Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Shen Mo seemed oblivious, merely nodding slightly to a Heavenly Sword Sect deacon who approached him. Under the deacon's somewhat stiff guidance, he led the group slowly up the somber sword-climbing steps.

He didn't deliberately release his aura, but his profound and unfathomable demeanor made many sword cultivators with lower cultivation levels feel an invisible pressure and subconsciously give way.

The Qingyun people behind him also kept their eyes straight ahead, their auras restrained, yet they possessed a dignified and unyielding presence.

"That's Shen Mo? He looks...so young!"

"His aura is like an abyss, unfathomable! Indeed, his great reputation is well-deserved!"

"Hmph, putting on airs! Let's see if the Sword Sect Master can still be so composed when he emerges from seclusion!"

Upon reaching the summit plaza, the view suddenly opened up. The plaza was already teeming with people, and the air was thick with the aura of swords. Behind the main arena, there was a row of main seats, with a jade throne hanging empty in the center, presumably reserved for Jian Wuji.

Many people were already seated on both sides, including Huo Yun Daoist of the Lieyang Sect, who was talking in hushed tones with an old man with red hair beside him. When he saw Shen Mo and the others arrive, he merely glanced at them and a faint sneer appeared on his lips.

Fairy Ling Shuang of Xuanbing Pavilion nodded slightly to Shen Mo. Chen Hao of Baibao Pavilion, squeezed into the crowd, cupped his hands in greeting to Shen Mo from afar, a smile plastered on his chubby face.

The disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect led Shen Mo and his group to the upper seats on the left, opposite the Blazing Sun Sect. The seats were perfectly positioned, yet they were under the spotlight of everyone.

Everyone had just sat down and hadn't even had a chance to exchange pleasantries when suddenly—

"clang--!!!"

A magnificent and resounding bell, seemingly capable of cleansing the soul, echoed from the depths of the Heavenly Sword Sect, instantly silencing all the noise in the plaza. The bell tolled nine times, each tone higher than the last, until the final sound faded away, leaving a lingering resonance as if countless sharp swords were vibrating in one's ears.

"Welcome back, Sect Master, as you emerge from seclusion! Let us ascend the altar to discuss the Dao!"

With a loud announcement from the master of ceremonies, a dazzling silver sword light, seemingly capable of cleaving through the void, shot into the sky from the direction of "Sword Burial Valley" behind the Heavenly Sword Sect, tearing through the sky and reaching the summit of the Sword Debate Peak in an instant! The sword light faded, revealing the figure of Jian Wuji.

Today he wore a brand new silver sword robe, with intricate sword-shaped patterns embroidered on the sleeves with dark gold thread. He wore a tall crown, and his face remained cold and stern, but his eyes were even more profound than when he emerged from seclusion three months ago, like two bottomless pools of icy water, occasionally flashing with a chilling glint.

He stood with his hands behind his back on the main arena, not taking a seat, his gaze sharp as lightning, slowly sweeping across the entire arena. Wherever he passed, regardless of their cultivation level, they all felt an invisible sharpness rushing towards them; those with weaker cultivation even felt a stinging pain in their souls and dared not look directly at him.

"Congratulations to the Sword Sect Master on emerging from seclusion! Your swordsmanship has reached its peak! Your might now shakes the Southern Region!"

A deafening roar of congratulations erupted from below the stage, especially from the disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, whose faces flushed with excitement and pride.

The Fire Cloud Daoist of the Blazing Sun Sect also rose, cupped his hands, and laughed loudly, "Brother Wuji has been in seclusion for many years. Today, he emerges with sword energy soaring to the heavens. This is truly a blessing for our Southern Region! Congratulations!"

Jian Wuji nodded slightly to Huo Yun, but his gaze swept past everyone and landed on the young man sitting calmly in a moon-white robe on the left. Their eyes met, and it seemed as if invisible sparks flew in the air.

Shen Mo remained calm as he met Jian Wuji's cold and sharp gaze. He slowly rose, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke in a clear and melodious voice, not loud, but clearly reaching the ears of everyone present: "Shen Mo of Qingyun, together with my fellow allies, congratulates Sect Master Jian on his successful completion of seclusion and his further advancement in swordsmanship."

He was courteous and respectful, neither arrogant nor servile.

A sharp glint flashed in Jian Wuji's eyes, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch slightly in return. His voice was calm and even, yet carried a metallic quality: "Alliance Leader Shen's presence is an honor to my humble abode. I have heard that during the previous beast tide, Alliance Leader Shen strategized and turned the tide, ensuring the peace of our Southern Region. I admire him greatly. However—"

He paused, then continued, "A feast for the eyes: a vast collection of books, an unparalleled experience." His gaze suddenly sharpened like a sword, piercing Shen Mo: "However, during my seclusion, I also heard some rumors that Alliance Leader Shen was strategizing and commanding from the rear amidst the beast tide, which is certainly commendable."

"However, the position of leader, ruling over all, carries a heavy responsibility. When powerful enemies invade and countless lives are lost, the leader should be at the forefront, his sword pointing the way, causing demons to flee!"

"But I've heard that when the Demon King appeared, and Broken Dragon Cliff was in grave danger, Alliance Leader Shen... never personally went to the front lines to fight the Demon King head-on?"

His voice suddenly rose, carrying a questioning tone, and resounded throughout the entire square under the surge of spiritual energy: "May I ask Alliance Leader Shen, is this true? If so, to sit idly by while your disciples, allies, and comrades fight bloody battles on the front lines, while you remain high in the halls of power... is this the responsibility of the Qingyun Alliance Leader? Is this the source of your confidence in leading the Southern Region, Shen Mo?!"

These words caused an uproar in the room!

No one expected that Jian Wuji would question Shen Mo so directly and sharply at his own family's grand ceremony, in front of almost all the prominent figures in the Southern Region, and even directly label him as "avoiding battle" and "cowardly"!

This is no longer a simple questioning, but a public attack and a blatant slap in the face!

The square fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on Shen Mo like spotlights. There was astonishment, amusement, schadenfreude, and worry.

A hint of pleasure flashed in the eyes of Huoyun Daoist of the Lieyang Sect, Ling Shuang Fairy of the Xuanbing Pavilion frowned slightly, and Chen Hao of the Baibao Pavilion froze with a smile, sweat beading on his forehead.

The expressions of the Qingyun Alliance members changed drastically. Jin Hao's eyes blazed with anger, and his hand was already on the hilt of his sword. Han Lin's brows were furrowed, and Su Xiao's gaze was as cold as a knife.

Jian Wuji is using this as an excuse to completely shatter Shen Mo's "Alliance Leader" aura in front of all the heroes of the world, undermine his personal prestige, and ultimately shake the foundation of the alliance! His intentions are despicable!

Faced with this sudden and sharp questioning, Shen Mo showed no anger on his face. Instead, he smiled gently, a smile that was warm but contained an indescribable indifference and detachment.

He brushed away non-existent dust from his sleeves, calmly meeting Jian Wuji's piercing gaze, and slowly spoke:

"I cannot agree with what the Sword Sect Master has said."

His voice remained calm, yet it possessed a strange penetrating power that silenced the whispers in the square.

"The position of leader is not for a brave soldier charging into battle, but for a chess player strategizing and planning. On the day of the beast tide, when it came with overwhelming force, the Demon King hid behind the scenes, driving all the beasts. His intention was not to gain or lose a single city or place, but to disrupt the foundation of our Southern Region and destroy the barrier of our human race."

"Shen's position at the central level is not out of cowardice, but because he needs to oversee the overall situation, coordinate all parties, and ensure that orders are obeyed so that all forces can work together as if they were his own limbs."

"Elder Shi Tie provided frontal support, Jin Hao flanked the enemy, Elder Zhao deployed defenses, Elder Li supplied the pills, Elder Han coordinated logistics, Elder Su gathered intelligence, and all of you here worked together to secure the Dragon-Severing Cliff and force the Demon King to retreat."

"This is not the achievement of one person, but the result of the unity of the entire alliance."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the diverse expressions on the faces of the crowd below, and continued, "If I, Shen, had acted rashly and personally gone to the front lines to fight the Demon King, it would certainly have been exhilarating. However, who would have overseen the rear-area coordination? Who would have coordinated the cooperation among the various factions? Who would have made the decisions regarding resource allocation?"

"The battlefield is ever-changing; one wrong move can lead to total defeat. At that time, not only will I, Shen, be in danger, but what will become of the soldiers fighting on the front lines and the millions of lives lost in the rear?"

"The Sword Sect Master is also a powerful figure who governs a region. He should know the difference between a 'general' and a 'commander.' How can they be equated? To disregard the overall situation with one's own courage is not a sign of responsibility, but rather the act of a reckless fool!"

His words, spoken calmly and clearly, articulated the necessity of "sitting in the center" and the responsibilities of a "commander." He also subtly pointed out that Jian Wuji's attack stemmed from a misunderstanding of the concepts of "general" and "commander," revealing his shallow understanding.