Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Qingyun Mountain, Liuyun Palace.

"Making an example of someone to scare others, well done." Shen Mo put down the communication jade slip in his hand and nodded slightly to the phantom of Shi Tie in the water mirror in front of him.

On the other side of the Water Mirror Technique, Shi Tie was in the main tent of the forward outpost, with busy disciples and flashing array lights visible in the background.

"Hehe, it's all thanks to the sect leader's excellent teaching." Shi Tie scratched his head, then said worriedly, "But sect leader, this method can only keep them in check for a while, not forever. Those old bastards from the Lieyang Sect and the Tianjian Sect will definitely not give up."

"And those shady rats from the Xuan Yin Sect are definitely up to no good. The tighter we seal off the area, the more they'll think there's something good inside."

"It's alright." Shen Mo said calmly. "We never expected to seal it off forever. Our goal is to buy time, clarify the situation internally, and take the initiative."

"Compile detailed intelligence on those you have captured, especially those from the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect. For those with conclusive evidence, send formal letters in the name of the alliance to question them, demand an explanation, and restrain their disciples. Use strong language and occupy the moral high ground."

"Got it! Disgust them!" Shi Tie grinned.

"What's the status of the ruins? Any new information about Gui San and Gui Jiu?" Shen Mo asked.

Shi Tie's expression turned serious: "Reporting to the sect leader, Gui San has sent word that the spatial rift has been relatively stable these past few days, neither expanding nor showing any signs of shrinking."

"The aura of reincarnation is still strong, but it seems to be bound by some force within a hundred miles around the rift, no longer spreading freely."

"Deep within the crack, a corner of the palace became clearer, revealing some broken pillars and reliefs in an extremely ancient style, unlike any contemporary style."

"Gui San and the others dared not approach, but only observed from the outside with 'telescopes' to confirm that the palace was made of neither gold nor stone, nor jade, and had a faint shimmering light, but they could not see it clearly."

"In addition, the water level in the Boiling Bone Pool has dropped by nearly 30%, and there seems to be something glowing at the bottom of the pool."

"Glowing?" Shen Mo raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Yes, it was a very dim, grayish-white light, like... bones reflecting light at the bottom of the water, but not quite like that, carrying a sense of death." Shi Tie described, and he couldn't help but shudder. "Gui San said that looking at that light made him feel uneasy and his soul felt unstable."

Shen Mo pondered for a moment: "Let Gui San and the others continue to monitor from a distance; their own safety comes first."

"In addition, send a message to Elder Han and ask him to issue a 'Black Swamp Reincarnation Forbidden Zone Exploration Order' in the name of the alliance, stating that this place is extremely dangerous and anyone who dares to enter will have a nine-out-of-ten chance of death, and that no one other than a Golden Core cultivator is allowed to approach."

"At the same time, we invite all factions from the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness to meet at Qingyun Mountain in ten days to discuss the exploration, establish rules, share risks, and share opportunities."

Shi Tie was taken aback: "Sect Leader, isn't this...isn't this just distributing the benefits? And you're even inviting them to discuss it?"

"It's better to guide than to block," Shen Mo said calmly. "The Relics of Reincarnation are no small matter; they cannot be monopolized by the power of our alliance alone."

"A forced blockade will only make us a target of public criticism. It's better to put it on the table, with the alliance taking the lead, to establish rules and bring exploration into a controlled scope."

"If the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect come, it means they acknowledge the authority of the alliance and abide by its rules. If they don't come, it means they are cutting themselves off and losing their moral compass. As for the opportunity..."

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. "Opportunity is important, but you also need to be alive to seize it. That land of reincarnation is a tough nut to crack; anyone who wants to take the first bite must be prepared to break their teeth. We can wait."

Shi Tie seemed to understand, but out of unconditional trust in Shen Mo, he nodded emphatically: "I understand! I'll go deliver the message right away!"

After ending the communication, Shen Mo stood alone in the hall, gazing southwest with a deep, unfathomable look in his eyes. The appearance of the Reincarnation Ruins had disrupted many of his plans, but it had also brought new variables.

The Xuan Yin Sect's preparation for the blood sacrifice must be related to this land of reincarnation, and they will never give it up.

The Lieyang Sect and the Tianjian Sect will never sit idly by and allow the Qingyun Alliance to monopolize or dominate the market.

An even bigger storm is brewing.

And he needs to secure the greatest possible benefits for the Qingyun Alliance, as well as... space to survive, in the eye of this storm.

"Sect Leader, the secret scroll from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion has arrived." Su Xiao's figure appeared in the hall like a ghost, holding a black box about a foot long, neither gold nor wood, and engraved with intricate star patterns.

The Heavenly Mystery Pavilion is an extremely mysterious and transcendent intelligence organization in the Southern Region of the Eastern Wilderness. It is known as "knowing everything under heaven," but it charges extremely high fees and acts in secrecy, rarely accepting orders.

The moment Shen Mo sensed the aura of reincarnation, he paid a considerable price through Chen Hao of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion to purchase all the information related to the "Black Swamp," "Corroded Bone Pool," and "Ancient Reincarnation" from the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion.

"So fast?" Shen Mo was somewhat surprised. Although the Heavenly Mystery Pavilion was efficient, this time it involved ancient secrets, and he thought it would take at least three to five days.

"The person who delivered the scroll said that the matter recorded in this scroll is of great importance and is closely related to recent unusual events, so the cabinet has made an exception and is handling it with urgency." Su Xiao presented the black box.

There was no clasp on the box, only a faint spiritual seal, its aura obscure.

Shen Mo took the black box, and a wisp of pale golden primordial spiritual power surged from his fingertips, gently touching the seal. The seal rippled out like water and vanished silently.

Upon opening the box, a roll of ancient leather, tanned from some unknown animal hide, lay quietly inside. It was dark yellow in color, with worn edges, and exuded a faint scent of ink mixed with the dust of time.

Unrolling the scroll reveals an ancient and beautiful seal script, not the commonly used script today, but Shen Mo, with his extensive reading, is able to barely decipher it.

The book opens with a striking line of vermilion annotation, the handwriting sharp as a knife: "Reincarnation in this world brings both great misfortune and great fortune. Be careful! Be careful!"

Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat, and he continued reading. The contents of the scroll filled him with increasing unease.

"...The Black Swamp, known in ancient times as the 'Nether Swamp,' is a place where yin and yang meet, and where the energy of life and death intersects. Yin energy gathers here, and living beings are forbidden. Its core, the 'Boiling Bone Pool,' is even suspected to be connected to the Netherworld, where the aura of the underworld sometimes leaks out, nurturing the life-giving spirits and demons..."

"...According to research, at the end of ancient times, there was a great sect called 'Reincarnation Hall' that held the secrets of life and death reincarnation and was renowned throughout the world. Afterwards, the world underwent a dramatic change, and Reincarnation Hall collapsed overnight, its lineage was severed, and its sect disappeared without a trace."

"However, its branches and separate halls are scattered in all directions, guarding the yin and yang nodes and regulating the energy of reincarnation. It is suspected that deep within the Black Swamp, beneath the Boiling Bone Pool, there may be the ruins of a branch hall of the 'Hall of Reincarnation' buried..."

"...The name of the branch hall is no longer known, but according to scattered ancient scrolls, it is speculated that this branch hall is in charge of 'washing the soul' and 'purifying the spirit,' guiding powerful remnant souls and fierce resentful spirits that linger in the mortal world into reincarnation. It is guarded by strange objects such as the 'Soul Washing Pool,' 'Rebirth Platform,' and the illusory image of the 'Judge's Pen.'"

"However, with the palace destroyed and the array collapsed, the divine artifacts covered in dust, and the netherworld energy flowing in, it has likely become a place of utter desolation and death. There may be some inheritances and magical artifacts of the Reincarnation Palace inside, but the dangers are unpredictable, with the perils of netherworld ghosts, the evil energy of reincarnation, and spacetime rifts. If a Golden Core cultivator enters, there is almost certain death, and even Nascent Soul cultivators must be extremely cautious..."

"...Furthermore, unofficial historical accounts mention that before the Samsara Palace collapsed, a traitor stole a valuable treasure and fled into the Netherworld, possibly connected to this branch palace. It may contain a shocking secret, involving a great deal of people..."

At the end of the scroll, there was another line of vermilion annotation, the handwriting messy, as if the writer was in turmoil: "Three hundred years ago, a Nascent Soul True Monarch attempted to explore this place. After venturing a thousand miles, he hastily withdrew, saying that he 'saw the phantom of reincarnation, heard the wailing of ten thousand ghosts, and his Dao heart nearly collapsed.' Upon returning, he went into seclusion and has not emerged since. Enter with caution! Enter with caution!"

Shen Mo slowly rolled up the animal skin scroll, remaining silent for a long time. The hall was completely silent, with only the mountain wind outside the window whistling softly as it brushed against the eaves.

I highly recommend "Gou Zai Fei Men Bian Shenhua"! It's fantastic!