Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Thus, the Qingyun Sect's first acceptance of disciples, amidst quietude and turmoil, finally came to a conclusion.

In the end, only eight people were included: the honest and strong Zhang Daniu, the resolute Lin Xiaofan, the meticulous and calm Zhao Qingyan, and five boys and girls from nearby mountain villages with good character.

Although their numbers were small, they gave Shen Mo boundless hope. Looking at these young men and women from humble backgrounds, yet with bright eyes, a sense of pride welled up within him.

Shen Mo stood with his hands behind his back in front of the bluestone slab that had been temporarily used as a "registration desk," while Su Xiaojing stood beside him, holding a newly written list in her hands.

Shi Tie, A Yuan, and the eight new disciples who had just passed the initial screening, a total of eleven people, stood in two rows, slightly cramped but neat, according to their order of entry.

The evening breeze rustled their faded, even patched, coarse cloth clothes—these were the few spare clothes that Su Xiao had just found in the sect's inventory. Although old, they were very clean.

All eyes were on Shen Mo and Su Xiao, and the air was filled with a tense atmosphere that mixed anticipation, unease and a hint of confusion.

Shen Mo's gaze slowly swept over the young and vibrant faces before him.

Besides the three "veterans" Shi Tie, Su Xiao, and A Yuan, and the particularly eye-catching Zhang Daniu, Lin Xiaofan, and Zhao Qingyan, the other five boys and girls also have their own unique characteristics:

Standing next to Zhang Daniu was a dark-skinned, lean boy with sharp, hawk-like eyes named Wang Lie. He was the son of a hunter from the mountains and was said to be very skilled at tracking prey. He was also a man of few words.

Next to Lin Xiaofan was a girl with a rosy complexion, large hands, and a faint fragrance of grass and trees. Her name was Li Xiaocao. She was the daughter of a farmer at the foot of the mountain and had a natural affinity for flowers, plants, and trees. She looked honest and simple.

There was also a nimble-looking boy named Sun Xiaohou, who claimed that his ancestors had been peddlers. He was quick-witted and bold.

Zhou Xiaoya, a girl who always kept her head slightly down but was exceptionally quick and efficient, packed her things quickly and neatly.

And Qian Xiaodou, the youngest boy who looks timid but is always secretly observing others.

These eight people were carefully selected from more than twenty applicants for the opening of the Qingyun Sect's mountain gate, or rather, they were all the new blood gathered by chance.

They came from humble origins, were of mediocre or even inferior talent, like stubborn stones scattered in the dust, inconspicuous.

Su Xiao stepped forward, cleared her throat, and began to read the list in a clear voice:

"After verification by the sect leader and all senior brothers, the Qingyun Sect has accepted eight outer disciples for this inaugural disciple recruitment. The list is as follows: Zhang Daniu, Lin Xiaofan, Zhao Qingyan, Wang Lie, Li Xiaocao, Sun Xiaohou, Zhou Xiaoya, and Qian Xiaodou."

Each time a name was called, the boys and girls whose names were mentioned would involuntarily tremble slightly. Some would straighten their backs instinctively, some would lower their heads even further, some would have excitement in their eyes, and some would remain bewildered.

After the list was read aloud, the room fell silent. The only sound was the rustling of leaves in the mountain breeze.

Shen Mo spoke slowly, his voice not loud, yet it possessed a strange penetrating power, clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"From this moment on, the eight of you will be the second generation of disciples of my Qingyun Sect. Perhaps you have heard that the Qingyun Sect is in decline and lacks resources, unable to provide you with fine clothes and delicacies, let alone the cultivation techniques that allow you to ascend to the heavens in one step."

His words were plain, yet they pointed directly to reality, causing many new disciples to lose their composure.

"But!" Shen Mo's tone shifted abruptly, his gaze sharpening as he scanned the crowd.

"What Qingyun Sect can offer you is a respectable identity, a safe haven from the storm, and a path that, though difficult, has a clear direction!"

"Those who enter my sect must abide by my rules." Shen Mo's tone became solemn. "First, you must not betray your master or ancestors; second, you must not kill your fellow disciples; third, you must not bully the weak; fourth, you must not betray the sect. These four rules are ironclad. Those who violate them will have their cultivation abolished and be expelled from the sect without exception!"

The stern tone sent a chill down the spines of all the new disciples, who instinctively held their breath.

"Furthermore," Shen Mo said in a slightly softer tone, "the sect is newly established and everything needs to be rebuilt. Everyone needs to work together."

"In the future, the sect will establish a contribution system. Repairing buildings, tending the herb garden, patrolling the mountain, and improving cultivation will all be counted as contributions. Contributions can be exchanged for cultivation techniques, elixirs, and even opportunities to seek guidance and answers to questions."

"Those who work harder will receive more, those who work less will receive less, and those who do not work will receive nothing. This is the way of fairness, and it is also the foundation upon which our Qingyun Sect stands. I hope you will all remember this."

This idea of ​​"contribution" was both novel and practical for these teenagers from underprivileged backgrounds. It was as if they saw a ladder that they could climb through their own efforts, and their eyes immediately lit up.

"Finally," Shen Mo's gaze deepened, and he emphasized, "I want you to remember that once you enter the Qingyun Sect, you are Qingyun people. No matter where you come from or what your background is, from now on, we will share both glory and ruin."

"Outside the sect, you must uphold its reputation; inside the sect, you must be kind to your fellow disciples and help each other. The sect is your support, and you are the future of the sect."

"Perhaps the outside world will laugh at us, may look down on us," Shen Mo's voice carried an undeniable force, "but we will show them with our actions that the Qingyun Sect cannot be easily humiliated! The disciples of Qingyun, though poor, are not without ambition!"

His words contained no empty rhetoric, but rather concrete rules, visible paths, and weighty responsibilities. They struck the hearts of the young people like a hammer, and also served as a lighthouse, guiding them in the right direction.

"Did you all understand?" Shen Mo asked in a deep voice.

"Understood!" shouted several teenagers, led by Shi Tie and Zhang Daniu, their voices echoing through the valley.

Lin Xiaofan pursed her lips tightly and nodded vigorously. Zhao Qingyan and the others also responded in low but firm voices.

"Alright." A barely perceptible look of satisfaction appeared on Shen Mo's face as he instructed, "Tomorrow at Chenshi (7-9 AM), gather here for the apprenticeship ceremony. Now, everyone go back to rest. Junior Brother Tie and Junior Sister Xiao, take them to familiarize themselves with their accommodations."

The disciples dispersed as instructed, and led by Shi Tie and Su Xiao, they headed towards the simple houses that had just been repaired and still smelled of fresh wood.

Despite the harsh conditions, everyone's steps seemed a bit more steady than when they arrived.

……

"Have you heard? The results of Qingyun Sect's disciple recruitment are in!"

"Oh? How many did you take in? What are their qualities?"

"Hey! It's laughable! I took in eight! Eight! And they were all freaks out of the water!"

"What happened? Tell me quickly!"

"Not counting the three leaders who were their original disciples, among the eight newly recruited ones, there's a burly, dark-skinned young man named Zhang Daniu, the son of a miner. He's incredibly strong, but I heard his spiritual roots are terribly weak!"

"There's also a guy named Lin Xiaofan, as skinny as a monkey, so weak he'd fall over in the wind. His origins are unknown, probably a beggar! And there's a girl named Zhao Qingyan, oh, her real name is Zhao Ya, just a country bumpkin!"

"The rest are even more outrageous! The hunter's son, the farming girl, the peddler, the farmer's son... not a single one of them has any decent four spiritual roots! They're probably all pseudo-spiritual roots, or even just ordinary people without any spiritual roots at all!"

"My God! Has the Qingyun Sect really given up all hope? They're really desperate!"

"Hahaha! I think they can't find enough people, so they're resorting to picking up trash that others don't want!"

"They said they 'don't care about qualifications,' but it turns out they simply can't find qualified people!"

"This has truly become the biggest joke in the market!"

Sarcasm and ridicule spread like a plague throughout the market. Qingyun Sect and Shen Mo once again became the laughingstock of the people.

Almost everyone believed that the disciples recruited by Qingyun Sect were a complete failure, and that this already dilapidated sect would probably never have a chance to recover.