Gou Zai Fei Men made up myths

"Gou Zai Fei Men Bian Shenhua" is sparking a reading frenzy, haven't you read it yet?

Shen Mo waited for the commotion to subside before continuing, "In the battle of the Northern Desert a month ago, thanks to the protection of our ancestral master, the assistance of our comrades, and the united efforts of all members of Qingyun Sect, and the valiant fighting of our soldiers, we finally broke the Xuan Yin Blood Sacrifice, slayed the demonic projection, and thwarted its earth-shattering conspiracy to lure extraterrestrial demons and wreak havoc on this world! This battle was not the achievement of our sect alone, but the result of the united efforts of the righteous path in the Southern Region, and also a blessing bestowed upon all living beings in this world!"

"However, although the evil forces have temporarily retreated, their roots have not been eradicated. The Xuan Yin Sect Master is hiding in the shadows, and the extraterrestrial demons still covet this land. Now that our Qingyun Sect has established itself here, receiving the blessings of this world and gaining the prestige of this great battle, we should shoulder this heavy responsibility and dare not be the slightest bit negligent or complacent."

His tone shifted abruptly, his voice becoming sharp and full of expectation: "Therefore, today's grand ceremony is not a celebration of victory, but a pledge of allegiance! From this day forward, our Qingyun Sect shall take it upon ourselves to 'guard the Southern Region, protect the common people, glorify the Great Dao, and trace back to our origins'!"

"Disciples of the sect, always remember that the path of cultivation is long and arduous, like rowing against the current; if you don't advance, you will fall behind. We are surrounded by powerful enemies and plagued by inner demons; we must diligently cultivate without ceasing and forge ahead with determination!"

"All disciples of Qingyun should always take the heroes as their mirror and the righteous path as their yardstick, cultivate their character and virtue, and strive for progress and courage!"

"All disciples of Qingyun Sect must always remember that the rise and fall of our sect is tied to each and every one of us. We share in each other's glory and our shared loss!"

"All disciples of Qingyun must always be vigilant: fame and renown are but external things. A steadfast heart in the Dao is the foundation!"

With each sentence Shen Mo spoke, the disciples below the stage repeated it in unison, their voices growing more and more uniform and resonant, eventually converging into an incomparably powerful torrent of conviction that surged straight to the heavens, echoing endlessly through Qingyun Mountain, as if even the snow on the mountaintop was shaken by this burning will.

"Effective immediately," Shen Mo announced, "the sect's contribution system will be reformed, with resources tilted towards those who have made contributions, possess abilities, and demonstrate virtue. The first three floors of the Scripture Pavilion will be unconditionally open to all inner disciples. The Pill Hall, Weapon Hall, and Array Hall will hold regular public lectures. The Battle Hall will be expanded, and the 'Azure Cloud Guard' will be established, dedicated to external conquests and protection."

"Furthermore, we will establish the 'Inquiry Academy,' which will be jointly managed by myself and the elders. We will select disciples with excellent character, aptitude, and achievements, and dedicate ourselves to their training so that they may become the pillars of the sect's future!"

The announcement of a series of practical and beneficial new policies for the disciples brought the atmosphere to its peak. The disciples cheered wildly, their gazes towards the figure in blue robes on the high platform filled with boundless admiration and trust. With such a sect leader, with such a sect, what was there to fear about the long road ahead? What was there to be afraid of the hardships that lay before them?

Liuyun Hall, the quiet room in the back mountain.

The hustle and bustle of the grand ceremony gradually faded away. In the quiet room, the fragrance of sandalwood wafted through the air, and Shen Mo sat facing Han Lin, Shi Tie, Zhao Qingyan, Su Xiao, Li Xiaocao, and other core executives.

The crowd still carried the afterglow of the celebration, but their expressions had returned to their usual calm and solemnity.

"This momentum has been fully established." Han Lin stroked his long beard, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of satisfaction and apprehension. "Now, our Qingyun Sect is truly a target of envy. Within the Southern Region, although the Lieyang Sect and the Tianjian Sect outwardly bow their heads, they are certainly unwilling to accept this in secret. Especially the Tianjian Sect, Jian Wuhui is a man of extreme vengeance. He failed to seize the Burial Soul Valley and instead lost face; he will definitely not let this go."

"The various forces in the Northern Desert, Western Wilderness, Eastern Sea, and even the Central Region are either forming alliances or spying on us, their intentions are hard to fathom. Every step from here on out must be taken with utmost caution."

"Elder Han is absolutely right," Zhao Qingyan replied, her delicate brows furrowing slightly. "According to the recent monitoring by the Array Hall, the number of unidentified spying divine thoughts within a ten-thousand-mile radius of the mountain gate is several times greater than before the battle, and their methods are becoming increasingly covert. Although I have improved the mountain-protecting array 'Flowing Cloud Covering the Sky Array' based on the true explanation of 'Two Elements Micro Dust Array,' greatly increasing its power, the daily maintenance costs have also increased accordingly, requiring continuous investment of resources to perfect it."

Shi Tie snorted and said in a deep voice, "What are we afraid of! We'll meet force with force! Anyone who dares to lay a finger on us, I'll chop them off! Our sect leader is now a Nascent Soul True Monarch, and we Zhan Tang warriors aren't pushovers either! It's perfect for us to practice on!"

Shen Mo waved his hand, signaling Shi Tie to calm down. He looked at Su Xiao: "Junior Sister Xiao, how's the intelligence gathering on the Shadow Guard side? Especially regarding the Xuan Yin Sect Master, and... the movements in the Central Region."

Su Xiao's cold voice rang out: "The whereabouts of the Xuan Yin Sect Master are a mystery. After the destruction of the Burial Soul Valley altar, the remaining hidden branch altars were also deserted, as if they had completely evaporated. The Shadow Guard discovered several relics suspected to be from a large-scale blood sacrifice deep in the Northern Desert. They are ancient and have similarities to the Burial Soul Valley formation, but the clues end there. This person is deeply hidden and his ambitions are far greater than expected."

She paused, then continued, "From the Central Region, seven forces have sent congratulatory gifts either through the Treasure Pavilion or by directly dispatching envoys. Among them, three are merchant guilds, two are mid-level sects, one is the ancient cultivation family 'Yunmengze Tantai Clan,' and there is one more..."

She looked up at Shen Mo and said, "It's the 'Sky Patrol Pavilion'."

"The Sky Patrol Pavilion?" Han Lin and the others' expressions shifted. The Sky Patrol Pavilion was not a traditional sect, but rather an extremely special and transcendent force in the Central Region. It was said to be responsible for monitoring abnormal celestial phenomena, spatial fluctuations, and... external movements in the Eastern Wilderness and even the surrounding areas. It maintained close ties with several of the top hegemonic sects in the Central Region and rarely interacted directly with sects outside the region. Their gift was of extraordinary significance.

"What did you send?" Shen Mo asked.

"A 'Sky Patrol Token'." Su Xiao took out a silver token that was neither gold nor jade, with an ancient design, a pattern of stars on the front, and the character "察" on the back. "Postscript: Congratulations to True Monarch Shen of Qingyun Sect for advancing to the Nascent Soul stage and for his meritorious service in suppressing demons."

"This token can be used at any outer hall of the 'Sky Patrol Pavilion' in the Central Region to obtain one intelligence consultation that does not involve core secrets, or to request one instance of assistance not exceeding the limit. It can also serve as proof to participate in the 'Eastern Wilderness Prodigies' Dao Discussion Conference' to be held in 'Tianyuan City' in the Central Region fifty years from now."

"The Celestial Patrol Token... The Heavenly Pride Forum..." Shen Mo took the token. It was cool to the touch. He scanned it with his divine sense and could feel a vast and ethereal monitoring power contained within it.

This is both recognition and a form of... observation and recruitment? It seems that the battle of Burial Valley, especially the matter involving the extraterrestrial demon projection, has already attracted the attention of those truly behemoths in the Central Region.

"Whether it's a blessing or a curse remains to be seen." Shen Mo put away the token. "The Central Region is too treacherous; we shouldn't get too involved for now. Right now, our priority is to establish a foothold in the Southern Region and solidify our foundation. Elder Han, how are the 'negotiations' with the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect going?"

When this matter was mentioned, Han Lin's expression turned serious: "Master Huoyun of the Lieyang Sect proposed to redefine the sphere of influence in the Southern Region, using the Blackwater Marsh as the boundary. The eastern and northern parts, including most of the former Xuan Yin Sect's power vacuum area, will belong to my Qingyun Sect; the western and southern parts, as well as several important mines and markets, will belong to the Lieyang Sect."

"On the surface, the territory acquired by my Qingyun Sect is much larger, but it is mostly the northern desert wilderness and the treacherous Blackwater Marsh, which are difficult to develop. The territory acquired by the Lieyang Sect, on the other hand, is mostly fertile land and well-established trade routes. Moreover, they have explicitly demanded that the Qingyun Sect not interfere in the affairs of the Western Wilderness and not have close ties with sects such as the Black Fiend Sect and the Five Poisons Sect."

"The Heavenly Sword Sect is entangled in the incident of its disciples being 'accidentally injured' during the Battle of Burial Soul Valley, demanding compensation and the right to explore several sword-related relics left by the Xuan Yin Sect, displaying an arrogant attitude. Although Jian Wuhui did not come in person, his envoy's words revealed considerable resentment towards my Qingyun Sect."

"Hmph! Dream on!" Shi Tie roared. "They want the best territory, they want to take all the advantages, and they want to restrict our movements? Those hypocrites from the Heavenly Sword Sect, they tried to steal a chicken but lost the bait, and they still have the nerve to ask for compensation? Sect Leader, if you ask me, let's just stop talking! We're strong and well-equipped now, are we afraid of them?"

"We still need to talk." Shen Mo tapped his fingers lightly on the back of his chair, his gaze deep. "At this stage, it is not advisable to start another large-scale war. If the Blazing Sun Sect wants real benefits, we can give them to them, but control of the Blackwater Marsh must be in my hands, and the exploration of the Samsara Palace must not be hindered by them."

"We can leave the Western Wilderness alone for now, but we can't make any explicit promises. As for the Heavenly Sword Sect, leave them hanging. No compensation, and the Sword Dao Relics... tell them that if they're so capable, they should go find the Xuan Yin Sect Master themselves. We can be firm, but we don't need to completely break off relations. Elder Han, you're in charge of finding the right balance."

"I understand." Han Lin nodded, already having a plan in mind.

"Junior Sister Zhao, the mountain-protecting formation and the sect's internal defenses are entrusted to you. Resources must be prioritized. Shi Tie, the training of the Battle Hall and the newly established 'Azure Cloud Guard' must not be relaxed. Junior Sister Li, the Pill Hall needs to increase its reserves and research and development of various strategic pills, especially those for dealing with high-level cultivators, as well as potential spatial and soul-type attacks."

"Junior Sister Xiao, the Shadow Guards continue to infiltrate the entire Eastern Wilderness, focusing on monitoring the movements of key figures in the Blazing Sun Sect and the Heavenly Sword Sect, as well as... any clues related to 'Beyond the Realm,' 'Ruins of Return,' and 'Ancient Relics.'"

"Yes!" the crowd answered in unison.

The renowned artist Mayday has joined the platform with his new work, "Still in the Ruined Gate, Weaving Myths"!