she looked at Shen Mo. This was quite a show of force.

Shen Mo remained calm, as if he had expected this. He put down the jade slip in his hand and asked indifferently, "How many people have come?"

"A dark mass, probably several hundred! They're all... all waiting in the mountain gate square!" The disciple's voice trembled.

Shen Mo stood up and straightened his blue robe: "Open the door and welcome the guests."