Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Junior Sister Xiao, now that there are no outsiders, tell me the truth, is the sect still able to operate (not operating normally)?" Shen Mo asked in a low voice.

After shedding some of his pretense, his face still showed genuine fatigue.

Su Xiao looked at the young sect leader in front of him, who was not much older than himself. Although he tried his best to appear calm, the dark circles under his eyes and his slightly trembling fingers still betrayed his weakness and pressure.

A thought struck her: this new sect leader seemed somewhat different from her timid senior brother. At least, he dared to face the situation and was trying to find a solution.

She sighed softly and said in a low voice, "Senior Brother Sect Leader, to be honest, the sect... is actually dead in name only."

"Master... when the former sect leader was alive, we could rely on his influence to get by on credit. But as soon as he left, creditors from all sides came knocking on our door."

"We haven't had a proper meal for three days. We've been relying on Ah Yuan to pick wild fruits from the back mountain to fill our stomachs."

Shen Mo paused for a moment. The situation was worse than he had anticipated. He touched the only jade pendant in his pocket; it was icy cold to the touch.

"Is there a place nearby where I can quickly exchange spirit stones? Or... is there any way to make money quickly?" Shen Mo asked, wondering if he could use the system to appraise something and sell it.

Su Xiao thought for a moment before saying, "The closest place to us is 'Green Moss Market,' which is about 50 miles away. It's a place where some independent cultivators and small families trade."

"However, the place is a mixed bag, and our sect... doesn't have a good reputation. If we go there, we might be ridiculed or even harassed."

She hesitated for a moment, then continued, "The quick way to make money... is to hunt low-level monsters and collect spiritual herbs in the deep mountains, but that's very dangerous."

"Either... we could take on bounty missions involving escorting or exploring ruins, but those missions usually require a team with cultivation levels, and we..."

With our limited manpower and strength, we're simply no match. Although Su Xiao didn't say it explicitly, the meaning was clear.

Shen Mo rubbed his temples. It seemed that hoping to obtain more than a thousand spirit stones in a short time through normal means was simply a pipe dream.

Is it really only possible to rely on this "myth-writing system" to deceive and cheat... no, to carry out "strategic resource integration"?

His gaze fell on the jade pendant again. The system said it was a "special item that requires further identification."

"System, appraise the sect leader's jade pendant."

[Command received. Identify the [Damaged Sect Leader's Jade Pendant]. Requires consuming divine sense. Confirm?]

"confirm."

A faint warmth flowed from the jade pendant into my fingertips, and at the same time, the system screen refreshed.

[Item: Qingyun Sect Leader's Jade Pendant (Bound to: Shen Mo)]

Grade: Unknown (Status: Severely damaged, energy depleted)

【effect:】

A sect token (with a slight connection to the sect's fortune).

It contains an extremely faint spatial beacon (unable to be located).

(Requires repair before display)

[Repair suggestion: Requires a large amount of pure spiritual energy or special energy for nurturing.]

Spatial beacon? Shen Mo's heart skipped a beat. Could this jade pendant be connected to some secret realm or treasure? Unfortunately, it's currently damaged, and repairing it would require a large amount of spiritual energy, so forget about it now.

It seems that we can't count on this jade pendant anytime soon.

The only hope lies in this "story-making" system.

However, making up stories requires "evidence" and "resources." Right now, I have nothing. Am I supposed to set up a stall at the market and make up stories for people to earn money? I'd probably be considered crazy and beaten up.

Just when Shen Mo was at his wit's end, feeling that his future was bleak, and even starting to consider whether he should take his three junior brothers and sisters and run away overnight to find a secluded mountain valley to live in seclusion—

[Ding! The host's strong desire for development has been detected, triggering the beginner's guide quest: The Foundation of the Sect.]

[Task Requirements: Find a stable source of spiritual energy for the Qingyun Sect (no matter how weak), laying the foundation for its revival.]

[Task Reward: New Player Gift Pack x 1 (Contains: Basic Resources, One Low-Consumption Causal Editing Opportunity, etc.)]

Shen Mo's eyes suddenly lit up!

Mission! Rewards! New Player Gift Pack!

Sure enough, there's always a way out!

Although this "stable source of spiritual energy" sounds difficult, at least we have a clear goal and hope!

He suddenly stood up, startling Su Xiao who was next to him.

"Sect Leader?"

Shen Mo's face broke into the first genuine, spirited smile he'd shown since his transmigration: "Junior Sister Xiao, go and call Junior Brother Tie and A Yuan back. We have work to do!"

"First, we need to find the last remaining source of 'spiritual energy' in Qingyun Mountain!"

Shen Mo's words, "We have work to do," carried a long-lost sharpness and determination, as if dispelling the gloom that had accumulated in the main hall for many years.

Su Xiao was slightly taken aback. Looking at her senior brother's eyes, which were still pale but faintly bright, the almost extinguished flame in her heart actually flickered.

"Yes, Sect Leader!" she replied crisply, then turned to look for Shi Tie and A Yuan.

Shen Mo stood alone in the dilapidated hall, looking around.

Sunlight streamed through the holes in the roof, illuminating the dust particles dancing in the air.

The phrase "bare walls" is insufficient to describe the desolation of the place, but this only fueled the indomitable spirit that came from his roots in modern society.

In his past life, he was able to create a hit game from scratch. In this life, how could he not be able to revive this dilapidated sect?

"System, what exactly does this 'stable source of spiritual energy' refer to? Are there any clues?" he asked silently to himself. The beginner quest was his only guiding light at the moment.

A stable source of spiritual energy usually refers to a spiritual vein node, a spiritual spring eye, the core of a spirit-gathering array, or a rare and precious natural treasure containing pure spiritual energy.

The spiritual veins of Qingyun Mountain have been detected to be nearly depleted. It is recommended that the host prioritize exploring any undiscovered microscopic spiritual eyes within the sect, or searching for any remnants of spirit-gathering arrays left behind by predecessors. Clues must be discovered by the host independently.

Well, I guess I still have to rely on myself.

Shen Mo took a breath. The spiritual energy in the air was so thin that it was almost imperceptible, which made him even more convinced that finding a new source of spiritual energy was the first step in the survival of the sect.

A moment later, Shi Tie and A Yuan followed Su Xiao in quickly. Shi Tie's face was still covered in dust from moving miscellaneous items, while A Yuan timidly hid behind Su Xiao, her big eyes secretly observing Shen Mo with a mixture of awe and dependence.

"Sect Leader, did you call us?" Shi Tie's voice was loud and clear, carrying the straightforwardness unique to young people.

"Hmm." Shen Mo nodded, trying his best to create a calm and reliable image of a sect leader.

His gaze swept over the three of them, finally landing on his eldest disciple, Shi Tie, and he praised him, "Junior Brother Tie, you did a great job dealing with Manager Wang from Black Wind Stronghold just now. You showed responsibility."

Shi Tie hadn't expected the sect leader to suddenly praise him. His dark face flushed red, and he scratched the back of his head, saying sheepishly, "I... I'm the senior brother, it's only right!"

Shen Mo felt somewhat relieved. This eldest disciple was straightforward and stubborn, but he was reliable in crucial moments.

He then looked at Su Xiao and said, "Junior Sister Xiao, you are very thoughtful. You will need to pay more attention to managing information both inside and outside the sect in the future."

A glint flashed in Su Xiao's eyes, and he nodded earnestly, saying, "Su Xiao understands, and will certainly live up to the sect leader's expectations."

She could sense that the new sect leader seemed to be genuinely considering how to lead the sect forward, rather than simply resigning himself to his fate in despair.

Finally, Shen Mo looked at his youngest junior sister, A Yuan, and softened his tone to comfort her, "A Yuan, although you are young, you are also a true disciple of my Qingyun Sect. Don't be too afraid. Your senior brothers and sisters will protect you."

A-Yuan's face flushed slightly, and she replied softly, "Um... A-Yuan understands, thank you, Sect Leader."