Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Senior Brother Atu, do you think the Sect Leader... oh no, Lord Shen will personally give a speech at this celebration?" A young outer disciple who looked no more than fifteen or sixteen years old with a youthful face squeezed to the edge of the crowd watching the "Monument to the Martyrs," standing on tiptoe and trying hard to see the inscription. He asked in a low voice to a sturdy-looking, honest-looking, and composed young man next to him.

This young man was none other than Atu. Although he did not go to the front line in this battle, he performed well in coordinating spiritual medicines and treating the wounded in the rear. His cultivation also showed signs of breaking through to the peak of Foundation Establishment. He was highly respected among the outer disciples.

"Definitely." A-Tu nodded firmly, gazing reverently towards the direction of the Flowing Cloud Palace. "Sect Leader... the True Lord has just broken through to the Nascent Soul stage and led us to such a great victory. He will definitely come out to encourage everyone, and also to offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth, and to the Ancestral Master, announcing that our Qingyun Sect has officially joined the ranks of the major sects of the Eastern Wilderness! This is a momentous event! I heard that even forces from the Central Region have sent congratulatory gifts!"

"The Central Region?!" The junior disciple gasped, his eyes widening in shock. The Central Region was the absolute center of the entire cultivation world, a legendary holy land where powerful figures and numerous sects abounded! The reputation of the Azure Cloud Sect had actually spread to the Central Region?

"Is that even a lie?" Another slightly older disciple leaned over, lowered his voice, and said mysteriously, "I have a distant cousin who works in the General Affairs Hall. He said that these past few days, the welcoming pavilion outside the mountain gate has been so crowded with envoys from all directions that they've practically worn down the threshold!"

"Not only people from the Southern Region, but also several major tribes from the Northern Desert, merchant guilds from the Western Wilderness, and even some island sects from the East Sea, all sent people! The gifts they brought filled more than a dozen warehouses!"

"Manager Chen Hao of the Hundred Treasures Pavilion personally escorted eighteen treasure ships laden with rare and precious items. I heard that the amount of high-grade spirit stones alone is this much!"

He made an exaggerated gesture, which drew a murmur from the surrounding disciples.

"That's not all!" someone else interjected. "I heard that even the Blazing Sun Sect, which is usually arrogant and doesn't get along with us, sent the personal disciple of True Person Fire Cloud, that 'Red Sun Young Master' Yan Lie, to offer his congratulations. He was incredibly polite!"

"The Heavenly Sword Sect also sent an elder at the late Golden Core stage and presented a considerable gift, which can be considered an admission of submission! Tsk tsk, thinking back to the past..."

Everyone sighed with emotion, recalling that more than ten years ago, Qingyun Sect was just a newly emerging force that barely managed to gain a foothold in a remote corner of the country, relying on Sect Leader Shen Mo to turn the tide. They often had to be mindful of the attitudes of Lieyang Sect and Tianjian Sect.

Who could have imagined that in just a few years, a great war in the Northern Desert, the sect leader achieving Nascent Soul in battle, slaying three elders of the Xuan Yin Sect, and uniting various sects to thwart the Heavenly Demon's conspiracy, would elevate the Qingyun Sect to become the leader of the Southern Region, on par with, or even slightly surpassing, the Lieyang Sect! Its prestige spread far and wide to the Eastern Wilderness, attracting tribute from all directions!

This earth-shaking change filled every Qingyun Sect disciple with pride and excitement.

"Look! The gates of Liuyun Palace are open!" someone with sharp eyes exclaimed in a low voice.

The crowd fell silent instantly, all eyes turning to the majestic and solemn Flowing Cloud Palace at the far end of the square.

The heavy palace doors slid open slowly to both sides. The first to emerge were not Shen Mo, but two rows of cultivators dressed in black, exuding a sharp and austere aura.

With unwavering focus and synchronized steps, they swiftly took their positions on both sides of the high platform in front of the hall and at key locations in the square. These were the elite warriors of the War Hall, responsible for the ceremonial guard and security for today's grand ceremony.

Having experienced the baptism of blood and fire in the Northern Desert, these warriors naturally carried a chilling aura of ferocity and iron-bloodedness. Their mere presence instantly silenced the noisy atmosphere in the square.

Immediately afterwards, Han Lin, Shi Tie, Zhao Qingyan, Su Xiao, Li Xiaocao and other core members of the sect filed out and stood solemnly on the high platform in order.

Han Lin was still dressed in a simple Taoist robe, his white hair was neatly combed, and his aged face was radiant with health and vigor. He seemed to be a few years younger than before the great battle. Clearly, the prosperity of the sect made this hardworking and meritorious elder very happy.

Shi Tie donned a brand-new set of heavy spirit armor engraved with reinforcing runes, carried a giant axe on his back, and his large, copper-bell-shaped eyes shone with a sharp light. He looked around with an air of arrogance, and just by standing there, he exuded a terrifying sense of oppression.

Zhao Qingyan, dressed in a moon-white array mage's robe, possessed a gentle yet confident demeanor, her eyes clear and wise. Su Xiao remained hidden in the shadows behind the others, her aloofness unchanged.

Li Xiaocao seemed a little nervous, her small hands tightly gripping the hem of her clothes, but her eyes were bright.

Finally, under the watchful eyes of everyone, Shen Mo, dressed in a simple blue robe, without any elaborate attire or crown, slowly walked out of the palace gate.

He looked much the same as he had a month ago, still with that handsome and refined appearance, his brows showing the composure and serenity that comes with experience.

But all his disciples who saw him, whether familiar or unfamiliar, felt a sudden jolt in their hearts, as if they were seeing not a person, but a deep and boundless starry sky, a towering solitary peak, or a vast and surging river!

It was a kind of pressure and attraction from the depths of the soul, brought about by a completely different level of life. It did not need to be deliberately emitted; just standing there quietly, one naturally became the center of heaven and earth, the source of all laws.

Nascent Soul True Monarch! A being who resonates with heaven and earth, possesses a lifespan of a thousand years, and has unfathomable supernatural powers, truly embarking on the path to immortality!

"Greetings, Sect Leader!"

It is unclear who led the way, but thousands of Qingyun Sect disciples in the square, including Han Lin and others on the high platform, bowed in unison, their voices rising like a tidal wave, filled with heartfelt reverence and fervor.

Shen Mo's gaze was calm as he slowly swept over the excited, respectful, and even fanatical faces below the stage.

There are veterans who have experienced great battles and still bear the scars, there are newcomers who are still young and full of hope, there are ordinary disciples who are mediocre but diligent, and there are rising stars like Atu who are showing their potential... They are the foundation and future of Qingyun Sect.

"Everyone, please rise." Shen Mo's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, carrying a strange power to soothe and unite people.

Everyone straightened up, their eyes fixed intently on him.

"Today, the bell tolls nine times, not for mere decoration, but to offer our condolences." Shen Mo spoke, his voice steady and resonant, carried across the mountains and fields by the power of spiritual energy. "Firstly, to offer our condolences to the spirits of our Qingyun Sect's past patriarchs and sages in heaven. Our Qingyun lineage has a long and rich history, and today we are able to continue its glory, with successors to carry on our legacy. We dare not forget the kindness and virtue of our ancestors who pioneered the path and imparted their knowledge."

He turned and bowed deeply towards the depths of the Flowing Cloud Palace, which was also the direction of the Azure Cloud Palace in Azure Cloud Valley. The others followed suit, their expressions solemn.

"Secondly, we offer our condolences to our fellow disciples who bravely sacrificed their lives to protect the common people and vanquish evil in the battle of the Northern Desert a month ago, and whose bones are now buried in a foreign land."

Shen Mo's gaze fell upon the brand-new "Monument to the Martyrs" in the center of the square, and his tone became more somber. "They are the backbone of our Qingyun Sect, our role models. Their names should be engraved on this monument, to be offered incense by future generations of disciples, and to be remembered forever. Their will should be inherited by us, the living, to protect our sect and uphold our righteous path!"

"Forever remember the martyrs! Carry on their legacy!" Below the stage, countless disciples, their eyes red with tears, shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.

"A third tribute..." Shen Mo raised his head, gazing at the vast sky, his gaze seemingly piercing through the clouds and reaching the unknowable distance. "A tribute to this world, to countless living beings. Evil spirits and heretics wreak havoc on the world. We cultivators, nourished by heaven and earth and worshipped by all living beings, should use our swords and our hearts to slay demons and monsters, cleanse the universe, restore clarity to the world, and bring peace to all living beings. This is the foundation upon which we cultivators stand, and it is the path of the Great Dao!"

"Slay demons and monsters! Cleanse the universe!" The disciples' shouts grew even more impassioned, their blood boiling with fervor.