Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

No. Aside from the few words and blurry illustrations about the "Celestial Measuring Ruler" in the fragmentary copy of *The Illustrated Catalogue of Ancient Treasures* (which bears only a slight resemblance to the star ruler on the mural), and scattered elements like the jade disc star map and the legend of the Big Dipper, all other details—

The image of Xinghe Daoren, his interactions with his patriarch, the forging process of Xinghe Ruler, the description of its power, and even its eventual "damage and escape" ending—all of these are his wild imaginations, pure and nonexistent "creations"!

However, these pure "creations" perfectly match the records of ancient ruins.

A chill slowly rose from his spine, spreading to his limbs and bones. Shen Mo felt an unprecedented sense of absurdity and... horror.

It was as if some of the foundations he had always firmly believed in were silently collapsing.

The feeling of "a sudden inspiration" and "a wellspring of inspiration" that he experienced when he wrote those words back then vividly resurfaced in his mind.

That wasn't a difficult conception, it was more like... a kind of "reception"?

They received fragmented pieces of information that already existed somewhere in time and space, and then unconsciously wove them into a story.

The thought sent a chill down his spine.

"No, perhaps... there is another possibility."

Shen Mo forced himself to calm down, his fingertips unconsciously tracing patterns on the low table, a habit he had when thinking. "The Qingyun Sect has an ancient lineage. Perhaps in some unknown era, the founding patriarch really did have some interaction with this 'Star River True Lord,' but the lineage was broken and the story was lost."

"And while compiling my travelogue, I inadvertently came across ancient, hidden information about the sect that I myself was unaware of? Or... perhaps it's the Myriad Laws Source Pearl?"

His mind sank into his sea of ​​consciousness, where the Myriad Laws Source Pearl, radiating chaotic energy and slowly rotating, floated silently. Since refining this pearl, he had indeed felt his comprehension improve, his understanding of cultivation techniques and the Great Dao deepened, and he occasionally had some ingenious ideas.

But... to directly instill ancient secrets that have long been lost into him by "making up stories"? That's too bizarre.

If the Pearl of Myriad Laws has such power, why doesn't it manifest directly? Moreover, why are there no corresponding parts in the other parts he fabricated?

The mystery grew like a snowball.

"Sect Leader." Han Lin's respectful voice broke the suffocating silence outside the quiet room. "Fairy Ling Shuang of the Xuanbing Pavilion and Manager Chen Hao of the Baibao Pavilion have come to visit, saying they have important matters to discuss. It concerns... the follow-up investigation of the Starfall Ancient City."

Shen Mo's eyes sharpened, instantly suppressing all his turbulent thoughts deep within his heart. The momentary confusion, horror, and disbelief on his face receded like the tide, returning to a calm and undisturbed state.

He waved his hand to put away the jade slip and the "Travel Notes," straightened his perfectly wrinkle-free robe, and said in a calm voice, "Please ask them to wait in the main hall. I will be there shortly."

"Yes."

Shen Mo stood up and walked to the window. Outside, night had fallen, and countless stars twinkled. The endless starry sky seemed to hide countless pairs of indifferent eyes in his eyes, silently watching him, watching him, who seemed to have "fabricated" history, yet history had "proven" his fabrication.

"Star River True Lord... Star River Daoist... Star River Ruler..." He repeated these names in a low voice, his gaze fixed on the southeast, the location of Fallen Star Valley. "Who exactly are you? And who... am I?"

A moment later, he turned around, pushed open the door of the quiet room, and walked steadily toward the brightly lit main hall.

No matter how turbulent his heart was, at this moment, he was still the leader of the Qingyun Alliance, the head of the Liuyun Sect, and Shen Mo, who needed to stabilize the overall situation and deal with the covetousness of all parties.

His personal doubts and fears must be put aside for now. But he will never let this matter rest.

The main hall of Liuyun Palace was brightly lit. Fairy Ling Shuang and Chen Hao had been waiting for a while. Upon seeing Shen Mo enter, the two rose to greet him.

"Alliance Leader Shen." Fairy Ling Shuang remained aloof, but with a hint of seriousness in her eyes. "I apologize for disturbing you so late at night, as there has been a new discovery regarding the ruins."

"Oh? Please speak, fairy." Shen Mo sat down in the main seat and gestured for the two to sit down as well. His expression was calm, showing no sign of anything unusual.

Fairy Ling Shuang took out an ice-blue jade slip and said, "An elder in my pavilion who has been studying ancient celestial phenomena for many years has carefully studied the rubbings of the inscriptions brought back by Elder Jin Hao, and combined them with some incomplete records from the sect, and has made some new speculations."

He believed that "Star River True Lord" was probably not an ordinary ancient great power, and that his lineage was extremely special, related to the movement of the stars in the heavens, and even... destiny and fate.

"The 'Star River Ruler' is not merely a weapon for attack; it may possess the ability to survey the earth's veins, measure destiny, and even... draw upon stellar power and alter the world. The appearance of such a powerful artifact in the world is likely not a good omen, but may trigger dramatic changes in the heavens and earth, with calamities following."

Chen Hao, rubbing his hands together, his small eyes gleaming, chimed in, "Yes, yes, Alliance Leader Shen! Fairy Ling Shuang is absolutely right! This treasure is no small matter! If handled improperly, it could bring more disaster than fortune!"

"My Hundred Treasures Pavilion has also consulted some ancient trade route records. There is a rumor that in ancient times, a 'measuring ruler' appeared in the world, causing a bloodbath that swept across several regions, and then disappeared without a trace... You see, could this 'Star River Ruler' be...?"

Shen Mo's heart stirred slightly. The information brought by Fairy Ling Shuang coincided with his suspicions.

If the "Star River Ruler" is truly as miraculous as recorded and "fabricated" by him, its appearance in the world will inevitably involve a great deal of cause and effect.

The legend of the "measuring ruler" mentioned by Chen Hao brought back the absurd association in his mind—the words "measuring the heavens" seemed to appear next to the blurry pattern on the incomplete copy of the "Illustrated Record of Ancient Treasures".

Could it be that my "inspiration" back then wasn't entirely unfounded?

"Thank you for informing me, Fairy and Manager Chen." Shen Mo remained calm. "This matter certainly requires careful consideration. The ruins are dangerous, and the treasures are alluring; we need to plan this thoroughly. May I ask what specific suggestions you two have for me?"

Fairy Ling Shuang said, "My Xuanbing Pavilion suggests that we postpone further exploration. The most urgent task is to gather the strength of all factions, establish a solid stronghold on the outskirts, conduct a detailed survey of the terrain, and study methods to break the restrictions on the ruins. At the same time... we must be wary of anyone who is blinded by greed and takes risks."

She gave Shen Mo a meaningful look. Clearly, the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect were the biggest destabilizing factors.

Chen Hao hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes, yes! Let's proceed cautiously! My Treasure Pavilion can provide a batch of 'Forbidden-Breaking Cones,' 'Evil-Avoiding Talismans,' and 'Star Power Sensing Compasses' specifically for exploring ruins. The price is negotiable!"

"Furthermore, if any of you fellow cultivators find anything of value in the ruins and require appraisal, valuation, or resale, our Hundred Treasures Pavilion is willing to provide the fairest service! Absolutely no deception of the young or old!"

Shen Mo nodded: "What you two say is quite right. Exploring ruins is not something that can be done overnight; safety must come first. As for the Blazing Sun and Heavenly Sword sects..."

He paused, a profound glint in his eyes. "If they follow the rules and act according to their contributions, then there's nothing wrong with it. But if they act improperly... our alliance is not made of clay or wood."