Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

Li Xiaocao's aura, carrying a faint fragrance of herbs and the aroma of medicinal pills, wafted from the direction of "Hundred Herbs Valley" where the Pill Hall was located, gentle and full of vitality.

Her cultivation level was also at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, with steady progress. In the Dao of Alchemy, her talent might not be the most outstanding, but her focus, meticulousness, and unwavering perseverance made her the most reliable logistical support for the Qingyun Sect.

Over the past twenty years, under her leadership, the Dan Hall has expanded several times in size, with ample reserves of various elixirs, especially those for treating injuries, recovery, and special environments (such as the death energy of reincarnation and spatial disorder). The Dan Hall has made significant contributions to the development of the sect.

The supplies provided by Dantang are of paramount importance for this expedition to the northern desert.

Ah Yuan… Shen Mo’s divine sense paused slightly as it swept over the disciples’ quarters. The youngest junior sister that Master Mo Yuan had brought back from outside, who was also one of the four elders of the Qingyun Sect whom he had transmigrated to, had now grown into a graceful young woman.

Since returning from the Void, her soul seems to have been tempered and stabilized in some way, and her perception of soul power and will has become more and more acute. She has shown unique value in assisting the Shadow Guards in reconnaissance and early warning. Her cultivation has also broken through to the late stage of Foundation Establishment in one fell swoop, and her progress can be described as miraculous.

However, he was still somewhat introverted and shy, preferring to stay in the alchemy hall to help Li Xiaocao or to cultivate alone in the quiet room.

Shen Mo could sense the steadyness in her breathing, and a hint of unease about what was to come. This child, though kind-hearted, still needs more tempering.

Wang Hu's aura was domineering and fierce, carrying the murderous aura of a battlefield warrior, and he had already firmly established himself at the early stage of the Golden Core realm.

One of the disciples recruited when the sect first opened its gates, he is now the deputy hall master of the Battle Hall and Shi Tie's most capable assistant, thanks to his daring, fighting spirit and unwavering loyalty. He is one of the representative figures among the new generation of Golden Core cultivators in the Qingyun Sect.

Ah Tu… A slight smile appeared on Shen Mo’s lips. This honest and simple boy from back then is now in the late Foundation Establishment stage, just one step away from the Golden Core stage.

He still spends most of his time in the spirit herb garden, surrounded by spirit plants, carrying the fresh scent of soil and grass. His cultivation is solid and profound, seemingly following the path of both wood and earth elements. His progress is not the fastest, but his foundation is so stable that few in the sect can match it.

Shen Mo had a premonition that there might be an unexpected surprise when this kid forms his core.

As for the other disciples... more than twenty years is enough for a generation to grow up and enough to create a huge gap.

Among the earliest disciples, Zhang Daniu was of average talent and honest nature. He made up for his lack of talent with diligence and the support of the sect's resources, and barely made it to the early stage of Foundation Establishment. It seems that he had exhausted his potential and made slow progress over the years. Now he serves as a steward in the General Affairs Hall, managing some miscellaneous affairs. Although he has not achieved great success, he is down-to-earth and reliable, and is an indispensable cog in the operation of the sect.

Lin Xiaofan… Shen Mo recalled that stubborn-looking young man burdened with a blood feud. He possessed considerable talent, and after reaching the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, he resolutely left the mountain to search for his enemies in the north, vowing to settle their karmic debts. Several years passed without a trace.

The Shadow Guards had uncovered some fragmented information, suggesting that someone had seen a lone young man wielding a sword in the Northern Desert, whose appearance was similar, but there were no further leads after that.

Had he met with misfortune? Or was he hiding his identity, cultivating diligently to seek revenge? A trace of worry swept through Shen Mo's heart, yet he was powerless to do anything about it. The path to enlightenment is fraught with peril, and one's own karma must ultimately be resolved by oneself.

Sun Xiaohou, Qian Xiaodou, and Zhou Xiaoya were of average talent and not particularly resolute. They lingered in the late stage of Qi Refining for many years and never succeeded in Foundation Establishment. As they grew older and their path to cultivation seemed hopeless, they gradually faded out of the front line of cultivation.

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Sun Xiaohou and Zhou Xiaoya fell in love and became a couple. Now they run a small restaurant in the market outside the sect. Although they don't have the glamour of cultivators, they live a stable life and occasionally return to the mountain to visit old friends.

Qian Xiaodou, on the other hand, was restless and couldn't stand the quiet life of cultivation. So he simply found a job under Chen Hao of Baibaoge. He traveled around doing business all year round, which broadened his horizons. Although his cultivation didn't improve at all, he became adept at interpersonal relationships and well-informed. So he got what he deserved.

Shen Mo was not critical of this. The path to enlightenment is long and not everyone can reach it. Being able to live a peaceful life under the protection of a sect and pass on one's bloodline is also a matter of fate. Qingyun Sect is, after all, the final destination and haven for these disciples of ordinary talent.

Of course, over the past two decades, there have been growth, stagnation, and... loss.

Several clashes with the Lieyang Sect and the Tianjian Sect, losses during explorations of dangerous ruins, sacrifices during secret missions... the rise of the Qingyun Sect was not smooth sailing and was stained with the blood of its fellow disciples.

Some disciples died on the battlefield, their bodies wrapped in horsehide; some explored ruins but met with misfortune, their remains never found; some suffered qi deviation, their meridians severed, and they were reduced to mortals; still others were seriously injured and crippled while carrying out dangerous missions, and thus retired in sorrow…

Every loss weighed heavily on Shen Mo's heart, and made the entire sect understand even more the cruelty of the cultivation world and how hard-won the peace they enjoyed today was.

The names of those fallen disciples were inscribed on the "Monument to Heroes," where they were worshipped by later generations, and their relatives and descendants received proper care and support from the sect.

What evoked the most complex emotions in Shen Mo was Han Lin.

He joined the sect halfway through when it was still very weak, as a rogue cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining. He became a guest elder and has been loyally assisting the sect for more than 20 years, busy with internal affairs. He has long become an indispensable part of the Qingyun Sect and is now over 70 years old.

His aura remained at the late Foundation Establishment stage, even more obscure and stagnant than before. Although Foundation Establishment cultivators have a lifespan of 150-160 years, the peak of their lives has passed, their blood and qi are declining, their foundation is solidified, and the Golden Core stage is no longer a possibility.

Shen Mo's divine sense could "see" Han Lin sitting in the courtyard of his own cave, silently wiping an old whisk that had long lost its spiritual energy but was still well-preserved, by the moonlight. His figure and face seemed no different from those of a middle-aged man, but if he ultimately failed to achieve the Golden Core, he could only wait for the years to pass.

However, when those eyes looked towards the main hall of Liuyun Peak, they still shone with relief, satisfaction, and a barely perceptible sense of relief at the end of the journey.

"Elder Han..." Shen Mo sighed inwardly. This old man had dedicated his life to the Qingyun Sect, watching Shen Mo rise from a penniless sect leader in the early stages of Qi Refining to where he was today, witnessing the sect's transformation from near ruin to its current dominance in the Southern Region, and even welcoming back the remains of the ancient patriarch to restore order to its former glory.

He fulfilled his mission, protected the sect, and witnessed its glory.

He had long since come to terms with his failure to form the Golden Core, and once privately told Shen Mo with a smile, "My talent is limited, and I am already lucky to have achieved what I have today. To be able to witness such a prosperous scene in the sect, the return of the founder, and the flourishing of the lineage, I have no regrets in this life. I only hope that I can hold on for a few more years and watch you, the sect leader, step into the Nascent Soul stage, and watch my Qingyun Sect truly stand at the pinnacle of the Southern Region."

The words were simple, yet carried immense weight. They were a trust, an expectation, and a farewell.

Shen Mo withdrew his divine sense, slowly opened his eyes, and looked at the crescent moon gradually sinking in the west. The cold moonlight reflected the complex emotions in his eyes.

More than twenty years have passed, and things have changed dramatically. Some have made great strides, some have stagnated, some have fallen into obscurity, and some have settled into mediocrity.

This is the sect, this is life, this is the path of cultivation. There is glory, there is regret, there is inheritance, there is separation.