Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Mentioning Shen Mo and the Qingyun Alliance, the crowd below immediately shifted from elation to indignation, and began to voice their accusations.

"Sect Master! That brat Shen Mo is going too far! He dares to set up a Dao Academy and poach our members!"

"And that contribution system—it's clearly an attempt to control the economic lifeline of the Southern Region!"

"During the previous beast tide, he even dared to claim himself as the alliance leader and force our sect to send troops, resulting in the loss of many disciples!"

"If this villain is not eliminated, our Heavenly Sword Sect will never have peace!"

Jian Wuji listened quietly, his face expressionless, only a subtle glint of sword light seemed to flicker deep within his cold eyes. Only when the noise subsided did he slowly speak, his voice still calm and undisturbed:

"Shen Mo? Qingyun Alliance?" The corner of his mouth seemed to twitch extremely slightly, as if he were smiling, but it was icy cold and devoid of any warmth. "A mere clown jumping around, a skeleton in a tomb, is he really worth your so much fear?"

His gaze swept over the crowd, and his gaze was like a tangible sword aura, making everyone feel a stinging sensation on their skin and involuntarily lower their heads.

"In sword practice, one should be courageous, diligent, and relentless. How dare external things and empty fame disturb my sword's heart?"

Jian Wuji's voice suddenly turned sharp, like a sword drawn from its sheath, ringing out: "The foundation of my Heavenly Sword Sect lies in the sword in my hand and the sincerity in my heart! Wherever the sword points, all laws will be shattered! Why bother with petty tricks?"

He paused, his tone softening, yet carrying an even deeper chill: "However, since someone is restless and wants to test whether the swords of my Heavenly Sword Sect are still sharp... then let him try."

He turned his gaze to Jian Wuhen: "Wuhen, pass on my sword decree. From this day forward, the entire sect shall uphold the strict rules of swordsmanship and diligently cultivate without ceasing. Three months from now, I will convene the 'Heavenly Sword Ceremony' at the 'Sword Debate Peak' and extend invitations to fellow practitioners from the Southern Region to discuss the Way of the Sword."

"At that time, I will personally open the altar to preach the Dharma and set up the 'Sword Testing Platform'. All sword cultivators below the Golden Core level in the Southern Region can step onto the platform to test their skills. The victor will receive personal guidance from me and be bestowed with a 'Heavenly Sword Token', which will allow him to enter the 'Ten Thousand Swords Cave' for three days of comprehension."

Upon hearing this, there was a moment of silence below, followed by an even more enthusiastic cheer! The Heavenly Sword Ceremony! The sect leader himself is giving a sermon! Comprehending the myriad swords in the Cave of Ten Thousand Swords! This is an unprecedented opportunity!

Especially for sword cultivators across the land, the attraction is unparalleled! At that time, sword cultivators from the Southern Region will likely flock to the Heavenly Sword Sect! This is to regain prestige with a righteous army and stand up to the "heretical" Azure Cloud Alliance!

"Our leader is wise!" the crowd shouted in unison, their morale soaring.

A glint flashed in Jian Wuhen's eyes as he bowed and said, "I will obey the Sect Master's command! I will make the arrangements immediately! I will ensure that this grand ceremony shakes the Southern Region!"

Jian Wuji nodded slightly, said no more, and with a flicker of his body, transformed into a streak of silver sword light, disappearing in an instant from the direction of the sect's main hall. The astonishing sword energy also vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed.

However, the lingering, incomparably sharp sword intent in the air, and the rekindled fighting spirit of the Heavenly Sword Sect, foreshadowed that the Southern Region's landscape was about to undergo a new and even more intense upheaval.

Qingyun Mountain, Liuyun Palace.

Almost half an hour after Jian Wuji emerged from seclusion and the strange phenomenon appeared, the message was placed on Shen Mo's desk through the highest-level communication channel of the Shadow Guard.

It records in detail the scene of swords resounding to the sky, ten thousand swords ringing out, and sword energy tearing through the air, as well as Jian Wuji's brief words after emerging from seclusion and the resolution of the "Heavenly Sword Ceremony".

Inside the Cardinal's Chamber, candlelight flickered. Shen Mo put down the jade slip, his fingertips tapping lightly on the cold jade table, producing a rhythmic tapping sound. Han Lin and Su Xiao stood by his side, their expressions solemn.

"The swords roared to the heavens, and ten thousand swords paid homage... What a magnificent display!"

Han Lin stroked his beard, his brows furrowed, his eyes filled with deep worry. "This Jian Wuji was already a top expert in the late Golden Core stage before his seclusion, his 'Ruthless Sword Dao' was ruthless and unparalleled. Now he claims to have slain his inner demons and made great progress in his swordsmanship, I'm afraid... he has reached the late Golden Core stage, and may even have touched the threshold of the Nascent Soul stage. This time, he has emerged from seclusion and is holding the 'Heavenly Sword Ceremony' in such a high-profile manner, his intentions are not good."

A cold glint flashed in Su Xiaoqing's eyes: "He's demonstrating his power, and also gathering strength. He's using the grand ceremony as a pretext to hold an alliance meeting, hoping to reunite the sword cultivators of the Southern Region and challenge our alliance. The 'Sword Testing Platform' and the 'Ten Thousand Swords Cave' are both bait."

"At that time, sword cultivators from the Southern Region will gather, and the prestige of the Heavenly Sword Sect will surely reach its peak. If a few ignorant minor sects follow them or humiliate our allied sword cultivators at the ceremony... the consequences will be unimaginable."

Shen Mo didn't speak, but quietly looked at the description of Jian Wuji's eyes when he came out of seclusion in the jade slip - "Cold and indifferent, with an eerie feeling in his eyes".

Involuntarily, the image of Jian Wuji challenging his authority in front of the Liuyun Palace, his inner demons broken by Jian Wuji's words, and his defeat with blood spurting out, flashed into his mind. That image was filled with a sinister and unwilling look.

Slaying the inner demons? Perhaps it wasn't so much about "slaying" them, but rather... "controlling" or "transforming" them in some extreme way? The eeriness hidden deep within that indifferent demeanor made him vaguely concerned.

"Sect Leader, how should we respond?" Han Lin couldn't help but ask when he saw Shen Mo's silence. "Should we send someone over? Or should we hold a grand event in the name of the alliance to dampen their spirits?"

Shen Mo pulled himself out of his thoughts and shook his head: "Since he's using the 'Sword Debate' as a pretext to invite like-minded people, it would seem petty and cowardly of us not to go. Of course we should go."

He stood up, walked to the huge map of the Southern Region, and his gaze fell on the small silver sword mark that read "Heavenly Sword Sect." He slowly said, "Moreover, we should not only send people there, but also go in a grand manner. We should not only go to see, but also to 'discuss.' Discuss the superiority of Daoist techniques, the rise and fall of sects, and the future of the Southern Region..."

He turned around and looked at Han Lin and Su Xiao, his gaze deep: "Elder Han, in my name, I write a letter to congratulate Sect Master Jian Wuji on his return from seclusion and to congratulate him on his progress in swordsmanship. At the same time, I declare that my Qingyun Alliance will definitely send an envoy to the Heavenly Sword Ceremony three months later to observe the ceremony and discuss the Dao."

Han Lin was taken aback: "Sect Leader, isn't this... too much of a show of goodwill? It might embolden others."

"A gesture of goodwill?" Shen Mo's lips curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile. "It's both a matter of courtesy and a gesture. Our Qingyun Alliance has established itself in the Southern Region not by closing ourselves off and being self-absorbed. If he wants to discuss swordsmanship, then let him."

"Not only do we want to debate swordsmanship, but we also want the world to see whether his 'ruthless swordsmanship' is sharper or my 'flowing cloud path' is more enduring."

"The goal is to make all cultivators in the Southern Region see clearly whether the Heavenly Sword Sect, which is closed off and arrogant, can bring a future, or whether the Azure Cloud Alliance, which embraces diversity and seeks win-win cooperation, is the trend of the times."

He paused, his tone turning cold: "Of course, we must observe proper etiquette and make all the necessary preparations. Junior Sister Xiao."

"exist."

"The Shadow Guards intensified their infiltration of the Heavenly Sword Sect, focusing on investigating what exactly happened during Jian Wuji's seclusion, the extent of his cultivation progress, and... where the inner demons he supposedly 'cut off' went and what they became."

"The Heavenly Sword Sect must have a backup plan for this grand ceremony. I need to know all their trump cards."

"Yes." Su Xiao solemnly accepted the order.